IBM Maximo Mobile Asset Manager Version 7 Release 5. User Guide

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1 IBM Maximo Mobile Asset Manager Version 7 Release 5 User Guide

2 Note Before using this information and the product it supports, read the information in Notices on page 13. This edition applies to version 7, release 5, modification 0 of IBM Maximo Mobile Suite and to all subsequent releases and modifications until otherwise indicated in new editions. Copyright IBM Corporation 2007, US Government Users Restricted Rights Use, duplication or disclosure restricted by GSA ADP Schedule Contract with IBM Corp.

3 Contents Chapter 1. Maximo Mobile Suite Start center components Signing in to a Mobile component Mobile device connections with the application server Creating records on mobile devices Data types for mobile devices Data refreshes on mobile devices Refreshing data on mobile devices Downloading individual records to mobile devices. 5 Transaction queues Data restriction using queries Chapter 2. Maximo Mobile Asset Manager Record types Data validation The auditing process Building a route Downloading assets for a location Creating a query to download asset records.. 9 Auditing assets from a route Updating and replacing asset data Auditing assets Changing record statuses Attaching files to records Recording meter readings Requesting maintenance for assets, locations, or configuration items Maintenance record types Reporting downtime for an asset Notices Trademarks Copyright IBM Corp. 2007, 2011 iii

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5 Chapter 1. Maximo Mobile Suite Start center components With the Maximo Mobile Suite, mobile workers can manage work, asset, and inventory processes from a mobile device. The following components are included in Maximo Mobile Suite and run on mobile devices. v v v You use IBM Maximo Mobile Work Manager to manage maintenance for assets, locations and configuration items using work orders, service requests, incidents, problems, and releases. You use IBM Maximo Mobile Inventory Manager to manage the process for item inventory, such as physical counts, issues, receipts, returns, and transfers of items. You use IBM Maximo Mobile Asset Manager to manage assets, locations, configuration items, routes, and collections. Each of the components work like separate products from a mobile device. You can use any combination of the components, but do not require all of them for the other components to work. The Maximo Mobile Suite is the name for the collection of all components. All of the components share some common features, like a start center, icons, and basic navigation. All components use mobile devices to update records that are sent to an application server, which is usually managed by an administrator. The administrator works Maximo Mobile Suite from the application server, where it integrates as an add-on product with IBM Maximo Asset Management. The administrator manages the work of mobile workers using Tivoli's process automation engine as well as three Mobile-specific applications: Mobile Error Management, Mobile Data Manager, and Security Groups (Mobile). The start center displays application-specific data with links to all your work list records. You can create new records from the start center. You can also set preferences and manage data. The following table lists the start center items that are common to all the Maximo Mobile Suite components. Item Menu Worklist Refresh Full Refresh Download now Description Located on the left side of the command bar. You can use the menu to download data from the application server and set your preferences. Click to refresh the work list data on your device. Click to refresh both the work list and additional data on your device. You can download any record on demand. Copyright IBM Corp. 2007,

6 Item Preferences Password notification in Days Reset application Description You can define preferences, such as default locations, refresh frequencies, and font size. Specify how many days in advance of your password expiring that you want to be notified to change it. You can remove all data from the device for the current user, or remove data from the device for other users if you are authorized. Signing in to a Mobile component To have access to features and applications, you must sign in to one of the Maximo Mobile Suite components. You must sign into each component individually. 1. Select Start on your mobile device. 2. Select the component to which you want to sign in. 3. On the login screen, specify a user name and password. Your user name and password are case-sensitive. 4. Select Go. Mobile device connections with the application server The application server works as the central brain for the mobile devices. Each mobile device is configured to work as a remote machine that sends information to and from the application server. Mobile workers are sent records from the administrator on the application server to the mobile devices. The records on the mobile devices are updated by the mobile workers and then sent back to the administrator on the application server to update the permanent records. Mobile devices can be used online and offline. They must be online to download the necessary records from the application server, but then can work in an offline mode to update the records as work is completed. The mobile device must be online again to upload all the updated records onto the application server. When the mobile device is online, mobile workers have real-time access to data on the application server. Requests for data can be sent immediately to the application server. Because the application server works as the repository for all records, sometimes mobile workers download, and begin work on, records that are later updated on the application server. Most of the time, this has no effect on the mobile worker. But if work has been done on items that are no longer part of a record on the updated version on the application server, then the mobile worker is informed of the change. Records that are changed on the mobile device are not overridden. 2 User Guide

7 Creating records on mobile devices You use the records to track, maintain, and update asset data. The type of record that you can create depends on what component you are using. For example, you create asset and location records in the Maximo Mobile Asset Manager component, and work orders and service requests in the Maximo Mobile Work Manager component. 1. From one of the components on the mobile device, select Create New. 2. Select the record type that you want to create. 3. Specify other data about the record. Data types for mobile devices Three types of data are stored on a mobile device: work list data, supporting data, and additional data. You use work list data to do your work, supporting data is related to work list data, and you use additional data as reference information. Work list data Comprises the records that you need to do your work. For example, if you are using the Maximo Mobile Asset Manager, the work list data includes asset records. Supporting data The information that is related to work list data to help you do your work. Supporting data is automatically downloaded to your mobile device with the work list data it is attached to. The supporting data that you download onto your mobile device depends on how the data groups are configured by the administrator, who can remove unnecessary data types from the supporting data to save space on the mobile device. Additional data Records that provide useful, but non-critical, information that you might use as a reference. For example, you can create a work order in the Maximo Mobile Work Manager, and add assets to it as additional data. Additional data is read-only. You can refresh additional data or work list data by selecting Menu > Manage Data on your mobile device. Data refreshes on mobile devices A data refresh occurs when you connect your mobile device to the application server to update records on your mobile device, and to send records to the application server. You typically refresh the data on your mobile device before you start your work so you have the records that you require. A data refresh is essential to your capacity to do work as a mobile worker. You use it to download the records that administrators send to your mobile device, which you use to carry out the required work. For example, if you need to audit the assets in locations A and B, then the administrator must send you all of the asset records that are located in locations A and B, as well as records for the supporting data, such as the meters that are listed for the locations. When you refresh your mobile device at the beginning of the day, you download all these records onto your mobile device. Chapter 1. Maximo Mobile Suite 3

8 After you have completed work, you must upload data so that Maximo Mobile Suite is updated with the records you saved on the mobile device. For example, when you complete the asset audit for locations A and B, you updated the asset records to indicate that the status of an asset is down, and created a work order record to repair the asset. Any records that have been changed or created by you must be uploaded to application server by performing a data refresh. There are two main types of refreshes: a work list refresh and a full refresh. Full refresh Updates the work list data and the additional data on your mobile device. Work list refresh Updates all of the records on your mobile device that comprise the work list for each component. Table 1. Record types that are refreshed in each component Maximo Mobile Asset Manager Assets, locations, configuration items, routes, collections. Maximo Mobile Work Manager Work orders, service requests, incidents, changes, problems, releases. Maximo Mobile Inventory Manager Physical counts, issues, receipts, returns, transfers. By default, records are sent to and from the mobile device in increments of 50. If connectivity to the application server is lost while the mobile device is downloading data from it, only the first 50 records that are currently in the process of being downloaded to the mobile device are downloaded. Any remaining records are downloaded to the mobile device the next time the data is refreshed. If there are records that are stored on the mobile device but have been deleted from the application server, those records are deleted from the mobile device during the data upload. Refreshing data on mobile devices You must refresh data on your mobile device to download records that you require to do work. When you refresh, you may also send records that are saved on the mobile device to the application server. A data refresh updates the mobile device with the most recent records that match the queries that the administrator defined. Before you begin To download data to your mobile device, you must have connectivity to the application server. About this task If your mobile device is online, you can select the Refresh icon to download records to your mobile device and to upload records from your device onto the application server. When records are newer on the mobile device than the application server, updates are not processed on the mobile device to prevent work from being lost. 1. On the mobile device, select Menu > Manage Data > Refresh All Data When your mobile device is next connected to the application server, the device sends 4 User Guide

9 a request to it for new data. Any records that are new, changed, or deleted since the last refresh are updated on the mobile device. 2. To send the data back to the application server, when you finish your work, from the Action menu, select Send. Downloading individual records to mobile devices Transaction queues You can download records to your mobile device that you need immediately. For example, an administrator might contact you to ask you to immediately download an urgent work order. The administrator does not have to change the queries in the Mobile Data Manager application, which everybody in your security group receives. About this task Data restriction using queries The downloaded record may include all of the supporting data of a record. Therefore, downloading can take several minutes. 1. From the home page of a Mobile component on the mobile device, select Download Now. 2. Specify the type of record that you want to download. 3. Specify the record that you want to download, either by manually selecting it or using the lookup window. 4. Click OK. A transaction queue stores the transactions or requests that do not need to be processed immediately. Because Maximo Mobile applications are designed to run in a disconnected mode, any transactions that you perform must be stored in a queue. These transactions are sent to the application server upon connection. Transaction queues reside on the device and on the application server. The transaction queue on the device stores transactions when connectivity is not available. Upon connection, the transactions are sent to the transaction queue on the application server which processes the transactions on a specific order. Transaction IDs are automatically generated for each transaction. The transaction IDs are always generated in a sequential order. When the mobile device connects to the application server, transactions are sent to the application server in an ascending order of the transaction ID and the application server executes the transactions based on this order. If connectivity to the application server is lost while a transaction is being processed for downloading data onto the device, only the 50 records that are currently in the process of downloading to the device are download or saved. Any remaining records are downloaded to the device the next time the data is refreshed. To download work list data and additional data to a mobile device, you must set up queries in the Mobile Data Manager application. Chapter 1. Maximo Mobile Suite 5

10 6 User Guide Queries control the amount and type of data that is downloaded onto a mobile device. Queries are run on the application server and the records that correspond to the queries are downloaded onto a device. After your administrator sets up and determines which groups have access to which data, you can choose to download all the data or a part of this data.

11 Chapter 2. Maximo Mobile Asset Manager Record types To ensure that you have accurate asset data, you can use the Maximo Mobile Asset Manager to identify assets, their configuration, and update their records. With the Maximo Mobile Asset Manager, you can manage processes for assets, locations, configuration items, routes, and collections, such as: v v v v Track assets and relevant information about them, such as its location, status, serial number, and cost. Request maintenance for locations. Describe configuration items, their classifications, and service groups. Define the routes for auditing assets. Records are categorized into five record types. Each record type can be associated with the other record types to create relationships, such as associating an asset with a location. Table 2. Types of records Record Type asset location configuration item (CI) routes collections Description Items belonging to an organization are classified as assets. Each asset must have a record describing it so that audits and inspections can be carried out on the assets. To carry out asset audits or inspections, an asset or CI must have a location assigned to it. A location can be defined as a vendor, repair, operating, storeroom, salvage, labor, courier, or holding location. Audits are carried out by location. A CI is any component of an information technology infrastructure that is under the control of configuration management. A route is a defined sequence of locations and assets to inspect. A collection is a group of business-related assets, locations, and CIs. A collection is not sequentially organized like a route. Data validation Any record that you create must be validated by the application server. Validation ensures that no records are duplicated and that all data that is stored on a mobile device is current. Records created on a mobile device must be uploaded to the application server before the record can be validated. Copyright IBM Corp. 2007,

12 Validation scenarios Scenario You create a record on a mobile device that does not exist on the application server. You create a record on a mobile device that already exists on the application server. You create several records on a mobile device at the same time that are associated to each other. Result When the device is next connected to the application server, all new data is uploaded. The application server validates that the record is new and updates the application server. When the device is next connected to the application server, all new data is uploaded. The application server validates that the record exists on the application server. The duplicated record is returned to the mobile device with an error. Before the records are uploaded to the application server the next time the device is connected, new records are detected that are associated to other new records being sent from the mobile device. The associated records are displayed and you are prompted to send all new records to the application server at the same time. The auditing process You can perform audits of the physical assets in a facility. You check assets and configuration items, their locations, and whether maintenance is required. Audits can be done manually or using bar code scanning to update the records for each asset. Outline of the auditing process 1. Download the asset records from the location that you are auditing. 2. Perform the audit for each asset assigned to a location. 3. Create a record for an asset, if necessary. 4. If an asset is not found in the location, change the status of the asset record to indicate that it is missing. Create statuses Statuses can be created that describe various outcomes of an audit. The default statuses are Decommissioned and Active. The system administrator can create a status to indicate that an asset is missing. Unique identifiers Preventive measures can be put into place to ensure that no records are duplicated. In the Mobile Data Manager application on the application server, the system administrator can identify which fields are used to determine the unique identity of an asset. For example, serial numbers are unique to each asset. Building a route A route is a defined order of locations and assets. A route associates all the assets that share a location into one record. A route helps you perform an audit by providing a sequence of assets to inspect. 1. In the Asset Manager component on the mobile device, select Create New > Route. 2. Enter the details for the route that you are creating. 3. Select Route Stops > New Route Stop. 8 User Guide

13 4. Specify a numeric value to indicate the sequence of the stop in the route that you are creating, and then specify an asset or a location. 5. Select OK. Downloading assets for a location When you audit a location, you must get a list of the assets for the location. You can download all the asset records that share a location by creating a query, or by downloading the assets that are associated with a location. Creating a query to download asset records You can download the records to perform an audit by creating a query for all the asset records associated with a location. The query sends the asset records to a mobile device. 1. On the application server, open the Mobile Data Manager application. 2. Specify the user group who is performing the audit. 3. Select the Maximo Mobile Asset Manager component, and then select the asset data group. 4. Create a query. For example, you can create a query to download the records for assets in one location, such as location="location_name". 5. Save the query. What to do next You must perform a refresh on the mobile device for the changes to take effect. Auditing assets from a route A route is a defined sequence of assets for inspection. You can download the assets defined in a route to perform an audit in a location. 1. In the Asset Manager component on the mobile device, open the Routes work list. 2. Select the route from which you want to download assets. 3. Select Route Stops. Each asset is listed in the route. 4. Click the arrow icons and select Goto Asset, orgoto Location. The asset or location records must be downloaded to the device. 5. Inspect the asset or location. Updating and replacing asset data When you audit a location, you might need to change the location, parent record, or site for an asset. You can move an asset if you need to change its location. You might also need to replace a decommissioned asset with a new one. 1. In the Asset Manager component on the mobile device, open the record of the asset for which you want to update or replace data. 2. Select Menu > Move/Swap. 3. Specify the details for the asset record. Chapter 2. Maximo Mobile Asset Manager 9

14 v If you are changing the parent, location, bin, or site of an asset, on the Move Asset tab, specify the updated data. v If you are replacing the asset, on the Replacement Asset tab, specify the new data. 4. Select OK. Auditing assets When you are performing an audit, you take inventory of all the assets in a location. You ensure that all the assets are present and in the right location. You can check for assets manually, or by using bar code scanning. 1. In the Asset Manager component on the mobile device, open the record for the asset that you want to audit. 2. Select View > Location's Assets. 3. Select Audit This Location. v If you are manually auditing the location, begin searching for the assets that are listed on the mobile device. v If you are using bar code scanning, begin scanning items in the location. As you scan each item, it is removed from the list. 4. Audit the next location. v To audit the next location listed in the device, select Audit next location. v If you are using bar code scanning, select Scan next location and scan the bar code of the next location to audit. All assets of the scanned location are listed to be audited. What to do next If you find an asset in the location that is not assigned to that location, you can create a record for the asset. If you cannot find an asset, you can change its status to indicate that it is missing. Changing record statuses Some work records have a status that indicates its position in the work record processing cycle. When you audit assets, you might find that an asset needs repair or is missing, you update the status of the asset so that the appropriate action can be taken. 1. In the Asset Manager components on the mobile device, select the work record whose status you want to change., then. 2. Select Menu > Change Status 3. Change the status of the work record. 4. Click OK. Attaching files to records Attachments can be a photographic image, a signature captured as a graphic image, a sound file, or a text document. They can be used as additional data for work that you are doing, such as a picture of an asset that requires maintenance. 10 User Guide

15 1. In the Asset Manager component on the mobile device, open the record to which you want to attach a file. 2. Select Menu > Attach File. 3. Specify the file you want to attach. For example, you can attach a picture of an asset to a work order. You can also send attachments as a sound file or text file. 4. Select Attach. 5. Indicate the file you want to attach to the record, then select Attach. The file is appended to the record. Recording meter readings Meter readings can help indicate upcoming required maintenance or replacement. You can enter meter readings for assets while performing an audit. If the meter reading is high, you can request maintenance for the asset, if necessary. 1. In the Asset Manager component on the mobile device, open the record of the asset for which you want to take a meter reading. 2. Select Menu > Enter Meter Reading. 3. Specify the data for the meter reading. 4. Select OK. Requesting maintenance for assets, locations, or configuration items When you audit a location, you might find an asset, location, or configuration item that is not working properly. You can request maintenance in the form of work orders, service requests, incidents, problems, changes, or releases. 1. In the Asset Manager component on the mobile device, open the record for which you want to request maintenance. 2. Expand the menu beside the record name, and then select Create > Maintenance record type. 3. Specify the data for the maintenance. 4. Click Send to upload this record to the application server. Maintenance record types The type of maintenance required depends on the asset, location, or configuration item. Table 3. Types of maintenance records Type of maintenance record work order service request incident Description A record that contains information about work that must be performed for an asset, location, or configuration item (CI). A request that is created and passed to the request queue handler whenever a nucleus server requires a service that is not currently available. An event that is not part of the standard operation of a service and causes or might cause a disruption to, or a reduction in, the quality of services and customer productivity. Chapter 2. Maximo Mobile Asset Manager 11

16 Table 3. Types of maintenance records (continued) Type of maintenance record problem change request release Description An abnormal symptom in a system that is being managed. A type of work record where you can plan, review, and report actuals for implementing changes or deploying new, standard configurations to existing assets. A release record details the tasks, scheduling, and people or groups involved in the release. Reporting downtime for an asset If an asset is unavailable for use, you can change its status so that other users are aware of its status. 1. In the Asset Manager component on the mobile device, open the asset record for the asset that is unavailable. 2. Select Menu > Report Downtime. 3. Select the reason for the downtime. 4. Specify the details of the downtime. 5. Select OK. 12 User Guide

17 Notices This information was developed for products and services offered in the U.S.A. IBM may not offer the products, services, or features discussed in this document in other countries. Consult your local IBM representative for information on the products and services currently available in your area. Any reference to an IBM product, program, or service is not intended to state or imply that only that IBM product, program, or service may be used. Any functionally equivalent product, program, or service that does not infringe any IBM intellectual property right may be used instead. However, it is the user's responsibility to evaluate and verify the operation of any non-ibm product, program, or service. IBM may have patents or pending patent applications covering subject matter described in this document. The furnishing of this document does not grant you any license to these patents. You can send license inquiries, in writing, to: IBM Director of Licensing IBM Corporation North Castle Drive Armonk, NY U.S.A. For license inquiries regarding double-byte (DBCS) information, contact the IBM Intellectual Property Department in your country or send inquiries, in writing, to: Intellectual Property Licensing Legal and Intellectual Property Law IBM Japan Ltd , Shimotsuruma, Yamato-shi Kanagawa Japan The following paragraph does not apply to the United Kingdom or any other country where such provisions are inconsistent with local law: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION PROVIDES THIS PUBLICATION "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF NON-INFRINGEMENT, MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. Some states do not allow disclaimer of express or implied warranties in certain transactions, therefore, this statement may not apply to you. This information could include technical inaccuracies or typographical errors. Changes are periodically made to the information herein; these changes will be incorporated in new editions of the publication. IBM may make improvements and/or changes in the product(s) and/or the program(s) described in this publication at any time without notice. Any references in this information to non-ibm Web sites are provided for convenience only and do not in any manner serve as an endorsement of those Web sites. The materials at those Web sites are not part of the materials for this IBM product and use of those Web sites is at your own risk. Copyright IBM Corp. 2007,

18 IBM may use or distribute any of the information you supply in any way it believes appropriate without incurring any obligation to you. Licensees of this program who wish to have information about it for the purpose of enabling: (i) the exchange of information between independently created programs and other programs (including this one) and (ii) the mutual use of the information which has been exchanged, should contact: IBM Corporation 2Z4A/ Burnet Road Austin, TX U.S.A. Such information may be available, subject to appropriate terms and conditions, including in some cases, payment of a fee. The licensed program described in this document and all licensed material available for it are provided by IBM under terms of the IBM Customer Agreement, IBM International Program License Agreement or any equivalent agreement between us. Information concerning non-ibm products was obtained from the suppliers of those products, their published announcements or other publicly available sources. IBM has not tested those products and cannot confirm the accuracy of performance, compatibility or any other claims related to non-ibm products. Questions on the capabilities of non-ibm products should be addressed to the suppliers of those products. This information contains examples of data and reports used in daily business operations. To illustrate them as completely as possible, the examples include the names of individuals, companies, brands, and products. All of these names are fictitious and any similarity to the names and addresses used by an actual business enterprise is entirely coincidental. This information contains examples of data and reports used in daily business operations. To illustrate them as completely as possible, the examples include the names of individuals, companies, brands, and products. All of these names are fictitious and any similarity to the names and addresses used by an actual business enterprise is entirely coincidental. COPYRIGHT LICENSE: This information contains sample application programs in source language, which illustrate programming techniques on various operating platforms. You may copy, modify, and distribute these sample programs in any form without payment to IBM, for the purposes of developing, using, marketing or distributing application programs conforming to the application programming interface for the operating platform for which the sample programs are written. These examples have not been thoroughly tested under all conditions. IBM, therefore, cannot guarantee or imply reliability, serviceability, or function of these programs. The sample programs are provided "AS IS", without warranty of any kind. IBM shall not be liable for any damages arising out of your use of the sample programs. 14 User Guide

19 Trademarks IBM, the IBM logo, and ibm.com are trademarks or registered trademarks of International Business Machines Corp., registered in many jurisdictions worldwide. Other product and service names might be trademarks of IBM or other companies. A current list of IBM trademarks is available on the Web at Copyright and trademark information at Java and all Java-based trademarks and logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of Oracle and/or its affiliates. Microsoft, Windows, Windows NT, and the Windows logo are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States, other countries, or both. Other product and service names might be trademarks of IBM or other companies. Notices 15

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