Create a New Asset

Assets represent the individual business objects that INTERA monitors.

Examples include:

• a customer;
• a vessel;
• a product;
• a supplier;
• a bank account;
• a service contract;
• a network node.

Each Asset is created from an Asset Type, which defines the fields and Metrics available for that Asset.

This chapter explains how to create a new Asset, add it to a dashboard, and duplicate an existing Asset.

Open the Assets Page #

To create a new Asset:

1. Open Settings.
2. Select Assets.
3. Click Create New.

The Assets page shows the Assets currently available in your INTERA environment.

Depending on your permissions, you may be able to:

• create new Assets;
• edit existing Assets;
• duplicate Assets;
• disable or archive Assets;
• review linked Metrics and Integrations.

Choose an Asset Type #

The first step is to select the Asset Type.

The Asset Type determines:

• what the Asset represents;
• which fields are available;
• which fields are required;
• which Metrics may be linked to the Asset;
• how the Asset can be used in dashboards and rules.

Examples of Asset Types include:

• Customer;
• Vessel;
• Product;
• Supplier;
• Bank Account;
• Contract;
• Network Node.

Choose the Asset Type that best matches the business object you are creating.

For example:

• create Acme Ltd as a Customer;
• create MV Northern Star as a Vessel;
• create Main EUR Account as a Bank Account;
• create Starlink Maritime as a Product.

Do not select an Asset Type only because its fields look similar. The business meaning should also be correct.

If the required Asset Type is not available, you may need to install the appropriate Role package or create a custom Asset Type first.

Enter the Asset Data #

After selecting the Asset Type, complete the available fields.

The fields depend on the selected Asset Type.

For a Customer Asset, the fields may include:

• Customer Name;
• Customer Number;
• Country;
• Account Manager;
• Customer Segment;
• Status.

For a Vessel Asset, the fields may include:

• Vessel Name;
• IMO Number;
• Flag;
• Fleet;
• Technical Manager;
• Operational Status.

Required fields must be completed before the Asset can be saved.

Asset Name #

Enter a clear name that users will recognise.

Good examples:

• Acme Ltd
• MV Northern Star
• Main EUR Account
• Limassol Warehouse
• Starlink Maritime

Avoid names that only describe the technical source record.

Poor examples:

• Record 18452
• Imported Item 7
• API Object A
• Customer Row 220

The Asset name is commonly used in:

• dashboards;
• lists;
• filters;
• notifications;
• scripts;
• reconciliation results.

Unique Identifiers #

Some Asset Types include a unique identifier.

Examples include:

• customer number;
• IMO number;
• contract number;
• serial number;
• account ID;
• product code.

Enter identifiers carefully. INTERA may use them to:

• prevent duplicate Assets;
• match records from external systems;
• link the same Asset across several Integrations;
• support reconciliation rules.

Do not reuse an identifier that belongs to another Asset.

Optional Fields #

Complete optional fields when they provide useful business context.

Examples include:

• category;
• department;
• region;
• assigned manager;
• location;
• parent Asset;
• status;
• description.

Optional fields can improve filtering, grouping, and dashboard presentation.

Avoid entering information that changes frequently as a normal Asset field. Time-sensitive values are usually better represented as Metrics.

For example:

• Customer Name — field;
• Customer Country — field;
• Outstanding Balance — Metric;
• Monthly Revenue — Metric.

Link the Asset to an Integration #

Some Assets may be linked to records in external systems.

For example, one Customer Asset may correspond to:

• a CRM customer;
• a billing account;
• an accounting debtor;
• a support-platform organisation.

If the Asset creation form includes Integration mapping, select the appropriate external record.

This allows INTERA to retrieve Metrics and other information for the Asset.

An Asset may be linked to more than one Integration.

For example, a Customer may receive:

• revenue data from billing;
• balance data from accounting;
• ticket information from customer support;
• account details from CRM.

If no external record is available, the Asset may still be created and maintained manually.

Review Linked Metrics #

The selected Asset Type may already include linked Metrics.

For example, a Customer Asset Type may include:

• Outstanding Balance;
• Monthly Revenue;
• Open Tickets;
• Average Payment Delay.

A Vessel Asset Type may include:

• Current Position;
• Fuel Consumption;
• Open Defects;
• Communication Availability.

Depending on the configuration, Metric values may be:

• retrieved from an Integration;
• calculated automatically;
• entered manually;
• populated after the first synchronization.

A newly created Asset may initially show empty or unavailable Metric values until its data has been synchronized.

Choose a Dashboard #

During Asset creation, you may select a dashboard where a new Asset widget will be added.

This allows the Asset to appear immediately in an operational view.

Select:

1. the dashboard;
2. the dashboard page, if applicable;
3. the widget type or available placement option.

The exact options depend on the dashboard configuration.

The new widget may display:

• the Asset name;
• selected Asset fields;
• one or more Metrics;
• current status;
• a link to the Asset details page.

For example, when creating a new Bank Account Asset, you may add a widget to the Finance dashboard showing:

• account name;
• currency;
• current balance;
• last update time.

Dashboard Selection Is Optional #

You do not always need to add the Asset to a dashboard immediately.

You may create the Asset first and add it to a dashboard later.

This may be preferable when:

• the Asset is used only in calculations or rules;
• the dashboard is not yet ready;
• the Asset belongs in a list or grouped widget;
• the Asset should not be displayed individually;
• additional Metrics must be configured first.

Creating an Asset and displaying an Asset are separate actions.

The Asset exists in INTERA even when no dedicated dashboard widget has been created for it.

Save the Asset #

After completing the required information:

1. review the entered fields;
2. confirm the selected Integration mappings;
3. confirm the dashboard selection;
4. click Save or Create Asset.

INTERA creates the Asset and assigns it a unique internal identifier.

The Asset will then appear in the Assets list.

If a dashboard was selected, INTERA will also create the corresponding Asset widget.

Review the New Asset #

After creating the Asset, open its details page and check:

• the Asset Type is correct;
• the name is clear;
• required fields are complete;
• identifiers are accurate;
• Integration records are linked correctly;
• expected Metrics are available;
• the dashboard widget appears in the selected location.

If Metric values are missing, check whether:

• the Integration is connected;
• synchronization has completed;
• the Asset is mapped to the correct external record;
• the Metric source is configured;
• the selected time period contains data.

Duplicate an Existing Asset #

You can create a new Asset by duplicating an existing one.

This is useful when several Assets share the same structure or configuration.

For example, duplication may be useful when creating:

• several similar bank accounts;
• vessels in the same fleet;
• products from the same provider;
• contracts with the same standard fields;
• network nodes with similar settings.

To duplicate an Asset:

1. Open Settings.
2. Select Assets.
3. Open the Asset you want to copy.
4. Click Duplicate.
5. Review the copied data.
6. replace the name and unique identifiers;
7. update any fields that differ;
8. review Integration mappings;
9. choose a dashboard if required;
10. click Save.

What Is Copied #

Depending on the Asset Type and system configuration, duplication may copy:

• the Asset Type;
• field values;
• optional settings;
• linked Metric definitions;
• dashboard widget configuration;
• tags or categories;
• parent Asset relationships.

The Asset’s unique internal identifier is not copied.

Some values may be intentionally excluded.

What Must Be Changed #

Always review and replace values that must be unique.

Examples include:

• Asset name;
• customer number;
• IMO number;
• account identifier;
• serial number;
• contract number;
• external system ID.

Do not save a duplicated Asset with identifiers belonging to the original Asset.

This may create incorrect Integration mappings or duplicate synchronization results.

Integration Mappings When Duplicating #

Integration mappings may require special attention.

A duplicated Asset should normally be linked to its own external records.

For example, when duplicating a Customer Asset:

• do not leave it linked to the original customer in billing;
• do not reuse the original CRM record;
• do not reuse the original accounting account.

Depending on the Integration, mappings may be:

• cleared automatically;
• copied but marked for review;
• copied only when explicitly selected.

Always verify the mapping before saving the duplicated Asset.

Metrics When Duplicating #

Metric definitions may be inherited from the Asset Type, so they do not need to be recreated.

However, Metric values are normally not copied from the original Asset.

For example:

• a duplicated Bank Account keeps the Current Balance Metric definition;
• it does not copy the original account’s balance;
• the new value is retrieved from the new Integration mapping.

Manual Metric values may also need to be entered again.

Dashboard Widgets When Duplicating #

If the original Asset has a dedicated dashboard widget, INTERA may offer to duplicate the widget as well.

Review:

• the selected dashboard;
• the dashboard page;
• the widget title;
• the displayed Metrics;
• the widget position or layout size.

Make sure the new widget points to the duplicated Asset rather than the original one.

When to Use Duplicate #

Duplication is appropriate when the new Asset:

• uses the same Asset Type;
• has similar fields;
• uses similar Metrics;
• requires a similar dashboard widget;
• differs mainly in name, identifiers, or Integration mapping.

When Not to Use Duplicate #

Create a new Asset from the beginning when:

• the Asset Type is different;
• most fields are unrelated;
• the Integration mapping is complex;
• the original Asset contains many custom settings;
• copying the configuration may create confusion.

Duplication should save time without creating hidden dependencies or incorrect data.

Common Problems #

The Required Asset Type Is Missing #

The Asset Type may not be installed or may not yet exist.

Check installed Role packages or create a custom Asset Type.

The Asset Cannot Be Saved #

One or more required fields may be missing.

Review fields marked as required.

The Identifier Already Exists #

Another Asset may already use the same unique value.

Search the Assets list before creating a duplicate.

The Dashboard Is Not Available #

You may not have permission to edit the dashboard, or the dashboard may not support automatic Asset widgets.

Create the Asset first and ask a dashboard administrator to add it later.

Metrics Show No Data #

The Asset may not be linked to the correct Integration record, or synchronization may not have completed.

Review the Asset mapping and Integration status.

The Duplicated Asset Shows the Original Data #

The new Asset may still be linked to the original external record.

Remove the old mapping and select the correct record.