Free IT Asset Inventory Sheet: Hardware Inventory with Warranty and Cost, Equipment Assignment Form, and a Device Security Checklist (PDF, Word, Excel)

What is on the page

Asset tag

A short unique number on a label stuck to each device (LT-021), matching the inventory. It makes devices easy to identify and harder to walk off with.

Serial number

From the label underneath or the system settings. Needed for warranty claims, insurance and police reports.

Cost and warranty

Purchase cost (Excel totals the fleet) and the warranty end date, so replacements can be planned and budgeted.

Assignment and return

What was issued to whom, in what condition, signed by the employee, and checked back in when they leave.

Security checks

Updates, encryption, screen lock, antivirus or EDR, backup, multi-factor sign-in and remote wipe, ticked per device.

Why keep an IT asset inventory

An inventory answers the questions that come up at the worst moments: which laptop did the employee who just left have, is this one still under warranty, how many devices are old enough to need replacing next year, what do we tell the insurer after a burglary. Tag every device, record it when it arrives, update the user and location when it moves, and mark it when it is retired and wiped. Review it twice a year. Devices four to five years old are usually due for replacement; plan for them in the budget rather than replacing them in a panic.

Issuing and getting equipment back

Have employees sign the assignment form when they receive equipment. It sets expectations (keep it locked, report loss quickly, return it at the end) and is the record you check against on the last day. Remote employees should sign too, and you should ship a prepaid return box before their last day. Link the form to the onboarding and offboarding checklists. Before reissuing a returned device, wipe it and update the inventory. Be careful about deducting the cost of unreturned equipment from a final paycheck; many states restrict this.

Basic device security

Most small business breaches start with a lost device or a stolen password, not a sophisticated attack. Every work device should have automatic updates on, full-disk encryption (BitLocker on Windows, FileVault on Mac, on by default for most phones), a screen lock after a few minutes, antivirus or endpoint detection, backup of work files, and multi-factor sign-in on the main account. Remote wipe lets you erase a lost laptop or phone. Devices whose operating system no longer gets security updates (Windows 10 support ended in October 2025 for most users) should be replaced or upgraded. Cyber insurance applications ask about most of these, so a completed checklist saves time at renewal.

Editing the files

The PDFs are fillable. The Excel inventory totals the value of your equipment and can be sorted by warranty date or user. Add columns for things you track, such as IP address, MAC address or purchase order number. Keep software licenses on the subscription tracker and never write passwords or license keys on these sheets.

Questions

What should an IT asset inventory include?

Asset tag, device type, make and model, serial number, assigned user, location, purchase date, cost, warranty end date and status.

How do I tag IT equipment?

Give each device a short unique code (for example LT-021 for a laptop), print it on a durable label, stick it where it is visible, and record it in the inventory.

What is an equipment assignment form?

A form an employee signs when they receive company equipment, listing the items and the rules for using and returning them.

What security settings should every work laptop have?

Automatic updates, full-disk encryption, screen lock, antivirus or EDR, backup, multi-factor sign-in and the ability to wipe it remotely.

How often should the inventory be updated?

Whenever a device is bought, moved, reassigned or retired, with a full check at least twice a year.