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Overview

Assets (also called “Hardware” in Snipe-IT) are the physical items your organization tracks - laptops, monitors, phones, servers, and any other equipment. Each asset has a unique asset tag and can be assigned to users, locations, or other assets.

Key Features

Asset Tracking

Every asset includes:
  • Unique Asset Tag - Required identifier for each asset
  • Serial Number - Optional or required based on model settings
  • Model Information - Links to manufacturer, category, and specifications
  • Status Label - Deployable, Pending, Archived, or custom statuses
  • Purchase Details - Cost, date, supplier, and order number
  • Warranty Information - Warranty months and expiration tracking
  • Location Tracking - Current and default (RTD) locations

Check-Out Workflows

1

Select Asset

Navigate to the asset you want to check out. The asset must have a “Deployable” status.
2

Choose Recipient

Check out to a:
  • User - Assign to an employee
  • Asset - Assign to another asset (e.g., a monitor to a laptop)
  • Location - Assign to a physical location
3

Set Details

Optionally specify:
  • Expected check-in date
  • Custom checkout note
  • Override location
4

Confirm Checkout

The system automatically:
  • Updates asset location
  • Creates audit log entry
  • Sends email notification (if configured)
  • Requests user acceptance (if required)

Check-In Process

When checking in an asset:
  1. Asset status can be changed if needed
  2. Location returns to default RTD location
  3. Custom fields can be updated during check-in (if configured)
  4. Audit log records the check-in event
  5. Email notifications sent (if enabled)
Assets checked out to other assets cannot be directly checked in - you must first check in the parent asset.

Asset Statuses

Custom Fields

Assets support custom fields through fieldsets attached to asset models:
  • Text fields (encrypted or plain)
  • Textarea
  • Checkboxes
  • Date fields
  • Dropdown lists
Custom fields can be configured to:
  • Display during checkout
  • Display during check-in
  • Require validation
  • Support encryption for sensitive data

Auditing

Snipe-IT supports scheduled asset audits:
  • Next Audit Date - When the asset is due for audit
  • Last Audit Date - When it was last audited
  • Audit Interval - Configured globally in settings
  • Overdue Alerts - Email notifications for overdue audits
The audit feature helps ensure asset accuracy and compliance with organizational policies.

Asset Lifecycle

End of Life (EOL) Tracking

Assets automatically calculate EOL based on:
  • Model EOL months + purchase date
  • Manual override with explicit EOL date
  • Alerts for assets approaching EOL

Depreciation

When a depreciation model is assigned:
  • Current value calculated automatically
  • Based on purchase cost and date
  • Multiple depreciation methods supported

Bulk Operations

Creating Multiple Assets

1

Enter Asset Count

Specify how many assets to create in one batch
2

Provide Asset Tags

Enter unique asset tags for each item (can auto-increment)
3

Enter Serial Numbers

Add serial numbers (required if model requires them)
4

Complete Shared Fields

All assets share: model, purchase date, supplier, status, etc.

Components

Assets can have components assigned to them:
  • RAM modules
  • Hard drives
  • Network cards
  • Any tracked component
Components maintain their own quantity and can be assigned to multiple assets.

Requestable Assets

Mark assets as “requestable” to allow users to:
  • Browse available requestable assets
  • Submit requests for checkout
  • Admins approve/deny requests
  • Automatic checkout upon approval
Only assets with “Deployable” status can be marked as requestable.

Reporting

Generate comprehensive reports on:
  • Assets by status, location, or model
  • Checked out assets and their assignees
  • Asset value and depreciation
  • Warranty expirations
  • EOL approaching assets
  • Audit due/overdue assets

BYOD (Bring Your Own Device)

Mark personal devices with the BYOD flag to:
  • Distinguish company-owned vs. personal assets
  • Apply different policies
  • Track without full ownership

Best Practices

Asset Tagging

Use a consistent asset tag format. Enable auto-increment with zero-fill for clean numbering (e.g., ASSET-00001).

Default Locations

Always set RTD (Ready to Deploy) locations so assets return to the correct place when checked in.

Custom Fields

Create fieldsets for different asset types to capture model-specific information.

Regular Audits

Schedule regular audits to maintain accurate asset records and locations.