This documentation supports the 21.05 version of BMC Helix ITSM: Smart IT.To view an earlier version, select the version from the Product version menu.

Adding custom fields to the Asset View


As a Smart IT administrator, you can add custom fields to the Asset View in Smart IT by adding a field to the data model in BMC Helix CMDB or Action Request System forms. The recommended process is to add a field to the data model in BMC Helix CMDB. If the custom fields are not a part of the CMDB data model, but are managed by Asset Management, you can use the Action Request System forms. 

For Progressive Web Application (PWA), a user with admin permissions can add fields to an existing progressive view or if progressive view does not exist, you can create it.


If you have set the value of the Enable-Progressive-Views parameter in Centralized configuration as T, you cannot use Screen Configuration to add custom fields in Smart IT.  You can add the custom fields to the PWA tickets by using Developer Studio only.

To add fields to an existing asset UI for a Progressive Web Application

For Asset Management in Progressive Web views, there is a single form which is able to display all asset classes. However, in classic mid-tier views there was one form per class. In Progressive Web views, a specific section of the form can display class-specific attributes. These are held for each class in a simple additional form which is displayed seamlessly within the Asset form. The additional form is not needed if there are no class-specific attributes to be displayed.

Out-of-the-box, these additional forms have been provided for the Computer System, Processor, and Applications asset classes. For any other class, you can display the additional attributes by creating this simple additional form.

  1. Open Developer Studio in the Best Practice Customization mode (the default).
  2. In AR System Navigator, expand All Objects, double-click Forms. 
  3. In the Filtering Options, enter the item name. For example, AST:Application.
  4. From the Form menu, click Create New View.
    If Create New View is disabled, perform the following steps:
    1. From the Form menu, click Create View Overlay.
    2. In the Developer Studio dialog box, click Yes.
    3. From the Form menu, click Create New View.
  5. To open the view for which you want to add fields, click the required view at the bottom of the form.
    application view.png
    For computer system, processor, and application the following views are available:

    Purpose

    View name

    To create asset types

    SV_Attribute_Create

    To view asset types

    SV_Attribute_View

    To edit asset types

    SV_Attribute_Edit

  6. If you want to add an existing field from the Mid Tier asset form, from the Form menu, click Add/Remove fields in View.
    image2021-1-28_11-15-27.png
  7. Select the fields from the Fields not in View: list, click  >> to move fields to the Fields in View: list.
    image2021-1-28_11-17-9.png
  8. Click OK.
  9. Click File, and then click Save.
    The new fields are added to the progressive view and will be displayed on the existing asset form.

Creating custom form views for a Progressive Web Application

As per your requirement, you can create new form views for use in a Progressive Web Application. Out-of-the-box forms for the following asset types are available:

  • Computer system
  • Processor
  • Application

If you want to create UI for other asset types, you must perform the following tasks:

Task No.

Task

1.

2.

To create a new Progressive Web Application view

  1. Open Developer Studio in Best Practice Customization mode (the default).
  2. In AR System Navigator, expand All Objects, and double-click Forms.
  3. In the Filtering Options, enter the item name. For example, AST:Printer, and then click enter.
  4. From the Form menu, click Create View Overlay.
  5. In the Developer Studio dialog box, click Yes.
  6. From the Form menu, click Create New View.
  7. From View Type, select Progressive.
  8. In the confirmation dialog box, click OK.
  9. (Optional) Add panels to the form as required. For more information about panels, see Developing a Progressive Web Application.
  10. If you want to add an existing field from the Mid Tier asset form, from the Form menu, click Add/Remove fields in View.
    image2021-1-28_11-15-27.png
  11. Select the fields from the Fields not in View: list, and click  >> to move fields to the Fields in View: list.
    image2021-1-28_11-17-9.png
  12. Click OK.
  13. Click File, and then click Save
  14. Depending on the purpose of the view, make sure you save the view with the following view names:
    For more information about renaming views, see Modifying form views

    Purpose

    View name

    To create asset types

    SV_Attribute_Create

    To view asset types

    SV_Attribute_View

    To edit asset types

    SV_Attribute_Edit

To configure the customized view in a Progressive Web Application form

You need admin permission to open the SHR:SV_TicketConfig form.

  1. Launch the browser and enter the URL: http://<hostName:portNumber>/arsys/forms/<serverName>/SHR:SV_TicketConfig.
    Where hostName is the name of the web server where Mid Tier is running, and serverName where AR System server is running.
    image2021-2-19_13-29-26.png
  2. From Ticket Type, select Configuration Item.
  3. Select CI type for which you have created the new view.
  4. Click Search.
  5. From the result pane, select the appropriate record.
  6. Select the Asset Has Attributes check box.
  7. In Attributes Create VUI Name, enter SV_Attribute_Create.
  8. In Attributes View VUI Name, enter SV_Attribute_View.
  9. In Attributes Edit VUI Name, enter SV_Attribute_Edit.
  10. Click Save.
    The customized view is configured for the asset type.

    Do not change the values of any other fields in the SHR:SV_TicketConfig form, except for the values mentioned in the procedure.

To overlay an existing Progressive View Application form

You need admin permission to open the SHR:SV_TicketConfig form.

  1. Create a new view as described in To create a new Progressive Web Application view
  2. Make sure that the view name when you save is different from SV_Attribute_Create, SV_Attribute_View, and SV_Attribute_Edit. For more information on renaming views, see Modifying form views
  3. Launch your browser and enter a URL as follows: http://<hostName:portNumber>/arsys/forms/<serverName>/SHR:SV_TicketConfig.
    Where hostName is the name of the web server where Mid Tier is running, and serverName where AR System server is running.
    Ticketconfig.png
  4. From Ticket Type, select Configuration Item.
  5. From CI type, select the CI type for you want to create the overlay form. For example, Computer System.
  6. Click Search to search for the record.
  7. From the result pane, select the appropriate record.
  8. In the Form Name field, enter the name of the form that you want to overlay. For example, if in CI Type, the value selected is Computer System, select AST:ComputerSystem from Form Name
  9. Make sure Asset Has Attributes UI is selected.
  10. Select the Has Asset has UI check box.  
  11. Click Save.
    When the user opens the form for the CI type that you modified, the new customized form is displayed.

    Do not change the values of any other fields in the SHR:SV_TicketConfig form, except for the values mentioned in the procedure.

To add custom fields to the data model in BMC CMDB

This is the recommended process to add a field to the Asset View.

  1. In BMC Helix CMDB, add the custom field to the data model. For more information, see Common Data Model concepts and Modification of your data model.
  2. Perform the CMDB synchronization process, as described in Modifying views of forms in BMC Remedy IT Service Management applications
    Make sure to set the Has Asset UI option to Yes.

  3. Refresh the Smart IT server cache.
  4. Add the custom field in Smart IT.

Asset forms to add custom fields

For the Asset view, you can add custom fields to the specific asset type form:

Business service

Computer system

Equipment

Hardware

Network

Other

Software

AST:BusinessService

AST:ComputerSystem

AST:Equipment

AST:CDROMDrive

AST:AdminDomain

AST:Account

AST:Application


AST:Mainframe


AST:Card

AST:Cluster

AST:Activity

AST:ApplicationInfrastructure


AST:Printer


AST:Chassis

AST:CommunicationEndpoint

AST:BusinessProcess

AST:ApplicationService




AST:DataBaseStorage

AST:ConnectivityCollection

AST:ConcreteCollection

AST:ApplicationSystem




AST:DiskDrive

AST:ConnectivitySegment

AST:Document

AST:BIOSElement




AST:FloppyDrive

AST:IPConnectivitySubnet

AST:LogicalSystemComponent

AST:DataBase




AST:HardwarePackage

AST:IPEndpoint

AST:PhysicalLocation

AST:DiskPartition




AST:HardwareSystemComponent

AST:IPXConnectivityNetwork

AST:Role

AST:FileSystem




AST:Keyboard

AST:LANEndpoint

AST:ServiceOfferingInstance

AST:OperatingSystem




AST:LocalFileSystem

AST:LNsCollection

AST:Transaction

AST:Package




AST:Media

AST:LAN


AST:Patch




AST:Memory

AST:NTDomain


AST:Product




AST:Monitor

AST:NetworkPort


AST:ResourceAllocationSettingData




AST:PointingDevice

AST:ProtocolEndpoint


AST:Share




AST:Processor

AST:WAN


AST:SoftwareServer




AST:Rack



AST:SystemSoftware




AST:RemoteFileSystem



AST:VirtualSystemEnabler




AST:ResourcePool



AST:VirtualSystemSettingData




AST:SystemResource







AST:TapeDrive







AST:UPS




To add custom fields to Asset forms in Developer Studio

Each type of Asset has a Type-Specific area to which you can add custom fields that are relevant to that Asset type. There is also a Generic area into which you can add custom fields that apply all assets.  In the Screen Configuration, you can add custom fields to the asset view that are part of either  the Generic Area or the Type-Specific Area of the Asset View of the Action Request System form.

Process overview for adding fields in Developer Studio

The following image displays an overview of the conditions for making the fields available for customization in the Asset View:

Table_Modified.gif

To add a custom field to the Generic Area of Asset View, perform the following tasks:

  1. Add the field in the AST:Attributes form.
  2. Add the field in the AST:BaseElement form.
  3. Add the field to the related asset-specific form.
  4. Add the custom field in Smart IT.

To add a custom field to the Type-Specific Area of Asset View, perform the following tasks:

  1. Add the field in the AST:Attributes form.
  2. Add the field to the related asset-specific form.
  3. Add the custom field in Smart IT.

To add a custom field to the AST:Attributes form 

  1. Open Developer Studio in Best Practice Customization mode (the default).
  2. In AR System Navigator, double-click Forms under the All Objects option.
  3. In the Filtering OptionsAST:Attribute for the form name. 
  4. Click the form name to open the form.
  5. From the pallet appearing on the right side of the form, select the field type from the Data Fields group.

    Note

    Currently, you cannot add the Diary and the Currency field types in the Data Fields group. Additionally, you cannot add the fields types of Display Fields and Composite Fields groups.

  6. Drag the field from the palette to the specific area of the form where you want to add the custom field.
  7. Modify field parameters as per the field requirements. Check the Field Properties section to set field properties such as permission etc.  For more information about creating fields, see Creating and managing fields.
  8. Save the form. 
    The following message is displayed:

    You have specified an id for following fields which is outside the BMC reserved range. Do you wish to continue?
    <Field name>

  9. Click OK.
    ASTAttributeForm.gif

Important

  • When the Sandbox Dataset is enabled in the Asset Management Settings, if there is an existing record for the CI in the Sandbox Dataset, the details that are populated in the custom attribute reflects properly on AST<Class Form>/Smart IT. When there is no record for the CI in the Sandbox Dataset, the system creates a new record in the Sandbox Dataset, and the custom attribute never gets populated. This is due to the fact that the filter "ASI:SHR:All_PushToAssetAttribute_SandboxOnCreate`!" has a Push field mapping to the AST:Attributes form where the custom attribute is not included. Either you should modify the existing workflow with an additional mapping or use Match Id option in Push field action. Otherwise, a similar workflow (custom) needs to be created to push the Custom attributes.
  • When Sandbox Dataset is disabled in Asset Management Settings, the custom field gets reflected without any customization issues.
  • To enter the custom fields for the Computer System CI asset type, you must overlay the Active Link: ASI:SHR:SV_Create_CS, and add the custom fields in Push field action. 


To add custom fields to the AST:BaseElement form 

  1. In AR System Navigator, double-click Forms under the All Objects option.
  2. In the Filtering Options, enter AST:BaseElement as the form name, and click the form name to open the form.
    1. Right-click the form.
    2. Click the Add Fields from AST:Attributes option.
    3. In the Add Fields dialog box, select the field that you added from the list and click OK.
    4. Save the form.
      ASTBaseElement.gif

Note

The custom fields added in the AST:BaseElement  forms are not visible in the Type-Specific Area.


To add custom fields to the type-specific asset form 

After you add a custom field in the AST:Attributes form, you must add it in the corresponding type-specific asset form of Action Request System. For example, to add a printer-related field, you must add the field to the  AST:Printer form.

  1. In AR System Navigator, double click on Forms under the All Object option.
  2. In the Filtering Options, enter AST:Printer as the form name, and click the form name to open the form.
    1. Right-click the form.
    2. Click the Add Fields from AST:Attributes option.
      The field that you have added in the AST:Attributes form, appears in the Add Fields dialog box. 
    3. Select the field and click OK.
    4. Save the form.
      ASTPrinterForm.gif

For more information on about the asset-specific forms, see Adding-custom-fields-to-your-views-using-Smart-IT.

To add the custom fields to Smart IT

After you add a custom field in the Action Request System forms, you must add the field in Smart IT. The following steps are applicable only if you are using classic Smart IT tickets.

  1. Log on to the Smart IT universal client as an Admin user with a fresh session.
  2. From the Configuration menu, choose Screen Configuration.
  3. Under Asset View, click Refresh Metadata.
  4. In Asset View options, click Type-Specific Area, to add a field in the Type-Specific Area or click Generic Area to add a field in Generic Area.
    GenericArea.gif

    AssetView_TypeSpecificArea.gif

  5. For Type-Specific Area, from the Select Asset Type list, select the asset type; for example, Printer.

    Note

    You must select the specific asset type that corresponds to your custom field. For example, if you have added a custom field related to printers in the AST:Printer form, you need to select Printer from the Select Asset Type list. Your added field does not appear if you select another asset type, such as Mainframe, from the Select Asset Type list.

  6. From the asset type list, type your custom field name in the Available Fields box, and Search.
  7. Click the + sign next to your custom field name to move the field to the Selected Fields section.
  8. Click Save.
    The field configuration is updated successfully. Now the custom field becomes available for the related asset.

Troubleshooting changes that are not reflected in Smart IT

In BMC.Core:BMC_Application Class, create a custom attribute that has selection values, and run the Asset Sync UI so that the custom attribute is reflected in the AST forms. In Smart IT, refresh the metadata for Asset View, and add the custom field. In the backend form, if you remove one of the selection values, you can notice that the changes are not reflected in Smart IT. You can still see the removed value even after you refresh the metadata. In Smart IT, to reflect the changes made in the backend form, you must remove the specific custom field, add it again, and then refresh the metadata. Sometimes you might need to refresh the Smart IT server cache.

For additional troubleshooting information, see Smart-IT-troubleshooting.

Where to go from here

Transferring-Smart-IT-customizations-and-definitions-between-servers

 

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