For companies, a functioning inventory of employee devices (notebooks, cell phones, etc.), IT hardware and other corporate assets is essential. If these processes fail, this results in additional costs, disruptions in operational processes and a poor experience for employees. The founders of My SAM know these issues from their previous professional life and have decided to build a platform to optimize inventory for all stakeholders.
Who doesn't know it? Once a year, most companies have to record their inventory for the annual financial statement. For many, this involves a great deal of effort, time and expense - inventory must be requested individually from each employee and reconciled with the data from the financial software. And after that? Business as usual and the same hell ride awaits again in the following fiscal year, unless a continuous inventory takes place during ongoing operations.
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These questions usually cannot be answered ad hoc if inventory is not thought of as a process - from request to resale / disposal. A static maintenance of the inventory via - classics - Excel lists is error-prone, not scalable and complicates dynamic processes, such as changes of allocations.
But it's not just about the current stock and continuous inventory - future requirements for new employees, for example, are usually only recorded in rudimentary form via ticket systems. In the worst case, equipment arrives too late or has to be reordered. Conversely, the offboarding process can become cumbersome if it is unclear which devices are assigned to the employee. Worst case: hardware and devices disappear. In any case, there is a lot at stake - namely, in addition to productivity aspects, a good employee experience, which is essential for how employees perceive the culture and organization of a company.
Unused equipment generates hidden costs and affects the profitability of a company. If there is no long-term need for this equipment, it can be resold or given to social institutions, for example. If the equipment ends up in the trash, this contributes to a negative environmental balance, but also to costs: On the one hand, one in four companies in Germany invests more than €100,000 to dispose of their equipment - a cost that can be significantly reduced. On the other hand, according to the World Economic Forum, around 50 million tons of electronic scrap are produced every year - and the trend is rising. The solution to this problem? The integration of refurbishment or IT remarketing into the existing inventory process for cost-saving and environmentally conscious economic action.
With My SAM, inventory doesn't just start when a newly purchased asset is first recorded, but when the need arises:
Once a request is completed, the request data can be transferred as asset data - a unique ID is generated for the asset and a QR code is automatically generated, which is attached to the device as a label and can be read via mobile phone. Onboarding and offboarding processes are thus significantly simplified, and handover points to employees are documented in My SAM in a compliance-compliant manner.
Administrators can use search and filter functions check the inventory:
Unused or no longer needed hardware (servers, notebooks, stationary computers, cell phones) can be sold via My SAM to reselling / IT remarketing partners can be sold. The hardware can be picked up / dismantled on site without involving customer resources, and on-site data erasure is also possible. Security is the top priority: audit-proof data erasure / data media destruction are carried out in compliance with BSI and DSGVO, seamless reporting guarantees a traceable and complete audit report.
According to a study by Gartner, organizations that implement an IT-based inventory tool can reduce their asset costs by 30% in the first year and by 5-10% in subsequent years (Gartner Inc, CS-17-113: Using IT Asset Management to Ensure Software Compliance, Patricia Adams, July 29, 2002). Organizations with a functioning IT asset management have 15% less TCO (totalcost of ownership). The greatest savings are in purchasing (160%), disposal (60%) and operations (44%).
Refurbishing is the restoration of used products to a technically and visually perfect condition, and it is a sensible practice because it offers both economic and ecological advantages. The production of a notebook (SSD) causes an average of 311 kg CO2e -for comparison: a mid-range gasoline engine emits about 25kg CO2 per 100 km (city traffic). If old and unused IT hardware is returned to the economic cycle through refurbishing / IT remarketing, CO2 emissions can be measurably saved(https://www.oeko.de/fileadmin/oekodoc/Digitaler-CO2-Fussabdruck.pdf), electronic waste is reduced and the service life of devices and hardware is extended.
In a survey conducted by Nintex ("Definitive Guide to America's Most Broken Processes"), 62% of respondents report non-functional IT processes in their organization, with 43% citing the provision of IT hardware and technical devices to new employees as the top 2 "broken process"(https://info.nintex.com/rs/272-JVS-996/images/Nintex%20AMBP%20Ebook%20Final.pdf), which in addition to lost productivity can also lead to dissatisfied employees with negative consequences for the company.
Digital inventory can lead to a variety of benefits that contribute to higher employee satisfaction and productivity:
Betteravailability of hardware and devices
Through digital inventory, companies can ensure that necessary hardware and devices such as laptops, cell phones, tablets, etc. are always available to increase employee productivity. With a simple overview of the existing inventory, bottlenecks can be quickly identified and resolved.
Faster and more efficient onboarding / offboarding
If new employees can be quickly equipped with the hardware they need, they can be productive faster. Through digital inventory, the company can ensure that new employees are immediately equipped with the right hardware when they join the company. When an employee leaves, the inventory system can be used to ensure that all equipment has been returned. This reduces the risk of data loss and unnecessary costs from unexpected company reclaims.
Higher employee satisfaction and productivity
When employees have access to the necessary devices, hardware and software, they can do their jobs more effectively and feel valued in their jobs. This leads to higher employee satisfaction and a better working atmosphere.
1. hardware and equipment inventory is the process of recording, managing and tracking all of a company's or organization's physical assets, including computers, laptops, smartphones, printers, servers, network devices and more.
2.accurately capturing information such as device name, serial number, model number, technical specifications, location, condition, date of purchase and warranty information is critical to maintaining an up-to-date and complete inventory.
3.. benefits of an efficient hardware inventory include cost control, improved security, optimized maintenance cycles, better budgeting, and the ability to use equipment more efficiently.
4.Modern inventory software automates the process, providing centralized data management, integration with other enterprise systems, and powerful reporting and analysis capabilities to streamline and simplify the inventory process.
5.A well-executed hardware inventory is critical to effective IT and resource management, enabling organizations to optimize their technology investments and increase operational efficiencies.
A comprehensive and well-maintained hardware inventory list is critical to ensure the smooth operation and management of an organization's physical assets. The following information should be recorded in such a list:
1. Equipment name: The exact name of each piece of equipment should be recorded to enable clear identification and allocation. For example, this could be the name of the manufacturer or model.
2. Serial Number: The unique serial number of each device is an important identifier and facilitates tracking and management in the inventory system.
3. Model Number: The model number describes the specific version or design of the device and is helpful in determining exact technical specifications or identifying the device.
4. Technical Specifications: Technical specifications include details such as processor, memory capacity, screen size, operating system, and other relevant information that characterizes the device.
5. Location: Detailing the exact location of each device is critical to enable clear attribution and accountability. This could be the designation of an office, department, warehouse, or specific room.
6. Condition: assessing the condition of each device is important to identify maintenance needs or potential repairs. For example, condition information could be "new," "used," "good," "defective," or "in need of repair."
6. Date of Purchase: The date of purchase provides information about when the equipment was acquired, which is important for warranty or depreciation calculations.
7. Warranty Information: Providing warranty information, including validity period and conditions, enables timely maintenance or repair by the manufacturer.
8. Maintenance history: A detailed maintenance history shows all maintenance and repair actions performed on a device. This allows for better planning of future maintenance and extends the life of the device.
9. Responsible Employee: Assigning a responsible employee to each device allows for clear accountability for the device and facilitates communication about any issues or problems.
A comprehensive hardware inventory is invaluable to organizations as it not only allows for accurate management and tracking of all physical assets, but also promotes improved cost control, increased security, optimized maintenance cycles and more efficient resource utilization. Modern inventory software provides automated collection, centralized data management, and powerful reporting and analysis capabilities to simplify and streamline the entire hardware inventory process.
The frequency of hardware inventory is an important aspect that depends on several factors and requires careful consideration. As a general rule, it is recommended that inventory be conducted at least once a year to ensure a current and accurate inventory of all physical assets. An annual inventory provides a good opportunity for companies to review their technology investments, identify potential bottlenecks or excess capacity, and identify maintenance needs. However, certain industries or companies with specific needs and usage patterns may require more frequent inventory cycles. Here are some factors that influence the frequency of hardware inventory:
1. Company size: Larger companies tend to have a larger number of physical assets, and therefore may need to inventory more frequently to keep track of them.
2.Industry type: Companies in certain industries, such as manufacturing or healthcare, may experience rapid change in their technology environment, necessitating more frequent inventory to keep up with the latest technological developments.
3. Risk factors: Industries with heightened security or compliance requirements, such as finance or healthcare, may require more frequent inventory to identify and address potential security gaps or breaches.
4. Seasonality: Companies that have seasonal business cycles might also consider more frequent inventory during peak periods to plan for resource needs and avoid bottlenecks.
5. Fast-moving technology: In industries where technology quickly becomes obsolete or frequently updated, such as IT, more frequent inventory may be important to weed out obsolete equipment and implement new technology.
It is important to emphasize that inventory frequency should always be done in coordination with a company's specific needs, goals, and capabilities. Conducting regular inventory cycles is a key component of successful hardware and equipment inventory because it helps organizations keep track of their physical assets, avoid unnecessary spending, plan maintenance cycles and optimize resource utilization. Organizations should determine the appropriate frequency of inventory to ensure effective management of their hardware and devices while ensuring it meets the unique needs and requirements of their business.