Use custom hardware types and per-device replacement costs to make Lifecycle Manager budgets reflect what a client is likely to spend when devices need to be replaced.
Custom hardware types let you classify devices more precisely than the built-in categories. Per-device replacement costs let you adjust the cost for individual exceptions without changing the device’s hardware type.
For example, you can create an Office Desktop subtype for standard desktops and a Design Laptop subtype for higher-cost laptops. You can then set a different replacement cost for an individual device, such as a high-end CAD workstation.
Who can use this feature
Admins can create, edit, and delete custom hardware types.
Integration mapping requires permission to manage the integration.
Users who can access a client’s hardware can edit that client’s estimated replacement costs. Client Access Groups continue to apply.
How hardware types work
Hardware types have two levels:
Built-in categories: Servers, Workstations, Network, Imaging, Virtual Machine, Mobile, and Other.
Custom subtypes: Admin-created types under a built-in category, such as Design Laptop under Workstations or Firewall under Network.
Each built-in category and custom subtype has a replacement cost and a maximum replacement age. You can edit the default replacement cost and maximum replacement age for built-in categories.
Custom subtypes also have a name. A subtype name must be unique within its parent category. Hardware types support only two levels, so you cannot create a subtype under another subtype.
Other is for devices that do not fit the standard categories. You cannot assign a device to Other by itself. Devices assigned to Other must use a subtype under Other.
Create a custom hardware type
In the ScalePad Hub, open the Integration Center.
Open Manage Asset Types.
Select the built-in category for the new subtype.
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Add a subtype and enter the following details:
Name: A name that is unique within the selected category.
Replacement cost: The default replacement cost for devices assigned to this subtype.
Maximum replacement age: The lifespan after which Lifecycle Manager recommends replacing the device.
Save the subtype.
A warning appears when a category contains more than 20 subtypes. The warning does not prevent you from creating another subtype.
Changing a subtype’s replacement cost or maximum replacement age recalculates budget forecasts.
You cannot move a subtype to another parent category. To change its parent, create a new subtype under the correct category and update the integration mappings.
You cannot delete a subtype while an integration mapping still uses it. Update those mappings first, then delete the subtype.
Map integration device types to custom hardware types
Map the device types reported by each PSA, RMM, or documentation integration to a built-in category or custom subtype. Mapping types in the Integration Center means that devices can receive the correct subtype during a future sync.
In the Integration Center, open the integration you want to configure.
Open the hardware type mapping settings.
Find the configuration types reported by the integration, such as Laptop, Desktop, Thin Client, or Kiosk.
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Use the hierarchical picker to map each configuration type to either:
A built-in category, such as Workstations.
A custom subtype, such as Workstations > Design Laptop.
Save the mapping.
Mapping is configured separately for each integration. You can map multiple configuration types from one or more integrations to the same subtype. For example, Laptop from an RMM and Notebook from a PSA can both map to Design Laptop.
You cannot map a configuration type to Other by itself. Select a subtype under Other instead.
What happens when devices sync
Devices whose configuration type is mapped receive the selected subtype during the next sync.
Unmapped devices keep their current category.
Existing devices receive a subtype during a future sync. There is no historical backfill, so the change may not appear immediately after you save a mapping.
A device’s warranty eligibility does not change when it receives a subtype. Warranty behavior continues to follow the category the device originally synced as.
If you used integration mappings before custom hardware types became available, review your mappings after the feature is enabled. Remap any configuration types that are not assigned as expected.
Set a replacement cost for an individual device
Use a per-device replacement cost when an individual device costs more or less to replace than the default cost for its hardware type.
Open the hardware asset.
In the hardware detail drawer, select Est. Replacement Cost. The field appears directly below Warranty.
Enter the replacement amount and confirm the change.
The value is saved immediately.
Replacement cost rules
The default value is the replacement cost for the device’s hardware type. This is the account’s configured value, or the built-in default if the account has not configured one.
Enter a whole number in the client’s budget currency. Cents are not supported.
A value of 0 is a real replacement cost of zero. Use it when the client does not pay to replace a device.
Clear the field to remove the per-device override and return to the hardware type’s default cost.
There is no separate indicator showing whether the displayed value comes from the hardware type or a per-device override. If you are unsure, compare it with the hardware type’s replacement cost in Manage Asset Types.
Important
When a device is assigned a different hardware type, its per-device replacement cost is cleared and the device uses the new type’s cost. If the device is assigned the same type again, its existing per-device cost is retained.
How replacement costs affect the Budget
The Budget IT-debt forecast uses each device’s replacement cost:
A per-device replacement cost is used when one is set.
Otherwise, the device’s hardware type cost is used.
The account summary equals the sum of the client rows.
Budget PDFs and deliverables use the same replacement values as the in-app budget.
Migration and limitations
Existing custom hardware types
Custom asset types created previously in Lifecycle Manager are migrated as subtypes, and existing device classifications are retained.
Custom types that were never assigned to a device may require you to select a parent category because Lifecycle Manager cannot infer one from device assignments.
Custom hardware types from Lifecycle Insights may also be migrated into Lifecycle Manager as part of the Lifecycle Insights migration process.
Limitations
High-level reporting continues to use the seven built-in categories, including Other. Reporting is not available at the subtype level.
Built-in categories cannot be renamed, reordered, or deleted.
A subtype cannot be moved to another category.
A third level of hardware type nesting is not supported.
Bulk import and export of subtypes is not supported.
Subtypes cannot be configured differently for individual clients.
Replacement costs support one currency: the client’s budget currency.
A device without a hardware type can have a replacement cost, but it does not appear in the Budget forecast because it has no replacement age.
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Any questions?
If you need help configuring hardware types, integration mappings, or replacement costs, contact ScalePad Support.
