Hardware / Software / License / Asset tracking

[thorn16]

Hello,

I have been looking at eGroupware and pERP as a Project Management / Asset Inventory tracking system and trying to understand if I can set up an inventory system where I can track my project specific items like conformance and hardware information.

I am setting up labs in various sites and want to set up a template of inventory that is required at a site and use that as a template for what I need at all sites.  (From system equipment like racks and NIC cards to the software required for the Dev and QC teams)

I have been looking through the forum under "asset and inventory" and just "Inventory", but I don't think the questions that I have have been answered.

For the software conformance I need to enter in a template and report against this information:
Name (Adobe, MS, etc) , License Type, Number of Licenses, User Group (Dev, QC, etc), Unit price, total price, Price type ($, Euro, etc), Total Price,  Comments.   Can a form templates be free flowing enough to allow this?

I need to be able to add another price column as well since I need to represent in various currencies.  ie, one total in US $ and another total in Euros.  How do I change the price so that the unit price comes out in another currency?

For the Hardware info I need
Manufacturer, Name, Serial Number, Comment, Machine type, CPU, RAM, HD, Cost, Total Cost

Same as above for currency requirements of course.

Again does a form template allow me to edit them to change what I am looking for?

Might be more later, but that is a good start...

Cheers

[Nathan Gray]

On 11-Apr-09, at 2:15 PM, thorn16 wrote:

>
> Hello,
>
> I have been looking at eGroupware and pERP as a Project Management /  
> Asset
> Inventory tracking system and trying to understand if I can set up an
> inventory system where I can track my project specific items like
> conformance and hardware information.

Not really.  More below, but the main question is:
Are you selling this stuff, or maintaining ownership and tracking, or  
selling and tracking?

> I am setting up labs in various sites and want to set up a template of
> inventory that is required at a site and use that as a template for  
> what I
> need at all sites.  (From system equipment like racks and NIC cards  
> to the
> software required for the Dev and QC teams)

I don't regularly use ProjectManager, but if you are maintaining  
ownership, it could work well for you.
You can use the Infolog to create custom types "Software" and  
"Hardware", and add custom fields as needed.
You can use ProjectManager to set up a project template, and include  
your custom types.

As an alternative to using the Infolog, you could look at the  
Resources app, but I don't think it supports a permanent assignment  
well.  I haven't looked in a while though.

It is currently possible to put stock items directly onto a  
ProjectManager project, in the same way as TimeSheet and Infolog  
entries, but it won't come out of inventory, and the cost won't be  
properly handled.  It will be invoiced with the rest of the project,  
at the price you specified.


If this is a sale, your software would work as normal inventory.  
Quantity, buyer, unit price, total and currency are all handled on  
pERP's invoices.  You could consider using the client branches for  
different user groups.

Hardware may present a problem.  If you are assembling the machines  
yourself, CPU, RAM, HD, etc would be recorded in the work order using  
the build options.  If you are buying them, pERP does not currently  
record properties on purchased goods, so that wouldn't work very well.

I hope that helps.  I know it isn't a solution, but hopefully it  
points you in the direction of one.

Nathan Gray
nathan at goarctic dot com


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[thorn16]

Thanks for the detailed reply Nathan, Much appreciated.

I am using the system to maintain ownership and track only.  I am not selling, only deploying a common set up that will need tweaking as I go due to future changes and growth.  So leverage a basic template for the most part of the assets required and then add or remove assets depending on the new site requirements.

I believe I would need to use ProjectManager from your description.
More details are that I am purchasing the hardware (already assembled for the most part, but will also buy various unix boxes that need to have a base os and patches installed and then racked, networked, etc) and software from 3rd party vendors.  So I may have to use pERP as each piece of hw is customized.

In the end I want a list that I can pick from for sw and hw and be able to add qty and sizing requirements.  (like CPU, RAM and HD requirements).  Then put together a plan to put everything together and finally determine the ROI for setting the site up in the first place.


I think I'll be going in the right direction, thanks again Nathan :)  (sorry not following etiquette I know)