The Import Asset and Export Asset processes together create a complete cycle in IFS Fleet and Asset Management (FAM), managing serial structures by importing asset data from an external source and exporting it after maintenance.
The Import Asset process provides a structured way to bring asset data into the system and convert it into a usable FAM serial structure. It begins when fleet maintenance engineers or other users responsible for asset induction or setup upload asset data in CSV format on the Import Asset page.
Import Asset uses the External Files toolkit capabilities in IFS Cloud. The template VimSerialLoaderFileTemplate defines the format and characteristics of the data being read into the system. The CSV file must follow the required format and map to a valid template structure to ensure that the appropriate configuration rules are applied.
During upload, a preliminary check is performed to ensure that the topmost entry (i.e., with structure position TEMPLATE) contains a value for the Serial Number, and that the template part number and revision for the topmost entry match those specified in the Load Asset assistant. The check also verifies that the data is readable according to the settings defined in the external file template.
Note: Only one import exists for an asset at a time. Uploading a CSV file for the same asset removes any existing import and restarts the process.
Once the data is successfully loaded, the Validate Asset functionality is automatically triggered to check for errors and warnings in the uploaded data.
Validation first identifies errors in the incoming data that are likely to require an updated CSV in the list below are the errors. These errors are captured in the Validation Log tab, and validation stops at this point. These include:
After correcting these errors, Validate Asset can be rerun to check for other errors or warnings, such as:
If errors exist:
If there are no errors or warnings, the Process Serial Structure functionality is automatically triggered.
Validate Asset can also be run manually, as needed.
Line-level status values in the Import Details tab:
When Process Serial Structure is run:
For new assets that do not exist in FAM:
For existing assets in FAM:
If a parent serial exists in FAM with a status of In Operation or Out of Operation status, and the child serial in the import file does not yet exist in FAM, The Import Asset process will create the child serial, set it Out of Operation, and then install it under the parent. Operational loggings are generated using the structure change date of the asset's topmost entry, or the current date and time if no date is provided. Replacement history is created using the structure change date of the specific structure entry, or the current date and time if no date is provided.
Once a new serial structure is created, or an existing structure is updated for the asset, the overall status of the import is updated to Imported.
You may exclude specific parts if they do not need to move forward into the serial structure. It is possible to revert the exclusion of a part as long as the overall status has not reached Validation Completed.
You may remove the loaded asset data entirely if it was uploaded incorrectly or if the induction is no longer required, as long as the overall status has not reached Imported.
CAMO users who use the Complex Assembly MRO (CAMRO) solution for maintenance, repair and overhaul of their complex assets can initiate the asset transfer from the Rotable Inventory page by clicking Asset Transfer. When this is done, the asset data is retrieved and transferred in the required format to Import Asset for processing. The resulting serial structure will be used in the CAMRO solution.
The Export Asset process allows you to extract and analyze the current state of a serial structure by generating a CSV file. Maintenance planners and other users responsible for maintenance and shop visit closure often use this after a visit to capture the reassembled structure.
On the Export Asset page, you can search for the required structure and select the Generate Export File command. This creates a background job, which generates a CSV file containing all relevant details of the serial structure at that specific point in time.
The CSV file includes part numbers, serial numbers, and the latest operational usage values for TIME (or the primary parameter) and CYCLES.
Once the job completes, the time and person who generated the file are recorded on the Export Asset page. The file can then be downloaded locally by running the Download Export File command.
CAMO users who use the CAMRO solution can initiate a direct asset transfer from the Export Asset page by clicking Asset Transfer. When this action is performed, a background job is created to transfer the data to CAMO for processing.