create Hardware Asset from PO without creating CI

[DevYadav]

Hi everyone,

I need some help understanding and implementing a specific requirement related to hardware assets and CI creation.

Our requirement is that when we receive hardware from a Purchase Order, the system should create only the hardware asset record. It should not create a CI at that time.

Currently, when we create a hardware asset, a CI is automatically created as well. We want to stop this behavior because the CI should only be created later through the Discovery process.

The expected flow is:

Hardware is received from a PO

Only Asset record is created

No CI should be created at this stage

Later, when the device is discovered on the network, Discovery should create the CI

The newly created CI should match the existing asset using serial number and link to it

I have a few questions:

What controls the automatic creation of CI when a hardware asset is created

Is this behavior controlled by a business rule, asset model setting, or some configuration

What is the recommended way to prevent CI creation during asset creation

How can we ensure that when Discovery creates the CI, it correctly matches with the existing asset using serial number

Do we need to configure Identification and Reconciliation rules for this scenario

If anyone has implemented a similar use case or can guide on the correct approach, it would be very helpful.

Thank you in advance.

[Laveena-Agarwal]

Hi @DevYadav 

I haven’t tried this yet, but as per my understanding it should work like this:

• There is an out-of-the-box Business Rule "Create CI on Insert" on the alm_asset table.
  → Deactivate this rule to prevent CI creation from Asset.
• During Discovery, Assets may still get created from CI due to the OOB Business Rule "Create Asset on Insert" on the cmdb_ci table.
• To control this behavior:
  • Create a new Business Rule: "Update Asset on Insert"
  • Copy conditions from the OOB BR.
  • Add a specific condition so that it runs only for Purchase Order-related scenarios.
  • Modify the OOB BR to handle asset creation for records that do not meet the conditions of your new BR.
• In the new Business Rule:
  • Add a script to:
    • Check if an Asset already exists with the same serial number
    • If found, update the existing Asset reference instead of creating a new one

 

There is another approach by Using Reconciliation Rules (Alternative Method)

• Allow CI creation from Asset (ensure Discovery Source = SNAssetManagement).
• When Discovery runs:
  • It will update the same CI instead of creating duplicates.
• To prevent Discovery from overwriting Asset-related fields (e.g., model, manufacturer):
  • Create a static Reconciliation Rule with:
    • Priority = 1
    • Condition: Discovery Source = SNAssetManagement

Reference Video

This video explains the implementation and also highlights limitations of this approach:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asUwKxoBL_4&t=700s