HAM & SAM Base Level IT asset mismanagement costs organizations millions annually. Research shows that 30% of IT assets are underutilized or misplaced, leading to inefficiencies and compliance risks. While ServiceNow HAM & SAM Pro offer advanced automation and analytics, many organizations operate at the Base Level and need a roadmap to improve asset tracking, compliance, and cost optimization—without excessive customization that complicates future upgrades.

This guide provides a strategic 2-year asset management maturity plan, demonstrating how to extract maximum value from ServiceNow Base-Level HAM & SAM while laying the foundation for seamless upgrades.

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ServiceNow HAM & SAM Feature Comparison

Understanding what’s included in each licensing tier is critical for planning asset management growth. Here’s a comparison of Base, Standard, and Pro features:

Feature	HAM Base	HAM Standard	HAM Pro	SAM Base	SAM Standard	SAM Pro
Asset Tracking & Inventory	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅
Basic Asset Lifecycle Management	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅
Stockroom Management	✅	✅	✅	❌	❌	❌
Procurement Integration	✅	✅	✅	❌	✅	✅
IT Asset Disposition (ITAD)	❌	✅	✅	❌	❌	❌
Software License Compliance	❌	❌	✅	✅	✅	✅
SaaS & Cloud Management	❌	❌	✅	❌	❌	✅

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When using the ServiceNow Xanadu base-level product, you will need to manage software asset processes manually using the available SAM Base Level Foundation features. This includes:

• Software normalization
• Basic software discovery and inventory tracking
• License record management
• Basic compliance reporting (without automated reconciliation)

If you’re looking to improve your asset management maturity within the constraints of the base model, consider:

• Implementing governance policies and manual workflows for software request, approval, and renewal.
• Using reports and dashboards to track compliance risks.
• Integrating with HAM to enhance asset lifecycle management.

Maturity Stages for SAM Base Model

Maturity Level	Description	Key Focus Areas	ServiceNow Base Features
Level 1: Initial (Reactive)	No formal SAM process, software tracked in spreadsheets or manually in ServiceNow.	– Identify software assets – Reduce compliance risks – Establish governance	– Manual software record creation – License tracking in ServiceNow tables – Manual reporting
Level 2: Developing (Organized)	Basic SAM processes established, data structured, and software records managed in ServiceNow.	– Software discovery – Normalization of software data – License compliance tracking	– ServiceNow Discovery (if available) – Software Model Normalization – Manual license assignment
Level 3: Defined (Proactive)	Defined SAM policies, active tracking, and license management to control costs and risks.	– Enforce governance processes – Improve license tracking – Manual contract and renewal tracking	– License Workbench (manual use) – Basic reports & dashboards – Contract Management (non-automated)
Level 4: Managed (Optimized)	Improved efficiency, alignment with IT processes, but still lacking automation.	– Improved compliance monitoring – Software request governance – Cost optimization	– Software Catalog for request governance – Manual lifecycle tracking – HAM integration for full asset tracking
Level 5: Optimized (Automated)	SAM is fully optimized, with minimal manual interventions, but requires SAM Pro for automation.	– Automated compliance enforcement – Software reclamation – Cost optimization insights	– Upgrade to SAM Pro for Playbooks & automated workflows

2-Year Asset Management Maturity Model

Maximizing Base-Level HAM & SAM without major customizations requires structured governance, process efficiency, and data quality improvements. Here’s a phased approach:

Phase 1: Foundations (0-6 Months)

• Data Cleanup & Governance: Standardize asset naming, ownership, and lifecycle statuses.
• Inventory & Visibility: Set up stockrooms for physical assets, integrate procurement tracking.
• Reporting & Compliance: Define KPIs and create baseline reports (aging hardware, active vs. inactive assets).

Phase 2: Process Standardization (6-12 Months)

• Refine Asset Lifecycle Management: Implement workflows for receipt, deployment, and retirement.
• Enhance Software Tracking: Identify unused applications and manually track compliance.
• Build Dashboards & Insights: Monitor aging hardware trends and license utilization.

Phase 3: Optimization & Value Demonstration (12-24 Months)

• Quarterly Asset Audits: Improve inventory accuracy and reduce ghost assets.
• Software Optimization: Establish license governance to prevent over-licensing.
• Cost Savings Tracking: Show value justification for an upgrade to Standard or Pro.

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Governance & Reporting Templates for Base-Level HAM/SAM

1. Asset Governance Policy

Role	Responsibilities
Asset Manager	Ensures asset records are accurate and complete.
Stockroom Manager	Manages hardware stock levels and transfers.
Finance	Tracks asset depreciation and cost allocation.
Security	Ensures compliance with software licensing policies.

2. Key ServiceNow Reports to Implement

Report Name	Purpose	Filter Configuration	Visualization
Aging Hardware Inventory	Identify outdated assets	Purchase Date < Today - 3 years	Bar Chart
Unassigned Stockroom Assets	Optimize asset allocation	State = In Stock	Pie Chart
Software License vs. Installations	Compliance tracking	Manual license tracking	Table View

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Performance Analytics vs. Manual Tracking in Base Level

Without Performance Analytics (PA), organizations must track HAM/SAM insights manually. Here’s a workaround using dashboards & scheduled reports:

Pro PA KPI	Base-Level Alternative
Asset Lifecycle Trends	Run monthly asset status reports & compare data manually.
Software Utilization	Track last-used dates & identify underutilized licenses.
Depreciation & Aging Reports	Export hardware purchase data and analyze in Excel.

By implementing structured reports and tracking manual trends, organizations can justify upgrades when asset volume or compliance risks demand Performance Analytics.

🔍 Predictive Intelligence & Machine Learning in HAM & SAM

Feature	HAM Base	HAM Standard	HAM Pro	SAM Base	SAM Standard	SAM Pro
AI-Powered Asset Insights	❌	❌	✅	❌	❌	✅
Predictive Asset Refresh Forecasting	❌	❌	✅	❌	❌	❌
Automated Stockroom Optimization	❌	❌	✅	❌	❌	❌
Machine Learning for License Optimization	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌	✅
Automated License Reclamation Recommendations	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌	✅
Software Normalization via AI	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌	✅

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🔹 HAM Pro: Predictive AI Features

• AI-Powered Asset Insights: Uses machine learning models to provide intelligent recommendations for optimizing hardware assets.
• Predictive Refresh Forecasting: Suggests hardware refresh cycles based on historical usage, age, and performance trends.
• Automated Stockroom Optimization: AI helps track inventory levels and predicts future demand for new hardware procurement.

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🔹 SAM Pro: AI & ML Capabilities

• Machine Learning for License Optimization: Identifies software that is over-purchased or underutilized using data patterns.
• Automated License Reclamation Recommendations: AI suggests which unused licenses should be reclaimed and reassigned.
• Software Normalization via AI: Uses Predictive Intelligence to identify, normalize, and categorize software titles automatically, reducing manual effort.

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Base & Standard Levels Lack AI Capabilities

Neither HAM Base/Standard nor SAM Base/Standard have Predictive Intelligence or Machine Learning features. Instead, organizations using Base or Standard must rely on manual reporting, rule-based workflows, and scheduled audits to track asset utilization and software compliance.

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When to Justify Upgrading to Pro for AI/ML

✅ If manual license tracking is inefficient → SAM Pro is needed for AI-driven reclamation.
✅ If aging hardware needs predictive replacement → HAM Pro helps with AI-driven refresh planning.
✅ If stock levels fluctuate unpredictably → HAM Pro uses AI for inventory forecasting.

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Conclusion: Unlocking Value Before Upgrading

✅ Short-Term Wins (0-6 months) – Clean up asset records, track stock levels, set up basic compliance reports.
✅ Mid-Term Improvements (6-12 months) – Standardize workflows, improve reporting, and start audits.
✅ Long-Term Gains (12-24 months) – Track ROI, optimize license management, and prepare for future upgrades.

By leveraging Base-Level HAM & SAM, organizations can reduce costs, improve compliance, and streamline IT asset processes before committing to ServiceNow Standard or Pro upgrades.

Other HAM & SAM Resources

• Determine where software is installed using the legacy Software Asset Management plugin
• Guided Setup HAM
• Hardware Asset Management integration with Zero Touch Mobility
• Hardware Asset Management licensing
• ITSM Software Asset Management
• Legacy Software Asset Management plugin Overview module
• Licensing framework for Hardware Asset Management solutions
• Roadmap CMDB-HAM-SAM Value Recognition
• SAM Playbooks
• Software discovery models in the legacy Software Asset Management plugin
• Software licenses in the legacy Software Asset Management plugin