IT departments don’t have unlimited resources, as much as they’d like to. However, they do have a collection of tools and assets that are necessary for everyday work and maintenance, which need to be properly managed. Tracking and managing IT assets is key to ensuring productivity and efficiency across the department, hence the need for IT inventory management.
So, what is IT inventory management, what are its benefits, and how can Splashtop help? Let’s explore…
What is IT Inventory Management?
IT inventory management is the sorting, tracking, and managing of information technology (IT) assets, including the information, software, and hardware used in business activities. It ensures that all assets are properly used and maintained, including updates when necessary and proper disposal at the end of an asset’s life cycle.
IT inventory management helps organizations make smart, strategic decisions about their IT assets, ensuring they’re efficiently utilized. When done right, IT inventory management can also save companies money by reducing the assets they need and extending the life cycle of those they use.
Types of IT Inventory Management
There are two primary types of inventory management: traditional management methods, which use spreadsheets and logs to track assets manually, and inventory management software, which automates tracking and management.
Traditional IT management methods are typically chosen for affordability, as they don’t require investing in any software beyond a spreadsheet app. However, this method is also prone to human error, and needing to manually enter and track everything makes it inefficient.
IT inventory management software, on the other hand, uses real-time data, comprehensive reporting, and in-depth analytics to efficiently and accurately track and manage everything with minimal manual labor. This makes it a powerful and efficient process with far greater savings than the investment.
Elevating Efficiency with IT Inventory Management Software
With all that said, what are the benefits of using IT inventory management software? There are several advantages to these tools, including:
Improved accuracy: IT inventory management tools can accurately track your IT assets, helping to ensure proper utilization and maintenance.
Streamlined workflows: Inventory management software reduces the time and effort required to track assets, making work more efficient and streamlined.
Informed decision-making: Real-time insights into asset status and performance help IT teams and organizations make informed decisions about their IT investments and tools.
Cost savings: IT inventory management has been shown to significantly reduce operational costs while improving asset utilization by minimizing unnecessary purchases.
All of these benefits can lead to improved efficiency across the IT department and the entire organization.
Why Do You Need IT Inventory Management Software?
Even with those benefits, many decision-makers may still wonder if IT inventory management software is right for them. However, proper inventory management is a necessity for businesses of all sizes, thanks in large part to its benefits.
The ability to streamline processes, reduce manual errors, and improve asset visibility can significantly save time and money. This ensures that IT assets are being fully and properly utilized, so companies aren’t spending money on tools they neither need nor use while improving daily efficiency.
Additionally, IT inventory management is a key part of any organization’s IT strategy. Properly managing assets helps teams ensure operational efficiency and control costs, so the benefits outweigh the investment costs.
Key Features of Effective IT Inventory Management Systems
If you want to ensure you’re getting the most benefits out of your IT inventory management solution, there are some key features you’ll need to look for. Make sure you invest in a system with tools including:
Real-time tracking: One of the most essential features of any inventory management system is the ability to track assets in real time. Understanding what tools you have, when they’re available, and how they’re used is vital for successful asset management.
Automated reporting: Tracking without reporting doesn’t do a company any good, but automated reporting can provide significant benefits. This provides recurring, detailed reports showing how assets are utilized, which can help drive informed decisions.
Integrations: Good asset management solutions should seamlessly integrate with other business systems, so users can track asset usage and easily access reports across an organization.
Top 5 Best Practices for Effective IT Inventory Management
If you’re investing in IT inventory management, there are some best practices you’ll want to keep in mind. These five tips will help ensure you’re getting the best value out of your IT inventory management software:
1. Leverage Endpoint Management Software for Efficient IT Oversight
One of the best ways to efficiently track and manage your IT environment is with endpoint management software. For companies with remote/hybrid workforces, bring-your-own-device (BYOD) policies, and other remote endpoints, endpoint management software is vital for gaining visibility into and overseeing each connected device.
Endpoint management also makes it possible to track assets across multiple endpoints and send out updates and policy changes instantaneously, ensuring efficient IT oversight.
2. Conduct Regular IT Inventory Audits for Accurate Tracking
IT inventory management software is a useful tool, so it should be properly utilized. Conducting regular IT inventory audits helps ensure you’re properly tracking all your assets. Any information from the audit can then be entered into the management software to keep everything aligned and up to date.
3. Monitor Depreciation Rates and Maintenance Requirements for Optimal Performance
One of the most important uses for IT asset management is tracking and monitoring depreciation rates and maintenance needs to make sure their assets are all up to date. Outdated and deprecated assets should be replaced to maintain productivity and security.
4. Establish Standard Operating Procedures for Consistent IT Management
It’s equally important to ensure IT asset management is properly carried out across the company. This is where you need standard operating procedures (SOP) so that everyone across the organization knows how tasks are completed, assets are tracked, and the software is used. Creating a SOP will keep everyone on the same page and help ensure the software is used properly.
5. Implement Robust Security Measures to Protect IT Assets
Security is essential for any business, and IT assets must remain protected. As such, it’s important to make sure you implement security measures, including using tools like role-based access control to manage who can access what, securing accounts with multi-factor authentication and strong passwords, and using firewalls and similar security tools to protect networks.
Monitoring user access to IT assets is also key for identifying suspicious activity and stopping potential attacks.
Simplify IT Inventory Management and Reporting with Splashtop AEM
Endpoint management is one of the best tools to simplify and complement your IT inventory management, and Splashtop AEM (Autonomous Endpoint Management) is a powerful, robust, and price-effective endpoint management solution. Splashtop AEM makes it easy to streamline IT operations, automate tasks, and keep endpoints up to date from a single location, so you can manage your IT inventory across locations and endpoints with ease.
Splashtop AEM’s single-pane dashboard enables easy tracking of assets, including endpoint health, patch statuses, and security. Its inventory reporting also provides detailed reports on system, hardware, and software inventory, making inventory management easy so IT teams and managers won’t lose track of a thing.
Splashtop AEM includes:
Real-time patch management across endpoints
Oversight of all endpoints from a single dashboard
Customizable policy framework
Proactive security alerts and fixes
Insights into endpoint health, patch statuses, compliance, and more
Automated tasks across multiple endpoints
Inventory reporting
Want to experience Splashtop for yourself? You can get started today with a free trial:
