Equipment Inventory

Last modified on 2023/05/22 16:40

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

      Open url.png  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.Open url.png 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:
    • Run the Discard wizard to keep it with the Archived status. Enter a discard date and specify the status to indicate the reason for discarding the item of equipment.
    • Run the Delete wizard only if you do not want to keep the Equipment form.
  • To view equipment that has been discarded, use the Archived filter.

Characteristics specific to versions 2016 and earlier

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

         Equipment.png

TabUpdateRules_After2016Versions

Create a new item Delete an item or association with a related item

Run the New wizard at the top of the tab

Fundamentals - Form - New wizard.png

Move the cursor over the corresponding item and click Trash icon.png

Fundamentals - Form - Delete wizard.png

Alphabetical list of tabs

QuickAccess

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.

Best Practice icon.png  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 World icon.png 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.

Best Practice icon.png  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 Red star.png 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.

Open url.png See the list of fields

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.
  • 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.

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

 

Note: Only for archived equipment

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. Open url.png 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.

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 Discussion - Delete icon.png.

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

Best Practice icon.png 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.

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.

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.

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.
            Equipment - Create bar codes.png
    • Specify the bar codes of each item in Asset Tag.
    • Specify the additional information required.

       
  • Automatically, by clicking Generate Bar Codes.
            Equipment - Generate bar codes.png
    • 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.
       

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

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