Start with the decisions, not the columns
Before cleaning the spreadsheet, decide which questions the new system must answer: What do we own? Where is it? Who is responsible for it? Is it available and safe to use? What should happen next?
Keep only fields that support action
Names, asset codes, serial numbers, locations, assignees, purchase information, warranty dates, and service status usually earn their place. Duplicated notes and historical formatting rarely do.
Normalize before you import
Choose one name for each location, category, and status. “Main office”, “HQ”, and “Office 1” should not become three places if they mean the same room.
Import a representative sample first
Use ten to twenty records that cover your real edge cases: an assigned laptop, a tool under repair, an item with quantity, and something without a serial number. Check the result before importing everything.
Make ownership part of the workflow
A clean first import will decay if updates are optional. Decide who records purchases, assignments, returns, maintenance, and retirement. The system becomes trustworthy when each real-world event has a simple corresponding action.