Asset Imports

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This article explains how to import asset data into MaintainX from a CSV or Microsoft Excel (XLS, XLSX) file using the built-in asset importer.

Asset Import Workflow Overview

The asset import process follows these steps:

1. Create a file to import: You can use a custom file, or the MaintainX asset import template (recommended).
2. Upload the file: MaintainX processes the data and gives you a summary of what it can import.
3. Troubleshoot (if needed): If MaintainX can't import your data, or the import summary isn't what you expect, you can modify and re-upload the file.
4. Import your assets: If the import summary looks good, import the data to bring the assets into your organization.

Create a File to Import

This section explains how to create an asset file to import, and details the file requirements.

note

An asset file can't have more than 500 rows. If your file has more than 500 rows, split it into smaller files before importing.

Supported File Formats

You can upload files in any of the following formats:

• .csv
• .xls or .xlsx (Microsoft Excel)

Using the MaintainX Asset Import Template

The import process works best if you use the MaintainX asset import template. The template includes all the supported fields (see Fields You Can Import) and is designed to work with the importer.

To download the asset import template:

1. From the sidebar, open the Settings menu and select General.

2. On the General tab, navigate to the Import Data section and select Assets.

   The Asset Import Session screen opens.

3. Select Download Template.

The asset import template downloads directly to your computer.

Using a Custom File

If you don't use the MaintainX template to import your asset data, you can import from a custom file. For example, an export from an enterprise resource planning (ERP) or enterprise asset management (EAM) system. In that case the importer will try to match the data in your file to the data MaintainX needs to create the assets.

Before importing, carefully review the fields you can import, and make sure the column names for the data in your custom file match the column names that MaintainX expects.

Fields You Can Import

Column in File	Field in MaintainX	Description
Asset	Asset Name	The name of the asset. It can be up to 255 characters long. MaintainX can't import an asset if this field is blank.
Parent Asset	Parent Asset	If you're importing a multi-level asset hierarchy, this is the immediate parent asset of the asset defined in the row. When MaintainX imports the assets, it builds the full hierarchy based on these relationships. For details, see Importing Asset Hierarchies.
Description	Description	A short description of the asset. It can be up to 4096 characters long (roughly 500 to 700 words). Make sure to include all the relevant details for the asset.
Asset Type	Asset Types	A text field to label the assets into types. This field can be used for filtering and reporting. Although an asset in MaintainX can have more than one asset type, your import file can only have one per asset.
Model	Model	The model name or model number of the asset.
Serial Number / VIN Number	Serial Number	The vehicle identification number (VIN) or serial number of the asset.
Bar code	QR Code Barcode	Barcode or QR Code used to identify the asset. To import it, enter the alphanumeric code in this cell. This appears as a QR code in the MaintainX application.
Location	Location	The location associated with the asset in your MaintainX organization. If you enter the exact name of an existing location in this cell, MaintainX associates the imported asset with that location. If you enter the name of a location that doesn't exist in your MaintainX organization, MaintainX creates the location when it imports the assets, and associates the asset with the new location.
Responsible Teams	Teams in charge	The teams responsible for maintaining the asset. The team name you enter must exactly match an existing team in your MaintainX organization. Although an asset in MaintainX can be associated with more than one team, your import file can only have one team per asset.

Importing Asset Hierarchies

If your plan includes asset hierarchies, you can include hierarchical relationships in your import.

To import the hierarchy, each asset in your import file should specify its immediate parent in the Parent Asset column.

Let's say you want to import this asset hierarchy:

Your import file should look like this:

Asset	Parent Asset	Description	Asset Type	Model	Serial Number / VIN Number	Bar code	Location	Responsible Teams
Milling Machine
Cooling System	Milling Machine
Pump	Cooling System
Tank	Cooling System

Note that in the example above, Milling Machine doesn't have a parent asset because it's the root asset of the hierarchy.

The number of hierarchy levels you can import depends on the Asset Hierarchy Levels setting in your organization settings, and the maximum asset hierarchy depth allowed for your organization. For details, see Change the Number of Hierarchy Levels.

Upload an Asset Data File

Upload asset data files from the General settings in the MaintainX web application.

Uploading from the Setup Center

If your MaintainX organization was set up recently, you'll also see a step to upload asset data in the Setup Center, which you can access from the sidebar.

To upload an asset data file:

1. From the sidebar, open the Settings menu and select General.

2. On the General tab, navigate to the Import Data section and select Assets.

   The Asset Import Session screen opens.

3. Do one of the following:

   • Select Upload new file.
   • Drag a file from your computer onto the import screen to upload it.

4. When the upload succeeds, the upload summary screen opens.

The summary screen tells you how many assets and locations MaintainX detected in the file you uploaded, and can import. It also lists the importable assets in a table.

The column headers in the asset table show you which columns in the uploaded file map to fields in MaintainX. If the importer couldn't match a field, NO MATCH appears in the column header next to the column name.

Troubleshoot Asset File Upload Issues

Sometimes an asset data upload fails, or produces unexpected results. When that happens you can update the file and re-upload it.

This section provides some troubleshooting tips for asset data files.

Failed Uploads

Make sure that the asset data file:

• Is in a supported format (see Supported File Formats).
• Includes all required data. For asset data, the only required field is the Name field.
• Is 500 rows or fewer. If your file has more than 500 rows, split it into smaller files before importing.

Unexpected Upload Results

If you upload an asset data file and the results aren't what you expect (e.g., no match for a column that you expected to match), make sure that:

• The column names for the data you want to import match the names MaintainX expects.
• The data for each asset is in the correct format.

For more information about the format and column names MaintainX expects, (see Fields You Can Import).

Import Assets

When you're satisfied with the results of the asset data upload, you can import the assets to create them in your MaintainX organization.

When you import an asset:

• The asset Status is set to Available by default.
• The asset history shows that the asset was created by the user who imported the asset data.

To import assets:

1. On the asset upload summary screen, select Import Items.

   A confirmation dialog appears.

2. Select Create Now to start the import.

MaintainX displays the newly created assets in the Assets module Table view.

Other Ways to Import Assets

You can also have MaintainX import your assets into your organization. To get started, fill out the asset import template CSV file and send it to MaintainX Customer Support.