How Intune’s New Properties Catalog Improves Inventory Management

Microsoft Intune has just taken a leap forward with a feature that many IT administrators have been eagerly awaiting. The new Properties Catalog empowers organizations to collect custom inventory data from Intune-managed devices—all without the need for additional licensing. This core feature was unveiled at this year’s Microsoft Ignite event and makes collecting device inventory attributes very easy.

What’s New?

With the introduction of the Properties Catalog, Intune now provides a robust way to gather custom inventory from Windows devices. By creating a Properties Catalog profile in the Intune Admin Center, IT teams can capture additional hardware attributes that go beyond standard inventory. This enhancement leverages the Intune Data Platform, offering organizations deeper insights into their Windows fleet for more informed, data-driven decisions.

Creating a Properties Catalog Profile

Setting up the Properties Catalog is a straightforward process. Follow these steps to create and deploy your custom inventory profile:

1. Navigate to the Microsoft Intune Admin Center:
   1. Go to Devices > Windows > Configuration.
2. Create a New Policy:
   1. Click Create > New policy.
   1. Select Windows 10 and later > Properties catalog.
   1. Click Create.
3. Configure the Profile:
   1. Enter a Name for your profile and click Next.
   1. Click Add settings to browse and select the desired hardware properties for inventory collection, then click Next.
4. Assign the Policy:
   1. On the Assignments page, assign the profile to the required Users or Devices.
   1. Click Next, verify your settings, and finally click Create.

Note: Applying this profile will install an additional agent on the assigned devices. This agent is critical for performing the inventory tasks associated with the Properties Catalog.

How the Properties Catalog Works

The Properties Catalog profile enhances device inventory by collecting additional hardware attributes using the newly installed Microsoft Device Inventory Agent. Here’s what you need to know about its operation:

• Agent Operation:
  • The agent runs as a service under the name Microsoft Device Inventory Agent (InventoryService).
  • It stores the collected data locally in C:\Program Files\Microsoft Device Inventory Agent.
• Enhanced Inventory Capabilities:
  • The device inventory feature gathers the same data as the real-time Device Query but is optimized for reporting and analysis.
  • This allows organizations to maintain a detailed record of hardware configurations, making it easier to manage assets and plan for upgrades or maintenance.

Accessing Inventory Data via Microsoft Graph

One of the standout benefits of this new feature is the ability to programmatically access the inventory data through Microsoft Graph. This integration allows IT administrators to incorporate the data into automation workflows, further streamlining reporting and analysis. Here are two sample Graph API calls to get you started:

• Retrieve Inventory Information for a Device:

https://graph.microsoft.com/beta/deviceManagement/managedDevices('DEVICEID')/deviceInventories

• Retrieve Inventory Information for a Specific Collection Topic (e.g., Battery):

https://graph.microsoft.com/beta/deviceManagement/managedDevices('DEVICEID')/deviceInventories('Battery')?$expand=instances($expand=Microsoft.Graph.deviceInventorySimpleItem/properties)

These endpoints empower your team to build custom dashboards, automate alerts, or integrate with other IT management tools for a comprehensive view of your device landscape.

Conclusion: New Properties Catalog in Intune

The new Properties Catalog in Microsoft Intune marks a significant advancement in device inventory management. By providing a powerful, built-in solution for collecting detailed hardware attributes, it not only simplifies asset management but also enhances your ability to manage your fleet.

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