Asset templates and report context

Templates describe the expected structure of a workstation or unit. When an asset is linked to a report, ReportArea preserves both an opening snapshot and its authorized current state.

Availability: templates for asset managers; asset selection for assigned users and staff handling reports. Level: Advanced.

Purpose

Use templates to repeat consistent structures, define component positions, and set compatibility rules. Use report context to identify the exact asset, installed component, or empty position that requires attention.

Requirements

The complete structure is optional. Every position you choose to add needs an active component type, which you can prepare beforehand or create with the quick action in Structure without leaving the draft.
Have Manage assets to create, edit, or publish templates.
Only published revisions can be used to create assets.
To link or correct assets on a report, the report must be active and the user must be authorized.

Templates step by step

Create a template, enter its name and class, and save the identity to open the draft.
In Structure, decide whether you need positions now. Leave it empty and select Continue to go straight to Publish; Compatibility is skipped when there are no positions.
To define structure, add a top-level position for a part that depends directly on the asset. To represent a part housed in or dependent on another, use the action to add it inside that position.
Choose the type, enter a name and description, set a maximum quantity from one to 50, and review the icon inherited from the type. Use Customize and Reset when needed. Editing a position preserves its branch and rules instead of rebuilding the tree.
If the selector has no options or the needed type is missing, use Create type, complete the quick form, and save. The selector refreshes and chooses the new type without clearing the label, quantity, or any other information you already entered.
In Compatibility, add rules only when positions exist and matching the component type is not enough to choose a replacement. Equality requires a value; a set requires a nonempty, trimmed, duplicate-free list; a range requires at least one limit and a minimum no greater than its maximum.
Publish the revision with zero or more positions. It becomes immutable from that point onward.
To add components later or change a published template, open its editor, review the identity, and use Create new revision. ReportArea saves those details, copies the latest published structure, and opens an editable draft. Existing assets stay on the earlier revision until an assisted adoption, where you decide how to keep, move, or remove every component that no longer fits.

Report context

When a report is created, active assets assigned to the creator are preselected and can be removed.
Zero or more exact components or empty positions can be selected, including parent and occurrence where needed.
The report saves a full snapshot of the structure when attached.
While it remains active, the creator and authorized staff can correct assets or selections; staff must enter a reason.
The detail separates When the report was opened from Current state. Removing and adding an asset again creates a new link and snapshot without overwriting the earlier one.

Rules and effects

A published revision cannot be edited.
A top-level position is the root of a branch and depends directly on the asset; a position inside another depends on the component occupying its parent position.
A template supports zero to 200 positions and five component levels. Every defined position has a minimum of zero and a configurable maximum from one to 50.
Without additional compatibility rules, a position accepts components of its own type.
Creating a type from the draft refreshes the catalog and the form in progress without discarding information already entered.
Component types can be archived and restored. Once a technical field has data, its key, type, and deletion are locked; its label, help, unit, and order remain editable, and options may be added without removing used values. Orphaned keys appear as read-only inherited data until an explicit cleanup.
Templates can be archived and restored without moving existing units off their revision. Adoption offers only later published revisions.
An invalid historical rule appears as incomplete compatibility and requires an explicit decision; a published revision is never silently rewritten.
Adoption preserves installation history.
Users assigned to the asset, contextual staff, and authorized managers see the needed detail. Other participants see a reduced snapshot without internal codes, serial numbers, identifiers, or sensitive specifications.
A targeted request uses the asset's current state and keeps its target in report history.

Required and optional information

Required: template name and class; type, label, and maximum quantity for each position you add; a reason when staff corrects report context. Optional: the complete position structure, description and icons, compatibility rules, selected components, and assets attached to the report.

Practical example

An “Office PC” template defines a motherboard, memory, and storage. A report selects Ana's PC and the empty second memory position. Even after a module is installed, the report retains the opening snapshot and shows the current state separately.

Current limits

Assets do not automatically move to a new revision.
Cycles and structures beyond depth, position, or installation limits are rejected.
Participants without live technical access do not see internal identifiers or specifications.
Custom graphics for templates are not supported.