Object Basics

Introduction to objects

An object is any type of equipment, for example a machine or machine part, which requires maintenance, service, or repair.

An object is automatically updated with related information regarding, for example, new or updated work orders. Objects can be created from the All Objects or Pending objects menu items, which is described in the Create Objects Based on Purchase Orders section. In this session you are creating objects from All Objects.

All objects

Click Enterprise asset management > Common > Objects > All Objects to open the list. The All Objects list contains a list of all objects and displays some of the information related to an object. You can also select Active objects to see a list of all active objects, or My active objects to see a list of objects installed on the functional locations you are related to as a worker (set up in Workers and Worker Groups).

In the All objects grid view, click on a link in the Object column to show the Details view of the selected record. Click the Edit button to open for editing. In the details view, you see detailed information related to the object. The vertical Related information pane to the right of the screen contains additional object-related information. Expand the pane to see related information for the selected object.

The action pane buttons are organized in tabs on the action pane. Here is a brief description of the buttons relating to Enterprise Asset Management: 

Button name	Description
Edit	Edit the selected object.
New	Create new object.
Delete	Delete the selected object.
Move object	Move objects in the same object hierarchy or to another object hierarchy.
Replace object	Replace child object in an object hierarchy with another object.
Install object	Install object on a functional location.
Copy object	Copy object hierarchy to another object.
Notes	Insert a note on the object selected in the list page. Start by clicking the Add timestamp button to add your user name and a timestamp to the note.
Requests	Open the Active requests list page and view requests created for the selected object.
Timeline	Overview of the various registrations made on the object.
Object BOM	View a list of all items (spare parts as well as other items) used on an object.
Contracts	Open the Contracts list page and view contracts created on the object.
Work orders	Open Active work orders list page and view work orders for the object.
Checklist	Overview of checklists and measurements registered on the object.
Production stop	Create or view production stop registrations on the object.
Project transactions	View all posted transactions related to work orders created for the object.
Counters	Create or view counter registrations on the object.
Object calendar	Open the Open object calendar lines list page and view maintenance sequences, requests, and rounds with status "Created" that are associated with the object.
Object stage	Update object stage. You can multi-select several objects in the All objects list page and update the object stage on several objects at a time.
Stage log	Log displaying the stages of the selected object.
Object documents	View list of documents attached to an object. These documents are set up in Enterprise asset management > Setup > Object documents.
Specifications	Create or view object specifications.
Image	Select an image for the object.
Parent objects	View parent object history on the selected object.
Functional locations	View functional location history on the selected object.
Condition assessment	Register condition assessment measurements on the object.
Faults	Open Object faults list and view faults registered on the object.
Cost control	Compare budget costs and actual costs on the object.
Object KPIs	Calculate and view Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for the object.
Job types	Overview of the current job type setup for the object.
Criticalities	View or update object criticalities.
Spare parts	View a list of approved and alternative spare parts that can be used on the object.
Object consumption	Print a report displaying consumption registrations on the object.
Object fault	Print a report displaying fault registrations on the object.

Create an object

1. Click Enterprise asset management > Common > Objects > All objects or Active objects.
2. Click the New button.
3. In the Create object dialog, insert data regarding Object (the object ID) and the object name. Select date and time for the object in the Effective field. From that date, you are able to install the object on a functional location as well as move and replace the object in an object hierarchy.
4. In the Object type field, select the object type for the object (mandatory fields). If required, select a Product and a Model for the object. If only one product has been set up, that product is automatically selected in the Product field. The selections available in the Product and Model fields depend on the setup in Product - model.
5. The Parent object field is blank as default. If required, you can select a parent object, and then all fields in the Parent object section will automatically be filled out.

Note

When you select a parent object, two or three tabs are available: The My objects tab contains objects related to the functional locations to which you (the worker who is logged on the system) may be allocated. If no functional locations are set up on a worker in the Workers form, the My objects tab will not be visible. The Active objects tab contains a list of all objects with object stage "Active". The Object view tab displays a tree view of functional locations and objects installed on those locations.

6. The default functional location you have set up is suggested for the object in the Object section > Functional location field. Select another functional location, if required.

Note

After you have created an object, you can install it on another functional location, if required. Only top-level objects (objects without a current parent object) can be installed on a functional location. This means that you install the top level as well as any child objects on the selected functional location. Read more about installing objects on functional locations in the Functional Locations chapter.

7. Click OK.
8. Select the object in the All Objects list and click the Edit button to add further information to the object.

General information

The functional location to which the object is related is shown in the Functional location field. If the object is a parent object, the number of children related to the object is shown in the Children field. If the object is a sub object to an existing object, the ID of the parent object is shown in the Parent field.

You can edit Product and Model information on the object, which is used to manage spare parts, alternative spare parts, and job type setup. Refer to the Product and Model and Forecasts sections for more information. You can also add information about Model year and Serial number, if required.

Current stage is used to define if the object is active or inactive. When creating an object, the stage is always set to the first stage in the object stage group. When you are ready to activate an object, click Object stage, and select the stage that you have defined as "object active" stage, and click OK.

Note

When an object is set to "inactive", it is no longer possible to create work orders for the object. Also, you cannot schedule preventive maintenance jobs for an inactive object.

The Priority and Criticality fields relate to work orders created for the object. The fields show the Priority and Criticality numbers calculated for the current setup for the object. Refer to the Object Priorities and Object Criticalities sections regarding setup of those values.

Asset

You can select a Resource for the object. The resource selection determines which calendar is used for work order scheduling. Resource selection is often used for fixed assets. In Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations, resources and resource groups are set up in Organization administration > Resources > Resource groups or Resources.

In the Fixed assets number field, you can select a fixed asset to be related to the object. This is relevant if your object is related to an investment project.

Note

If the object is related to a fixed asset, you can create a work order type to be used for work orders related to an investment project. Read more about work order types in the Work Order Types section.

Information about fixed assets for an object is related to the Fixed assets module in Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations. This means that in Fixed assets > Fixed assets > Fixed assets, you can get an overview of the Enterprise Asset Management projects that may be related to a fixed asset by selecting the asset in the list and viewing the contents in the Related information pane > Associated projects section.

On this FastTab, you can also select Item number and BOM related to the object.

Details

In the Active from field, the date on which you updated the object stage to an active stage (refer to the Object Stages section regarding setup of object stages), is shown. If the object is no longer active, and you have updated the object stage to an inactive stage, the date from which the object is inactive is shown in the Active to field. If required, you can manually change those dates.

If required, you can insert an expected date for replacement of the object in the Replacement date field. An estimated value for replacing the object can be inserted in the Replacement value field. Example: You can use replacement information to compare it with the costs of maintaining an object, and subsequently make a decision for purchasing a new object if maintenance costs on the existing object increase rapidly.

Notes

You can add notes related to the object on the Notes FastTab. Click the Add timestamp button before you write the note, if you want to add user information and a date/timestamp to the note.

Specifications

On this FastTab, you can set values for object specifications. These specifications can be used to describe properties or characteristics pertinent to the object, for example, size, weight, or machine configuration.

Click Add line and select the specification type. Next, insert the Value related to the specification type and save the record.

Note

You can get an overview of object specification types and their relation to the objects in Object specifications and Object specification overview. Refer to the Object Specification Overview section for more information.

Vendor

On the Vendor FastTab, select a vendor account for the object. Also, if a vendor warranty has been granted, you can insert warranty information here.

Address

On the Address FastTab, you can insert the address of the equipment. If no address is inserted on the object, the object uses the address of a parent object, if the parent object has an address. If no address is related to the object or any parents in the object hierarchy, the address of the functional location on which the object is installed may be used. If that functional location does not have an address related to it, the address of the parent functional location is used on the object.

Preventive maintenance

Maintenance sequences are used for scheduling preventive maintenance jobs at regular intervals on the object. On this FastTab, you can set up maintenance sequence lines for the selected object. Read more in the Maintenance Sequences section. Rounds can be set up for various objects, on which you need to carry out a similar task at regular intervals. Read more in the Rounds section. On the Functional location tab, you will see the maintenance sequences related to the functional location on which the object is installed.

Note

If you delete a maintenance sequence line or a round related to an object in All Objects, you also automatically delete all object calendar lines with status "Created" that have been created based on that maintenance sequence or round.

Project

As explained in the Integration to Project Management and Accounting chapter, an object may be related to a project in the Project management and accounting module, and the project will be created according to the setup in Enterprise Asset Management Parameters.

Caution

On the Project FastTab, the Create project integration button must only be used in connection with setup of master data. This is not an everyday function, but is only used when a company wants to import existing objects into the Enterprise Asset Management module, typically in connection with the general setup of Enterprise Asset Management in Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations.

Financial dimensions

You can select financial dimensions for the object.

Multi-level objects

You can create objects and related sub-objects in a hierarchical tree structure to display relations and dependencies of objects. Maintenance jobs can be related to all levels of the tree structure. Also, statistics can be created for the individual level, or as a sum of all sub-object levels.

In the All Objects list (Enterprise asset management > Common > Objects > All Objects), you see objects listed in hierarchical order in the Object column. The related parent is displayed in the Parent column. Also, you see a tree structure displaying the object hierarchy in the Related information pane > Object tree section if objects and sub objects have already been created.

Refer to the Create an Object section regarding how to create a new object. To create a sub-object, select the parent object in the Parent field on the General FastTab.

Copy an object or object hierarchy

If your company has several object hierarchies with similar object structures, you can use the copy function in Enterprise Asset Management to quickly create a number of similar object hierarchies.

1. Click Enterprise asset management > Common > Objects > All objects. In the All objects list, select the object you want to copy. For example, you select a parent object if you want to copy the entire object structure including sub objects.
2. Click the Copy object button. The object you selected in the list page is shown in the Copy from > Object field.
3. Insert the name of the new object in the Copy to > Object field.
4. In the Parent object > Object field, you should only select a parent ID if the object you are creating should be part of an existing object hierarchy.
5. Click OK. The new object hierarchy is shown in the All objects list. All object specifications, maintenance sequences, and rounds related to the source object from which you made the copy, are transferred to the new object or object hierarchy.

When you copy an object hierarchy, the sub objects in the new hierarchy get the same name as the ones you copied. After the copy procedure is done, you can easily change the name and other settings on a new object by selecting the object in All objects and clicking the Edit button.

Note

When you copy an object or object hierarchy, object stages for the new objects are reset to the "first stage" that you have created for objects, and the functional location is reset to the default functional location.

Delete an object or object hierarchy

An object with related sub objects can only be deleted if no requests, work order lines, fault registrations, or condition assessments are registered on any of the objects you are trying to delete.

1. In All objects, select the object you want to delete.
2. Click Delete.

Note

If you cannot delete an object, instead you can handle deletion by setting up an object stage for this purpose. For example, you can set up a "Scrapped" or "Deleted" stage in Object stages.

Move, replace, and install objects

Objects can be created as single objects that have no relations to other objects, or you can create an object hierarchy with a parent object and related child/sub objects. In Enterprise Asset Management, there are three approaches to moving or changing location of an object:

• Move object = move an object to another object hierarchy, or to another location within the same object hierarchy.
• Replace object = replace an object temporarily from an object hierarchy for repair or refurbishment and then re-insert the refurbished object in the object hierarchy later, or replace a used object permanently with a new object.
• Install object = install a parent object and any related sub objects on a functional location.

Note

When you move or replace or install an object, the object may be related to another functional location. In that case, the object may use financial dimensions of the functional location. The handling of financial dimensions on functional locations is set up in Functional location types.

Move object

Use this function to move an object to another object hierarchy, or move an object to another location in the same object hierarchy, or move an object from an object hierarchy to be a standalone object with no hierarchy relations.

Note

Do not use this function in relation to repair or temporary replacement of objects. In that case, use the Replace object functionality described below.

1. Click Enterprise asset management > Common > Objects > All objects or Active objects.
2. Select the object you want to move. If the object has sub objects, you also move the sub objects.
3. Click Move object.
4. If you want to move the object to be part of an object hierarchy, select the new parent object in the Parent object field. If you are moving a sub object, and you want to make it a standalone object with no hierarchy relations, do not make a selection in the Parent object field.
5. In the Effective field, current date and time are shown. If required, select another date and time from which the object move should be valid.

Click OK.

Replace object

Use this function in connection with repair, refurbishment, or permanent replacement in case a worn-out object is replaced by a new object. This function is used for replacing child objects in an object hierarchy. If you want to replace parent objects, meaning top-level objects (objects without a current parent object), this is done on a functional location. Refer to the Install Objects on Functional Locations section for more information on how to replace parent objects on a functional location.

Note

If you have a repair shop related to your production department, you may create functional locations for "Repair", "Scrap", or "Storage" to handle repair and replacement of objects.

1. Click Enterprise asset management > Common > Objects > All objects or Active objects.
2. Select the child object you want to replace in the list. If that object has child objects, you also replace those objects.
3. Click Replace object. In the Structure change field, you see the latest date and time when the selected object and related child objects were moved in the object hierarchy.
4. In the Selected object section > Functional location field, select the functional location to which you want to move the object, for example, a "Repair" or "Scrap" location.
5. In the Parent object section > Effective field, you see the latest date and time when the parent object and related child objects were installed or moved on the current functional location.
6. In the New object section > Object field, select the object to be inserted as a temporary or permanent replacement for the selected object. This object may currently be located on another functional location, for example, "Storage".
7. In the Effective from section > Effective field, current date and time are shown. If required, select another date and time from which the object replacement should be valid.

Click OK.

Install object

Use this function to install an object hierarchy on a functional location.

Note

Remember to always select a parent object. The parent object and related child objects will be moved to the selected functional location.

1. Click Enterprise asset management > Common > Objects > All objects or Active objects.
2. In the list, select the parent object you want to install on another functional location.
3. Click Install object. The object specifications set up on the parent object are shown in the Specifications section.
4. Select the new location in the Functional location field.
5. In the Effective field, current date and time are shown. If required, select another date and time from which the object hierarchy installation should be valid.
6. Click OK.

Create objects based on purchase orders

In Enterprise Asset Management, you can create a list of object items that can be used as a basis for creating objects for maintenance jobs. Based on the object items, you are able to view a list of the purchase order lines that have been created on those items. The purpose of this functionality is to easily create an object in Enterprise Asset Management based on a purchase order.

First, you set up the items to be used for creating objects from a purchase order in Object items. After creating a purchase order line, you create the objects in Pending objects. It is possible to decide at which stage of the purchase order the object should be created.

Select object items

1. Click Enterprise asset management > Setup > Objects > Items.
2. Click New to create a new object item.
3. Select the item in the Item number field. When you leave that field, the item name is automatically inserted in the Product name field.
4. On the General FastTab, select an object type for the item.
5. Select product and model for the item.
6. Save the item.

Create objects from pending objects

1. Click Enterprise asset management > Common > Objects > Pending objects.
2. You will see an updated list of the purchase orders based on the items selected in Object items.
3. You can filter the status of purchase orders to select at which stage the object should be created. For example, you may only want to create objects when a product receipt has been posted on a purchase order.
4. Select a purchase order line and click the General FastTab or the Inventory dimensions FastTab to view detailed information about the item.
5. If you want to edit which dimensions are displayed on the Inventory dimensions FastTab, click the Display Dimensions button, and make your selections.
6. If you want to create an object based on a purchase order line, select the check box in the Mark column for that line, and click Create objects. A message will be displayed informing you of the object ID.
7. Select the object in the All Objects list and click Edit to add more information to the object.
8. In Pending objects, if you want to delete a line because you don't want to create an object, select the check box in the Mark column for that line, and click Create objects. A message will be displayed informing you of the object ID. You are not deleting the purchase order or sales order, just the record from which you could have created an object in Enterprise Asset Management.

Note

All product dimensions (size, color, configuration etc.) are automatically transferred to the object specifications. Tracking dimensions (serial number) are stored directly on the object when the object is created.

Find pending objects

You can run a Pending object count to check for pending objects. For example, this function can be used for receiving a notification each time a pending object is ready to be created as an object.

1. Click Enterprise asset management > Periodic > Objects > Pending object count.
2. Click OK to run the job and update the list in Pending objects.
3. You can set up this job to run as a batch job, for example, once each day.

Caution

If data is changed on a purchase order after you have created an object based on the appertaining item, those changes will not be reflected on the object.