Relationship between Model, Model Name, Asset/CI

[jbauguess]

I've been toying around with Asset management. I'd like to create some new Models for a television studio. For instance, I would like to track the maintenance and incidents regarding Cameras, Lights, Monitors, etc. I created new model categories for these items. From there, I created specific model names for those, for instance, a Sony Camera, a Panasonic Camera, a Hitachi Camera.

I'd like the camera related fields to appear and be editable in the Model Name form, however, I haven't found a way to accomplish this. This makes it to where I have to edit the individual details in each asset I create. That doesn't make sense if I'm going to have 3 of the same type of camera - they would all have the same basic attributes.

Am I using the wrong tool to accomplish this, or am I missing a step?

[Jake Gillespie]

I think you might be confusing Model Categories with CI Classes. The Model Categories field on the Model record is a 'List' field type, which allows you to add multiple related records to the Model Categories table. Because the relationship is not 1:1 you can't then add fields from the related record onto the current record form.

In the model table, your records should be something like:
Name: SONY HDRHV1000
Model Number: HDRHV1000
Manufacturer: Sony (this is a related field so you would need to add this manufacturer if it didn't already exist)

On each Asset/CI record (per physical device), there will be a reference field called 'Model' which points to the above record for example. This means that you should only have to edit the model related properties once per Model record (not for every Asset/CI created). These can be added to the Asset/CI form but will not be editable because they belong to the Model record, not the individual Asset/CI record.

If you want all new 'Camera' Model records (Sonys, Panasonics etc) to be created with a base set of values, you could create a Business Rule on the Model table which checks if the Model Categories includes 'Camera', and if so, sets the default values into the record before it is saved.

[jbauguess]

I think I was confused on the use/purpose of the Asset Management module. Another person from your organization was in my office this week and explained the use of the module to me.

Thank you for answering the question.