> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://hub.equipme.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://hub.equipme.io/equipme/assets/understanding-the-inventory.md). # Understanding the inventory Inventory in Equipme represents real assets that exist within your operational landscape. At first, it might look like a simple list of devices or resources. But what you are actually looking at is the operational layer of everything that was defined before. Each item in the inventory is not created in isolation. It is always the result of something that was previously configured in your service catalog. *** ### From service definition to real asset To really understand the inventory, it helps to look one step back. In the **Service catalog**, you define what can be offered.\ This includes things like the structure of a service, available options, content, categories and all the attributes that describe it. At this stage, everything is still abstract. The moment a service is ordered, fulfilled, or manually recorded, it becomes a real asset and appears in your inventory. So the inventory is not a separate system.\ It is the place where defined services turn into actual, usable instances. *** ### What an inventory item represents Each entry in the inventory represents a concrete asset with its own state, assignment and lifecycle. This could be: * a device assigned to an employee * a subscription that is currently active * or any other resource that is in use or available Inventory does not describe planned quantities or abstract stock.\ It reflects what actually exists. That is why it becomes the central place to understand what is currently in use across your organization. *** ### Where inventory comes from An inventory item can enter the system in different ways. In most cases, it is created through fulfillment.\ When a product or service is delivered and confirmed, Equipme turns that into a real asset and places it into the inventory. At the same time, inventory can also be created manually or imported.\ This is typically used when assets already exist before Equipme is introduced and need to be brought into the system. What matters is not how the item was created, but that once it exists, it follows the same logic. Import establishes inventory.\ Fulfillment activates it. *** ### The connection to content and structure A key aspect that is easy to overlook is where the information in the inventory actually comes from. Most of what you see in the inventory is not defined there. Things like: * service name * categories * features and attributes * descriptions or visual content are all defined in the **Service catalog**. The inventory simply reflects this structure on the level of real assets. So if you want to change how something appears or is structured, you usually don’t do it in the inventory itself. You go back to the source and adjust it in the Service catalog. *** ### Adjusting categories, features and content Because of this connection, changes are always made at the definition level. If you adjust a category, update features or change how a service is described, this will be reflected across all related assets in the inventory. This keeps everything consistent and avoids having different versions of the same service in different places. The inventory is therefore not where you shape content.\ It is where that content becomes visible in real usage. *** ### Managing assets over time Once an asset exists, the inventory becomes the place where it is managed throughout its lifecycle. It shows: * where an asset is located * whether it is assigned, stored, or available * and what actions can be performed next Assets move between different states based on real operational events. The focus is not on counting or forecasting, but on maintaining clarity and continuity over time. *** This separation between definition and instance is what makes Equipme scalable. You define services once in the Service catalog.\ You manage their real-world usage in the inventory. Without this, every asset would need to be maintained individually.\ With it, you get consistency, clarity and a single source of truth across your entire setup. *** ### In simple terms The Service catalog defines what exists.\ The inventory shows what is actually in use. --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://hub.equipme.io/equipme/assets/understanding-the-inventory.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. 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