Overview of the Import Assets Tool
The PCX Import Tool allows you to create Instrument, Test Standard, Equipment, and Loop records from a predefined Microsoft Excel® file (the Source File). The tool also allows you to import historical calibration results. In PCX Team Edition, all imports are performed against the single Organizational Unit. When using PCX Pro, be mindful of your current Organizational Unit selected in the top right of your PCX session. Organizational Units are also referred to as “OUs” in this document.
Each run of the import inserts asset or result records into the currently connected OU in PCX. This can be run multiple times for the specific OU. After the import is completed, you will receive an email with a copy of the import sheet containing any error messages if applicable.
Downloading the Asset Import Template
Once logged into PCX, when on the ‘Dashboard’ or ‘Assets’ page there is a ‘+ New’ button on the top left navigation bar.
After selecting, you can click the ‘Import Assets’ button from the file menu. A modal window will pop up where you can download the ‘Asset Import Template’. This will download the latest copy of the PCXImportTemplate spreadsheet.
Source File Definition
Worksheets and Columns
The Excel® Source File structure is defined in the table below. Several Excel Worksheets exist in the Excel file for Assets, Calibration Results, and Vendors. A Template of the Excel® file is available for download on the ‘Import Assets’ page. The columns specified in the table below MUST be defined in the source file.
Assets Worksheet
| Column Name | Note |
| Asset Type | Required Field |
| Asset ID | Required Field, must be unique within the OU |
| Name | Required Field |
| Next Calibration Date | MM/DD/YYY |
| Frequency | Text Field. The Frequency must already exist in the system. |
| Manufacturer | Text Field |
| Model | Text Field |
| Serial | Text Field |
| Physical Location | Text Field |
| Sub-Location | Text Field. If a Sub-Location is specified, a Physical Location must also be specified. |
| Functional Location | Text Field |
| Department | Text Field |
| Classification |
Applies one or many ‘classifications’ on the record separated by semicolons. Ex: Active; Gas Analyzer; ISO Critical |
| Asset Status | Text Field. The asset status must already exist in the system. |
| Primary Procedure Code | Text Field. The Procedure must either exist or be imported in the same workbook. |
| Test Specification Temporary IDs |
Required Field. Applies one or many Test Point Accuracy groups to the Asset separated by semicolons. The ordering of these is the order they will be added into PCX.
Ex: AssetGroup1;AssetGroup2;AssetGroup3 |
| Remarks | Text Field |
Test Specifications Worksheet
| Column Name | Note |
| Temporary Mapping ID | Required Field, e.g. “AssetGroup1” per example above. |
| Title | Required Field |
| Test Specification Type | Required Field |
| Tolerance Type | Required Field for Test Point Accuracy groups. |
| Tolerance Value | Required Field for Test Point Accuracy groups. |
| Range Low | Numeric Field |
| Range High | Numeric Field |
| Range Dec Places | The desired resolution for the input range. |
| Unit | Text Field |
| Output Low | Numeric Field |
| Output High | Numeric Field |
| Output Dec Places | The desired resolution for the output range. |
| Output Unit | Text Field |
| Correlation | Linear or Square Root, Required for Test Point Accuracy. |
| Strategy | Predefined List Value, , Required for Test Point Accuracy, or if left blank, custom input points must be specified in the Test Specification Nominals sheet. |
| Calibrator Template | Must be either blank or an existing Calibrator Template |
| Set Point 1 | Required Field for Switch Test groups. |
| Set Point 1 Direction | Required Field for Switch Test groups. |
| Set Point 1 Trip State | Required Field for Switch Test groups. |
| Deadband Min | Required Field for Switch Test groups. |
| Deadband Max | Required Field for Switch Test groups. |
| Set Point 2 | Required Field for Switch Test groups. |
| Set Point 2 Direction | Required Field for Switch Test groups. |
| Set Point 2 Trip State | Required Field for Switch Test groups. |
| Trip Detection Mode | Required Field for Switch Test groups. |
Test Specification Nominals Worksheet
| Column Name | Note |
| Temporary Mapping ID | Required Field. This field points to the ‘Temporary Mapping ID’ provided on the ‘Test Specifications’ worksheet. |
| Position | Required Field. Denotes the position of the point in the Test Point Accuracy group. Start with 1. |
| Nominal Input | Required Field. Numeric Field. |
Asset Resources Worksheet
| Column Name | Note |
| Asset ID | Required Field, must be unique within the OU |
| Resource Type |
Required Field. Options:
|
| Reference Type |
Required Field. Options:
|
| Resource Value | Text Field |
Asset Contacts Worksheet
| Column Name | Note |
| Asset ID | Required Field, must be unique within the OU |
| Contact Email | Text Field |
| Contact Type |
Text Field. Options:
|
Loop Components Worksheet
| Column Name | Note |
| Loop ID | Required Field. |
| Component Instrument ID | Required Field. Assigns one or many Instruments as a component of the Loop record. |
| Order | Required Field. Denotes the position of the Instrument component in the Loop record. Start with 1. |
Calibration Results Worksheet
| Column Name | Note |
| Import Row ID | Required Field NOTE: This identifies this Result for other related sheets. |
| Asset ID | Required Field |
| Result Date | Required Field, MM/DD/YYY |
| Result Time (Optional) | HH:MM |
| Temperature | Numeric Field |
| Temperature Unit | Text Field |
| Humidity | Numeric Field |
| Humidity Unit | Text Field |
| As Found Result | Required Field |
| Automatic As Found | Required Field |
| As Left Result | Required Field |
| Automatic As Left | Required Field |
| Actions |
Applies one or many ‘actions’ on the record separated by semicolons. Ex: Toxic;Replaced Casket;Changed Filter |
| Remarks | Text Field |
| Primary Tech Email | Must be a valid email address who is added as a user in PCX (can be enabled or disabled). |
| Primary Tech Labor Hours | Numeric Field |
Test Activities Worksheet
| Column Name | Note |
| Result Row ID | Required Field |
| Activity Sequence | Required Field |
| Stage | Required Field, As Found or As Left data |
| Test Spec Title | Required Field |
| Test Specification Type | Required Field |
| Tolerance Type | Required Field |
| Tolerance Value | Numeric Field |
| Range Low | Numeric Field |
| Range High | Numeric Field |
| Range Dec Places | The desired resolution for the input range. |
| Unit | Text Field |
| Result | Required Field |
| Output Low | Numeric Field |
| Output High | The desired resolution for the output range. |
| Output Dec Places | Text Field |
| Output Unit | Linear or Square Root, Required for Test Point Accuracy. |
| Strategy | Predefined List Value, , Required for Test Point Accuracy, or if left blank, custom input points must be specified in the Test Specification Nominals sheet. |
| Calibrator Template | Must be either blank or an existing Calibrator Template |
| Correlation | Required Field for Switch Test groups. |
| Set Point 1 | Required Field for Switch Test groups. |
| Set Point 1 Direction | Required Field for Switch Test groups. |
| Set Point 1 Trip State | Required Field for Switch Test groups. |
| Deadband Min | Required Field for Switch Test groups. |
| Deadband Max | Required Field for Switch Test groups. |
| Set Point 2 | Required Field for Switch Test groups. |
| Set Point 2 Direction | Required Field for Switch Test groups. |
| Set Point 2 Trip State | Required Field for Switch Test groups. |
| Trip Detection Mode | Numeric Field |
Test Point Accuracy Points Worksheet
| Column Name | Note |
| Result Row ID | Required Field |
| Activity Sequence | Required Field |
| Stage | Required Field, As Found or As Left data |
| Point Sequence | Required Field |
| Nominal | Required Field |
| Actual | Required Field |
| Reading | Required Field |
| Point Remark | Text Field |
Switch Points Worksheet
| Column Name | Note |
| Result Row ID | Required Field |
| Activity Sequence | Required Field |
| Stage | Required Field, As Found or As Left data |
| Point Sequence | Required Field |
| Set Point | Numeric Field |
| Set Reading | Numeric Field |
| Include Reset | Required Field |
| Reset Reading | Numeric Field |
| Point Remark | Text Field |
Test Standards Used Worksheet
| Column Name | Note |
| Import Row ID | Required Field. This field points to the ‘Import Row ID provided on the ‘Calibration Results’ worksheet. |
| Test Standard Asset ID | Required Field |
Procedures Worksheet
| Column Name | Note |
| Title | Required Field |
| Issue Date | MM/DD/YYYY |
| Effective Date | MM/DD/YYYY |
| Expiration Date | MM/DD/YYYY |
| Resource Type |
Text Field Options:
|
| Resource Value |
Text Field Options:
|
| Remarks | Text Field |
| Retention Note | Text Field |
Vendors Worksheet
| Column Name | Note |
| Name | Required Field |
| Contact Name | Text Field |
| Address | Text Field |
| City | Text Field |
| State | Text Field |
| Postal Code | Numeric Field |
| Country | Text Field |
| Office Phone | Text Field |
| Mobile Phone | Text Field |
| Fax Phone | Text Field |
| Requires a valid email address. | |
| Certification Type | Text Field |
| Certification Number | Text Field |
| Certification Expiration Date | Text Field |
| Remarks | Text Field |
Asset Import Template Field Relationships
Assets
Calibration Results
Running the Asset Import Template
After the import template has been filled out you will open the ‘Import Assets’ screen and select ‘Choose File’. This will open a File Explorer where you can select your PCXImportTemplate sheet.
After hitting ‘Next’ you will have a screen that confirms the target import file and current OU and you can select ‘Import’ to begin the import process.
Reviewing Errors
Once the Import is completed, an email will be sent called ‘PCX Mass Import Finished’ with a link to the sheet containing an ‘Errors’ column on the ‘Assets’ and ‘Calibration Results’ tabs if any errors occurred during the import process.
Common Errors
| Error | Note |
| Asset already exists. Unable to create.! | The Asset ID already exists in the system. Update the ID to ensure it is unique. |
| Asset name is required.! | The Name field is required. |
| TestPointGroup1 doesn’t exist in the Test Specifications sheet. - Index was outside the bounds of the array. | The Temporary Specification Temporary ID was not found in the Test Specifications Sheet. An item needs to exist to create the test point group. |
| Procedure Already Exists | The Procedure code already exists in the system. Update the Procedure code to ensure it is unique. |
| Entity Asset Not Found | The Asset record for the calibration result was not found. |
| Nullable object must have a value | There is a required field on the sheet that must have a value. |
| Input string was not in a correct format | The Temperature or Humidity value may be non-numerical. |
| Entity “FREQUENCY” was not found.! | The frequency that is mapped does not exist in the current OU. |
| One or more validation failures have occurred.! | Requires separate investigation. |
| A unit with this full name already exists.! | A unit value already exists and cannot be added during the import. We recommend adding units at the top-level OU (if applicable) to ensure they can be shared across child OUs. |
| Requested value ‘NULL’ was not found. | A value in the Test Activities page was set as ‘NULL’. |
| String ‘XX’ was not recognized as a valid DateTime. | The Result Time (Optional) field requires a time stamp. |
| Entity “TestStrategy” (XXX) was not found.! | The Test Strategy must exist in the dropdown list. |
| Object reference not set to an instance of an object.! | There was a null pointer during the import. Requires separate investigation. |
| Invalid Primary Tech Labor Hours Value: | The Primary Tech Labor Hours should be defaulted to 0 if no value was provided. |
| Technician user doesn’t exist for user with email test@gmail.com! | The user does not exist in the system. |
| Input string was not in a correct format. | The Temperature or Humidity value may be non-numerical. |