How to Manage Computer Inventory
Whether you run or are part of the IT department in a business or maintain a small home network, it's important to know what hardware and software you've got on each computer that you support. An inventory can help you manage and keep track of purchases, the version, serial and license numbers for parts and software, warranty dates and providers, and installation, upgrade, or removal dates. While commercial inventory systems, such as SoftInventive Lab's Total Network Inventory or Magneto Software's Global Network Inventory, automatically format your inputs for ease of use and reporting, you can also use simple spreadsheets to accomplish the task.
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Things You'll Need
- Spreadsheet program
- Computer profiling program
- Inventory management program
- Marking pen
- Numbered asset tags
Instructions
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Identify how many computers you have to manage. If the number is relatively small (for example, a home network with 3 or 4 computers), it may be more cost-effective to use a spreadsheet than to purchase an inventory management program that provides features more necessary for organizations that must manage a large number of computers.
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Use the inventory management program or spreadsheet to create a control record for each computer that includes every piece of hardware and software that must be maintained. Add information that makes it easy for you to understand the current state of each item (for example, asset tag numbers, purchase date, installation (and later, upgrade or removal) date, name of the person who is using the computer or any licensing, and version information or date of last repair or service).
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Affix asset tags to the hardware that matches the entry in the control records. If the item is too small for an asset tag, use a permanent marking pen to write the tag number on it.
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Periodically audit and profile the computers to confirm that the number of purchased licenses matches the number of computers on which each software program is installed.
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Periodically review the control records and re-profile the computers to ensure that equipment maintenance and software upgrade schedules are followed and that the equipment is still usable.
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Tips & Warnings
When you retire a computer from service for any reason, do not delete the control record. Instead, make note that the equipment has been parted out for salvage, broken or lost.
