What are Asset Templates?

Asset templates contain up to 60 standard fields, in addition to other books and user-defined fields, in which you can optionally establish sets of default data for property that shares common characteristics.

The primary role for a template is to reduce the amount of repetitive manual data entry in Asset Master records that share mutual attributes. Another important advantage in the Asset Template functionality lies in the ability to incorporate consistent descriptions and data across property records, thus enhancing the quality of Fixed Assets tracking and reporting functions.

The template functions as the mechanism by which default data can be automatically imported into an Asset Master record. Once the data displays in the Asset Master record (after import), you can edit the data on a field-by-field basis, if necessary, and there is no additional functionality for the template.

You can use the asset template functionality when you add new records (either via manual entry or via autocreation).

What is the purpose of the Default Template for the Asset Master group box on the Configure Fixed Assets Settings screen?

The Configure Fixed Assets Settings screen contains a block in which you can enter an optional default template identifier (and revision number, as applicable).

The purpose for these optional fields is to enable you to designate one template as the system default template.

Because much of the template data will vary based on different types of property, you will most likely find the template functionality of greater use if you set up a number of templates and do not designate one as the default. Some users, however, use this single default template to only specify system-required data, and recognize that they will need to make changes directly in the Asset Master record based on the individual property characteristics after they have imported the template data.

How can I use the Asset Template functionality from an Asset Master record?

1. From the Template and Rev No fields on the Desc Info tab on the Manage Asset Master Information screen, you must first click on the Template Import Parameters subtask to display the template and import selection screen.

2. On the Template Import Parameters subtask, enter, or click to select, the desired template/revision combination from the Template and Rev No fields. Templates and their associated data must be pre-established on the Manage Asset Template Information screen.

3. Select the desired import preferences from the Template Import Parameters screen.

4. Click the Import Data button to activate the template data import process.

5. Once the import is complete, the system displays imported data from the selected template in the Asset Master record, where it can be edited or deleted, as desired, or where additional data not found in the template can be added (subject to system rules).

If I change a template after the initial import to an Asset Master record, will the system copy the changed data back to the Asset Master record?

If you have used a template to import data into an Asset Master record and you later make a change to a template data field, the data change from the template will not automatically be copied to the Asset Master record without user intervention.

In this circumstance, you will need to go back into the Manage Asset Master Information screen and re-activate the Template Import Parameters subtask to re-import revised data from the template. Use caution, however; if you have made changes to fields in the Asset Master record, re-importing data from another template record after the data has been established may overwrite existing Asset Master data and may produce unexpected results.

Alternately, you may also create a new template or the same template with an appropriate revision number that incorporates the change. Or, you may decide to bypass the template record and manually make the desired change directly in the Asset Master record.