To define the asset characteristic types

The procedure to define the asset characteristic types is as follows:

1. Navigate to Quick Menu > System > Entity Configuration > Asset Characteristics. The Asset Characteristic Type window is displayed.
2. Click on New Characteristic. All fields are activated ready for data entry.
3. Enter a Description for the asset characteristic type into the field provided 1.
4. Using the Asset Types drop-down field, multi-select all parameter values for which this new characteristic is relevant, or choose the All option, as required 1.
5. Using the Data Type field, select a parameter value that matches the required asset characteristic value - Date Only, Date Time, Decimal, Integer, Lookup, Text, Time Only, True or False. The corresponding criteria fields are activated.
6. Enter the required data type criteria, range or user defined table to control the asset characteristic value 2.
7. Using the Display order field, enter a numeric value to specify the relative position of the characteristic type, as displayed within a linked asset 3. The Up and Down arrows are available to increment or decrement the value, as required.
8. Choose an Effective from date for this characteristic type i.e. the date on which it came into effect 4.
9. Choose an Effective to date if the characteristic type is to be time bound; a blank field means the characteristic type will never expire.
10. Using the Companies drop-down field, multi-select all companies for which this characteristic type is relevant, or choose the All option, as required 1.
11. Where the characteristic type is to be included on the asset summary, activate the Show in Summary tick box provided.
12. Click on Save. The new characteristic type is displayed in the alphabetical list 5.

Tip

1 Where only a small number of parameter values are not required, activate the All tick box first and then deselect individual items from the full list, as required; the All tick box will be automatically removed once an item is deselected.

Note

1 System validation rules ensure that the description entered for each new characteristic type is unique for the effective period.

2 No additional criteria is required for data types Date Only, Date Time, Time Only and True or False.

3 Where no Display order value is recorded, the asset characteristic types will be displayed in their order of entry.

4 The Effective from date defaults to the current system date and cannot be left blank.

5 To amend the details of an existing asset characteristic type, select a characteristic from the alphabetical list or enter its name into the Search Characteristics field. By default the list is filtered to show Current characteristic types. An alternative filter can be applied using the Select view drop-down field: Expired, Future or All. Only a limited number of fields can be updated once a record has been created.

See related topics...

Assets configuration management overview

To update the characteristics of an asset

To add a new asset