FAQ & Advanced Scenarios

Modified on Tue, 18 Nov at 11:30 AM

FAQ & Advanced Scenarios

General Inventory Questions

Who can create inventories?

Only users with Administrator permissions can create inventories. Assigned users can participate in scanning but cannot create new inventories.

How many inventories can be active at once?

There is no limit to active inventories. You can run inventories at multiple sites simultaneously. However, consider administrator processing capacity - managing 5+ active inventories concurrently may become overwhelming.

Can I run multiple inventories at the same site?

Yes, but coordinate carefully. For example, you might run:

IT Equipment inventory (one team)
Furniture inventory (different team)
Both covering same site but different asset categories

Caution: Ensure scopes don't overlap (same asset scanned in both) to avoid confusion.

Can I reopen a completed inventory?

No, completed inventories are final and cannot be reopened. If you need to make corrections:

Update asset records directly in Asset Management
Create a new inventory if extensive re-verification needed
Export results and manually correct data

Best practice: Thoroughly review before marking complete (action is irreversible).

What happens to blind links when inventory is completed?

Blind links automatically expire when inventory status changes to Completed or Cancelled. Users clicking expired links see "Inventory no longer accepting submissions" message.

How long should I keep inventory results?

Retention depends on your industry and compliance requirements:

Financial audits: 7 years typical
Compliance audits: 5 years typical
Internal records: 3 years minimum
Check regulations: HIPAA, SOX, or industry-specific requirements

Recommendation: Export reports immediately upon completion and store in multiple locations (system + file server + offline backup).

User Management Questions

Can one person be assigned to multiple inventories?

Yes, users can be assigned to as many inventories as needed. Their dashboard shows all assigned inventories. Useful for:

Multi-site managers overseeing several locations
Facilities staff covering multiple buildings
Central IT team managing equipment across sites

Can external users (blind link) log in to ARMOR?

No, blind link users have no portal access. They:

Click unique URL (token-based authentication)
Scan assets via browser interface
Cannot see database, progress, or results
Cannot log in to ARMOR platform

How do I know if users are actively scanning?

For standard inventory (assigned users):

Green dot indicator = submitted in last 10 minutes
Gray dot = inactive
Last activity timestamp shows exact time
Submission count per user

For blind inventory (external users):

Aggregate only: "12 active users in last hour"
No individual identification (privacy by design)
Total submission count updates in real-time

Can I revoke blind link access for specific people?

Not individually - blind links are shared tokens (not personalized). To revoke:

Complete inventory: Expires link for everyone
Change to Draft status: Temporarily disables submissions
Cancel inventory: Permanently expires link

There is no way to block one person while allowing others with same link.

Processing & Workflow Questions

What is "pending" vs. "flagged"?

Status	Meaning	Resolution
Pending	Awaiting approval, minor info completion needed	Quick decisions, minimal research, bulk approval possible
Flagged	Requires investigation, administrator decision	Research required, individual attention, may need field verification

Do flagged submissions count toward progress?

No, only Verified submissions count toward progress percentage. Pending, Flagged, and Rejected submissions do not count. This means:

500 submissions received
400 verified = 80% progress (if 500 expected)
75 pending + 25 flagged = not counted yet

Action: Resolve pending/flagged queues to increase progress percentage.

Can I complete inventory below 100%?

Yes, you can complete inventory at any percentage. 100% is ideal but not always realistic:

95-100%: Excellent completion
85-94%: Good, acceptable for most purposes
70-84%: Fair, document exceptions
<70%: Investigate issues before completing

Best practice: Document why assets are missing (transferred, disposed, stolen, etc.) rather than leaving unexplained gaps.

What's the difference between Match Tab and Review & Process Tab?

Match Tab	Review & Process Tab
Reconcile submissions to database	Verify accuracy and approve for completion
Confidence scoring (High/Medium/Low)	Status categories (Verified/Flagged/Pending/Rejected)
Automatic matching, duplicates, new assets	Quality control checkpoint, flag resolution
First processing step	Second processing step (after Match)

Workflow: Match → Review & Process → Results

Progress & Due Date Questions

How is progress calculated?

Progress % = (Verified Assets / Expected Assets) × 100%

Example:

Expected: 500 assets
Verified: 475 assets
Progress: (475 / 500) × 100 = 95%

Can exceed 100%: If new assets discovered (e.g., 500 expected, 520 verified = 104%)

Is the due date enforced?

No, the due date is informational only - not a hard cutoff. You can:

Continue collecting submissions after due date
Process results at your own pace
Complete inventory whenever ready

Purpose of due date: Goal-setting for team, urgency indicator, planning tool. System does not automatically close inventory on due date.

Can I change the due date after inventory starts?

Yes, edit inventory and update due date anytime before completion. Useful when:

Progress slower than expected
More time needed for processing
Team availability changes

Recommendation: Communicate new due date to team if extended.

Why did progress go down?

Progress can decrease if:

Verified assets rejected: Administrator un-approves submissions
Expected assets increased: Database updated to include more assets at site
Duplicates removed: Multiple verifications of same asset collapsed to one

Usually: Progress only increases. Decreases are rare and indicate data corrections.

Technical Questions

What browsers are supported?

Recommended (current versions):

Chrome (desktop and mobile)
Microsoft Edge (desktop and mobile)
Safari (desktop and mobile - iOS 14+)
Firefox (desktop)

Not supported: Internet Explorer, very old browser versions

Does scanning work offline?

Generally no - ARMOR requires internet connection for real-time submission. However:

Some mobile devices may queue submissions briefly if connection drops
Check if offline mode feature available in your deployment
WiFi recommended over cellular for stability

Where is inventory data stored?

Data is stored in ARMOR cloud infrastructure with:

Encryption in transit (HTTPS)
Encryption at rest
Regular backups
Data residency compliance (check with your administrator for specific region)

Can I access inventory via API?

Depends on deployment. Some organizations have API access for:

Automated reporting
Integration with CMDB/ERP systems
Custom dashboards

Contact support to inquire about API availability and documentation.

Can I integrate inventory with other systems?

Typical integrations:

Asset Management: Import verified assets to update database
CMDB: Sync configuration items
Financial systems: Update depreciation schedules
Reporting tools: Export to Power BI, Tableau, etc.

Method: Usually via CSV export or API (if available).

Advanced Scenarios

Scenario: Multi-Site Organization with 20+ Locations

Challenge: Conduct annual inventory across all sites efficiently

Strategy:

Stagger timelines: 5 sites per quarter (avoid overwhelming central processing team)
Designate site coordinators: Local point of contact at each location
Standardized templates: Reusable instructions, QR codes, training materials
Central processing team: 2-3 administrators process all sites (consistency)
Dashboard monitoring: Track progress across all active inventories
Quarterly reports: Roll up completion rates, findings, trends

Outcome: Manageable workload, consistent process, year-round fresh data

Scenario: One-Time Compliance Audit by External Firm

Challenge: External auditor needs to verify assets independently without ARMOR access

Strategy:

Create blind inventory: Auditor cannot see database (independence)
Email blind link: Send to audit lead with detailed instructions
Audit firm uses their staff: No ARMOR accounts needed
Administrator processes: Match/Review submissions after collection
Export compliance report: PDF with audit trail, findings, exceptions
Share results: Provide auditor with completion report

Outcome: Auditor independence maintained, secure access, comprehensive documentation

Scenario: Recurring Quarterly IT Asset Verification

Challenge: IT department needs lightweight checks every quarter (not full inventory)

Strategy:

Filter scope: Only IT assets over $1,000
Standard inventory: Assign IT staff (5-7 people)
Short timeline: 1 week collection, 2 days processing
Template reuse: Copy previous quarter's setup
Focus on changes: Flag any moved/damaged/missing items
Quick turnaround: Results within 10 days

Outcome: Continuous IT asset health monitoring, minimal disruption, trend tracking

Scenario: Newly Acquired Building with Unknown Assets

Challenge: Company acquired facility - need to catalog everything from scratch

Strategy:

Blind inventory ideal: No expected assets (discovery mode)
Large team: 10-20 contractors for fast completion
Comprehensive scope: "Scan everything with a barcode or serial number"
Photograph everything: Visual documentation critical
Manual entry expected: Many untagged items
Administrator creates database records: Each submission builds new asset
Generate asset tags post-inventory: Label everything after cataloged

Outcome: Comprehensive asset database from zero, foundation for ongoing management

Scenario: High-Security Data Center with Access Restrictions

Challenge: Only authorized personnel can enter, can't use large team

Strategy:

Standard inventory: 2-3 authorized IT staff assigned
Slow pace acceptable: Precision over speed (2-3 weeks collection)
Serial number focus: Rack servers, network equipment (manufacturer serial)
Scheduled access: Coordinate with security, backup windows
Photograph rack layouts: Visual blade server positions
Cross-verify high-value: Double-check $10K+ equipment
Meticulous notes: Rack number, slot, cabling info

Outcome: Accurate data center inventory without compromising security

Scenario: Phased Implementation for Very Large Organization

Challenge: 100,000+ assets across 50 sites - can't do all at once

Strategy:

Phase 1 (Pilot): 2-3 sites, test process, refine approach
Phase 2 (Early Adopters): 10 sites, train site coordinators
Phase 3 (Majority): 30 sites, batch processing, standardized templates
Phase 4 (Stragglers): Remaining 7 sites, lessons learned applied
Timeline: 12-18 months total project
Central team: 5-7 administrators process in waves
Technology: API integration for bulk database updates

Outcome: Manageable rollout, continuous improvement, eventual complete asset visibility

What's Next?

Common Issues & Solutions - Troubleshooting guide
Best Practices for Inventory Success - Proven strategies
Introduction to Inventory Management - Getting started basics

Getting Help

For questions not answered here, contact the ARMOR Support Team or search the knowledge base for additional articles.