Effective management of hardware assets is essential for organizations to maintain efficiency without incurring high costs. Even externally owned equipment can be managed without significant difficulty through automation. The main recommendations for managing asset creation for externally ordered hardware assets include the following: the adoption of concrete guidelines in terms of asset policies, the use of REST API, regular audits, unique tags, and efficient data imports.
All these measures improve the quality of collected data and ensure that the assets are accounted for and used correctly. Introducing automation and technology in asset management will help minimize human barriers and improve decision-making quality in financial resource allocation.
Challenges Of Managing Externally Ordered Hardware Assets
Hardware assets are not easy to manage, mainly where the tracking system is outdated. Some common challenges encountered are:
- Lack of Visibility: This is central because stale inventory data is detrimental to an organization since it results in wrong decisions and management of organizational assets.
- Ineffective Budgeting and Resource Allocation: Inadequate tracking leads to inappropriate acquisition. For instance, a new employee will be issued a new laptop and peripheral while others remain idle most of the time.
- Lost Assets: It leads to the disappearance of assets and the creation of wrong files when tracking is not done efficiently.
- Irregular Maintenance and Delayed Service Tickets: Scheduled maintenance reduces employees' productivity and overall organizational costs. By not possessing adequate data regarding the antiquity of conditions and the usability and maintenance of assets, IT departments take longer to address overlapping services.
These problems should be avoided, and hardware asset management should be optimized with timely and accurate tracking. According to SC World, 66% of IT managers still do not possess comprehensive records of all their IT assets.
Why Automate the Creation of Externally Ordered Hardware Assets?
Manual tracking and management of hardware assets are inefficient and may lead to inaccuracy in accountancy and other unnecessary expenses. Automation covers the entire externally ordered hardware assets’ lifecycle: acquisition, maintenance, utilization, and disposal. Automating asset updates will also help organizations do away with manual record keeping, improving the accuracy of records, which can be quite a challenge in other systems.
For instance, in ServiceNow’s Hardware Asset Management (HAM) application, the automation of the hardware asset provides systems-generated purchase or transfer orders and activates designated CIs. It can easily update records, including software allocations and maintenance contracts, when assets are retired or replaced.
The second benefit comes for organizations that source supplies from several suppliers, as ASN enhances the integration of external and internal procurement systems. Using automation in resource management leads to adequate monitoring of resources and high-quality cuts across time wastage, giving teams back an opportunity to focus on critical tasks.
Core Components of an Automated System for Externally Ordered Hardware Assets
An automated system for externally acquired asset hardware will help the organization procure, track, and dispose of the assets more efficiently than manual methods. Such a system relies on six core components to function effectively:
- People: The people who operate and manage the system through its interfaces are the IT professionals and the procurement professionals.
- Procedures: Accurate business processes like the purchase orders and revision of assets are pre-directed by specific businesses like the Advanced Shipment Notification (ASN).
- Data: Records such as purchase requisition, invoice, and inventory details provide successful data management.
- Software: Several specific instruments are used for efficient tracking, including ServiceNow’s Software Asset Management (SAM), which integrates with the existing systems.
- IT Infrastructure: Software is anchored in reliable hardware, including servers and storage facilities.
- Internal Controls: Encryption and user access controls protect the information against threats as part of security measures.
These components provide better visibility, minimize the intervention of resources, and provide better control over assets from procurement to disposal from the organization.
Steps to Set Up Automated Asset Creation for Externally Ordered Hardware
The Hardware Assets are created automatically when a hardware order is obtained from outside. While small businesses gain thresholds at $500, an enterprise enables thresholds at $5000 and above. This helps avoid variations when assigning assets and ensures compliance with the right assets being captured.
Then, it is essential to select the correct asset management software. Cloud processes allow us to control tracking and the whole lifecycle of processes. Such systems can easily save small details that would be helpful in the future, such as the maintenance histories or warranty information and the documentation for assets owned.
There are general and specific factors to consider; the first is developing SOPs and the second is implementing technologies.
Give each asset a unique identification number, bar code label, or a plain sticker with a QR code, RFID, etc. These make tracking easy, minimize customer theft, and make monitoring accurate.
Finally, the ‘Asset Register’ must be updated and reviewed at the end of every six months. Automation brings business efficiency to ensure improved asset visibility and control.
Get more insights on Integrating ServiceNow Hardware Asset Management with ITSM.
Best Practices for Managing Externally Ordered Hardware Assets with Automation
Automation makes managing externally ordered hardware assets straightforward. Practical guidelines for system connection, process optimization, and data integrity to maintain effective asset management include:
- Set Clear Asset Policies: It is recommended that capitalization thresholds, for example, $500 for small business firms or $5000 for large firms, be defined.
- Leverage REST APIs: Semi-automated using REST APIs scripted and incorporating the vendor’s system into ServiceNow.
- Conduct Regular Audits: It is required to confirm asset details from time to time and, at the same time, be up to date with records.
- Use Unique Tags: Unlock stewardship tools with IoTs for efficient tracking, such as QR codes or RFID tags.
- Streamline Data Imports: To minimize the workload and time taken to perform ASNs manually and eliminate potential mistakes.
Automating the tracking process minimizes the need for human interaction, increasing efficiency and effectiveness and identifying assets. Scheduled updates and enhanced API solutions guarantee that your company’s hardware asset management is effective and consistent.
Conclusion
Automation in tracking hardware assets reduces manual intervention, thus boosting efficiency and accuracy in asset identification and management. Scheduled updates and enhanced API solutions ensure that the hardware asset management process remains consistent and adequate. By following these practical guidelines, organizations can streamline their operations, minimize errors, and optimize the utilization of resources. If you want to reduce your stress with the help of automation, contact inMorphis now.
