Using pallet assets to manage your asset inventory in the Enterprise Asset Workspace

  • Release version: Yokohama
  • Updated January 30, 2025
  • 5 minutes to read
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    Summary of Using pallet assets to manage your asset inventory in the Enterprise Asset Workspace

    This guide explains how ServiceNow customers can efficiently manage asset inventory through pallets within the Enterprise Asset Workspace. It covers key workflows including transferring, disposing, reselling, and consuming assets contained in pallets. Using pallets streamlines inventory management by grouping assets and automating updates to pallet asset records during various asset lifecycle operations.

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    Managing Pallet Asset Inventory

    Pallets can be moved between stockrooms using transfer orders, which automatically move contained assets together. When assets within a pallet are individually moved, they are removed from the pallet’s record after fulfillment.

    Disposing of Pallets and Assets

    Disposal orders enable customers to discard pallets nearing end-of-life or non-functional pallets. Disposal options include:

    • Disposing both pallet and all contained assets
    • Disposing pallet and selected assets, retaining others (removed from pallet record)
    • Disposing pallet but retaining all assets (assets removed from pallet record)
    • Retaining pallet but disposing all or selected contained assets (disposed assets removed from pallet record)

    Note: Only enterprise and enterprise-based consumable assets can be disposed of via pallets. Hardware, bundles, or hardware-based consumables are invalid for disposal orders and updated accordingly.

    Reselling Pallets and Assets

    Resale orders facilitate cost-saving by reselling pallets and their assets with similar options to disposal. Customers can choose to resell the pallet and all or certain assets, or retain pallets while reselling assets. Assets removed through resale are automatically detached from the pallet record.

    Note: Hardware assets, bundles, and non-enterprise consumables cannot be resold via pallets.

    Consuming Assets Within Pallets

    Assets inside pallets can be consumed through multiple workflows, each removing the consumed asset from the pallet record:

    • Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA): Facilitates replacement or repair of defective assets within warranty, removing assets from pallet records upon RMA initiation.
    • Local Order subflow: Sources assets from the requester’s local stockroom; assets are removed from pallets after confirmation.
    • Loaner Requests: Enables temporary asset loans; loaned assets are removed from pallets after preparation.
    • Leased Asset Returns: Returns leased assets before contract expiry; assets removed after shipment completion.
    • IT Service Management Asset Swaps: Swapping assets within pallets via Asset Management automatically updates pallet records post-swap.

    Key Outcomes

    • Streamlined management of grouped assets via pallets enhances inventory accuracy and operational efficiency.
    • Automated updates to pallet asset records ensure real-time reflection of asset movements, disposals, resales, and consumption.
    • Supports compliance with asset lifecycle policies by distinguishing asset types eligible for disposal or resale within pallets.
    • Enables cost savings through pallet resale and efficient asset return processes.
    • Integrates seamlessly with ServiceNow’s Asset Management and Enterprise Asset Workspace workflows to maintain consistent asset tracking.

    You can manage your asset inventory by using pallets and the assets contained within those pallets in your transfer orders, disposal orders, resale orders, and various consumption workflows.

    Moving pallets between stockrooms

    You can use transfer orders to move in-stock pallets from one stockroom to another. If you’re moving a pallet that contains assets, those assets are also moved as part of the same transfer order. If you move only the assets that are contained within a pallet, those assets are automatically removed from the corresponding pallet asset record after the Ready for fulfillment task is closed.

    For more information about transfer orders, see Create a transfer order in Enterprise Asset Workspace.

    Disposing of pallets

    When a pallet is nearing the end of its life cycle or is no longer functional, you can dispose of it using a disposal order. If the pallet contains any assets, you can choose to dispose of the pallet and its assets using any of the following options:
    Note:
    You can dispose of only the enterprise assets and enterprise-based consumable assets that are contained within your pallets. If a pallet contains any hardware, bundle, or hardware-based consumable assets, those assets are automatically updated with a State of Invalid and can’t be processed as part of a disposal order.
    • Dispose of both the pallet and all assets that are contained within that pallet.
    • Dispose of both the pallet and only certain assets that are contained within that pallet. Any assets that you choose to retain are automatically removed from the corresponding pallet asset record.
    • Dispose of the pallet but retain all assets that are contained within that pallet. If you select this option, all assets are automatically removed from the corresponding pallet asset record.
    • Retain the pallet but dispose of all assets that are contained within that pallet. If you select this option, all assets are automatically removed from the corresponding pallet asset record.
    • Retain the pallet but dispose of only certain assets that are contained within that pallet. Any assets that you dispose of are automatically removed from the corresponding pallet asset record.

    For more information about disposal orders, see Create a disposal order in the Enterprise Asset Workspace.

    Reselling pallets

    To help reduce waste and save costs, you can use resale orders to resell any pallets that you’re no longer using. If a pallet contains any assets, you can choose to resell the pallet and its assets using any of the following options:
    Note:
    You can’t resell any hardware assets, asset bundles, and non-enterprise consumable assets that are contained within your pallets.
    • Resell both the pallet and all assets that are contained within that pallet.
    • Resell both the pallet and only certain assets that are contained within that pallet. Any assets that you choose to retain are automatically removed from the corresponding pallet asset record.
    • Resell the pallet but retain all assets that are contained within that pallet. If you select this option, all assets are automatically removed from the corresponding pallet asset record.
    • Retain the pallet but resell all assets that are contained within that pallet. If you select this option, all assets are automatically removed from the corresponding pallet asset record.
    • Retain the pallet but resell only certain assets that are contained within that pallet. Any assets that you resell are automatically removed from the corresponding pallet asset record.

    For more information on resale orders, see Create an asset resale flow.

    Consuming assets within a pallet

    Assets that are contained within a pallet can be consumed through various asset workflows.
    Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) flow

    A Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) is an agreement between a buyer and seller that allows the buyer to return, replace, or request the repair of a defective product within the specified warranty period. When an asset within a pallet becomes defective, you can initiate its replacement or repair by using an RMA order. Any assets that you include in an RMA order are automatically removed from the corresponding pallet asset record.

    For more information about RMA orders, see Requesting a Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) for defective enterprise assets.

    Local Order subflow

    You can source and fulfill asset requests using assets that are available in the requester's local stockroom. When an asset within a pallet is sourced and consumed locally as part of an asset request, it’s automatically removed from the corresponding pallet asset record after the Enterprise Confirm asset task is closed.

    For more information on sourcing assets from local stockrooms, see Source requests from Enterprise Asset workspace.

    Loaner Request flow

    If you need to use an asset for only a short period of time, you can request to loan that asset by using a loaner request. When an asset within a pallet is loaned out, it’s removed from the corresponding pallet asset record after the Prepare task for the loaner request is closed.

    For more information on loaning assets, see Request a loaner asset in Enterprise Asset Workspace.

    Leased Asset Return flow

    If a contract for a leased asset is nearing its expiration, you can return the leased asset to the asset vendor before incurring any penalty fees. When a leased asset within a pallet is returned to the asset vendor, it is automatically removed from the corresponding pallet asset record after the Shipment task for the asset is closed.

    For more information about returning leased assets, see Return a leased enterprise asset.

    Swap tasks from the IT Service Management Asset Management application

    The ServiceNow® Asset Management application enables you to track and manage your assets. If you use the application to swap an asset within a pallet, that asset is automatically removed from the corresponding pallet asset record after it’s swapped.

    For more information on the Asset Management application, see Asset Management.