Free Asset Management Software

Asset management software applications that help a company optimize its asset utilization are highly sophisticated applications providing comprehensive functionality and are usually not available for free. However, a few companies offering information technology asset management software applications and other limited functionality asset management software provide free versions or trial versions that can be used free for a limited period of time.

Information technology assets include computers, printers, scanners and software licenses. Several firms have developed asset management software specifically for information technology assets.

SysAid is one such firm that offers free Asset Management Software. The available version is completely free, with no trial period, but the limitation is that it works in organizations with less than a hundred computers. If an organization with larger IT assets wants to use this software, it has to buy the full version from the vendor. The software enables you to view details of the hardware, the software, the manufacturers, the printers, and other assets on one?s network. It also prints reports of the organization?s hardware/software inventory.

Similarly, FootPrints? Asset Management software is available for free for an evaluation period of thirty days. This software among its many functionalities helps maintain software license compliance by automatically creating a dynamic audit of all software applications across the organization.

Free asset management software applications for management of financial assets are also available but are comparatively difficult to locate. These usually are meant to help an individual construct a portfolio and manage his or her investments. Web based applications are more commonly available.

Freeware and shareware versions of asset management software applications are available on popular download web sites such as www.download.com and www.freedownloadscenter.com. These sites also usually provide user reviews of the software applications as well as provide ratings based on user feedback.

Asset Management Software provides detailed information on Asset Management Software, Digital Asset Management Software, Inventory Asset Management Software, Fixed Asset Management Software and more. Asset Management Software is affiliated with Free Project Management Software

Asset Management in the Supply Chain

Over the last decade more and more companies have implemented returnable and reusable transit packaging fleets and pools, whether it is pallets, tote bins, steel stillage, cages or even wooden crates. What is guaranteed is that these fleets require a capital investment, (whether directly or by a fleet / pool provider), and should be protected as you would any other company asset.

The specifications of the packaging vary enormously depending on the industry, the application and budget. However one thing common to many of the established packaging fleets or pools is that when they were originally specified, costed and implemented, a number of elements were not considered, and often still aren?t. These include repair and maintenance costs due to normal wear and tear as well as misuse, equipment loss, stockpiling and extended dwell and cycle times, lifespan of the equipment and the flexibility of the chosen design to adapt with developing and changing supply chain demands. These elements all have a cost impact, which can be substantial, and surprisingly many companies are either unaware of the real cost of their packaging pools, or just accept that it is a high cost and budget accordingly.

The key to managing costs of a packaging fleet is the in the initial equipment design and specification, the processes specific to the fleet within the supply chain and having an effective management and control system which can be easily integrated into the existing supply chain operation.

The starting point is therefore establishing the objectives of the packaging fleet and the requirements within the supply chain that you are looking to satisfy. Analysis of the operation and supply chain requirements, now and for the next five years, needs to be carried out and once the objectives and requirements are confirmed then the methods of handling and the type of packaging required can be established and specified. Success will be facilitated by a simple cost effective process design, which adds value to the existing operation by generating ?self funding? fleets, to include cost control mechanisms to reduce cost of damage, loss and misuse.

Process designs are unique to the individual customers supply chain needs, whether it is a simple hub and spoke operation or a complex multi tiered supply chain. Identifying the subtle differences between the needs if an inbound or outbound pallet or container pool is crucial to a successful solution.

The actual equipment design must take into account the physical requirements of the packaging, as well as the lifespan under actual working conditions, the ease of maintenance and repair, the ease of handling and of course the capital investment. It must be remembered that when costing a fleet it will probably be an initial high capital cost, compared to disposable packaging, but it is also an asset that can be depreciated over a number of years. The annual cost of running the fleet can be budgeted and this will vary depending on the individual supply chain needs. However these costs can also be monitored and controlled with a suitable management system.

There are a number of asset management systems being used to manage fleets or pools, and experience shows that a simple system, using established technology can provide the perfect tool for controlling your fleet effectively.

The objectives of a fully integrated pro-active fleet management system are as follows:

? To reduce overall packaging fleet costs
? To increase fleet visibility and cost control
? To optimise packaging fleet utilisation and minimise cycle times
? To provide proof of accountability for damage and loss
? To manage a repair and maintenance program

A suitable system should be modular, enabling it to cope for example, with a simple hub and spoke operation developing into a more complicated multi-tiered supply chain over a 3 to 5 year period.

Equipment losses can be put into two categories, actual loss and perceived loss. Perceived loss is where it is assumed that the equipment is lost as no one can account for its physical location. In reality the equipment is sitting in a warehouse or yard area unaccounted for and ignored. Actual loss is as its name would suggest and the equipment has been permanently mislaid or destroyed. Effective management will identify actual loss via audit trailing facilities and should negate perceived loss.

Damage will always occur to packaging equipment in the supply chain. However experience would suggest that an estimated 70% of damage is avoidable. Effective management will allow you to identify who is damaging equipment in the supply chain and handling processes of regular offenders can be examined and changed or improved to ensure damage is reduced. Damage data can also identify any design areas within the equipment itself that could be changed to reduce overall damage levels and therefore costs.

The example below shows the effect that increasing or decreasing the delivery trip cycle time in a pallet pool has on the pallet pool costs.

Cycle time management is key to the fleet size and therefore cost, so all efforts to reduce or maintain a minimum cycle time are paramount. This can be achieved through synchronous container flows integrated with lean manufacturing process. Cycle times should not be averaged out across the whole fleet and a good system will enable you to set individual cycle time parameters for specific user requirements. Minimising and reducing cycle times can create a surplus of equipment in the packaging fleet or pool. However this should not be regarded as wasted capital, but as cost avoidance on future packaging requirements as your business expands.

In order to ensure your objectives and requirements are met the system specification process must be thorough and realistic and tailored to suit the individual customer and supply chain needs.

? Your current management systems and process will be evaluated, and a suitable packaging management system designed and implemented
? Packaging fleet data can be captured via RFID readers, bar code scanners, or by manual entry of bulk movements.
? Data entry should be minimal so as not to increase on-costs and the risk of human error.
? There must be a high degree of control and a wide range of reporting capabilities, available via a local network or over the internet on a secure password access basis.
? The system must manage overall packaging fleet performance, including additional operations such as repair and maintenance, cleaning, damage inspection procedures and KPIs.
? There should be no limit on pallet / container types or the amount of locations where the fleet can be used in order that it can be flexible to a growing business.
? Data synchronisation with other systems within your business will facilitate accurate equipment planning for future or seasonal requirements.

The impact of packaging on overall supply chain costs, and indeed the impact on packaging costs brought about by changes elsewhere in the supply chain, can be tested theoretically using various cost modelling soft ware prior to actual implementation.

Gideon Hillman Consulting can assist you with knowledge and experienced based proposals and modelling solutions for Asset Management in the Supply Chain Investment into planning and consultative project management at the outset can negate over investment and additional cost in the longer term.

Gideon Hillman was employed at a Senior Management Level throughout Europe within the Materials Handling, Logistics and Specialist Supply Chain Services industry for over 12 years, (7 of which with TNT Logistics), prior to establishing Gideon Hillman Consulting in 2004. Gideon is a Member of the Institute of Logistics and Transport & The Institute of Management Consultants. As well as presenting to, and working with, Industry specific forums such as BARD / BPI in the music retail industry, the IISRP in the Global Automotive Tyre Industry and the Odette Group for Automotive Materials Handling, he was a Keynote speaker on "Asset management in the supply chain", at the 1998 IFPWA Global conference and has worked closely with the IARC (International Automotive Research Centre) on RFID implementation for Automotive Stillage Tracking. He was also a speaker on Asset Management in the Humanitarian Aid Supply Chain, at the 2006 Aid & Trade Humanitarian Relief Conference in Geneva.

Asset Management Software - How To Make The Choice Easy

All businesses or companies need asset management; whether you are in retail, manufacturing, public relations, a call center etc. Now, what is asset management actually? This kind of management can be defined as the process by which you can manage your assets to the best of your ability. In order to do so, you and your company's key persons will need to know the strengths and weaknesses of the assets. This is the only way to know how to optimize their use.

Software for Asset Management and Strategy

For years, asset management has been done manually, with a number of registers and files to keep records. This was not the most time efficient and easy way to track assets. However, with the twenty-first century bringing us great computers blended with advanced and upgraded technology,asset management has been facilitated through computers and this has been made possible with asset management software. This is software that enables people to deal with asset management at the press of the button.

The software for managing assets that are available today is able to keep track of the value, use, depreciation, and utility age of any asset. This advanced software can highlight what the maintenance requirements are, when the assets would need to be discarded and above all it allows tracking of the assets. The possibilities and advantages of the asset management software are almost limitless. However, the best feature of this software is that it can give you accurate reports of the status of your assets at any given time, easily.

How Do You Choose Asset Management Software that Fit Your Business?

First, there are a few questions that you have to ask yourself before deciding which asset management software is the best for you. The following can be seen as an indicative check list:

1. Is The Price of the software cost efficient?t

2. The complexity of your assets?

3. How many employees can use the system or software at the same time?

4. Can it be scaled up as well as down?

5. The number of functions as well as the kind of functions the software give you.

There are mainly three important types of software available segregated by their functionality:

1. Automated - this type of software automatically collects records of data in time as well as tracks the data.

2. Inquisitive - this type mostly is applicable to the IT systems; it will be used for identifying the different parts of hardware (configuration) as well as peripherals and their addition or removal.

3. Repository - this kind of software is used for making reports and for different types of asset use and utility analysis.

This was a few points to keep in mind when you consider to purchase software for asset management or administration. It is important to work out a check list containing questions like those above. This is the only way you can be sure that the software you choose will fit your or your company's needs.

Hugh Thorpe is an internet publisher and writer who likes to write about personal finances, asset management, loans and related issues. Check out 1-Asset-Management.com for more detailed info

Understanding Your Monthly Commercial Property Management Report

Each month your property manager will send you a monthly report. Each company has its own format, using different property management software and internal processes. However, you should receive the following:

1. A one-page summary that highlights key issues about the property, e.g., one tenant is 30 days behind on the rent.
2. Income & expense statement. This should be a short statement showing the base rent, Common Area Maintenance (CAM) charges for each tenant, rent and CAM payments received from each tenant. It also shows maintenance expenses and management fee; so you may quickly determine if each tenant has paid rent or not. This statement itemizes all of the income and expenses which may include:
   • Late fee: when the tenant pays late, he has to pay the rent plus the late fee. The late fee amount is normally stated in the lease. Normally, when the tenant pays late, the property manager has to do extra work to collect it. The amount of work depends on whether the tenant is too busy to mail the rent check, does not have the money or simply does not want to pay. Typically, the property manager is entitled to the late fees as an incentive to collect the rent.
   • Management fee: this fee is usually a percentage of the monthly income from the property that both you and the property manager agreed in the management contract. If you have a very stable property with the same income every month, then the management fee is the same. Otherwise, it varies from month to month.
   • Leasing fee: you typically see this when there is a new tenant or a renewed lease.
   • Security/Fire Protection: your property may have fire & security monitoring services.
   • Electricity: this is most likely for parking or common area lighting.
   • Water: this is for both drinking and irrigation.
   • Disposal: this is for garbage collection paid to the city.
   • HVAC repairs & maintenance: this is the maintenance costs for Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning. Usually, there is a service contract for HVAC whereby the maintenance company will inspect the HVAC twice a year: once before the winter and once before the summer. So, you may receive the service bills only twice a year.
   • Garbage dumping: sometimes people dispose their unused furniture, mattress on the property because there is no one around at night. The maintenance crew may have to clean up these things. Normally, you or the property manager will want a picture of the dumping to make sure that it is a legitimate bill.
   • Landscaping: this is often the biggest expense item. Typically, the landscaper signs a one year contract to maintain the landscaping on the property, such as mowing the lawn, trimming the trees/shrubs, and planting flowers. Thus, the monthly payment should be the same for the whole year.
   • Sweeping: the parking lot is usually swept daily, either late in the evening or before the tenants open for business. In the winter, there may be an expense for snow removal.
   • Steam cleaning: the concrete sidewalk is normally steam cleaned once a month. This is done by the same company that handles the sweeping and landscaping.
   • Roof maintenance: the roof of a commercial building is often flat and requires regular maintenance especially during the rainy season. The roofer may charge each time he is called to fix a roof leak. So, this is not something you see on the statement on a regular basis.
   • Supplies: there are various things on the property that have to be replaced periodically: light bulbs, trash bins, sprinklers, etc.
   • Bank charges: sometimes the tenants pay by check with non-sufficient funds. The bank will charge a fee each time the check is bounced.
   • Legal fees: you may see this if the property manager has to evict a tenant.

As a rule of thumb, you should not spend more than 30 minutes to review the management report of a retail property with 10 tenants. If you have to spend much more than that, then your property manager has sent you too much information or not organized the report properly.

The property management company often proposes an annual maintenance budget for the property based on the prior year?s maintenance expenses. Each tenant is then billed a fixed monthly amount, proportional to the size of his unit. Thus, the base rent and CAM charges are the same each month; so, the tenants may expect to pay a consistent amount each month. Annually, between January and March, the property manager reconciles the accounting for the prior year. If the actual expenses exceeded the budget, the tenant will have to pay his share of the difference. In the event, the actual expenses were less than the budget; the tenant will be refunded or credited back the difference.

Do?s and Don?ts

1. Use email for most of your correspondence. This will allow you to have records (date, time) of all issues sent and received between you and the property manager. You may want to set up the mail option such that it automatically will save all out-going mail. In addition, you may want to create an email folder for each property and keep all email messages related to that property in that folder. This allows you to find information quickly.
2. Ask the property manager to email to you the monthly reports. You should save all of the reports on your computer. Time and time again, you will need to look at a report from a previous month. The easier and faster you can access them, the more likely you will do it. Paper reports are much more time consuming to retrieve.
3. Have a copy of the rent roll handy with rent rate, lease start date, lease expiration, and CAM share portion. When you are asked to approve a new lease, check to make sure it does not expire on a year when you have several other leases expiring. This minimizes the risk of high vacancies on your property.

   David V. Tran is the CEO eFunding Inc., a commercial real estate brokerage, loan broker, property management, self-directed IRA investment, TIC and syndication company in San Jose, CA. His website is http://www.efundingcom.com. He may be contacted at (408) 288-5500. eFunding does business in all 50 states. He is selected as Pensco Trust?s (a major self-directed IRA custodian) Preferred Professional. David offers 3 FREE real estate investment seminars:
   

   1. How to invest in commercial real estate for retirement income NOW.
   2. How to maximize cash flow with 1031 tax-deferred exchange.
   3. TIC/Syndication: strategy for small investors and self-directed IRA investors to acquire high-valued properties.
      

   
   Andrew La is an Attorney, CPA, & Real Estate Broker in San Jose. His phone is 408-275-9683.
   
   You are welcome to share this report, unedited and in its entirety, with anyone you like. You may not remove this text. ? 2007 eFunding, Inc.

Property Management Considerations for College Housing

Property Management is not easy, but there are ways to make your job easier if you will understand a little about human psychology and work with the tenants whether they be business owners or residents. One group of properties that is an industry sub-sector is managing properties for college housing. The students will be renting the properties for the school year about nine months. So you need to average your costs over twelve months and total it up and then divide by nine for your costs.

Next you need to figure in the problems that occur and get busy signing people up for next year. Of course remember these are party animal kids and therefore you will need a substantial deposit from them up front and guarantees from their folks that you will be paid. If anything goes wrong you zap the deposit and let the parents know that one more incident and they are gone. Of course all this must be done swiftly, efficiently and without aggressive action. Warnings will help and nice polite staff is the key to diverting potentially hostile problems from these kids.

Being on good terms with the College or University is certain to help fill up the buildings thru referrals from the student information offices. Finding additional properties can be tough if the area is not use to massive numbers of young adults in the area. Most citizens nearby will complain and attempt to prevent that type of usage, as it adds lots of traffic, parties and just over congestion to the area. These are all interesting considerations to be discussed when contemplating property management strategies for College Housing Units.

Lance Winslow, a retired entrepreneur, adventurer, modern day philosopher and perpetual tourist.

Property Management Software

Property management software is a computer program or computer programs that serve to simplify, streamline, and otherwise facilitate the management of property you own or hope to own. The software is equipped with many useful functions to take care of costs, run tasks, oversee labor, and other helpful aspects. Property management, as the name suggests, is meant to deal with the proper management services and scrutiny of various properties. Nonetheless, property management is a particular discipline of defining and achieving targets in matters of properties. At the same time its primary purpose is to optimize the varied utilizations of resources including energy, space, time, people, technology and many others. But for every property management, time constraints play a major part in the whole process.

For every property management, work is conducted under the supervision of an individual property manager. It is the responsibility of the property manager to organize and supervise the work that needs to be done. There is a lot of software on the market that is designed to make a property manager's job easier.

All the property works are primarily planned through the application of software that not only gives the virtual image of the whole property, but also errorless calculations and accounting works, cost factors, management planning and such other works. Although the best property management professionals are hired for the projects, computer software gives the detailed analysis of the plan, including the calculations and statistical implications. There is even web-based software to manage and facilitate the handling of properties.

Property Management Software provides detailed information on Property Management Software, Real Estate Property Management Software, Rental Property Management Software, Property Management Accounting Software and more. Property Management Software is affiliated with Healthcare PM Software.

Top 10 Reasons Why Landlords Should Use Online Property Management Software

Introduction:

Online property management systems are becoming popular due to various reasons including easy of use, managing any type of real estate transactions including lease, daily operation or real time information on centralized locations. These systems being web based are easily accessible from all over the world and real time information is gathered.

The system manages all information through your web site. Individual residents can submit applications, make requests, pay online and many more other information can be shared. The property owner gets real time information about their property.

Property software solution providers have made the systems easy so that in a smallest time all the information can be gathered, analyzed and report can be generated at convenience.

Top 10 reasons for landlords to use online Property Management Systems:

1. Property Information: Organization of property information or creating property portfolios is one of the greatest tasks. The online property management system makes this easy. The images of property can be uploaded in the system for multiple owners and the system is capable to handle the information on any size of property.

2. Vacancy Information: All the information regarding leasing of the property can be easily managed and the prospective tenants can access more details about the properties, find out the terms and conditions, payment conditions and if satisfied may apply online.

3. Manage Leases: The property owner can access the property information online at any time, hence may manage the recording of leased properties. Customized information can be shared with other team members.

4. Receive rent online: You can manage and ensure timely receipts from your tenants. The online property managements systems are designed in such a way that after a particular date they will automatically assess a late fee as penalty. You may even generate rent receipts through the online system.

5. Managing Maintenance: To achieve highest benefits you are required to keep proper maintenance records of your properties. The online property management systems have provisions for maintenance and team members responsible for carrying out maintenance job can access the the information efficiently.

6. Service requests from tenants: Tenants may also apply online for maintenance requests and the team members can carry out the job.

7. Lease agreements: All lease agreements; lease duration and rent information can be centralized. On completion of the tenure the system will automatically inform the details of the concern property and tenant to you.

8. Tracking of expenses: Tracking property maintenance expenses and income expenses online and real time is easy. All the information can be retrieved quickly.

9. Specific property reports: A specific property or property portfolio can be tracked easily and all history of the particular portfolio can be retrieved.

10. Cooperation among team members: Various team members responsible for different task can communicate with each other, with property owner and tenants. Through the system the specific task to the team members can be assigned and managed.

John Rossow is Manager of Sales & Marketing, maker of online property management software for landlords, professional property managers, condos and homeowner associations (HOAs) designed to help them operate more easily and with better results. Buildium's rental management software automates the collection of fees and rents, improves maintenance tracking, increases resident satisfaction and more, all for a low monthly fee. For further details, visit the website, http://www.buildium.com or contact John directly at john@buildium.com.