A device card brings together the data fields needed for similar devices, or Spots. For example, a ventilation unit's device card might include the manufacturer, model and serial number. An attribute defines a field's name and type, while the device card selects the attributes to use and their order. Field values are entered separately for each Spot.

The same device card can be used in several folders. The card can define either the fields for the folder's Spots or the folder's own extra information fields. The folder's own values are saved to the folder, rather than to its Spots.

Prepare the attributes and permissions

Create the device card and edit its field structure in the browser. Creating a card requires permission to create device cards, and changing an existing card requires permission to edit them. A manager can also be granted these permissions through their role. Permission to view a card alone is not sufficient to edit it.

First, make sure the attributes you need have been created and that their field types suit the information you want to store. From the menu, open Assets and content → Folder tree → Device cards. Attributes page in the toolbar at the top of the page opens attribute management. If needed, see the instructions for creating attributes.

Create a device card

  1. Select Create new device card from the toolbar at the top of the Device cards page.
  2. Fill in the required Name and Description. Give the card a unique name that makes its purpose clear.
  3. Open the Device card fields section of the form and select Add new device card field.
  4. Search for an attribute by name and select it from the dropdown list in the field row. Check the Field type shown in the row: it comes from the attribute.
  5. Add the other fields in the same way. The card must have at least one selected field. Select each attribute only once: attributes already selected are filtered out of the dropdown lists in the other rows.
  6. Arrange the fields by dragging them up or down using the handle at the right-hand end of each field row.
  7. If you wish, select the folders where the card will be used using the two folder selectors described below.
  8. Select Save at the bottom of the form. The notification New device card created confirms success.

You can leave the folder selections empty and start using the card later. Creating a card does not automatically link it to all folders or devices.

Choose how the card is used

The create and edit forms have two separate selectors:

  • Folders where this card acts as Spot device card: the card defines the data fields for the Spots in the selected folders. The values still belong to each individual Spot.
  • Folders where this card defines the folder extra information fields: the card defines the selected folders' own extra information fields. This selection does not define the fields for their Spots.

If a folder already has another card, selecting a new card changes the field structure. Fields missing from the new card and their values are removed from the corresponding Spots or the folder. Save any information you need before switching cards. For more detailed instructions on putting a card into use and changing its links, see the instructions for linking a device card to a folder.

Edit the fields and assess the effects

Open an existing card by clicking its name in the Device cards list. On the Device card tab, open the Device card fields section. Add a field using the Add new device card field button, change the order using the handle on the right, or remove a field row using its trash icon. The changes take effect when you select Save.

The attribute selection for a saved field is locked. If you need a different attribute, add the required field and assess separately whether the old one can be removed. Values are not automatically transferred from the old field to the new one.

A change to the field structure affects all folders using the card and their Spots according to how the card is used. Before saving, check both folder selections on the card and save any information you need from fields that will be removed.

  • Changing the order changes the order of the fields and preserves their saved values.
  • Adding a field creates the missing field with an empty value for the Spots or folders that use it. Enter the values separately for each one.
  • Removing a field removes the corresponding field and its saved values both from Spots in folders that use the card as a Spot device card and from folders that use the card for their own extra information fields. Adding the field back later does not restore the deleted values.
  • Changing the name or description does not itself change the field structure.

Check the result after saving

The notification Device card updated confirms a successful edit. The fields for Spots and folders are updated in the background, so the notification does not mean that every place using the card has already been updated.

Reopen the card and check its fields, their order and the folder selections. Once processing is complete, open an example Spot that uses the card and check the Device card section of its form. If the card defines a folder's own extra information fields, also reopen a folder that uses it this way and check its fields and values. Make sure the added field is visible, the values in the retained fields are still there and the removed field is gone.

On Android and iOS, View Device Card in the Spot's details opens that Spot's fields and values. This is a different view from the shared field structure edited in these instructions.

An administrator can check field additions and removals on the card's History tab. History does not restore deleted values and is not a complete list of changes to the order or basic information. See the instructions for device card field change history.

A device card cannot be deleted while it is linked to any folder in either usage mode. Deleting a card is a separate action from removing an individual field.