Handing over a laptop
Handover is thirty seconds of work that prevents an hour of archaeology later. The machine goes out; whether anything was written down decides how the next year goes.
Somebody needs a machine. IT picks one from what is available and hands it over.
Six months later three questions arrive. Which machine does this person have. How much memory does it have. Was it working when it went out.
Answering those later requires recording them now, against a specific device with a specific serial.
Health at handover is the field people fill in carelessly and regret. A machine issued as excellent when it had a cracked hinge turns a return into a dispute nobody can settle. The register filters on verification state too, which is the fastest way to find devices that exist on paper and have not been seen by a person.
Why one record instead of two
Assets attach to people, so the register and the directory are the same list read two ways. Issuing a machine as part of joining, rather than as a separate IT errand, is what makes the record exist at all. Every later question about that laptop is answered from this thirty seconds.
What is switched on
- Devices
- The register holds model, brand, device code, serial, spec, health and verification state.
- Devices
- Assignment ties the machine to a person, with assignment details kept.
- Directory
- The assignee is a person record, so the device is visible from their side too.
- SOPs and checklists
- Handover is usually a step inside a bigger joining process rather than a job on its own.
- Activity log
- The assignment is a recorded change with before and after values.
What the week looks like
Before handover
Filter the register by availability and spec. Memory, processor, storage and screen size are all filterable.
Handover
Assign the device to the person. Serial and device code are already on the record.
Handover
Set health honestly. A machine issued as excellent when it was not causes an argument at return.
Same day
Check the verification state. Devices still waiting for a physical check filter out in one click.
Ongoing
Status moves between ready, under maintenance and retired as the machine's life goes on.
Reporting
Register-level numbers show total devices, how many are ready and what share is in use.
Questions people ask
Can one person hold several devices?
Yes. Assignments are per device, so a laptop, a monitor and a phone are three records pointing at the same person.
What does the verified flag mean?
That somebody has confirmed the device against its record. Items still waiting for that check are the ones to audit first, and the register filters on it.
Can we record accessories as well as laptops?
Yes. The register holds devices of different types with their own codes and serials, and each is assigned separately. A monitor and a laptop are two records pointing at one person.