Sample asset request

The following example describes and illustrates the kinds of interactions and tasks that are generated as an Asset request is processed through its various stages.

Other types of automated requests would generally include similar elements including workflow actions, approval requests, notifications, and use of the ALM Reporting tools as the process moves toward completion. Note that a variety of different ALM roles (Requester, Cost Center Manager, Asset Manager, and so forth) are involved at various stages between the time the request is submitted and fulfilled.

Requester

1. Log in to the Web console.
   
   
   
   
2. Click Requests.
3. Click Asset request.
   
   
   
4. Indicate the cost center and the reason for the request.
5. Click New.
   
   This opens the Request details: new panel.
   
   
   
   
6. Provide the details for the asset being requested.
7. Click OK to close the Request details: new panel.
8. Click Submit.
   
   This saves the request and sends an e-mail to the employee's Cost Center Manager for approval.

Cost Center Manager

1. Open the approval request e-mail.
   
   
   
   
2. Click Approve.
   
   This sends a notification e-mail to the Asset Manager with a link to the Inventory/Order report.
   
   

Asset Manager

1. Open the notification e-mail.
   
   
   
   
2. Click on the link to open the Inventory/Order report.
   
   
   
   
3. Click Inventory.
   
   This opens the Asset request details form that was submitted.
   
   
   
   
4. Click Save.
   
   This sends an e-mail to a designated IT Technician.

IT Technician

1. Open the e-mail.
   
   
   
   
2. Click the link to open the Asset Request Fulfillment report.
   
   
   
   Check the warehouse and note that the requested item is in current inventory.
3. Click Fulfill.
   
   This opens the Asset request details form.
   
   
   
   
4. Click the Fulfillment tab.
5. Click the Select record button on the Asset field.
   
   This opens the Asset: select item panel.
   
   
   
   
6. Select the asset from the list.
7. Click OK.
8. Click Save.
   
   This generates another e-mail to the IT Technician.
   
   
9. Open the e-mail.
   
   
   
   
10. Click the link to open the Asset Provisioning report.
    
    
    
    
11. Find the item and click the Provision button.
    
    This opens the asset record for that asset.
    
    
    
    
12. Check to make sure the information in the record is correct.
13. Click Save.

The laptop computer can now be picked up by or delivered to the Requester.

The above steps were based on the assumption that at Step 3 above, the requested item was found to be currently available in inventory. If the item was not found in current inventory, the IT Technician would need to report that to the Asset Manager so it could be ordered.

1. With the Asset request fulfillment report open, click No inventory.
   
   
   
   This triggers an e-mail to the Asset Manager to indicate the item will need to be ordered.

Asset Manager

1. Open the e-mail.
   
   
   
   
2. Click the link to open the Inventory/Order report.
   
   
   
   
3. Click Order.
   
   This opens the Asset request details form.
   
   
   
   
4. Check to make sure all information is correct.
5. Click Save.
   
   This generates an e-mail to the Ordering Agent.

Ordering Agent

1. Open the e-mail.
   
   
   
   
2. Click the link to open the Assets to order report.
   
   
   
   
3. Note the asset in the list.
   
   Before moving to step 4, click the Export button to export a report to deliver or e-mail to Purchasing, with the details about the asset that needs to be ordered. Then proceed with step 4.
   
   
4. Click the arrow next to Bulk update and select Lifecycle state.
5. In the Column Bulk Update dialog box, click the arrow.
6. In the combo box, select Sent to purchasing.
7. Click the green checkmark button.
   
   The ordering agent now waits to receive the purchase order. After receiving the purchase order,
   
   
8. Run the report: Role-based | Ordering agent | Assets sent to purchasing for order.
   
   
   
   You can use the Bulk Update feature to update the purchase order.
   
   
9. Click the arrow next to Bulk Update and select Purchase order number.
10. In the Column Bulk Update dialog box, click the arrow.
11. In the combo box, select the purchase order number (in this example, 2009-001).
12. Click the green checkmark button.
    
    Now you will use the Bulk Update feature to update the lifecycle state.
    
    
    
    
13. Click the arrow next to Bulk update and select Lifecycle State.
14. In the Column Bulk Update dialog box, click the arrow.
15. In the combo box, select Ordered.
16. Click the green checkmark button.

• At this point, the system waits for the order to be received. The final section shows how the asset is received into the system and the asset request is completed.

IT Technician

When the IT Technician is notified that the order has arrived, he can complete the request process.

1. Open the Receiving report.
   
   
   
   
2. Click the purchase order in the report.
   
   This opens the Receiving report for P.O. 2009-001.
   
   
   
   
3. Click the Receive button.
   
   This opens the asset record that was created when the laptop was ordered.
   
   
   
   
4. Type the serial number and the asset tag number (red indicates required fields).
5. Add any other information you want to include in the asset record, then click Save.
   
   This generates an e-mail to notify the IT Technician that an asset that has been received and is ready to be provisioned.
   
   
6. Open the e-mail.
   
   
   
   
7. Click on the link to open the Assets to Provision report.
   
   
   
   
8. Find the asset in the list and click the Provision button.
   
   This opens the asset record.
   
   
   
   
9. Confirm that the information in the record is accurate, or make any necessary changes.
   
10. Click Save.
    
    This marks the asset as having been provisioned and assigned to a user. To confirm that the asset's lifecycle state has been correctly updated, look at the state map.
    
    
11. Click State map.
    
    
    
    
12. Note that the state transition map for the asset indicates that the laptop has been assigned.

Requester

During the period while the request is being processed, the Requester can check the status of the request at any time by logging in to the Web console.

1. Click the Request status button.
2. Find the request in the list and click on its ID number.
   
   
   
   This opens the Asset request form.
   
   
   
   
3. The current status is shown in the Lifecycle state column.
   
   The Requester can also check the state transition map for the asset request.
   
   
4. Click State map.
   
   
   
   
5. The highlighted icon shows the current status of the request.