Purchase status info, you can add to Jamf with an Inventory preload, it will be in the Settings / Global / Inventory Preload.
You can pull down a template and then add in the various details to the sections there. Once you set it up the info remains constant, because it uses the serial number to populate the info. I usually pull a lot of that info from a dump of details from our Apple School Manager (Or Apple Business Manager).
For our full Asset management we use a product called Reftab. You can use it to generate QR asset stickers for the devices. You would need to explore the options in there, as well as its cost implications for you.
We tie Jamf into other asset management tools. Do you have a ticketing system now in place that you could intergrate Jamf with?
Probably preaching to the choir, but wanted to hightlight a few points when it comes to asset management. Jamf is a perfectly fine asset management option at the beginning, all your questions can be answered from it, until it’s not. The challenge is historical data. Eventually, the amount of devices you’ve ever purchased exceeds the amount of active devices in Jamf, and it doesn’t make sense to try and maintain things using the Unmanage option.
You want to be able to answer..
- How long did we use this computer from this particular invoice?
- How many devices have we purchased each year, for the past five years?
- How long was each of those devices in use?
- I need the value of all of our on hand devices with their purchase dates and calculated depreciation value.
- An audit wants me to show that we own this device, can you show me a receipt from when we recycled it, because it was damaged?
- How many devices did we recycle last year?
It’s not sustainable to try and answer these questions via searching email and running custom Jamf searches.
Items shouldn’t be deleted from an asset management system. An asset, even if it’s retired/resold will still exists in the system with the appropriate status as a historical record.
I’d also imagine there’s at least some non Jamf devices to track. Network equipment, dashboard TVs, check-in stands an iPad sits in. Rather than a separate spreadsheet you can keep all of that in the same system. I know Asset Panda is a popular Jamf integration option but there’s plenty of good ones out there. I’d start by seeing what your ticket system offers for asset management. You can build an integration between Jamf and them relatively easily with a middle service like Tray.io, Okta Workflows, Make.com etc. Some ITSM platforms even have their own tool for integration disparate services.
Built our own solution using Airtable. At some point, we may end up going to a purpose-built solution.
Our needs were low-key when we started and the costs of an ITSM vs an Airtable base made the choice obvious at that time.
It tracks:
- Who uses it, and who has used it in the past (automations).
- Device troubleshooting and repair history.
- Purchase dates, invoices, and leases.
- Lets us know when a lease is nearing completion.
- Posts invoice dates, purchase/lease info, and warranty end to Jamf (a Make automation)
- Shipment tracking for device returns.
- Device notes and record history (automation).
- Syncs with a custom object for keeping track of employees in our CRM.
And probably more. Over the years, it’s gone through iterations and had a lot of automations added/updated/removed. It hits 90% or more of what we need, and gives my boss the info she wants.
It may not be completely straightforward to integrate with Jamf, however, it’s doable.
Probably preaching to the choir, but wanted to hightlight a few points when it comes to asset management. Jamf is a perfectly fine asset management option at the beginning, all your questions can be answered from it, until it’s not. The challenge is historical data. Eventually, the amount of devices you’ve ever purchased exceeds the amount of active devices in Jamf, and it doesn’t make sense to try and maintain things using the Unmanage option.
You want to be able to answer..
- How long did we use this computer from this particular invoice?
- How many devices have we purchased each year, for the past five years?
- How long was each of those devices in use?
- I need the value of all of our on hand devices with their purchase dates and calculated depreciation value.
- An audit wants me to show that we own this device, can you show me a receipt from when we recycled it, because it was damaged?
- How many devices did we recycle last year?
It’s not sustainable to try and answer these questions via searching email and running custom Jamf searches.
Items shouldn’t be deleted from an asset management system. An asset, even if it’s retired/resold will still exists in the system with the appropriate status as a historical record.
I’d also imagine there’s at least some non Jamf devices to track. Network equipment, dashboard TVs, check-in stands an iPad sits in. Rather than a separate spreadsheet you can keep all of that in the same system. I know Asset Panda is a popular Jamf integration option but there’s plenty of good ones out there. I’d start by seeing what your ticket system offers for asset management. You can build an integration between Jamf and them relatively easily with a middle service like Tray.io, Okta Workflows, Make.com etc. Some ITSM platforms even have their own tool for integration disparate services.
Your bulleted list - that’s exactly the kind of info we need on a regular basis, and Jamf really isn’t meant for that for all the reasons you’ve thoughtfully described.
There are tons of apps out there specific to asset management, but we use AirTable which let us build a system that matches our org perfectly - but can be used for so much more.
I think it was the old Jamf CCT training course that included a statement that “Casper is not an asset tracking system” so even Jamf expects you to use something else for that role. For us it’s Service Now, which can integrate with Jamf to pull configuration data from deployed devices, but as others have posted here you have a few options
We have several sources for endpoints and device enrollments. The tech tools are good for locating endpoints and providing information from those. For business inventory and lifecycle planning we use Asset Panda. Currently we import from other sources to update it. We are working towards integrating Jamf, SCCM, Lansweeper and Intune (in the future) to update assets in the system. It has good reporting and automated alerts and reports as well.
Great thread! While tools like Jamf are excellent for asset tracking and management, one often overlooked area is how we standardize naming conventions—whether for devices, tags, or internal codes.
Sometimes, using consistent short word patterns (like 5-letter words) can make a big difference in organizing and recalling assets more efficiently. For anyone looking to simplify naming or internal tagging, feel free to visit this helpful word list.
Not a replacement for asset tools, of course—but a small aid for improving structure alongside them.
We are in a multiple platform environment, so we use ServiceNow’s Hardware Asset Management module for asset management, due largely to the fact that we have over 4000 computers on campus (not counting printers, tablets, research instruments, network gear, servers, etc). Jamf and the other inventory tools all feed into ServiceNow.
Thanks to everyone who provided input onto this thread! Such useful information. It’s given several directions to look in. I appreciate it! For those new to this chain, I’ll keep my eyes peeled for any additional insight.
Hey All,
We are working on determining the best way to manage our assets. We are a Mac/iOS only environment. So all of our equipment goes into Jamf Pro. We don’t do touchless deployment (management decision although its practically touchless). I’d imagine we’d need to get MUT involved to update purchase status.
How do you handle new equipment or equipment that goes back into inventory? Also, we are looking to get physical asset tag stickers for the devices. Any suggestions on using Jamf as a complete solution? Or addition tools that people use for Asset Management to track items?
Thanks!
Hey,
For new equipment and returns, many use Jamf Pro’s inventory features combined with manual updates or automation scripts. Involving MUT for purchase status updates is a good approach. For physical asset tags, durable barcode or QR code stickers work well. While Jamf handles device management effectively, it’s often paired with dedicated asset tracking software for full asset management. Tools like Asset Panda, Snipe-IT, or EZOfficeInventory are popular additions to track physical assets alongside Jamf.
