The Asset Updater is a very powerful tool that can update all assets sharing the same Asset Classification in a single step. The Asset Updater tool is commonly used to apply an icon or photo to all assets sharing a classification, but the tool can also be used to add specifications, or even apply defined estimated labor/material or PMs.

As an example, let’s imagine an organization that manages a fleet of Delivery Trucks, all tied to a “TRUCK-DEL” Asset Classification.

Let’s apply a new icon and photo:

• Open the Asset Classification Module and find the desired record (TRUCK-DEL in our example).
• Use the option available to change the icon:

• Then use the option in the lower right of the page to apply a photo.

• To apply these changes to all assets sharing this classification, select the Update Assets Button at the bottom of the page (or select “Tools->Asset Updater Using Classifications” from the Menu Bar).

• In the Asset Updater Tool:

1. Ensure the correct Classification is listed in the Classification Field at the top of the dialog. If you accessed the tool from the Classification Record, the correct value will be populated. Otherwise, you will need to select the correct record from the available dropdown.
2. Check the indicators to Update Icon and Update Photo.
3. ENSURE THAT NO OTHER INDICATORS ARE CHECKED

• When you have checked to ensure that the correct updates are specified, click the Save Button at the bottom of the dialog. Once records have been updated, a message will appear:

This update would result in the following icon update in the Asset Tree:

The new photo would be displayed on the asset records, on reports as specified, and on the Service Requester Status Details Page:

Cautionary Notes:

• It is very important to ensure you are filtering to the correct Classification Record, unless you are intentionally updating all assets. For updates to specific classifications, it is a good idea to access the tool from the Classification Record, to ensure that the correct record is specified. In all cases, be sure to verify the correct Classification is identified in the field at the top of the dialog. It should be noted that this tool updates all locations in your asset tree, regardless of any location specified:

• The options on the right side of the dialog are especially powerful (and thus more dangerous if not done correctlyJ). For example, you can add specifications to an Asset Classification Record and then “add or merge” them onto all assets. For example, a specification for CAPACITY could be added to the above classification record and then propagated to all assets, allowing the load capacity to be identified for each Delivery Truck.

Note: Never hesitate to contact Maintenance Connection Support for assistance when using this tool!

Looking for a quick way to update meter readings on multiple assets? Or, need to update warranty expiration dates on a series of assets? Maintenance Connection offers tools to complete both of these tasks from a single screen, eliminating the need to update individual assets one record at a time.

Meter Manager

Meter readings, such as hours in operation or miles driven, are maintained on assets to allow for PM Scheduling based on defined intervals. For example, a PM could be defined to trigger a PM for an oil change when a vehicle has been driven 5K miles. In order to generate the PM at the correct interval, MC must know what the current reading is on the asset (e.g., vehicle). While current readings may be entered when corrective work is performed, many organizations also update readings on specific assets on a periodic basis (such as a monthly update of mileage readings on vehicles).

To update meter readings on a set of assets:

• Open the Meter Manager Tool (Tools->Meter Manager)
• Use the Asset Hierarchy on the left to identify the “parent location” of the assets on which meter readings are to be recorded. In the below example, we have selected the Delivery Truck Location to view the current readings of all Delivery Trucks listed under that node:

• To limit the view to only those assets designated to “Use Meters”, enter the following criteria in the available search fields at the top of the lookup and click the green arrow. The list will refresh to only show assets marked to “Use Meters.”

Tip: Remember to use the “All Levels” Indicator to view all assets under that location, even if they are not a direct “child” of that node.

• Once the correct assets are displayed, enter the updated readings in the Meter 1 or Meter 2 column, depending on the field in which the desired reading is maintained. You will note that the current value cannot be “selected”; you must correct the existing value or delete it and enter a new one.
• When you are finished entering values for the currently displayed page, click Save.
• Repeat this process for any additional locations. When you are finished, click Close to exit the dialog. The updated readings will be posted to your assets and can be viewed on the Asset Meter Tab.

Warranty Manager

The Warranty Manager uses a very similar process to update Warranty Expiration Dates on multiple assets from a single page.

To update warranty expiration on a set of assets:

• Open the Warranty Manager Tool (Tools->Warranty Manager)
• Use the Asset Hierarchy on the left to identify the “parent location” of the assets on which warranty expiration dates are to be recorded. The following shows the values for the same assets selected in the above Meter Manager example:

• Once the correct assets are displayed, enter the updated or new warranty date in the space provided. You can enter the dates in a variety of acceptable formats as MC will convert to a valid date upon saving (e.g., with 4 digit year).

• When you are finished entering values for the currently displayed page, click Save.
• Repeat this process for any additional locations. When you are finished, click Close to exit the dialog. The updated warranty expiration dates will be posted to your assets and can be viewed on the Asset Details Page.

Tip: Refer to the System Administration – Asset Tools Chapter of the User Guide for more information on asset management tools.

Maintenance Connection provides a few special tools to assist in the management of assets in Maintenance Connection. These tools allow you to globally operate on asset records and/or affect the display of the tree. In this first of a three part series on Asset Management Tools, we will highlight the Asset Hierarchy Display Order Tool that allows you to specify the order in which records are displayed in the Asset Tree. In the next two blogs, we will discuss the Warranty Manager, the Meter Manager, and the Asset Updater Using Classifications.

Records displayed in the Asset Tree can be ordered alphabetically (by Asset Name or ID) or set to display in a custom order. In the following example, the tree is displayed alphabetically by Asset Name:

As can be seen, this alphabetical sort puts the “Unused” node, used to store retired assets, above the Wilmington Site. The Asset Hierarchy Sort Tool can be used to move this node to the bottom of the tree display.

To change the order displayed on the tree, select “Asset Hierarchy Display Order” from the Tools Menu:

The tool will open, displaying the top level of the tree by default. Display order boxes will be shown next to the nodes, but these will not take effect unless the tool is set to support a “Custom” order. At the bottom of the dialog, the current default order will be shown:

To change the order, click on this link. A preference will display allowing you to change the default order:

To specify a custom order for one or more nodes of the tree, select “Custom” and click Apply.  You can then select the node of the tree on which you wish to specify a custom order. The contents of that node will be displayed on the right, allowing you to specify the desired order. In the following example, we are ordering the top display of the tree to move the “Unused” node to the bottom:

When you are finished, click Save. A message will appear indicating that the new order has been saved. Continue to select other nodes until all nodes on which you desire custom ordering have been specified. It should be noted that all nodes without a custom order specified will default to display alphabetically by Asset Name. Similarly, if you only specify an order for selected assets/locations in a given node, the remaining assets in that node will display below the ordered assets, in alphabetical order.

When you have finished specifying the desired order, click the Close Button. Navigate to the Asset Tree if not displayed and click the Refresh Icon to ensure the new order is in effect. Following is the revised display specified above:

You can use this same process to change the display order to Asset ID or back to Asset Name.