Grouping Hardware Models for ordering

[Erick18]

We allow our users to request computers from the Service Portal. We group these computers into the following. 
Standard Laptop 1

Standard Laptop 2

Advanced Laptop 1

Advanced Laptop 2

Standard Desktop 1

Standard Desktop 2

Standard Desktop 3

Each of these have different specs or hardware however they relate to specific hardware models. A standard laptop 1 could contain 5 different hardware models and the type of model that is issued depends on what is in stock or what is the latest model. 

Question: How can I use these model groupings in ServiceNow? Should I create new hardware models for each of these? Should I create new child model categories from the computer model category? Or is there another solution I am missing? 

Thanks,
Erick

[DavidWallace1]

The short answer is that the tool isn't setup to allow you to do that.

A model is intended to be an actual model of a laptop, that you can order from a vendor. So instead of Standard Laptop you would have Dell Latitude 5440.

ServiceNow appear to have made the assumption that the people browsing and placing requests from a hardware catalog know what they are looking at, and know which of those they need, and know which of those they are 'allowed or entitled' to order.

You can create a generic model for something, and a catalog item to allow people to place a request to get one, but it will no longer tie up to the assets - the system works on it picking a specific serial numbered instance of a model in order to fulfil the request, which wouldn't work for generic models.

Generally, I would say to keep the number of models to a minimum. Look at the substitutes tab on a model as a way to give a hint to the person sourcing the asset in order to fulfil the request. At present this list of substitutes doesn't drive anything in the system though. In the future I'd hope that this evolves so that

1. order for a Dell 5540 is placed

2. sourcing task is createed

3. there are none in stock

4. but the system sees that a Dell 5430 is a substitute for a 5540 and shows those to the person sourcing instead of just saying that there are no 5540's in stock

5. and the end user eventually receives a 5430 (but not the 5540 they asked for)

... but at present it doesn't do anything with the substitute models (as far as I have been able to see)

... so it does steps 1-3 and then the person doing the sourcing looks up the model, sees there's a substitute and adjusts the request/RITM so that the end user gets a 5430 instead of an (out of stock) 5540.