Inventory Control - Frequently Asked Questions

Inventory Control at WKU handles all assets that have an original value of $2,000 or more and all computers. Duties include tracking inventory, physically tagging assets, organizing fixed asset records, updating building codes, recording transfers, initiating disposals, and conducting campus-wide annual inventories.

An ICN tag (Inventory Control Number) is a unique identifier affixed to a WKU (state) owned asset for both tracking and insurance purposes.

Assets that have an original cost of $2,000 or more and all computers are tagged with Inventory Control Numbers.

For every asset, Inventory Control needs to gather several pieces of information in order to create a detailed record in Banner. Primarily, we will need to know the PO#, Ship to Code, Unit Price, Make, Model, Manufacturer, Serial#, Location, and Equipment Manager.

The Make is essentially the name of the asset, whereas the Model is the year or type of the asset. For example, a Dell OptiPlex 9020 computer would be entered as: Make: Dell OptiPlex, Model: 9020.

Please refer to the Inventory Tagging Guide for a breakdown of what should or should not be tagged.

If you are concerned that an asset has not been tagged but should have been, please email Inventory Control and we will investigate.

To initiate a transfer, please download and fill out the “Inventory Transfer Form” which can be found on Forms - Inventory Control. To complete the transfer, please email the completed document to inventorycontrol@wku.edu and copy the receiving party. This process will change as the Inventory Web App progresses.

Trade-ins must be handled by a Purchasing Agent. To initiate a trade in, please contact your Purchasing Agent and let them know the PO# of the asset you want to trade in and what you want to trade it in on.

If your department purchases an asset using grant funds, the asset will be flagged in Banner as a grant purchase. Inventory Control will affix a specialized ICN tag to the asset to indicate that it was purchased with a grant. Specialized Grant ICN tags have the phrase “Property of WKU Federal Grant” printed above the ICN on the tag. Other than the specialized tag and indicator in Banner, grant assets are inventoried the same as non-grant assets.

Any asset that has an original price of $2,000 or more and all computers need to be tagged by inventory control, regardless of acquisition method.

Yes, the funding source does not play into what gets inventoried or not, we base our tagging decisions on the original purchase price. As long as the asset belongs to WKU, and it is either over $2,000 or a computer, we tag it.

Items purchased with Foundation funds do not go through Topshop, so Inventory Control will create what’s called a Non-Procurement record for the asset. To get a Foundation purchased asset tagged, the requestor will need to contact Inventory Control.

There may be several versions of ICN tags on assets depending on the age of the asset.

If you can’t find an ICN you are looking for using the Web App, please consider utilizing the Banner ICN lookup feature here.

WKU has an arrangement with DELL to tag certain computer models before they are shipped to WKU. Currently OptiPlex and Latitude models are automatically tagged by Dell. If you receive a Dell computer without a tag please email Inventory Control.

Inventory Control is responsible for updating the ICNs for assets transferred to and from Surplus but does not physically handle Surplus. Please contact WKU Surplus for additional questions.

To surplus an asset, please visit https://www.wku.edu/recycling/ and submit a surplus pickup request. If you have questions or concerns, please contact Elizabeth Gafford (elizabeth.gafford@wku.edu).

Before surplussing a grant purchased asset, it is important to check with Grant Accounting to make sure that the asset is allowed to be surplussed. As long as Grant Accounting gives the 'OK' to dispose of an asset, the surplus procedures would be the same as for any other asset.