{"id":34435,"date":"2026-05-07T12:09:39","date_gmt":"2026-05-07T10:09:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.xalt.de\/?p=34435"},"modified":"2026-05-07T12:09:40","modified_gmt":"2026-05-07T10:09:40","slug":"mehr-transparenz-im-it-asset-management-erreichen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.xalt.de\/en\/mehr-transparenz-im-it-asset-management-erreichen\/","title":{"rendered":"More transparency in IT asset management: How IT leaders identify unnecessary costs"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Your organization tracks every software license and every device. But can you really see what you own and what it costs you?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In many companies, asset data is available but not usable. Licenses, hardware, responsibilities and contract data are neatly maintained, but when IT, finance or management need specific answers, the search begins: time-consuming, manual and often without a clear result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So the problem is rarely a lack of data. The problem is a lack of transparency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Can you answer these questions in less than five minutes?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>What are our software costs per user?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Which teams generate the majority of our IT spend?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Which tools might we be paying for twice?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What is our total expenditure with a particular provider?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Where are expensive licenses not used or hardly used at all?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If these questions cannot be answered quickly and reliably, there is not a lack of data, but a visibility problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The real problem: Data available, findings missing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Most companies use <a href=\"https:\/\/www.xalt.de\/en\/5-herausforderungen-it-asset-management\/\">Asset Management<\/a>-systems to manage software licenses, hardware and other IT resources. These systems fulfill their operational purpose: they document inventories, allocations and technical details.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But that's where the challenge begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because operational transparency is not the same as strategic transparency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>An IT asset management system can usually answer whether an employee has access to a particular tool. However, it is often not designed to answer questions such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Where do unnecessary license costs arise?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Which tools overlap functionally?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Which organizational units drive the spend?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Where do allocations and actual use no longer match?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Such answers require more than just a data export. It needs context.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why this is so difficult: The hierarchy of asset data<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Asset data is rarely flat and directly analyzable. They usually follow a multi-level structure:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-code\"><code>Workspace\n  \u2514\u2500 Object schema\n      \u2514\u2500 Object type\n          \u2514\u2500 Object Instance\n              \u2514\u2500 Attributes (cost, owner, renewal date, status)\n<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n<p>This structure is useful for administration and maintenance. For analyses, however, it makes it difficult to access precisely the information that is crucial for cost optimization and strategic decisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Finance<\/strong> required totals by department.<br><strong>IT<\/strong> needs insights by tool category.<br><strong>Managers<\/strong> want to recognize trends, anomalies and fields of action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A simple CSV export does not usually provide enough data for this. Although it contains names, IDs and cost fields, it often lacks the relationships between objects, the organizational classification or the model logic behind the data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you want to gain reliable insights from this, you usually have to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>query multiple API endpoints,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>understand the underlying data model,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Correctly merge relationships,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>handle pagination, rate limits and authentication,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>transform nested JSON structures into formats that can be analyzed.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is precisely what costs time and is therefore often not implemented in everyday life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The solution: Mirroring data instead of replacing systems<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Instead of replacing an existing asset management system, its database can be supplemented in a targeted manner: through a structured mirroring of existing information for analysis and decision-making purposes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We have developed a lightweight tool for precisely this purpose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It connects to the existing asset API, runs through the entire hierarchy and creates an analysis basis that is not only technically correct, but also understandable from a business perspective. The aim is to turn administrative data into a real basis for decision-making.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What we have built<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.xalt.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Asset-Data-visualization-EN-scaled.png\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"696\" src=\"https:\/\/www.xalt.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Asset-Data-visualization-EN-scaled.png\" alt=\"IT Asset Management\" class=\"wp-image-34437\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.xalt.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Asset-Data-visualization-EN-scaled.png 2560w, https:\/\/www.xalt.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Asset-Data-visualization-EN-1536x416.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.xalt.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Asset-Data-visualization-EN-2048x555.png 2048w, https:\/\/www.xalt.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Asset-Data-visualization-EN-18x5.png 18w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The solution is based on a lean Python utility which executes the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>1. It connects to the Asset API and traverses the entire structure<\/strong>,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Workspaces, schemas, object types and attributes are fully covered,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>authentication securely via API tokens,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>rate limits are taken into account and failed requests are processed again,<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>2. The data is exported as structured JSON snapshots,<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>enables complete data acquisition in around two minutes,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>versionable and thus makes changes visible over time,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>offline analyses without permanently burdening the productive API.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>3. On this basis, the data is then converted into analyzable formats:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>CSV exports<\/strong> for Finance and Controlling,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>interactive HTML visualizations<\/strong> for IT and management,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Filterable and sortable dashboards<\/strong>, which can be used without additional infrastructure.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What is important here is that the existing asset system remains in place. It will not be replaced, but supplemented by a view that finally makes strategic questions answerable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why visualization was crucial<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Raw data is valuable. Visibility makes it effective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In practice, it quickly became apparent that it was not complex analyses that triggered the decisive change, but often a single visualization. A diagram showing <strong>license costs per user, sorted by total expenditure<\/strong>, was enough to steer discussions in a new direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Suddenly, questions that had previously remained unanswered for months could be answered in a matter of minutes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Why are certain cost blocks unusually high?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Which tools overlap functionally?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Where are licenses allocated but not used sensibly?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Which structures in the system no longer reflect reality?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So data was never the problem. It was their processing that made the connections visible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What the analysis showed for a medium-sized company<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.xalt.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Cost-Overview.png\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1970\" height=\"1564\" src=\"https:\/\/www.xalt.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Cost-Overview.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-34438\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.xalt.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Cost-Overview.png 1970w, https:\/\/www.xalt.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Cost-Overview-1536x1219.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.xalt.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Cost-Overview-15x12.png 15w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1970px) 100vw, 1970px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>During the evaluation for one of our customers, it became clear what potential lay hidden in this data:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Several individual users generated annual license costs of over <strong>10,000 euros<\/strong> across several tools.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>More than <strong>80 employees<\/strong> had <strong>no licenses assigned at all<\/strong> - an indication of obsolete accounts or roles that had changed without the asset model being adjusted.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Less than <strong>20% of users<\/strong> caused over <strong>60% of the total license spend<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>For identical tools, duplicate issues have been identified in <strong>EUR and USD<\/strong> which previously remained undetected due to separate consideration of the currencies.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>License allocations were still partly based on team structures from <strong>two years ago<\/strong>; despite organizational changes in the meantime.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The identified optimization potential was just under <strong>50,000 euros per year<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Not through across-the-board cuts. But simply by making visible what was actually stored in the system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What this means for IT, finance and leadership<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>This kind of transparency creates more than just better reports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It enables:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>more informed budget decisions,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Early identification of redundant tools,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>better preparation for renewals and contract negotiations,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Reliable allocation of costs to teams or functions,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>a common data basis for IT, finance and management.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Especially in times of rising SaaS costs and growing tool landscapes, it is becoming increasingly important not only to manage assets, but also to understand their economic impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Conclusion: You don't need a new system, but a clear view of your existing one<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Most companies already have the data they need to make better decisions. What is missing is rarely technology. What is missing is transparency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As long as IT asset data is only documented but not really analyzable, optimization potential remains hidden. Only when structures, costs and relationships become visible can real added value be created.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The key question is therefore not whether your organization has asset data.<br>The crucial question is: <strong>Can you derive the right decisions from this?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Want to find out what your asset data isn't showing you today?<\/strong><br>Let's check together which questions you are currently unable to answer quickly and what optimization potential already exists in your existing data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:32px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-a89b3969 wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-black-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.xalt.de\/en\/contact-2\/\" style=\"background-color:#01ffcd\"><strong>Talk to us<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:32px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>How IT managers can identify unnecessary costs by accurately recording software licenses and devices in their organization.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":213,"featured_media":34440,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[383,36],"tags":[],"department":[],"job_location":[],"start":[349],"beschaeftigungsverhaeltnis":[373],"class_list":["post-34435","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-itam","category-cloud","start-ab-sofort","beschaeftigungsverhaeltnis-vollzeit"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.xalt.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34435","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.xalt.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.xalt.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.xalt.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/213"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.xalt.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34435"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.xalt.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34435\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":34595,"href":"https:\/\/www.xalt.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34435\/revisions\/34595"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.xalt.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/34440"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.xalt.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34435"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.xalt.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=34435"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.xalt.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=34435"},{"taxonomy":"department","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.xalt.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/department?post=34435"},{"taxonomy":"job_location","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.xalt.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/job_location?post=34435"},{"taxonomy":"start","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.xalt.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/start?post=34435"},{"taxonomy":"beschaeftigungsverhaeltnis","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.xalt.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/beschaeftigungsverhaeltnis?post=34435"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}