Does CI identification rules apply when creating an CI manually from an Asset?

[Morten Steenbac]

When creating an Asset manually and a related CI is automatically created, is the identification/reconciliation process involved to check for duplicates.

Or is it only during Discovery?

[Community Alums · Accepted solution]

Morten,

No. CI Identification rules are not used for the automated creation of a CI with an Asset record. It is designed to just create a new CI record.

Asset management processes should be creating the CI first. In a proactive manner. Then discovery sources should be updating that CI record (preferably using the Identification and Reconciliation engine).

When items are brought into ServiceNow from your discovery source, then one of two things happens:

1. A matching CI is found and updated. This happens when the Asset created the CI first or if the CI was discovered previously.
2. No match is found and a new CI is created. Based on the Model Category, a corresponding Asset record is also created. If you are adding asset details later, you should update this automatically created Asset record (coalesce if you are importing Asset data).
   1. If you do not want to automatically create an Asset (because the Asset record should exist first), you can enable the Enforce CI verification option on the Model Category. This prevents the Asset creation until you either verify that you want an Asset or Merge the CI with an existing CI (perhaps something was off and it did not properly merge). This gives you more control about how Assets and CIs are coordinated.
   2. If you do not want to automatically create an Asset (because you do not purchase a specific Model or the Model is virtual), you can set the Asset tracking strategy on the Model record to not create Assets.

Sorry, this is probably a lot more detail than you were looking for here, but Assets are meant to be created first, so there is not identification done when the corresponding CI is created. If the CI is already there, you should be updating an existing Asset instead of creating a new Asset, so you really should be identifying that on the Asset side.

Ben

[Morten Steenbac]

Hi Ben,

This was exactly the level of detail I was looking for - thanks a lot!

/Morten

[rodeliodoria]

Ben,

How do you leverage the Procurement module with purchase orders? Purchase orders buys assets in bulk without any information but the computer model type and model name.

1. Purchase order creates asset records 1st and the Configuration item has not been discovered or previously created.

2. Asset record goes through procurement and contract process and the asset is in Asset management inventory without a CI.

3. Asset still does not have a CI, since it has not touched the network.

4. The asset is delivered by desktop support to the end-user

5. End user uses device on the network and discovery finds device

6. CI is created with asset automatically (If CI enforce verification is turned off)

7. Asset record from procurement does not merge and Discovery CI with asset is created. That means I have to asset records.

My question is how do we merge the asset record from procurement to a newly discovered CI? Or have Discovery grab existing assets built by procurement and merge them.

[Community Alums]

Rodelio,

Responses below:

1. Purchase order creates asset records 1st and the Configuration item has not been discovered or previously created.

2. Asset record goes through procurement and contract process and the asset is in Asset management inventory without a CI.

•         Why is there no CI here? It should be created with the Asset. If it isn't then you need to look at your Model category used to ensure it has both an Asset class and CI class associated with it. This would be the first Model category on the Model for the device procured. If there is no Model category there, this is your problem.

3. Asset still does not have a CI, since it has not touched the network.

•         It should have a CI before it touches the network. It should be created with the Asset.

4. The asset is delivered by desktop support to the end-user

5. End user uses device on the network and discovery finds device

6. CI is created with asset automatically (If CI enforce verification is turned off)

•         At this point, it should be updating the CI created with the Asset, not creating a new CI.

7. Asset record from procurement does not merge and Discovery CI with asset is created. That means I have to asset records.

Ben

[alan_death]

In addition to what Ben said, and maybe it goes without saying, but once the assets are created, they'll need some type of identifying information added (serial number, name, etc.) so that Discovery knows what they are. Typically this would be added when the assets are received.