Inventory Control

Owned by Tiffany Linhardt (Unlicensed)
Last updated: Mar 21, 2022 by Promyce Johnson
3 min read

Overview

Effective January 1, 2018, UGA Property Control's Controlled Assets policy requires that all state-owned equipment above $3,000.00 receive a University control number and decal. This policy change primarily impacts the process of issuing UGA Property Control tags for IT equipment.

It is important that departments and inventory control officers understand this policy change:

  • Removing IT equipment from the UGA Property Control inventory does not waive the department's responsibility to track purchased equipment and ensure it goes to surplus. Departments are expected to maintain records noting IT equipment assignment. This information should be used to collect equipment back from individuals who depart the university and to ensure equipment goes to surplus for data removal when it is no longer needed in the department.

To assist departments, the College developed the following IT equipment inventory policy to ensure compliance with these policies and to encourage best practice for equipment tracking.

Franklin College IT Equipment Policy

Franklin College requires a University of Georgia control number and decal for IT equipment that is used to access, transmit, receive, and/or store university data regardless of acquisition cost or location of use (i.e., on or off-campus). Examples of IT equipment that should be tagged include servers, desktop computers, laptop computers, tablets, and standalone mobile devices (e.g., iPods or cell phones without carrier service).

Exceptions to the IT Equipment Policy

  • Mobile phones with active cellular carrier services are excepted from this policy.
    • Justification: These devices were not previously tagged under the former policy, and the monthly cellular service bills allows departments to track these devices internally. Support is typically provided by the cellular service provider, not college IT staff.

  • Audio visual equipment under the $3,000 limit that does not store data are excepted from this policy (e.g., projectors, document cameras, etc.).
    • Justification: These items do not typically store university data and are not considered high risk/theft items.

  • Computer peripherals under the $3,000 limit that do not store data are excepted from this policy (e.g., monitors, scanners, printers, etc.).
    • Justification: These items do not typically store university data and are not considered high risk/theft items.


To request an inventory tag; email property@uga.edu.  Explain that you would like tag(s) for computer equipment.  They will want the PO on which it was ordered, the device serial number(s), custodian name, and location the device(s) will be deployed.  If the equipment was ordered using account code 744200, a tag will be automatically generated once the invoice is paid.  You can check the account code by opening the PO in UGAMart, clicking the Purchase Order hyperlink, then selecting the "Summary" tab.  The accounting code section will be about 3/5 down the page.

Responsibilities

Unit Leadership

Each dean, director, or department head is responsible for all equipment assigned to their respective office or department.

Inventory Control Officers

University policy requires the appointment of an Assistant Inventory Control Officer (AICO) for each unit. The AICO is responsible for departmental procedures related to equipment inventory, notification of equipment transfers as well as other location changes to Property Control, and the completion of an annual physical inventory.

Franklin OIT

Franklin OIT will continue to use UGA Property Control tags to identify computers purchased as part of the Primary Computer Lifecycle and using Student Technology Fee funds.

As time and resources allow, Franklin OIT personnel will work with the AICO for each unit to manage and surplus inventoried IT equipment. Franklin OIT personnel will assist with the annual inventory process. Achieving closure on unaccountable equipment is the responsibility of the departmental AICO.

Additionally, Franklin OIT personnel will notify units of any change in inventoried IT components including surplus property, departmental transfers, and intra-department relocations. Franklin OIT personnel will follow relevant off-campus inventory policies and will provide the AICO with equipment information such as control and inventory numbers so that he or she can submit the completed paperwork to Franklin College.

USG Policy prohibits IT staff from working on personal IT equipment (see Section 8.3.4). As such, departments are responsible for identifying state-owned equipment.