Data Management Best Practices

Don’t worry! This approach should be easy to integrate into your existing ITAM processes and/or management framework. 

PLAN: ITAM Scoping - Lay the foundation 
Before you touch a single asset record, define the scope. Without knowing what data you want, need, or are even able to manage, you’re setting yourself up for a headache. Use the "Plan" phase to develop clear objectives for asset data collection, storage, and management, aligning them with business goals and compliance requirements. 

Use the "Plan" phase to:

• Decide what’s in scope: Are all the publishers in scope? Probably not. All asset types? Not very likely. Also, not all locations or departments need to be included. R&D labs, production sites, or retail locations may be intentionally excluded
• Record your decisions: Document and communicate your choices and considerations in a register* for future reference. Keep your current maturity- and ambition levels in a backlog**.
• Get buy-in: Make sure your management signs off on the scope. Include periodic reviews in your ISO 19770-1 management system.
• Define “asset” once and for all: Add your preferred definition to the signed scoping and/or mandate documents. Re-use it in stakeholder communication, while creating processes and procedures etc.
• Reference standards: Use the visualization in the ISO 19770-1 or the ISO 19770-10 (“Guidance for implementing ITAM”). Keep in mind that the ISO 19770 family of standards is evolving. It’s worth checking for the latest revisions to ensure your practice stays aligned with industry best practice.

💡Pro Tip: If you can explain your reasoning for the scope, the battle is already half won!

DO: ITAM data gathering - Make it happen
The “Do” phase is all about putting your plan into action: gathering, consolidating, and maintaining accurate ITAM data. Focus on collaboration with your stakeholders, clear processes, and the right tools. 

1. Understand data flows first: Before you barge into a team’s office (they’re usually very busy!), start with an enterprise architect or someone who knows the big picture. They can map who owns what systems, how data moves, and which teams or suppliers touch which assets.
2. Document everything. Seriously. Capture what you learn about data sources, statuses, integrations, and enrichment processes. When are assets added to a system? What do the different statuses mean? Is the data enriched? What databases are connected, and how do they sync up? Make sure you document! If you think you’ll remember later, you won’t. This documentation will save headaches during verification, reporting, and process improvements.
3. Bring stakeholders on board: Don’t assume everyone knows your plan or why accurate data matters. You need to make sure all your stakeholders are on board to have constructive conversations. Explain goals, clarify roles, and keep communication open. A little early alignment goes a long way.
4. Use tools wisely: ITAM tools can help consolidate, normalize, and clean data, leaving you less time fighting spreadsheets and more time improving processes. Combining different data sources can be a daunting task without specialized help or automation!
5. Think future-ready: SaaS, cloud, and shadow IT aren’t going away. Make sure your approach scales to these environments—accurate, normalized data now means fewer surprises later and better alignment with FinOps.

💡Pro Tips: Read bullet 2 again. Document. Really. Not kidding. And don’t forget - getting stakeholders on board early isn’t optional, it’s your secret weapon. 

CHECK: Asset Verification - Trust but verify
Asset verification ensures your data is accurate, reliable, and useful for reporting and decision-making. Experience has taught us a few things we want to share:

• Frequent checks build trust: Verified data improves confidence from stakeholders and internal teams.
• Set clear KPIs on verification: track and communicating trends and share progress. your ITAM team deserves recognition forthe good work they are doing.
• Spot anomalies early: Proper verification can be an indicator of (unintentional?) changes in your company’s infrastructure, data flows or databases. This early warning function is especially relevant in hybrid and multi-cloud environments (cloud subscriptions, shadow IT).
• Document business rules: The way you match assets, normalize, extract and interpret statuses reflects informal business rules.. Make sure you document them for future conversations!
• Leverage AI tools: AI-driven discovery and normalization tools can automatically recognize asset patterns, enrich records, and even flag anomalies in real time. These tools reduce manual cleanup, and provide predictive insights. Helping ITAM teams anticipate compliance risks, licensing issues, or cost overruns before they become problems. 

ACT: Working with stakeholders - Realize value
This is where the value realization takes place. The "Act" phase is about optimization and fine-tuning, to enhance accuracy, efficiency, and security. But, if you really want the maximum benefit from your efforts, you have to play it smart:

• Communicate smartly: Don’t just bombard stakeholders with delta-lists and actions. Agree on a frequency, process and tool to share and discuss findings.
• Reference your documentation: Especially in the beginning, schedule meetings to circle back to your data flows business rules. This will help get everybody acquainted with the process.
• Stay compliant: Regulations like the EU Data Act and AI Act are raising the stakes for data handling, transparency, and accountability. This means scoping and data verification aren’t just about operational efficiency - they are key to demonstrating compliance and to reducing legal risk.
• Be patient: Nothing big is going to change overnight. Historical, technical, or practical reasons may create discrepancies at first. Give it some time. Accept and communicate that it will take a few runs to start seeing improvements. 
  

Final thoughts:
Don’t be afraid to start small. Make sure you communicate that, like every ITAM subject, a data management best practice has to mature over time.

Celebrate your successes! Not just the KPIs and nice graphs (Lines are going up, so all must be good right?) but also the less tangible efforts like stakeholder communication, improved collaboration and a general trust in IT data.

Looking ahead, ITAM data management will increasingly be tied to sustainability reporting, cost optimization, and organizational resilience. By laying a strong foundation now, you’re not just improving IT governance - you’re preparing your business to thrive in a data-driven, cost-conscious, and sustainable future.