Free AI System Inventory Template
Build one reliable register of the AI your organisation actually uses. This free Excel starter helps you document AI tools, embedded AI features, APIs, internally developed systems and agents — together with ownership, data, decision role, oversight, risk, evidence and review dates.
No email gate · Editable Excel workbook · 3 fictional examples · Dropdowns + automatic review status · Published by Evidelis / Ingenii OÜ
AI governance starts with visibility
Policies and risk assessments are difficult to operate if nobody can answer a basic question: which AI systems and AI-enabled tools are actually in use? A practical AI inventory gives management one place to see the system, purpose, owner, provider, data, decision role, oversight, governance status and next review date.
Know what exists
✓ Include standalone tools, embedded features, APIs, agents and internal systems.
✓ Record purpose rather than only the product name.
Know who owns it
✓ Assign a business owner for every material AI use.
✓ Capture primary users and people who may be affected.
Know what happens next
✓ Record risk, approval status, evidence and review dates.
✓ Revisit the record after material changes.
What to include in an AI system inventory
The Evidelis starter uses twenty practical fields. The goal is not to collect everything — it is to capture the facts needed to make and revisit governance decisions.
| Field group | What to record | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Identity & purpose | System ID, AI system/tool, system type, business purpose | Distinguishes a specific governed use from a vague product list. |
| Ownership | Business owner, provider/vendor, primary users, affected people/groups | Makes accountability and stakeholder impact visible. |
| Data & capability | Data categories, AI capability/model | Helps route privacy, security, procurement and technical review. |
| Decision & oversight | Decision role, human oversight | Shows how much authority the AI has and where human review sits. |
| Governance decision | Risk tier, governance status, approval/decision date | Creates a reviewable record of the current decision. |
| Evidence & lifecycle | Last review, next review, automatic review status, evidence/links, notes | Keeps the inventory live instead of becoming a one-off spreadsheet. |
How to build the inventory without turning it into a six-month project
List the AI products, copilots, models, APIs and automations already approved or purchased.
Ask teams which AI features they actually use inside existing SaaS products, browser tools and workflows.
The same tool can support very different activities. Record enough purpose detail to understand the governed use.
Flag uses that affect people, material decisions, sensitive information, customer commitments or business-critical outputs.
Keep vendor reviews, approvals, risk assessments and specialist advice in their source locations and link them from the inventory.
Review after material change and on a defined cadence. The starter automatically flags due-soon and overdue records.
Five discovery prompts for finding AI you do not already know about
Team workflows
Which tools draft, summarise, classify, transcribe, score, recommend, generate or automate work?
Existing SaaS
Which products have added AI features that users can switch on without a separate procurement event?
Customer-facing processes
Where does AI influence content, service, decisions, recommendations or communications seen by customers?
People decisions
Where does AI influence recruitment, performance, scheduling, access, eligibility or other decisions affecting individuals?
Data movement
Where are employees putting internal, confidential, personal or customer data into AI-enabled tools?
Agents & automation
Which workflows allow AI to take actions, call tools, update records or trigger downstream processes?
Common AI inventory mistakes
Only listing purchased AI products
AI often arrives as an embedded feature inside software the organisation already uses.
Tracking a vendor but not the use
A product name alone does not explain purpose, decision impact, data, owner or controls.
No review date
Providers, models, terms, data flows and business purposes change. An inventory without review triggers becomes stale quickly.
Inventory is the visibility layer. Governance needs the decision layer too.
The free starter gives you a practical AI register. Evidelis AI Governance connects that inventory to acceptable-use rules, tool approval, use-case risk assessment, vendor review, human oversight, regulatory screening, incidents, literacy evidence and quarterly management review.
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Related free resources
AI Risk Assessment Template
Turn one AI use case into a documented risk and approval decision.
Get the Excel template →AI Acceptable Use Policy
Give employees practical rules for approved tools, data, outputs, agents and incidents.
Get the Word template →AI Governance Framework
See how ownership, inventory, approvals, risk, oversight and evidence fit together.
Read the framework guide →Frequently asked questions
What should an AI system inventory include?
A useful AI inventory should identify the system or tool, business purpose, accountable owner, provider, users, affected groups, data categories, AI capability, decision role, human oversight, risk tier, governance status, evidence and review dates.
Should embedded AI features and AI agents be included?
Yes. Include material AI-enabled features inside wider software, third-party AI services, APIs, internally developed AI and agents or automations that materially rely on AI outputs.
Should every experimental AI tool be included?
Use a proportionate scope, but do not exclude pilots simply because they are temporary. If an experiment uses organisational data, affects a material process, interacts with customers, makes or supports decisions, or creates meaningful risk, it belongs in the governance inventory.
Is an AI inventory the same as a risk assessment?
No. The inventory tells you what exists and its current governance status. A risk assessment examines a particular use case in more depth, including risks, controls, evidence, residual risk and approval decision.
Does this template make an organisation compliant?
No. It is an internal governance aid, not legal advice, certification or a legal AI-system classification. Use specialist legal, privacy, security and sector processes where applicable.