KACE Systems Management Appliance 13.2 Common Documents - Administrator Guide

Adding and customizing Asset Types and maintaining asset information

Adding and customizing Asset Types and maintaining asset information

You can add or customize Asset Types as needed. You can also maintain real-time information on assets by scanning your network at regularly scheduled intervals.

In addition, you can add subtypes to your Asset Types. Asset Subtypes enable you to track asset properties, such as toner or ink levels of printers.

About Asset Types

About Asset Types

Asset Types are templates for creating assets. Asset Types contain the fields and other information that define assets.

Default Asset Types include: Device, Cost Center, Department, License, Contract, Location, Purchase, Software, and Vendor, and you can add custom Asset Types as needed.

In addition, you can add Asset Subtypes and custom fields for any Asset Type. This is especially useful for collecting additional information about non-computer Device assets, such as printers. See About Asset Subtypes, custom fields, and device detail preferences.

Customizing Asset Types

Customizing Asset Types

You can rename fields, create fields, and delete fields in Asset Types as needed. Customizations to Asset Types are preserved during appliance updates.

About renaming fields and changing field types in Asset Types

When you rename a field in an Asset Type, the field is renamed in all assets that are based on the Asset Type. Values for the renamed field are retained.

However, if you change the Type to a type that does not support the data already entered in a field, that data is lost. For example, you might have a field named Model Number that is of the Type, Text, and that contains the value A123. If you change the Type from Text to Number, the system cannot convert A123 to a valid number. The value for the Model Number field is set to 0.

About adding and deleting asset fields

When you add a field to an Asset Type, the field is available to all assets of that type. Similarly, if you delete a custom asset field, that field, and any values entered in that field, are removed from all assets of that type.

For example, if you created a custom field named BIOS Serial Number in the Device Asset Type, that field would be available to all Device Asset Types. However, if you delete the BIOS Serial Number custom asset, that field, and any values entered in the field, are removed from all Device Asset Types.

If you delete an asset field, the asset association is removed from any assets that point to the deleted field.

Add or customize Asset Types

You can have as many custom Asset Types as you need. In addition, you can create custom fields in any Asset Type. When you create a custom field in an Asset Type, that field becomes available to all assets that are based on that Asset Type.

If the Organization component is enabled on your appliance, you add and customize Asset Types for each organization separately.

TIP: Additional options are available for Device and License Asset Types. See About customizing the Device Asset Type and Customize the License Asset Type.

To add a barcode, click , type the barcode name, and click Save.

8.	In the Asset Fields area, click .

Item	Description
Name	The name of the custom asset field, such as Asset Code, Purchase Date, or Building Address Line 1. This name appears on the form used to create assets of the selected Asset Type.
Available Values	The values that appear in fields that contain lists of values. This field is enabled when you select Single Select or Multiple Select from the Type drop-down list. If you select Single Select or Multiple Select, you must enter at least one value in this field. To use multiple values, separate each value with a comma.
Default Values	The value that appears in the field by default. If you select Single Select or Multiple Select from the Type drop-down list, you must type one of the values given in the Available Values field.
Required	Whether the field is mandatory or optional. If this check box is selected, users must enter a value in the field when creating assets of the selected type.
Type	The type of field. Field types include: • Attachment: Enables users to add attachments to the asset. • Currency: Used for monetary values. • Software Catalog: Enables users to associate the asset with an application in the Software Catalog. • Date: Used for calendar information. • Label: Enables users to associate a label with the asset. • Link: Used for Internet links. Links must be valid URLs, such as http://quest.com. • Multiple Select: Displays a list where multiple values can be selected. The maximum length for each value is 255 characters. • Notes: Used for additional information. • Number: Used for numerical values expressed as whole numbers. • Parent: Enables the asset to point to the same type of asset in a parent-child relationship. For example, you might allow Location types to have a Parent connection, allowing New York to point to a North America location. This can then be used in the reporting system to show all assets in North America. • Single Select: Displays a value list where only a single value can be selected. The maximum length for each value is 255 characters. • Text: Used for additional text. The maximum length is 255 characters. • Timestamp: Used to add a day and time to the record. • User: Used to associate user records with an asset. • Assets Asset Type: Used to specify relationships among Asset Types.
Multiselect	Whether the asset field points to other assets. A check box is enabled when you select Assets Asset Type from the Type drop-down list. Select the check box to allow this custom field to point to multiple records. For example, you might want a field to point to multiple devices that are approved for a particular license. In that case, you would select the check box. To create a single relationship field, such as a printer that is used by only one department, clear the check box.   NOTE: When you create an asset, this field is populated with the available assets of the specified Asset Type. The field is empty if there are no assets of the specified type.
Section	License assets only. The tab on which this field appears on the License Detail page: General, Purchase, Maintenance, Related, Custom, or Notes. For more information about the tabs appearing on the License Detail page, see Add or edit licenses.
Device Section	Device assets only. The location, on the Device Detail page, where the field is reported. For example, if you are creating a printer Asset Subtype, with a field named Toner Level, you might select Hardware because that field is related to printer hardware. However, you can choose any section in the drop-down list for any field.

Optional: Add Asset Subtypes for Asset Types. See Add Asset Subtypes and select Device Detail page preferences.

About customizing the Device Asset Type

Almost all Device asset data, whether displayed in the Assets or Inventory sections, originates from the Assets section.

The only device inventory or asset information that comes from the Inventory section is data for the Mapped Inventory Field and the Matching Asset Field. The values for those fields are collected each time devices are inventoried. During the inventory process, the appliance determines whether devices already have mapped assets. If no asset is found, the appliance creates one.

The default data type for Mapped Inventory Field is System Name, and the default data type for Matching Asset Field is Name. However, if you re-image your systems, the information under the old system name is lost to the Asset Management component. To prevent this loss, consider using BIOS serial numbers, IP addresses, MAC addresses, or something similar for tracking.

You can import Device asset data or change it manually in the Assets section any time.

CAUTION: If you change the default Asset Type, you lose the asset history prior to the change because the appliance automatically creates assets with the new information. Therefore, it is important to decide whether you want to change the default values as early as possible in the setup process.

Example: Add custom fields to the Device Asset Type

This example shows how to add fields to the Device Asset Type and select them in the Mapped Inventory Field and the Matching Asset Field.

2.	Click the Add button on the right side of the page: .

a.	Click the Add button: .

In the Type drop-down list, select Text. Reserve the Number Type for fields on which you perform calculations. Using the Number Type might strip leading zeros in a serial number.

a.	Click the Add button: .

In the Type drop-down list, select Text.

a.	Click the Add button: .

In the Type drop-down list, select Asset Location.

Establishing relationships between asset fields

You can edit Asset Types to establish relationships among assets and track them together.

These relationships can be:

Example: Add fields to the Location Asset Type shows how to make a parent-child relationship with locations by adding a field to the Location Asset Type.

Example: Add fields to the Location Asset Type

You can add fields to the Location Asset Type as needed.

2.	Click the Add button on the right side of the page: .

When you open a Location asset, the Parent Relationship field is shown on the Asset Detail page.

Add parent relationships to Location assets

Parent-child relationships can be useful when managing assets, such as Location assets.

Add Parent Location custom fields as described in Example: Add fields to the Location Asset Type.

When adding parent relationships, start with the highest level (parent level) in the relationship.

NOTE: The Parent Location field is a user-created custom field.

Delete Asset Types

You can delete Asset Types, provided that no assets are assigned to those types.

You have Asset Types that do not have any assets assigned to them.

About renaming fields and changing field types in Asset Types

Customizing Asset Types

You can rename fields, create fields, and delete fields in Asset Types as needed. Customizations to Asset Types are preserved during appliance updates.

About renaming fields and changing field types in Asset Types

When you rename a field in an Asset Type, the field is renamed in all assets that are based on the Asset Type. Values for the renamed field are retained.

However, if you change the Type to a type that does not support the data already entered in a field, that data is lost. For example, you might have a field named Model Number that is of the Type, Text, and that contains the value A123. If you change the Type from Text to Number, the system cannot convert A123 to a valid number. The value for the Model Number field is set to 0.

About adding and deleting asset fields

When you add a field to an Asset Type, the field is available to all assets of that type. Similarly, if you delete a custom asset field, that field, and any values entered in that field, are removed from all assets of that type.

For example, if you created a custom field named BIOS Serial Number in the Device Asset Type, that field would be available to all Device Asset Types. However, if you delete the BIOS Serial Number custom asset, that field, and any values entered in the field, are removed from all Device Asset Types.

If you delete an asset field, the asset association is removed from any assets that point to the deleted field.

Add or customize Asset Types

You can have as many custom Asset Types as you need. In addition, you can create custom fields in any Asset Type. When you create a custom field in an Asset Type, that field becomes available to all assets that are based on that Asset Type.

If the Organization component is enabled on your appliance, you add and customize Asset Types for each organization separately.

TIP: Additional options are available for Device and License Asset Types. See About customizing the Device Asset Type and Customize the License Asset Type.

To add a barcode, click , type the barcode name, and click Save.

8.	In the Asset Fields area, click .

Item	Description
Name	The name of the custom asset field, such as Asset Code, Purchase Date, or Building Address Line 1. This name appears on the form used to create assets of the selected Asset Type.
Available Values	The values that appear in fields that contain lists of values. This field is enabled when you select Single Select or Multiple Select from the Type drop-down list. If you select Single Select or Multiple Select, you must enter at least one value in this field. To use multiple values, separate each value with a comma.
Default Values	The value that appears in the field by default. If you select Single Select or Multiple Select from the Type drop-down list, you must type one of the values given in the Available Values field.
Required	Whether the field is mandatory or optional. If this check box is selected, users must enter a value in the field when creating assets of the selected type.
Type	The type of field. Field types include: • Attachment: Enables users to add attachments to the asset. • Currency: Used for monetary values. • Software Catalog: Enables users to associate the asset with an application in the Software Catalog. • Date: Used for calendar information. • Label: Enables users to associate a label with the asset. • Link: Used for Internet links. Links must be valid URLs, such as http://quest.com. • Multiple Select: Displays a list where multiple values can be selected. The maximum length for each value is 255 characters. • Notes: Used for additional information. • Number: Used for numerical values expressed as whole numbers. • Parent: Enables the asset to point to the same type of asset in a parent-child relationship. For example, you might allow Location types to have a Parent connection, allowing New York to point to a North America location. This can then be used in the reporting system to show all assets in North America. • Single Select: Displays a value list where only a single value can be selected. The maximum length for each value is 255 characters. • Text: Used for additional text. The maximum length is 255 characters. • Timestamp: Used to add a day and time to the record. • User: Used to associate user records with an asset. • Assets Asset Type: Used to specify relationships among Asset Types.
Multiselect	Whether the asset field points to other assets. A check box is enabled when you select Assets Asset Type from the Type drop-down list. Select the check box to allow this custom field to point to multiple records. For example, you might want a field to point to multiple devices that are approved for a particular license. In that case, you would select the check box. To create a single relationship field, such as a printer that is used by only one department, clear the check box.   NOTE: When you create an asset, this field is populated with the available assets of the specified Asset Type. The field is empty if there are no assets of the specified type.
Section	License assets only. The tab on which this field appears on the License Detail page: General, Purchase, Maintenance, Related, Custom, or Notes. For more information about the tabs appearing on the License Detail page, see Add or edit licenses.
Device Section	Device assets only. The location, on the Device Detail page, where the field is reported. For example, if you are creating a printer Asset Subtype, with a field named Toner Level, you might select Hardware because that field is related to printer hardware. However, you can choose any section in the drop-down list for any field.

Optional: Add Asset Subtypes for Asset Types. See Add Asset Subtypes and select Device Detail page preferences.

About customizing the Device Asset Type

Almost all Device asset data, whether displayed in the Assets or Inventory sections, originates from the Assets section.

The only device inventory or asset information that comes from the Inventory section is data for the Mapped Inventory Field and the Matching Asset Field. The values for those fields are collected each time devices are inventoried. During the inventory process, the appliance determines whether devices already have mapped assets. If no asset is found, the appliance creates one.

The default data type for Mapped Inventory Field is System Name, and the default data type for Matching Asset Field is Name. However, if you re-image your systems, the information under the old system name is lost to the Asset Management component. To prevent this loss, consider using BIOS serial numbers, IP addresses, MAC addresses, or something similar for tracking.

You can import Device asset data or change it manually in the Assets section any time.

CAUTION: If you change the default Asset Type, you lose the asset history prior to the change because the appliance automatically creates assets with the new information. Therefore, it is important to decide whether you want to change the default values as early as possible in the setup process.

Example: Add custom fields to the Device Asset Type

This example shows how to add fields to the Device Asset Type and select them in the Mapped Inventory Field and the Matching Asset Field.

2.	Click the Add button on the right side of the page: .

a.	Click the Add button: .

In the Type drop-down list, select Text. Reserve the Number Type for fields on which you perform calculations. Using the Number Type might strip leading zeros in a serial number.

a.	Click the Add button: .

In the Type drop-down list, select Text.

a.	Click the Add button: .

In the Type drop-down list, select Asset Location.

Establishing relationships between asset fields

You can edit Asset Types to establish relationships among assets and track them together.

These relationships can be:

Example: Add fields to the Location Asset Type shows how to make a parent-child relationship with locations by adding a field to the Location Asset Type.

Example: Add fields to the Location Asset Type

You can add fields to the Location Asset Type as needed.

2.	Click the Add button on the right side of the page: .

When you open a Location asset, the Parent Relationship field is shown on the Asset Detail page.

Add parent relationships to Location assets

Parent-child relationships can be useful when managing assets, such as Location assets.

Add Parent Location custom fields as described in Example: Add fields to the Location Asset Type.

When adding parent relationships, start with the highest level (parent level) in the relationship.

NOTE: The Parent Location field is a user-created custom field.

Delete Asset Types

You can delete Asset Types, provided that no assets are assigned to those types.

You have Asset Types that do not have any assets assigned to them.