Definition of an Asset
This page explains what an "asset" means in xAssets and how the system organises data. Understanding this concept is essential because nearly everything in the system -- from computers to contracts to spare parts -- is represented as an asset record.
What Is an Asset?
An asset is any item -- physical, virtual, or intangible -- that requires management or relationships to other managed items. This includes:
- Physical hardware -- desktops, laptops, servers, monitors, network equipment, printers, mobile devices
- Virtual infrastructure -- virtual machines, cloud instances, containers
- Software -- software licences, subscriptions, SaaS agreements
- Contracts -- maintenance agreements, leases, warranties, support contracts
- Agreements -- service level agreements, vendor agreements
- Spare parts -- components held in storage for future deployment
- Configuration items -- SANs, routers, firewalls, and other infrastructure components
All asset types are managed through similar screens, but each type has a different form determined by its category. When creating a new asset, the system asks you to select a category first so the correct form is displayed with the appropriate fields for that asset type.
Data Types
The system is built around several core data types. Understanding these helps you navigate the interface:
| Data Type | Examples | Where to Find |
|---|---|---|
| Asset data | Computers, licences, contracts, spare parts | Asset menus, dashboards, search |
| Purchase Order data | Purchase orders and line items | Purchasing menu |
| Task and Incident data | Help desk incidents, change requests | Tasks menu |
| Transaction data | Financial transactions, transfers, depreciation | Financial tabs on assets |
| Reference data | Locations, Categories, Software titles, Custodians | Classification menu, lookup dialogs |
| Configuration data | Menus, queries, forms, profiles | Admin menu |
Categories
Every asset belongs to a category that determines:
- Which form is displayed when editing the asset (a laptop form has different fields than a contract form)
- Which queries include the asset by default
- Where the asset appears in tree navigation
- What default values are applied when creating new records of that type
Common categories include PC - Desktop, PC - Laptop, Server - Windows, Server - Linux, Monitor, Network Device, Software Licence, and Contract. Your administrator can create additional categories to match your organisation's needs.
Templates
A template asset does not represent a real-world item. Instead, it stores a predefined set of field values that can be used to:
- Speed up data entry -- create a new asset from a template to pre-populate fields with standard values
- Compare against a baseline -- check whether a deployed asset matches its intended build specification
- Represent catalog entries -- store software product catalog records or standard hardware configurations
Templates are created and managed the same way as regular assets but are flagged as templates so they do not appear in standard inventory queries.
Classification and Custom Fields
Assets store classification fields that define where they sit in your organisation:
- Location -- the physical or logical location of the asset
- Category -- the type of asset
- Cost Centre -- the financial unit responsible for the asset
- Status -- the lifecycle state (e.g., In Service, In Storage, Disposed)
- Department -- the organisational department
- Custodian -- the person responsible for the asset
Assets can also be related to each other through parent-child relationships (e.g., a monitor related to a desktop, or a software licence assigned to a computer).
Additional fields of any data type -- including text, dates, numbers, lookups, and multi-valued attributes -- can be created through configuration using Specification Data. See the Configuration Guide for details.
Tip: If you need a field that does not exist on your asset form, ask your administrator. Custom fields can be added without code changes using the Specification Data feature.
Related Articles
- Creating Asset Records — how to create new assets
- Editing Assets — the asset editing screen and its controls
- Parent Child Relationships — linking assets together
- Finding Assets — searching for and locating assets