# 90‑Day ITAM Uplift: From Spreadsheets to a Controlled Lifecycle
Nearly 90% of organizations still depend on outdated spreadsheets to manage critical business data. If your IT assets still live in spreadsheets, problems can surface fast. Devices might slip between departments. Ownership records can fall out of date. Audits might turn into manual hunts across multiple files.
IT leaders need a system that shows where every device stands and who owns it. This article gives you a 90-day framework to replace ad-hoc tracking with a clear, accountable asset lifecycle.
### Step 1: Establish Your Baseline and “Owner of Truth” (Weeks 1-3)
Asset control starts with knowing what exists. Export device data from purchase logs, mobile device management (MDM) systems, and any local spreadsheets into a single standardized workspace. Each record should capture the device ID, user, location, purchase date, and lifecycle stage from receive to retirement. This gives you a single, factual snapshot of what’s in use and what’s idle.

Next, decide where the data will live. Use a centralized system such as an asset database, IT asset management platform, or structured sheet owned by IT.

Assign clear access rules to specific teams:

* IT updates lifecycle changes.
* HR confirms assignments for new hires.
* Finance audits cost codes.

Once the baseline and system are in place, link every record to its [IT procurement](https://www.goworkwize.com/blog/what-is-it-procurement) data. Map supplier names, order numbers, and cost centers to matching device IDs to link hardware tracking with financial ownership across lifecycles.

### Step 2: Connect the Minimum Viable Ecosystem (Weeks 2-5)
Once your baseline inventory is complete, connect the systems that update it in real time. The goal is to keep device, user, and cost data consistent across every stage of the lifecycle. Each integration should replace a manual update or disconnected file.

Here’s where to start:

* Connect the HR information system (HRIS) to automate joiner, mover, and leaver updates. When employees start or leave, device ownership updates automatically in your asset record.
* Integrate MDM to track device status, security posture, and location. Updates flow directly into your central inventory without manual checks.
* Link the procurement system to record new purchases and costs from [IT hardware procurement](https://www.goworkwize.com/blog/it-hardware-procurement) workflows. Supplier, price, and asset details feed into your lifecycle view from the moment of purchase.
* Add a courier or logistics platform to monitor deliveries, recover returns, and confirm shipments for remote employees. Each movement updates the device status in real time.

Review integrations in one dashboard or data view. You can add more systems only when these core links operate reliably to avoid data drift and ownership gaps.

### Step 3: Define Lifecycle SLAs That Keep Teams Accountable (Weeks 4-7)

With systems connected, define service-level agreements (SLAs) that assign ownership for each lifecycle stage and set clear time targets.

Here’s how to structure them:
* Receive → Ready: Devices should move from “received” to “ready for onboarding” within three business days. This measures warehouse and setup speed.
* Ready → Assign: Track how long devices stay unassigned. Delays here signal workflow issues between IT and HR.
* Assign → In Use: Record the handoff date to verify when an employee starts using the device.
* In Use → Retire: Define when devices are due for refresh or recovery. Set a standard return window for offboarding.

Review SLA data weekly to spot where items stall and who owns the delay. Share results with IT, HR, and Operations so each team acts on its stage.

### Step 4: Build a Recurring Operational Cadence (Weeks 6-9)

Establish a monthly operations review to keep data current and highlight action items. Each session should assess performance trends and the asset areas that need attention.

Focus on three core metrics to do so:
* Aging Assets: Devices past their defined refresh threshold. Flag them for replacement before reliability drops or support costs rise.
* Refresh Queue: Devices approaching end of cycle within the next quarter. Plan orders or redeployments now to avoid supply delays.
* Redeployable Stock: Devices in good condition and ready for reuse. Reassign them to new hires or project-based roles instead of buying new units.

Include maintenance performance in every review. Track completion rates for updates, repairs, and service checks as part of regular IT preventive maintenance to see how well devices operate between refresh cycles. Use the monthly cadence to align IT, HR, and Operations on status, next steps, and gaps to close.

### Step 5: Measure, Iterate, and Scale (Weeks 10-12)

By Week 10, review the outcomes from your 90-day uplift. Measure accuracy in asset records, turnaround time between stages, and redeployment rates for recovered devices. Compare results with the baseline created in Week 1 to confirm progress.

Use these findings to build feedback loops. Meet with IT, HR, and Operations to review stage metrics and identify recurring delays or data gaps. Update SLAs, refine integrations, or adjust roles where workflows slow down. Each iteration should remove one manual task or approval step.

Once results stay consistent, scale the model. Automate actions such as procurement approvals, inventory updates, and report generation. Connect finance and HR data for real-time visibility across teams.

According to McKinsey, AI, generative AI, and agentic AI can deliver cost reductions of 25-40% for asset managers. Applying automation at this stage positions your IT lifecycle for comparable productivity gains.

### Moving from Reactive to Predictable ITAM

The 90-day uplift shifts IT asset management from reactive tracking to structured control. Every step, from building a baseline to defining SLAs and automating key stages, builds visibility and accountability across teams.

Mature lifecycle management is not about more tools. It comes from clear ownership, consistent data, and a steady review rhythm.

The goal is control and predictability. Measure what works, refine what doesn’t, and scale only when data supports the decision.