Manufacturers and Models

Clicking this link exports a list of all manufacturers and models to an Excel spreadsheet, providing a simple way to review the manufacturers and models that have been entered into the system.

To export manufacturers and models:

1. Click the Export All link.

   An Excel spreadsheet is created containing one row for each model. By default, the list is sorted alphabetically by manufacturer, then by model. The following columns of information are included:

   • Manufacturer – the name of the manufacturer the model is associated with
   • Mfr URL – the Internet address of the manufacturer's web site
   • Mfr Status – the status of the manufacturer; either Active or Inactive
   • Model Desc – the description of the model
   • Model URL – the Internet address of a page about the model, within the manufacturer's web site
   • Model Status – the status of the model; either Active or Inactive
   • Last Update – the date on which this model was last updated
   • Updated By – the name of the user who performed the last update

A manufacturer specifies the name of a company that produces equipment.

To add a manufacturer:

1. In the Add Manufacturer field, enter the name of the company that manufactures the equipment.

   You must enter a unique manufacturer. An error message appears if you try to add a manufacturer that already exists.

2. Click ADD.

   A dialog box opens asking you to confirm your choice.

3. Click OK.

   The manufacturer is added and additional fields appear allowing you to further define the manufacturer.

Editing a manufacturer allows you to add or change a manufacturer URL, rename the manufacturer, or change the manufacturer's status. If you edit a manufacturer, the changes you make are reflected in existing assets. To edit a manufacturer:

1. In the Manufacturer field, select the name of the manufacturer you want to edit.

   All existing information defined for the manufacturer is displayed.

2. Modify the URL field to change or add a URL to the manufacturer's web site.

   The value must be 250 characters or less and should be in the following format:

   www.<site name>.<domain extension>

   where:

   <site name> = the name of the website – for example, "myCompany

   <domain extension> = the website domain extension – for example, ".com" or ".org"

   Do not include the protocol (http:// or https://) in the URL, for example, www.companywebsite.com. If you add a URL, the manufacturer's name will be displayed on the Asset Details page as a clickable link, not as static text.

3. In the Status field, select whether the manufacturer is Active or Inactive.

   Inactive manufacturers remain in the system, but are not displayed to users.

4. Enter a value in the Rename field to modify manufacturer's name.

5. Click UPDATE.

If it is no longer needed, a manufacturer can be deleted from the system.

If there are any models associated with a manufacturer, you cannot delete the manufacturer. You must first delete all the models. However, models cannot be deleted if they are used by assets. If you cannot delete the models, you can, instead, inactivate the manufacturer so that it is no longer displayed to users.

To delete a manufacturer:

1. In the Manufacturer field, select the manufacturer you want to delete.

   The detail fields for the manufacturer appear.

2. Click DELETE.

   A dialog box opens asking you to confirm your choice.

3. Click OK.

A model defines a specific type of equipment made by a manufacturer. For example, beneath the TeleMobility manufacturer, you might list several models of mobile phones used as assets at your company. To add a new model:

1. In the Manufacturer field, select the name of the manufacturer you want to add the model to.

   The detail fields for the manufacturer and the Asset Models pane appear, listing all of the currently defined models for that manufacturer.

2. In the Model Desc field, enter a name or number that identifies the model.

   The value you enter must be 50 characters or less and must unique within the manufacturer. If you enter a model that already exists, an error message appears.

3. In the URL field, enter a URL to a page on the manufacturer's web site that is specific to this model.

   The value must be 250 characters or less and should be in the following format:

   www.<site name>.<domain extension>/<path and parameters>

   <site name> = the name of the website – for example, "myCompany

   <domain extension> = the website domain extension – for example, ".com" or ".org"

   <path and parameters> = the path to a particular location within the website and any required parameters – for example, "/iphone/features/#siri"

   Do not include the protocol (http:// or https://) in the URL, for example, www.website.com/thisModel. If you add a URL, the model name will be displayed on the Asset Details page as a clickable link, not as static text.

4. Click ADD.

   The model is added to the list of models displayed in the yellow pane.

If there are many models defined for a particular manufacturer, you may want to narrow down the list of models displayed using the Search function. This is helpful if you want to edit a particular model or if you want to verify that a model is not already listed before adding it.

You can narrow down the list by searching based on the model description, the URL, or both. However, if you enter a value in both fields, both must match for values to be returned. Any models that contain the values entered are returned, they do not need to match exactly. For example, entering "123" will return 123, 22123, or BW-34123

To search for a model:

1. In the Manufacturer field, select the name of the manufacturer you want to search within.

   The Asset Models pane appears, listing all of the currently defined models for that manufacturer.

   If the selected manufacturer has more than 500 models associated with it, a message appears prompting you to enter search criteria to narrow down the list.

2. Click the Search Models link.

   Clicking this link places the page in Search mode, changing the button into a SEARCH button. The Add Model link allows you to go back into Add mode, if needed.

3. In the Model Desc field, enter the value you want to search for.

   This value can include all or part of the model description, for example, the model name or model number.

4. In the URL field, enter the value you want to search for.

5. Click SEARCH.

   All of the models whose descriptions contain the specified value are displayed. If your search returns more than 500 models, you will be asked to narrow your search.

   From the displayed list, you can edit or delete a model.

Editing a model allows you to change the status of the model, rename the model, or add a model-specific URL. If you edit a model, the changes you make are reflected in existing assets. To edit a model:

1. In the Manufacturer field, select the name of the manufacturer the model you want to edit is associated with.

   The all models for the selected manufacturer are displayed in the yellow pane. If too many models are listed, you can click the Search Models link to perform a search and narrow down the list.

2. In the Status field, select whether the model is Active or Inactive.

   Inactive models remain in the system, but are not displayed to users.

3. Edit the value in the Model Desc field to modify the model's name.

   The value you enter must be 50 characters or less and must unique within the manufacturer. If you enter a model that already exists, an error message appears.

4. Edit the value in the URL field to change the URL to page on the manufacturer's web site that is specific to this model.

   The value must be 250 characters or less and should be in the following format:

   www.<site name>.<domain extension>/<path and parameters>

   <site name> = the name of the website – for example, "myCompany

   <domain extension> = the website domain extension – for example, ".com" or ".org"

   <path and parameters> = the path to a particular location within the website and any required parameters – for example, "/iphone/features/#siri"

   Do not include the protocol (http:// or https://) in the URL, for example, www.website.com/thisModel.

5. Click UPDATE.

If it is no longer needed, a model can be deleted from the system.

A model cannot be deleted if any existing assets are associated with it. When you try to delete the model, an error message appears indicating that the model is in use. You must first delete all assets that use this model before you can delete the model. If you cannot delete the assets, you can, instead, inactivate the model so that it is no longer displayed to users.

To delete a model:

1. In the Manufacturer field, select the manufacturer of the model you want to delete.

   The all models for the selected manufacturer are displayed in the yellow pane. If too many models are listed, you can click the Search Models link to perform a search and narrow down the list.

2. Click the DELETE button to the right of the model you want to delete.

   A dialog box opens asking you to confirm your choice.

3. Click OK.