Zoomed Image
USA
800 691 9120
UK
01225 704844

Finding Assets

xAssets IT Asset Management User Guide
Asset Management

Finding Assets

The quickest way to locate an asset is the Search box in the toolbar. Type any text -- a location name, user name, computer name, or asset description -- and results appear as you type. This page covers all the methods available for finding assets in the system.

Use the Search box in the toolbar to search for a piece of text:

TODO Screenshot: ClickMenu "Asset List" | PrintScreen "itam-asset-management-finding-assets"

Results appear instantly as you type. By default, the search matches against:

  • Asset description
  • Category name
  • Location name
  • Custodian (user) name
  • Computer name

The default search runs a query called Asset Search, which administrators can edit to include additional fields. If a field is not included in the search query, it will not be matched. Custom search queries can be created to cover additional fields such as serial number, IP address, or custom specification data.

Click the search box after entering text to see additional search options. You can switch between search types and access recent searches:

TODO Screenshot (manual): Requires typing in search box to show instant search results

The preconfigured search types are:

Search Type What It Searches
Assets General asset search across description, category, location, and custodian (default)
IP Address and Computer Name Search by IP address or computer name -- useful for network troubleshooting
Incidents Search for incidents or their related assets
Custodians Search the custodian (user) list by name
Locations Search the location hierarchy by name
Configuration Items Search queries, transformations, menu items, and settings -- useful for administrators
Help Topics Search xAssets documentation

Tip: If you know the exact asset reference number, type it into the search box for the fastest result. Reference numbers are unique identifiers and will return a single match.

Tree Navigation

You can also find assets using the tree panel on the left side of the screen. Click any node in the tree to display all assets belonging to that node and its sub-nodes:

TODO Screenshot: ClickMenu "Asset List" | PrintScreen "itam-asset-management-finding-assets-3"

In the above example, "PC - Desktop" was clicked in the tree, and all assets in that Category are displayed in the central results area.

The tree can be configured to show different hierarchies:

  • Category tree -- groups assets by type (the default)
  • Location tree -- groups assets by physical location
  • Department tree -- groups assets by organisational department
  • Cost Centre tree -- groups assets by financial cost centre

The tree hierarchy depends on the query you are currently viewing. Different queries use different trees.

Using Dashboard Queries

The Asset Inventory Dashboard and its tabs provide pre-built queries that are another way to find specific groups of assets:

  • Inventory Queries tab -- queries grouped by Classification, Hardware, and Software attributes
  • Asset Health tab -- assets with health issues
  • Disposal and Obsolescence tab -- disposed assets and assets approaching end of life
  • Additions and Changes tab -- recently added or modified assets

See Asset Inventory Overview for details on the dashboard and its tabs.

Tip: Combine search with tree navigation for the most efficient workflow. First use the tree to narrow to a category or location, then use the search box to find a specific asset within that group.

Tip: If you frequently search for the same type of information, ask your administrator to create a custom search query. Custom searches can match against any combination of asset fields, including custom specification data.