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Working with Software Assets

Web Tracks provides a way to track your software assets.  It is one thing to know the software that is detected on your computers, but this is only one part of what is required in a software audit.  You also must know the licenses you own for each software product as well as which computers 'should' have a license.  The software asset tracking capabilities in Web Tracks allow you to track all the information required for a complete software audit.  You can track CD-ROM's, DVD's, Open License Agreements, and Downloadable software in the software asset section.  You can also assign software assets to computers in WebTracks. 

WebTracks inventory capabilities give you all the tools and tracking capabilities required for a software audit.

Software Auditing Steps

Audit your PC's using Web Tracks Audit.  Auditing computers is the way to find the software that is actually installed on your PC's.

1. Track your software assets in Web Tracks.   This allows you to summarize the number software licenses you own for each product.
2. Assign your software assets to your computers.  This is your way of distributing licenses to your computers.  This gives you a list of the software that 'should' be installed on a given PC.
3. View software audit reports and look for discrepancies between software detected, software assets owned and software assets allocated.

Note:
Although manually allocating software assets to computers may be cumbersome, doing so will keep track of the software that 'should' be installed on the computers.  This is a very important step of the software audit process. 

Defining Software Media Types
From the Admin Menu, choose Lookup Tables -- Software Media Types.

Adding Software Media Assets
In Software List, click the 'Add Command'.

Duplicating Software Media Assets
You can quickly duplicate similar software asset records by clicking the duplicate record command in the upper portion of the software asset list.  When you click this command, you will be prompted for a new software asset tag number. 

Deleting Software Assets
To delete software assets from Web Tracks, select the records from upper list and then click the Delete command.  

Allocating Software Assets to Computers
Web Tracks gives you the ability to assign each software license to one or more computers.  Some software assets might be Open License Agreements with multiple licenses while others may simply be 'Off the shelf' applications that contain one license and one CD-ROM.  Therefore you could have 45 computers assigned to an Open License Agreement that has a total of 50 licenses. 

There are two ways of assigning software assets to computers within Web Tracks. 

Assigning through the software asset list:

1. Edit the software asset that you wish to assign to a computer
2. Switch to the 'Computers Allocated' tab
3. Click the 'Allocate' command
4. Select the computer(s) and then click 'Allocate'

Assigning through the computer detail form:

1. Open the computer list
2. Edit the computer that you wish to assign software assets
3. Switch to the software tab and click the option for 'Software Allocated to this Computer'
4. Click the 'Allocate' command
5. Select the software asset(s) and then click 'Allocate'

Notes:
When you 'Dispose' a computer in Web Tracks, any software assets that were allocated to the computer are made available to other computers. 

Use the software report 'Software Assets Allocation to Computers (by Software Asset)' to identify license shortages and overages for each individual software asset.

Use the built-in report 'Software Asset Allocation to Computers (by Software Product)' to identify license shortages and overages without by the software assets product title.

Deleting Software Assets from Computers
In Web Tracks there are two ways to delete software assets that have been assigned to computers.

Remove the software assignment by editing the Software Asset:

1. Edit the software asset and switch to the 'Computers Allocated' tab.  
2. Select the computer for which to remove the asset and click the 'Remove' command.

Delete the software asset assignment by editing a computer's record:

1. Edit the appropriate computer and then switch to the software tab.
2. Click the radio option for 'Software Allocated to this Computer'.
3. Select one or more software assets and then click the 'Remove' command.

Checking-Out Software Assets to Users
Edit the software asset item and select the User ID in the 'Checked Out To' Field.  The 'Checked Out By' field will automatically contain the current Web Tracks Inventory User ID. 

Note:
Checking out software assets is not to be confused with Allocating Software Assets to PC's.  The only purpose of checking out software assets is to track the asset to a user (not the computer).  If someone in your company borrows a copy of software install at home, you should check the CD-ROM out to that user until they return it.  Allocating the license of the software is independent of who the asset is 'Checked Out To'.

Checking-In Software Assets
Edit the software media asset item and clear the 'Checked Out To' Field.

Attaching Files to Software Records

1. Switch to the Attachment tab in the Software Detail form
2. Click the 'Add' Command
3. Browse to the file
4. Click the 'Upload' Command

The file is now stored in the database with the associated software asset record.

For more information on see Working with File Attachments.

Linking Shared Documents to Software Records
In Web Tracks you can associate documentation records with any inventory item.  To Add a shared document link to a software asset switch to the Documents tab in the Software Detail form

1. Click the 'Add' Command
2. Select the item(s) you wish to link
3. Click Link

The documentation asset is then associated with the software asset record.

For more information on Attachments see Working with Documentation.

Record History & Ticket History
Any changes made to a software record are stored in the record's history field. Viewing the history field is an easy way to see the changes made to the software asset.  The history tab in the software detail form also contains a ticket history list.  If you are using the Service Desk feature within Web Tracks, tickets can be linked to computers, peripherals and/or software products.  The history tracking features in Mouse Tracks makes it very simple to track the software product from purchase through disposal.