Maintainly Files on Assets Gets and Upgrade
By Patrick O'Meara
Files Storage Decentralised
Previously, Maintainly Documentation was a defined section of the CMMS where folders could be created and applicable files could be added and stored along with links to external file storage locations.
Today's release retires the Documentation section and decentralises the adding and storing of files.
NOTE: In order to maintain access to some files, action may be required by Administrator users, so we highly advise Administrators to review this blog post in it's entirety.
Key changes include:
Files can now be added directly to assets, asset models, materials and task templates :)
Nominate whether files should be accessible in related tasks, or not.
Add files to an asset model just once to make it available for all tasks on assets that are of that asset model.
The Documentation section can still be accessed, but no longer used and will shortly be retired. Copies of existing files should be downloaded no later than January 31, 2025.
Why the Change?
These much anticipated changes are thanks to regular feedback that customers have provided, specifically regarding:
The existing permissions structure on the Documentation section was highly restrictive, since users either had access to Documentation or they did not. This posed issues when some files were of a sensitive nature (ie. not for all eyes), and if the asset Owner permission level was in use.
Files that were specific to an asset required an additional task of setting up a folder structure in Documentation in order to organise them appropriately.
Using the Documentation section required a more complicated prerequisite process (outside of simply managing the asset, asset model or task templates) and knowledge of the linking functionality, linking them to tasks, task templates, etc.
Files Now Added Directly to a Resource
Rather than adding files to the Documentation section and then linking them to tasks, files will now be added directly to the applicable asset, asset model, material or task template.
Access to adding of new files to the Documentation section has, as of today, been disabled. All new files should be added directly to the applicable asset, asset model, material or task template.
Files that are added to asset models will be available to users in all tasks that are on any asset that is of that asset model. So, for example, if it's a user manual, you would add that once to the asset model to make it available to users when performing any task on an asset that's of that asset model.
Files that are added to materials will appear in the Files tab of a task only after that material has been added (ie. consumed) in the task. Likewise, if a material is removed from the task, the relevant file/s will also no longer be accessible via the Files tab of the task.
Files Accessible on Tasks
As part of this change, you can now nominate whether individual files should be made available to users in the tasks. This opens up the possibility to maintain asset model or asset-specific files that not all users should be able to access, or are not otherwise required for the day-to-day maintenance operations. An original purchase invoice, or warranty document may be two such examples.
When adding new files, simply check the Show in tasks checkbox to make is accessible to all users, as indicated in the image here. You can also edit that setting from time time using the three-dot menu located to the right of each individual file in the list view.
Migration of Exisiting Files to the New Structure
Tasks - files that are linked to tasks from the Documentation section will remain available under a new Documentation tab in the task until January 31, 2025. This means that legacy tasks might have a Files tab as well as a Documentation tab in tasks. To make them available permanently in the task, add the files to the applicable resource (asset, asset model, material).
Task templates - files that are linked to a task template taht could be migrated, have been migrated from the Documentation section and will remain available in the task template under the Documentation tab until January 31, 2025. The new Files tab will also be visible. To make them available permanently in the task template, add the files directly to the task template via the Files tab.
Existing files that were on materials or asset models have been migrated over to the new structure.
Any word documents will still appear, but new ones cannot be added. Those files should be converted to pdf prior to uploading.
Links that were in Documentation will remain until January 31, 2025 after which they will be retired. New links cannot be added to any Files location.
Of course, task-specific files (eg. photos of the maintenance work performed) can still be added directly to the Activity tab of any task to which they relate, either on the web app or the mobile app.
Reach out via Support if you have any questions or feedback regarding these changes.
