Applied Inventory Science

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1 Asset Inventories, Inc. was founded in 1992 and has been counting things ever since. It proudly claims a client list that includes Fortune 100 companies, local, state and federal government agencies, and internationally recognized organizations, as well as smaller companies with unique requirements. Applied Inventory Science Asset Inventories is a pioneer in Applied Inventory Science with its roots in the early days of professional, outsourced IT support. At that time, service providers found that very often clients did not have an accurate wall-towall inventory on which to base: implementation of new IT strategies integration of multiple and diverse systems changes in asset deployment migration to a common or upgraded operating system environment technical support staffing requirements outsourced IT management specs and contracts That s when it became clear that an accurate, up-front asset inventory would serve both the provider and the client well. And having an independent firm that specialized in IT asset inventories actually perform the work yielded better results, faster and more accurately, than trying to do it themselves or relying on client personnel to poll a large and diverse group of users. In short, it was a way to get the job done efficiently and professionally, avoid any possible appearance of a conflict of interests, and in many cases add important new value to the provider s basic offering. Clients quickly realized that they could use the asset inventory for other purposes asset valuation, software license compliance, theft monitoring, personnel/asset tracking and management, etc. It is not uncommon for a project to expand to include ongoing asset management, with additions/deletions, upgrades, transfers, etc. all monitored using the same system that was originally developed for an initial asset census. State of the Art Technology Full asset inventories are a lot more than a traditional count of furniture, fixtures and office equipment. In fact, the discipline of Inventory Science has become a highly specialized and technology-enabled business application especially critical in IT management and support situations. Not only is it important to count seats/people and equipment, but it s just as important to collect an accurate inventory of the operating systems, versions, and key software applications on each computer or other device. (In many cases, the software has higher value than the hardware, and almost certainly greater impact on the service requirements for technical support personnel.)

2 Five critical success factors There are five critical requirements for an effective IT asset inventory: 1. A thorough and accurate count of the supported assets, including installed software applications, peripheral equipment, and networking hardware/software. This includes physically tagging (with bar codes) all physical assets, and an electronic equivalent for installed software. 2. Location and departmental ownership/assignment information for all assets whether they are located on multiple floors or wings in the same building, in multiple buildings at the same corporate location, or in multiple locations (i.e., cities, states, provinces or countries throughout the world). 3. Product listing, for each asset, of version and serial number, license authentication, manufacturer, and age/condition (where applicable). It s even important to have common terminology, so that everyone understands, for example, that Model BR23 is the same as Model BR-023, or that version is not necessarily the same as version 6. (Try teaching those nuances to a computer!) 4. An accurate organization directory of the individuals in possession of each asset, shared asset relationships (a printer or scanner connected to multiple computers, for example), and a mechanism for tracking turnover and personnel rotation as they impact asset responsibility. ( What happens to software installed on laptops when people get promoted and/or moved and their computers are reassigned? Does the software follow the individual or the computer? ) 5. An integrated database and reporting system that delivers useful, realtime information about the assets to the people who need it. To meet these requirements, it s important to have a proven system in place, a professional asset inventory team that has experience in dozens of similar situations, and the latest in technology to collect, assemble and report the information without extensive editing, reformatting, or manual manipulation. Experience has proven that temps or first-time inventory takers make substantially more mistakes, take longer to complete their tasks, and must redo substantially more of the job, than their experienced counterparts increasing cost and turn-around time without adding any real value. Any possible saving in the hourly wage rate is quickly erased when the job must be done twice.

3 The key is preparation As soon as a project begins, Asset Inventories assigns an experienced, senior Project Manager to administer the project. Project Managers have all been involved in numerous asset inventories across a range of industries and at locations throughout the world, and they have mastered the principles of Applied Inventory Science. Quality Project Management Working with the provider and client contacts, the Project Manager conducts a thorough pre-inventory check-list our 21- day count-down prior to starting the actual physical inventory. The Project Manager concurrently assembles the on-site team of Inventory Specialists, carefully selected to include experience relevant to the industry and client s company culture. Quality Inventory Staff All team members are thoroughly briefed and show up at the client site on the agreed start-date with everything they need to conduct the contracted asset inventory. Team members wear uniforms when on the job with either the Asset Inventories logo or that of the primary provider on a blue shirt, with khaki pants. This ensures that client personnel will recognize them and cooperate according to published instructions, and not be concerned about security or confidentiality. Because the Asset Inventories team members are all experienced professionals, they are businesslike, well-groomed, courteous, and highly knowledgeable about their mission.

4 Quality Inventory Data During the inventory process, the Project Manager routinely performs quality assurance audits, and orders complete re-inspection of assets found to be listed with any ambiguity or error. Inventory tracking records include not only information specific to the assets, but also the date, time and name of the individual who recorded the information. This ensures that each team member accepts personal responsibility and accountability for the accuracy and thoroughness of the job. The goal which is consistently delivered is an asset inventory that exceeds the industry standard of 97% accuracy. Anyone who has been involved in taking a large asset inventory knows that this level of result can only be achieved when the people and systems are well tuned and organized for the task. Four key advantages Asset Inventories, Inc. is able to deliver on its committed projects on time and on budget because of four key advantages, each one critical to the successful completion of a job. 1. Systems have been developed and people have been trained specifically for the mission. Inventory Science isn t an ancillary business for us. It s our core competency and reason-for-being. We never use temps, and trainees are always accompanied by an experienced mentor or Project Manager. All Asset Inventories employees are equipped with state-of-the-art hardware/software that we know will help them get the job done right. 2. The team arrives at the job site and physically inspects all hardware and software for the initial inventory. Some providers try to save money by using remote access to conduct initial inventories, but we know from experience that on-site physical inspection always yields a more accurate, complete, and comprehensive inventory audit. Almost without exception shortcuts don t save money, they cost money sometimes significantly. By being there we are able to spot potential problems or identify other factors that can affect support, and tag them as part of the inventory process. We also catalog shared resources, peripherals, networking equipment, etc., in a way that would be almost impossible via remote access. We can even arrange for physical disposal of old/obsolete or non-functioning equipment as part of the inventory process. (This avoids tech support problems down the road, when someone tries to use the old equipment, can t get it to work, and seeks assistance.)

5 4. Reports and database structure are pre-configured to user needs, so clients and/or service providers receive exactly the information they need answers and solutions not pages of meaningless data. This is only possible because we thoroughly understand the business purpose for asset inventories. We ve seen an incredibly broad range of applications, and we can usually anticipate user needs as well as, and often better than, many users or service providers. 3. The actual cost of the inventory is based on the number of assets, not the manhours required to complete the project. This is a real advantage to both providers and clients, as it ensures that we are properly motivated to work efficiently, take full advantage of the training, experience, and know-how that we ve developed, and employ state-of-the-art technology to get the job done quickly and accurately. It also means no surprises for the provider or the client. Proposals are all-inclusive, and fees are based solely on the number of assets. If the project takes longer than expected, there is no additional cost. And if we are able to complete the inventory ahead of schedule, there s no add-on fee for expedited service, overtime, or early-completion premium. A pioneer in Applied Inventory Science Experienced, professional IT inventory specialists State-of-the-art technology support Providing a solid foundation for: implementation of new IT strategies integration of multiple and diverse systems changes in asset deployment migration to a common or upgraded operating system environment technical support staffing requirements outsourced IT management specs and contracts Contact information Feel free to contact us at: Asset Inventories, Inc. 12 East 46nd Street 5 th Floor New York, NY USA Tel Fax info@assetinventories.com Web