IT asset management · Autessa IT Desk
Asset import from CSV
Autessa IT Desk imports IT assets from a CSV file: it maps your columns automatically, checks every row, shows a dry run of what it will create and update, and only then writes the assets. Each imported asset gets a created entry in its asset history, and each computer gets a configuration item in the CMDB.
The problem
Your inventory already exists in a spreadsheet
Nobody wants to retype three hundred laptops. But a blind import from an old spreadsheet can duplicate devices, assign them to people who left, or overwrite good data. IT needs to see exactly what will happen before anything is written.
What you get
- Reads comma, semicolon (European spreadsheets) and tab separated files, quoted fields, any line endings and a byte-order mark.
- Maps columns by name with common synonyms: "hostname" becomes Name, "serial no" becomes Serial number, "FileVault" becomes Disk encrypted.
- Dates in 2026-03-01, 3/1/2026 (US) and 01.03.2026 (EU dots) formats.
- Matches existing assets by asset tag, so a second import updates instead of duplicating, and updates write only the fields that changed.
- Resolves "Assigned to" from a person's email address in the people directory.
- Checks consistency: an assigned device must be In use, and In use needs a person.
- A dry run lists every create, update and problem before you press Import.
How it works
How does asset import from csv work in Autessa IT Desk?
Upload
Open Assets, then Import from CSV, and choose your file. IT Desk detects the delimiter.
Check the mapping
Each column is matched to an asset field. Change any mapping, or ignore a column.
Read the dry run
See how many assets will be created and updated, and every row with a problem and why, such as an unknown email or a bad date.
Import
Write the assets. Every write is checked and audited, a created history row is added, and computers get a CMDB entry.
Every option
Columns a CSV can fill
| Option | What it does |
|---|---|
| Asset tag (required) | Synonyms: tag, asset, asset id, asset number, inventory number. |
| Name | Display name, device name, hostname, computer name. |
| Category | Category, type, device type, model category, kind. |
| Model, Manufacturer, Serial number | Model name or product; make or brand; serial, serial no, SN. |
| State | State, status or lifecycle. |
| Assigned to (email) | Resolved to the person in the directory. |
| Location | Location, office, site. |
| Cost, Currency, Purchase date, Warranty end, PO number | Financial columns. |
| OS version, Disk encrypted, MDM enrolled, Screen lock | Compliance columns. |
Permissions
Who can do what?
| Role | Can |
|---|---|
| Asset manager | Run CSV imports. |
| IT administrator | Run CSV imports and everything an asset manager can. |
Connected
How it connects to the rest of IT Desk
IT DESK FEATURE
Hardware assets
Imported assets join the full lifecycle with history from day one.
IT DESK FEATURE
Device compliance
Compliance columns in the file set each device's compliance state.
IT DESK FEATURE
CMDB
Every imported computer gets a configuration item.
AUTESSA PRODUCT
Autessa Homebase
Assigned-to emails are matched against the people directory Homebase owns.
FAQ
Questions about asset import from csv
Can I import IT assets from a spreadsheet?
Yes. Export a CSV from your spreadsheet or old tool and import it under Assets. IT Desk maps the columns, shows a dry run, then imports.
Will importing the same file twice create duplicates?
No. Assets are matched by asset tag. A second import updates the existing assets, and only fields that changed are written.
What if a row has a problem?
The dry run lists it with the reason, for example an email that matches nobody or a date it cannot read, so you can fix the file before importing.
100% customizable, code and all
Make Autessa IT Desk fully your own.
Use it out of the box, then change anything. Ask Autobot, Autessa’s AI builder, for a new field, screen, report, workflow or agent and it builds it into your copy of the app. Or open the code and edit it yourself. Nothing is locked: the app, its data and its code are yours.
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