Master data: Assets module activation and information
- Sergio Karijodinomo
- Danique Bodt (Deactivated)
- Bobby van ter Beek
This article is about activating this module as an implementation consultant. For more detailed information on how to manage or use the concepts in this module as an application manager or a user (for instance, details on how to create an object), see the related module in the application managers and/or Users part of this knowledge base: Application Managers / Users
1. Master data
Master data forms the foundational elements within any IWMS (Integrated Workplace Management System), serving as the backbone for organizational operations and decision-making processes. It comprises essential information that remains relatively static and is important for the organization's day-to-day activities.
Master data serves as a reference point for various operational processes, enabling users to accurately identify, track, and manage assets, buildings, areas, and contacts across different functionalities within the software. By maintaining a centralized repository of master data, organizations can streamline processes, improve data integrity, and enhance decision-making capabilities.
2. What is this module about
Assets are one of the master data modules of Workplace Management. For more information on the content of this module, including detailed descriptions of some of the core components, see: Master data Asset module in the 'Application Managers' section.
3. Why use this module
Master data, in this case, assets, serves two main purposes:
Integration Across other Modules:
The Asset module allows you to use asset information in other modules. This offers practical benefits in other modules. Some examples:
Requests: Connecting requests to specific assets (e.g., a broken laptop or a malfunctioning coffee machine) helps the Service Desk to find more related data on the assets (e.g., uploaded manuals or supplier contact details), helping to quickly identify and resolve issues. Additionally, tracking open or total requests per asset assists in resource and maintenance management.
Reservation Management: Reserving equipment (e.g., a beamer) becomes easier, ensuring efficient use of equipment and better asset availability.
Contracts: Linking assets to contracts makes sure the cost and responsibilities can be tracked per asset. Leading to better and more data-driven strategic decision-making and supplier management.
Comprehensive Portfolio Management:
Apart from the use in other modules, the Asset module can aid in managing your assets, as it helps to get insights into the organization's assets, including details like location, ownership, occupancy status, and maintenance history. This overview helps in resource allocation, cost-saving, and strategic decision-making.
In summary, the Asset module offers practical solutions for improving other modules and processes and managing your asset portfolio.
3.1 Choices to be made within the module
The most relevant choices that can be made before using this module are the following:
Contextual access
By default, every user can select every asset in other processes if linking an asset is enabled for that module (e.g., every user allowed to create a request is by default able to select every asset when creating a request as long as assets are used in the request module). The same applies to users authorized to create and edit assets, as by default, this system group (3. Edit assets) is assigned to a user overall, thus applying to every asset.
If this should not be the case (e.g., user should only be able to see/select specific assets or only be able to edit specific assets (e.g., all assets of a specific building), contextual access should be enabled via Module settings → Assets: Contextual access to assets (or directly via the module activation). For more information, see: contextual access.
Additional categories
If the default asset categories (described in the Master data Asset module are not sufficient, additional categories can be added. See Master data Asset module for more information on this.
4. How to activate this module
As for every new module, use the ‘Module activation’ option on the administrator startboard (only available for level 2 and level 3 admins). For more general information about these 'Module activation' options, see Module activation.
4.1 Prerequisites before activating this module
The Asset module does not require any other modules to be activated before.
4.2 Module activation
For this specific module activation, only one setting applies:
Contextual access to assets: This will enable contextual access to the assets. See before and contextual access
After starting the module activation, the assets-related imports become available to download in the next step. For more details, see further down (Data imports).
Starting the module activation will also enable the relevant system groups, and these can be assigned to user profiles via the User profile management dashboard, which can be found on the admin's startboard. For more details, see further down (System groups and profile suggestions).
4.3 Data imports
When activating this module, some data imports become available, which can be used to quickly import relevant data into the system (as opposed to manually entering this data, which is also possible).
Relevant data imports become available in the module activation after the activation has been started. Default data imports can also be found on the admin's startboard (only for level 2 and level 3 administrators).
For more information on data imports in general, see: Data imports
If the Asset module is activated, the following default import connectors become available:
Reference | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
FMB-F-023 | Import assets | This can be used to import the assets of the customer. |
4.4 System groups
System groups can be assigned to user profiles when a module is activated. These system groups will give users access to (a subset of) navigation menu options, startboard tabs, and tasks in the relevant workflow(s).
For more general information on user profiles, system groups, users, and the user profile dashboard, see: User management
For the Asset module, the following system groups become available:
Reference | Name | Description | License needed |
|---|---|---|---|
GOB-G025 |
| The group gives access to the navigation menu to search assets and the group gives view rights on assets. The latter is only relevant if contextual access is used, otherwise, all system groups give access to select assets in other processes (within the context of a process: if you’re authorized to create requests, one can link any asset if contextual access is not used). | Requestor |
GOB-G008 |
| The group gives edit rights on assets. If contextual access is enabled, this can also be given in the context of specific buildings or assets to users. | Full user |
FMB-G141 |
| If contextual access to assets is used (Settings, master data), this group can be assigned to users to access the navigation menu option "Assets." Access to specific Assets should be given via the "View assets" or "Edit assets" group (in the context of a building or specific asset). If users are given the group "View assets" or "Edit assets" overall, they already have access to the navigation menu option "Assets" with that group. | Limited user |
4.5 Navigation menu and startboard options
When a module is activated, the relevant navigation menu options become available to users with the correct authorizations (based on the system groups).
For more general information on the navigation menu and startboard, see: Authorizing users | 2.2 Navigation menu and Startboard
For the asset module, the following navigation menu options become available:
Navigation menu option | Available to system groups | Description |
|---|---|---|
Assets |
| The option to search for all assets and (for users with the system group ‘Edit assets’) the option to create new assets. |
It is not necessary to have access to the navigation menu option(s) for master data to be able to select these objects in other processes. E.g. end users most likely do not need to search for assets via the navigation menu, they only need to be able to select an asset in a new request or reservation. If contextual access to assets is NOT used (default behavior), users that have the authorization to create a request, reservation, visitor, purchase order, or any other process can also select any asset in those processes (if applicable in that process).
5. Additional reports
Via the navigation menu option ‘reports’ → Folders, Folder 'Master data', key users can find additional reports with regards to the Master data objects:
6. Additional settings and options after enabling
For most modules, additional settings can be configured after the initial module activation via the 'Module settings' option on the administrator startboard. A module is always activated with the most used settings pre-defined. After the module is activated, the module may have more advanced settings available, which can also be managed via the Module settings.
To navigate all asset settings, go to Module settings → tab Assets. Hover over the available settings to get more information.
7. Additional information
No additional information currently.
8. User manual
For the user manual with a more step-by-step explanation of the assets module: User manual: Master data assets
9. Q&A
Waiting for questions to be answered.