Client Equipment Software Key Management - User Guide

Table of Contents

1. Overview

The Client Equipment Software Key Management module provides comprehensive tracking and management of software licenses and product keys for client equipment. This system maintains a complete inventory of available software keys, tracks key assignments to specific equipment units, and provides complete audit trails for compliance and asset management purposes.

Primary Business Value:

When managing client equipment with software installations, you need to track which software keys are available, which equipment has which software features activated, and maintain complete audit history for compliance purposes. This system provides centralized software key inventory management, automated tracking of key assignments, and comprehensive audit logging for all key-related activities.

Key capabilities include:

• Centralized software key inventory management
• Multiple key types (Permanent, Subscription, Trial, Time-Limited)
• Key assignment tracking to specific equipment
• Automatic status management (Available, Applied, Expired, Revoked)
• Validity period tracking with automatic expiration
• Complete audit trail of all key operations
• Equipment software feature visibility
• Multi-user assignment tracking

2. Understanding Software Key Management

Core Concepts

Software Keys vs Equipment Features: The system distinguishes between the software key inventory (available license keys) and the application records (equipment features). Software keys represent available licenses that can be assigned, while equipment features represent actual assignments of keys to specific equipment units.

Example:

Your company purchases 10 licenses for antivirus software, receiving 10 unique product keys. You create 10 software key records in the system, each marked as "Available". As technicians install antivirus on client equipment, they apply keys to equipment records, which changes the key status to "Applied" and creates an equipment feature record linking that key to that specific equipment unit.

Software Key Types

The system supports multiple license key types to accommodate different licensing models:

• Permanent: Perpetual licenses with no expiration date
• Subscription: Recurring licenses with defined validity periods
• Trial: Evaluation licenses with limited validity
• Time-Limited: Fixed-term licenses with specific start and end dates

Software Key Status

Software keys progress through defined statuses based on their lifecycle:

• Available: Key is in inventory and ready for assignment
• Applied: Key has been assigned to equipment
• Expired: Key validity period has ended (automatic)
• Revoked: Key has been deliberately deactivated or recalled

Key Components

The software key management system consists of three interconnected components:

• Software Keys: Inventory of available license keys with features and validity
• Equipment Features: Assignment records linking keys to specific equipment
• Audit Logs: Complete history of all key operations for compliance

3. Creating Software Keys

Adding Software Keys to Inventory

When your organization acquires software licenses, the keys must be entered into the system inventory before they can be assigned to equipment.

Process - Creating a Software Key:

Scenario: Received 5 licenses for Microsoft Office 365 Professional

1. Navigate to Client Equipment → Software Key Management → Software Keys
2. Click Create
3. Enter key details:
   • License Key: The actual product key or license code (e.g., XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX)
   • Feature: Software product or feature name (e.g., "Microsoft Office 365 Professional")
   • Key Type: Select appropriate license model:
     • Permanent - for perpetual licenses
     • Subscription - for annual/monthly renewals
     • Trial - for evaluation periods
     • Time-Limited - for fixed-term licenses
   • Validity Start: Date when license becomes active (typically purchase date)
   • Validity End: Date when license expires (required for Subscription, Trial, Time-Limited types)
   • Status: Automatically set to "Available"
4. Click Save
5. System automatically creates audit log entry recording key creation

License Key Uniqueness

The system enforces unique license keys. Each license key can only be entered once in the system, preventing duplicate entries. If you attempt to create a key with a license code that already exists, the system will display an error message.

Important: Once a software key is created, the license key field cannot be modified. If you enter an incorrect license key, you must delete the record and create a new one with the correct key. This restriction maintains audit trail integrity.

Bulk Key Entry

When acquiring multiple licenses of the same software, you need to create individual key records for each license. While each key must be entered separately, you can streamline the process:

1. Create the first key record with complete details
2. Save the record
3. Click the Duplicate button
4. Update only the License Key field with the next product key
5. Save and repeat for remaining licenses

Validity Period Management

For subscription and time-limited licenses, proper validity period configuration is essential:

• Permanent Licenses: Leave validity fields empty - no expiration tracking needed
• Subscription Licenses: Set validity end to renewal date (typically 1 year from start)
• Trial Licenses: Set validity end to trial expiration (typically 30-90 days)
• Time-Limited: Set specific start and end dates as defined by license terms

4. Applying Keys to Equipment

Software Key Assignment Process

When technicians install software on client equipment, they assign available software keys to specific equipment units. This process updates key status, creates tracking records, and maintains complete audit trails.

Process - Applying Key to Equipment:

Scenario: Installing Microsoft Office on customer laptop after delivery

1. Navigate to Client Equipment → Equipment
2. Locate and open the equipment record (search by serial number, customer, or equipment name)
3. Navigate to the Software Keys tab
4. Click Add a line in the Applied Features section
5. In the new line, select fields:
   • Software Key: Select available key from dropdown (shows feature name and license key)
   • Applied Date: Date software was installed (defaults to today)
   • Applied By: User performing installation (automatically populated with your user)
   • Remarks: Optional notes about installation or special circumstances
6. Click Save
7. System automatically:
   • Changes key status from "Available" to "Applied"
   • Creates equipment feature record
   • Generates audit log entry for key application

What Keys Can Be Applied

The software key dropdown only displays keys that are available for assignment:

• Keys with status "Available" appear in the dropdown
• Keys already "Applied" to other equipment do not appear
• "Expired" or "Revoked" keys are not available for assignment
• Keys are displayed with both feature name and license key for easy identification

Key Selection Example:

Dropdown displays: "Microsoft Office 365 Professional - XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-12345"

This format helps technicians verify they're selecting the correct license from available inventory.

Duplicate Key Prevention

The system prevents assigning the same software key to multiple equipment units. Once a key is applied to equipment, it is marked as "Applied" and no longer appears in the available keys dropdown. This ensures license compliance and prevents accidental key reuse.

Multiple Software Installations

Equipment can have multiple software features applied simultaneously. Each software installation requires its own key assignment, creating separate equipment feature records for each software product installed.

Example - Multiple Software on Single Equipment:

Customer laptop receives:

• Microsoft Office 365 Professional (Key #1)
• Antivirus Software Enterprise (Key #2)
• Adobe Acrobat Pro (Key #3)

Equipment record shows three separate equipment features in the Software Keys tab, each with its own key assignment, applied date, and audit trail.

5. Managing Software Key Inventory

Viewing Software Key Inventory

The software keys list provides complete visibility into your organization's license inventory, showing available keys, applied keys, and expiration status.

Accessing Key Inventory:

1. Navigate to Client Equipment → Software Key Management → Software Keys
2. View complete list of all software keys
3. List displays:
   • License Key
   • Feature (software product name)
   • Key Type
   • Status
   • Validity Start Date
   • Validity End Date

Filtering and Searching Keys

Use the search and filter functions to locate specific keys or view keys by status:

• Search bar: Find keys by license code or feature name
• Filter by Status: View only Available, Applied, Expired, or Revoked keys
• Filter by Key Type: Show only Permanent, Subscription, Trial, or Time-Limited keys
• Group by Feature: Organize keys by software product

Key Detail View

Opening a software key record provides complete information including assignment history and audit trail:

• Equipment Features Tab: Shows all equipment where this key has been applied (typically one, as keys are single-use)
• Audit Logs Tab: Complete history of operations performed on this key

Available vs Applied Keys

Quickly assess license availability by filtering on status:

• Available Keys: Licenses ready for installation - apply status filter "Available"
• Applied Keys: Licenses currently in use - apply status filter "Applied"
• Expired Keys: Licenses past validity date - apply status filter "Expired"

Validity Monitoring

For subscription and time-limited licenses, monitor expiration dates to plan renewals:

1. Sort software keys list by Validity End Date
2. Identify keys expiring within renewal window (typically 30-60 days)
3. Coordinate renewals with vendors or procurement
4. Update key records when renewals are processed

6. Tracking Equipment Software Assignments

Viewing Equipment Software

Each equipment record displays all software keys that have been applied to that unit, providing complete visibility into installed software and licensing.

Process - Checking Equipment Software:

Scenario: Customer inquires about software installed on their equipment

1. Navigate to Client Equipment → Equipment
2. Locate equipment using serial number, asset tag, or customer name
3. Open equipment record
4. Navigate to Software Keys tab
5. View Applied Features section showing:
   • Software Key (feature name and license code)
   • Applied Date (when software was installed)
   • Applied By (technician who performed installation)
   • Remarks (any special notes about installation)

Equipment Features List

Access all equipment feature assignments across your entire equipment inventory through the Equipment Features menu:

Accessing Equipment Features:

1. Navigate to Client Equipment → Software Key Management → Equipment Features
2. View complete list of all software key applications
3. List displays:
   • Software Key (which license was applied)
   • Equipment (which equipment received the software)
   • Applied Date
   • Applied By (technician)
   • Remarks
4. Filter and search to find specific assignments

Software Deployment Reporting

The Equipment Features list serves multiple reporting purposes:

• License Compliance: Verify all applied keys correspond to valid licenses
• Software Audits: Document which equipment has which software installed
• Technician Activity: Track which technician installed which software
• Deployment Timeline: Review when software was deployed across equipment

Removing Software Assignments

When software is uninstalled or equipment is decommissioned, remove the equipment feature record to return the key to available status:

Process - Removing Software Assignment:

Scenario: Equipment returned, software key needs to be recovered for reuse

1. Open the equipment record
2. Navigate to Software Keys tab
3. Locate the feature assignment to remove
4. Click the Delete (trash) icon on the line
5. Confirm deletion
6. System automatically:
   • Removes equipment feature record
   • Changes key status back to "Available"
   • Creates audit log entry for key removal
7. Key becomes available for assignment to different equipment

7. Audit Trail and Compliance

Understanding Audit Logging

The system automatically maintains comprehensive audit trails of all software key operations. Every key creation, application, revocation, and expiration is logged with timestamp and user information for compliance and accountability purposes.

Audit Log Entry Types

The system records four types of audit events:

• Created: Key was added to inventory (logged when key record is created)
• Applied: Key was assigned to equipment (logged when equipment feature is created)
• Revoked: Key was deliberately deactivated (logged when key status changes to Revoked)
• Expired: Key validity period ended (logged by automatic expiration process)

Viewing Audit Logs

Audit logs can be accessed through multiple paths depending on investigation needs:

From Software Key Record:

1. Open any software key record
2. Navigate to Audit Logs tab
3. View all operations performed on this specific key
4. Each log entry shows:
   • Action performed
   • Action date and time
   • User who performed action
   • Associated equipment (for Applied actions)

From Audit Logs Menu:

1. Navigate to Client Equipment → Software Key Management → Audit Logs
2. View complete system-wide audit log of all key operations
3. Filter and search by:
   • Software Key
   • Equipment
   • Action type
   • User
   • Date range

Compliance Reporting

Audit logs support various compliance and reporting requirements:

• License Audits: Prove all software installations have corresponding licenses
• Deployment Verification: Show when and by whom software was installed
• Key Recovery: Track what happened to specific license keys
• User Activity: Review which technicians performed which operations
• Timeline Analysis: Reconstruct history of key usage over time

Audit Trail Example:

License Key: XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-12345

• 2025-01-15 10:30 AM - Created by Admin User
• 2025-01-20 2:45 PM - Applied to Equipment "LAPTOP-001" by Tech User
• 2025-06-10 4:15 PM - Revoked from Equipment "LAPTOP-001" by Admin User

This complete history documents the entire lifecycle of the license key for compliance purposes.

Automatic Audit Logging

All audit log entries are created automatically by the system - users do not manually create or modify audit logs. This ensures audit trail integrity and prevents tampering with compliance records.

8. Software Key Lifecycle Management

Key Status Transitions

Software keys transition through statuses based on operations and time:

• Created → Available: Automatic when new key is added to inventory
• Available → Applied: Automatic when key is assigned to equipment
• Applied → Available: Automatic when equipment feature assignment is removed
• Available → Expired: Automatic when validity end date passes (for non-permanent keys)
• Any Status → Revoked: Manual action to deactivate key

Automatic Key Expiration

The system includes automated processes that check for expired keys and update their status accordingly. Keys with validity end dates that have passed are automatically marked as "Expired".

Important: Expired keys cannot be applied to equipment. If you need to use an expired subscription key, you must renew the subscription and update the validity end date before the key becomes available for assignment again.

Revoking Software Keys

Keys can be manually revoked when licenses are recalled, refunded, or need to be permanently deactivated:

Process - Revoking a Software Key:

Scenario: Discovered duplicate license purchase, need to deactivate one key

1. Navigate to software key record
2. Verify key is not currently applied to equipment (check Equipment Features tab)
3. If key is applied, first remove the equipment feature assignment
4. Change Status field to "Revoked"
5. Save the record
6. System creates audit log entry for revocation
7. Key becomes unavailable for future assignment

Renewing Subscription Keys

When subscription licenses are renewed, update the existing key record with new validity dates:

Process - Renewing Subscription Key:

1. Locate the existing key record for the subscription
2. Open the key record
3. Update Validity End date to new expiration date
4. If key status is "Expired", change to "Available" or "Applied" as appropriate
5. Add remarks noting renewal date and any reference information
6. Save the record

Key Replacement

When software keys need to be replaced (lost, compromised, or refreshed by vendor):

1. If old key is applied to equipment, note which equipment
2. Remove old key assignment from equipment (if applicable)
3. Change old key status to "Revoked"
4. Create new key record with replacement license code
5. Apply new key to equipment (if needed)
6. Both old and new keys maintain separate audit trails

9. Standard Workflows

Workflow 1: New Software Licenses Received

Scenario: Purchased 10 licenses of antivirus software for client equipment deployment

Process:

1. License Acquisition:
   • Procurement receives 10 product keys from vendor
   • Subscription is annual with defined start and end dates
2. Inventory Entry:
   • Administrator navigates to Software Keys
   • Creates first key record with complete details
   • License Key: [First product key]
   • Feature: "Antivirus Software Enterprise"
   • Key Type: Subscription
   • Validity Start: Purchase date
   • Validity End: One year from purchase
   • Status: Available (automatic)
3. Bulk Entry:
   • Save first record
   • Click Duplicate button
   • Change only License Key field to second product key
   • Save and repeat for all 10 licenses
4. Verification:
   • View software keys list
   • Filter by Feature: "Antivirus Software Enterprise"
   • Verify 10 keys showing Status: Available
   • All keys show identical validity dates
   • Each key has unique license code
5. Ready for Deployment:
   • Keys now available in dropdown when technicians apply software to equipment
   • Automatic audit log created for each key creation

Workflow 2: Software Installation on Equipment

Scenario: Technician installing Microsoft Office on newly delivered customer laptop

Process:

1. Equipment Preparation:
   • Technician receives laptop for software setup
   • Equipment record already exists from delivery process
   • Serial number: LAPTOP-12345
2. Software Installation:
   • Technician physically installs Microsoft Office
   • Installation prompts for product key
   • Technician opens equipment record in system
3. Key Assignment:
   • Navigate to Software Keys tab on equipment record
   • Click Add a line in Applied Features
   • Software Key dropdown shows all available Office keys
   • Select appropriate key from list
   • Enter product key into Office installation
   • Complete installation process
4. System Updates:
   • Applied Date: Auto-populated to today
   • Applied By: Auto-populated to technician's user
   • Remarks: Optional - technician adds "Installed with standard configuration"
   • Save equipment record
5. Automatic Processing:
   • System creates equipment feature record
   • Software key status changes from Available to Applied
   • Audit log entry created: "Applied to Equipment LAPTOP-12345 by [Technician]"
   • Key no longer appears in available keys dropdown for other equipment

Workflow 3: Equipment Return and Key Recovery

Scenario: Customer returns equipment under warranty, software key needs recovery for reuse

Process:

1. Equipment Return:
   • Customer returns laptop for replacement
   • Equipment has Microsoft Office installed with applied key
   • Equipment will not be redeployed - needs software key recovery
2. Key Identification:
   • Open equipment record
   • Navigate to Software Keys tab
   • Note which software keys are applied
   • Record shows: "Microsoft Office 365 - XXXXX-12345 applied on 2025-01-15"
3. Key Removal:
   • Click delete icon on equipment feature line
   • Confirm deletion
   • System automatically processes removal
4. Automatic System Updates:
   • Equipment feature record deleted
   • Software key status changes from Applied to Available
   • Audit log entry created: "Revoked from Equipment [Serial] by [User]"
   • Key becomes available in dropdown for other equipment
5. Key Reuse:
   • Recovered key now appears in available keys list
   • Can be applied to replacement equipment
   • Complete audit trail maintained showing entire lifecycle

Workflow 4: Subscription Renewal Management

Scenario: Annual antivirus subscription expiring, need to process renewal for active installations

Process:

1. Expiration Monitoring:
   • Administrator reviews software keys list monthly
   • Sorts by Validity End Date
   • Identifies 10 antivirus keys expiring in 30 days
   • All 10 keys show Status: Applied (in use on customer equipment)
2. Renewal Procurement:
   • Contact vendor to renew 10 licenses
   • Receive renewal confirmation with new expiration date
   • Vendor indicates existing keys remain valid (no new product codes)
3. Key Record Updates:
   • Open each of the 10 key records
   • Update Validity End date to new expiration (one year from current expiration)
   • Add remark: "Renewed subscription - expires [new date] - Reference: [PO number]"
   • Save each record
4. Verification:
   • All 10 keys maintain Status: Applied
   • Validity End dates now show new expiration
   • Keys remain linked to same equipment
   • No interruption to customer software
5. Documentation:
   • Equipment continues showing software installations
   • Renewal documented in key remarks
   • Updated validity visible in all reports
   • Set reminder for next year's renewal

10. Troubleshooting

Issue: Cannot Create Software Key - Duplicate License Key Error

Symptom: System displays error "The license key must be unique!" when creating new software key.

Cause: This license key already exists in the system.

Resolution:

1. Search software keys for the license code you're trying to enter
2. If found, this key is already in inventory:
   • Check current status (Available, Applied, Expired, Revoked)
   • If Available, key is ready for use
   • If Applied, key is already assigned to equipment
   • If you believe you have a different key with same code, verify license documentation
3. If you need to replace an existing key, revoke the old one before creating new record

Issue: Software Key Not Appearing in Dropdown

Symptom: When trying to apply software to equipment, key doesn't appear in Software Key dropdown.

Cause: Key is not in "Available" status.

Resolution:

1. Navigate to Software Keys list
2. Search for the specific key by license code or feature name
3. Check key status:
   • Applied: Key is already assigned to other equipment - must remove that assignment first
   • Expired: Key validity period has ended - renew subscription or use different key
   • Revoked: Key has been deactivated - cannot be used
4. Only keys with status "Available" appear in equipment dropdown

Issue: Cannot Remove Equipment Feature Assignment

Symptom: Delete button is not available or doesn't work on equipment feature line.

Cause: User may lack permissions or viewing in read-only mode.

Resolution:

1. Verify you have edit permissions on equipment records
2. Ensure equipment record is in edit mode (click Edit button if needed)
3. If delete icon still not visible, contact administrator to verify user permissions
4. Administrator users can always remove equipment feature assignments

Issue: Key Shows "Applied" But No Equipment Assignment Visible

Symptom: Software key status is "Applied" but Equipment Features tab is empty.

Cause: Data inconsistency - equipment feature record may have been deleted improperly.

Resolution:

1. Check Equipment Features menu for orphaned records
2. Search for the specific software key
3. If no equipment feature record exists, manually change key status back to "Available"
4. If equipment feature record exists but not visible on key record, this indicates data issue - contact administrator

Issue: Validity Dates Not Restricting Key Use

Symptom: Key with past validity end date still shows as Available or can be applied.

Cause: Automatic expiration process hasn't run or key status wasn't updated.

Resolution:

1. Automatic expiration runs periodically (typically daily)
2. For immediate update, manually change key status to "Expired"
3. System will mark expired keys automatically during next scheduled run
4. If issue persists, contact administrator to verify scheduled actions are running

Issue: Same Key Applied to Multiple Equipment

Symptom: Discovered same license key assigned to multiple equipment units.

Cause: May indicate license compliance issue or manual status override.

Resolution:

1. This should not occur through normal system operation
2. Review audit logs for the key to understand how it happened
3. Check if key was manually set to Available while already applied
4. Determine which equipment should retain the key assignment
5. Remove incorrect equipment feature assignments
6. Verify new key assignments use proper workflow to prevent recurrence
7. Contact vendor if additional license needed for compliance

Issue: Missing Audit Log Entries

Symptom: Expected audit log entries are not visible.

Cause: Audit logs are created automatically - missing entries indicate operation didn't complete.

Resolution:

1. Audit logs cannot be manually deleted or modified
2. If operation completed, audit log exists
3. Check Audit Logs menu with filters removed - entry may exist with different parameters
4. Verify user permissions allow viewing audit logs
5. If operation failed, audit log for that operation wouldn't exist

Issue: Cannot Delete Software Key

Symptom: Unable to delete software key record.

Cause: Key may have equipment feature assignments or audit log records.

Resolution:

1. Check if key is currently applied to equipment (Equipment Features tab)
2. If applied, first remove all equipment feature assignments
3. Keys with audit log history can be deleted - audit logs will be removed with the key
4. Alternative: Instead of deleting, change key status to "Revoked" to maintain audit trail
5. Revoked keys remain in system for historical reference but cannot be used

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