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Asset Management

Asset Management is the core functionality of Asset Pro - creating, viewing, editing, and organizing individual asset records.

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Understanding Assets​

An Asset in Asset Pro represents a physical or logical item your organization tracks. Each asset has:

  • Unique identifier (No.)

  • Classification (Industry + Classification hierarchy)

  • Current holder (Who has it: Customer, Vendor, or Location)

  • Physical hierarchy (Parent-child relationships)

  • Ownership roles (Owner, Operator, Lessee)

  • Financial values (Acquisition cost, book value)

  • Custom attributes (Industry-specific fields)

  • Complete history (Holder changes, relationships, components)

One Asset = One Record with all related information

Asset List vs. Asset Card​

Asset Pro uses two main pages for asset management:

| Page

|

Purpose

|

When to Use

| | --- | --- | --- | |

Asset List

|

View multiple assets at once

|

Browsing, filtering, searching, bulk operations

| |

Asset Card

|

View/edit one asset in detail

|

Creating new asset, editing detailed information, viewing full asset profile

|

Pattern: Search in List → Open Card → Edit → Close → Back to List

Creating a New Asset​

Method 1: From Role Center (Fastest)​

  1. Open Asset Manager Role Center

  2. Click New Asset quick action

  3. Asset Card opens in Create mode

  4. Fill in required fields

  5. Click OK to save

image-20251215-192258.png

Method 2: From Asset List​

  1. Choose 🔎 icon

  2. Enter Assets

  3. Choose related link

  4. Click New

  5. Asset Card opens

  6. Fill in fields

  7. Click OK to save

Asset Card Structure​

The Asset Card is organized into logical sections (FastTabs):

General Section​

No. (Code, 20 characters)

  • Auto-assigned from number series (if configured)

  • Or manually enter (if manual numbering allowed)

  • Cannot change after creation

  • Use assist button (Alt+↓) to select from number series

Description (Text, 100 characters)

  • Primary asset name

  • Tip: Use assist button to get AI-generated name suggestions

  • Example: "MRI Scanner - Siemens Magnetom Vida 3T"

Description 2 (Text, 50 characters)

  • Additional description

  • Optional supplementary information

Status (Option)

  • Active: Asset in normal use

  • Under Maintenance: Temporarily unavailable

  • Decommissioned: Retired from service

  • Blocked: Cannot be used in transactions

Blocked (Boolean)

  • Check to prevent use in transactions

  • Existing references remain valid

  • Asset still visible and searchable

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Classification Section​

Industry Code (Code, 20 characters)

  • Select the industry this asset belongs to

  • Cannot change after setting (impacts classification structure)

  • Example: FLEET, MEDICAL, IT

Classification Code (Code, 20 characters)

  • The leaf node in your classification tree

  • Example: "PANAMAX" (under Cargo Ship → Commercial)

  • Lookup shows valid classifications for selected industry

  • Validates classification hierarchy

Classification Path (Read-only)

  • Shows full classification path

  • Auto-calculated from classification hierarchy

  • Example: "Commercial / Cargo Ship / Panamax"

  • Helps verify classification structure

image-20251215-192448.png

Physical Hierarchy Section​

Parent Asset No. (Code, 20 characters)

  • The asset this asset is physically inside

  • Example: Engine inside Ship

  • Creates parent-child relationship

  • Use lookup (assists) to select valid parent

  • Rule: Both assets must be at same holder

Hierarchy Level (Integer, Read-only)

  • Depth in physical hierarchy

  • 1 = Root (no parent)

  • 2 = Child of root

  • 3 = Grandchild

  • Auto-calculated when parent assigned

Root Asset No. (Code, 20 characters, Read-only)

  • Top-most ancestor in physical tree

  • Auto-calculated

  • Used for filtering entire asset families

  • Blank if asset is root or standalone

image-20251215-192541.png

Usage Example:

  • Ship "SS-001" (Root, Level 1)

    • Engine "ENG-100" (Child, Level 2, Root = SS-001)

      • Fuel Pump "FP-200" (Grandchild, Level 3, Root = SS-001)

Current Holder Section​

Current Holder Type (Enum, Read-only)

  • Who currently holds the asset

  • Options: Customer, Vendor, Location, or blank

  • Read-only: Cannot edit directly

  • Changed via Change Holder dialog or Asset Journal

Current Holder Code (Code, 20 characters, Read-only)

  • The specific Customer No., Vendor No., or Location Code

  • Use assist button to open Change Holder dialog

  • Links to master data (Customer, Vendor, Location)

Current Holder Address Code (Code, 10 characters, Read-only)

  • Ship-to Address (for Customers)

  • Order Address (for Vendors)

  • Not applicable for Locations

Current Holder Name (Text, 100 characters, Read-only)

  • Name of holder

  • Auto-populated from master data

  • Updated when holder changes

Current Holder Since (Date)

  • Date when current holder received asset

  • Set automatically when holder changes

  • Used for custody duration calculations

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Why Read-Only?
Changes to Current Holder create ledger entries for audit trail. Use:

  • Change Holder action (on Asset Card)

  • Asset Journal (for batch changes)

  • Transfer Orders (for formal transfers)

  • Document Integration (automatic on sales/purchase/transfer posting)

Ownership Section​

These fields define ownership and operational roles (not custody):

Owner (Type + Code + Name)

  • Legal owner of the asset

  • Types: Our Company, Customer, Vendor, Employee, Responsibility Center

  • Example: Asset owned by company, but leased to customer

Operator (Type + Code + Name)

  • Entity that operates/uses the asset

  • Day-to-day user

  • Example: Equipment operated by specific employee

Lessee (Type + Code + Name)

  • Entity that leases/rents the asset

  • Only applicable if asset is leased

  • Example: Asset leased to Customer C-001

Use Case: You own a truck (Owner = Our Company), it's located at Customer site (Holder = Customer C-001), and driven by Customer employee (Operator = Employee).

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Dates Section​

Acquisition Date

  • Date asset was acquired/purchased

  • Used for age calculations

  • Optional but recommended

In-Service Date

  • Date asset was put into operational use

  • May differ from acquisition date

  • Used for service life calculations

Last Service Date

  • Date of most recent maintenance/service

  • Update manually after service

  • Reference for service history

Next Service Date

  • Scheduled date for next service

  • Use for maintenance planning

  • Can trigger reminders (customization)

Decommission Date

  • Date asset was retired from service

  • Set when asset is decommissioned

  • Used with Status = Decommissioned

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Financial Section​

Acquisition Cost (Decimal, currency)

  • Original purchase cost

  • Auto-formatted as currency

  • Optional field

Current Book Value (Decimal, currency)

  • Current accounting value

  • Update manually or via integration

  • Used for financial reporting

Residual Value (Decimal, currency)

  • Expected value at end of useful life

  • Used for depreciation calculations (if integrated)

  • Optional

Note: Asset Pro does not calculate depreciation automatically. Use Business Central Fixed Assets module for depreciation, or maintain values manually.

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Additional Information Section​

Serial No. (Code, 50 characters)

  • Manufacturer serial number

  • Unique identifier from manufacturer

  • Used for warranty and support

  • Example: "SN-8472947HJKL"

Manufacturer Code (Code, 10 characters)

  • Links to Business Central Manufacturer table

  • Example: "SIEMENS"

  • Lookup available

Model No. (Code, 50 characters)

  • Manufacturer model number

  • Example: "Magnetom Vida 3T"

  • Freeform field

Year of Manufacture (Integer)

  • Manufacturing year

  • Range: 1900-2100

  • Used for age and compliance

Warranty Expires (Date)

  • Warranty expiration date

  • Used for warranty tracking

  • Can trigger notifications

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Creating an Asset: Step-by-Step Example​

Scenario: Add new MRI scanner to MEDICAL industry

Step 1: Open New Asset Card

  1. Open Asset Manager Role Center

  2. Click New Asset

Step 2: General Information

  1. No.: Leave blank (auto-assign) or enter manually

  2. Description: "MRI Scanner - Siemens Vida"

  3. Status: Active

  4. Blocked: Unchecked

Step 3: Classification

  1. Industry Code: MEDICAL

  2. Classification Code: Open lookup

    • Select "MRI" (under Medical Imaging → Diagnostic)

  3. Classification Path: Auto-displays "Diagnostic / Medical Imaging / MRI"

Step 4: Holder Information

  1. Leave Current Holder blank initially

  2. Will assign holder later via Asset Journal or Change Holder

Step 5: Additional Details

  1. Serial No.: "SN-12345-VIDA-2024"

  2. Manufacturer Code: SIEMENS

  3. Model No.: "Magnetom Vida 3T"

  4. Year of Manufacture: 2024

  5. Acquisition Date: Today's date

  6. Acquisition Cost: 2,500,000

Result: Asset "MRI Scanner - Siemens Vida" created with full details

Editing an Existing Asset​

Opening Asset for Editing​

From Asset List:

  1. Open Asset List

  2. Find asset (filter or search)

  3. Click asset line to open Card

  4. Edit fields

  5. Close (auto-saves)

Direct Search:

  1. Press Alt+Q (search)

  2. Enter asset number: "ASSET-001"

  3. Choose "Asset ASSET-001"

  4. Asset Card opens

  5. Edit

  6. Close

From Role Center:

  1. Use embedded Asset List

  2. Click asset to open

  3. Edit

  4. Close

What Can Be Changed?​

Freely Editable:

  • Description, Description 2

  • Status (Active, Blocked, etc.)

  • Blocked checkbox

  • Owner, Operator, Lessee

  • All date fields

  • Financial values

  • Serial No., Manufacturer, Model, Year

  • Description fields

Restricted (Validation Rules):

  • No.: Cannot change after creation

  • Industry Code: Cannot change if Classification set

  • Classification Code: Cannot change if asset has parent or children

  • Parent Asset No.: Validated (must be same holder, no circular refs)

Read-Only (Calculated):

  • Classification Path

  • Hierarchy Level

  • Root Asset No.

  • Current Holder fields (use Change Holder action)

  • Last Date Modified, Last Modified By

Using AI Name Suggestions​

Asset Pro includes AI-powered name suggestions to help create professional, consistent asset names.

When to Use:

  • Creating new assets

  • Renaming existing assets

  • Need consistent naming conventions

  • Want professional naming suggestions

How to Use:

Method 1: Assist Button on Description Field

  1. Open Asset Card

  2. Click in Description field

  3. Press Alt+↓ (assist button)

  4. AI Suggestions dialog opens

  5. Select suggestion

  6. Click OK

Method 2: Suggest Name Action

  1. Open Asset Card

  2. Click Actions → Suggest Name with AI

  3. AI Suggestions dialog opens

  4. Select suggestion

  5. Click OK

Requirements:

  • At least one of these must be filled:

    • Classification Code

    • Manufacturer Code

    • Model No.

  • More context = better suggestions

Example:

  • Input: Classification = "MRI", Manufacturer = "SIEMENS", Model = "Vida 3T"

  • AI Suggestions:

    1. "Siemens MRI Vida 3T"

    2. "MRI Scanner - Siemens Vida"

    3. "Medical Imaging - Siemens MRI"

    4. "Siemens Magnetom Vida 3T"

    5. "MRI System - Vida 3T"

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For complete details, see: AI Name Suggester

Asset Card Actions​

The Asset Card includes several actions for managing assets:

References

  • View alternative asset identifiers

  • Barcodes, customer asset numbers, internal codes

  • Useful for cross-referencing

Comments

  • Add notes and comments

  • Free-form text

  • Timestamped by user

Attributes

  • View/edit custom attributes

  • Industry-specific fields

  • Opens attribute editor

Holder History

  • Complete custody history

  • All holder changes

  • Audit trail

Relationship History

  • Attach/detach events

  • Parent-child history

  • When asset relationships changed

Component Entries

  • Component installation/removal history

  • Parts tracking

  • Consumables used

Children Assets

  • View all descendant assets

  • Tree structure

  • Hierarchical view

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Processing Actions​

Detach from Parent

  • Remove parent-child relationship

  • Logs detach event

  • Enabled only if parent assigned

Change Holder

  • Open Change Holder dialog

  • Manually change custody

  • Creates holder entry

  • Visible only if manual holder changes allowed in setup

Suggest Name with AI

  • Generate AI name suggestions

  • Enabled when minimum context available

  • Requires classification, manufacturer, or model

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Asset List Operations​

The Asset List page provides overview and bulk operations:

List View Features​

Columns Displayed:

  • No.

  • Description

  • Industry Code

  • Classification Code

  • Status

  • Current Holder Type

  • Current Holder Code

  • Current Holder Name

  • Serial No.

Filtering:

  • Use column filters

  • Example: Filter Status = "Active"

  • Example: Filter Industry = "FLEET"

Sorting:

  • Click column headers

  • Sort by any visible column

Searching:

  • Press Ctrl+F or use search box

  • Search across all fields

  • Example: Search "MRI" finds all MRI scanners

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FactBoxes (Side Panels)​

The Asset Card includes FactBoxes for quick reference:

Picture FactBox​

Purpose: Display asset photo

  • Upload image for visual identification

  • Helpful for physical assets

  • Multiple images supported

Usage:

  1. Click FactBox

  2. Upload image

  3. Image saved with asset

Attributes FactBox​

Purpose: Quick view of custom attributes

  • Displays key attributes without opening editor

  • Read-only view

  • Click to open full attribute editor

Displays:

  • Attribute name

  • Attribute value

  • Data type

Purpose: Link to external documents

  • Attach URLs, files, links

  • Reference external systems

  • Standard BC functionality

Notes FactBox​

Purpose: Quick notes

  • Brief annotations

  • Different from Comments

  • Standard BC functionality

Field Validation Rules​

Asset Pro enforces business rules:

Industry Code Validation​

Rule: Cannot change industry if classification is set

Why: Classifications belong to specific industries. Changing industry would break classification structure.

Workaround: Clear classification first, then change industry

Classification Code Validation​

Rule 1: Cannot change classification if asset has parent

Why: Parent-child relationships based on classification hierarchy

Workaround: Detach from parent, change classification, re-attach

Rule 2: Cannot change classification if asset has children

Why: Would break hierarchical structure

Workaround: Detach all children, change classification, re-attach

Parent Asset Validation​

Rule 1: Cannot assign self as parent

Why: Circular reference

Rule 2: Cannot assign descendant as parent

Why: Would create circular hierarchy

Rule 3: Parent must be in same industry

Why: Ensures classification consistency

Rule 4: Both assets must have same holder

Why: Cannot be physically inside asset at different location

Error Message: "Cannot assign asset X to parent Y. Parent is at Location L-001, but child is at different holder."

Solution: Transfer both to same holder first, then assign parent

Asset Numbering​

Asset numbers use Business Central number series:

Setup:

  1. Open Asset Setup

  2. Set Asset Nos. field to number series (e.g., "ASSET")

  3. Number series auto-assigns sequential numbers

Usage:

  1. Create new asset

  2. Leave No. field blank

  3. System assigns next number: "ASSET-001", "ASSET-002", etc.

Manual Numbering​

Setup:

  1. Open Asset Setup

  2. Set Asset Nos. to manual number series

  3. Or leave blank

Usage:

  1. Create new asset

  2. Enter No. manually

  3. System validates uniqueness

Use automatic numbering for consistency

Deleting Assets​

Assets can only be deleted under strict conditions:

Deletion Rules​

Cannot delete if:

  • Asset has children (child assets exist)

  • Holder history exists (holder entries)

  • Component entries exist

  • Referenced in documents

Can delete if:

  • No children

  • No holder history

  • No component entries

  • Not referenced anywhere

Workaround:
Instead of deleting, set Status = Decommissioned and Blocked = True

This preserves history while preventing future use.

Search and Filter Techniques​

Search by Number:

  1. Press Alt+Q

  2. Type: "ASSET-001"

  3. Press Enter

Search by Description:

  1. Open Asset List

  2. Press Ctrl+F

  3. Type: "MRI"

  4. All assets with "MRI" in description shown

Advanced Filtering​

Filter by Holder:

  1. Open Asset List

  2. Click Current Holder Type column header

  3. Select Customer

  4. Shows all assets at customers

Filter by Industry:

  1. Click Industry Code header

  2. Select "FLEET"

  3. Shows all fleet assets

Filter by Status:

  1. Click Status header

  2. Select "Active"

  3. Shows active assets only

Compound Filters:

  1. Apply multiple filters

  2. Example: Industry = MEDICAL + Status = Active + Holder = Location

  3. Shows active medical equipment at locations

[Screenshot Placeholder: Asset List with multiple filters]

Saving Filter Views​

  1. Apply filters

  2. Click Share → Save View

  3. Name view: "Medical Assets at Locations"

  4. View saved for future use

  5. Select from view dropdown

Best Practices​

Asset Creation​

Use Consistent Naming:

  • Use AI Name Suggester for consistency

  • Follow company naming standards

  • Include key identifying information

Complete Classification:

  • Always set Industry and Classification

  • Enables powerful filtering and reporting

  • Required for some features

Add Serial Numbers:

  • Critical for warranty and support

  • Enables asset identification

  • Useful for audits

Set Initial Holder:

  • Use Asset Journal to set initial holder after creation

  • Documents custody from day one

  • Complete audit trail

Data Entry​

Minimum Required Fields:

  • No. (or auto-assigned)

  • Description

  • Industry Code

  • Classification Code

Recommended Fields:

  • Serial No.

  • Manufacturer Code

  • Model No.

  • Acquisition Date

  • Current Holder

Optional but Useful:

  • Owner, Operator

  • Financial values

  • Service dates

  • Attributes

Organization​

Use Classification Effectively:

  • Choose most specific classification level

  • Enables precise filtering

  • Supports reporting

Set Parent-Child Relationships:

  • Track assets inside other assets

  • Useful for complex equipment

  • Enables hierarchical views

Add Custom Attributes:

  • Industry-specific details

  • Configurable fields

  • Enhances searchability

Troubleshooting​

Problem: Cannot Save Asset​

Cause 1: Required field missing

Solution: Fill in No., Description, Industry Code

Cause 2: Number already exists

Solution: Use different number or allow auto-assignment

Problem: Cannot Change Classification​

Cause: Asset has parent or children

Solution:

  1. Open Asset Card

  2. Note current parent

  3. Click Detach from Parent

  4. Change classification

  5. Reassign parent if needed

Problem: AI Name Suggestions Not Available​

Cause 1: Minimum context not met

Solution: Fill in Classification, Manufacturer, or Model first

Cause 2: AI not authorized

Solution: Contact administrator to verify AI service configuration

Problem: Cannot Assign Parent Asset​

Cause 1: Different holder

Solution: Transfer both to same holder first

Cause 2: Would create circular reference

Solution: Check asset hierarchy, select different parent

Problem: Asset Not Appearing in List​

Cause: Filters applied

Solution:

  1. Open Asset List

  2. Click Clear All Filters

  3. Asset should appear

Tip: The Asset Card is your central hub for all asset information. Spend time familiarizing yourself with each section and the available actions. Use the FactBoxes for quick reference without leaving the card.