Assets
An asset is a physical thing that you offer to your customers. Assets may be located at locations. Some organizations use other words to describe an asset, such as:
Hardware
Device
Machine
Equipment
Other organizations may use more industry-specific terminology, such as endpoint, node, robot, printer, sensor, or other terms.
Assets can be imported directly into Hardfin (via CSV, API, or ERP). If you are using the supply chain module, assets are the final step in the parts workflow after an assembly is registered:
List all assets
To see a list of all assets, navigate to the assets page. Here you will see a table with each asset's serial number, operational status, product type, associated project, location, owner, and recent activity.
Use the search or filter options to refine the asset list.
View individual asset details
To view the full details of an asset, click on an asset serial number in the asset list.
The asset details page will appear showing the asset details.
This page includes all the core details of the asset at the top of the page, including serial, description, status, owner, current location, and current project:
Asset details also include full timelines for project assignment (commercial activity) and asset movement (logistics history):
Details also include sections for activity history, asset metadata, files and links, and accounting details:
Asset details also include a full audit log of the changes made to the asset over time.
Create an asset
Users can choose whether to add individual asset data or upload asset data in bulk. Navigate to the asset list and choose the "Add asset data" button.
You can also sync assets via direct integration or API connection.
To create an individual asset, select "Add individual asset" button and a window will appear. Choose the appropriate product for the asset, enter the asset's serial. select the correct location, and choose the right inventory date for the asset, then click "Add."
All four fields are required to create a new asset.
Bulk creation
Users can upload or update assets in bulk via a file upload, API connection, or direct integration.
Asset data uploader
The asset data uploader provides an intuitive interface for importing asset information and metadata in bulk. This tool streamlines the process of adding multiple assets to the platform, or of updating asset data/metadata in bulk.
Using the uploader:
Navigate to the assets page and choose the "Add asset data" button to open a chooser window
Choose from one of the three bulk options:
Import new assets - Upload file with new assets for your organization
Update existing assets - Update basic asset data (such as status or description) for assets already in the system
Update asset metadata - Update custom asset metadata that you have configured (such as OEM model or firmware version)
Choose your CSV data file with columns mapped to the appropriate asset fields
Upload your file and Hardfin automatically validates your data
Review the data results to ensure accuracy
Each uploader provides real-time validation and clear error messages to help you resolve any data issues before completing the import.
Other bulk creation options
To configure an integration with a CRM or ERP, or to set up API access, please contact support.
Edit an asset
To edit details for an asset, hover over the detail you want to edit and click the pencil icon ✏️. For example, hover over the asset serial and you will see a small pencil:
Click the pencil to open the edit interface:
Editing some details, such as status and ownership may require different information. For example, to change asset status:
Asset status options
Assets can be assigned one of three functional status levels to track their operational condition:
Functional - Asset is operating normally and available for use
Pending - Asset requires review or attention before being considered fully operational (displayed with yellow warning icon)
Non-functional - Asset is not currently operational and requires repair or replacement
Status changes are automatically tracked in the asset's audit log, providing a complete history of operational state changes over time.
For example, to change asset ownership:
Asset quick actions
Quick actions provide fast access to frequently used asset management functions directly from asset detail pages and list views. These streamlined buttons reduce the time needed to perform common asset operations.
Add ticket - Open a ticket attached to this asset to track support requests, repairs, or action items. Learn more about tickets.
Upload file - Attach a file to the asset record
Add link - Link a URL directly to the asset
Assign/unassign - Assign the asset to a project
Move/plan - Initiate asset movement to a new location
Action - Log asset activity directly
Assign an asset (change asset project)
You can change an asset's current project by assigning or unassigning the asset. This allows you to enter the full history of how your assets are related to your commercial activity. Read more about assignments, how they work, and why they are important.
Assigning the asset to the project requires choosing the "Assign" button, selecting the project, and specifying the effective date of the assignment:
Assets may be assigned to a project however makes sense for your business, based on your downstream reporting needs.
Unassigning an asset
You can remove an asset from its current project by unassigning the asset. This allows you to confirm the end date of that asset's affiliation with this commercial activity.
Unassigning the asset from the project requires choosing the "Unassign" button and and specifying the effective date of the unassignment:
Assignment date ranges
Assignment date ranges are exclusive and an asset cannot be assigned to two projects at once, so the dates cannot overlap. An asset must be unassigned from one project in order to be assigned to another.
Move an asset (change an asset's location)
Asset movement allows you to record movements from one location to another, which automatically updates the asset's current location.
Asset moves are entered with an origin location and ship date (the date the asset left the origin) and a destination location and arrival date (the date the asset arrived at the destination).
You can enter shipment tracking information to automatically record shipment and delivery details from prominent shipping carriers.
Moves can be entered for an individual asset or for a group of assets. Learn more about moving assets.
Review and add asset activity
Asset activity shows the full history of the assets movements and actions.
All movements appear in the history view automatically. Additional actions can be added to the history by choosing the "Action" button and selecting the appropriate event and date that correspond to this asset.
The default events in Hardfin include Deploy, Activate, and Install. If you would like to customize the events available in your organization, please contact support.
Manage asset ownership
Asset ownership controls whether an asset is owned by your organization or by a customer. This affects how the asset appears in reports, and how the asset is classified for accounting and financial reporting. Learn more about managing asset ownership.
Manage asset tickets
Tickets can be attached to asset records to track necessary actions and work items related to the asset. You can also attach existing tickets to assets or detach them as needed.
Asset tickets are visible on the "Tickets" tab for each asset. They can be filtered by status (All, Open, Closed) to help prioritize work.
Common use cases include:
Installation tasks for new equipment
Repair requests during service contracts
Follow-up actions after asset deployment
Investigation or inspection tasks
General asset-related work items
To create a ticket for an asset
Navigate to the asset details page
Click on the "Tickets" tab
Click "Open ticket" to create a new ticket
The ticket will be automatically attached to this asset
Learn more about tickets in Hardfin.
Manage asset files and links
Files and links can be attached to asset records on the "Files and links" tab of the asset details screen. This functionality is primarily used for records related to the asset, such as procurement history, bill of materials breakdown, or sales records. Learn more about files and links in Hardfin.
Manage asset accounting details
You can provide asset accounting details on the "Accounting" tab of the asset details screen. These details are useful in order to report on the fleet costs, manage depreciation, and calculate gains on sale and disposal. The core details are visible on the "Accounting" tab and include cost basis, salvage value, useful life, and the asset in-service date:
Automatic in-service date management
The in-service date determines when an asset begins depreciating and is a critical field for accurate financial reporting. Each asset can have its in-service date managed automatically by Hardfin AI ✨ or manually by the user. The default for all assets is automatic management, unless the asset was imported with an in-service date, in which case the asset will be set to manual mode so Hardfin AI knows not to override the date.
Automatic management tracks asset delivery events and automatically updates in-service dates based on the earliest date an asset is delivered to a customer non-inventory location. When the system updates or information is provided or deleted, Hardfin AI ✨ reviews and updates asset in-service dates if appropriate. This ensures consistent tracking based on actual deployment events without requiring manual data entry.
Manual management allows you to set and update the in-service date directly. This is useful for special cases where the automatic date doesn't reflect the actual in-service timing, such as assets that require additional setup time after delivery before becoming operational.
Switching between modes:
You can toggle between automatic and manual management at any time from the asset accounting section. When switching from manual to automatic, Hardfin AI ✨ will recalculate the in-service date. When switching from automatic to manual, the current date is preserved and will no longer be update automatically. You can edit it as needed.
Whenever a user edits the in-service date for an asset, that asset is immediately switched into manual management mode.
All changes to in-service dates are tracked in the asset audit log, with automatic updates attributed to the system for clear visibility into how dates were determined.
Advanced cost breakdown
For more detailed cost tracking and analysis, the advanced cost breakdown feature can categorize the total cost basis into specific cost components. This provides granular visibility into different cost categories for comprehensive financial reporting and cost management. An advanced cost breakdown allows users to set detailed cost categories:
Acquisition costs
Equipment or bill of materials (BOM): Cost of purchased devices, raw materials, parts, or assemblies that make up the asset
Direct assembly labor: Labor directly attributable to assembling or preparing the asset before deployment
Indirect allocated overhead: Indirect overhead tied to asset acquisition or preparation, such as supervision, facilities, and utilities
Inbound freight: Transportation costs to bring materials or asset into your warehouse or staging site
Acquisition taxes: Non-recoverable taxes (e.g., sales tax, use tax, or import VAT) paid on acquisition of the asset, materials, or parts
Import duties: Customs duties, tariffs, and import fees on foreign-sourced assets, materials, or parts
Capitalizable interest: Capitalizable financing costs incurred during construction or long deployment projects
Deployment costs
Outbound freight: Transportation costs to deliver the asset from your warehouse or staging site to its operating location in preparation for deployment
Installation and setup: Setup, site preparation, configuration, commissioning, and testing costs to prepare the asset for deployment and make it operational
Acquisition vs deployment costs If your organization is using advanced cost basis, the distinction between acquisition costs and deployment costs is relevant for your accounting reports:
Acquisition costs are always included in the cost basis for inventory. These are expected to be costs that were incurred in sourcing the asset. These costs move into fixed assets when an asset goes into service.
In contrast, deployment costs are not included in your inventory cost basis. These are expected to be costs that are incurred as the asset is deployed (i.e., as it is leaving inventory and going into service). They capitalize at the time the asset goes into service.
How advanced cost breakdown works:
Detailed categorization - Break down total cost basis into specific cost components
Financial reporting - Generate detailed cost analysis reports for accounting and compliance
Cost management - Better understand and manage different types of asset costs
Inheritance from products - New assets can inherit cost breakdown defaults from their product templates
All of these values are included in your asset export for easy analysis when you export asset information.
Bulk upload accounting data
You can update accounting details for multiple assets at once using the accounting data uploader. This feature allows finance teams to efficiently manage cost basis, depreciation, and other accounting information across your asset fleet.
To upload accounting data:
Navigate to the assets page and choose the "Add asset data" button
Select "Update existing assets" from the bulk options
Download the template file with the toggle for "Include advanced accounting fields" if needed
Fill in your accounting data in the CSV template
Upload your completed file
The uploader supports two accounting modes:
Simple cost basis mode - Use this mode when you track a single cost basis value for each asset. This is the most common approach and works well for straightforward asset accounting.
Advanced accounting mode - Use this mode when you need to track detailed cost components separately. Advanced fields include:
Bill of materials cost
Direct labor cost
Allocated indirect costs
Freight inbound cost
Freight outbound cost
Installation cost
Tax
Tariffs
Interest
You cannot use both simple and advanced modes in the same upload. Choose one approach based on your accounting requirements.
The system validates all accounting data during upload, ensuring that values are non-negative and properly formatted. Clear error messages help you resolve any data issues before completing the import.
Asset metadata
Asset metadata define details for each asset based on the fields that are defined for that product. This metadata is set for the specific asset, so that each asset of this product type can have different metadata. Learn more about managing asset metadata.
Scrapping assets at end of life
Assets are scrapped at the end of their life, most often when an asset has been disposed, dismantled, destroyed, or lost. Scrapped assets are not expected to return to service, although they may be dismantled and have their parts repurposed as part of other finished goods. Learn more about scrapping assets.
Asset reports
Hardfin comes with many dashboards and reports available out of the box for assets.
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