Enterprises use technology in nearly every facet of their business. Staff members communicate and work with the use of laptops, monitors, smart phones, tablets, network equipment and other tools. The more devices that are added to a company, the more the number of devices will grow. It can be very difficult to manage all of these assets manually, particularly when equipment is transferred between employees, departments and locations.

By using a structured approach to technology tracking, businesses can flow with greater control over their technology. It gives IT staff insights into which devices they own, who is using them, where they are and how they are doing. Most importantly, having organized records for assets can save on unnecessary expenses, increase security, and make daily IT activities more convenient. In large organizations, it is no longer enough to just keep up with technology assets; it’s important to keep track of them so that they can be relied upon. It has become an integral part of the effective functioning of any IT operation.

• What is the value of technology asset tracking?
• What’s the benefit of tracking technology assets?

Companies will typically get the technology over time when they add new workers to the organization and new business. If there is no record it’s easy to get lost in the equipment. A laptop can be passed between staff members and not be recorded in the log. A monitor can be kept in a monitor store for several months. Older devices might still show up in inventory even after being disposed of.

Little problems can turn into big problems down the road. IT departments might acquire devices that they do not need, as the company just doesn’t know where the current device is. It can also take longer for employees to wait for available equipment as the organization may not be able to quickly locate their stock.

Structured tracking process provides better visibility to IT teams about their technology environment. Rather than using spreadsheets, emailing or relying on individual memory, teams can have a central source of information regarding critical equipment. This helps to provide a more solid base for everyday IT management.

Chapters

Taking note of which devices each student has

Familiarity with who is currently using each device is an integral part of technology inventory. Assignments for employees can be fluid, especially in remote/hybrid workplaces, or where employees are contractors or temporary staff.

Assignments of laptops or mobile devices should be logged when the hardware is issued to an employee. The same should occur at the time of transfer of ownership for the equipment. These records assist IT teams in answering some of the fundamental questions quickly.

If a maintenance has to be performed on a device, for instance, the IT team can look up the user currently using the device without having to delve through several records. When an employee wishes to depart from the organization, the team can decide which equipment should be returned.

When an employee joins or leaves the company, it is important to have clear ownership records. They assist organisations with developing consistent procedures rather than doing things differently in each situation.

Improving the efficiency of IT Onboarding

Often new employees have to have multiple pieces of technology before they can effectively do their jobs. They may need a laptop, monitor, keyboard, mouse, cell phone, headset, security hardware or other accessories, depending on their function.

When a process is not established, it can take too long for IT teams to review the equipment that is available. They can also overlook minor but important tasks during hectic onboarding times.

There is a consistent process with a structured asset tracking system. The IT staff can verify inventory, allocate the necessary devices, enter the device serial number, and enter the employee’s inventory. It eliminates confusion and decreases the time for new hires to get the technology they require.

Another benefit of good onboarding is that it automatically documents accurate records from the start. If all assigned devices are properly inputted into the system, upgrades and future maintenance and offboarding of devices will be easier.

Simplifying Employee Offboarding

Another big issue for the IT team is the loss of employees. Once someone leaves, the company must retrieve equipment and business information that is owned by the company.

It is important to have a clear offboarding process in place and know all of the devices assigned to the employee. Depending on who is responsible, it can then be confirmed to the IT staff that the equipment has been returned and the inventory records updated.

This also minimises the risk of equipment loss. An employer may not know right away that a laptop or a mobile device has not been returned, unless assignment records are kept up-to-date. IT teams can bring more accountability to offboarding by pairing employees with the equipment they’ve been assigned.

The recovered equipment may then move on to the next stage in an appropriate manner. The organization can take it back, send it for repair, store it or get it ready for secure disposal.

Enhance Hardware Budget Planning

Many organisations face the challenge of investing in technology. Companies must upgrade their old equipment, equip new hires, and keep up with critical equipment and infrastructure. These decisions can become costly when there is poor inventory visibility.

The IT manager can use accurate records to determine the current hardware configuration and approve the purchase of new equipment. They can determine when equipment is nearing the end of its useful life and forecast future equipment replacement needs.

This information is used to aid budget planning. Organizations can reactively buy devices, or can plan for upgrades using actual inventory data.
For instance, a manager in the IT department could find that a number of laptops are about to hit their “end of life” years in the same fiscal year. Ahead of time this is helpful for the business to budget and consider options for replacement.

Supporting Better Security Practices

Asset tracking also contributes to IT security. Organizations cannot properly protect devices they do not know they own or where those devices are located.
Accurate inventory records help security and IT teams maintain visibility across company equipment. They can identify assigned devices, monitor their status, and investigate unexpected changes more efficiently.

This becomes even more important when businesses operate across multiple locations or support remote employees. Equipment can exist outside the company’s physical offices, making manual tracking more difficult.

Asset records should work alongside other security practices such as access controls, endpoint protection, software updates, and employee security training. Tracking alone cannot protect an organization, but it provides an important layer of visibility.

Creating a Central Source of Information

Many IT problems occur because information exists in too many places. One employee may maintain a spreadsheet, another may keep notes in a ticketing system, and someone else may have information stored in email conversations.

This fragmented approach makes it difficult to establish a reliable source of truth. IT teams spend more time checking different records and resolving inconsistencies.

A centralized platform can simplify this process. Solutions such as BlueTally can help organizations organize important information about their technology assets in one place, making it easier for IT teams to maintain visibility as their inventory grows.

Centralization also supports collaboration. Different members of an IT team can work from consistent information instead of maintaining separate versions of the same inventory.

Making Audits Easier

When an organization can’t quickly present proof of what equipment it owns, IT audits can be stressful. Information regarding devices, assignments, purchases or equipment status may be requested by an auditor or internal management.

These reviews are easier to conduct if accurate records are maintained. IT teams can retrieve data from relevant department without having to call the concerned department or check in the old documents.

Routine audits also enable organizations to detect inconsistencies. Active devices can be stored without using them. A device could be marked as unassigned but still be in use by an employee.

Casinos can monitor logs periodically to ensure that their inventory is accurate and handle issues before they escalate into major operational issues.
Managing equipment throughout its lifecycle

All technology assets have a life cycle. A company purchases the equipment, assigns it to an employee, maintains it, upgrades it and then replaces it and/or disposes of it.

The performance of these phases enables organizations to know the entire life cycle of their equipment. IT staff can now determine when the device was put in service, by whom, if it needed repairs, and when the device was removed from the organization.

Lifecycle information can help in making better replacement decisions. Companies don’t need to replace equipment because of just age, but because of condition, usage, repair history, and business needs.

This can also help to enhance sustainability. It is possible for organizations to determine which devices can be reused rather than buying new devices just because someone needs one.

Develop a consistent IT process

The key to technology inventory is to see it in a process as opposed to a project. Making a record and failing to maintain it will lead to incorrect data over time.
For standard situations like purchasing equipment, assigning devices, transferring assets, returning equipment, repairing hardware and the replacement of old technology, IT teams should have simple procedures in place.

The consistency is more important than complexity. But, a simple procedure which is followed by employees frequently will often serve more purpose than a complicated system that is not updated.

It also matters a great deal with training. Staff should be aware that company equipment must be properly documented when moved and/or transferred.

Final Thoughts

Good tracking of technology provides businesses with more power to control the technology that facilitates their daily operations. It aids IT departments with management of onboarding and offboarding, hardware budget planning, security visibility, audit facilitation and complete knowledge of the life cycle of Company belongings.

Manual processes become extremely cumbersome as organisation expands. One coordinated and standardized process can help cut down on administrative burden and deliver better information for IT decisions.

It’s not just about listing devices. A sound asset management process establishes a link between equipment, its location, its conditions and various life cycle phases and people. That visibility allows businesses to make more informed technology decisions and create a more streamlined, efficient IT environment.

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