Asset Value Report - Track Total Asset Worth and Depreciation

Overview

Asset Value Reports show the financial worth of your assets, including original purchase costs, accumulated depreciation, and current book values. These reports support financial reporting, balance sheet preparation, insurance documentation, and capital planning.

UniAsset automatically calculates depreciation using straight-line methods and provides real-time asset valuation without manual calculations.

Who Can Access This

View Asset Values:

• Owner
• Admin
• Manager

Generate Value Reports:

• Owner
• Admin
• Manager

Export Value Reports:

• Owner
• Admin

How to Access This Section

Depreciation Report

1. Go to Reports in the sidebar
2. Click the Depreciation tab
3. View summary metrics:
   • Total Purchase Cost
   • Total Depreciation
   • Total Book Value
4. Review detailed asset-by-asset depreciation

Individual Asset Values

1. Go to Assets > Click an asset
2. View Depreciation card showing:
   • Purchase cost
   • Accumulated depreciation
   • Current book value
   • Depreciation rate

Configuration / Page Breakdown

Asset Value Metrics

Purchase Cost

• Original acquisition price
• Entered during asset creation
• Does not change over time
• Forms the basis for depreciation

Depreciation

• Reduction in asset value over time
• Calculated using straight-line method
• Based on category settings (useful life or depreciation rate)
• Calculated automatically

Accumulated Depreciation

• Total depreciation since purchase
• Increases each year asset is owned
• Caps at purchase cost (book value cannot go negative)

Book Value (Net Book Value)

• Purchase Cost - Accumulated Depreciation
• Represents current estimated value
• Used for balance sheets and financial statements

Depreciation Calculation Methods

UniAsset uses straight-line depreciation:

Method 1: Useful Life (Years)

Annual Depreciation = Purchase Cost / Useful Life Years
Accumulated Depreciation = Annual Depreciation × Years Owned
Book Value = Purchase Cost - Accumulated Depreciation

Method 2: Depreciation Rate (%)

Annual Depreciation = Purchase Cost × Depreciation Rate
Accumulated Depreciation = Annual Depreciation × Years Owned
Book Value = Purchase Cost - Accumulated Depreciation

Example:

• Laptop: $1,500 purchase cost
• Useful life: 3 years
• Annual depreciation: $1,500 / 3 = $500/year
• After 2 years: Book value = $1,500 - ($500 × 2) = $500

Depreciation Report Structure

Summary Cards:

• Total Asset Value - Sum of all purchase costs
• Total Depreciation - Sum of accumulated depreciation
• Net Book Value - Total purchase cost minus depreciation

Detailed Table:

• Asset name (linked)
• Category
• Department
• Purchase cost
• Purchase date
• Accumulated depreciation
• Book value
• Depreciation rate/useful life

Export Option:

• CSV download for accounting software
• Includes all depreciation calculations

Common Use Cases

Preparing Balance Sheet

Finance needs asset values for quarterly balance sheet.

Steps:

1. Go to Reports > Depreciation
2. Note summary values:
   • Total Asset Value (Fixed Assets line item)
   • Total Depreciation (Accumulated Depreciation line item)
   • Net Book Value (Net Fixed Assets line item)
3. Export CSV for detailed backup
4. Provide to accounting team

Insurance Valuation

Insurance company asks for total asset value.

Steps:

1. Go to Reports > Depreciation
2. Decision point:
   • Replacement value: Use Total Asset Value (purchase costs)
   • Actual cash value: Use Net Book Value (depreciated)
3. Export report as documentation
4. Some insurers require replacement cost, not depreciated value

Capital Planning

You need to forecast asset replacement budget.

Steps:

1. Go to Reports > Depreciation
2. Export to CSV
3. Filter assets where:
   • Book value < 20% of purchase cost = Fully depreciated
   • Years owned > Useful life = Replacement due
4. Sum purchase costs for assets needing replacement
5. Budget accordingly

Tax Reporting

Accountant needs depreciation schedule for tax filings.

Steps:

1. Go to Reports > Depreciation
2. Export CSV with:
   • Purchase date
   • Purchase cost
   • Accumulated depreciation
   • Book value
3. Filter by assets purchased in tax year
4. Provide to accountant for Schedule C or corporate tax returns

Best Practices

Record accurate purchase costs

• Depreciation calculations depend on purchase cost
• Include taxes and fees if your accounting policy requires
• Update if you discover errors

Set realistic useful life values

• Use IRS guidelines or manufacturer specifications
• Common values:
  • Computers: 3-5 years
  • Furniture: 7-10 years
  • Vehicles: 5-8 years
  • Machinery: 10-15 years

Configure depreciation at category level

• Set useful life or rate per category
• All assets in category inherit same depreciation
• Override per-asset only if necessary

Review depreciation annually

• Compare UniAsset values to accounting records
• Adjust if major discrepancies found
• Sync with fiscal year-end reporting

Don't depreciate consumables

• Depreciation applies to fixed assets only
• Consumables are expensed when used
• Filter asset type = STANDARD for depreciation reports

Understand tax vs. book depreciation

• UniAsset uses straight-line (financial reporting)
• Tax depreciation may use MACRS or other methods
• Consult accountant for tax filings

Important Notes & Limitations

Depreciation requires purchase cost and date

• Assets without purchase cost show no depreciation
• Assets without purchase date cannot calculate age
• Incomplete data = incomplete depreciation

Only straight-line depreciation supported

• No accelerated methods (MACRS, double-declining)
• For tax purposes, accountant may need to adjust
• UniAsset focuses on book value, not tax depreciation

Book value cannot go negative

• Depreciation caps at purchase cost
• Fully depreciated assets show $0 book value
• Asset may still have market value even if book value is zero

Depreciation is based on calendar years

• Not fiscal years or custom periods
• Calculated from purchase date to current date
• Accountants may need to prorate for fiscal year reporting

Category settings apply to all assets

• Changing category depreciation rate affects all assets in category
• Historical depreciation is recalculated
• Be careful when adjusting category settings

Employee role cannot see value reports

• Asset values are sensitive financial data
• Requires Manager role or above

Frequently Asked Questions

Why doesn't my depreciation match my tax return?

UniAsset uses straight-line depreciation for book value. Tax depreciation often uses MACRS or Section 179 expensing, which differs. Use UniAsset for financial statements, consult accountant for tax filings.

Can I change the depreciation method?

No. UniAsset only supports straight-line depreciation. This is standard for financial reporting. If you need different methods for tax purposes, calculate separately.

What if I don't know the original purchase cost?

Estimate based on similar equipment, current replacement cost, or invoices. Even approximate values enable depreciation tracking. Update if exact costs are found.

Do I need to manually calculate depreciation each month?

No. UniAsset calculates depreciation in real-time based on purchase date. Open the Depreciation Report anytime for current values.

Can I export depreciation for my accounting software?

Yes. Export the Depreciation Report to CSV. Import into QuickBooks, Xero, or Excel for journal entries.

How do I handle assets purchased before using UniAsset?

Enter the original purchase date and cost. UniAsset will calculate accumulated depreciation from the purchase date forward, accounting for years already owned.