The ATI Bottom Line:

Optimize total cost of ownership (TCO) for targeted desktop assets and their associated contracts.
Provide a foundation for a single AMS II Repository as the source for technology asset information.
Optionally, target next key area for deployment to incrementally capture and control technology assets enterprise-wide.

Full Life Cycle Management for Desktop Assets

Executive Summary

AMS II Desktop is designed to effect a rapid implementation to gain immediate control of and efficiently manage desktop hardware and software assets. It can be used solely to capture and track a major new acquisition, or can target an inventory of desktop equipment already owned. It supports a physical inventory that optionally includes 'tagging,' with or without bar coding, and loading of the AMS II Repository with fully detailed asset information.

AMS II Desktop is a subset of Asset Technologies Inc.'s AMS II software product, and as such, also has a unique patented modular design providing the flexibility to seamlessly interface to existing applications while creating the AMS II Repository as the single source of desktop asset information. For example, inventory data can be gleaned from auto-discovery tools that are already in place.

The AMS II Repository is a composite of data on the physical assets themselves, their associated financial data such as maintenance contracts, depreciation status, purchase agreements and leasing costs, and data recording their full life cycle history as changes occur. Therefore, AMS II Desktop can pass financial data for the desktop assets to an existing fixed asset ledger for ongoing financial accountability.

AMS II Desktop is delivered with a complete application package of online reports as well as a pre-defined structure for using the Cognos® Suite of Business Intelligence Tools to do ad hoc queries, ad hoc reporting and building OLAP multidimensional cubes.

ATI bundles the AMS II Desktop software product with sufficient hours from their Professional Services Division to define and implement the processes to maintain currency in the AMS II Repository, or to train the organization's own staff to do these tasks. Additionally, an organization may choose to outsource the tasks of initial data capture, inventory and reconciliation of the desktop assets to ATI's Professional Services Division.

AMS II Desktop is the ultimate solution to accurately report the total cost of ownership of all targeted desktop assets and effectively minimize those costs. Successful implementation provides additional benefits to an organization:

• The AMS II Repository is in place as the single database source for technology assets.
• A Pilot Implementation is completed and can be used to extrapolate similar cost savings throughout the organization.
• Additional key areas can be targeted for incremental implementation to gain associated cost savings.

Desktop Asset Management for Operations and Planning

One principal advantage of AMS II Desktop is that it provides an organization with a single repository of information on desktop technology assets. This single source means both the Operations and Planning areas of an enterprise access the same accurate and up-to-date data. With attendant controls and best practices incorporated into the Asset Management System, the AMS II Repository reflects a "real world" view of an enterprise's desktop technology assets. Managers can thus make informed business decisions regarding technology changes and the associated financial impact on the organization based on actual and accurate data.

Operations personnel typically have a greater interest in the detail level of asset information. With AMS II Desktop, Operations can be confident that they know what the technology assets are, who owns them, where they are located, how they are configured, and who uses them. Management has information immediately available at all times, and can view the information in a number of meaningful ways. Managers can make enlightened decisions regarding acquisition of new technologies. They can make more efficient use of current technologies. And, they can justify cost/benefit analyses based on the precise asset information at their fingertips.

Planning personnel can use the same AMS II Repository of information to prepare for the introduction of new technologies, to examine and negotiate master lease agreements, purchase agreements, lease contracts, maintenance rates and other budgetary factors that optimize efficiency and contain costs. For example, financial planners might extract information on workstations to contrast present net book value with current depreciation. This information may then be the basis for a decision to grant a divisional request for the purchase of new workstations based on the declining depreciation value of the old workstations.

Additionally, AMS II Desktop can interface directly with corporate financial systems such as accounts payable and the fixed asset ledger, sending appropriate updated asset information automatically. For example, when an asset is purchased it is either capitalized or expensed according to an organization's accounting business rules. Capitalized assets are depreciated and show an expense each month for the length of the term; expensed assets result in one lump sum expense the following month. This information is significant to effective financial decision making and managing total cost of ownership. Capturing and reporting on this data is another way AMS II Desktop enables efficient management of the total cost of ownership of an organization's desktop assets.

Full Life Cycle History Tracking and Reporting on Desktop Assets

All desktop software and hardware assets owned or leased by an organization experience a series of changes, from acquisition to disposition. AMS II Desktop provides facilities for data capturing at the earliest point of entry, storing, classifying with consistency, tracking and reporting on these events. From a database of stored asset information, specifically the AMS II Repository, the AMS II user has immediate access to multiple views of the past and present status of an asset or group of assets based upon desired criteria. AMS II Desktop tracks complete asset life cycle history by meticulously recording significant details about changes to assets. Most importantly, hardware and software assets are tied together with their associated financial information.

Typical Asset Life Cycle

An asset's complete life cycle is documented by AMS II Desktop from procurement through disposition. Typical AMS II transactions used to record this cycle are the following:

Planned Requisition, Requisition, Order, Receipt, Bill of Sale to record a purchase or Schedule to record a lease, use and associated costs by transactions processing Depreciation, Rent and Maintenance during the term, and Disposition upon termination.

Events and Changes to Desktop Assets

Changes that occur to software and hardware assets during their useful life can be grouped into five general categories:

• Product Data
• Product and Configuration Classification
• Functional Responsibility or Owner
• Physical Location
• Financial Status

Product Data:

When an asset is acquired, its Product Data are collected and entered into the AMS II Repository. An asset has physical characteristics as defined by the vendor such as name, part number, manufacturer, and serial number. AMS II Desktop captures sufficient detail to ensure that the asset is uniquely identifiable from all other assets throughout its useful life.

Product and Configuration Classification:

AMS II Desktop assigns the asset a Product and Configuration Classification that identifies the asset as a separate autonomous unit or one that can be grouped into a system configuration. Each system configuration also receives a unique identity within AMS II Desktop.

Functional Responsibility or Owner and Physical Location:

AMS II Desktop ensures that the functional responsibility for an asset or asset configuration is recorded in the AMS II Repository. The name and address of the owner of the asset and the name and location of the user of the asset are also documented. This ownership information is essential to avoid confusion over responsibility for the asset.

Financial Status:

AMS II DESKTOP requires that all financial contracts, warranties, lease agreements, purchase agreements and associated legal documents are recorded upon acquisition of the asset. When the financial status of an asset changes, the event is documented in the AMS II Repository.

Query Search Engine

AMS II Desktop is delivered with a powerful search engine designed to perform complex, exhaustive searching of stored database information in the AMS II Repository. Output can be chosen from several different media: printed report, flat text file, database table, or online screen format.

Users can create a search query that describes the specific asset or group of assets they need to find, or perform a generalized search using wildcard characters and browse.

Queries can be created to view asset information in multiple ways. Users can extract information on a specific product or group of products such as workstations, network configurations or software license sites and numbers. Or, they may choose to pull contract or financial information such as lease payment schedules, depreciation status or purchase agreements related to such products.

Information Distribution

ATI's AMS II Desktop is delivered with a full package of online application reports. The user can select a specific report from the Reports menu list or click any of several conveniently placed buttons when processing transactions. Reports are delivered for the following functions: Planned Requisitions, Requisitions and Orders, Projects, Cost Centers, Locations and Contacts, Asset Groups, and License Agreements.

AMS II Desktop includes a predefined structure for interfacing to the Cognos® Business Intelligence Suite of products, specifically Impromptu® for ad hoc query and reporting capabilities, and Power Play® for complete OLAP functionality.

AMS II Desktop Standards and Technical Requirements

Controls and Reliability

AMS II Desktop provides controls to ensure that asset data is accurate and stable. Database and user password controls are standard functions. Rollback provisions are in place in the event of a system crash. Additionally, AMS II Desktop allows users to generate complete and detailed tracking of all stored data for auditing purposes.

AMS II Desktop User Interface

Web or Client Server Function

Asset Management System functions interchangeably as a web based or client server application.  The function is identical.  Web and client server clients freely function within the network.  Web clients require no client installation or local maintenance.  

The Asset Management System products provide all the functionality of a 32-bit Windows application. AMS II Desktop is constructed with an object-oriented methodology. Its graphical user interface includes:

• Consistent look and feel
• Drag and dropping of objects
• Copy/pasting of objects within the application
• Multiple open windows to view and edit different objects
• Shortcut keys for experienced users
• User friendly navigation within the system
• Microsoft standard Help: general and context sensitive

AMS II Desktop is a client/server application that runs on industry standard relational databases: Oracle

AMS II Desktop Client Requirements

Windows 2000 or XP

AMS II Desktop Server Requirements

120 GB minimum Disk Capacity
Single/Multi Processor
Primary Support: Windows Server