Snipe-IT was made for IT asset management, to enable IT departments to track who has which laptop, when it was purchased, which software licenses and accessories are available, and so on - although we've definitely seen folks using for non-IT asset tracking as well. Oil rigs, theater equipment, even human body parts! (We didn't ask too many questions about that last one.)

This project is actively developed and we release quite frequently. Check out the Snipe-IT website for a demo, a comprehensive list of features, screenshots and our announcements for updates on new versions.

Which Tool is Right?

There is sometimes confusion between different-but-similar systems to manage things. We've nicked the list below from Inventree (with their permission, of course) which breaks these different systems down in order to help clear things up.

Many times these systems work together, sometimes they do not - it really depends on organization needs. Some tools incorporate aspects of other tool types because they come up often in common use-cases, so there definitely is some overlap in many scenarios, but the tools themselves all really serve different primary purposes.

Inventory Management System (IMS)

Evolves around manufacturing of parts out of other parts. It keeps track of stock, part origin, orders, shelf life and more.

Part Library Management (PLM)

Keeps track of BOMs, part variants, possible substitutions, versions, IPNs and further part parameters. PLM can also mean product lifecycle management – those systems manage all stages from design through manufacturing up to customer support and recycling.

Material Resource Planning (MRP)

Material Requirements Planning software, is designed to assist businesses in effectively managing their manufacturing processes. It helps with the planning and control of inventory, production schedules, and procurement activities. MRP software utilizes various algorithms and data inputs, such as sales forecasts, production capacity, and bill of materials, to generate material requirements plans, schedule production orders, and optimize inventory levels.

Asset Management (AM)

Manages many unique items, which need tracking per part and are assignable to users / groups / locations. These systems often include features like item states, refurbishing / maintenance / reservation, or request-flows. Often these systems are used for IT-Hardware (then they are called ITAM). A good open-source example would be Snipe-IT (that's us!).

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)

Is the centre of your business. It manages timesheets, warehousing, finances (prices, taxes, …), customer relations and more. InvenTree covers parts of this but aims to keep an intuitive and simple user interface. Popular, fully fledged ERPs are ERPNext or odoo.

Customer Relationship Manager (CRM)

Customer relationship management (CRM) is a technology for managing all your company's relationships and interactions with customers and potential customers.

Manufacturing Execution System (MES)

A Manufacturing Execution System (MES), oversees, monitors, records, and manages the entire manufacturing process from raw materials to finalized products.