FlexGrid Views

FlexGrid enables a very flexible way to create access to data in the FMECA tree or the FM Library, by first designing a user-specific view, then accessing that view to manage the data efficiently. Views can also be used as a starting point to create reports.

To open the FlexGrid, take these steps:

1. Select a FMECA System in the FMECA-tree or the FM Library, then select a system, subsystem or part.

2. In the menu bar, click the FlexGrid icon.

3. Choose "Views".

Select a model, (sub)system or part and open the views screen of the FlexGrid

The FMECA Views screen will be opened for the object structure that was selected in the FMECA tree or FM Library. The user rights dictate what data will be shown.

Remark: Not all views are available for models from the FM Library. Views that can display sub-systems are not supported since the FM Library cannot store subsystems (only parts and lower).

The Views screen contains a bar showing all available Views (created by this or other users)

Underneath the shortcuts navigation bar, the Views bar shows all available Views the user has access to based on the assigned permissions. The screenshot shows an example with the following Views: Assets, Failure causes, Flat view, Components, Maintenance. If the bar is empty, then either no Views have been designed yet (see FlexGrid - Designer screen), or no permissions were given to the user to access any Views.

A View can be invoked by clicking its name in the View bar. By default, the screen is empty until a View is selected.

If the user uses an FM Library model to start with, then selects a View which is not available for FM Library models, an error message will be displayed, urging the user to select another View type.

 

Click a View to show its contents

The screenshot above shows an example of a 'Failure Causes' View. The View is specific to the selected FMECA System. The 'Failure Causes' View in this example shows only a failure causes of the selected FMECA system.

From within the FlexGrid, the user can manage the data shown in a flexible way, e.g. by clicking in a field and changing the value. The value is saved by clicking outside of the field, or pressing the Enter key.

Easily change descriptions in the FlexGrid

You may also easily perform a mass update, i.e. changing a field in more than one rows at once. First create a convenient overview so the rows that you intend to change are consecutive or close by. then select the rows of which you wish to change a field in one go: click in the field you wish to change in the first row. The press and hold the Shift-key and click the same field of the last consecutive row you wish to change (in the example below three rows are selected). You may also add separate rows to the selection by pressing and holding the Ctrl-key and clicking the same field of the extra row. If your selection is complete, then enter a new value in the field where your cursor is in (in the example below this is the last one, which is white; if you first click another field, then your selection will be undone). After entering the new value, immediately press the down arrow or up arrow key. Asset Strategy Optimization will now ask you if you wish to fill field of the other selected rows with the same value. Click OK to confirm. Note: if you click Cancel here, then only the one field that you changed manually will be changed eventually.

Mass update functionality in the FlexGrid

Changing a dropdown list value in multiple rows using F4 button

If a field gets its value from a lookup list, then the dropdown list will appear as soon as the user clicks in the field. If you wish to apply a mass update on a lookup list field, then you should first select two or more rows (like described above), then press the F4  button. Now you can select a new value, while the selected rows remain selected. Select the new value, then press either the arrow up or down key, to start the mass copy.

Changing values from lookup lists using the F4 button

In the example above the Failure type is changed.

When you are finished checking or updating data, you may close the FlexGrid screen using the black 'x' in the top right corner (see below), which will take you back to the overview screen from which the view was called (see first image).

Note: if the user meanwhile changes focus, e.g. to the FM-Library, then closing the FlexGrid screen will show the object that was chosen in that focus.

Close the FlexGrid using the cross on the top right, as indicated here

At the bottom of the FlexGrid the user can check from which sub-domain the data is displayed by the FlexGrid. Possible values are: FMECA or FM-Library.

This topic provides an introduction to the FlexGrid, the following topics discuss the many ways the user can manage data with the FlexGrid.