Mastering Hardware Asset Management in ServiceNow-Chapter 2

[SaaniyaC]

Getting Granular with ServiceNow HAM: Asset States and Substates 

In the last article, we talked about how ServiceNow Hardware Asset Management (HAM) eliminates the chaos of missing laptops, untracked monitors, and ballooning procurement costs. Now, let’s zoom in on one of the most powerful (yet underrated) features that make this possible: asset states and substates.

If you’ve ever wondered why assets in your environment feel like they “disappear” between purchase and retirement, the answer usually lies in how well you’re tracking them. Asset states and substates are the backbone of that tracking - they transform a static asset record into a living, auditable story of where your hardware has been and what needs to happen next.

Why Asset States and Substates Matter

1. Precision at Every Step
   Instead of just knowing a laptop is “active,” you can see if it’s in stock, in repair, pending disposal, or officially retired. This level of detail prevents assets from slipping through the cracks.
   

2. Better Automation
   State changes can trigger workflows automatically - like creating a repair task when an asset moves into “Pending Repair,” or notifying IT security when an asset is flagged for disposal.
   

3. Audit-Ready Visibility
   

   Regulatory audits often require proof of where assets are and how they’ve been handled. States and substates provide that history without manual digging.
   

The Lifecycle in Action: States and Their Substates

ServiceNow HAM’s Zurich release gives you clear, structured states for every hardware asset, with optional substates to add context. Here’s how they map to real-world scenarios:

State	Substate	When You Use It
On Order	-	Assets have only been ordered
In Stock	Available,Reserved,Defective,Pending repair,Pending install,Pending disposal,Pending transfer,Pre-allocated,On hold,Legal hold,Quarantine,Pending fulfillment, Pending certificate,Pending return,Test,End of support,Pending Retirement,Pending resale,Pending evaluation	Assets are in storage but need assessment or are confirmed broken.
In transit	Available,Reserved,Defective,Pending install,Pending disposal,Pending donation,Pre-allocated,Pending resale	Assets are on their way
In Use	Pending fulfillment,End of support,Pending retirement	Devices are actively assigned to users and operational.
In maintenance	-	Assets are being repaired/scheduled for maintenance.
Retired	Disposed,Pending disposal,Sold,Donated,Vendor credit,Lease return,Obsolete,RMA,Buy out,Pending resale	Asset has completed its lifecycle.
Missing	Lost, Stolen
Build	-	Asset is being prepared(usually for bundled assets)

These states act like checkpoints in the hardware lifecycle, while substates add the “why” behind each status.

How This Works in Practice

 

Picture this: An employee leaves the company, and their laptop is returned to IT.

1. IT marks the asset In Stock → Pending Repair because it has a damaged keyboard.

2. A repair task is automatically created.

3. After evaluation, IT marks it as Defective under the same state.

4. The asset then moves to Pending Disposal → Retired, triggering secure data erasure and removal from the CMDB.

Each step is automated, visible, and logged - no spreadsheets, no mystery assets.

Connecting Asset States with the CMDB

One of the best parts of ITAM a such is its ability to map asset states to CI statuses in the CMDB. This keeps IT operations, procurement, and asset management teams aligned:

1. When an asset is retired in HAM, its CI status in the CMDB updates automatically.
2. You avoid mismatches between “what IT thinks is active” and “what Finance thinks is owned.”

This integration ensures hardware data isn’t just accurate - it’s actionable across the platform.

Best Practices for Using States and Substates

1. Define Before You Deploy: Make sure every state and substate has a clear business meaning so teams don’t misuse them.

2. Keep It Simple: Start with out-of-the-box options before adding custom substates. Complexity without purpose leads to confusion.
   

3. Automate Transitions: Use Flow Designer to trigger tasks, notifications, or approvals when assets change state.
   

4. Audit Regularly: Run reports to catch assets stuck in outdated states (like “Pending Disposal” for six months).
   

5. Train Your Team: A short workshop on what each state means can prevent incorrect updates down the line.

From Chaos to Clarity

By using states and substates effectively, you’re not just tracking hardware - you’re creating a system where every asset has a clear journey from purchase to retirement. It’s the difference between constantly buying new laptops “just in case” and confidently reassigning existing ones.

In our next post, we’ll dive into HAM KPIs and Dashboards.

Take a look at the ServiceNow Official Documentation to see the full details. 

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