Scans via smartphones

Ivanti Neurons for ITAM (Drop #22 and above) supports the use of the Ivanti Neurons for ITSM & ITAM smartphone app to scan and track hardware assets. Use the app to scan asset barcodes, edit record details, apply a range of quick actions, and then sync those updates with the database. As of the latest version, you can also take delivery of hardware assets that are part of a purchase order. For details, see Procurement.

By default, supported asset types include computer, mobile device, general asset, peripheral device, and infrastructure (not consumables). To add support for other asset types, the Asset Administrator must first configure forms for them. For details, see the Ivanti Neurons for ITSM help topic Creating a Form.

This app is for use with asset records that currently exist in the database. You cannot use it to scan hardware assets into the database for the first time. To do that, you must use Ivanti's app for dedicated barcode scanners. For details, see Scans via dedicated scanners.

An exception to this is if you're using the app to take delivery of assets that are line items of an existing purchase order. You can scan the barcodes of these new assets because as part of a purchase order, they already exist in the database as template records (which act as placeholders for the newly scanned data). For details, see Procurement.

Setting up the app

The app is for use in an environment where both Ivanti Neurons for ITSM and ITAM are installed (not an ITAM-only environment). It works on both Android- and iOS-based smartphones.

The app consists of two parts that you need to set up before using:

1.The tenant software, which the Asset Administrator needs to download onto each tenant to be accessed via the app. Download the latest version of the software, called the Mobile Asset Manager content package, from the Ivanti Marketplace. It's recommended that you first test this package on a staging server before using it in a production environment.

In addition, ensure that each app user is assigned the Mobile Asset Manager user role (not the Asset Mobile role).

2.The smartphone software (titled the Ivanti Neurons for ITSM & ITAM app), which each app user needs to download onto their phone from the Google Play Store here (Android) or the Apple App Store here (iOS).

Scanning

With each scan, the app enables you to pull up an existing asset record to edit the details and apply a range of quick actions. By default, supported actions include assigning assets to a new location, user, or financial owner; checking assets into a storage space; transferring assets as stock to a new location; and creating a new incident related to the asset.

The procedures in this section are written for the Android-based version of the app, but the general information works for the iOS version as well.

Offline scanning

The details in this section are written for the Android-based version of the app, but the general information works for the iOS version as well.

If internet connectivity is lost while you’re logged into the app, you can continue to scan barcodes as you would normally. For example:

If you’re logged in but lose internet connectivity before scanning begins, go ahead and scan. Later, when you’re logged in and back online (using the same user account), the app will automatically sync the scans with the database and display the asset details.

If you’re logged in but lose internet connectivity while scanning, continue to scan. Later, when you’re logged in and back online (using the same user account), the app will ask if you want to sync the barcodes that were scanned offline or start over. Click Use items to sync the scans with the database, or click Start new to discard those barcodes and start over.

In a third scenario, if you’re not logged into the app and are offline, you can take photos of the barcodes, then use the app to scan the images once you’re logged in and back online. To do this:

From the app’s Home > Scan Assets > scanner screen, click the Blue folder icon used to open a list of barcode images taken offline. icon (top right of the screen) to open your list of photos. Manually select the photos to scan. The app will automatically scan the barcodes from those images, then fetch and display the asset details. You can perform the actions you would normally, then sync the updates with the database.

To view which images were successfully scanned, click View Scanned Images Report (near the top of the screen). If there's a problem, the app will indicate that one of several issues has occurred:

Processing Failed: The barcode wasn't in focus or was cut off when the photo was taken.

Duplicate Asset: The barcode is a duplicate of a previously scanned asset.

Asset not Found: The asset record isn’t currently in the database.

The scanned images report details if a scan was successful or not, if an asset is a duplicate, and if the asset wasn't found in the database.

Note that you can’t scan new barcodes into the database with the app. If you attempt this, once you’re back online, the app will be unable to sync those barcodes (since they don’t already exist in the database).

Editing the barcode look-up fields

Asset Administrators have the option of editing the barcode look-up fields that the app uses to identify scanned assets. By default, the serial number and asset tag are scanned. An easy way to edit these fields is to use the procedure below, where you can access the look-up fields via a saved search in the Hardware Assets workspace.

The guidelines for look-up fields are these:

Look-up fields should match the fields currently defined for the Scan Log workspace. By default, these fields are Asset Tag and Serial Number.

You can use any number of fields as a look-up, though 2-3 should be sufficient.

The app requires that at least one field be used as a look-up in the saved search, as shown in the next procedure.

Troubleshooting

Here are a few tips if you're having problems using the app: