Already a NinjaOne customer? Log in to view more guides and the latest updates.

NinjaOne Endpoint Management: Getting Started With NinjaOne IT Asset Management

  • Last Updated March 9, 2026

Topic

This article explains how to enable and use the NinjaOne IT Asset Management (ITAM) feature.

Environment

NinjaOne Endpoint Management

Description

NinjaOne ITAM extends the NinjaOne platform so you can track and manage the lifecycle of any item you want within NinjaOne.

Select a category to learn more:

Enable the Product

To use this feature, you must manually enable it. Perform the following steps:

  1. In NinjaOne, navigate to Administration → Apps → Installed and select NinjaOne IT Asset Management.
  2. Click Enable.

Configure the Asset Fields

Once NinjaOne ITAM is enabled, three tabs will appear in the app.

Open the Asset fields tab and then click Edit to configure the default settings. This data is tracked for all managed assets.

itam_asset fields_edit.png
Figure 1: Configure asset field data for ITAM

In the General section, select the default currency that your assets will use.

Then, open the Asset IDs tab to configure identification settings for your assets. You can automatically generate identification numbers, prefixes, and suffixes for new and existing assets. If the ID type is set to Sequence, the Next sequence number value sets the starting point for generating the next ID if no existing ID exceeds the current value.

edit asset field settings.png
Figure 2: Edit asset field settings

Configure the Entity Relationships

You can use NinjaOne ITAM to create global entity-to-entity relationships, which provide the ability to extend the functionality of a traditional database through connections between assets.

From the Entity relationships tab, you can create, read, update, and delete custom relationships between assets. You cannot edit or delete automated relationships, but you can deactivate them.

About Entity Relationships

Entity relationships use configuration items (CIs) to denote the device, component, or other table entry that could be related to another device, component, or entry. You may notice CIs referred to as "entities" by other applications.

In this context, a relationship is a type of connection between devices that is typically directional, which means the relationship has a source and a target. You can use relationships to monitor the following reports:

  • Impact analysis
  • Root cause analysis
  • Change management
  • Service mapping

NinjaOne provides the following relationship types by default:

Relationship TypeDescription or Purpose
Depends on; Used byThis indicates that a CI depends on another to function (App → Database).
Runs on; HostsThis indicates that a CI runs on another CI (App → Server or VM → Host).
Connected toThis is a generic connection, often used for networking hardware.
Contained in; ContainsThis indicates that a CI is part of a larger CI (VM → Cluster, File → Folder).
Backs up; Backed up byThis defines data backup or recovery relationship.
Monitored by; MonitorsThis indicates a CI is being monitored (App → Monitoring Tool).
Installed on; InstallsThis shows deployment (Software → Machine).
Owned by; OwnsThis links CI to an owner, such as a person, team, or department.
Connected viaThis describes a CI connected through a specific path or medium, which could be a cable.
Part of; Has PartThis is used in hardware to show a component structure (Disk → Server).
Impacts; Impacted byThis defines service dependencies for impact analysis.
Requires; Required byThis is similar to depends on, used in service design.
Relates toThis is a catch-all for non-hierarchical associations.
Accessed by; AccessesThis shows user or system access to a CI (User → System).
Deployed onThis indicates that a CI is deployed on another CI (Docker container → Kubernetes node).
Supports; Supported byThis indicates support structure or fallback (Primary server → Secondary server).
Replaces; Replaced byThe CIs have been retired and replaced by a new CI.

Create a Custom Entity Relationship

You can create custom relationships to define or add custom capabilities. You will provide the capability and then build the out-of-the-box functionality within the tool.

Creating an entity relationship in the NinjaOne ITAM app will make the relationship accessible on the dashboards, where you can define relationships and entity types for specific organizations and devices. Refer to the section Manage Assets from the NinjaOne Dashboards within this article for more information.

To create an entity relationship, perform the following steps:

  1. Open the Entity relationships tab and click Add relationship.
itam_entity relationships_add.png
Figure 3: Add a new custom entity relationship

The Add relationship configuration dialog appears.

  1. Assign the Relationship name a unique identifier.
  2. When you select the Includes a reciprocal relationship checkbox, an additional field appears for Reciprocal relationship name. Assign the Reciprocal relationship name a unique identifier.
  3. In the Description field, explain how to use the relationship type.
  4. Click Add.
ITAM_edit relationship.png
Figure 4: Add details for a new custom entity relationship
  1. To edit, deactivate, or delete the custom relationship, move your mouse cursor over the row and click the ellipsis menu.
itam_entity relationships_edit or delete.png
Figure 5: Manage a custom entity relationship

Configure Unmanaged Roles

When configuring unmanaged roles and custom fields, you can optionally import data from a pre-configured library of common asset types to aid in setting up the unmanaged device.

  1. Open the Unmanaged roles tab and click Import.
itam_unmanaged roles_import.png
Figure 6: Import an unmanaged role
  1. Click the applicable buttons to expand and show or collapse and hide all category items, or click the arrows next to the category name.
  2. Click the category name that you would like to import. This import will include all items contained in the category, along with any associated custom fields and tabs.
  3. Click Continue.
itam_unmanaged roles_import categories modal.png
Figure 7: Select the unmanaged category to import
  1. Select a destination folder for the new category. To create a new folder, select the top category for Unmanaged Devices.
  2. Click Import.

The new category appears in the specified location in the Unmanaged Roles table in the ITAM application and at Administration → Devices → Roles. You can further manage roles by moving your mouse cursor over the row and clicking the ellipsis menu. You can only delete the category folder after deleting all of its child categories. To learn more about working with unmanaged device roles in NinjaOne, refer to User Roles and Permissions to learn more about end user and technician permissions.

Assign technicians permission to view, update, and delete device roles for unmanaged devices in Permissions: IT Asset Management.

Ensure that the technician has access to Device Administration in Permissions: System.

Manage Assets from the NinjaOne Dashboards

Technicians with permission to access the NinjaOne ITAM feature can manage assets from the end user, organization, and device dashboards.

Organization Assets

From the organization dashboard, you can manage licenses and asset relationships. Select the applicable option from the Assets tab.

ITAM_organization assets tab.png
Figure 9: Manage assets from the organization dashboard in NinjaOne

For more information about managing licenses, refer to NinjaOne Dashboards: Assets.

Device Assets

From the organization dashboard, you can manage asset fields, licenses, and relationships. Select the applicable option from the Assets tab.

device dashboard_asset tab.png
Figure 10: Manage assets from the device dashboard in NinjaOne

Additional Resources

Refer to the following resources to learn more about the NinjaOne ITAM feature:

FAQ

Next Steps