PeopleSoft Enterprise IT Asset Management 9.1 PeopleBook

Managing Exceptions

This chapter provides an overview of exception management and discusses how to:

Access exceptions.
Manage exceptions
View Manage Exceptions trend.
Manage assets not reporting.
Manage ignored exceptions.
View action errors.
View action log.
Manage financial lists.
Work with the asset log.

Understanding Exception Management

Assets specific to Information Technology (IT), such as computers, are able to describe themselves via network messages. These messages are stored in the third-party inventory database. Matching these network messages to assets in the asset repository is a process that compares assets in the asset repository to inventory retrieved from the field. The comparison process (IT_RECON_RUN) generates a list of discrepancies or exceptions.

PeopleSoft IT Asset Management automates a portion of IT asset activity by comparing the databases, asset by asset, and determining which changes need to be brought to the attention of a manager. Many IT assets differ day by day and for asset management purposes, you compare a very small group of key attributes in each asset record. While some of the attributes you track can also change day by day, PeopleSoft provides business rules to manipulate what is compared and ultimately presented for reconciliation.

Exceptions between the asset repository and the third-party inventory database are stored in discrepancy transaction tables. The exceptions are displayed in a component that allows you to sort, display on certain assets, group, and act on the changes that are required for those assets to bring them into balance. There is a suggested action associated with each exception, as defined in the business rule, and that action is presented once you have defined the assets that should be corrected. Once that action set is submitted, online or batch processing applies the predefined actions, and routes, updates the ARM, or notifies persons of interest, or a combination of those actions.

To ensure that the most pressing exceptions are handled quickly, ITAM provides an automatic reconciliation option that allows you to customize the existing business rules at the action level to automatically execute. This alleviates the work required to review the exceptions with low impact while allowing the most important exceptions to receive immediate attention. Exceptions that are most suitable for auto-execute of an action are instances where there are no financial considerations, hence they require no intermediate further action.

See Setting Up Business Rules.

Additionally, ITAM provides an option to ignore some exceptions for specified reasons until a given date, at which time they return to regular exception processing.

Assets Not Reporting

To exercise tighter control over IT assets, the IT asset manager needs to track assets that have not reported an inventory for a user-defined time period. Associating these assets with their custodians, department managers or content managers can help the IT asset manager trace the location of these assets in a reasonable amount of time. The IT asset manager can also ensure that corporate IT governance policies are followed adequately in the enterprise. IT assets represent a significant number of assets, so by tracking them and their individual financial impact effectively, the enterprise can realize significant cost savings in terms of redeployment of the assets instead of new acquisitions. By retiring the appropriate assets, if they have indeed been stolen and/or are missing, the accounting department may benefit as well by reflecting accurate asset value on the balance sheet.

You can select assets of interest from the Manage Exceptions search results or from the Manage Assets Not Reporting results and save them in Financial Lists. The lists simultaneously become available to the Financial List Inquiry search and detail pages. This presents the saved data through a simple and powerful format where you can sort, select, remove assets and refresh financial totals based on selection changes. Route the selections to the Finance worklist or retire financial assets using the Financial List Inquiry detail page, which provides a link to the PeopleSoft Asset Management Retire Assets page. This provides an added convenience that minimizes multiple reviews of the same data if there is a small number of assets on the list.

Accessing Exceptions

This section discusses how to access exceptions.

Note. You can also access exceptions through the Inventory Exceptions pagelet.

Page Used to Access Exceptions

Page Name	Definition Name	Navigation	Usage
Manage Exceptions	IT_EXCPT_SEL	IT Asset Management, Asset Discovery and Validation, Manage Exceptions, Manage Exceptions	Access exceptions.

Accessing Exceptions

Access the Manage Exceptions page (IT Asset Management, Asset Discovery and Validation, Manage Exceptions, Manage Exceptions).

General Information on Searching for Exceptions

The system displays a list of all searchable fields. The available search options are displayed based on whether there are business rules for the criteria. Search options can include three user-defined fields if you have created them. For each field, you can enter a search operator and the search text.

The dataset returned by the search is limited by your asset group as defined in IT Role Access, as well as the search criteria provided. When you navigate to this page via the portal pagelet, the search options are populated, but do not display the results in the Assets with Rule Exceptions grid until you click the Search button. You have the option to further narrow the search by adding search criteria before clicking Search to display the data. Click the Search button to return all assets for the asset group and search criteria that have at least one attribute in exceptions.

When you have an asset group (role access) defined for an attribute, exceptions with null or blank values for that attribute are returned. For example, if the asset group is defined to include Business Unit US001 and there are exceptions for either Business Unit HR or Business Unit AM with blank, those are returned as well. The search includes blank or null values because some users of the Manage Exceptions page might be looking for certain assets that should be in their result set. By including null or blank business units in the search criteria, they still appear as assets. This applies to business unit, location, and department values.

If you choose to show the financial impact of assets, the Search Results grid is altered to display financial information by asset, such as the asset cost, net book value (NBV) and fair value (FV), as well as the total financial impact of the assets that you select from the grid. You can create an asset list showing related financial information, sort, filter and delete rows and save the financial list for later use. As the IT Asset Manager, you also have the ability to send an automated notification to the Financial Asset Manager for review of the proposed actions. The Financial Asset Manager is then able to initiate action by referring to the financial list, which contains the necessary summary and detailed financial information.

See Setting Up Financial Impact Analysis.

When there are more than 300 rows to return in the result set, you are able to retrieve the next set of assets using Search Next. However, any selections or changes made to the current set will be lost upon clicking Search Next.

Note. The Search only returns those assets that have attributes that are not in a Processed or Reconciled status.

This table lists the search operators that are available for field-level searching:

Operator	Description
<	The field value is less than the value you enter.
<=	The field value is less than or equal to the value that you enter.
<>	The field value is not equal to the value that you enter.
=	The field value is equal to the value that you enter.
>	The field value is greater than the value you enter.
>=	The field value is greater than or equal to the value that you enter.
Between	The field value is between the two values that you enter. You must enter two values. For example, suppose that you select Between and enter 100 and 200, the search returns values between 100 and 200 inclusive.
Is Empty	The field value that you are asking the system to search is blank.
Like	The field value is like the value that you enter.
No between	The field value is not between the two values that you enter. You must enter two values. For example, suppose that you select No between and enter 100 and 200, the search returns values below 100 and above 200.
Not like	The field value is not like the value that you enter.

Note. The search options Business Rule and Exception Attribute can only be used with the = operator. Both of these options are deciphered behind the scenes and only one value can be understood.

Searches

Use Saved Search	Provides access to all saved searches.
Save Search Criteria	Click to save the current search criteria as a saved search (either as a new saved search or as a modification to an existing saved search), enter the name of the saved search in the Save Search As field, and click Save Search.
Delete Saved Search	Click to delete a saved search, select the name of the search that you want to delete, and click Delete.

Search Criteria Fields

The search criteria fields on the Manage Exceptions page are dynamic. An attribute will be hidden if there is no active business rule associated with that attribute. User-defined fields must have an attribute created and must have an active rule to display. The label of a user-defined field is based on the value in the Long Name field on the User Defined Fields page.

Financial Search Criteria Fields

Financial List

Search for an existing Financial List to retrieve, review or edit. You can also enter a name in the field. If the Financial List name already exists, upon saving, you are asked if you want to overwrite the existing list or choose a new name. If the name you supply is new, you can create and save a new Financial List based on the assets you select.

Note. This field is visible only if the Financial Impact check box is selected within the Installation Options - Asset Management page.

Note. Validation occurs when a Financial List is selected as a search option. A list can only be retrieved without additional search refinement. All other search options are deselected.

Financial Impact

Select Yes to filter the result set to include only assets that exhibit Financial Business Rule exceptions. This selection may be used independently of the Financial Statusvalue that you select. The system automatically checks to see if a Financial List is selected as well.

Note. This field is visible only if the Financial Impact check box is selected within the Installation Options - Asset Management page.

Financial Status

Select to retrieve Financial Assets or Non-Financial Assets. This selection may be used independently of the Financial Impact selection. The difference between Financial Status and Financial Impact is that the Financial Status may be used to select all Financial Assets that have exceptions, including Financial Business Rule exceptions. This value defaults to Financial Assets if either Financial List or Financial Impact is selected.

Note. When Financial Impact is set to Yes, a search validation is executed upon clicking the Search button. As part of this validation, search options may be populated or cleared. This is done to assist you in making searches that are meaningful. For example, when the Financial Impact value is Yes but you select a Financial Status of Non-financial, the search yields no results. Nonfinancial assets, by definition do not have financial impact.
Additionally when Financial Impact is set to Yes, the only business rules that can be selected are those for Financial Impact Analysis and the only rule attributes that are allowed are Serial ID.

Search Commands

Search	Click to perform a search. The system searches for all possible matches and displays the results in the Assets with Rule Exceptions grid.
Clear	Click to clear data from the search criteria fields.

Search Next

When there are more than 300 rows to return in the result set, you can retrieve the next set of assets using Search Next. However any selections or changes made to the current set will be lost upon clicking Search Next.

Managing Exceptions

This section provides an overview of exceptions and discusses how to:

Set the batch limit.
Manage exceptions.
View custodian details.
View software exceptions.
Confirm actions.
Use advanced sort.
View manage exceptions trend.

Understanding Exceptions

The reconciliation process between the third-party inventory database and the asset repository generates a list of exceptions. The list of exceptions allows sorting and filtering in numerous ways, enabling the investigation of exceptions and eventual reconciliation of databases.

The list shows attributes that exist in the third-party inventory database as well as the asset repository, such as serial numbers, for a group of assets, plus other important attributes where differences may be found. A shared serial number means the databases are talking about the same asset, so values in discovery (those values copied directly from the device) should match some of the values in the asset repository. Asset repository data may have typos or other errors, while automated device readings do not have typos. The attribute columns are sortable and there are filter parameters in the top half of the screen. The Advanced Sort Option leads to an additional sort page.

You can select one, many, or all rows of data using buttons or the check boxes at the left edge of the display. You can then choose to act upon the selected data.

Identifying Exceptions

The system displays disabled rows when an action on the asset is in process. This prevents assets that are currently being worked by the exception action process from being displayed and worked again. There is one row for each asset with all exceptions for that asset displayed in the row. For each exception there is a visual flag to identify it as a discrepancy.

Each attribute has its own status. Each status is associated with an icon so that you can visually identify the problem. Status columns are not sortable. Use advanced sort and sort by the exception of interest, for example "Department Exception."

Action Settings

The Select Actions page displays all the rules and actions that are associated with the selected assets from the Manage Exceptions page. The purpose of this page is to show the actions that are available to be processed for the assets selected and to define the scope of the action the user is about to submit. The available action set can be optionally applied to a scope larger than the rows than were selected. The selected rows simply allow you to select the attributes you want to reconcile. Once you are on the Select Actions page, you select the individual actions for the attributes and the asset set (scope) for which you want the action to apply.

The display shows the rule description and the action associated with the rule. Where the actions are email, they are shown as links.

Note. Actions that are set to automatically execute will not display on the Select Actions page unless they ended in error. Errors for actions can occur at the asset level; therefore, an auto-execute action may show for some assets and not for others.

Note. When a search is executed with Financial Impact selected, the only available action that will be displayed is Route to Finance. Route to Finance must also be included on the business rule in order for this action to display.

Understanding Batch Limits

Batch limits are established to determine whether to process the exception actions online (launches processing of the actions immediately), or in a batch process (starts the transactions in the background and returns control to the user before waiting for the process to complete). The high volume decision is made by counting the total number of actions that apply to the total number of assets that were selected by the user on the Manage Exceptions page. The default value is 100. Adjust this number higher or lower as your processing system performance requires or allows. Batch limit is set within the Installation Options - Asset Management page.

This table shows the exception actions and related processing (the related processing that is shown in this table applies whether the action is processed in batch or online, except where specifically noted).

Exception Action	Processing
Update ARM	Set processing
Add	Online – row by row Batch – set processing
Retire	Row by row
Email	Row by row
Route to Finance	Row by row
Move to Inventory	Row by row

Pages Used to Manage Exceptions

Page Name	Definition Name	Navigation	Usage
Installation Options — Asset Management	INSTALLATION_AM	Set Up Financials/Supply Chain, Install, Installation Options Click the Asset Management link.	Set the batch limit for PeopleSoft IT Asset Management and choose whether to display the financial impact of assets within PeopleSoft IT Asset Management.
Manage Exceptions	IT_EXCPT_SEL	IT Asset Management, Asset Discovery and Validation, Manage Exceptions, Manage Exceptions	Search for exceptions and perform reconciliations on the displayed exception list.
Custodian Detail	IT_EMPL_INFO	Click the employee ID link in the Custodian Discovery or Custodian ARM column on the Manage Exceptions page.	View custodian information associated with the asset. This page is display only.
Software Exceptions	IT_EXCPT_SFTWR	Click the Details link in the Software column on the Manage Exceptions page.	View details on software exceptions found on the asset. This page is display only.
Select Actions	IT_EXCPT_ACTN	Click the Select Actions button on the Manage Exceptions page.	Select actions and scope for specific business rules. Preview the scope for the action and scope combination.
Comments	IT_EXCPT_LOG	Click the Comments button on the Confirm Actions page.	View the comments added by the reconciliation process.
Sort	IT_EXCPT_SORT	Click the Advanced Sort link on the Manage Exceptions page.	Configure sort parameters to be used on the Manage Exceptions page.
Manage Exceptions Over Time	IT_CHART	IT Asset Management, Manage Exception Trend Chart, Manage Exceptions Over Time	View a graphical representation of the number of business rule exceptions over time.

Setting the Batch Limit

Access the Installation Options - Asset Management page (Set Up Financials/Supply Chain, Install, Installation Options. Click the Asset Management (link).

Select the IT Asset Management Installed check box to access the ITAM Options group box.

Batch Limit

Run Manage Exceptions in either a batch or online mode. Batch mode is the appropriate choice for large numbers of exception transactions. The batch limit specifies the threshold for switching from online to batch processing. In this example, if there are 100 or more transactions to process, the processing will occur in batch; if there are fewer than 100, processing will occur online.

Enter the threshold to determine whether or not to process the exception actions online or in a batch process.

Financial Impact

Select this check box to display the financial search options and financial information within Manage Exceptions. When this check box is selected, the Financial List and Financial Impact appear on the Manage Exceptions and the Manage Assets Not Reporting pages as search criteria fields. Additionally, when there are assets that have exceptions, there is an additional tab that appears in the components called Financial Information.

See Defining Asset Management Installation Options.

Managing Exceptions

Access the Assets with Rule Exceptions page (IT Asset Management, Asset Discovery and Validation, Manage Exceptions, Manage Exceptions.)

Exception

The system displays the exception icon beside each discrepancy that is found for the asset.

Ignored Exception

This icon appears when a Business Rule exception has been designated as an ignored exceptions for an attribute for a given asset and if the ignore exception is current. That is, the icon appears if the ignored exception Begin Date is less than or equal to today's date and the Expiration Date is greater than or equal to today's date. This icon displays until the next run of the comparison process. Ignored exception actions are not included for selecting actions.

This icon appears if an action has already been performed for that attribute. Once an attribute for the asset has been processed, it cannot be processed again. This is true even if there is more than one action to take for that attribute. Once the first action has been applied in a session, a second action cannot be applied for that attribute in a subsequent session. In order to apply further actions, a new Asset Comparison must take place.

Device Data Tab

Access the Device Data tab.

Note. The following definitions apply specifically to the business rules delivered with the system. The suggestions for reconciling this information may be different in your environment.

Exists	Displays alert when there is a duplicate serial ID for those assets that have an "Asset Not in ARM" exception. The Exists column is irrelevant (blank value) if the asset does not have an "Asset Not In ARM" exception. Click the link to access the Manage Physical Use page. The values that display in this column are: D: (duplicate serial ID) - an asset exists with the same serial number in the ARM that is also designated as being in physical use (IN_PHY_USE = Yes). (Only one of these assets should be enabled as in physical use.) E: (exists) - an asset exists with the same serial number in the ARM but it is NOT in physical use (IN_PHY_USE = No). An Asset Not in ARM exception can result from three different scenarios: Asset not in ARM exception (with no duplicate indicator in the Exists column) - the asset should be added using the Manage Exceptions page functionality. Manage Exceptions generates workflow to add the asset. Asset not in ARM exception (with D in the Exists column) - the asset should NOT be added using the Manage Exceptions page functionality, as there are already more than one asset with this serial number. One of these existing assets should have the In Physical Use flag enabled. This will remove the duplicate and allow one of the assets to be reconciled. A decision should be made as to which of the duplicates should be removed from physical use. Asset not in ARM exception (with E in the Exists column) - the asset should NOT be added using the Manage Exceptions page functionality. An asset already exists in the Asset Repository with the same Serial ID. It is probable that the existing asset is the same asset that is found from discovery. To fix the problem, the existing asset in the Asset Repository should have the In Physical Use enabled. See Understanding the Compare Asset Repositories Process.
Serial Number Discovery and Serial Number ARM	Displays the serial number of the asset found in third-party inventory and the serial number of the asset in the asset repository. If the serial numbers match, you do not need to take any action regarding the serial number, so investigate the exception(s) that caused the asset to appear in Manage Exceptions. If the serial number (asset) appears in discovery, but not in the asset repository, the appropriate action choice might be Add Asset. If investigation reveals that an asset already in ARM is the same as that asset in third-party inventory, reconciliation allows you to update the serial number in the asset repository through the Manage Exceptions grid. Typos are not uncommon in Serial Numbers. Manage Exceptions deals with them effectively. In this scenario, there should also be an entry where the serial number appears in the asset repository, but not in the third-party database, and it is at that entry where you can update the ARM number on the grid to match the correct asset from the third-party inventory. If the new serial ID is updated, the exception associated with the third-party asset which is to be reconciled is removed from reconciliation because the updated serial id exception replaces the exception for the asset found in discovery, not found in the ARM. If you have also selected the third-party asset for processing, it will not be processed. Note. The system displays only those assets that are in your asset group.
Manufacturer Discovery and Manufacturer ARM	Displays the manufacturer of the asset found in the third-party database and the manufacturer of the asset in the asset repository. If the manufacturers match, you do not need to take any action. If the manufacturer appears in third-party data, but not in the asset repository, or there is a difference in the values, the default reconciliation action is to update the manufacturer in the asset repository. The values that are displayed are the descriptions of the Manufacturer field. Both the manufacturer description and the manufacturer ID will be updated in the ARM, if that action is executed.
Model Discovery and Model ARM	Displays the model designation of the asset found in the third-party database and the model designation of the asset in the asset repository. If the model designations match, you do not need to take any action. If the model designation appears in third-party data, but not in the asset repository, or there is a difference in the values, the default reconciliation action is to update the model designation in the asset repository.
Select Actions	Click this button to display the actions you may take on the selected assets. For each selected row, all of the asset's discrepancies and the rules and actions associated with those discrepancies are determined. Once determined, the rules and actions are presented on the Select Actions page.
Ignore Exceptions	Click this button to ignore exceptions for the selected assets. You are directed to the Ignore Exceptions page where you can add the selected exceptions to an ignore list. Warning! You should not ignore software exceptions. If the software exceptions are ignored, it could present you with a lower count of the licenses that you have distributed, thereby subjecting you to potential license compliance issues. See Managing Ignored Exceptions.
Advanced Sort	The assets are sortable with the delivered grid sort (using the header column name.) so you can sort on all columns other than the exception flag columns. The advanced sort allows you to define a sort order by field hierarchy.
Review Action Errors	Click to view any action errors that may have occurred during the reconciliation. Action errors will show from previous reconciliations as well as from this reconciliation after the Submit Actions button is pressed on the Select Actions page. There may be some delay in generating action errors when processing in batch mode.
	Click the Log icon to access the Asset Comment page. Add relevant comments regarding the exception.

Business Data Tab

Access the Business Data tab

Note. Resolving the custodian exceptions through your standard asset transfer processes for the Asset Repository may resolve department or business unit issues during the next asset comparison process.

Business Unit HR and Business Unit AM	The system displays the business unit associated with the primary user of the asset found in the third-party database and the business unit of the asset in the asset repository. If the business units match, you do not need to take any action. If the business unit appears in third-party data, but not in the asset repository, or there is a difference in the values, the default reconciliation action is to route the transaction to a financial asset manager for transfer.
Asset Identification	The asset ID displays when the asset exists in the Asset Repository.
Department Discovery and Department ARM	The system displays the department of the primary user of the asset found in the third-party database and the department of the custodian of the asset in the asset repository. If the departments match, you do not need to take any action. If the department appears in third-party data, but not in the asset repository, or there is a difference in the values, the default reconciliation action is to update the department in the asset repository, where the new department resides in the assets current SetID, or route the transaction to a financial asset manager for transfer.
Location Code Discovery and Location Code ARM	The system displays the location code that is derived from the IP address of the asset found in the third-party database and the location code of the asset in the asset repository. If the location codes match, you do not need to take any action. If the location code appears in third-party data, but not in the asset repository, or there is a difference in the values, the default reconciliation action is to update the location code in the asset repository.
Custodian Discovery and Custodian ARM	The system displays the custodian (also known as the primary user) of the asset found in the third-party database and the custodian of the asset in the asset repository. If the custodians match, you do not need to take any action. If the custodian appears in third-party data, but not in the asset repository, or there is a difference in the values, the suggested reconciliation action is to update the custodian in the asset repository, email the custodian, or email the primary user.
Software	If there is a software exception on the asset, the system displays a link to the details of the exception. Click Details to access the Software Exceptions page. The suggested reconciliation actions are to email the custodian, email the custodian manager, email the primary user, email the primary user manager, or email software group owner.

Financial Information Tab

Select the Financial Information tab.

The Financial Information tab is displayed when the Financial Impact check box is selected in Installation Options and one or more of the financial search criteria are selected.

In List	This check box indicates that this asset has been saved to any financial impact list
Select	This check box indicates that the asset is a target for action on the Manage Exceptions page or for addition to a Financial List. If you click the Save button in the Financial Impact section, and this box is checked, another check will appear in the In List column beside the existing check. At this point, you can take action on the asset from either the Assets with Rule Exceptions grid or the Financial Impact section, if the Financial List is not yet saved.
Net Book Value (NBV)	Net book value is calculated by obtaining the asset cost and the associated accumulated depreciation from the current effective row of the PeopleSoft Asset Management record, PS_DEPR_RPT. The calculated NBV is original asset cost less life-to-date depreciation (COST – DEPR_LTD.)
Cost	Asset cost is derived from the PeopleSoft Asset Management record, PS_DEPR_RPT.
Fair Value	Fair value is derived from the PeopleSoft Asset Management record, PS_AM_FMV_DTL, accessing the current effective row.
Total Net Book Value Selected , Total Cost Selected and Total Fair Value Selected	Respective totals are displayed when you select one or more assets from the Assets with Rule Exceptions grid.
Currency Code and Rate Type	Values default from those values supplied within User Preferences. See Defining IT Asset Management User Preferences.
Save List As and Description	Supply a name and description for the newly created Financial List, which includes the selected assets and their corresponding financial information.
Update Totals	Select to calculate or recalculate the NBV, Cost and FV totals after selecting or altering the assets for inclusion in the list.
Save	Click to save the Financial List once you have provided a name and description and updated financial totals.
Notify Finance	Displays a notification page to alert the Financial Asset Manager that there is a Financial List in need of attention.
Archive	Select to archive the selected Financial List, along with Business Unit, Asset ID, and header information. You may select to archive a financial list when it becomes obsolete. The list then becomes a read-only document.

User-Defined Data Tab

Select the User Defined tab.

User-defined exceptions are displayed on the User-Defined tab. If you have no active user-defined rules, this tab is not displayed.

Selecting Actions

Access the Select Actions page (click the Select Actions button from the Assets with Rule Exceptions page.)

Action Settings

Rule Description	This field displays the rule exceptions found in the comparison process with the available actions for each exception.
Available Action	Actions associated with email show as enabled links. Click the link to view the message associated with the email. The message is display-only and will include sample data also stored in the message catalog. This preview message shows you what email string will be generated when the emails are sent out, once the actions are submitted. The messages will contain these parameters: Machine Name, Serial Number, Primary User Name, and Primary User Empl ID. The software email includes those fields plus the software title. Available action values are: Update Asset Repository: This action generates simple updates or inserts into the Asset tables for the following attributes in exception: Model Manufacturer User-defined fields Serial ID Custodian Department Location Note. Because Department and Location are SetID controlled fields, the Business Unit associated with the asset may need to be updated prior to updating these attributes. If the Business Unit HR, which is derived from discovery, is associated with a different SetID than the department and location, then they can't be changed until the Business Unit is changed, otherwise the department and location would not be valid. If the update action is applied to these assets, it results in an action error. Retire Asset: This action only applies to nonfinancial transactions. These transactions are processed on a row-by-row basis and passed through the RETIRE_NF component interface. Add Asset: This action adds an asset and sets it ready to be capitalized. These transactions are executed row-by-row, through the BASIC_CI component interface, while processing online and in set based processing when handled in batch mode. Note. When assets are added from the Add Asset action, they are added with an acquisition date, location effective date, and custodian effective date equal to the discovery date, which is the last inventory date from the discovery system. Email Person: For each person action, create a message to be sent to that person. Route to Finance: Each asset that has routing as an action will be added to the worklists based on how the asset is to be worked. Update Serial ID in ARMUpdate the Serial ID in the Asset Repository.
Set Scope	Select the scope of the action to be taken. Values are: No Action: The system does nothing. Selected Assets: The system performs the selected action only against those assets that were selected on the previous page. Assets from Search Criteria: The system performs the selected action against all the assets that match the search criteria from the previous page. This action allows the system to perform the action against not only what could be selected with the select all functionality on the previous page, but also what may be outside of the component buffer. Since it is possible to have more rows match the search criteria than can fit in the buffer, this action allows them to act against the entire set. All Unreconciled ARM Assets: The system performs the action selected against all the assets that are in exception for the rule associated with this action in the ARM. Note. The system displays only those assets that are in your asset group. Note. When financial impact is set to yes, the Set Scope option of All Unreconciled ARM Assets is disabled.
Scope	Displays the count of assets that would be affected in each action row and by the action scope. The default value in the Scope column is zero. The sum of the scope count determines whether the actions are performed online or in batch.
Comments	Click the Comments icon to access the Action Comments page where you can add pertinent details about the action. You can view all comments that are added here within the Action Log as well as the Asset Log. The comments for each of the actions should be added by the same user. When an asset has multiple actions, each with a comment, the comments are concatenated and entered as one entry to allow an audit trail of which actions were applied at once. The system takes only one user for adding comments as it is assumed that the person who is executing the actions is the same for all the actions that are submitted together.
Preview Scope	Click this button to apply the search criteria defined by the scope of the action and display the number of rows to be affected by the scope in the Scope field. Note. Preview Scope generates counts and financial information totals if applicable, based on assets that are not in process. It is possible that the batch or online process can pick up additional assets that become available if they are in process at the time of previewing scope or at the time that the processing begins. The Preview Scope functionality takes into account the financial status of the asset as well as the Apply To value for the action as set on the Business Rule. The Apply To setting is not evaluated for the scope set until the Preview Scope button is invoked. For this reason, it is possible for the scope of the action to return a value of zero. If you suspect that there are assets that should be included in the scope, you should review the assets financial status as well as the business rule to make sure that the action is set to act upon that status (financial or nonfinancial)
Submit Actions	Click this button to launch the actions specified. The system will choose to run the actions online or in batch, according to ITAM options, and display a message to let you know which processing avenue was taken.

Using Advanced Sort

Access the Sort page.

The system displays the fields that are available for sorting. The sort order is returned to the exceptions page and the values are sorted.

Viewing Manage Exceptions Trend

Access the Manage Exceptions Over Time page (IT Asset Management, Manage Exception Trend Chart, Manage Exceptions Over Time).

The Manage Exceptions Over Time page provides the ability to graph Manage Exceptions trends over a rolling twelve-month period. As you resolve the Business Rule exceptions from the Manage Exceptions page, the number of exceptions are recorded for each Business Rule where Trend Analysis is enabled.

Note. If the Metrics process is run multiple times during a day, exception counts for that day are recorded from the latest run. They are counted every time and the most recent counts are recorded. Average exception counts for a month and a quarter are calculated only once (when the Metrics process is run for the first time after end of the month or the end of the quarter). Once the counts for a month and a quarter are calculated, they are never calculated again.

Chart Type	Select either 2D Bar or 2D Line to view trend data as either a two dimensional bar graph or two dimensional line graph. The default value is 2D Bar.
Period	Select to present totals as Daily, Monthly, or Quarterly trends for business rule exceptions (for those business rules enabled for trend analysis). The default value is Quarterly.
Time Span	Select the period over which to graph trend data: 7 days 30 days 90 days 180 days 365 days (default value) Note. Variances from the same period in the prior year appear when placing the cursor on a data point, if applicable.
	Click to plot the data points based upon the criteria selections that are made for chart type, period and time span.

Note. If you want to exclude certain trend data, you can archive the data.

Managing Assets Not Reporting

This section provides an overview of assets not reporting and discusses how to:

Define inventory age.
Define IT subtypes.
Manage assets not reporting.

Understanding Assets Not Reporting

The ability to track assets not reporting enables the IT Asset Manager to audit IT devices for reporting failures. This feature provides tighter control over the organization's equipment.

Non-reporting asset audit reports are based on the user-defined inventory age; that is the age of the last report that the asset made to the third-party inventory system. For example, an inventory age of three weeks may be defined for desktops. This means that if a desktop has not reported to the third–party inventory system for three weeks or more, it appears on the audit report. A different inventory age can be specified for each type of equipment, if necessary.

The system displays audit reports in two formats:

The online reporting page Manage Assets Not Reporting, where you can view assets with overdue inventory reports and specify resolutions.
The Assets Not Reporting portal pagelet, which provides counts of reporting failures for each type of device.

Using the online reporting page, you can choose from a number of available actions:

Send detailed email notifications to the custodian or the user, or both, or their managers.

The email addresses prompt from the emails that exist for the associated role. The email subject line and default text are predefined messages stored in the message catalog.
Route a proposed retirement transaction to Finance for financial assets.

This requires approval from the Financial Asset Manager, so choosing this action creates a worklist item for a finance user. Finance users click on this item in their worklists to bring up the Retirements page. This action is only available for financial assets.
Complete a retirement transaction for nonfinancial assets.

Nonfinancial retirement is triggered immediately. These transactions are processed on a row-by-row basis and passed through the RETIRE_NF component interface This action is only available for nonfinancial assets
Move to inventory.

This triggers a transfer into inventory for nonfinancial assets. This action is unavailable for financial assets.

Inventory Age

Inventory age is the age of last inventory beyond which the device requires investigation or action. The inventory age can be defined differently for different types of devices. For example, laptops may report inventory less often as they are physically connected to the network less often, so the age of the last inventory will often be higher than that of servers which are always reporting.

Inventory age time periods accrue, so longer time periods are included in shorter time periods. A device that has an inventory age of nine weeks will be included in six and three week sequences as well.

The inventory age sequence includes all discovered devices unless the IT Subtype is specified. Reporting on specific subtypes is only done if the Aging Inventory check box is selected on the Define IT Subtypes page.

Pages Used to Manage Assets Not Reporting

Page Name	Definition Name	Navigation	Usage
Inventory Age	IT_TSPAN_DEFN_01	Setup Financials/Supply Chain, Product Related, IT Asset Management, Inventory Age	Associate the inventory age with the userID.
Define IT Subtypes	IT_MNT_IT_SUBTYPE	Set Up Financials/Supply Chain, Product Related, IT Asset Management, IT Subtypes, Define IT Subtypes	Define IT subtypes.
Manage Assets Not Reporting	IT_UNDISC_DTL	IT Asset Management, Asset Discovery and Validation, Manage Assets Not Reporting, Manage Assets Not Reporting	View assets with overdue inventory reports and specify resolutions.
Send Notification	PT_WF_NOTIFY	IT Asset Management, Asset Discovery and Validation, Manage Assets Not Reporting, Manage Assets Not Reporting Click the Notify button.	Send email notification to finance, the custodian, the user or their managers.

Defining Inventory Age

Access the Inventory Age page (Setup Financials/Supply Chain, Product Related, IT Asset Management, Inventory Age).

See Setting Up Inventory Age.

Defining IT Subtypes

Access the IT Subtypes page (Set Up Financials/Supply Chain, Product Related, IT Asset Management, IT Subtypes, Define IT Subtypes).

See Defining IT Subtypes.

Note. Reporting will only be done on subtypes with the Aging Inventory check box selected.

Managing Assets Not Reporting

This section discusses how to:

Search for assets not reporting.
Review machine information.
Review responsible parties.
Review location information.
Review financial information.
Work with actions.
Add retirement comments.

Searching for Assets Not Reporting

Access the Manage Assets Not Reporting page (IT Asset Management, Asset Discovery and Validation, Manage Assets Not Reporting, Manage Assets Not Reporting).

See Accessing Exceptions.

Reviewing Machine Information

Access the Machine Information tab on the Manage Assets Not Reporting page.

Select

Select the check box to perform the selected Action to the selected assets, ignore selected exceptions, or add assets to a financial impact list.

Inventory Age

Displays the Inventory Age from the asset repository.

Serial ID

Displays the Serial ID from the asset repository.

Manufacturer Name

Displays the name of the manufacturer from the asset repository.

ARM Model

Displays the ARM model from the asset repository.

Tag Number

Displays the tag number from the asset repository.

Last Inventory Date

Displays the date of the last inventory report that the asset sent.

Log

Click the Log icon to access the Asset Comment page and add relevant details. These comments can be viewed from the View Asset Log page.

Submit Actions

Click this button to launch the actions specified.

Ignore Exceptions

Click this button to ignore exceptions for the selected assets. You are directed to the Ignore Exceptions page where you can add the selected exceptions to an ignore list.

Warning! You should not select to ignore software exceptions. If the software exceptions are ignored, it could present you with a lower count of the licenses that you have distributed, thereby subjecting you to potential license compliance issues.

See Managing Ignored Exceptions.

Click the Notify icon to send email notification to appropriate personnel.

Reviewing Responsible Parties

Access the Responsible Party tab on the Manage Assets Not Reporting page.

Click the Custodian (ARM) and Custodian Manager links to access custodian detail information.

Reviewing Location Information

Access the Location Information tab on the Manage Assets Not Reporting page.

ARM Location Code and Location

Displays the location shown in the asset repository.

IP Address

Displays the last logged IP address reported by the third-party inventory database.

Working with Financial Information

Access the Financial Information tab on the Manage Assets Not Reporting page.

Note. The Financial Information tab is displayed when the Financial Impact check box is selected from the Installation Options - Asset Management page and one or more of the financial search criteria are selected.

See Managing Exceptions.

Working with Actions

Access the Action tab on the Manage Assets Not Reporting page.

Financial Asset

This field indicates if an asset is a financial asset. If the asset is marked as a financial asset, the Retire a Non-Financial Asset action is not available. If the asset is not a financial asset, the Route to Finance action is not available. This prevents users from trying to retire a financial asset or routing a nonfinancial asset to the Finance department through workflow.

Action

When you select an action that sends an email, the system displays the Preview Email link. Click this link to view the email content.

When you select Retire a Non-Financial Asset, the Retirement Type and Reference Code fields become visible for entry, as does the Retirement Comments tab.

Preview Email

This column is displayed with links when an email action is selected. Click the link to preview the email content.

Retirement Type

Select a retirement type. Values are: Abandoned, Auto-Ret, Cannibal, Casualty, Disappear, Donated, Inventory, Like Kind, Missing, Sale, Scrap, Theft, and Trade-In.

Reference Code

Enter a reference code for the retirement, if applicable.

Adding Retirement Comments

Access the Retirement Comments tab on the Manage Assets Not Reporting page.

The Retirement Comments page is available only if Retire a Non-Financial Asset is selected on the Action page.

Apply

Click to apply the selected action to each row that is selected in the grid. The system intelligently applies actions to assets based off of the financial status of the asset and the financial implication of the action selected for application. For example, Retire a Non-Financial Asset will not be applied to a financial asset.

Note. TheSubmit Actions button must be invoked in order to execute the actions that are associated with each line in the grid.

Submit Actions

Click to submit all selected assets' actions.

Note. This action saves the changes.

Ignore Exceptions

Click to ignore exceptions for selected assets.

Warning! You should not select to ignore software exceptions. If the software exceptions are ignored, it could present you with a lower count of the licenses that you have distributed, thereby subjecting you to potential license compliance issues.

Add retirement specific comments for any assets that are being retired.

Managing Ignored Exceptions

This section provides an overview of ignored exceptions and discusses how to manage ignored exceptions.

Understanding Ignored Exceptions

ITAM provides the option to ignore exceptions for a specified time to lessen the workload and place focus on those exceptions that need more immediate attention. For example, a financial asset manager may not want to continue to see exceptions that require their attention while they are on vacation. Additionally, some exceptions may not have a high priority, especially at implementation time. Those asset exceptions can be ignored, placed on an "ignore list" until a given date, at which time they are dropped from the ignore list and returned to the regular presentation of exceptions. This option is available for exceptions that are generated from Inventory Exceptions (Manage Exceptions page) as well as Assets Not Reporting.

Warning! You should not ignore software exceptions. If the software exceptions are ignored, it could present you with a lower count of the licenses that you have distributed, thereby subjecting you to potential license compliance issues.

Pages Used to Manage Ignored Exceptions

Page Name	Definition Name	Navigation	Usage
Ignore Exceptions	IT _IGN_SEL	Click the Ignore Exceptions button from either the Manage Exceptions page or the Assets Not Reporting page.	Select exceptions from the Manage Exceptions component or from the Assets Not Reporting component for which to ignore exception processing.
View Ignored Exceptions	IT_IGN_INQ	IT Asset Management, Asset Discovery and Validation, View Ignored Exceptions	Review ignored exceptions, modify the expiration and begin dates or remove ignored exceptions from the ignore list for inclusion in routine exception processing.

Ignoring Exceptions

Access the Ignored Exceptions page (click the Ignored Exceptions button from the Manage Exceptions page or from the Assets Not Reporting page.)

Note. When the Ignore Exceptions page is launched from Manage Exceptions, the page displays the selected asset or assets and associated rules for the exception. You can choose which asset/rule combinations to ignore. When the Ignore Exceptions page is launched from Assets Not Reporting, the page displays the selected assets.

Warning! You should not select to ignore software exceptions. If the software exceptions are ignored, it could present you with a lower count of the licenses that you have distributed, thereby subjecting you to potential license compliance issues.

Expiration Date and Set button	Enter the date with which you want to populate the Expiration Date for the selected assets or rules and click the Set button;
Select	Select the check box for the asset or asset/rule combinations that you want to add to the ignore list or that you want to set the Expiration Date.
Begin Date	Enter the date that you want the selected exceptions to be added to the ignore list. The default value is the current date. If you blank out the begin date, the system will still populate the begin date with today.
Expiration Date (row level)	Enter the date that you want the selected exceptions to be removed from the ignore list. The ignored exceptions are then returned to the regular presentation of exceptions for processing on the expiration date.
Custodian EmplID	Click this link to access the Custodian Information page for custodian details.
Log	Click the Log icon to access the Asset Comment page. Include any relevant comments, such as the reason this exception is added to the ignore list. Comments that are saved using this page can be viewed from the View Asset Log page (IT Asset Management, Asset Discovery and Validation, View Asset Log.) See Working with the Asset Log.

Viewing Ignored Exceptions

Access the Ignore Exceptions Inquiry page (IT Asset Management, Asset Discovery and Validation, View Ignored Exceptions, Ignore Exceptions Inquiry.)

Search for ignored exceptions by entering search criteria or leave the criteria blank to retrieve all of the exceptions that are on the ignore list.

Search

Click to access the Ignored Exceptions - Detail based on the search criteria you enter on the Ignore Exceptions Inquiry.

Ignored Exceptions - Detail

Serial ID	Click to access the Printable View of Asset page.
ITAM Source	Displays the source component where the exception occurred and was added to the ignore list: from Manage Exceptions or from Assets Not Reporting.
Rule Description	Displays the rule that was ignored. This appears from Manage Exceptions only and is blank for Assets Not Reporting.
Begin Date and Expiration Date	Modify the begin date and expiration date for the ignored exceptions.
Log	Click the Log icon to access the Asset Comment page. Include any relevant comments, such as the reason for modification of this exception. Comments that are saved using this page can be viewed from the View Asset Log page (IT Asset Management, Asset Discovery and Validation, View Asset Log.) See Working with the Asset Log.

Ignored Exceptions - Device Data

View device details for ignored exceptions: business unit, asset ID, manufacturer name, device model and custodian employee ID. Click the Custodian EmplID link to access custodian detail.

Viewing Action Errors

This section provides an overview of action errors and discusses how to review action errors.

Understanding Action Errors

When you work with exceptions and assets not reporting, you select actions to perform on specific assets.

Actions that cannot be executed are stored so that information that is missing can be corrected. Actions that are prerequisites for other actions may need to be executed first, and therefore, may generate errors. If an action fails for any reason during either online or batch processing, the transaction is added to the error table.

Page Used to View Action Errors

Page Name	Definition Name	Navigation	Usage
View Action Errors	IT_ACTN_ERR	IT Asset Management, Asset Discovery and Validation, View Action Errors, View Action Errors	View action errors created during exception or non-reporting asset processing.

Viewing Action Errors

Access the Business Rule tab on the View Action Errors page (IT Asset Management, Asset Discovery and Validation, View Action Errors, View Action Errors).

Note. The Rule ID and Action columns are not displayed for non-reporting asset errors.

Error Code

You can refine your search to display specific error codes. Error codes are available in the drop-down list. Values are:

Business Unit in another SetID

Component Interface Failed

Duplicate Serial Number

Financial Asset Retirement

New Serial Number not provided

No Email Address

No Employee ID

Route Non-Financial Asset

Worklist Creation Failed

Error codes are specific to the asset source.

Purge

Because Manage Exception cleans up the asset errors when any action is executed for that asset, the only time that there will be rows remaining for an asset are when the asset had a previous error, and then on a subsequent reconciliation was found to have broken no rules. For assets not reporting, you will need to select the rows to purge since the actions are not rule based.

Viewing Error Detail

Access the Error Detail tab on the View Action Errors page.

Review the details of the error.

Viewing the Action Log

This section provides an overview of the action log and discusses how to review action history.

Understanding the Action Log

The Action Log provides a comprehensive audit trail for actions that are executed in the system from Manage Exceptions and Assets Not Reporting. The Action Log is an inquiry-only page that supports review of historical actions that cannot be modified. Actions that complete successfully will be stored in the Action Log. Actions that end completely in error will not be added to the action log. It is possible, however, for an action to end in success and failure. For example, when an action attempts to email more than one person, if one person has an email defined and one does not, then part of the actions completes, while part does not. In that case, a row would exist in the error log as well as the action log.

Page Used to View the Action Log

Page Name	Definition Name	Navigation	Usage
Action Log Inquiry	IT_ACTN_INQ	IT Asset Management, Asset Discovery and Validation, View Action Log, Action Log Inquiry	Review a comprehensive history of actions executed from Manage Exceptions and Assets Not Reporting.

Viewing the Action Log

Access the Action Log Inquiry page (IT Asset Management, Asset Discovery and Validation, View Action Log, Action Log Inquiry).

Serial ID

Click the Serial ID link to access the Printable view of Asset page.

Log

Click the Log icon to access the Asset Comment page. Enter relevant details. You can view these comments from the View Asset Log page.

Managing Financial Lists

This section discusses how to manage financial lists.

Pages Used to Manage Financial Lists

Page Name	Definition Name	Navigation	Usage
Financial List Inquiry	IT_FIA_INQ	IT Asset Management, Financials and Leases, Financial List Inquiry	Retrieve and update existing financial lists that were created from either Manage Exceptions or Manage Assets Not Reporting.
Financial List Archive	IT_FIA_ARCH	IT Asset Management, Financials and Leases, Financial List Archive	Retrieve archived financial lists for review.

Retrieving Financial Lists

Access the Financial List Inquiry page (IT Asset Management, Financials and Leases, Financial List Inquiry).

The Financial list inquiry page is designed primarily to allow financial managers access to the financial lists without the need for security setup to ITAM pages. Managers are able to deselect assets from the list as well as retire assets on a line by line basis.

Routed

Indicates that the asset has already been sent to a worklist in an action either in Manage Exceptions or in Manage Assets Not Reporting or from the current context.

Retire

Click this link to initiate direct retirement of an asset from the Asset Repository. You are transferred to the Retire Assets page. One the retirement is complete, upon returning to the financial list, the retired asset is unavailable for further action.

Send to Worklist

Delegate selections to an existing PeopleTools Finance worklist.

Archiving Financial Lists

Access the Financial List Archive page (IT Asset Management, Financials and Leases, Financial List Archive).

Retrieve archived financial lists for review.

Working with the Asset Log

This section discusses how to work with the asset log.

Page Used to Work with the Asset Log

Page Name	Definition Name	Navigation	Usage
View Asset Log	IT_ASSET_LOG	IT Asset Management, Asset Discovery and Validation, View Asset Log, View Asset Log	Review the comments that have been added from Manage Exceptions, Assets Not Reporting, Ignored Exceptions or Ignore Exceptions Inquiry.

Viewing the Asset Log

Access the View Asset Log page (IT Asset Management, Asset Discovery and Validation, View Asset Log, View Asset Log)

Search for ITAM actions performed on an asset by business unit, asset ID or serial ID.

Exception	The system displays the exception icon beside each discrepancy that is found for the asset.
Ignored Exception	This icon appears when a Business Rule exception has been designated as an ignored exceptions for an attribute for a given asset and if the ignore exception is current. That is, the icon appears if the ignored exception Begin Date is less than or equal to today's date and the Expiration Date is greater than or equal to today's date. This icon displays until the next run of the comparison process. Ignored exception actions are not included for selecting actions.
	This icon appears if an action has already been performed for that attribute. Once an attribute for the asset has been processed, it cannot be processed again. This is true even if there is more than one action to take for that attribute. Once the first action has been applied in a session, a second action cannot be applied for that attribute in a subsequent session. In order to apply further actions, a new Asset Comparison must take place.

Select	Select the check box to perform the selected Action to the selected assets, ignore selected exceptions, or add assets to a financial impact list.
Inventory Age	Displays the Inventory Age from the asset repository.
Serial ID	Displays the Serial ID from the asset repository.
Manufacturer Name	Displays the name of the manufacturer from the asset repository.
ARM Model	Displays the ARM model from the asset repository.
Tag Number	Displays the tag number from the asset repository.
Last Inventory Date	Displays the date of the last inventory report that the asset sent.
Log	Click the Log icon to access the Asset Comment page and add relevant details. These comments can be viewed from the View Asset Log page.
Submit Actions	Click this button to launch the actions specified.
Ignore Exceptions	Click this button to ignore exceptions for the selected assets. You are directed to the Ignore Exceptions page where you can add the selected exceptions to an ignore list. Warning! You should not select to ignore software exceptions. If the software exceptions are ignored, it could present you with a lower count of the licenses that you have distributed, thereby subjecting you to potential license compliance issues. See Managing Ignored Exceptions.
	Click the Notify icon to send email notification to appropriate personnel.

ARM Location Code and Location	Displays the location shown in the asset repository.
IP Address	Displays the last logged IP address reported by the third-party inventory database.

Financial Asset	This field indicates if an asset is a financial asset. If the asset is marked as a financial asset, the Retire a Non-Financial Asset action is not available. If the asset is not a financial asset, the Route to Finance action is not available. This prevents users from trying to retire a financial asset or routing a nonfinancial asset to the Finance department through workflow.
Action	When you select an action that sends an email, the system displays the Preview Email link. Click this link to view the email content. When you select Retire a Non-Financial Asset, the Retirement Type and Reference Code fields become visible for entry, as does the Retirement Comments tab.
Preview Email	This column is displayed with links when an email action is selected. Click the link to preview the email content.
Retirement Type	Select a retirement type. Values are: Abandoned, Auto-Ret, Cannibal, Casualty, Disappear, Donated, Inventory, Like Kind, Missing, Sale, Scrap, Theft, and Trade-In.
Reference Code	Enter a reference code for the retirement, if applicable.

Serial ID	Click the Serial ID link to access the Printable view of Asset page.
Log	Click the Log icon to access the Asset Comment page. Enter relevant details. You can view these comments from the View Asset Log page.

Routed	Indicates that the asset has already been sent to a worklist in an action either in Manage Exceptions or in Manage Assets Not Reporting or from the current context.
Retire	Click this link to initiate direct retirement of an asset from the Asset Repository. You are transferred to the Retire Assets page. One the retirement is complete, upon returning to the financial list, the retired asset is unavailable for further action.
Send to Worklist	Delegate selections to an existing PeopleTools Finance worklist.