Makes & Models, and Categories, Types & Subtypes

Makes & Models can be categorised to provide useful information about equipment.

Categories, Types, and Sub Types

You can provide useful information about Makes & Models by creating up to 3 levels of categorisation; Category, Type, and Sub-Type.

For example, if you maintained various types of vehicle, and were to categorise a Ford Focus 2.0 TDCi, you could use the following Category/Type/Sub-Type: Car/Hatchback/Diesel.

Generally the Category would be used to give the broadest description, and then narrow down the categorisation further with Type and Sub-Type designations.

Before you begin to create your Categories, Types, and Sub-Types, you could create a chart to better visualise the way you wish to organise your makes and models. See the example below:

  • Within System ¦ Types, you can see any existing Categories, Types, and Sub-Types. In this screen, selecting a Category will show all of the Types linked to that Category. Selecting a Type will show all of the Sub-Types linked to that Type.

To create a new Category, Type, and Sub-Type:

  • In the Category box, type in the name of the category you wish to create. In this example, a Motorcycle category is being created
  • You must also enter an abbreviation in the smaller box to the right. Click the Create button to add this Category

  • A Type and Sub-Type will automatically be created, both of which are called ‘Standard’

Before carrying out the following step, make sure that the correct Category is highlighted. When adding a Type, it will link to whichever Category has been selected.

  • In the Type box, type in the first Type that you wish to create, along with an abbreviation. You can either use the Create button to add this Type in addition to ‘Standard’, or you can use the Change button to rename the existing ‘Standard’ Type
  • Repeat the above step to create as many Types are required within this Category

Before carrying out the following step, make sure that the correct Type is highlighted. When adding a Sub-Type, it will link to whichever Type has been selected.

  • In the Sub-Type box, type in the first Sub-Type that you wish to create, along with an abbreviation. You can either use the Create button to add this Sub-Type in addition to ‘Standard’, or you can use the Change button to rename the existing ‘Standard’ Sub-Type
  • Repeat the above step to create as many Sub-Types are required within this Type


Creating Makes and Models

You can enter Makes & Models within Protean to create a drop-down list, so that when you are creating equipment records you have better control over the data that is entered. This also prevents having to free-type data in every time an equipment record is created, and gives the ability to set defaults that will automatically carry across to new equipment records.

To create a new Make & Model:

  • Go to System ¦ Create Makes & Models
  • In the Make box, enter the relevant Make. This might already exist in the dropdown list, otherwise you can free-type it in
  • In the Model box, enter the relevant Model
  • Choose a Category, Type, and Sub-Type from the dropdown lists. If you need to know how to create further Categories, Types, or Sub-Types, scroll up this page for further instructions

There are various other tabs and fields that can be filled in, but the details already populated are mandatory. The most commonly used further fields are as follows:

In the General tab, you can fill in:

  • Supplier details as well as any default pricing. This speeds up the raising of purchase orders and sales orders for this Make & Model
  • Warranty details if the Make & Model comes with a standard purchase/sales warranty
  • User manuals that can be downloaded by engineers

In the Attributes tab, you can provide lots of user-defined data about the Make & Model. See the Equipment Attributes article for more information, which can be accessed in the Related Articles section at the bottom of this page.

In the Servicing tab, you can define what types of service are required for this Make & Model. Anything entered here will automatically default onto any new equipment records that are create with this Make & Model, but can be changed on a per-equipment basis.

The Accounts tab allows you to override the default nominal codes used when purchasing, selling, or capitalising this Make & Model.

The Other tab contains miscellaneous settings, such as which skills are required for engineers to work on associated equipment.

Clicking the Close button at the bottom right of the screen will save any changes you make when adding/editing a Make & Model.

Related Articles