Install base characteristics

  • Release version: Australia
  • Updated March 12, 2026
  • 2 minutes to read
    • Summarize
    Summarized using AI
    This content was generated using new OpenAI-powered functionality. Results are provided on an as is basis and are not guaranteed to be accurate or complete.

    Summary of Install Base Characteristics

    Install base characteristics allow customer service managers to define and track the attributes of install base items within the Customer Service Management application. This functionality ensures efficient case management, field service management, and maintenance scheduling, helping to verify timely service delivery for these items. Characteristics can be configurable or non-configurable, with the latter derived from the associated product model.

    Show full answer Show less

    Key Features

    • Role-Based Access: Only users with the sncustomerservicemanager role can create characteristics, while administrators can track and manage these characteristics by activating the Install Base Characteristics plugin.
    • Data Management: Characteristics are stored in the Install Base Characteristics table, and users can view them on the install base form. Both product model and install base characteristics are accessible through related lists.
    • Search Functionality: Users can utilize text search on the Customer Service platform to locate characteristics efficiently.
    • Portal Visibility: Install base characteristics can be viewed on various service portals, although child item characteristics are not visible.

    Key Outcomes

    By managing install base characteristics effectively, organizations can ensure they meet service requirements, maintain accurate product information, and enhance customer satisfaction. This structured approach facilitates better service tracking and improves operational efficiency across customer service and maintenance functions.

    Customer service managers can create the characteristics of the install base items, while administrators can capture and track the characteristics of the install base items by using the Customer Service Management application. These characteristics can provide information about the service requirements and verify timely maintenance services for the install base item.

    Overview

    Install base characteristics enable flows like case management, field service management, planned maintenance, and reactive service requirements to occur on a schedule. Some install base characteristics are configurable and vary from product to product. The product model characteristics are non-configurable and are directly taken from the product model that is associated with the install base item.

    Only users with the sn_customerservice_manager role can create the characteristics for the install base items. Users with the administrator role can activate the Install base characteristics plugin [com.snc.install_base_characteristics] to capture and view all the install base characteristics on the Install base form. To activate the plugin, see Activate a plugin.

    The Install base characteristics data model represents how the characteristics of an install base item are stored. To learn about the different fields and tables that they're stored in, see Data model for the Install base item characteristics.

    Roles

    With the admin role, you can track the characteristics to provide the required product information to administrators, agents, business stakeholders, and customers. You can also track the services that are associated with an install base item at the time of purchase. With this role, you can capture the configurable and non-configurable characteristics to view the configuration specifications for an install base item.

    With the sn_customerservice_manager role, you can create a set of configurable characteristics for an install base item on the Customer Service Management (CSM) application. It enables you to view the install base item details and its associated services. After you create an install base characteristic, the characteristic appears in the related list on the install base item form. For more information, see Create the install base characteristics for an install base item.

    There are different functional and granular roles to provide varying levels of permissions to users. For information on the different access levels, see Security roles for the install base characteristics.

    Install Base characteristics

    The install base characteristics are stored in the Install Base Characteristics table [sn_install_base_item_characteristic]. However, both the install base and product model characteristics are displayed in the Install base characteristics and product model related lists on the install base form. You can use the text search option on the Customer Service platform and portals to search for the characteristics on the Install Base characteristics table.

    You can view the install base characteristics on the Customer Service, Consumer Service, and Business Location Service Portal (BLSP).

    Under the Support header on the portals home page, you can view the information about the install base characteristics that are associated with the parent install base item. The characteristics that are associated with the child items aren’t visible on the portals. For more information about the install base items from the Customer Service Portal, see View install base information from the Customer Service Portal.