Element
An Element is a specific instance of an asset in your organization — an actual server, application, database, or any other digital resource that has been registered in the Asset Registry.
If Element Types are the templates, Elements are the filled-in records that represent real assets in your environment.
Core concepts
What makes up an Element
Every Element carries the following:
| Component | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Element Type | The schema it follows | Server, Application |
| Properties | Actual values for each attribute defined by the type | IP: 192.168.1.10, storage_capacity: 500 GB |
| Domain | The organizational unit the asset belongs to | Finance, HR |
| Relationships | Connections to other assets | PayrollApp RUNS_ON Server_001 |
Example: a complete Element
Element: Server_001
Element Type: Server
Domain: Finance
Properties:
- name: Server_001
- IP: 192.168.1.10
- location: Data Center A
- storage_capacity: 500 GB
Relationships:
- PayrollApp RUNS_ON Server_001
- HR_DB HOSTED_ON Server_001
This describes a specific server assigned to the Finance department, with concrete property values and connections to the applications and databases it hosts.
Where Elements come from
Elements can be:
- Automatically discovered through integrations with external systems like AWS, Azure, or ServiceNow via Blueprints
- Manually created by users through the Asset Registry UI
- Correlated — manually entered and auto-discovered Elements representing the same asset are linked to avoid duplication
Creating an Element
Navigate to Elements in the top navigation bar and click + New Element.
The form opens in a slide-over panel with two tabs: Summary and Global.
Settings
Three toggles at the top of the panel control the Element's behavior:
| Toggle | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Active | On | Whether the Element is active in the registry |
| Built In | Off | Marks the Element as system-defined. Built-in elements cannot be edited or deleted |
| Auto Collect | Off | Enables automatic data collection for this element |
Summary tab
| Field | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Element Name | Text | Yes | A unique name for this asset. Duplicates are rejected with a validation error |
| Description | Text (multiline) | Yes | A description of the asset and its purpose |
| Element Type | Dropdown | Yes | The type this Element belongs to (e.g., Server, Application). This is the most important choice — it determines which properties appear in the Global tab. See Element Type |
| Domain | Dropdown | Yes | The organizational unit or business context for this asset. See Domain |
| Parent Element Type | Dropdown | No | Optionally set a parent type for hierarchical relationships. Supports search-as-you-type with server-side filtering |
| Parent Element | Dropdown | No | The specific parent Element within the selected parent type. Disabled until a Parent Element Type is selected. Filters out self and descendants to prevent circular references |
Global tab — Properties
The Global tab displays the properties defined by the Element's type, pre-populated as form fields. The available properties and their data types are determined entirely by the selected Element Type.
Supported property data types:
| Data type | Input control | Example |
|---|---|---|
string | Text input | Names, identifiers |
number, integer, float | Numeric input | Counts, scores, costs |
boolean | Dropdown (true / false) | Feature flags |
datetime | Date/time picker | Expiry dates, install dates |
enum | Dropdown with predefined values | Status, environment, lifecycle phase |
Properties marked as required on the Element Type must have values before the Element can be saved.
You can also add custom properties beyond those defined by the type using the Add Property button. Custom properties can be removed; type-defined properties cannot.
Viewing and editing
Click any row in the Elements table to open it in view mode. From there:
- Click the edit icon to switch to edit mode
- Click the delete icon to remove the Element (with confirmation)
In edit mode, system properties like lastUpdatedDate and createdDate are also visible.
Built-in elements display a warning banner and cannot be edited or deleted.
Best practices
- Select the Element Type first — the type drives which properties are available, so this should always be your first choice
- Keep properties clean and consistent — match naming conventions across source systems for easier correlation
- Use Domains to control visibility and ownership by team or function
- Establish parent relationships to build a richer, more navigable asset graph
- Enrich auto-discovered Elements with business context (owner, criticality, compliance tags) that integrations cannot provide