Infor Lawson Asset Management: A Practical User Guide

Infor Lawson Asset Management is the fixed asset module in Lawson financials. It records assets, calculates depreciation by book, handles adjustments, transfers and disposals, and sends journal entries to the General Ledger. Most of the work follows one cycle: set up, add assets, run depreciation, process changes, review reports, release and close the period.

Key takeaways

  • Setup choices (books, classes, depreciation methods) drive every later calculation, so get them right first.
  • Assets can be added manually, from templates, or in bulk from Accounts Payable and Project Accounting.
  • Transactions are reviewed on reports before release; released entries flow to the General Ledger.
  • Disposal records cannot be edited after creation, only deleted and re-added.
  • Close each fiscal period and year-end in order to keep books in sync.

What does Lawson Asset Management do?

According to Infor's Asset Management User Guide for Lawson applications version 10, the module covers setup, bar coding, adding assets, adjustments, transfers, disposals, physical inventory, period and year-end closing, listings, reports and audits. It is an accounting tool for capitalized property, not a maintenance system. If you need work orders and maintenance history, that is a separate category of software.

The module connects to other Lawson applications. Infor's documentation describes these interfaces:

  • Accounts Payable: releasing an invoice tied to an asset template sends the data needed to create the asset.
  • Project Accounting: completed activity costs can create assets.
  • Lease Management: supplies data for leased assets.
  • General Ledger: receives journal entries for additions, adjustments, transfers, disposals and depreciation.
  • Infor Process Automation: can send notifications when assets are released, transferred or disposed.

For other ways to get data in and out of Infor systems, see our overview of Infor API and ION integration options.

How do you set up Asset Management?

Infor's guide states that setup tasks must be completed before you add an asset. Plan these with finance and tax before go-live:

  • Books: typically a posting book for financial reporting plus separate books for tax or other bases.
  • Depreciation methods: define calculation methods and asset class depreciation rates. For US tax books, align with IRS Publication 946, which explains MACRS and the Section 179 election.
  • Asset classes and templates: defaults that fill in lives, methods and accounts.
  • Reporting and processing parameters: locations, divisions and options that control journal display and release.
  • Attributes: Attribute Matrix values used for sorting and reporting.

The core asset lifecycle

TaskWhat happensPractical tip
Add assetsManual entry, addition templates, mass additions from AP or Project Accounting, or interfaced non-Lawson assetsUse templates to reduce keying errors
Calculate depreciationPeriod depreciation runs for each bookReview results before closing the period
AdjustChange cost, life or method for one asset or a group (mass adjustment)Document the reason for each adjustment
TransferMove individual or multiple assets between locations or accountsHandheld terminals can support transfers
DisposeFull or partial disposal with gain or loss calculated per bookRun the disposal report before release
CloseClose fiscal period, year-end or short year-endFollow the documented order every time

Disposals step by step

Infor's documentation for disposing of individual assets outlines this flow:

  1. Open Disposals (AM40.1). Enter the disposal type, proceeds and expense, and choose Full (the default) or Partial.
  2. For a partial disposal, select items and quantities on AM40.2.
  3. Review the gain or loss per book on AM40.3, where you can override proceeds or disposal depreciation and record a deferred gain or loss for a like-kind exchange.
  4. Review journal entries on AM40.4 if the asset has a posting book.
  5. Run the Disposal Report (AM240) with Release set to N to verify.
  6. Release online from AM40.1 or in batch with Processing Release (AM170).

You cannot edit a disposal record after it is created. To fix an error, delete the record and add it again.

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

  • Skipping report review: always run the relevant report with release off before releasing.
  • Inconsistent classes: assets in the wrong class get the wrong life and method across all books.
  • Ignoring AP integration: capital purchases keyed twice create duplicates.
  • Late period close: depreciation and GL balances drift when closes are skipped.
  • Manual spreadsheets on the side: if teams need extracts, a supported tool is safer; see our guide to the Infor Lawson Excel Add-in.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Lawson Asset Management the same as enterprise asset management?

No. Lawson Asset Management is a financial fixed asset module that tracks cost, depreciation and disposals for accounting. Enterprise asset management software focuses on maintenance, work orders, spare parts and equipment reliability. Many organizations run both, linking them through shared asset identifiers so finance and maintenance teams refer to the same physical items.

Can I dispose of many assets at once?

Infor's user guide includes a chapter on disposing of assets that covers more than individual disposals, and bulk disposal questions also come up in Infor's community forums. Check the guide for your exact version and test any mass process in a non-production environment first, reviewing the disposal report before release.

Where can I find the official Lawson Asset Management user guide?

Infor publishes documentation for Lawson applications on its documentation site, docs.infor.com. The Asset Management User Guide for version 10 includes chapters on setup, adding assets, adjustments, transfers, disposals, inventory, closing, reports and audits. Confirm you are reading the guide that matches the release your organization runs, since forms and options can differ.

Next steps

Pull your current asset class list and depreciation methods and confirm them with your tax advisor. Then document your period-close checklist, including which reports to review before each release. If you are planning a move off Lawson, our guide to choosing a legacy modernization path can help frame the decision.

Last reviewed: October 2026.

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