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Asset Management / Asset Portal / Software

View and Edit Software Information

In the View and Edit Software Information task, you can track the software used by each data equipment item, add new software records, and edit existing records. This topic describes how to inventory software licenses on desktop and server machines in your facility.

If you are developing software standards, develop them first so that you can add that information for your software records. See View and Edit Software Standards.

Understanding Desktop and Server Software

Desktop software is installed directly on the user's desktop machine. The only machine that uses the software is the desktop on which the software is installed. For desktop software, the number of licenses for the software is always 1.

Server software is installed on a server and accessed remotely by one or more client desktop machines. If the licenses that use the server software are "named" licenses, then only specific client machines can access this software. If the licenses are "floating" licenses, then they can be accessed by any client machine. In that case, only a specific number of users can access the server software at one time.

Server Machine Records

For server software with floating licenses, a server machine record should specify the number of floating licenses that can access the software. For server software with named licenses, a server machine record should not specify the number of licenses; this is specified in the named client desktop machine records for this software.

Client Desktop Machine Records

If a client desktop machine accesses server software that has named licenses (which include the client machine's name), a client machine record should specify the server software and specify 1 as the number of licenses for the client machine. If a client machine accesses server software that has floating licenses, the software should not be specified for the client machine.

Adding and Editing Software Inventory Records

To enter your software inventory:

1. On the Process Navigator, select the Asset Management/Asset Portal/Software/View and Edit Software Information task.

   The Software list shows your software inventory and the equipment it is associated with.

2. To restrict the list to review software currently added for a specific equipment item:
   1. Do one of the following in the Select equipment section of the screen:
      • Select the Select Values button () next to the Equipment Code field, and select the equipment from the Select Value - Equipment Code list. The Equipment Code field fills in with the selected value.
      • Make a full or partial entry in the Equipment Code field to restrict the equipment shown on the Select Value- Equipment Code list.
   2. Click Show.

      The Software list shows only software installed on the equipment matching the restriction you enter.

   3. Select a software record from the Software list to see details for the software that is already added for the equipment.
3. To edit a software record:
   1. Select the software record in the Software list.

      The Software pane displays the fields for the record.

   2. Edit the fields as needed, and click Save. See the next steps for adding a record for descriptions of the fields.
4. To add a new record:
1. Click Add New at the top of the Software list.

   The Software pane shows the fields for adding the software record.

2. Enter a value for the following required field:

   Software Number: Enter a unique identifier for the software record. For example, use the software's version number, such as AFM20.1.

3. Enter the following fields:

   Software Standard:-- Click the Select Value button and select the software standard from the Select Value list.

   Equipment Code:--Select the Equipment Code from the Select Value - Equipment Code list for the equipment using the software.

   License Code-- For multi-user programs installed on file servers, complete this field with the program’s license number. Typically, it is not necessary to complete this field for client equipment using this software.

   Number of Licenses-- Enter one of the following:

   • For multiuser programs installed on a file server, use this field to record the number of users that can concurrently use the software. 
   • For client stations using the software with a floating license, leave this field blank.
   • For client stations using the software with a named license, enter 1 to indicate that the license is used by this machine.
   • For single-user software installed directly on users’ machines, complete this field with 1, to represent that the software is for a single-user

   Authorization Code-- Enter an authorization code, if one is required.

   Additional Comments: Enter information about the software license, such as whether this is a floating or a named license.

4. Click Save.

Deleting Inventory Software Records

To delete inventory software records:

1. Select a software record from the Software list.

   The Software pane shows the fields for the selected record.

2. Click Delete.

   A message asks you to confirm the deletion.

3. Click OK.

   The record is removed from the database.