what information do the auditors need for IT equipment

[PEO]

I didnt want to hijack mac_shinobi thread so Im starting a new one here

 

I will be moving to a barcode asset system soon and I was wondering, what information does the auditors need for each piece of equipment. and what needs to be invetoried?

 

do mice and Keyboards need there serial numbers recording?

 

cheers

[leco]

I don't generally record serial numbers for mice and keyboards, though I do keep a count. I think the auditors would need the same info that insurance claims do ie. item, description, serial, date of purchase, cost, value.

 

I will be conducting the annual inventory/stocktake at half term and note all the above plus location or "keeper" (for teacher laptops)

[PEO]

do you find your self going round and redoing the lot because loads has been changed during the year?

 

this new barcode system will allow us to do a quick scan and change of area/room/write off etc

[grumpy_git]

Are you using some commercial system or "homebrew"?

Our equipment database is a year or so out of date - so overburdened over the summer we didn't get chance to do the usual annual audit. If it were pretty cheap to implement something with barcodes I might suggest it to TPTB...

 

Mice and keyboards we don't record. We seem to be swimming in them, and the amount of time it would take to record them all would be silly.

[PEO]

Are you using some commercial system or "homebrew"?

Our equipment database is a year or so out of date - so overburdened over the summer we didn't get chance to do the usual annual audit. If it were pretty cheap to implement something with barcodes I might suggest it to TPTB...

 

Mice and keyboards we don't record. We seem to be swimming in them, and the amount of time it would take to record them all would be silly.

 

binned all ball mice last year and now have opticals around school. have 20 spare so Im not swimming.... key boards are slowly been replace with dencent gear with out power buttons or multimedia.

 

I dont have the company name that im going with at hand.... its on my pc at work, but its gonna cost almost £4k

 

If any one has better suggestion or cheaper company to go with I would be intrest to learn.

 

cheers

[garethEds]

We are looking at Setton Asset Management stuff. They send material every month or so - finally decided to look at them in April.

 

GJE

[PEO]

We are looking at Setton Asset Management stuff. They send material every month or so - finally decided to look at them in April.

 

GJE

 

I thought they just did stickers thanks

[PEO]

We are looking at Setton Asset Management stuff. They send material every month or so - finally decided to look at them in April.

 

GJE

 

 

will post the company Im intrested in tomorrow, there offering this scanner and software pluss 4000 barcode stickers and training/installation for £4100

[grumpy_git]

Thanks, think at 4 grand we could only dream! I was wondering about getting some stickers which we could use with a barcode reader - this we could then interface with our kit database, currently just held in Access. Although I suppose said stickers would need to be kid/teacherproof...

[PEO]

Thanks, think at 4 grand we could only dream! I was wondering about getting some stickers which we could use with a barcode reader - this we could then interface with our kit database, currently just held in Access. Although I suppose said stickers would need to be kid/teacherproof...

 

 

yep a metal vynal with 3m addesive would do the job. Just a case of shopping around. I think setton do them for about £1 each, which is too bad, but thats with out the bardcode, so you would probably be looking at an additional 45p

[russdev]

Depends what on la and school it was agreed that for us as a school it is anything over £100.

 

Russ

[PEO]

this is the quote that was emailed to me yeasterday

 

You have 4,000 assets, and are looking to do the initial audit yourself so the recommendation is that you will ideally require at least two licences, one licence per PDA.

 

 

 

You are currently using Seaton labels, but they don’t carry barcodes so you will require new asset labels or tags.

 

 

 

Here are the options based upon the discussions. We find a demonstration, which can be booked up, is very useful for the schools.

 

 

 

AccuCheck Software

 

 

 

AccuCheck Asset Register & 1st Licence – £1699.99

 

 

 

Second Licence – £485.99

 

 

 

PDA & Scanner -- Cost to Misco - £689.99 (If you take the second licence you will require two PDA’s)

 

 

 

Asset/Security Tags (Permanent)

 

 

 

500 x Customised Asset/ Security Tags – £2.85 per tag

 

750 x Customised Asset/ Security Tags – £2.65 per tag

 

1000 x Customised Asset/ Security Tags – £2.45 per tag

 

 

 

Asset Labels

 

 

 

2000 x Customised Asset Labels, 20x45mm, Fast Stuff, one colour – £650.00

 

3000 x Customised Asset Labels, 20x45mm, Fast Stuff, one colour – £895.00

 

4000 x Customised Asset Labels, 20x45mm, Fast Stuff, one colour – £1195.00

 

 

 

 

 

We also have training and install days available at £575 per day.

 

 

 

All prices are ex VAT.

 

not too sure I will need two PDA's mind

[Sirbendy]

The missus worked at an FE college for a while, and one of her "tasks" was to create a web based inventory system for consumables etc, based on barcodes IIRC.

 

I asked her how they did the inventory, as doing ours honks me off every year. They asset tag/barcode the kit, and then put one on each room say..on the top of the doorframe, out of the way.

 

That way, you beep the room, system says "you have "x" in there"..etc.

 

You could always create the barcodes yourself...there are lots of programmes capable of it..although if you did it room based you could always just use the codes already on the machinery from manufacturing, could you not? They will be unique, after all..

[srochford]

You don't really need any special software to generate bar codes - just something that can print out numbers which you then do in a bar code font. I think the commonest font is called Code 39 and if you google you'll find several free versions of this.

 

the only thing to watch for is that the code needs to have a start and end character - there's lots more info at this web site.

 

If you can put the label out of sight so it won't get ripped off then you can just use cheap paper labels; that will save a lot of money!

[PEO]

one thing the auditors requested last year was for us to use a propper anti tamper proof label if you like, so unfortunately we are gonna have to carry on with this. thnak you for the info on free barcode programs, will take a look at this and use were appropriate

[enjay]

I keep a spreadsheet detailing every PC - serial number, hardware spec, location, etc - for my own purposes; auditors have never asked to see it, although have occasionally asked to be shown things on the asset register (including me opening the door so they could verify we still have the server!).

 

The Police have asked for serial numbers following thefts, the insurance company wants replacement costs not purchase prices anyway.

 

I don't count keyboards and mice, etc - instead I make the assumption that each computer has precisely one of each...

[PEO]

we have always in the past written the serial number for both keyboard and mouse... bit of a nightmare.. is this necessary?

[Pyroman]

our rule is anything over 50quid goes on the list, unfortunately we have special needs keyboards everywhere tht cost £75 pain in the neck

[plexer]

I will be moving to barcode asset management when it is part of my little helpdesk so that all the info I need is in once location.

 

Does your lea have an approved solution for your asset management? Allthough as you've discussed things with the auditors then they are happy.

 

If a claim was required then you would need to provide serial numbers etc... however if the cost of a claim is less than the excess the school has to pay then they might as well just buy the replacement item outright. This could mean that anything under £150 is not recorded.

 

Ben

[TechMonkey]

Ok, question from the peanut gallery. What benefit does a barcode system bring? We do the same as Nick, have a spreadsheet that has everything in. We make sure we update it when changes happen & do random checks on rooms just to make sure all is well. It works and have always been able to find the info if ever needed. Just pondering, apart from flash value, why?

 

On a keyboards and mice moment, nope we don't track them. We know every PC has one.

[plexer]

Speed and easy to do an annual stock check.

 

Ben

[PEO]

I will be moving to barcode asset management when it is part of my little helpdesk so that all the info I need is in once location.

 

Does your lea have an approved solution for your asset management? Allthough as you've discussed things with the auditors then they are happy.

 

If a claim was required then you would need to provide serial numbers etc... however if the cost of a claim is less than the excess the school has to pay then they might as well just buy the replacement item outright. This could mean that anything under £150 is not recorded.

 

Ben

 

yeah its all coded in house, its supposed to be rubbish.

[PEO]

Ok, question from the peanut gallery. What benefit does a barcode system bring? We do the same as Nick, have a spreadsheet that has everything in. We make sure we update it when changes happen & do random checks on rooms just to make sure all is well. It works and have always been able to find the info if ever needed. Just pondering, apart from flash value, why?

 

On a keyboards and mice moment, nope we don't track them. We know every PC has one.

 

Just had a chat with the finance officer, and she says every kb and mouse needs to be recorded.

 

mouse £5 times that by 1500 computers and it all adds up. Rubbishnes

[PEO]

The missus worked at an FE college for a while, and one of her "tasks" was to create a web based inventory system for consumables etc, based on barcodes IIRC.

 

I asked her how they did the inventory, as doing ours honks me off every year. They asset tag/barcode the kit, and then put one on each room say..on the top of the doorframe, out of the way.

 

That way, you beep the room, system says "you have "x" in there"..etc.

 

You could always create the barcodes yourself...there are lots of programmes capable of it..although if you did it room based you could always just use the codes already on the machinery from manufacturing, could you not? They will be unique, after all..

 

Think I will take that idea of adding barcode to each room, ontop of all the other barcodes for each device.

[plexer]

Yes pc's and monitors normally have a barcode on them but smaller items won't

 

Ben