Using pallet assets for managing inventory

  • Release version: Xanadu
  • Updated August 1, 2024
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Using pallet assets for managing inventory

    This guide explains how ServiceNow customers can manage inventory more efficiently by using pallet assets. Pallets group multiple assets together, simplifying the movement, disposal, and consumption of assets within your inventory across stockrooms and workflows.

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    Managing Pallet Movements

    You can transfer entire pallets, including the assets contained within, between stockrooms using transfer orders. If only assets are moved from a pallet, those assets are removed from the pallet once the transfer task is completed. Empty pallets can also be transferred. Updates made to pallets during transfer workflows apply to all assets inside them. Returns of pallets and assets must be done together; individual assets within a pallet cannot be returned separately.

    Disposing of Pallets and Assets

    Disposal orders allow you to dispose of pallets along with their assets when assets reach end-of-life or become non-functional. When a pallet is added to a disposal order, all assets and child assets are included, except asset bundles. Disposal workflows support three scenarios:

    • Disposing the entire pallet with all assets.
    • Disposing only the assets while retaining the pallet (assets are removed from the pallet).
    • Disposing some assets and retaining others (non-disposed assets are automatically removed from the pallet).

    Consuming Assets from Pallets

    Assets are automatically removed from pallets when consumed through various workflows, ensuring accurate inventory tracking. Key workflows include:

    • Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA): Assets added to RMA are immediately removed from pallets. Note that assets in pallets are not available in the Replacement asset field for off-site replacements or repairs.
    • Asset Local Stock: Assets are removed after the confirmation task is closed.
    • Loaner: Assets are removed after the loaner preparation task is closed.
    • Return of Leased Assets: Assets are removed after the shipment task is closed.
    • Swap and Deploy from ITSM: Assets deployed or swapped via ITSM actions are removed from pallets accordingly.

    Practical Benefits for ServiceNow Customers

    Using pallets streamlines inventory operations by allowing bulk handling of grouped assets rather than managing individual assets one by one. This reduces errors, simplifies transfer and disposal processes, and ensures accurate asset tracking across multiple workflows.

    You can add a pallet with the assets contained in it to transfer orders and disposal orders to manage your inventory effectively.

    Moving pallets from one stockroom to another

    Move an in-stock pallet along with the assets contained in it from one stockroom to another by using transfer orders. When you move only the assets contained in a pallet, the assets are removed from the pallet after the Ready for fulfillment task is closed. You can also use a transfer order to move an empty pallet.

    Updates that you perform on the pallet as part of the transfer order workflow are applicable to the assets contained in it.

    If there's a problem with all or some of the assets you receive as part of a transfer order, you can return the pallet along with its assets. You can't return individual assets contained in the pallet.

    For more information, see Transfer orders for Asset Management.

    Disposing of pallets

    Dispose of a pallet with its assets that are reaching the end of the life cycle or that aren’t functional by using a disposal order. When you add a pallet to a disposal order, the assets and child assets in the pallet are also added. However, any asset bundles in the pallet are not included.

    The disposal order workflow when disposing of a pallet or its assets is as follows:

    • Disposing of the pallet with the assets contained it: The verified pallet and its assets are disposed.
    • Disposing of only the assets and retaining the pallet: The assets are removed from the pallet after they're verified.
    • Disposing of the pallet with only some of its assets and retaining the remaining assets: The assets that weren't verified or disposed of are removed from the pallet automatically.

    For more information, see Create a disposal order.

    Consuming assets from a pallet

    Note:
    When an asset from the pallet is consumed as part of any workflow, the asset is automatically removed from the pallet.

    Assets contained in a pallet can also be consumed as part of the following workflows:

    • Return Merchandise Autorization (RMA): When an asset from a pallet is added to RMA, the asset is immediately removed from the pallet.
      Note:
      In an RMA request with an off-site replacement or repair, the assets that are in the pallet aren't shown in the Replacement asset field on the Receive task form.
    • Asset Local Stock: When an asset from the pallet is consumed as part of the local stock, the asset is removed from the pallet after the Confirm assigned asset task is closed.
    • Loaner: When an asset from a pallet is consumed as a Loaner asset, the asset is removed from the pallet after the Prepare task of the loaner order is closed.
    • Return leased assets: When a leased asset from a pallet is returned, the asset is removed from the pallet after the Shipment task is closed.
    • Swap and deploy tasks from ITSM: When deploy asset action is triggered from ITSM, the asset that must be deployed is removed from the pallet. When swap action is triggered from ITSM, the asset in the pallet that is a replacement for a faulty asset is removed from the pallet.