Create, find, edit, or delete an asset type

You can create, find, edit, or delete asset types. Asset types allow you to attach the asset usage unit types and associate one or more to each asset type. This allows administrators to specify the unit types that are applicable to specific asset types. Daily agency users can then associate the appropriate unit type to the asset type on the Asset page.

You can also specify the type of work orders associated with asset types.

Create a new asset type each time an agency gets a new type of asset.

Example: Your agency adds gas flow meters to the natural gas lines to track the amount of gas consumed each month. Add flow meters as an asset type. The agency can now track and maintain the flow meters by associating work orders to it. You can also maintain the assets in the legacy Accela GIS.

To create an asset type

  1. From the Administration menu, select Assets > Type.

  2. Create a new Asset type by completing one of the following options:

    • Hover over the Menu button above the navigation tree and select New asset type from the list

      or

    • Right-click the navigation tree and choose New asset type

      or

    • From the Asset type section and select New.

  3. Complete the following fields as described below:

    Field name Field description
    Asset group (Required) Select the asset group identified by the agency.
    Asset ID mask

    Enter the prefix you want to use for the asset type. This prefix is the default prefix to an asset type. It is an identifier that can contain strings that help users immediately understand the type of asset.

    Example: An asset such as a van might use the mask ID ‘VAN’. When you create a Van asset its Asset ID is VAN-001.
    Asset type (Required) Select the type of asset identified by the agency.
    Asset type code Enter the type code used to identify the asset type.
    Class type (Required) Select the asset class type. This list is a system-defined way that Civic Platform groups objects that an agency owns or maintains.
    Comments Enter any comments associated with the asset type.
    Description Enter a description for the asset type.
    GIS version for attribute edits Choose the GIS version number. This field creates the GIS attribute mapping tab and populates it based on the version specified.
    ID sequence value Enter the order number you want to display the asset type in the list.
    Icon

    (Required) Enter the icon used to visually identify the asset type. To choose a standard icon, select the Standard option, then select the graphic you want to use.

    If you want to use a custom icon, select Customize and select Browse to select the file you want to use for the icon.
    Master inventory in GIS

    Select this option to synchronize the asset type with GIS objects on a GIS layer or entries in a related table. If you want to disassociate assets from GIS objects or related table entries, deselect this check box from an existing asset type. When you select the Master inventory in GIS option, the following fields become active:

    • GIS service. (Required) Choose the GIS service that stores the information about assets and GIS objects.

    • GIS layer. (Required) Choose the GIS layer that the asset type maps to. In Esri ArcMap, a feature class is represented visually on the map as a layer. 

    • Related table. If the asset type is the parent of other asset types or if the asset type does not relate to any other asset types, you do not need to complete this field. If the asset type is considered as the child of another asset type, select the table that this asset type maps to. This list is populated with all the stand-alone tables that the GIS layer (feature class) relates to in the geodatabase.

    • GIS ID for asset ID. (Required) Select the GIS attribute that you want to use for the asset ID. If you specify a related table, this drop-down list is populated with the fields in the table. Otherwise, this drop-down list is populated with the fields in the GIS layer (feature class).

    Require size Activates when you select the Linear, Node-link linear, or Polygon asset class. Select this option to require users to enter the length (for Linear or Node-link linear) or area (for Polygon) in the Asset size field in asset records of the type you are creating.
    Template ID (Required) Select a template ID. The template ID associates a set of custom attributes to the asset.
    Note: After you create a new asset, a tab called Node types activates for those assets that belong to the Node-link linear class type only.

  4. Select Save.

You can search for an asset type. If you do not have the full name of the asset type, you can use partial text.

Example: To find a water line asset type, enter water into the Asset type field. The search returns all asset types that start with water.

To search for an asset type

  1. From the Administration menu, select Assets > Type.

  2. Select Search.

  3. Enter the search criteria in the Asset type detail fields that display.

  4. Select Submit.

You can make modifications to existing asset types when information changes.

Example: If the asset type's icon changes or you need to update the Asset ID mask.

When you update the asset type, the system updates its data so users can view the updated data on the Asset page.

To edit an asset type

  1. From the Administration menu, select Assets > Type.

  2. Select an asset type by either:

    • Selecting an asset type in the navigation tree.

      or

    • Selecting an asset type from the Asset type list.

  3. Update the following fields as necessary.

    Field name Field description
    Asset group (Required) Select the asset group identified by the agency.
    Asset ID mask

    Enter the prefix you want to use for the asset type. This prefix is the default prefix to an asset type. It is an identifier that can contain strings that help users immediately understand the type of asset.

    Example: An asset such as a van might use the mask ID ‘VAN’. When you create a Van asset its Asset ID is VAN-001.
    Asset type (Required) Select the type of asset identified by the agency.
    Asset type code Enter the type code used to identify the asset type.
    Class type (Required) Select the asset class type. This list is a system-defined way that Civic Platform groups objects that an agency owns or maintains.
    Comments Enter any comments associated with the asset type.
    Description Enter a description for the asset type.
    GIS version for attribute edits Choose the GIS version number. This field creates the GIS attribute mapping tab and populates it based on the version specified.
    ID sequence value Enter the order number you want to display the asset type in the list.
    Icon

    (Required) Enter the icon used to visually identify the asset type. To choose a standard icon, select the Standard option, then select the graphic you want to use.

    If you want to use a custom icon, select Customize and select Browse to select the file you want to use for the icon.
    Master inventory in GIS

    Select this option to synchronize the asset type with GIS objects on a GIS layer or entries in a related table. If you want to disassociate assets from GIS objects or related table entries, deselect this check box from an existing asset type. When you select the Master inventory in GIS option, the following fields become active:

    • GIS service. (Required) Choose the GIS service that stores the information about assets and GIS objects.

    • GIS layer. (Required) Choose the GIS layer that the asset type maps to. In Esri ArcMap, a feature class is represented visually on the map as a layer. 

    • Related table. If the asset type is the parent of other asset types or if the asset type does not relate to any other asset types, you do not need to complete this field. If the asset type is considered as the child of another asset type, select the table that this asset type maps to. This list is populated with all the stand-alone tables that the GIS layer (feature class) relates to in the geodatabase.

    • GIS ID for asset ID. (Required) Select the GIS attribute that you want to use for the asset ID. If you specify a related table, this drop-down list is populated with the fields in the table. Otherwise, this drop-down list is populated with the fields in the GIS layer (feature class).

    Require size Activates when you select the Linear, Node-link linear, or Polygon asset class. Select this option to require users to enter the length (for Linear or Node-link linear) or area (for Polygon) in the Asset size field in asset records of the type you are creating.
    Template ID (Required) Select a template ID. The template ID associates a set of custom attributes to the asset.

  4. Select Save.

You can delete asset types when they become outdated or you no longer need them.

Examples: 

  • An agency starts outsourcing all small maintenance tasks to a local company.

  • If you do not keep small maintenance supplies in the agency offices, you can delete the small maintenance asset types.

After you delete an asset type, it no longer displays in the asset type list menu when a user creates a new asset. However, Civic Platform does not delete the assets within the asset types. It labels them as Inactive.

To delete an asset type

  1. From the Administration menu, select Assets > Type.

  2. Select each asset type you want to remove.

  3. Select Deactivate.

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