Check IT Software Inventory on a Scheduled Basis

This standard operating procedure (SOP) outlines the steps for performing a quarterly inventory of all software installed on computers at AdvaCare.

Regular software inventories are important for several reasons:

• Allow the IT department to maintain an accurate record of approved software.
• Ensure licensing compliance.
• Uninstall unused programs.
• Identify potential security risks from unapproved software.

This SOP applies to all computers owned by AdvaCare and used by employees. It includes both desktop and laptop devices running Windows operating systems.

In this process, two roles (people) from the IT department are involved:

• IT Operations Supervisor is responsible for running software inventory scans and compiling the results.
• The IT Manager reviews inventory results and determines actions to take regarding adding/removing software.

The process for carrying out the inventory is described below:

1. Access the IT Software Inventory spreadsheet. This contains the list of all productivity software currently approved for use at AdvaCare.
2. Use Action1 to generate a report of all software installed on company computers and compare this against the approved software list.
3. For approved software, verify it is still actively used and remove any outdated or unused applications.
4. Check for new versions of approved software and upgrade as needed.

Note: Applications that are not licensed, e.g. Adobe applications, should not be updated.





5. Identify any unapproved software titles that show up on the scans. Compile these into a list for the IT Manager to review.
6. The IT Manager will review the list of unapproved software and determine if any titles should be added to the approved list or removed from computers.
7. Once the IT Manager approves any changes, the IT Operations Supervisor will take the appropriate actions:
• Add newly approved software to the master inventory spreadsheet.
• Install new approved software.
• Uninstall prohibited software.
• Document any changes made.
8. Update the software inventory spreadsheet with current state after changes are made.
9. Set a reminder to repeat this software inventory process each quarter.

This SOP should be performed every 3 months. Completing the inventory scan and compiling results takes approximately 1 hour.

Inventory results and changes are recorded in the master IT Software Inventory spreadsheet. The IT Operations Supervisor also documents any uninstall/install actions taken.