How Deel IT Device Lifecycle Management works

Device Lifecycle Management (DLM) is an IT management service that helps your organization manage its devices (laptops, phones, and tablets) through their entire lifecycle.

With DLM, Deel takes care of shipping, pre-configuration, IT hardware support, repairs, replacements, and secure returns to storage, so your team can stay productive without worrying about IT logistics.

This article explains how Deel IT device lifecycle management works.

In this article

• What is Device Lifecycle Management?
• How DLM works
• DLM packages and pricing
• Step 1. Set up DLM
• Enrolling devices into DLM
• How DLM credits work
• Viewing DLM usage
• Renewing or cancelling DLM
• Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

What is Device Lifecycle Management?

DLM is an IT management service for organizations on a paid Deel IT per-seat contract. A DLM seat covers a device throughout its lifecycle, from delivery to the worker to the end of life. 

DLM can be applied to:

• Devices purchased from Deel
• Devices rented from Deel
• Your own devices added to Deel’s Asset Tracker are referred to as customer-owned devices

How DLM works

DLM uses a seat-based model where each seat represents one device covered under the service:

• One seat = one device covered under the DLM service package
• All DLM seat contracts are co-termed, which means there is one renewal/end date
• Your organization commits to a set number of seats for the full contract term (usually 12 or 24 months)
• If a device is returned, cleared, or archived, that seat becomes available to assign to another device
• You can add more seats mid-term at the same agreed rate (overage)

DLM packages and pricing

We offer two service levels:

* These services are credit-based and not unlimited. Credits accrue based on enrolled laptops and can be redeemed for store & reuse, transfers, clearance, loaners, and certain repairs/replacements. See How DLM credits work for details.

Pricing (per device per month):

Step 1. Set up DLM for your organization

To set up DLM for your organization, your Deel account manager needs to enable DLM or DLM Plus for your organization.

After DLM has been enabled for your organization, it has to be set as the default add-on for paid IT policies.

To set Device Lifecycle Management as your default add-on for paid IT policies:

1. Go to Organization settings > Deel IT settings > IT policies.
2. Select a policy and click Settings.
3. Ensure the default DLM is set at the chosen IT Policy level.

Start enrolling Devices into DLM seats

You can enroll devices via two workflows:

1. From the Asset Tracker 

Enroll a customer-owned asset into a DLM seat from the asset tracker:

•  
  1. From the Assets tab , select an asset and navigate to its Service packages. 
  2. Click Enroll into DLM. 

When a device is enrolled into DLM, it will either take an available seat or create an additional one as overage. All seats will be co-termed and end on the DLM contract end date. 

2. During the device purchase or rental ordering flow.

Ensure the worker has an assigned IT seat and is in a paid policy

1. Order a device for the worker 
2. Select Device Lifecycle Management under Add-ons

How DLM Credits Work

Credits let you redeem certain services without extra fees. Credits are earned based on the number of laptops you keep enrolled in DLM for 12 months:

• Example: 100 laptops enrolled for 12 months → 20 store/transfer credits, 4 loaner credits, 1 replacement credit.

DLM credits can be redeemed for the following service:

Viewing Device Lifecycle Management Usage

To view your DLM contract breakdown, open the add-on agreements page in your Deel IT platform. 

• Your current Device Lifecycle Management contract
• Available and used seats
• DLM credits available to spend on Deel IT services
• Agreement breakdown

Renewing or Cancelling DLM

Auto-renewal

By default, DLM auto-renews at the end of the term:

• All active seats at expiration will carry over into the new contract
• Renewal pricing will match the latest rates

Opting out of auto-renewal

If you have auto-renewal disabled

• Customer-owned devices: Contract ends automatically at term expiry, all DLM contracts end on the same date
• Rental devices: A temporary DLM contract will continue until the last rental ends

If you’re unsure which package is right for you, speak to your Deel account manager—they can help you choose between DLM and DLM Plus based on your team’s needs.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

[ACCORDION] What parts of the DLM contract are linked to your IT per-seat contract?

To simplify setup and billing, the following information is pulled from your IT platform contract:

• Contract term (e.g., 12 or 24 months)
• Renewal date (e.g,. March 1, 2025)
• Billing frequency (annual, monthly, or upfront)

[ACCORDION] What settings are specific to the Device Lifecycle Management contract?

With your account manager, you will agree on the following DLM-specific settings:

• DLM Seat commitment – e.g., 50 devices
• Agreed base price – e.g. $20 per device
• Separate pricing and contracts for laptops and mobile/tablet devices
• DLM tier – choose between DLM or DLM Plus
   

[ACCORDION] What is an overage?

If you enroll more devices than your initial committed number of DLM seats, it is called an overage:

• The additional devices are billed as overage
• They inherit your DLM contract’s renewal/end date
• The same agreed price applies

[ACCORDION] What happens if our organization adds DLM partway through our Deel IT platform contract?

DLM follows a co-terming model, which means it aligns with the term of your existing Deel IT platform contract rather than starting a separate 12-month agreement. 

For example, if your platform contract runs for 12 months and you add DLM in month 2, the DLM subscription will run for the remaining 10 months. At the end of the contract, both the platform and DLM will auto-renew together.

[ACCORDION] How do rentals work with Device Lifecycle Management?

All rental devices require a DLM service or another add-on.

Currently, rental terms are separate from your DLM contract. However:

• Rental devices will follow DLM auto-renewal logic going forward
• If a rental extends beyond your DLM contract, that seat will auto-renew into the next contract
• Rentals created before your DLM contract will not be retroactively affected
   

[ACCORDION] What happens when a rental contract ends?

Once a rental contract ends and the device is returned to Deel:

• The DLM seat it used is freed up
• It can be reassigned to a new device, or
• Counted as an unused seat under your current commitment
• If you purchase the device at the end of the rental term, the DLM seat will remain active on the device.

[ACCORDION] Can I commit to laptops only and not mobile devices?

Yes, you can commit to laptop seats only and set mobile/tablet commitment to zero.
If mobile devices are enrolled, they’ll be treated as overage and billed at the same agreed rate.

[ACCORDION] What does Managed repairs cover?

We handle device repairs and logistics from start to finish. This includes:

• Coordinating the repair process with certified technicians
• Managing device shipping and return logistics
• Tracking repair status and providing updates

Fees apply if the device is out of warranty in DLM, but are covered in DLM plus.

[ACCORDION] What happens when a device is cleared or archived?

When a device is cleared or archived, the DLM seat it used is now freed up and:

• Can be reassigned to another device
• Or remain unused under the same commitment

A clearance credit will apply (e.g., 1 credit per cleared device).

[ACCORDION] What if we cancel our DLM contract but still have active rentals?

Deel will automatically create a temporary DLM add-on organization contract to cover the remaining rental period. This contract:

• Matches the longest rental term
• Covers all active rentals (e.g., one active seat per active rental device)
• Is billed based on:
  average remaining months * number of seats * add-on price

[ACCORDION] Why can’t I enroll my asset into DLM?

• The device brand isn’t supported.
• The purchase value or purchase date is missing.
• The brand name is entered incorrectly.
• The worker doesn’t have an IT seat assigned.

Acer and Asus are now eligible brands for laptop enrollment

[ACCORDION] Can we end our Device Lifecycle Management contract mid-term?

 Ending your DLM contract early requires manual support from Deel. Please contact your account manager. 

[ACCORDION] Do DLM contracts auto-renew?

Yes, DLM contracts auto-renew by default, unless you opt out. Upon renewal:

• Latest pricing is applied
• The actual number of active seats becomes the new commitment
• Auto-renewal can be disabled by Deel admins if needed

[ACCORDION] What if our device mix changes (e.g., we add more mobiles)?

Each device type (laptops and mobiles/tablets) has a separate commitment.
If you exceed your commitment in either category, the extra devices will be treated as overage, helping keep billing accurate.