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Forge — Schema Engine

Forge is Computtite's dynamic schema engine. It is the mechanism that allows you to define exactly what data you collect for each category of asset, without being constrained to a fixed set of columns decided by a vendor. Most ITAM tools give you a rigid table — Computtite gives you a blank canvas. Forge is accessible from Settings → Forge or the dedicated Forge icon in the sidebar.

Asset Types

An Asset Type is a named category definition. It has a label, an icon for visual identification, and a list of fields. You can create as many asset types as your inventory requires — Laptops, Servers, Monitors, IP Phones, Access Points, POS Terminals, Vehicles, Lab Instruments, and so on.

Each asset type can be enabled or disabled. Disabling a type hides it from the asset browser and registration forms but preserves all existing assets of that type. This is useful when a category of equipment is retired from active use but you need to keep historical records.

Field Types — Primitives

When adding a field to an asset type, you choose a base type from the following primitives:

  • text: Single-line text. Used for names, model numbers, serial numbers, descriptions, addresses, notes. Supports length validation (minLength, maxLength) and format validation (see below).
  • textarea: Multi-line text. Used for longer descriptions, notes, or configuration snippets. Same validation options as text but rendered as a multi-line input.
  • number: Numeric value (integer or decimal). Supports min/max bounds, unique constraint, and display formatting (see below).
  • date: A calendar date (stored as ISO 8601 string). Rendered with a date picker. Used for purchase dates, warranty expirations, lease end dates, calibration dates, etc. Date fields can be used as the source for derived temporal fields.
  • boolean: A true/false toggle. Used for "Has warranty?", "Is portable?", "Company-owned?", "Encrypted?", etc. Rendered as a checkbox or toggle in forms.
  • select: A single-selection dropdown. You define the list of options when creating the field. Used for statuses, categories, condition levels (Good/Fair/Poor), OS types, etc.
  • multiselect: Like select, but allows choosing multiple options simultaneously. Useful for tagging assets with multiple attributes (e.g., which software bundles are installed, which compliance frameworks apply).

Field Types — Derived (Temporal Computations)

Derived fields are calculated automatically from an existing date field. They update every day without any manual intervention — no scheduled jobs, no edits required. To create one, you pick an existing date field in the same asset type as the source.

  • days_since: Number of days since the source date. Example: "Days since purchase". Shows how long ago an item was acquired.
  • days_until: Number of days until the source date. Example: "Days until warranty expires". Shows 0 when expired, negative numbers for overdue.
  • months_since: Number of full months since the source date. Useful for depreciation calculations or service interval tracking.
  • years_since: Number of full years since the source date. Example: "Age of device (years)". Useful for refresh cycle planning.

Derived fields appear as read-only columns in the asset list and detail panel. Because they're computed at runtime, they are always current — a field that says "Days until warranty expires: 45" yesterday will show 44 today without any updates to the asset record.

Validation Formats (Text Fields)

Text and textarea fields support format validation to ensure data quality. When a validation format is set, Computtite checks the value against the pattern on save and shows an inline error if it doesn't match. The built-in formats are:

  • email: Standard RFC 5322 email address.
  • phone: International phone number format.
  • url: HTTP/HTTPS URL.
  • ip: IPv4 address (e.g., 192.168.1.1).
  • mac: MAC address in standard colon-separated notation (e.g., AA:BB:CC:DD:EE:FF).
  • imei: Mobile device IMEI number (15-digit Luhn-validated).
  • serial: Generic serial number — alphanumeric, common separator characters allowed.
  • uuid: RFC 4122 UUID format.
  • license_key: Software license key format (groups of alphanumeric characters separated by hyphens).
  • custom: Define your own pattern. You also set a hint message that appears as an error when the value doesn't match, e.g., "Must be 8 alphanumeric characters starting with LAP-".

Display Formats (Number Fields)

Number fields can have a display format that transforms the raw number into a human-friendly representation in the UI without changing the stored value:

  • currency: Formats as currency with thousands separators and 2 decimal places (e.g., 1234.5 → $1,234.50).
  • percentage: Appends a percent sign (e.g., 75 → 75%).
  • storage_gb: Auto-scales from GB to TB if the value exceeds 1000 (e.g., 512 → 512 GB, 2048 → 2 TB). Useful for disk and RAM fields.
  • duration_hours: Converts a decimal hour count to hours and minutes (e.g., 2.5 → 2h 30m).
  • network_mbps: Auto-scales from Mbps to Gbps (e.g., 1000 → 1 Gbps). Useful for network interface speed fields.

Additional Field Options

Beyond type and format, each field supports:

  • Required: Forces the field to be filled in before an asset of this type can be saved. Required fields are marked with an asterisk in registration forms.
  • Unique: Enforces that no two assets of the same type can have the same value for this field within the workspace. Used for serial numbers, asset tags, and equipment IDs.
  • Default value: A pre-filled value when opening the registration form, which the user can change. Reduces repetitive data entry for fields that are the same for most assets.

Template Library

When creating a new asset type manually (outside of the initial Forge wizard), Computtite offers a library of pre-built templates as a starting point. The library covers 24+ asset categories across multiple industries:

  • Compute: Laptop, Desktop, Server, Tablet, Thin Client, All-in-One
  • Networking: Router, Switch, Access Point, Firewall, Load Balancer, Modem
  • Peripherals: Monitor, Printer, Scanner, Projector, UPS, External Drive
  • Communication: IP Phone, Smartphone, Headset
  • Commerce: POS Terminal, Barcode Scanner, Receipt Printer
  • Healthcare: Medical Equipment, Patient Device, Lab Instrument
  • Transport: Vehicle
  • Generic: Generic Asset (blank slate with only name and notes)

Each template comes pre-loaded with fields typical for that category and includes locale-aware labels in both English and Spanish. Selecting a template populates the field list as a starting point — you can add, remove, reorder, and modify any field before saving the type.

Modifying Existing Types

You can edit an asset type at any time from the Forge editor. Adding new fields is always safe — existing assets simply won't have values for the new field until they are updated. Modifying a field's label, display format, or validation is also safe and retroactive (the field editor updates the definition, and all assets are rendered with the new definition going forward).

Deactivating a field hides it from the registration form and asset list, but the underlying data is preserved in the database. Reactivating a field makes it visible again with all previously entered values intact.

Deleting an asset type entirely removes the type definition and all assets of that type. Computtite asks for confirmation and warns about how many assets will be deleted. This operation is not reversible.