Equipment Inventory
- Example
- Notes
- Caution
- Best Practice
- Characteristics specific to versions 2016 and earlier
- Menu access
- Description of tabs
- Alphabetical list of tabs
- Details
- Inventory Data
- Amount Charged Back
- Invoice
- Attachments
- Discussion
- Installed Software
- Licenses
- Related Equipment
- Other Users
- All Contracts
- Pending Contracts
- History of Changes
- Added to the Active Assets by Investment Number
- Added to Active Assets by Request Number
- Release Projects
- Attributes
- Capacities
- Usage
- Incidents
- Service Requests
- Change Requests
- Actions
- Problems
- Known Errors
- Events
- Destocking
- Related Projects
- Procedure and Wizards
Definition
The Equipment Inventory lists all workstations, printers, servers and network components in the IT infrastructure. Data in the Equipment Inventory can be collected automatically using an automatic discovery tool, or entered manually for undiscovered equipment.
EndDefinition
See Life Cycle of equipment
Each item of equipment:
- Is associated with a model defined in a unique catalog entry.
- Can have a bar code which can be automatically generated for several items of equipment associated with a given model.
- Can have a financial cost that can be spread over several cost centers based on usage.
A specific process enables you to promote equipment to the CMBD so that they can be managed as configuration items (CI). These are components that should be closely monitored because they may have an impact on other components in the event of an incident or request. This can affect availability or services provided to users.
Example
Relationship between equipment and the CMDB:
- Oracle server S131 hosts different applications: SAP, expense account, payroll software, etc.
- Server downtime will lead to the unavailability of these applications. The equipment is therefore managed both in the Equipment Inventory and as a CI in the CMDB.
Notes
- When an item of equipment is created:
- Certain information is inherited from the model defined in the catalog.
- The location and department of the main user will automatically be loaded.
- Equipment SLA:
- If an SLA is associated with the equipment type, it will apply to all incidents related to the equipment.
- If several SLAs are associated with the equipment, the one with the shortest resolution time will be applicable.
Caution
- The asset tag is used to identify an item of equipment during its entire life span in the IT infrastructure. You should only modify it if there is a data entry error.
- When you delete a form, the action is final. If you want to keep the form without making it available in Service Manager, you can archive it by running the Discard wizard. You can then view it using the Archived filter.
Best Practice
- To create an item of equipment, we recommend you use the Delivery Reception wizard:
- Unlike the standard creation procedure where you are required to complete information in different tabs, this wizard enables you to specify the general information, financial data, attributes, and bar code of the equipment directly.
- It also enables you to perform stock entry for several items of equipment from a given supplier in one go and generate all of the required bar codes. See the procedure
- Modifications made to models in the catalog will automatically be propagated to all existing equipment. Make corrections to the equipment only if there are context-specific conditions not to be included in the catalog.
- If the status of the equipment is To be checked, select Discovery > Administration > Inventory Anomalies in the menu to make the relevant corrections so that the equipment is correctly referenced in Service Manager.
- To see all equipment the main user is in charge of, open the Employee form and select the Main Equipment tab.
- Because software can be installed or reinstalled frequently on equipment, you should specify the licenses installed on servers so that you can see the technical configuration required prior to network deployment.
- If an item of equipment is no longer used:
- To view equipment that has been discarded, use the Archived filter.
Characteristics specific to versions 2016 and earlier
- Create a new item of equipment: Use the quick creation button
- Graphic interface:
- General overview of the form See the Fundamentals
- Screens in the Equipment form
- Additional fields in the Details tab
- General overview of the form
Equipment managed in the CMDB
- You can also access this equipment by selecting Extended CMDB > Equipment in the menu.
- In this menu:
- Modifications made to forms will not be propagated to the Equipment Inventory forms in the Asset Management menu.
- Some wizards in Equipment Inventory forms in the Asset Management menu will not be available.
Menu access
Asset & Configuration > Equipment > Inventory
Description of tabs
TabUpdateRules_After2016Versions
Click to see the general principles for updating tabs.
| Create a new item | Delete an item or association with a related item |
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Run the New wizard at the top of the tab
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Move the cursor over the corresponding item and click
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Alphabetical list of tabs
QuickAccess
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Details
AssetTag
Asset Tag: Unique identifier placed on an item of equipment using a label or bar code when it is added to stock. This identifier does not change during the entire life span of the equipment even if it is moved or discarded.
Status
Status: Status indicating the condition of the item of equipment and its availability, e.g. active, out of order, etc.
When the status of the equipment is To be checked, consult the inventory anomaly report.
Type
Type: Type (full path displayed) associated with the current object.
- The type is inherited from the model.
example Equipment/Computing/Workstations/Laptops
Model
Model: Model associated with the current object from which certain catalog information is inherited.
- Update: Detected by the automatic discovery tool when the information is in the workstation BIOS.
Manufacturer
Manufacturer: Brand of the current object.
- Update: Discovered by an automatic discovery tool when the information is in the workstation BIOS or inherited from the model
StandardBuild
Standard Build: Standard build of the workstation, defining the list of software that should be installed based on workstation usage. This list should be compared with the list of software actually installed on the workstation using the Installed Software tab.
- Only active standard builds will be proposed.
NetworkIdentifier
Network Identifier: NetBIOS name of the resource used to identify it within the network.
- When a remote access software is installed, the hotline can use
to connect directly to it when troubleshooting.
MainUser
Main User: Employee responsible for the equipment and who must be able to return the equipment in its initial condition.
Specify the other employees with access to the equipment in the Other Users tab.
SerialNumber
Serial Number: Serial number of the equipment, attributed by the supplier.
- Certain items of equipment such as assembled PCs do not have any serial number.
Location
Location: Location where the current object is physically stored.
- By default, the location of the main user will be used.
Department
Department: Department associated with the current object.
- By default, the department of the main user will be used.
WarrantyType
Warranty Type: Type of warranty for the equipment.
example On-site warranty
CriticalLevel
Critical Level: Value that warns the IT Department of the sensitivity of the current object when processing incidents or requests, indicated by 
displayed in the form. The higher the critical level, the higher the object's processing priority.
EndWarranty
End of Warranty: Date on which the equipment is no longer covered by the warranty.
- It is automatically calculated when the equipment is created by applying the duration of the warranty (inherited from the model) to the Delivery Date indicated in the Financial Data tab.
SLA
SLA: SLA applicable to all incidents or requests related to the current object, used to calculate processing time for the IT Department.
InstallationDate
Installation Date: Date on which the equipment was installed in the IT infrastructure.
DiscardDate
Discard Date: Date on which the equipment was permanently removed from the IT infrastructure.
- When this date is reached, the status of the equipment in the inventory will be Archived.
- Update: Use the form or run the Discard wizard.
LastAutomaticInventory
Last Automatic Inventory: Date of the last automatic inventory of the equipment updated using a discovery tool.
LastPhysicalInventory
Last Physical Inventory: Date of the last manual control inventory for the equipment.
Comment
Comment: Comments on the form. You can also add images or tables in this field using HTML tags.
Financial Data
FinancialDataTab
Data on the purchase, depreciation, renewal and charge back of the current object.
FinancialDataTab_FieldsList
- Supplier: Name of the supplier from whom the asset was purchased.
- P.O. Number: Purchase order number of the asset.
- P.O. Number (EasyVista): Purchase order number of the asset associated with a delivery managed in Service Manager.
- Invoice Number: Asset supplier invoice number.
- Acquisition Type: Initial acquisition method of the asset.
- Purchase Date: Purchase date of the asset.
- Delivery Date: Delivery date of the asset.
- Delivery Bill Number: Asset supplier delivery number.
- Analytical Cost Allocation: Analytical cost allocation account associated with the order.
- Fixed Asset Number: Reference number of the asset for accounting purposes. Note: Several assets can be referenced using the same number.
- Depreciation Rule: Rule indicating the depreciation method of the asset, i.e. straight line or declining balance.
- Net Book Value: Net book value of the asset to date, based on the depreciated value.
- Calculated field: Purchase Price - Depreciation Expense to date
- Depreciation Expense: Depreciated amount of the asset to date.
- The amount is reset to zero when the asset is totally depreciated or sold.
- Calculated field
- Purchase Price: Purchase price of the asset.
- Monthly Charge Back: Cost of the asset charged back every month to different cost centers.
- Allocation to cost centers: In the Amount Charged Back tab.
- Scheduled Renewal: Date on which the asset should be renewed.
- Renewal Value: Estimated price for replacing the asset on the renewal date.
- Reform Number: Specified when the asset is discarded.
- Buy Back Value: When the asset is acquired through a leasing contract, this is the buy back amount to be paid at the end of the contract to acquire the asset.
- Transfer Date: Date on which the asset was sold.
- Transfer Value: Resale price of the asset.
- Transfer Net Book Value: Net book value of the asset on the transfer date, based on the depreciated value.
- Calculated field: Purchase Price - Depreciation Expense == at transfer date
- If the asset is sold before the end of its depreciation period, this value is used to calculate capital gains or losses.
- Capital Gain/Loss: Amount of capital gains or losses when the asset is sold before the end of its depreciation period.
- Calculated field: Transfer Value - Net Book Value
example Sale of asset
- Purchase Price: €1000
- Depreciation Rule: Straight line for 5 years, 20% of its value every year
- Transfer value: The asset is sold for €500 after 2 years
- After 2 years, 40% of the asset's purchase price has been depreciated ==> Depreciation expense = €400
- Transfer net book value = Purchase price - Depreciation expense = €600
- Transfer value - Transfer net book value = -€100 ==> this is a capital loss
Processors
Number of CPUs and cores available on the workstation.
example 8 cores for 2 quad core processors
- This information is discovered by the automatic discovery tool.
Green IT: Consumption
Information inherited from the model.
- Update: In this tab or run the Energy Consumption Simulation wizard available when you select Asset & Configuration > Equipment > Green IT.
Electricity Consumption (Watts/Hour): Estimated energy consumption of equipment, used by Green IT.
Usage estimated in Percentages: Estimated usage rate of equipment, used by Green IT.
Estimated CO2 during Use (Kg): Amount of CO2 emission (in kg) from the use of the equipment, used by Green IT.
- This calculated field is equal to: the Carbon intensity electricity (Kg) value specified for the location associated with the equipment * the Electricity Consumption (Watts/Hour) value specified for the equipment.
Green IT: Manufacturing
Estimated CO2 during production (Kg): Amount of CO2 emission (in kg) required for manufacturing the equipment, used by Green IT.
Estimated Water during production (L): Amount of water (in liters) required for manufacturing the equipment, used by Green IT.
Green IT: Recycling
Information on equipment recycling used by Green IT (contractor in charge of recycling, equipment discard date and recycling date).
- The contractor is selected from the list of suppliers.
- Update: In this tab or run the Recycling of Assets wizard available when you select Asset & Configuration > Equipment > Green IT
Inventory Data
InventoryDataTab
List of information on the current object detected by an automatic discovery tool.
Amount Charged Back
AmountChargedBackTab
Details of the current object's charge back to the relevant cost centers. The amount charged back can be broken down by cost center calculated using their sharing value coefficient. See the examples
Invoice
InvoiceTab
List of invoices linked to the current object.
- Update: Run the Invoice wizard
Attachments
AttachmentTab
List of documents associated with the current object.
- Update: In this tab - See the description
Discussion
DiscussionTab
List of discussions associated with the current object.
- Users can access discussions based on their domain and the visibility of the discussion. Users must also belong to a group authorized to take part in discussions, i.e. in the Group form, the Discussion Enabled box must be selected.
- Enter the keywords you want in the Search field and press <Enter>.
*To cancel the search criteria and return to the complete list of discussions, provided you have the relevant rights, click within the box and then click
.
Installed Software
InstalledSoftwareTab
List of software installed on the current object.
- Different reports are used to display the differences between the required configuration and the software actually installed on workstations.
- Update: Use the automatic discovery tool using discovery rules defined for software or in this tab when the software cannot be discovered, e.g. printer drivers. You can also use an integration model based on the Software connector
Licenses
LicenseTab
List of licenses associated with the current object.
- Update: In this tab, or run the Link to a License wizard, or in License forms > Related Equipment tab. You can also use an integration model based on the Relationships Equipment Licenses connector
Related Equipment
RelatedEquipmentTab
List of other equipment locally associated with the current object.
example Screen associated with a server
- Update: In this tab or use an integration model based on the Relationships Equipment Equipment by Asset Tag or Relationships Equipment Equipment by Serial Number connector
Other Users
List of employees who can use the equipment but who are not in charge of it.
- Update: In this tab or use an integration model based on the Other Users (Equipment, Contracts, Licenses, CI) connector
All Contracts
List of all contracts associated with the equipment.
- Update: In this tab, or run the Link to a Contract wizard, or in Contract forms > Equipment tab. You can also use an integration model based on the Relationships Equipment Contracts connector
Pending Contracts
List of contracts associated with the equipment whose end date has not been reached.
- Update: In this tab, or run the Link to a Contract wizard, or in Contract forms > Equipment tab. You can also use an integration model based on the Relationships Equipment Contracts connector
To associate several items of equipment with a given contract, switch to List mode, select the equipment you want and run the Link to a Contract wizard.
History of Changes
HistoryOfChangeTab
List of all modifications made to the form.
- The fields taken into account are defined using rules in the history of changes.
- This is the AM_ASSET table.
Added to the Active Assets by Investment Number
List of investment requests that initiated the adding of the equipment to the IT infrastructure.
Added to Active Assets by Request Number
List of change requests that initiated the adding of the equipment to the IT infrastructure.
Release Projects
ReleaseProjectTab
List of release projects linked to the current object.
- Update: In this tab and also in Release Projects forms (All CI tab in the Service Transition menu)
Attributes
AttributeTab
List of attributes linked to the current object.
- Only attributes compatible with the model type can be associated.
- Update: Using an automatic discovery tool, e.g. processor, speed, memory, disk space. Can also be inherited from the model or in this tab when context-specific conditions exist. You can also use an integration model based on the Attributes (Equipment, Contracts, Licenses) connector
Capacities
CapacityTab
List of capacities linked to the current object.
example Disk Space, Power
- Update: In this tab or use an integration model based on the Capacities (Equipment, Contracts, Licenses) connector
Usage
All statistics on equipment usage since installation.
- Update: Automatically at each usage inventory.
Incidents
IncidentTab
List of incidents associated with the current object.
- Update: In Incident forms
Service Requests
ServiceRequestTab
List of service requests linked to the current object.
- Update: In Service Request forms
Change Requests
ChangeRequestTab
List of change requests linked to the current object.
- Update: In Change Request forms
Actions
ActionTab
List of actions associated with the current object.
- Update: In Incident/Request forms when an action involving the current object is created
Problems
ProblemTab
List of problems associated with the current object.
- Update: In Problem forms
Known Errors
KnownErrorTab
List of known errors associated with the current object.
- Update: In Known Error forms
Events
EventTab
List of events associated with the current object.
- Update: Automatically when the Technical Support Agent receives an alert. You can also run the New Event wizard
Destocking
List of consumables removed from stock in response to incidents or change requests involving the equipment.
example Toner cartridge delivered with a printer, or a mouse delivered with a computer
- Update: When a destocking movement is entered in an action involving an incident or request for the equipment.
Related Projects
RelatedProjectTab
List of projects linked to the current object.
- Only project managers can associate a project with the current object. If this is not the case, no projects will appear in the list.
- Update: Run the Link Asset to Project wizard
Procedure and Wizards
How to create an item of equipment using the Delivery Reception wizard
Step 1 (optional): Create the equipment model
Note: The equipment must be associated with a previously defined model in the catalog.
1. Select References > Catalogs > Equipment Catalog in the menu.
2. Click + New.
3. Complete the information required.
4. Click Finish.
5. Complete the information required in the different tabs.
The catalog entry will be created.
Step 2: Run the wizard
1. Select Asset & Configuration > Equipment > Inventory in the menu.
2. Run the Delivery Reception wizard.
Step 3: Enter information on the equipment received
1. Complete the main information on the new item of equipment.
2. (optional) Click Link to a Contract and select all contracts associated with the new item of equipment.
3. Click Next.
4. Specify other information such as the model associated with the new item of equipment, the delivered quantity, the warranty end date, the status, etc.
5. Select the method for creating bar codes.
Note: When the uniqueness check is activated for the asset tag, an error message will be displayed if there is a duplicate.
- Manually, by clicking Enter the Bar Codes.
The number of rows displayed is equal to the quantity of equipment received.
- Specify the bar codes of each item in Asset Tag.
- Specify the additional information required.
- Automatically, by clicking Generate Bar Codes.
- Indicate the root value (first characters of the bar code), the increment start value and the number of characters after the root.
example Root = 666, Number of Chars = 5, Start value = 68
Three items of equipment received ==> Three bar codes will be generated: 66600068, 66600069, 66600070
- Click Generate Equipment.
The window for entering bar codes manually will appear. - If required, modify the generated bar codes.
- Indicate the root value (first characters of the bar code), the increment start value and the number of characters after the root.
Step 4: Generate the Equipment forms
1. (optional) Click Receive another Equipment to create another item of equipment immediately.
- Repeat the procedure in step 2 for this new item of equipment.
2. Click Generate Equipment.
3. (optional) Specify the email notification information.
4. Click Finish.
The Equipment forms will automatically be created.
Wizards
Accept Transfer
Link Asset to Project
Link to a Contract
Link to a License
Attach Equipment
New Recurrent Work Order
Delivery Reception
Send to Repair
Invoice
Manage in the CMDB
Install/Move
Execute Script
Update
New Event
New Request/Incident
New Attribute
New Change Request
Pre Assignment
On Loan
Extension of Use
Transfer Proposal
Purchase on End of Lease
Software Recalculation
Replace
Recycling of Assets
Return of Loan/Repair
Return to Stock
Energy Consumption Simulation
Discard
Delete
Residual Value