Assigning Computers to a Licence

Software Assignment lets you allocate a specific licence to a set of computers. When a product is under-licensed, assignment helps you identify exactly which computers are covered and which are not -- enabling targeted remediation rather than guesswork.

Why Assign Computers?

Assignment is optional -- the licensing position calculation works without it. However, assignment provides significant benefits:

• Audit readiness -- you can demonstrate exactly which machines are licensed
• Targeted remediation -- when under-licensed, you know which specific machines lack coverage
• Cost allocation -- licence costs can be attributed to the departments or locations of assigned machines

How Assignment Works

Assignment is implemented through parent-child relationships in xAssets. The software licence is the parent, and the computers are the children. This uses the same relationship mechanism as contracts and leases.

Assigning Computers to a Licence

Step 1: Copy Computers from the Allocation Report

1. Navigate to Software Licence Asset Register from the License menu
2. Select the licence you want to assign computers to

3. From the License allocations menu, choose one of:
   • List Computers that the Selected License is Allocated to -- shows computers already allocated
   • List Qualifying Unallocated Computers for the Selected License -- shows computers that have the software installed but are not yet allocated to any licence

4. Select the computers you want to assign (use Shift+Click or Ctrl+Click)
5. Choose Query > Copy -- a dialog confirms the copied records

Step 2: Paste as Children of the Licence

1. Open the software licence asset
2. Navigate to Relationships > Related Assets tab

3. Choose Paste Children...

4. In the dialog, select Has software as the Dependency Type
5. Click OK

Step 3: Verify the Assignment

The assigned computers now appear in the Related Assets tab:

Click OK to close the asset. The licence register now shows the updated Assigned count:

Tips

• Start with your most critical (and most audited) products -- Microsoft, Adobe, Oracle
• The Qualifying Unallocated Computers report is the most efficient way to find machines that need assignment
• After assigning computers, recalculate the licensing position to update the compliance data
• If a computer is replaced or decommissioned, remember to remove its assignment and reassign the licence seat to the replacement machine

Related Articles

• Software Licences — creating and managing licence records
• Licensing Position — compliance reporting after assignment
• Software Products — understanding which products need licence coverage