IT

An asset to the school

There has been a huge increase in software and handheld learning in recent years. To audit these assets requires a methodical approach. Tim Roots explains how and why

Software asset management (SAM) is the process of managing software with licence compliance, usage and demand. A vigorous SAM system can help schools conform to legal requirements and ensure future compliancy, boosting their ICT efficiencies and reducing licensing and support costs.

Many schools are under the false assumption that managing their assets should be performed manually on an Excel spreadsheet. This is often seen as the only option, as commercial asset management systems can be difficult to use and school resources cannot justify the costs of them. More recently, however, the availability of education-specific asset management systems are making this task easier, less time-consuming and cost-effective.

General asset inventory
Asset management no longer means carrying out impromptu inventory audits; instead it requires an ordered approach to identify and manage educational assets such as furniture, whiteboards, science and sports equipment.

An array of licence agreements exist in the education software market. Many teachers are unaware of the copyright laws of software as well as the possible fines that can be incurred for the use of unlicensed software.

When buying software, schools agree to a contract under which the school has ownership of the physical materials, such as the CD Rom and manuals. The information on the purchased software is then designed to be lawfully installed on the school’s computer. Further copying of the software then commits breach of copyright and results in illegal installation. For example, if a teacher copies the software onto their personal laptop for use at home, they may unintentionally fall foul of today’s licensing laws.

Getting to grips with your assets
A school has the same responsibilities as a business when it comes to software licence compliance and a headteacher and board of governors are as liable as company directors. The requirement to know exactly what is on a computer even stretches to teacher and student laptops owned by the school, whatever agreement may be in place.

Computer management
Frequently, a significant proportion of a school’s budget has to be allocated to the replacement of computers. Schools must have a system in place that enables them to forecast future annual costs: for example, the ability to report on lease or warranty expiry.

A school that uses an automated asset management system can ensure accurate asset forecasts, make better long-term decisions and use budgets more efficiently and strategically.

Tim Roots is a director of Parago Software.

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