Device types

SECURITY  Security level with Admin permission to configure Devices. Refer to Admin security settings.

NAVIGATION   > Admin > Features & Settings > Devices > Device Types

Do you need device types?

IMPORTANT  Device types are required to sync IT Glue configuration items.

Device types have been largely superseded by device categories. Refer to Device type/category mapping summary.

New customers may not need to use this field. Before Autotask introduced device categories, the main function of device types was the selection of the correct user-defined fields for a product and the devices based on it. This function has been transferred to device categories. You may want to hide this field from the Device page, or delete all device types. You are able to do that even if devices are associated with a type.

Device types allow you to further classify and organize devices. For example, for workstations you may want to use Device Type to clarify if it is a laptop or a desktop, or if it is company property or personally owned.

This field is not required and can be removed from device categories if you do not wish to use it. It can be used in the following areas:

  • Automated billing product associations. Newly created devices can automatically be associated with a billing rule based on the Device Type or the Product associated with the device. Refer to Automated billing product associations.
  • SLAs. Device types can be used in conjunction with workflow rules to automatically apply SLAs to tickets created for assets with that Device Type. This method can be used with device categories as well. Refer to Applying service level agreements.
  • Device mapping for devices discovered by the Datto RMM and Datto BCDR integrations. The Device Type field appears on the mapping page. Refer to Mapping discovered devices to a contact and contract.
  • Xerox PageConnect/XPPS Extension. When this extension is enabled, a new asset type called Xerox PageConnect/XPPS is created. Devices associated with this extension will use this asset type. Refer to The PageConnect/XPPS device type.

 

To add a device type, do the following:

  1. To open the page, use the path(s) in the Security and navigation section above.
  2. Click New and enter the name of the new device type.
Option Description

Edit, Edit [Entity Name]

Puts the selected row into Edit mode or opens the Edit <Option> dialog. The fields that can be edited are usually the ones you populate when you create a new list item. Make your changes and click Save, or Cancel.

NOTE  On some pages, you may not be able to edit System options.

Activate/Inactivate, Activate/Inactivate [Entity Name]

New options are active by default.

  • When an option is inactivated, it is no longer available for use, but existing associations with other entities remain in place and in effect.
  • You will be unable to inactivate an option that is referenced elsewhere.

NOTE  Sometimes, the association that prevents inactivation is not obvious. For example, to inactivate a ticket status associated with Incoming Email Processing, you must select a different one first.

Delete, Delete [Entity Name]

The ability to delete an option is severely restricted. List options cannot be deleted if:

  • The option is a system option
  • The option is the default option where a default is required
  • The option is associated with (has been used for) an entity

IMPORTANT  To preserve data integrity, Autotask prevents deletion of entities that have dependent entities or are referenced elsewhere! If you are unable to delete an entity, you should inactivate it to make it unavailable for use.