What is Average Deployment Time in IT Asset Operations?
Average Deployment Time is the average amount of time it takes to prepare and deliver an IT asset so it is fully ready for use. In simple terms, the average deployment time measures how long it takes to go from “We need a device for user A” to “User A can start using the device now.”
This time is usually measured in hours or in days, which applies to assets like laptops, desktops, phones, etc., any equipment assigned to employees and handled by the IT support team.
What Actually Happens during the Deployment Time?
Deployment is often misunderstood. It involves more than handing someone a laptop. Let's examine this workflow to understand the asset deployment process.
Say a company is onboarding a new employee. Look at a typical onboarding scenario and see how deployment time builds up step by step.
Step 1: Onboarding request is created and approved
⏱ Time: 0–4 hours
HR submits an onboarding request for a new employee who is starting next week.
Because this is a standard role, the request is already approved by policy.
📌 Deployment time starts here.
If the request includes all necessary information (e.g., start date, required equipment, and software needed to be installed for that newcomer), IT can act immediately. If details are missing, this step may take a full day of back-and-forth emails.
Step 2: IT receives and reviews the request
⏱ Time: 1–8 hours
The IT admin or IT support team receives the request, looks at the asset inventory, and asks:
- Do we already have a laptop available? Is it the right model and condition?
- License seat availability for the requested software?
If asset data is unclear or outdated, whether hardware or software, this step can slow everything down. Good asset visibility often saves the most time here.
Step 3: Device preparation and setup
⏱ Time: 2–8 hours (or more)
This is where most of the hands-on work happens. The IT admin prepares the laptop by:
- Applying the company’s standard operating system image
- Enrolling the device in MDM software (for example, Microsoft Intune)
- Installing required tools based on the employee’s role (such as Adobe Photoshop for designers or development tools for engineers)
- Applying security and compliance settings
- Labeling the device and recording its details
Step 4: Asset assignment and documentation
⏱ Time: 10–45 minutes (manual) | 1–5 minutes (automated)
Once the device is ready, the IT admin needs to:
- Assigns the laptop to the new employee
- Links it to a department or cost center
- Marks the asset as “In Use” in the IT asset management (ITAM) system
There is an uncomfortable truth, which is that this step is often quick, yet the least enjoyable, especially when data entry is done manually.
Step 5: Device handover to the employee
⏱ Time: Same day or next business day
The laptop is delivered or picked up. The employee logs in and confirms everything works.
📌 Deployment time ends here, when the employee can start working.
What Causes Long Deployment Time
Once you map out the deployment process, it becomes easier to see where time quietly slips away.
In most cases, delays follow the same order as the workflow itself. Most significantly, they occur when:
1. At the request stage: unclear or late information
Deployment begins with an onboarding request, but delays often start right here. Common issues include:
- Missing start dates
- Unclear roles or device requirements
- Last-minute changes
Each missing detail creates back-and-forth before IT can even begin. What looks like a simple request can easily turn into hours of waiting.
2. During asset availability checks: poor visibility
Once a request is clear, IT needs to know what assets are actually available. If asset data is incomplete or outdated, IT admins end up:
- Searching storage rooms
- Double-checking spreadsheets
- Manually verifying device details
This step should take minutes. Without clear visibility, it can take much longer—and often delays everything that follows.
3. During documentation: manual data entry
Manual data entry is repetitive, time-consuming, and easy to postpone. However, skipping or rushing this step creates real problems later. If asset records are incomplete or outdated:
- The team loses track of who is using what
- Assets appear “missing” during the next deployment
- Replacements and reassignments take longer
- Inventory data becomes unreliable
We need an automated IT asset management system to reduce manual data entry and maintain reliable inventory data.
How to Calculate Average Deployment Time
Average deployment time is calculated by dividing the total deployment time for all deployed assets by the total number of assets deployed.
Average Deployment Time = Total Deployment Time for All Assets ÷ Total Number of Deployed Assets
In this calculation:
- Deployment time starts when an asset request is created
- Deployment time ends when the asset is ready for the user to work
This simple formula helps IT teams understand how efficiently assets are being deployed over time.
How IT Admins Reduce the Average Deployment Time?
By now, one thing should be clear: Average deployment time is not slowed down by IT skill. It’s slowed down by lack of visibility and control. The most effective improvements usually come from process and visibility, not from more effort.
Here’s what actually makes a difference.
1. Standardize what can be standardized
Every exception slows deployment. By standardizing:
- Device models
- Operating system images
- Core software packages
IT admins reduce decision-making and repeated setup work. Standardization turns deployment from a custom task into a repeatable process - and repeatable processes are always faster.
2. Keep real-time visibility into assets
You can’t deploy what you can’t see.
Knowing:
- Which devices are available
- Which are reserved
- Which are already assigned
removes guesswork and prevents delays caused by searching or double-checking inventory. Clear asset visibility often saves more time than any other single improvement.
Centralize assets with AssetLoom
3. Prepare devices ahead of demand
Waiting for a request before preparing a device almost guarantees delays.
Keeping a small number of:
- Ready-to-deploy laptops
- Pre-configured standard devices
- or a pre-defined kit of devices, software, etc., for the employees’ onboarding process
allows IT to respond immediately to onboarding and replacements. Preparation turns deployment from reactive to proactive.
Employee Onboarding Asset Kit in AssetLoom
Learn more: Predefined Kits in ITAM
4. Automate what can be automated
Asset status changes constantly during deployment. A laptop moves from being available, to reserved, to assigned, and eventually returned. When these changes rely on manual updates, the process quietly breaks down.
This is where automation makes a real difference. With an automated asset tracking system:
- Asset status updates happen automatically when an asset is assigned or returned
- Ownership changes are logged immediately, no more manual tracking.
- Deployment no longer depends on someone remembering to update a spreadsheet
Automation removes one of the most dull and error-prone parts of deployment.
Automatically update asset status when it is assigned or returned in AssetLoom
To Sum Up
Average deployment time measures how long it takes, on average, to deploy an IT asset from the moment it is requested to the moment a user can start working. It captures the full deployment process, including requests, preparation, setup, assignment, and handover.
By understanding what is included in deployment time and how it accumulates across each step, IT teams can better evaluate how efficiently assets are being delivered. Average Deployment Time provides a clear, practical way to assess deployment performance and identify opportunities to improve consistency and reliability in IT operations.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What does Average Deployment Time measure?
Average Deployment Time measures how long it takes, on average, to deploy an IT asset from request to ready-to-use. It includes the entire process, not just technical setup.
2. When does deployment time start and end?
Deployment time usually starts when an asset request is created and approved, and ends when the user receives the asset and can begin working. Any waiting, preparation, or documentation time in between is included.
3. Why is Average Deployment Time important for IT teams?
It helps IT teams understand how efficient their deployment process is. A long or inconsistent deployment time often points to issues such as poor asset visibility, manual tracking, or unclear workflows.
4. What are the most common reasons deployment time is slow?
Deployment time is most often slowed by:
- Unclear or incomplete requests
- Difficulty finding available assets
- Manual data entry and outdated records
5. How can IT asset management software help reduce deployment time?
IT asset management software like AssetLoom helps by keeping asset data accurate and up to date, automating status changes, and making it easy to see what assets are available. This reduces manual work, prevents tracking errors, and makes deployments faster and more predictable.
AssetLoom is the IT Asset Operations Platform (AssetOps) that gives organizations total control over their hardware, software, contracts, and workflows. By unifying lifecycle management, financial optimization, governance, and automation, AssetLoom delivers visibility and operational control across the entire IT environment.
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