Question

Software Inventory

  • 13 February 2023
  • 4 replies
  • 144 views

Userlevel 5
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Hi Everyone,

I was wondering how we manage software versions. For example, I created an SR linked to the software,  but that software has multiple versions or keeps on updating. The goal is to have a list of all approved installations/users for each application, regardless of version.

For example, I have TeamViewer with multiple versions; can these be combined? or to have a consolidated list of installed users/assets?

 


4 replies

Userlevel 6
Badge +10

Hey Raymond, 

 

I’m coming across the same problem at the moment. I think we need a way to group software together that have the same name. Some companies have the version of their software i the title which i’m assuming is the issue. 
What we are doing is ensuring everyone is on the latest version of software, if software gets upgraded then we package the next version and roll it out that way everyone is consistently on the same version as well. 
However, some software updates too frequently for this to happen and other software is not worth packaging as we only have a handful of people using it. So we do need a solution to this. 

 

Still interested on how everyone else manages software version.. Please post here! 

The goal is to have a list of all approved installations/users for each application, regardless of version. For example, I have TeamViewer with multiple versions; can these be combined? or to have a consolidated list of installed users/assets?

Also struggling with this having recently inherited a FreshService environment with about 1k software items that need to be assessed and categorized. 

I can’t find any best practices on this, seems like Freshworks must have had a plan here, no? 

Userlevel 5
Badge +8

I posted a few days ago about what I do with software in the different stages. I think @afautley commented and had some suggestions as well.

As far as versions, typically you want to track the software and versioning separate. So you can see who has outdated versions of software.  Yes, when it comes to Microsoft C versions or .NET versions there could be a wide variety.  Also Microsoft updates with the language specifier AND then version cause even further software to show up.  However, they are all technically different software (version and language).  

If you want to make the list useful, you can export to excel and try to consolidate all the similar software into a single line.  Just from an asset sync prospective they will always appear separate in FreshService. 

Once you have identified a common name Microsoft C++ Module blah blah you should be able to search software for the variations, select them all and move them all into whichever category you want. That will at least help get them into the right buckets for you.  It all depends on what your business process is and if you have any stringent compliance auditing you must follow.

Userlevel 6
Badge +10

Hi @PatrickMurphy 

I agree you want to track the versioning separate so you see who has out of date software, however it allows you to do this feature within each software. example below. 
Having all the same software together of the same version has its advantages… less admin for a start, one easy view to see who has the software installed etc…

 

I like the idea of categorising them to help put common software's together the problem comes when moving older versions into the disabled bucket because they are out of date and need updating… then i cannot search for them in the same view….

any ideas on how to make that work?




 

 

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