Microsoft Office

Keeping track of business assets is a thankless task, but it’s an important one. In our department, the form we use for asset tracking is slightly more sophisticated than the forms I showed you earlier, and it’s used by at least 200 people — not just my immediate team.

From the Microsoft Infopath Blog: Until recently, Margaret, the business administrator in my department, used an Excel workbook to keep track of everyone’s equipment. She would send an e-mail request to the team asking for computer statistics, and we would respond by crawling around under our desks in search of the asset ID stickers on each piece of hardware. Once we found the sticker (usually in the very back, next to all the dust bunnies), we would enter the ID number into the workbook, together with the computer’s name, make, model, and other identifying information. Frankly, it was a hassle for everyone. People often transposed numbers or otherwise entered the wrong thing in the workbook. Sometimes they left out key bits of information. It was then up to Margaret to make sense of it all.

Things are much easier now. Instead of a manual tracking workbook, Margaret uses an InfoPath form to keep track of our computer equipment.

The form consists of some identifying fields, such as e-mail address, name, immediate manager, group manager, and so on. When I first open the form, InfoPath automatically fills out these fields for me based on my network credentials. When I enter a computer name, the form can automatically detect the specs for my computer over the network and fill in the corresponding fields. Now all I have to do is glance at the summary to verify the information before sending it on. If I happen to be working offline, I can enter the specs manually, by following the detailed instructions in a task pane that is part of the form.

Technically speaking, this form is more involved than the other two. Still, if you have an idea for a form, it’s possible to start a grassroots campaign to bring your form to fruition, even if you don’t happen to have the required technical expertise. If you can make a business case for the form, you can get management buy-off. Once you have that, you can work with your IT department or whomever else to identify any design issues and technical requirements.