Why Managing IT Assets Only Through Accounting Isn’t Enough

2025-06-08
tony

Many companies still manage IT assets by simply registering them in ERP systems and processing depreciation,
or by conducting manual Excel-based asset audits once or twice a year to update the records.

That might seem like “good enough” asset management.

But across global enterprises, there’s a growing consensus:
This static, accounting-centric approach no longer works in today’s dynamic IT environment.
Why? Because accounting systems don’t answer the most important question:

“Where are our assets now, and how are they actually being used?”

🌍 How Global Enterprises Manage IT Assets Differently

Around the world, companies are moving away from static records toward operational IT Asset Management (ITAM) solutions that provide real-time insight, cost optimization, and risk reduction.

✅ Real-World Global ITAM Examples

  • Carlsberg Group realized that their ERP-based system lacked real-time visibility. After adopting Flexera, they achieved hundreds of thousands of dollars in cost savings through asset transparency and better control.
  • Dutch police departments and major European retailers implemented platforms like Snow Software and ServiceNow, gaining benefits such as automated offboarding, software license optimization, and early detection of compliance risks.
  • Flash, a fast-growing EV charging and smart parking platform in the U.S., manages over 20,000 smart kiosks using NinjaOne. They replaced physical service visits with remote monitoring and automated updates — shrinking software rollout time from months to days.

👉 The key takeaway?
These companies didn’t just record assets — they actively managed them.

🚨 But What About Your Company?

In many organizations, the reality on the ground doesn’t match what’s recorded in ERP.

“ERP says we have 100 laptops. After a physical audit? Only 82 were found.”
“We keep missing returned equipment after offboarding.”
“We bought software licenses… but have no idea who’s actually using them.”

This is not a system failure — it’s a visibility failure.
Because without real-time operational data, you can’t truly manage what you can’t see.

📉 The 3 Major Limitations of Accounting-Centric IT Asset Management

1. No Real-Time Physical Visibility

ERP systems don’t track where assets are, who’s using them, or whether they’re in working condition.
That opens the door to misplacement, loss, and ghost assets.

2. No Insight Into Actual Usage

Knowing that software was deployed isn’t enough.
What matters is how often it’s used, by whom, and whether it’s still needed.
Without that insight, it’s easy to overspend on unused licenses or underutilized hardware.

3. No Tracking of the Full Asset Lifecycle

Most ERP platforms focus on asset acquisition and disposal.
But modern IT assets go through a full lifecycle:

Procure → Allocate → Use → Reclaim → Reassign → Repair or Retire

This entire operational flow is typically untracked in ERP.

🧭 How SELLEASE Fills the Gap

SELLEASE is an operational IT Asset Management platform designed to provide complete visibility, control, and automation.

✅ Key Capabilities of SELLEASE

Key Capabilities of SELLEASE

ERP systems record assets.
SELLEASE manages them.

🧠 ERP Shows the Numbers. SELLEASE Shows What’s Happening Now.

ERP systems are excellent at capturing the “what” and “when” of asset purchases and financial depreciation.
But they don’t tell you “where,” “by whom,” or “how effectively” those assets are being used today.

That’s where SELLEASE steps in — giving operations, IT, and finance teams the insights they need to:

✅ Cut unnecessary spending
✅ Recover untracked or misused assets
✅ Improve audit readiness and compliance
✅ Streamline asset circulation and reuse

🎯 In Conclusion — The Future Is Operational Asset Management

The way we manage IT assets is evolving.

Today, the real cost isn't in what's recorded — it's in what's unknown:

  • Unused software that's still being paid for
  • Lost laptops no one realized were missing
  • Former employees with active VPN access
  • Inactive domains or certificates causing outages

Accounting data alone doesn’t solve these problems. Operational visibility does.

ERP and SELLEASE work together:

  • ERP for accounting compliance
  • SELLEASE for operational control

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