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Basic functionality

Views of your plant: Device Connection View and Device Explorer

AMS Device Manager has two windows from which you view, set up, and maintain the devices and
configurations for your plant:

Device Connection View

Device Explorer
Licensed tag count overview

Your AMS Device Manager distributed system is licensed for a specific number of AMS tags. This
number is called your licensed tag count. If you need additional tags, contact your Emerson
representative for information on how to purchase them.

How can I verify how many tags I am currently licensed for?

Select Help → About AMS Device Manager from the main menu and scroll down to the "Number
of Licensed Tags" entry.

What counts against my number of licensed tags?

Each registered device counts against your number of licensed tags. Registered devices include
wired HART devices, WirelessHART devices, gateways, WirelessHART adapters, WIOCs, HART
multiplexers, FOUNDATION fieldbus devices, identified PROFIBUS DPV1 and PROFIBUS PA devices,
conventional devices, retired and spare devices, and test equipment devices.

Importing from the ValveLink Solo application also counts against the number of licensed tags.

Future devices, device templates, and user configurations do not count against your number of
licensed tags.

Is the AMS ValveLink tag count related to the AMS tag count?
The AMS ValveLink tag count is a separate license count which is always at or below the AMS tag
count. The AMS ValveLink tag count is enforced by the AMS ValveLink SNAP-ON application. The
AMS ValveLink SNAP-ON application determines the maximum number of instruments for which
data is saved in the AMS Device Manager database.

To see how many AMS ValveLink tags your site is licensed for, select Help → About AMS Device
Manager from the main menu and scroll to the "AMS ValveLink SNAP-ON FIELDVUE Tag Count"
entry.

How can I verify how many registered devices I currently have in my database?
Select Help → About AMS Device Manager from the main menu, and scroll down to see the
number of database-registered HART, FOUNDATION fieldbus, PROFIBUS DPV1, PROFIBUS PA, and
conventional tags.

Make sure your AMS Device Manager licensed tag count is adequate to cover HART, PROFIBUS,
conventional, and FOUNDATION fieldbus devices.

What happens if my registered devices exceed my licensed tag count?

AMS Device Manager displays an "unknown device" label. Contact your Emerson representative to
increase your licensed tags.
Device icon

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The device icon represents a HART, FOUNDATION fieldbus, PROFIBUS DPV1, or PROFIBUS PA device
configuration. The icon may be manufacturer-specific or one of the following generic icons for the
listed protocols:

Icon Description
A HART device for which AMS Device Manager does
not have device support files. The set of generic
device support files that AMS Device Manager uses is
based on the HART device revision.

A HART device for which AMS Device Manager has a

DD, but no device resource files, and no device image
in the DD. The device still has all functionality in AMS
Device Manager.

A FOUNDATION fieldbus device for which AMS Device

Manager has a DD, but no device resource files, and
no device image in the DD. The device still has all
functionality in AMS Device Manager.

A FOUNDATION fieldbus device for which AMS Device

Manager has no DD. The device label is Unknown
Device and there is no context menu for the device.

A PROFIBUS DPV1 or PROFIBUS PA device that has

been identified in AMS Device Manager, but that does
not have a device image in the DD. The device still
has all functionality in AMS Device Manager.

A PROFIBUS DPV1 or PROFIBUS PA device that has

not been identified in AMS Device Manager or that
does not have the correct DD in AMS Device
Manager. A device icon with an exclamation mark
may be displayed if the icon is available in the DD.
Attempt to identify the PROFIBUS DPV1 or PROFIBUS
PA device. If you do not have the correct DD files, a
message appears or the correct device information
does not appear in the Identify PROFIBUS Device
wizard. If this happens, obtain a new device install kit
and run the Add Device Type Utility.

Context menu
Right-click the device icon to display a context menu. The exact selections on the device context
menu vary by device. The selections are determined by the device manufacturer, whether the
device is a HART, FOUNDATION fieldbus, PROFIBUS DPV1, PROFIBUS PA, or conventional device,
and where the device icon is located in AMS Device Manager. Some of the selections are standard
AMS Device Manager operations, while others are device-specific operations.

If an item is not selectable, or not visible, it may be due to a device setting, or to an AMS Device
Manager permission in User Manager. Some device context menus may also contain further
selections in addition to the standard or device-specific menus.

The selections on the device icon's context menu include the following:

l Identify PROFIBUS Device - Available for PROFIBUS DPV1 and PROFIBUS PA devices that
have not been identified in AMS Device Manager. Unlike HART and FOUNDATION fieldbus
devices, PROFIBUS DPV1 and PROFIBUS PA devices require you enter device information so
AMS Device Manager can identify and communicate with the PROFIBUS DPV1 or PROFIBUS PA
device. You need to identify a device only once per system. After you identify the device, this
menu option no longer appears and other menu options become available.

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l Configure/Setup - Displays the Configure/Setup view.

l Compare - Displays the Compare view.
l Clear Offline - Available for some HART devices. Deletes the offline configuration associated
with the device. Device Write permission is required to use this option.
l Device Diagnostics - Available for HART, FOUNDATION fieldbus, PROFIBUS DPV1, and
PROFIBUS PA devices only. Displays the Device Diagnostics view.
l Process Variables - Available for HART, some FOUNDATION fieldbus, PROFIBUS DPV1, and
PROFIBUS PA devices. Displays the Process Variables view.
l Scan Device - Available for live HART, FOUNDATION fieldbus, PROFIBUS DPV1, and
PROFIBUS PA devices only. Reads the device and updates the database.

The context menu of some HART devices have a similar selection, called Scan This Device. This
operation scans only the device itself, and not the devices connected to it.
l Identify New PROFIBUS Device - Available for PROFIBUS DPV1 and PROFIBUS PA devices
that are identified in AMS Device Manager. Select this option if you replaced the existing
physical device at this location with a new device using the same location. This menu option
lets you identify the new device in this location and then run the AMS Device Manager Replace
wizard to complete the replacement. If the replacement device is assigned, it is recommended
that you unassign it before performing the Identify New operation.
l SNAP-ON/Linked Apps - Available for HART, FOUNDATION fieldbus, and conventional
devices only. The selection is only displayed if certain SNAP-ON and Linked applications are
licensed and installed.

This is where the AMS ValveLink SNAP-ON menu item appears for HART and FOUNDATION
fieldbus FIELDVUE digital valve controllers, if the AMS ValveLink SNAP-ON application is
installed. This menu item can only be selected if the AMS ValveLink SNAP-ON application is
licensed and if you have AMS ValveLink SNAP-ON permission.
l Calibration Management - Available for HART, FOUNDATION fieldbus, and conventional
devices only. This selection has a submenu of AMS Device Manager calibration functions. The
Calibration Assistant SNAP-ON application is required for some calibration functions.
l Methods - Available for HART and FOUNDATION fieldbus devices only. Displays methods
which are device-specific operations. Methods differ among devices. Some submenu selections
you might see here are Diagnostics and Test, Calibrate, Sensor Config, and Master Reset. See
your device manual under Help → Device for more information about the operation and
effects of particular methods.
l Rename - Changes the name of the AMS tag.

This selection is unavailable if you do not have Assign Plant Hierarchy Location permission.
l Assign/Unassign - Assign is available for future device. Assign lets you replace a future
device in the Plant Locations hierarchy with a registered device. Unassign is available for
registered devices. If the device is an Assigned device, Unassign lets you change the device's
disposition to Spare or Retired. If the device is a Spare, Unassign lets you change the device's
disposition to Retired.

This selection is unavailable if you do not have Assign Plant Hierarchy Location permission.

Note:
You cannot unassign a device that is in the Device Monitor List in Alert Monitor.

l Replace - Replaces the physical device currently associated with an AMS tag with another
physical device. This selection is grayed out if the device's disposition is Spare or Retired.

This selection is unavailable if you do not have Assign Plant Hierarchy Location permission.

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Note:
You cannot replace a device that is in the Device Monitor List in Alert Monitor.

l Mark (unmark) as SIS - Toggles a device's configuration as read-only due to its location on
a Safety Instrumented System.
l Mark (unmark) as done for project - Appears only if a device has been associated with a
user configuration using the Bulk Transfer Utility, and can be managed as part of a project in
AMS Device View. Projects help you organize device configuration through Bulk Transfer and
Configure.
l Modify Device Protection - Displays the Device Protection dialog, with the ability to change
protection on a device or set of devices under a folder. Device Protection is in addition to any
User Manager permissions assigned. This command is enabled on a device context menu if a
user has Set Device Protection permission in AMS Device Manager User Manager.
l Audit Trail - Displays the Audit Trail records for the device's current AMS tag. After the Audit
Trail is displayed, you can switch to the Audit Trail records for the device ID.
l Record Manual Event - Lets you manually record an event in Audit Trail for this device.
l Drawings/Notes - Lets you enter notes, diagrams, service information, or other information
related to the device.
l Help - If a device manufacturer has provided a manual for a particular device, it is available
from the Help selection of its context menu. All device manuals installed are listed in the main
AMS Device Manager application under Help → Device.

Device manuals are not installed by default. You need to run the AMS Device Manager PDF
Installer utility in order to view device manuals. For more information, see Select Device Help
dialog under the Related information section.

Note:
Some devices released with AMS Device Manager use Device Dashboards. These devices
organize key, graphical information at your fingertips and allow you to quickly act on alerts. The
number of these devices will continue to grow with future AMS Device Manager releases. For
these devices:
l The Process Variables view is identified as Overview
l The Device Diagnostics view is identified as Service Tools
l The Configure/Setup view is identified as Configure

Communications errors
When launching Configure/Setup, Compare, Device Diagnostics, Process Variables, Scan Device, or
Methods, if AMS Device Manager Server is not running on the station to which the device is
connected, the message Unable to connect to live device. AMS Device Manager Server on
station <station-name> may not be running is displayed. If the AMS Device Manager Server is
running on the station to which the device is connected but the device is not communicating with
AMS Device Manager, the message Unable to connect to live device is displayed.

If the device is an SIS device under a locked logic solver, after selecting one of the items that
displays a device view, a dialog is displayed indicating that communication errors have occurred.
See DeltaV SIS devices in AMS Device Manager or Ovation SIS devices in AMS Device
Manager under the Related information section for more details.

Device Protection badge

If a device icon has a lock icon in the lower left corner, as follows, it has been marked as being
protected, and cannot be edited. Device Protection is in addition to any device permissions granted
through AMS Device Manager User Manager or AMS SNAP-ON applications. For more information

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about Device Protection, see the Related information section.

SIS device badge

If a device icon has a yellow square in the lower right corner, as follows, it has been marked as an
SIS device by a device manufacturer, SIS control element, or AMS Device Manager user.

Forward compatibility mode

If a HART device icon has a curved arrow in the upper right corner, as follows, it is in forward
compatibility mode:

For more information about forward compatibility mode, see Forward compatibility mode under the
Related information section.

Related information
Device window
Configure/Setup view
Compare view
Device Diagnostics view
Offline device configurations
Rebuild Hierarchy and Scan operations
AMS ValveLink SNAP-ON application overview
Calibration management overview
Renaming AMS tags overview
Replacing Assigned devices
Audit Trail overview
Recording events manually
Drawings/Notes overview
Select Device Help dialog
Forward compatibility mode
Mark/unmark a single device as SIS
DeltaV SIS devices in AMS Device Manager
Ovation SIS devices in AMS Device Manager
Device Protection

Renaming AMS tags overview

Every device in AMS Device Manager has a unique identifier associated with it, called the AMS tag.
You can rename any AMS tag as you choose, if you have Assign Plant Hierarchy Location
permission. A tag name must be unique and can consist of up to 32 characters (not allowed: ? ' " \
* ! |).

An AMS tag name is not case sensitive. If you change only the case of an AMS tag name (for
example, Tt-101 to TT-101), AMS Device Manager recognizes it as the same tag, and does not
create an Audit Trail event.

One reason for renaming an AMS tag is to change the AMS tag for a device from its default name to

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a name that represents the plant location of the device.

Note:
To view renamed tags in a physical network hierarchy, you must set that network's options to
display the AMS tag as the icon label (select Options from the network icon's context menu).

After an AMS tag has been renamed, viewing the Audit Trail for the new tag name by AMS tag only
shows events that have occurred since the rename. However, you can see the events associated
with the previous tag name by right-clicking the rename event in Audit Trail and selecting Audit
Trail. If a device has been renamed more than once, you can view the history of all the Rename
events for the device by selecting Device from the Show By field in Audit Trail.

You cannot rename an AMS tag:

l from Alert Monitor.

l located on a DeltaV system interface with rename and replace disabled in the AMS Device
Manager Options (Tools → Options).
l from a calibration route.
l from the Actions menu of a device window.

If you rename an AMS tag in one of the other AMS Device Manager views while the Alert Monitor
Device Monitor List is open, you must refresh the Device Monitor List to see the new name. The
Alert List automatically updates to display the new tag name.

If you rename a device that is checked out to a calibrator elsewhere in AMS Device Manager (not
using the Tag Naming Utility), the new name will be reflected in the route.

You can use the Tag Naming Utility to rename the AMS tags for HART devices to the corresponding
HART tags, HART descriptors, or HART messages in one step. Make sure AMS Device Manager is
closed before you open the Tag Naming Utility. To launch the Tag Naming Utility, enter Tag Naming
Utility on the Start screen and click Tag Naming Utility.

Note:
If you have replaced the physical device at a plant location and want the new device to have the
AMS tag of the device that was replaced, use the Replace operation, not Rename.

Renaming a device in DeltaV Explorer that is displayed in AMS Device Manager requires a refresh in
AMS Device Manager Device Explorer or Device Connection view. If you rename an identified
PROFIBUS DP or PROFIBUS PA device in DeltaV Explorer, the device remains identified and uses the
new name.

Related information
Rename an AMS tag
Tag Naming Utility for HART devices
Prevent rename and replace of AMS tags on a DeltaV network

Device Connection View

Device Connection View is a window that shows your AMS Device Manager system in terms of this
AMS Device Manager station. It displays the Plant Database hierarchy and the network components
connected to this station, as well as the AMS Trex Units icon.

The Plant Database hierarchy includes the Plant Locations and Calibrations hierarchies. The Plant
Locations hierarchy is a model you construct in AMS Device Manager to represent your plant. The

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Calibrations hierarchy contains your calibration routes, test equipment, and test schemes.

You can open up multiple instances of Device Connection View. This enables you to drag and drop
objects between two open windows of the same view.

You can change the display of the icons in the Device Connection View to an icon size that works
best for you. To change the icon size, select Tools → Options from the main menu and then select
the desired option on the General tab.

Because some of the displayed information is dynamic, in particular the connected devices, perform
Rebuild Hierarchy operations and Scan operations whenever connectivity changes are made (for
example, add device, remove device, move device).

Related information
Device Explorer
Rebuild Hierarchy and Scan operations

Device Explorer

Device Explorer is a display that shows the information in your distributed system. It displays the
Plant Locations, Calibration, User Configurations, Device List, and Physical Networks hierarchies.

The Plant Locations hierarchy is a model you construct in AMS Device Manager to represent your
plant. The Calibrations hierarchy contains your calibration routes, test equipment, and test
schemes. The User Configurations hierarchy contains standard user configurations or user-created
user configurations. The Device List is a list of all the devices registered in your AMS Device
Manager database, organized by manufacturer, device protocol, model, revision, and device
disposition. The Physical Networks hierarchy shows all the stations in the distributed system, and
the networks connected to them.

Device Explorer is a two-pane window. The left pane provides a tree diagram that you can expand
and contract to display information in the five hierarchies. The right pane shows the contents of the
selected level. The columns display information only for devices or user configurations.

You can open up multiple instances of Device Explorer. This enables you to drag and drop objects
between two open windows of the same view.

Right-clicking the right side of the Device Explorer window displays a context menu from which you
can select how devices or user configurations are viewed and arranged. The selections on the
context menu include:

View
Changes the view of devices or user configurations. The selections are Large Icon, Small Icon,
Detail, and List.

Arrange Icons
Rearranges the device icons. The selections are Name (AMS tag or User Configuration name),
Manufacturer, Device Type, Device Revision, Protocol, and Protocol Revision.

Level
Changes what is displayed in the right pane. Next Level Only displays the icons in the level
immediately below the selected icon in the left pane. All Devices Below displays all the field devices
in the hierarchy below the selected icon in the left pane. All Devices Below is a convenient way to
view the devices, but it can be time-consuming, depending on the selected folder level and how
many connected devices are below that level.

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Related information
Device Connection View

Display the Device Explorer

Do one of the following:

Procedure

l Click on the toolbar.

l Select View → Device Explorer.

Related information
Device Explorer

Display the Device Connection View

Do one of the following:

Procedure

l Click on the Toolbar.

l Select View → Device Connection View.

Related information
Device Connection View

Changing the appearance of items in a window

In all AMS Device Manager windows that display icons, you can choose whether you want to use
large or small icons in the window.

In several AMS Device Manager windows, including Device Explorer and the Device Templates
window, you can display devices and device configurations by text strings in a list. When you are
working with a large number of configurations, for example, you may want to switch the view to a
detailed list of configuration names, and use the sort functions in the list view to quickly locate the
desired configuration.

To change the appearance of items in a window, right-click when the focus is not on an item in the
window and choose one of the following: Large Icons, Small Icons, List, Detail. Experiment with
these views of items to find the view that you prefer.

You can also sort the items by name, size, date, type, etc. depending on the view. Experiment with
the Arrange Icons command on the View menu.
Arrange device icons in the Device Explorer

Procedure

1. Right-click in the right pane of the Device Explorer, and select Arrange Icons from the
context menu.
2. Select how you want to arrange the icons from the Arrange Icons menu:
¡ Name – By AMS tag name or User Configuration name
¡ Manufacturer – By device manufacturer name
¡ Device Type – By device type

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¡ Device Rev – By device revision

¡ Protocol – By device protocol (HART, FOUNDATION fieldbus, PROFIBUS DP, PROFIBUS
PA, or Conventional)
¡ Protocol Rev – By protocol revision for HART devices. Use this to help differentiate HART
devices that have the same manufacturer, device type, and device revision.
Change the display of devices and user configurations in the Device
Explorer

Procedure

1. Click on the toolbar to open the Device Explorer.

2. Right-click in the right pane in the Device Explorer, then select View from the Device
Explorer context menu.
3. Select one of the display options from the View menu:
¡ Large Icon - displays devices or user configurations as large icons with names.
¡ Small Icon - displays devices or user configurations as small icons with names.
¡ List - displays devices or user configurations as small icons with names in a vertical list.
¡ Detail - displays devices or user configurations in a list with detailed information about
each device in rows with sortable columns. The detailed information includes a small
icon, the AMS tag or user configuration name, the device manufacturer, device type,
device revision, protocol, and protocol revision (HART only). You can reverse the sort
order of any column by clicking on the column heading.
Change the display of icons in the Device Connection View

Procedure

1. Select Tools → Options from the main menu.

2. In the Options for AMS Device Manager dialog, click the General tab.
3. Under the Device Connection View Icon Size section, select whether you want large or
small icons in your Device Connection View window.
4. Click OK.
5. Close and reopen the Device Connection View for the change to take effect.
Display the Device List

Procedure

1. Click on the toolbar to open the Device Explorer.

2. Expand the Device List to display the device manufacturer folders.
3. Expand the device manufacturer folders to display the protocol folder. HART, FF, PROFIBUS
DPV1, PROFIBUS PA, and conventional devices can be displayed and tracked by AMS Device
Manager, but no field communication takes place with conventional devices.
4. Expand the HART, FF, PROFIBUS DP, PROFIBUS PA, or Conventional folders to display the
device types available for each device manufacturer.
5. Expand the device type folders to display the device revisions available for each device type.
6. Expand the device revision folders to display the Assigned, Spare, and Retired folders.
7. Click the Assigned, Spare, and Retired folders to display any devices in those dispositions.

Related information

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Device List overview

Display the Plant Locations hierarchy

Do one of the following:

Procedure

1. In Device Connection View:

a. Double-click the Plant Database icon .

b. Double-click the Plant Locations icon .

2. In Device Explorer:
a. Double-click the AMS Device Manager icon or click the + next to it.
b. Double-click the Plant Locations icon or click the + next to it.
To display the levels of the Plant Locations hierarchy, click the + to the left of the folder icons.

Related information
Plant Locations hierarchy

Mark/unmark a single device as SIS

Prerequisites

SIS Assign Plant Hierarchy Location permission

Note:
It is not possible to mark conventional devices or HART future devices as SIS.

Procedure

1. Start AMS Device Manager by entering AMS Device Manager on the Start screen and clicking
AMS Device Manager.

2. To mark a device as SIS, in Device Explorer or Device Connection View, right-click the device
icon and select Mark as SIS.
A yellow square is overlaid on the device icon. Users now need SIS-category permissions to
perform most tasks involving the device.

3. To unmark a device as SIS, in Device Explorer or Device Connection View, right-click the
device icon and select Unmark as SIS.
The yellow square is removed from the device icon. Users now need Process Control System-
category permissions to perform most tasks involving the device.

Related information
Security overview
Device icon

Mark/unmark devices as SIS by plant location

Prerequisites

SIS Assign Plant Hierarchy Location permission

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Note:
Any conventional devices or HART future devices in the plant location are not marked as SIS
when you perform this procedure. These devices cannot be marked as SIS.

Procedure

1. Start AMS Device Manager by entering AMS Device Manager on the Start screen and clicking
AMS Device Manager.

2. To mark devices as SIS by plant location, in Device Explorer or Device Connection View,
right-click a location in the Plant Locations hierarchy and select Mark all devices below as
SIS.
A yellow square is overlaid on the device icon for all devices in the plant location, except for
conventional and HART future devices. Users now need SIS-category permissions to perform
most tasks involving these devices.

3. To unmark devices as SIS by plant location, in Device Explorer or Device Connection View,
right-click a location in the Plant Locations hierarchy and select Unmark all devices below
as SIS.
The yellow square is removed from the device icon for all devices in the plant location,
except for conventional and HART future devices. Users now need SIS-category permissions
to perform most tasks involving these devices.

Related information
Security by plant location overview
Security overview
Device icon

Pair an AMS Trex unit with an AMS Device Manager station

CAUTION
Remove the USB cable from the Trex unit before connecting to a device.

CAUTION
Do not use USB communication in a hazardous area.

Prerequisites

The user pairing the AMS Trex unit to AMS Device Manager must have the Manage Connections
permission in User Manager.

AMS Device Manager is running, and the Device Explorer or Device Connection View is displayed.
Pairing can only be done from the AMS Device Manager station, not from the Trex unit. Only one
concurrent USB Trex connection to an AMS Device Manager station is supported.

Procedure

1. Connect the microUSB cable to the AMS Trex unit, and then connect the USB to an AMS
Device Manager station.

2. In AMS Device Manager, expand the AMS Trex Units node to display a list of AMS Trex units.

3. Right-click the unpaired icon, and select Pair Trex Unit.

The icon changes to indicate the unit is paired, and an Audit Trail event is created to indicate
the pairing.

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Printing displays

You can print the contents of the following AMS Device Manager displays by selecting File → Print
from the main menu or clicking on the toolbar:

l Device Explorer view

l The device view that is currently displayed
l Highlighted Audit Trail event(s), and the event details
l The Tag Search window
l Calibration reports
l Alert Monitor

The printouts of these displays are textual—for example, a list of parameters and values. To print a
screen capture of a display, use a screen capture program or press the Print Screen button and
paste the screen image into another application.

Note:
Using File → Print in the device window prints all parameters and values of the entire view and
not just the selected tab. For example, all parameters and values of all tabs in the
Configure/Setup view are printed. This functionality is only available in the Configure/Setup,
Device Diagnostics, and Process Variables views.

By selecting File → Print Window in the device window, you can print a screen capture of the
current view. This allows you to print images, charts, graphs, and grids that are displayed. For best
results, verify your print setup is printing in Landscape mode.

The About AMS Device Manager window has a Print button, which prints the software version
number, number of devices in the database, and a list of license information. Click Help → About
AMS Device Manager to access this window.
Refresh to update display

Do one of the following:

Procedure

l Click .
l Select View → Refresh from the menu.
l Press F5.
Only the currently active window is refreshed. If you have more than one open window that can be
refreshed, you must refresh each window individually.
Rename an AMS tag

Prerequisites

Assign Plant Hierarchy Location permission OR SIS Assign Plant Hierarchy Location permission

Procedure

1. Right-click a device icon and select Rename.

2. Type in the new name and click the left mouse button or press the Enter key. The name must
be unique.
You can choose whether or not to allow AMS tags to be renamed from DeltaV. You can disallow

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renaming of an AMS tag found on a DeltaV network in AMS Device Manager. See the Related
information section for more details.

Related information
Renaming AMS tags overview
Prevent rename and replace of AMS tags on a DeltaV network
Options for AMS Device Manager - DeltaV tab

Device information

Device configurations

Device views

In AMS Device Manager, the information can be organized differently for a device depending on the
device's Device Description. The information is displayed in a device window, which has four device
views. The four types of device views are:

l Configure/Setup view - Displays configuration parameters that define the physical attributes
and operating characteristics of the device.
l Compare view - Lets you compare two configurations of the device. You can compare the
current configuration with a historical configuration, two historical configurations, and for HART
devices, the offline configuration with the current configuration or a historical configuration.
l Device Diagnostics view - Displays the alert conditions. These include hardware and software
malfunctions or parameters with values beyond the device's specifications.
l Process Variables view - Displays the current output from the device.

Note:
Some devices released with AMS Device Manager use Device Dashboards. These devices
organize key information at your fingertips and allow you to quickly act on alerts. The number
of these devices will continue to grow with future AMS Device Manager releases. For these
devices:

The Process Variables view is identified as Overview

The Device Diagnostics view is identified as Service Tools

The Configure/Setup view is identified as Configure

Use the toolbar buttons in these views to print, print preview, or refresh the view. What's This? help
is also available to give you specific information about a particular field or area in the user interface.
The online Help windows for some parameters have a button, which provides access to more
extensive online Help.

Note:
All parameters and values of the entire view are printed, not just the selected tab. For example,
all parameters and values of all tabs in the Configure/Setup view are printed. This functionality
is only available in the Configure/Setup, Device Diagnostics, and Process Variables views.

Each device view also has a menu that contains File, Actions, and Help. The selections under actions
are determined by the device manufacturer, and vary according to the device. Some of the
selections are standard AMS Device Manager operations, while others are device-specific operations.
For a more detailed explanation of some of these selections, see Device Icon under the Related

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information section for more details.

To display the device views, right-click a device icon and make the appropriate selection from the
context menu. The wording on the context menu depends on the device.

Configure/Setup and Compare views

The configuration parameters that are displayed in the Configure/Setup and Compare views fall into
two categories:

l Parameters that describe a device. Examples of such parameters include:

¡ Materials of construction, such as flange type, O-ring material, and fill fluid. These
parameters come into play when you are making sure a device and its materials of
construction is consistent with the process it is measuring or controlling.
¡ Device identifiers, such as model number, sensor serial number, and hardware and
software revision numbers.

Such parameters do not directly affect or change a device's operation.

l Parameters that configure how a device operates. Such parameters affect a device's
operation and how it interacts with the process. Examples of such parameters include:
¡ Upper and lower range values
¡ Calibration settings
¡ Units settings

Because conventional devices are not connected to AMS Device Manager, they do not have this
type of parameter.

How device parameters are displayed

Device parameters and their behavior are defined by the device manufacturer in a file called a
device description (DD). The information in the device description is used to build the device-
specific windows. The device description determines how these items are displayed:

l The parameter labels, or the text displayed before the parameter value.
l The allowed parameter values.
l The choices in drop-down lists.
l The actions, or methods, associated with the parameter, such as displaying confirmation
dialogs or other dialogs, or reading and writing several parameters as a group from and to the
device. Some devices use such methods more frequently than others.
l The online Help displayed for the parameter.

Device parameters are organized onto tabs in the device windows. The tabs vary by device and are
set by the device manufacturer.

Device information may also be presented in the form of images, charts, graphs, and grids. See
Device window under the Related information section for more details.

Note:
Some devices do not allow some parameters to be changed when the device is configured or
replaced. Typically, this is due to a restriction placed on the device by the manufacturer. If you
see this behavior with a particular device, contact the device manufacturer.

Parameter labels and values

For parameters that are measured in a particular unit, the unit is displayed after the parameter

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value. For example, here are the parameters for upper and lower range values (URV and LRV) of a
HART device:

Parameters measured in units (unit relations)

Parameters measured in units are affected by the current unit setting by which they are measured.
Changing a units setting affects other parameters that use that unit.

If you change a units setting, all the parameters that are dependent upon that unit are grayed out
and are not editable until you apply the change to the device. Once the units change is applied, the
parameters dependent on the unit setting are updated.

For physical devices, the device recalculates the units-dependent parameters and the display is
updated. For user configurations, Future devices, offline configurations, device templates, and
configurations stored in a handheld communicator, a physical device is not present to recalculate
the parameter values. In those configurations, the parameter values are not recalculated and
remain the same as they were under the previous units setting.

For some devices, you are prompted through a wizard to confirm the change to the units setting.

Enumerations
Some device parameters are enumerations. Their allowed values are usually displayed in a drop-
down list. On occasion, you may see a number followed by (Undefined) displayed for an
enumeration. This means that the parameter value read from the device is outside the enumeration
range defined for the device, or that another parameter setting makes them not applicable.

Parameter values dependent on calibration and tests

Some device parameters displayed are dependent on values determined in other device-specific
operations, such as calibration sequences and tests (for example, upper and lower sensor trim).
These parameters may appear to be editable, but the values cannot be edited directly. To calculate
or update a value for the parameter, right-click the device icon and run the appropriate calibration
or test method from the device context menu.

Read-only parameters
Read-only parameters are device parameters that cannot be edited, even by users with Device
Write permission or SIS Device Write permission. Read-only parameters have a gray background.
For example:

Read-only parameters are defined by the device manufacturer.

For conventional devices, the read-only parameters are the Manufacturer, Model, and Revision, and
Serial Number on the Basic Setup tab. These values are set when the device is added to the
database using the Set Device Identity wizard.

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Important:
You may be able to select the parameter value for a read-only parameter, which makes the
parameter appear writable. But in fact the value cannot be changed. This behavior does not indicate
a device or communication problem. Being able to select such a parameter allows you to put the
cursor in the parameter value field to get device-specific help on the parameter; to scroll the value
if it is larger than the field; and to copy the contents of the field to the clipboard.

Manufacturer-protected parameters
Some manufacturer-protected parameters are not automatically transferred to a device; for
example, when transferring parameters through the Compare view. If a device has manufacturer-
protected parameters, a dialog is displayed during the transfer process.

Editing device parameters

To edit writable device parameters in AMS Device Manager, you must have the proper permission.
To modify a non-SIS device, you must have Device Write permission. To modify an SIS device, you
must have SIS Device Write permission. (A live SIS device can only be modified if its logic solver is
unlocked.)

Device parameters are edited in a number of ways; for example, by modifying directly, by selecting
a value from a drop-down list, and, in the case of the Compare view, transferring parameters from
one configuration to another. Some device parameters are modifiable through grids (if grids are
provided for the device).

Safety considerations should come first when modifying device parameters. When modifying a live
device, the device should not be connected to or participating in a control loop. AMS Device
Manager messages remind you to remove the device from the control loop before changing
parameters.

Applying changes
Configuration changes are either saved to the database or sent to live devices. No changes are
stored in the database or sent to the device until you click Save or Send, or confirm the changes
when closing the dialog.

Save: Commits configuration changes to the database. In the case of an offline device or in a
conventional device, changes are saved to the database and the Save button is displayed.

Send: Sends configuration changes to a live device. When communication is possible, as with live
devices, the Send button is displayed.

Close: Closes the window if there are no changes. Otherwise, clicking the Close button confirms if
you want to apply or delete the changes that have not yet been saved to the database or sent to
the device.

Warning:
If you work with HART Revision 3 or 4 devices and use a handheld communicator and user
configurations to copy configuration parameters between AMS Device Manager and devices,
some special considerations and restrictions on changing parameters apply. The help topic for
the final assembly number warning dialog discusses these considerations.

Actions attached to parameters by the device manufacturer

For some devices, a parameter may have a set of actions that are performed before or after you
change them. Within a device's description, these actions are referred to as pre-edit, post-edit, or
INIT (initialize) actions. Typically you are notified of these actions through messages displayed on
one or more wizard pages, usually referred to in AMS Device Manager as methods. Generally, these
kinds of wizards are acknowledgments or informative messages about the effect of a parameter

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change on the device. In other cases, the wizards perform an action on the device, such as a
calculation, or even change values in the device. Some devices make extensive use of wizards as
you tab or cursor into the field, even before you edit the parameter value. For some charts and
graphs in the device window, INIT actions are run before the chart or graph is displayed.

When you click Save or Send to apply parameter changes to a device that has such wizards, the
changes are not applied to the device until you complete the wizard. See your device manual under
Help → Device for more information about the operation and effects of particular methods.

Electronic Signature Authorization dialog

If the Electronic Signatures function is licensed and enabled, the Electronic Signature Authorization
dialog is displayed after making configuration changes and clicking Save or Send. It requires you to
authorize (sign) the change you are about to make. It displays the username that will be associated
with the configuration change in Audit Trail and message text that has been created by your AMS
Device Manager system administrator. See the Related information section for more details about
the Electronic Signatures function.

Confirm Device Configuration Change dialog

The Confirm Device Configuration Change dialog is displayed after making configuration changes to
a live device, and then clicking Send. It asks you to select or enter a reason for the change and
confirm whether or not you want to make the change, and it may include a Details button that
displays a warning regarding the possible effects of this change. (If you enter a new configuration
change reason, from then on that reason is included in the list.)

Resetting parameters to original values

Occasionally, you may want to reset parameter values to the values at the start of an editing
session. To reset parameter values to the original values, you can do one of the following:

l If you have not yet clicked Save or Send, click Close → No to cancel your edits and close the
window.
l If you have clicked Save or Send, select Compare from the device context menu, transfer the
parameters from the second most recent historical record into the current configuration, and
then apply these changes.
l Go to the audit trail for the device and review the before and after values for the most recent
configuration change. Reset the parameter values to the As Found or before values.

Selecting a different configuration using the Time field

You can display a different configuration for the device by using the Time field. The selections in the
Time field drop-down list depend on whether the device is a HART, FOUNDATION fieldbus,
PROFIBUS DPV1, PROFIBUS PA, or conventional device. Selections include the current configuration,
any historical configurations, and for HART devices, the offline configuration. Historical
configurations are not modifiable.

Tabs can display based on the information they contain and how often the values are read from the
device. Some tabs may not display when you are viewing a historical configuration.

Device Diagnostics view

The Device Diagnostics view displays the current alert conditions for a device. These include
hardware and software malfunctions or parameters with values beyond the device's specifications.
For FOUNDATION fieldbus devices that support PlantWeb Alerts, you can view the PlantWeb Alerts
according to category and suppress or unsuppress individual alerts.

Alert conditions are indicated by red highlighting, both on the item in the device view folder where it
occurs, and the subsequent tab containing it.

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The color red is used to indicate active alerts. See Use of color in device views under the Related
information section for more details.

Some devices may have a toolbar button that allows you to view the PlantWeb Alerts
Diagnostics window, where you can see all potential device alerts categorized by their severity:
Failed, Maintenance, and Advisory. This view allows you to better diagnose and act on device alerts.

Process Variables view

The Process Variables view displays the process variables, which are outputs of the device. The
information is read-only.

Simulating FOUNDATION fieldbus devices in a host system

If a host system displays these values in a simulate or override mode, the host system value for the
Process Variables in a FOUNDATION fieldbus device may differ from these values displayed in AMS
Device Manager.

Note:
When a FOUNDATION fieldbus device is set to Simulate mode, it is the AI (function) blocks that
are being changed. When a Device Dashboard is opened for a FOUNDATION fieldbus device
within AMS Device Manager, the PV for the device is obtained from the device Transducer block.
Since the Transducer block's logic comes prior to the AI block's logic, the Transducer block is
not aware of the fact that the AI blocks are in simulate mode. The device dashboard within AMS
Device Manager does not reflect the fact that the device is in Simulate mode or that the PV has
been changed.

Related information
Device window
Configure/Setup view
Compare view
Device Diagnostics view
Process Variables view
Use of color in device views
Comparing and transferring device configurations
Electronic Signatures
Device icon

Use of color in device views

AMS Device Manager uses color in its device views to indicate changes, differences, whether a
parameter is writable or read-only, and whether a condition is active or inactive. Following is a
description of the colors and how they are used:

Color What It Indicates

Black text on a white background The device parameter is writable.

Black text on a gray background The device parameter is read-only.

Inverse background and text (default is gray text The device parameter is a dynamic variable and is not
on black background) currently being updated. This could indicate a communication
error.

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Yellow, in fields or in cells of a grid You made a change to a parameter.

The parameter value remains yellow even if you reset a
parameter value to its original value and it matches what is
in the device.

Yellow, on tabs One or more parameters on the tab have changed from their
original values. The tab remains yellow until you click Save
or Send and the new values are successfully saved to the
database or applied to the device.
For a live device, the tab remains yellow even if you change
a parameter back to its original value and it matches what
in the device.

Parameters that are grayed out after you change The device parameter is part of a units/refresh relation, and
another parameter (units/refresh parameters only) either a parameter or the setting has been changed. At this
point, no changes can be applied to the other parameters
For example, before changing the Eng. Unit until the change to the parameter or setting is applied by
parameter: clicking the Save or Send button. Clicking Save or Send
refreshes the display (or launches a DD method) and makes
the other parameters writable again.
In the example at left, the Process Input Unit parameter was
changed from inH20 to ftH20. When the user clicked away
from the Unit parameter, the units-dependent parameters in
the Analog Output group, Upper Range Value and Lower
Range Value, were grayed out. No changes can be made
until the new units are committed to the device.

And after changing Eng. Unit parameter but before

applying the change:

Green, on tabs Differences exist between parameters in the two

configurations. The basic sequence of color change is:
1. Green
2. Yellow (after a change or transfer that makes the two
parameter values identical)
3. Gray (after clicking Save or Send)

Note:
A tab may be green even though all the parameters
appear to have the same value on both sides. This
happens when one or more parameters actually have
different values, but the values appear the same because
they are being rounded.

Green, in device view folder list Differences between devices are highlighted green. If an item

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in a folder list is changed, its parent folder is also highlighted

green. In the example to the left, the three items in the
Wireless Connection differ between the devices being
compared.

Red, in the Device Diagnostics folder list Active alert.

Red, on tabs Active alert.

Red bulb with an "x" mark, white text on red Active alert.
background

Transparent bulb with black text on transparent Diagnostic indicator.

background

White bulb with a question mark, black text on Unknown status indicator.
transparent background This might happen when a device is disconnected.

Related information
Device views

Comparing and transferring device configurations

AMS Device Manager lets you compare and transfer device parameters between device
configurations. You can compare and transfer configurations between configurations for the same
device, between different devices, and between different types of configurations, such as device
templates, user configurations, and configurations in a handheld communicator. Depending on the
circumstances, you can transfer either individual parameters or a group of parameters defined by
each selection in the device window's device view folder list. For FOUNDATION fieldbus devices, you
can transfer parameters on a block-by-block basis.

Comparing configurations
To compare current, offline, and historical configurations of the same device, select "Compare" from
the device context menu. The Compare view is displayed.

To compare configurations of different devices of the same device type, use Copy and Paste from
the Edit menu to copy one device icon onto another, or drag and drop one device icon onto another.

Transferring parameters

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To transfer parameters, use the right and left arrow buttons. The single arrow buttons let you
transfer one parameter at a time. The double arrow buttons let you transfer multiple parameters.
See the Related information section for more details about the arrow buttons.

You must have Device Write permission to transfer parameters to a non-SIS device configuration.
You must have SIS Device Write permission to transfer parameters to an SIS device configuration.
(Parameters can only be transferred to an SIS device if its logic solver is unlocked.)

When the Compare view is displayed during a Reconcile device operation in DeltaV, the values for
the Placeholder on the left are grayed out to indicate that they need to be transferred to the
Standby device on the right.

Configuration types
AMS Device Manager maintains these configuration types for devices:

l Current configuration
l Offline configuration (HART devices only)
l Historical configuration

To move from one configuration type to another on the Compare view, use the Time field. You can
compare any of these types of configurations; however, you can only transfer to current and offline
configurations.

Device revision mismatch

FOUNDATION fieldbus, PROFIBUS DPV1, and PROFIBUS PA device configurations must be of the
same manufacturer, device type, and device revision to be compared. HART device configurations
that are of the same manufacturer and device type but different device revisions can be compared.
Conventional devices that have different manufacturer and model names but are of the same
category can be compared.

Multi-modal devices
You can transfer individual parameters between multi-modal HART and FOUNDATION fieldbus
devices. AMS Device Manager uses the mode of the device that is dragged and dropped as the basis
for displaying the configuration. A message box indicates the devices are in different modes. The
Transfer buttons are disabled if the two sides represent incompatible device modes.

Related information
Device views
Compare view
Left arrow transfer parameter buttons
Right arrow transfer parameter buttons
Compare/transfer configurations - same device
Compare/transfer configurations - different devices
Reconciling FOUNDATION fieldbus device parameters

Conventional devices overview

Conventional devices are devices in your plant that cannot communicate with AMS Device Manager,
except for Det-Tronics devices. Det-Tronics devices are considered as special types of conventional
devices. For more information on Det-Tronics devices, see "Det-Tronics System Interface" under the
Related information section.

For conventional devices that cannot communicate with AMS™ Device Manager, you can however,
use the database to record device configurations, calibration, and historical information, by
manually entering the appropriate data. This allows you to use AMS Device Manager to track

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information on all devices in your plant. You can also apply device protection to conventional
devices.

The conventional device types that can be entered into the database are:

Pressure transmitters

Temperature transmitters

Flow transmitters

pH analyzers

Control valves

Test equipment

Relative humidity meters

Consistency meters

Temperature switches

Generic switches

Current to pressure transducers

Weigh scales

Generic instruments

Differences and similarities between HART/FOUNDATION fieldbus devices and

conventional devices
From an AMS Device Manager standpoint, the major difference between HART/FOUNDATION
fieldbus devices and conventional devices is in how their configuration information gets into the
database and how it is kept current. For conventional devices, these operations must be done by
manual data entry.

The following table shows other differences and similarities between conventional devices and
HART/FOUNDATION fieldbus devices in AMS Device Manager:

Note:
Some of the distinctions for conventional devices do not apply to Det-Tronics devices. Det-
Tronics devices support device alerts.

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HART/FOUNDATION fieldbus devices: Conventional devices:

Are automatically registered when connected and scanned Must be registered in AMS Device Manager
in AMS Device Manager manually, using a wizard

Appear as connected devices under the appropriate Do not appear as connected devices under
physical networks, in Device Explorer and Device physical networks in Device Explorer and Device
Connection View Connection View

Appear under icons in the Plant Locations hierarchy, in Appear under icons in the Plant Locations
Device Explorer and Device Connection View hierarchy, in Device Explorer and Device
Connection View

Appears in the Device List Appears in the Device List

Parameter values for current configuration come from a Parameter values for current configuration must
live reading of the device be kept up to date manually

Current (online) alert conditions can be displayed No online status

Alert monitoring capabilities No alert monitoring capabilities

Calibration management capabilities Calibration management capabilities

Can be located in AMS Device Manager using Tag Search Can be located in AMS Device Manager using Tag
Search

Process variables can be displayed (HART only) No process variable information available

Device descriptions vary from device to device, as A device description for each category of
determined by the manufacturers conventional device is provided by AMS Device
Manager

Configuration changes recorded in Audit Trail Configuration changes recorded in Audit Trail

Conventional device icons are distinguishable from HART/FOUNDATION fieldbus device icons in AMS
Device Manager by the squares around their outer edges (except for Det-Tronics devices).

Related information
Det-Tronics System Interface

Current device configurations

The current configuration represents a live reading of the device or device block. For conventional
devices, the current device configuration represents the values that were most recently entered for
the device.

For HART devices, the current configuration represents a live reading of the device.

To display other configurations for the device, which include historical configurations and for some
HART devices, the offline configuration, use the Time field. You can move back to the current
configuration by selecting Current from the drop-down list in the Time field.

The current configuration of a device can be modified in a number of ways:

l By editing the device's configuration parameters.

l By transferring information from another configuration of the same device.
l By transferring information from a different device.

To modify a device, you must have the proper security permission. To modify the current

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configuration of a non-SIS device, you must have Device Write permission. To modify the current
configuration of an SIS device, you must have SIS Device Write permission. (A live SIS device can
only be modified if its logic solver is unlocked.)

Related information
Device views
View/modify a device configuration

Offline device configurations

An offline configuration is a set of configuration parameters for a HART device that will be applied to
the device at later time. A HART device can have only one offline configuration. There is no time
associated with an offline configuration. Any changes made to an offline configuration overwrites
the previous values.

You can modify an offline configuration for a device by selecting Configure/Setup from its context
menu, and then selecting Offline in the Time field. To clear the offline configuration for a device,
see "Clear the offline configuration for a HART device" under the Related information section

You must have Device Write permission to create, modify, or clear an offline configuration.

Related information
Device views
View/modify a device configuration
Clear the offline configuration for a HART device

Historical device configurations

A historical device configuration is a past configuration for a device, stored in the database. It is
always read-only. You can access historical configurations for devices if you are licensed for Audit
Trail. To display a historical device configuration, select the desired configuration from the drop-
down list in the Time field in the Configure/Setup or Compare views. For example:

The Time field lists all the historical times contained in the database for the device. These times
indicate when a configuration change was made to the device.
Device window

Devices organize their parameters into four views within AMS Device Manager: Configure/Setup,
Device Diagnostics, Process Variables, or Compare. You can launch these views from the context
menu of all devices.

The following diagram shows the parts of the device window:

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Title bar
The title bar displays the AMS tag of the device followed by the device type and device revision. If
you minimize the device window, the first few characters of the AMS tag are displayed on the
taskbar button that appears at the bottom of the AMS Device Manager window.

Use the device toolbar buttons in the window to print, print preview, or refresh the view. What's
This? help is also available to give you specific information about a particular field or area in the
device window.

Each device also displays a menu that contains File, Actions, and Help. The selections and actions
are determined by the device manufacturer and vary according to whether the device is a HART,
FOUNDATION fieldbus, PROFIBUS DPV1, PROFIBUS PA, or conventional device. Some of the
selections are standard AMS Device Manager operations, while others are device-specific operations.
For a more detailed explanation of some of these selections, see Device views under the Related
information section.

Navigation pane
The navigation pane contains the folder list for the selected device view and buttons that let you
switch between device views.

Device view folder list

The top folder in the folder list represents the selected device view. The number of folders, the
names of the folders, and the folder contents are determined by the device manufacturer. Click the

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next to a folder to display its contents.

To make more room for the folder list, drag the horizontal splitter bar downward.

Device view buttons

Use the buttons at the bottom of the navigation pane to access the four device views:

Displays the device configuration parameters, which define the physical

attributes and operating characteristics of the device. If you are
accessing a device which is communicating wirelessly, and the device
does not have a device view folder list which optimizes wireless
communications, wireless is appended to the top-level folder name in
the device view folder list.

Displays the alert conditions. These include hardware and software

malfunctions or parameters with values beyond the device's
specifications. If a condition becomes active and the device supports
PlantWeb Alerts, the alerts appear under the top folder. See PlantWeb
Alerts for more information.

Displays the current output from the device.

Compares two configurations of the device. You can compare the

current configuration with a historical configuration, or compare two
historical configurations.

Note:
Some devices released with AMS Device Manager use Device Dashboards. These devices
organize key information at your fingertips and allow you to quickly act on alerts. The number
of these devices will continue to grow with future AMS Device Manager releases. For these
devices:

The Process Variables view is identified as Overview

The Device Diagnostics view is identified as Service Tools

The Configure/Setup view is identified as Configure

For more information about the device views, see the following topic:

Device views

If you drag the horizontal splitter bar downward, the large buttons collapse into small buttons in a
button tray. The icons on the small buttons represent the device views.

The first time the device window is displayed for a device, the Configure/Setup, Device Diagnostics,
and Process Variables buttons are displayed as large buttons and the Compare button is displayed
as a small button. When the window is closed, the current combination of large and small buttons is
saved. When the window is reopened, it is displayed in the same state as when it was last closed.
The display state is saved on a station-by-station basis.

Device view information

The information selected in the device view folder list is displayed in the right pane. One or more
tabs are displayed. A tab may have the following objects, in addition to fields:

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l Buttons - Used for various purposes, such as running methods or launching detailed sub-
windows.
l Images - Pictorial representations of the device and/or related equipment. Images can be
linked to other data. If an image displays a hand when the cursor is moved over it, the image
links to a method, menu, or other display.
l Charts - Graphical objects that show variations of data over time. Types of charts:
¡ Strip chart - The data is updated continually, scrolling from right to left.
¡ Scope/sweep chart - The data is painted from left to right, and then erased and painted
again from left to right.
¡ Horizontal bar chart - The data is represented as bars that display from left to right.
¡ Vertical bar chart - The data is represented as bars that display from bottom to top.
¡ Gauge chart - The data is displayed in a manner similar to an analog car speedometer.
l Graphs - Line drawings of stored device data. A graph can have several lines depicting various
sources and types of data.
l Grids - Data formatted into a logical table. The device manufacturer may allow some
parameters to be modified using the grid. To change cells that are modifiable, double-click
them. (Non-modifiable cells are grayed.)

View a legend for a chart or graph

You can view a legend by right-clicking the chart or graph and selecting View Legend from the
context menu. A dialog appears and it displays one or more labels to provide additional details
about the graph or chart.

Charts and graphs toolbar

Charts and graphs display a toolbar with the following buttons:

Pan - Changes the minimum and maximum values of the X or Y axis when you click, drag, and
release the mouse pointer. If the panning distance is less than the distance between two tick marks,
panning is not performed.

Area zoom - Zooms in on the area you bound with the mouse pointer.

Zoom In - Zooms in 30%.

Zoom Out - Zooms out 30%.

Reset - Sets the chart or graph back to its default home display.

Changing device parameters

After changing one or more parameters, click Save or Send to save the changes to the device. To
cancel changes, click Close → No. (You cannot cancel changes after applying them.) See the
following topic for more information about changing device parameters:

Device views

Use of color
Colors are used to indicate changes to a configuration, differences between two configurations,
whether a parameter is writable or read-only, and active conditions. For more information, see the
following topic:

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Use of color in device views

Selecting another configuration of a device

For the Configure/Setup and Compare views, you can switch between the current configuration and
a historical configuration of the device by using the drop-down list in the Time field.

Synchronization
At the bottom of the device window is a status bar that shows the device/database synchronization
status of the device. When the Compare view is displayed, the synchronization status bar shows the
synchronization status for each of the device configurations.

If device/database synchronization is turned on, devices are automatically synchronized when

displayed. For more information on device/database synchronization, see the following topic:

Device/database synchronization overview

Simultaneous access
AMS Device Manager does not have a transaction locking mechanism to prevent a device connected
to one station from being simultaneously modified by other AMS Device Manager stations. If this
happens, the last configuration changes to be applied will overwrite any changes applied by the
other stations.

Printing and Print Preview

For a graphical printout (a screen capture) of the current device view, select File → Print Window
from the device menu. For a textual printout of parameters and values for the device view, click
on the device view toolbar, or select File → Print from the device menu. The print, print window,
and print preview toolbar buttons and menu selections are disabled if no details are present on the
right side of the device window.

All parameters and values of the entire view are printed, not just the selected tab. For example, all
parameters and values of all tabs in the Configure/Setup view are printed. This functionality is only
available in the Configure/Setup, Device Diagnostics, and Process Variables views.

Displaying online Help

To display online Help for objects on the device window, click and then click on the object, or
press F1 when the focus is on the object. The online Help for device parameters is provided by the
device manufacturer. For some devices, the online Help popup window for a device parameter has a
button, which may provide more extensive online Help.

Consult your device documentation for additional information about alert conditions.

If a device manufacturer has provided a manual for a particular device, it is available from the Help
selection of its context menu. All device manuals available are listed in the main AMS Device
Manager application under Help → Device.

Launching other device functions

To launch other device functions from the device window, right-click on the background of the right
pane and make the desired selection from the device context menu.

Parameter changes and Audit Trail

All changes to device parameters are recorded in Audit Trail. The audit trail record for a
configuration change shows both the original value and the changed value. Having this record can
be helpful if you want to re-set the parameter to a previous value. To display the audit trail for a
device, select Audit Trail from the device context menu.

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SIS devices
If the device you are viewing is an SIS device in a DeltaV SIS system or Ovation SIS system, and
its logic solver is locked, as you move from view to view you are notified that communication errors
have occurred. See DeltaV SIS devices in AMS Device Manager or Ovation SIS devices in AMS
Device Manager for more information.

Related information
PlantWeb Alerts
Device views
Use of color in device views
Device/database synchronization
DeltaV SIS devices in AMS Device Manager
Ovation SIS devices in AMS Device Manager

Configure/Setup view

The Configure/Setup view displays device parameters, which are grouped on tabs. The number and
type of tabs depend on the device type. The parameters for some FOUNDATION fieldbus devices are
accessible by using the Block Navigator on the left side of the Configure/Setup view.

From this view, you can do the following:

l Edit parameters
You can edit parameters by typing in a new value or selecting a value from a drop-down list.
Device Write permission is required to modify the configuration of a non-SIS device. (Device
Write permission is not required for changing a configuration in a Field Communicator.) SIS
Device Write permission is required to modify the configuration of an SIS device. (An SIS
device can only be modified if the logic solver is not locked.)

Changed fields appear in yellow. Tabs appear in yellow when one or more parameters in the
display have changed. See the Related information section for more details.
l Select a different configuration using the Time field
You can display a different configuration for the device by using the Time field. The selections
on the Time field drop-down list depend on whether the device is a HART, FOUNDATION
fieldbus, PROFIBUS DPV1, PROFIBUS PA, or conventional device. Selections include the current
configuration, any historical configurations, and for HART devices, the offline configuration.
Historical configurations cannot be modified.

Tabs can display based on the information they contain and how often the values are read
from the device. Some tabs may not display when you are viewing a historical configuration.
l If the device is an SIS device on a locked logic solver, whenever you move from a historical
configuration to the current configuration of the device, you are notified that communication
errors have occurred. See the Related information section for more details.

Applying changes
Configuration changes are either saved to the database or sent to live devices. No changes are
stored in the database or sent to the device until you click Save or Send, or confirm the changes
when closing the dialog.

Save: Commits configuration changes to the database. In the case of an offline device or in a
conventional device, changes are saved to the database and the Save button is displayed.

Send: Sends configuration changes to a live device. When communication is possible, as with live
devices, the Send button is displayed.

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Close: Closes the window if there are no changes. Otherwise, clicking the Close button confirms if
you want to apply or delete the changes that have not yet been saved to the database or sent to
the device.

Warning If you work with HART Revision 3 or 4 devices and use a handheld communicator and
user configurations to copy configuration parameters between AMS Device Manager and devices,
some special considerations and restrictions on changing parameters apply. The help topic for the
final assembly number warning dialog discusses these considerations.

Actions attached to parameters by the device manufacturer

For some devices, changing certain parameter values and tabbing or clicking away from them
triggers a wizard about the parameter, also known as a method, that performs or prompts you for
an action attached to that parameter. The only exception to using Save or Send to apply parameter
changes to a device is when the device has such method wizards. In those cases, you click the Next
button on a method wizard to apply the changes to the device. Generally, these kinds of wizards are
acknowledgments or informative messages about the effect of a parameter change on the device. In
other cases, the wizards perform an action on the device, such as a calculation, or even change
values in the device.

Electronic Signature Authorization dialog

If the Electronic Signatures function is licensed and enabled, the Electronic Signature Authorization
dialog is displayed after making configuration changes and clicking Save or Send. It requires you to
authorize (sign) the change you are about to make. It displays the username that will be associated
with the configuration change in Audit Trail and message text that has been created by an AMS
Device Manager system administrator for your distributed system. See the Related information
section for more details.

Confirm Device Configuration Change dialog

The Confirm Device Configuration Change dialog is displayed after making configuration changes to
a live device, and then clicking Send. It asks you to select or enter a reason for the change and
confirm whether or not you want to make the change, and it may include a Details button that
displays a warning regarding the possible effects of this change. (If you enter a new configuration
change reason, from then on that reason is included in the list.)

Device/Db synchronization status

The status area at the bottom of the window shows the device/database synchronization progress
for the device, and tells you when AMS Device Manager was last synchronized with the device.

A device is automatically synchronized when displayed, if automatic device/database

synchronization is turned on. See the Related information section for more details.

Simultaneous access
AMS Device Manager does not have a transaction locking mechanism to prevent a device connected
to one station from being simultaneously modified by other AMS Device Manager stations. If this
happens, the last configuration changes to be applied will overwrite any changes applied by the
other stations.

Displaying Device Help

To display Help for buttons, fields, and other objects on the view, click and then click on the
object, or press F1 when the focus is on the object. Device Help is provided by the device
manufacturer. The Device Help windows for some parameters have a button, which provides
access to more extensive online Help.

If the Device Help for a parameter does not answer your question, refer to the device's manual,
particularly the section on configuring the device.

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If a device manufacturer has provided a manual for a particular device, it is available from the Help
selection of its context menu. All device manuals available are listed in the main AMS Device
Manager application under Help → Device.

Device manuals are not installed by default. You need to run the AMS Device Manager PDF Installer
utility in order to view device manuals. See Select Device Help dialog under the Related information
section for more details.

Parameter changes and Audit Trail

All changes to device parameters are recorded in Audit Trail. The audit trail record for the
configuration change shows both the original value and the changed value. Having this record can
be helpful if you want to reset the parameter to a previous value.

Related information
Device views
Use of color in device views
Final Assembly Number Warning dialog
Electronic Signatures
Device/database synchronization
Audit Trail overview
Device window
DeltaV SIS devices in AMS Device Manager
Select Device Help dialog

Compare view

The Compare view displays two device configurations side by side. You can do the following from
this view:

l View differences between the configurations

Tabs (and items in the device view folder list) appear in green when differences exist between
the configurations in the comparison. Click on a tab or item to view a set of device
parameters. For some FOUNDATION fieldbus devices, click on a button in the Block Navigator
to display the parameters in a block.
l Transfer parameters from one configuration to the other

Transfer of parameters is permitted if the transfer controls are enabled. Device Write
permission is required to modify the configuration of a non-SIS device. (Device Write
permission is not required for changing a configuration in a Field Communicator.) SIS Device
Write permission is required to modify the configuration of an SIS device. (An SIS can only be
modified if its logic solver is not locked.)

See the Related information section for more details on the transfer buttons.
l Edit parameters

You can edit parameters by typing in a new value or selecting a value from a drop-down list, in
the same way that you can on the Configure/Setup view. As with transferring parameters, you
need Device Write permission to modify the configuration of a non-SIS device and SIS Device
Write permission to modify the configuration of an SIS device.

When you change a parameter, transfer buttons appear next to the parameter, which let you
transfer the new value to the configuration on the other side of the view.
l Select a different configuration using the Time field

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You can display a different configuration for the device on either side of the view by using the
Time field. The selections on the Time field drop-down list depend on whether the device is a
HART, FOUNDATION fieldbus, PROFIBUS DPV1, PROFIBUS PA, or conventional device.
Selections include the current configuration, any historical configurations, and a HART device's
offline configuration.

Tabs can display based on the information they contain and how often the values are read
from the device. Some tabs may not display when you are viewing a historical configuration.

If the device is an SIS device on a locked logic solver, whenever you move from a historical
configuration to the current configuration of the device, you are notified that communication
errors have occurred. See DeltaV devices in AMS Device Manager and Ovation SIS devices in
AMS Device Manager under the Related information section for more details.

Applying changes
Configuration changes are either saved to the database or sent to live devices. No changes are
stored in the database or sent to the device until you click Save or Send, or confirm the changes
when closing the dialog.

Save: Commits configuration changes to the database. In the case of an offline device or in a
conventional device, changes are saved to the database and the Save button is displayed.

Send: Sends configuration changes to a live device. When communication is possible, as with live
devices, the Send button is displayed.

Close: Closes the window if there are no changes. Otherwise, clicking the Close button confirms if
you want to apply or delete the changes that have not yet been saved to the database or sent to
the device.

Warning:
If you work with HART Revision 3 or 4 devices and use a handheld communicator and user
configurations to copy configuration parameters between AMS Device Manager and devices,
some special considerations and restrictions on changing parameters apply. See the Related
information section for more details on the final assembly number warning dialog.

Actions attached to parameters by the device manufacturer

For some HART, FOUNDATION fieldbus, PROFIBUS DPV1, and PROFIBUS PA devices, changing
certain parameter values and tabbing or clicking away from them triggers a wizard about the
parameter, also known as a method, that performs or prompts you for an action attached to that
parameter. The only exception to using Save or Send to apply parameter changes to a device is
when the device has such method wizards. In those cases, you click the Next button on a method
wizard to apply the changes to the device. Generally, these kinds of wizards are acknowledgments
or informative messages about the effect of a parameter change on the device. In other cases, the
wizards perform an action on the device, such as a calculation, or even change values in the device.

Electronic Signature Authorization dialog

If the Electronic Signatures function is licensed and enabled, the Electronic Signature Authorization
dialog is displayed after making configuration changes and clicking Save or Send. It requires you to
authorize (sign) the change you are about to make. It displays the username that will be associated
with the configuration change in Audit Trail and message text that has been created by an AMS
Device Manager system administrator for your distributed system. See the Related information
section for more details about the Electronic Signatures function.

Confirm Device Configuration Change dialog

The Confirm Device Configuration Change dialog is displayed after making configuration changes to

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a HART or FOUNDATION fieldbus device, and then clicking Send. It asks you to select or enter a
reason for the change and confirm whether or not you want to make the change, and it may include
a Details button that displays a warning regarding the possible effects of this change. (If you enter
a new configuration change reason, from then on that reason is included in the list.)

Device/Db synchronization status

The status area at the bottom of the view shows the device/database synchronization progress for
the device, and tells you when AMS Device Manager was last synchronized with the device.

A device is automatically synchronized when displayed, if automatic device/database

synchronization is turned on. See the Related information section for more details about
device/database synchronization.

Different HART revisions

When you compare two HART devices of different device revisions, the screen layout of the lower
device revision is used. The device revision numbers are displayed to the left of the AMS tag for
each device.

Simultaneous access
AMS Device Manager does not have a transaction locking mechanism to prevent a device connected
to one station from being simultaneously modified by other AMS Device Manager stations. If this
happens, the last configuration changes to be applied will overwrite any changes applied by the
other stations.

Displaying Device Help

To display Help for buttons, fields, and other objects on the view, click and then click on the
object, or press F1 when the focus is on the object. Device Help is provided by the device
manufacturer. The Device Help windows for some parameters have a button, which provides
access to more extensive online Help.

If the Device Help for a parameter does not answer your question, refer to the device's manual,
particularly the section on configuring the device.

If a device manufacturer has provided a manual for a particular device, it is available from the Help
selection of its context menu. All device manuals available are listed in the main AMS Device
Manager application under Help → Device.

Device manuals are not installed by default. You need to run the AMS Device Manager PDF Installer
utility in order to view device manuals. For more information, see Select Device Help dialog in the
Related information section below.

Parameter changes and Audit Trail

All changes to device parameters are recorded in Audit Trail. The audit trail record for the
configuration change shows both the original value and the changed value. Having this record can
be helpful if you want to reset the parameter to a previous value.

Related information
Comparing and transferring device configurations
Left arrow transfer parameter buttons
Right arrow transfer parameter buttons
Device views
Use of color in device views
Final Assembly Number Warning dialog
Electronic Signatures
Device/database synchronization

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Audit Trail overview

Device window
DeltaV SIS devices in AMS Device Manager
Ovation SIS devices in AMS Device Manager
Select Device Help dialog

Process Variables view

This view displays the process variables for a device. For some devices, this window is called Device
Variables.

From the Process Variables view, you can do the following:

View current settings

Each process variable is identified by a label.

Display other device views

If you want to display other device-specific views while displaying the Process Variables view, right-
click on the background of the Process Variables view to display the device context menu, then
make the desired selection.

View device/Db synchronization status

The status area at the bottom left corner of the window shows the device/database synchronization
progress, and tells you when AMS Device Manager was last synchronized with the device.

A device is automatically synchronized when displayed, if automatic device/database

synchronization is turned on.

Displaying Device Help

To display Help for buttons, fields, and other objects on the view, click and then click on the
object, or press F1 when the focus is on the object. Device Help is provided by the device
manufacturer. The Device Help windows for some parameters have a button, which provides
access to more extensive online Help.

If the Device Help for a parameter does not answer your question, refer to the device's manual,
particularly the section on configuring the device.

If a device manufacturer has provided a manual for a particular device, it is available from the Help
selection of its context menu. All device manuals available are listed in the main AMS Device
Manager application under Help → Device.

Device manuals are not installed by default. You need to run the AMS Device Manager PDF Installer
utility in order to view device manuals. For more information, see Select Device Help dialog under
the Related information section.

Related information
Device views
Device/database synchronization
Device window
Select Device Help dialog

Device Diagnostics view

The Device Diagnostics view shows diagnostic indicators for a device.

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Viewing Device Diagnostics

Some devices display a navigator on the left side of the window to view the alerts by category:
Failed, Maintenance, and Advisory. Click on the Active PlantWeb Alerts folder. Some devices display
these diagnostics when you click the icon in the toolbar. The alerts for each category are
organized on tabs. If a category or tab is red, it has active alerts.(See the Related information
section for more details on the use of color in device views.) A recommended action is displayed for
some alerts.

If the device is an SIS device on a locked logic solver, whenever you move from a historical
configuration to the current configuration of the device, you are notified that communication errors
have occurred. See DeltaV SIS devices in AMS Device Manager and Ovation SIS devices in AMS
Device Manager under the Related information section for more details.

Suppressing alert reporting

Some devices that support PlantWeb Alerts let you suppress and unsuppress the reporting of alerts
to the host system by selecting or clearing the Suppress checkboxes. Selecting the checkbox tells
the device to suppress an alert; clearing the checkbox tells the device to report an alert. When the
reporting of an alert is suppressed, it does not appear in the Alert List in Alert Monitor.

Enabling or disabling an alert, if a device allows it, is done from the device's Configure/Setup view.

Printing a report
To print a report of the device's alerts, select File → Print from the main menu. The printout shows
the state of each alert. Alerts can be in one of five states:

l ACTIVE - The alert currently exists.

l Inactive - The alert does not currently exist.
l ACTIVE [Suppressed] - The alert currently exists, but it is not being reported to the host
system.
l Inactive [Suppressed] - The alert does not currently exist, and will not be reported to the host
system when it occurs.
l Disabled - The device is not monitoring for the condition.

Note:
The Print and Print Preview options are not available for Device Diagnostics view opened from
DeltaV Operate.

Device/Db synchronization status

The status area at the bottom of the window shows the device/database synchronization progress
for the device, and tells you when AMS Device Manager was last synchronized with the device.

A device is automatically synchronized when displayed, if automatic device/database

synchronization is turned on.

Simultaneous access
AMS Device Manager does not have a transaction locking mechanism to prevent a device connected
to one station from being simultaneously modified by other AMS Device Manager stations. If this
happens, the last changes to be applied will overwrite any changes applied by the other stations.

Displaying help on alerts

Descriptions of alerts are provided by the device manufacturer as popup help text. To display a

description of a particular alert, click and then click on the parameter, or press F1 when the
focus is on the alert.

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The help windows for some parameters have a button, which provides access to more
extensive help.

Consult your device manual for detailed information about alerts.

Related information
Suppress/unsuppress alert reporting
PlantWeb Alerts
Device views
Device window
DeltaV SIS devices in AMS Device Manager
Ovation SIS devices in AMS Device Manager

View/modify a device configuration

Prerequisites

Device Write permission or SIS Device Write permission

Procedure

1. Right-click a device icon and select Configure/Setup from the context menu.
2. Click the tab containing the device information you want to view or modify.
3. Select another configuration in the Time field if desired.
4. Change the parameter values as desired. When you change a value, the associated tab and
folder in the device view folder list turn yellow.
5. Click Save or Send to commit changes. Click Close → No to close the dialog without
committing changes.
You can also modify a device configuration by transferring parameters from one device
configuration to another, or by transferring parameters from one device to another.

Related information
Electronic Signatures
Configure/Setup view
Device views
Comparing and transferring device configurations

Compare/transfer configurations - same device

Prerequisites

Device Write permission or SIS Device Write permission

Procedure

1. Right-click a device icon and select Compare from the device context menu. The Compare
view is displayed.
If AMS Device Manager Server is not running on the station the device is connected to or the
device is not communicating with AMS Device Manager, the message "Unable to connect to
live device" is displayed and the most recent historic configuration is displayed on both sides
of the view.

2. Select the desired configuration in the Time field on each side of the view. (You cannot
change historical configurations.)

3. Transfer parameters by doing one of the following:

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¡ Click the transfer buttons at the bottom of the Compare view. This transfers all
parameters in all tabs except for some parameters that are manufacturer-protected and
those that are not transferable.

¡ Copy parameters one at a time by clicking the transfer buttons between each
parameter.
If an arrow button is disabled (grayed out), either the parameters are the same or transfer is
not allowed.

4. After comparing and transferring configurations, click Save or Send to commit changes.

Related information
Comparing and transferring device configurations
Historical device configurations
Current device configurations
Offline device configurations
Device views

Compare/transfer configurations - different devices

Prerequisites

Device Write permission or SIS Device Write permission

Procedure

1. Drag-and-drop or copy-and-paste a device icon over another device icon of the same
manufacturer and device type. The Compare view is displayed. (The transfer between
conventional devices that have different manufacturer and model names but are of the same
"category" is allowed.)
If the AMS Device Manager Server is not running on the station the device is connected to or
the device is not communicating with AMS Device Manager, the message "Unable to connect
to live device" is displayed and the most recent historic configuration is displayed on both
sides of the view.

AMS Device Manager displays a warning message if you compare devices in different modes;
for example, two multivariable devices each displaying a different measurement.

2. Select the desired configuration in the Time field.

3. Transfer parameters as desired, by either:

¡ Clicking the transfer buttons at the bottom of the Compare view. This transfers all
parameters in all tabs except for some parameters that are manufacturer-protected and
those that are not transferable.

¡ Copying parameters one at a time by clicking the transfer buttons between

each parameter.

4. After comparing configurations, click Save or Send.

Related information
Comparing and transferring device configurations
Historical device configurations
Current device configurations
Offline device configurations
Device views

Monitor process variables for a device

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Prerequisites

Device Read permission OR SIS Device Read permission

Use this procedure to display the process variables for a device.

Procedure

1. Right-click a device icon to open the device context menu.

2. Select Process Variables from the menu.
Some devices display Device Variables.

Related information
Device window
Process Variables view

Display diagnostics for a device

Prerequisites

Device Read permission OR SIS Device Read permission

Procedure

1. Right-click a device icon and select Device Diagnostics from the context menu.
2. Navigate to the desired information in the Device Diagnostics view's folder list.
3. Click the tabs to display different sets of alert conditions.
The color red is used to indicate active alerts. See Use of color in device views under the Related
information section for more details.

Related information
Device views
Use of color in device views
Device window
Device Diagnostics view
Suppress/unsuppress alert reporting

Suppress/unsuppress alert reporting

Prerequisites

Device Write permission or SIS Device Write permission

Note:
Some devices do not allow you to suppress or unsuppress alert reporting.

To suppress alert reporting for a device that supports PlantWeb Alerts:

Procedure

1. Right-click the device and select Device Diagnostics from the context menu.

2. If the device window is displayed, navigate to the desired information in the Device
Diagnostics view's folder list.

3. Select the appropriate tab.

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4. Check a checkbox to tell the device to suppress (not report) the condition. Clear a checkbox
to tell the device to report the condition. When a condition is suppressed, any alerts for that
condition disappear from the Alert List in Alert Monitor.
The disabling of a device alert overrides its suppression setting. The enabling and disabling of
alerts for a FOUNDATION fieldbus device that supports PlantWeb Alerts, if the device allows
it, is done from the device's Configure/Setup view.

5. Click Close.

Related information
Device window
Device Diagnostics view

Create an offline configuration for a HART device

Prerequisites

Device Write permission or SIS Device Write permission

Procedure

1. Right-click a HART device icon and select Configure/Setup from the context menu.
2. The Configure/Setup view is displayed. Select Offline in the Time field.
3. Enter the offline edits to parameters on the tabs of the Configure/Setup view as required.
4. Click Save.
You can also create an offline configuration by transferring information from another configuration,
from either the same device or from another device.

Related information
Offline device configurations
Device views

Clear the offline configuration for a HART device

Prerequisites

Device Write permission or SIS Device Write permission

Procedure

1. Right-click a HART device icon and select Clear Offline from the device context menu.
2. Confirm that you want to delete the offline configuration.

Related information
Offline device configurations

Scan devices

Prerequisites

Device Read permission OR SIS Device Read permission

Note:
PROFIBUS DPV1 and PROFIBUS PA devices must be identified in AMS Device Manager before a
Scan operation can successfully complete. To identify the device, right-click the device and
select "Identify PROFIBUS Device". This needs to be done only one time, and the option will not

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appear on the context menu if the device has been identified.

Procedure

1. Right-click the icon that represents the level for which you want to do the scan. Scan from
the lowest level in a hierarchy that is necessary. You can perform a scan:
¡ On a modem
¡ On the various levels of a system interface network hierarchy
¡ On all the networks on a local station (from the AMS Device Manager icon in Device
Connection View)
¡ On all the networks on another station in the distributed system (from a station icon in
Device Explorer)

2. Select a Scan operation from the context menu. A dialog indicates the scanning progress.

3. When the scanning process is complete, any scan failures are indicated. If there are no
failures, the progress dialog goes away and the network hierarchy is updated to show what
was found during the scanning process.

Whenever a Scan operation is started, cancelled, or completed, an entry is recorded in Audit Trail.

Related information
Device/database synchronization

Display help for a specific device

Procedure

1. Select Help → Device from the main menu.

2. Select a device from the list.
3. Click OK.

Note:
Not all manufacturers provide device help.

View supported device revisions

Procedure

1. Click in the toolbar to open Device Explorer.

2. From Device Explorer, right-click the background of the device display (the right side of the
screen where device icons are displayed) and select View → Detail.
3. View the device type and supported device revision.

Related information
Device Explorer

Device templates overview

AMS Device Manager has a set of configurations called device templates—one for each supported
HART, FOUNDATION fieldbus, and conventional device type and device revision. A set of device
templates is supplied with each AMS Device Manager release. Device templates are supplied by
device manufacturers and may contain default parameter settings. A generic device template is
provided for each conventional device type.

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The manufacturer's default settings may not be appropriate for your use of a device. You may need
to modify the settings for your particular use of the device. You can also create your own device
templates by copying and modifying an existing template or another complete configuration to the
Device Templates window.

Device templates are useful for preparing required parameters for new devices or resetting existing
devices to the manufacturer's default settings. They are also useful in creating conventional
devices; particularly when you need to create several conventional devices of the same
manufacturer, model, and revision. To do this, you would create a device template, change the
parameters to the desired settings, and then create multiple conventional devices using that
template.

You can access the device templates by selecting View → Device Templates from the main menu.
You must have Device Write permission or SIS Device Write permission to create, modify, rename,
or delete device templates.
How user configurations differ from device templates

A user configuration for a device differs from a device template for a device in the Device Templates
window, in that:

l A device template is a set of complete and default configuration parameters for a device
provided by a device manufacturer. In contrast, a user configuration can be any set of
configuration parameters derived from any device or device configuration in your plant.
l A device template contains a complete set of configuration parameters for a device. In
contrast, a user configuration can be a partial configuration, or a subset of the complete device
configuration parameters for a particular device type.

For conventional devices, user configurations and device templates have the same characteristics.
Either can have a partial configuration, and all parameters in either can be edited. Device templates
are used to apply existing configurations to new devices that you add to the database.

Related information
User configurations hierarchy
Using device templates and user configurations

Using device templates and user configurations

Use user configurations:

l To transfer device parameters to multiple devices using Bulk Transfer

l To save a portion or all of the parameters for a HART, FOUNDATION fieldbus, or conventional
device configuration for later use. For example, you can save units and range values in a user
configuration that you may want to reuse later in another device configuration.
l To store partial configurations copied from a Field Communicator.
l To examine and modify configurations loaded from a Field Communicator before applying to
connected devices. Parameters marked for Bulk Transfer are not applicable to Field
Communicator device configurations; all parameters are transferred to a Field Communicator.

Use device templates:

l When configuring HART or FOUNDATION fieldbus devices and setting up your Plant Locations
hierarchy.
l When you need to reset a HART or FOUNDATION fieldbus device to the default values
contained in a device template. For example, if you have applied several configuration changes

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to a device and it experiences problems when operating under the new settings, you can reset
the device to the defaults in the device template by re-applying a device template to the
device. If your device is not connected to the process, you can also choose to perform a
master reset on the device.
l To apply conventional device configurations to new conventional devices you add to the
database.

Note:
Device templates and user configurations are not available for PROFIBUS DPV1, PROFIBUS PA,
and future devices.

Related information
User configurations hierarchy

Device Templates window overview

The Device Templates window displays all default and user-defined device templates.

You must have Device Write permission or SIS Device Write permission to create, modify, rename,
or delete device templates.

To change the view of device templates, right-click the mouse without a template selected, select
View, and then select an option:

l To display the device templates as large icons with labels, select Large Icon.
l To display the device templates as small icons with labels, select Small Icon.
l To display the device templates as small icons with template names in a vertical list, select
List.
l To display the device templates in a list with detailed information for each template, select
Detail. The detailed information for each user configuration includes a small icon for the
template, the template name, device manufacturer, device type, and device revision.

To arrange objects in the window, right-click the mouse without a device template selected, select
Arrange Icons, and then select an option.

Related information
Create a new device template

Display the Device Templates window

Procedure

1. On the main menu, select View.

2. Select Device Templates.
View/modify a device template

Prerequisites

Device Write permission or SIS Device Write permission

Procedure

1. On the main menu, select View → Device Templates.

2. Right-click a template and select Configure/Setup.

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3. Change the configuration of the device template as desired.

4. Click Save to apply any changes to the configuration.
Create a new device template

Prerequisites

Device Write permission or SIS Device Write permission

Procedure

1. Select View → Device Templates from the main menu.

2. Click on the HART, FOUNDATION fieldbus, or conventional device icon in AMS Device
Manager that you want to use to create the device template. (You can create a new device
template from an existing device template.)
3. Use a drag-and-drop or copy-and-paste operation to copy the device configuration to the
Device Templates window.
4. Enter a name for the new device template in the edit box.
5. Right-click the template and select Configure/Setup.
6. Verify that all parameters are set to the appropriate values in the new template.

Related information
View/modify a device template
Device views

Rename a device template

Prerequisites

Device Write permission or SIS Device Write permission

Procedure

1. On the main menu, select View → Device Templates.

2. Right-click a template and select Rename.
3. Enter the new name of the device template.
4. If a message box indicating that a configuration of that name exists in the database, click OK
and enter a different name for the configuration.
User configurations hierarchy

The User Configurations hierarchy is represented by the icon in Device Explorer.

The User Configurations hierarchy has a single level made up of User Configurations folders. There
are three kinds of User Configurations folders:

l Standard Configurations folder - contains standard user configurations supplied by

Emerson. This folder is read-only.

l Migrated Configurations folder - displayed when user configurations are imported from
AMS Device Manager 13.0 or lower. This folder cannot be renamed and is not displayed when
empty.

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l User Configurations folder - created and named by a user and can contain any kind of
user configuration.

A user configuration is a set of HART, FOUNDATION fieldbus, or conventional device configuration

parameters that you can customize and reuse. For example, user configurations can store:

l Configurations from devices that you want to save as models for other device configurations
l HART device configurations that you want to copy from the database into a Field
Communicator
l HART device configurations loaded from a Field Communicator that you want to examine and
modify before applying to connected devices

The source of this user configuration may be:

l A configuration in a registered device

l A standard configuration
l A copy of an existing User Configuration
l A device template
l A Field Communicator user configuration or Field Communicator device configuration

The AMS Device Manager system stores user configurations in the User Configurations folder.

To illustrate how you can make use of user configurations, suppose a HART device contains
configuration parameter settings that you want to use in several other devices. You can store that
configuration as a user configuration in a User Configurations folder, and later apply that
configuration to other HART devices. You can apply the user configuration to a single device by
dragging and dropping it onto the device icon, or to multiple devices by running the Bulk Transfer
Utility.

Related information
User Configurations icon
User Configurations folders

Bulk Transfer Utility overview

The Bulk Transfer Utility allows you to create mappings between user configurations and multiple
devices in a plant, and then transfer parameter values to the devices based on those mappings. It
minimizes the time needed to configure and commission a large number of devices.

Note:
To use the Bulk Transfer Utility, you must have Microsoft Excel version 2010 or later installed on
your AMS Device Manager station. Microsoft Office versions 2010 and later include compatible
versions of Excel.

Supported devices
The Bulk Transfer Utility supports live FOUNDATION fieldbus and HART devices. These devices may
be on any supported network component or system interface. The Bulk Transfer Utility also supports
FOUNDATION fieldbus placeholders on DeltaV Systems.

The Bulk Transfer Utility does not support conventional, HART future devices, PROFIBUS DPV1
devices, or PROFIBUS PA devices.

How the Bulk Transfer Utility works

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The Bulk Transfer Utility reads and processes an Excel file (.xlsx) that you create to assign a user
configuration to each unique device tag.

The resulting mappings are stored in the database and entered into a log file (.txt). Applicable
configuration events are also recorded in the Audit Trail.

For live devices and FOUNDATION fieldbus placeholders, the parameter values are immediately
transferred from the user configuration to the device or placeholder. For devices not yet identified in
AMS Device Manager, the mapping is stored in the database but parameter values are not
transferred until you subsequently perform a Bulk Configure operation, which involves both device
identification and mapping-based configuration. New devices are configured when they are detected
(auto-sensed or commissioned in DeltaV). This pertains to any tag assignments that are included in
the mapping; Plant Location and/or Alert Monitor List device group assignments. Tag assignments
are not performed for Foundation fieldbus placeholders.

You do not have to transfer all parameter values defined in the user configuration. The Configure for
Bulk Transfer view, available from the context menu for a user configuration, allows you to mark
parameters for download, or not for download, during a bulk transfer. Only parameters marked for
download have their values transferred. Some devices will not provide all necessary parameters for
transfer unless the device is in Out of Service mode.

You can assign AMS tags to Plant Locations and Alert Monitor device groups. You can also define
projects in Bulk Transfer. A project is a container for a set of devices that are in the process of
being changed outside the production environment. You can use projects to track startups,
turnarounds, or outages. You assign devices to projects in the Bulk Transfer spreadsheet, mark
their status (done) in AMS Device Manager, and track projects and their associated devices using
AMS Device View.

AMS Device Manager User Manager permissions are required for some operations related to AMS
Device View projects.

Operation Permission required

Rename, delete, or complete a project in AMS Device System > System Settings > Write
View

Mark a device as complete in a project in AMS Device Device Write or SIS Device Write
Manager (or move a completed project to active by
importing from Bulk Transfer)

Remove a device from a project or add a device to a Device Write or SIS Device Write
project in Bulk Transfer

Reporting tools
You can generate two types of reports to track how devices are being managed through the Bulk
Transfer Utility.

A mappings report shows each user-configuration-to-device mapping currently in the database. It

does not show the current configuration of the device, or any project information, but can be
generated faster than a device configuration report.

A user configuration report shows all the scanned devices that are mapped to a user configuration in
the database, and compares the parameter values in each device to the user configuration. This
allows you to correct any configuration errors or inconsistencies across devices. Generating a user
configuration report can take a long time depending on the number of devices to which the user
configuration has been applied.

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Related information
Run the Bulk Transfer Utility
AMS Device Manager Bulk Transfer dialog
Checklist for valid Bulk Transfer spreadsheet data
Configure for Bulk Transfer view
Bulk Configure overview

Checklist for valid Bulk Transfer spreadsheet data

Bulk Transfer allows you to create mappings between AMS Tags and:

l User Configurations. By setting this mapping, you are planning to assign User Configurations
(or a Standard Configuration copied to a User Configuration folder) to particular tags, and
setting up the ability to Bulk Configure them in preparation for being associated with a live
device. In addition to a User Configuration association, you can also associate several HART
device parameters with the User Configuration, so that the appropriate column value is written
to the AMS tag. Ensure the User Configuration names are entered in the spreadsheet exactly
as they appear in AMS Device Manager.
l Plant Locations. By setting this mapping, you will be assigning the AMS tag to a certain Plant
Location specified in the column. If those Plant Locations exist in AMS Device Manager, ensure
the spreadsheet value matches exactly. If they do not exist, Bulk Transfer will create them in
AMS Device Manager, and assign AMS tags to them. Each Plant Location name (Area, Unit,
Equipment Module, and Control Module) is limited to 32 characters.
l Device Groups. By setting this mapping, you will be associating the AMS tag with a numbered
Device Group in the Device Monitor List in Alert Monitor. The AMS tag must be assigned to a
Plant Location. If the group number does not exist in AMS Device Manager, Bulk Transfer will
create it, and add the AMS tag to the Alert Monitor Device Monitor List. For this reason, Plant
Location assignments are performed before Device Group assignments.
l Project Names. By setting this mapping, you will be associating the AMS tag with a Project in
AMS Device View. Projects help establish a workflow or checklist if you are commissioning
devices. If those Projects already exist in AMS Device View, ensure the spreadsheet value
matches exactly. If they do not exist, Bulk Transfer will create them in AMS Device View.
Follow these additional guidelines to avoid errors during processing:
l Make sure that each tag listed is one of the following:
¡ A known AMS tag for a live device (HART or FOUNDATION fieldbus)
¡ The host tag for a FOUNDATION fieldbus placeholder in the DeltaV software
¡ The anticipated AMS tag for a device not yet identified in AMS Device Manager for which
you wish to create a mapping that can be used later in a Bulk Configure operation
l List each AMS tag only once in the Excel file. Duplicate AMS tags result in an error, even when
paired with the same user configuration each time.
l Be sure to enter a user configuration that is based on the same device description (DD) as the
device you want to configure. Otherwise, an error results, even if most parameters are in
common.
l Ensure the user configuration cell is not blank by accident. AMS tags that exist in AMS Device
Manager that have blank user configurations will cause Bulk Transfer to delete the mapping for
that AMS tag.
l For FOUNDATION fieldbus placeholders, enter the host tag into the AMS tag column exactly as
it appears in DeltaV. Host tag names are case-sensitive. You cannot map FOUNDATION
fieldbus parameters to AMS tags using Bulk Transfer.
l Know the AMS tag assignment scheme for newly identified devices in AMS Device Manager,
especially if you are running the Bulk Transfer Utility in preparation for a Bulk Configure
operation. The AMS tag is automatically assigned during the Scan New Devices and Bulk
Configure operations. Refer to the links in System interfaces overview for information on how

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AMS tags are assigned to devices on various compatible system interfaces.

l Import tags if available, and then edit the spreadsheet to add the associated user
configurations, any HART device parameters, Plant Locations, Device Monitor List device
groups, and project names as appropriate.

Permissions
All permissions required for successful use of the Bulk Transfer Utility are managed by plant location
in the User Manager utility. Permission requirements are enforced on a case-by-case basis for each
AMS tag included in your Excel file.

l For a live device that has already been assigned to a plant location, you must have the
appropriate Device Write permission (Device Write permission or SIS Device Write permission,
depending on the device) at that plant location in order to map and update the device through
the Bulk Transfer Utility. For a live device that has not been assigned a plant location, you
must have the appropriate Device Write permission at either the Site-wide or Unassigned
levels in order to map and update the device through the Bulk Transfer Utility.
l If you are assigning an AMS tag to a Plant Location, you need Assign Plant Hierarchy Location
permission.
l If you are associating an AMS tag with a device group in the Alert Monitor Device Monitor List,
you need Manage Alert Configurations permission
l If you are associating an AMS tag with a Project Name for AMS Device View, you must have
(Device Write permission or SIS Device Write permission.
l For a FOUNDATION fieldbus placeholder or a device that is not yet connected, you must
haveDevice Write permission or SIS Device Write permission at either the Site-wide or
Unassigned locations in order to map the associated AMS tag to a user configuration in the
database through the Bulk Transfer Utility.

Bulk Configure overview

The Bulk Configure operations (see descriptions below) allow you to configure multiple live devices
based on user configuration mappings that already exist in the database as a result of previous use
of the Bulk Transfer Utility. It also allows user configurations to be applied to DeltaV FOUNDATION
Fieldbus placeholders for devices that will be connected in the future.

Supported devices
The Bulk Configure operations support live FOUNDATION fieldbus and HART devices. These devices
may be on any supported network component or system interface, with the exception of PROVOX,
RS3, and HART modems.

The Bulk Configure operations do not support HART future devices, PROFIBUS DPV1 devices, or
PROFIBUS PA devices.

Advantages of Bulk Configure operations

When the desired configuration mappings already exist in the database, the Bulk Configure
operations provide two main advantages over running the Bulk Transfer Utility a second time. First,
these operations allow you to skip the configuration mapping portion of the Bulk Transfer Utility,
and run just the device identification and parameter transfer portions. This device identification is a
prerequisite for correct operation of Bulk Configure, and includes identifying (Rebuild or Rebuild and
Identify) and scanning the new device. Bulk Transfer Utility does not perform device identification.
This makes these operations faster.

Secondly, because the Bulk Configure operations are available through the context menu at
different levels under the Physical Networks hierarchy, you can target only those parts of the
network that include devices requiring updates from a user configuration. This again leads to a more
efficient operation, particularly when the database (or the original Excel file used by the Bulk

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Transfer Utility) contains configuration mappings for widely distributed devices.

Bulk Configure New Devices, and Bulk Configure All Devices

There are two Bulk Configure operations: Bulk Configure New Devices, and Bulk Configure All
Devices.

The Bulk Configure All Devices operation identifies all live devices below the point at which it is
initiated, and transfers parameter values to any device included in a user configuration mapping
within the database. The Bulk Configure New Devices operation performs the same device
identification function, but transfers parameter values only to new (not previously identified)
devices included in a user configuration mapping. In each operation, only parameter values marked
for download on the Configure for Bulk Transfer view of the user configuration have their values
transferred. The parameter values transferred are taken from the current version of the user
configuration, not the version at the time the Bulk Transfer Utility was run.

Depending on the number of mapped devices in the affected plant area, and the number of new
devices added since the last Rebuild Hierarchy operation, the Bulk Configure All Devices operation
may be significantly more time-consuming than the Bulk Configure New Devices operation.
Therefore, it is recommended that you initiate it only when necessary and at the lowest level in the
hierarchy possible.

Each Bulk Configure operation is available at the same locations in the Physical Networks hierarchy
in Device Explorer as the Scan New and Scan All operations. This includes:
l On the various levels of a network hierarchy
l On all the networks on a local station (from the AMS Device Manager icon in Device
Connection View)
l On all the networks on another station in the distributed system (from a station icon in Device
Explorer)

Examples of when to perform Bulk Configure operations

Here is an example of a common situation in which the Bulk Configure New Devices can be useful:

l You are preparing to connect many new devices in an area of the plant. You have already run
the Bulk Transfer Utility to create user configuration mappings for the anticipated AMS device
tags, which will be assigned automatically upon device connection. The new devices are now
available and connected. Because the configuration mappings already exist, you can now
perform the Bulk Configure New Devices operation at the appropriate location in the Physical
Networks hierarchy to prepare the new devices for operation.

Here is an example of a common situation in which the Bulk Configure All Devices can be useful:

l Previously, many devices in a particular area of the plant were configured using the Bulk
Transfer Utility. It was later discovered that those devices were not performing optimally.
Offline testing resulted in several optimized parameter values that have now been
incorporated into the user configuration that was used during the original bulk transfer.
Because the configuration mappings already exist, you can now perform the Bulk Configure All
Devices operation at the appropriate location in the Physical Networks hierarchy to transfer the
optimized values from the updated user configuration to the devices.

Using Bulk Configure via DeltaV Auto-sense for HART devices

For HART devices, Bulk Configure is integrated with the Auto-sense operation in DeltaV. Therefore,
when you auto-sense a HART device in DeltaV, you automatically call up the Bulk Configure New
Devices operation for that device in AMS Device Manager. If a configuration mapping is found in the
database for the device, the parameter values from the user configuration are automatically
transferred to that device without the need for operator action. You can view the results in a

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mapping report accessible from the Reports menu on the AMS Device Manager Bulk Transfer dialog.

Permissions required
All permissions required for successful use of the Bulk Configure operations are managed by plant
location in the User Manager utility utility. Permission requirements are enforced on a case-by-case
basis for each device potentially impacted by a Bulk Configure operation.

For a live device that has been assigned to a plant location, you must have the appropriate Device
Write permission (Device Write permission or SIS Device Write permission, depending on the
device) at that plant location in order to configure the device through the Bulk Configure All Devices
operation.

For a device included in a user configuration mapping in the database but not yet identified in AMS
Device Manager, you must have the appropriate Device Write permission (Device Write permission
or SIS Device Write permission, depending on the device) at either the Site-wide or Unassigned
locations in order to configure the device through either the Bulk Configure New Devices operation
or the Bulk Configure All Devices operation.

Related information
Bulk Configure devices
Bulk Transfer Utility overview
AMS Device Manager Bulk Transfer dialog

User Configurations

User Configurations can be used as placeholders for HART, FOUNDATION fieldbus, or conventional
device configurations that you need to copy, modify, move, or save as models for other device
configurations.

Right-click a user configuration to display the context menu. Selections on the context menu include
the following:

l Configure/Setup - Displays the Configure/Setup view.

l Configure for Bulk Transfer - Displays the Configure For Bulk Transfer view.
l Rename - Selects the name of the user configuration for editing.
l Delete - Deletes the selected user configuration.

Note:
To modify, rename, or delete user configurations, you must have User Configuration Write
permission.

Related information
Create a user configuration from an existing configuration
Create a new user configuration

Configure for Bulk Transfer view

The Configure for Bulk Transfer view is displayed when you right-click a user configuration and
select Configure for Bulk Transfer. This view shows a list of all the writable parameters in the
device description with values from the user configuration and a column to display and configure
each parameter that can be downloaded to a device (HART or FOUNDATION fieldbus) or to a
FOUNDATION fieldbus placeholder.

Selecting a block item in the left pane, displays parameters from that block in the device

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description. Next to each parameter is a clickable button to enable or disable download of

the parameter to a device and placeholder.

The download button represents a parameter that you want to download to both a device and a
placeholder. The value of the parameter is the value defined in the user configuration.

When you click the download button, it changes to the do not download button which
represents either a parameter that will not be downloaded or an empty parameter that cannot be
downloaded. This parameter is the device description default parameter value unless it is defined in
the user configuration. If the value is defined in the user configuration, when you click the do not
download button, it changes to the download button.

Clicking the Save button updates the user configuration.

Clicking the Close button gives you the option of updating the user configuration or closing without
saving.

Note:
Parameters with an additional write dependency will not be displayed until the dependency is
met. To refresh the screen, view another block and then return to the original block.

Related information
Bulk Transfer Utility overview
Bulk Configure overview
Run the Bulk Transfer Utility
Bulk Configure devices
AMS Device Manager Bulk Transfer dialog

AMS Device Manager Bulk Transfer dialog

This dialog is displayed when you launch the Bulk Transfer Utility from the AMS Device Manager
Tools menu. Use it to generate reports and identify the Excel file that maps user configurations to
unique device tags, and specify how the file should be read.

Reports menu
Use the Reports menu to select either Mappings Report or User Configuration Report. The
Mappings Report runs a report that shows each user-configuration-to-device mapping currently in
the database. The DeviceState column shows the current state of the device: Live indicates AMS
Device Manager can communicate with the device, Virtual if it cannot. Live does not guarantee the
user configuration has been transferred to the device.

The User Configuration Report shows all the scanned devices that are mapped to a user
configuration in the database, and compares the parameter values in each device to the user
configuration. Use the result of the compare to correct any configuration errors or inconsistencies
across devices.

Note:

Generating a user configuration report can take a long time depending on the number of devices
receiving a user configuration.

Fields

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Field Description
File Name Click to browse to the Excel file you set up to
transfer parameter values. After you select your Excel
file, the dialog displays additional fields.

Worksheet Name The Excel file worksheet tab that contains your data.

Starting Row The row where the Bulk Transfer Utility should begin
reading the data. For example, row 1 may contain
column headings (instead of user configurations and
device tags) which produce errors if read.

Required Columns

(AMS Tag) The column that contains AMS Tags (default is A).

Optional Bulk Transfer Columns

User Configuration The column that contains user configuration names.

HART Short Tag The column that contains alternative HART Short
Tags to those specified in the user configurations..

HART Long Tag The column that contains alternative HART Long Tags
to those specified in the user configurations.

Device Descriptor The column that contains alternative Device

Descriptors to those specified in the user
configurations.

Device Message The column that contains alternative Device

Messages to those specified in the user
configurations.

Primary Upper Range Value The column that contains alternative Primary Upper
Range Values to those specified in the user
configurations.

Primary Lower Range Value The column that contains alternative Primary Lower
Range Values to those specified in the user
configurations.

Optional AMS Tag Assignment Columns

Plant Location The column that contains the Plant Location.

Device Monitor List Group The column that contains the Device Monitor List
group.

Optional Project Assignment Columns

Project Name The column that contains the project name to which
the corresponding AMS tag will be applied (AMS
Device View)

Clear/Preset Optional Columns button

Removes the column assignments for all optional columns, or populates them with default column
letters.

Begin button
Initiates reading of the Excel file, and displays the Bulk Transfer Utility Processing Information
dialog.

Cancel button
Cancels reading of the Excel file.

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Related information
Bulk Transfer Utility overview
Run the Bulk Transfer Utility
Checklist for valid Bulk Transfer spreadsheet data

Process Information dialog - Bulk Transfer

This dialog is displayed after you define how your Excel file should be read by the Bulk Transfer
Utility. It provides a pre-processing summary of how each device will be affected if you continue
with the bulk transfer process.

The following devices will not be processed

Any device listed in this field will not be affected if you continue with the bulk transfer. The reason is
listed for each device. Common reasons include:
l DeviceA: Device disconnected. The device was previously connected, but is now disconnected
and therefore cannot receive new parameter values.
l DeviceB: Matching User Configuration not defined. A user configuration is listed for the device
in your Excel file, but the user configuration cannot be found. This error may be caused by
incorrect data entry in the Excel file or deletion of a previous user configuration.
l DeviceC: Device listed more than once. The device is duplicated in the Excel file, and is
therefore automatically excluded from processing. Each device tag in the Excel file must be
unique.
l DeviceD: User Configuration type does not match Device Type. The device is paired with a
user configuration in the Excel file that is based on a different device description (DD). The
DDs must match.

The following mappings will be deleted

Any device listed in this field was found in the Excel file where the specified User Configuration
column's cell in that row was blank. If you are only identifying an AMS tag not currently in AMS
Device Manager to be assigned to a Project in AMS Device View without mapping a user
configuration, your AMS tag will appear here.

The following devices are live and will be changed and/or assigned
Devices appearing in this field are connected and will have parameter values, plant locations, and
Device Monitor List groups downloaded to them, and/or will be assigned to projects. Parameter
values are downloaded if they are marked for download on the Configure for Bulk Transfer view of
the User Configurations window.

Warning:
This operation COULD change the device output. Ensure all safety precautions and work
procedures have been followed. Failure to do so COULD result in property damage, death, or
serious injury.

All user configurations in the Excel file must include safe, tested parameter values, and be properly
set up on the Configure for Bulk Transfer view of the User Configurations window.

Perform Bulk Transfers

If this check box is not enabled, bulk transfers will not be performed. Mappings will be saved (or
deleted). This check box is enabled by default. The following actions will be done if the check box is
enabled:

l The Bulk Transfer Utility will configure multiple devices at the same time. This includes
performing any tag assignments to Plant Locations and/or Alert Monitor List device groups.

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l If a user configuration was changed after the mappings were created and before it was
transferred to a device with an AMS tag, all device parameters defined in the updated user
configuration will be transferred. However, optional alternative HART parameters that were
mapped will take precedence over those device parameters in the user configurations.
l If Bulk Transfer considers a device unconfigured, then all device parameters defined in the
user configuration marked for download will be transferred. However, optional alternative that
were mapped will take precedence over those device parameters in the user configurations.
l If Bulk Transfer considers a device configured (i.e. the mapped user configuration has been
transferred to this device and hasn't changed since), the device parameters will not be
transferred.
l If Bulk Transfer determines that a device is already assigned to the Plant Location and/or Alert
Monitor List device groups that were mapped, these tag assignments will not be performed.

Project assignments, changes, and deletions will be performed whether this box is checked or not.

Allow Foundation Fieldbus device block modes to change during the bulk configuration
process
When this box is checked, any live FOUNDATION fieldbus devices listed in the Excel file will be put
into Out of Service (OOS) mode before having parameter values downloaded to them. By default,
this box is checked in case you have any concerns about changing the configuration of live
FOUNDATION fieldbus devices in your plant, and on the basis that little can be changed on a live
FOUNDATION fieldbus device without it first being taken out of service.

If you do take FOUNDATION fieldbus devices out of service for the bulk transfer, the final state of
the device is determined not by your check box selection but by the Target Mode defined in the user
configuration.

Related information
Bulk Transfer Utility overview
Run the Bulk Transfer Utility
Checklist for valid Bulk Transfer spreadsheet data
Configure for Bulk Transfer view

Processing/Done dialog - Bulk Transfer

This dialog is displayed while the Bulk Transfer Utility processes the Excel file that you created to
map user configurations to device tags.

User Configuration Progress bar

This bar shows the progress made toward completing an individual row in the Excel file, which
represents an individual mapping between a user configuration and device tag. The User
Configuration Progress bar resets at least twice for each row, because multiple task sets are
typically required. When progress is complete for the current row in the Excel file, this bar
represents progress on the next row.

Application Progress bar

This bar shows the overall progress toward completing the device configuration process using the
Bulk Transfer Utility. The total number of items corresponds to all configuration tasks required for
all devices, and each individual item represents a row in the Excel file being used for bulk transfer.

Status box (scrollable)

This box shows a list of entries being added in real time to the Bulk Transfer Utility log. Each entry
represents completion of a task or a status update. When the device configuration process is
complete, the Done button is displayed and a final entry is made that shows where the finished
Bulk Transfer Utility log has been saved.

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Cancel and Done buttons

Clicking the Cancel button stops the device configuration process after the current row in the Excel
file has been processed.

The Done button is displayed after the device configuration process is complete. Click it to close the
dialog.
User Configuration Reports overview

The User Configuration Reports tool provides you a way to verify that multiple devices are
configured according to a specified user configuration. You can create a user configuration report for
any user configuration that has been applied to devices through the Bulk Transfer Utility.

The User Configuration Reports tool is installed with AMS Device Manager, and requires SQL Server
2014 Express with Advanced Services (provided with AMS Device Manager). Refer to the Installation
Guide for instructions. Generating reports requires Active Scripting to be enabled in your browser.
See your browser documentation for details.

How to use User Configuration Reports

After running the Bulk Transfer Utility, you may at some point need to ensure consistency across
the configured devices. The User Configuration Reports tool lets you identify devices with values or
settings that do not match the user configuration. If inconsistencies appear in a report, you can
either manually correct them in the affected devices, or run a Bulk Configure operation to bring the
devices back into alignment with the user configuration.

The User Configuration Reports tool uses the AMS Generic Export function to retrieve device
parameter data to compare to user configurations.

Additional information
Before creating a report for a user configuration, you must always run the Bulk Transfer Utility to
apply the user configuration to devices. You cannot create a report for a user configuration that has
only been manually applied to devices through drag-and-drop.

Only devices that have been scanned to the AMS Device Manager database appear in a user
configuration report. FOUNDATION fieldbus placeholders and anticipated AMS tags for devices not
yet identified in AMS Device Manager do not appear in the report, even if the user configuration was
applied to them through the Bulk Transfer Utility.

Related information
Create user configuration reports
Bulk Configure overview

Create a new user configuration

Prerequisites

User Configuration Write permission

Procedure

1. In Device Explorer, double-click User Configurations.

2. Right-click a User Configuration folder, and select Add User Configuration.
3. Select a HART, FOUNDATION fieldbus, or conventional device template in the New dialog
and click OK.
4. Enter a name for the new user configuration.

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5. Configure as desired using Configure/Setup. You can also select Configure for Bulk Transfer
to set up the parameters you will transfer.
6. If not using Bulk Transfer, drag the User Configuration onto a device to compare the two
configurations, and send the changes to the device.

Related information
User configurations hierarchy

Create a user configuration from an existing configuration

Note:
Some devices will not provide all necessary parameters for transfer unless the device is in Out
of Service mode.

Prerequisites

User Configuration Write permission

Procedure

1. In Device Explorer, double-click User Configurations.

2. Select the User Configurations folder containing the user configuration you want to copy.
3. Do one of the following:
¡ If you are copying from the Standard Configurations folder, select the user
configuration and drag it to the desired folder.
¡ If you are copying from other user configurations folders, right-click and drag the user
configuration to the desired folder and select Copy Here from the context menu.
4. Enter a name for the new user configuration.
5. Right-click the user configuration and select Configure for Bulk Transfer to customize
parameter values and download state.

Related information
Move a user configuration

Edit a user configuration

Prerequisites

User Configuration Write permission

Procedure

1. In Device Explorer, double-click User Configurations.

2. Select the User Configurations folder containing the user configuration you want to edit.
3. Right-click a User Configuration and select Configure/Setup or Configure for Bulk
Transfer.
4. Click the tabs to view different sets of parameters. Depending on whether the user
configuration is a complete or partial configuration, the fields on the tabs may be filled in or
blank.
5. Change the desired parameters on the tabs. Changing a parameter changes its field and label
to yellow.
6. Click Save.

Related information

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User configurations hierarchy

Move a user configuration

Prerequisites

User Configuration Write permission

Procedure

1. In Device Explorer, double-click User Configurations.

2. Select the User Configurations folder containing the user configuration you want to move.

3. Select a user configuration and drag it to the desired folder.

Note:
You cannot move a user configuration from the Standard Configurations folder to another
folder but you can copy it. See Create a user configuration from an existing configuration
under the Related information section for more details.

4. Right-click the user configuration and select Configure for Bulk Transfer to customize
parameter values and download state.

Related information
Create a user configuration from an existing configuration

Rename a user configuration

Prerequisites

User Configuration Write permission

Procedure

1. In Device Explorer, double-click User Configurations.

2. Select the User Configurations folder containing the user configuration you want to rename.
3. Right-click a user configuration and select Rename.
4. Enter a new name for the user configuration.
5. If the name already exists, click OK and enter a different name for the user configuration.

Related information
User configurations hierarchy

Delete a user configuration

Prerequisites

User Configuration Write permission

Procedure

1. In Device Explorer, double-click User Configurations.

2. Select the User Configurations folder containing the user configuration you want to delete.
3. Right-click a User Configuration and select Delete.
4. Click OK.

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Related information
User configurations hierarchy

Apply a user configuration

Prerequisites

User Configuration Write permission

You can create as many user configurations as you want, save them, and subsequently apply them
to connected devices or to devices in the Device List or the Plant Locations hierarchy. The device to
which you apply the user configuration must be the same device type as the one from which you
created the user configuration.

Procedure

1. In Device Explorer, double-click In Device Explorer, double-click User Configurations.

2. Select the User Configurations folder containing the user configuration you want to apply.

3. Drag the user configuration onto a similar device in Device Explorer or Device Connection
View.
The Compare view opens, showing the parameters of the target device on one side and the
parameters of the user configuration on the other side.

4. Select Current in the Time field.

5. Transfer the parameters between the user configuration and the target device as desired.

6. Click Send to apply the configuration.

Related information
User configurations hierarchy
Create a user configuration from an existing configuration

Run the Bulk Transfer Utility

Prerequisites

Device Write permission or SIS Device Write permission. In addition, if your Bulk Transfer
spreadsheet includes assigning AMS tags to Plant Locations, you need Assign Plant Hierarchy
Location permission. If you are specifying AMS Tags with Device Monitor List device groups, you
need Manage Alert Configurations permission.

Ensure your Bulk Transfer spreadsheet is not open when starting Bulk Transfer.

Procedure

1. Make sure that:

¡ You have created one or more user configurations that can be used for bulk transfer.
¡ The user configurations have been properly configured for bulk transfer on the
Configure for Bulk Transfer view of the User Configurations window.

2. Create a Microsoft Excel file (.xlsx) that maps each user configuration to one or more unique
device tags (one user configuration allowed per device tag). A sample spreadsheet is
provided in the AMS/BulkTransferMappings folder.

Note:

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A user configuration and device tag must appear in the same row in adjacent columns to
be mapped. Refer to Checklist for valid Bulk Transfer spreadsheet data for additional
guidelines.

A typical Excel map file would be formatted similar to this:

3. In AMS Device Manager, select Tools → Bulk Transfer Utility from the main menu.

4. Click to browse to the Excel file you created.

5. Select your file and click Open.

The AMS Device Manager Bulk Transfer dialog displays additional fields.

6. Complete the remaining fields to describe how the Bulk Transfer Utility should read your
Excel workbook. See AMS Device Manager Bulk Transfer dialog under the Related information
section for more information.

7. Click Begin.
The Process Information dialog is displayed, summarizing the impact on each device listed in
your Excel file.

8. Review the impact on each device.

WARNING
This operation COULD change the device output. Ensure all safety precautions and work
procedures have been followed. Failure to do so COULD result in property damage,
death, or serious injury.

It is important to read and understand this warning. All user configurations in the Excel file
must include safe, tested parameter values, and be properly set up on the Configure for Bulk
Transfer view of the User Configurations window.

9. Leave the box checked (default) for Perform Bulk Transfers unless you only want to

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save/delete mappings. Alternative HART parameters and tag assignments will be included as
part of the mappings that are saved/deleted. Project assignments, changes, and deletions
will be performed whether this box is checked or not.

10. Leave the box checked (default) for Allow Foundation Fieldbus device block modes to change
during the bulk configuration process, unless you have a reason to uncheck it.

Note:
Most FOUNDATION fieldbus devices must be taken out of service before being changed.
It is generally not recommended to attempt to change these devices while in service. The
final state of the device is determined by the Target Mode defined in the Configure for
Bulk Transfer view of the user configuration.

11. Do one of the following:

¡ Click Yes to start the bulk transfer.
¡ Click No to cancel.
If you click Yes, the Processing dialog is displayed to show the progress of the bulk transfer.
This includes performing any project assignments/changes/deletions and/or tag assignments.

12. Monitor the progress of the bulk transfer.

13. Click Done when processing is completed.

You can review Bulk Transfer operations in files stored in the /AMS/Log directory.

Related information
Bulk Transfer Utility overview
AMS Device Manager Bulk Transfer dialog
Checklist for valid Bulk Transfer spreadsheet data
Configure for Bulk Transfer view

Bulk Configure devices

Prerequisites

For each device you want to transfer, you need Device Write permission or SIS Device Write
permission. In addition, if your Bulk Transfer spreadsheet includes assigning AMS tags to Plant
Locations, you need Assign Plant Hierarchy Location permission. If you are specifying AMS Tags with
Device Monitor List device groups, you need Manage Alert Configurations permission.

The Bulk Configure operations do not support HART future devices, PROFIBUS DPV1 devices, or
PROFIBUS PA devices.

Procedure

1. Make sure that the database already contains configuration mappings for all devices you wish
to Bulk Configure.

Note:
You create the mappings by running the Bulk Transfer Utility.

2. Right-click the icon that represents the level at which you want to perform the Bulk Configure
operation. Select the lowest level in a hierarchy that is necessary. You can perform a Bulk
Configure operation:
¡ On a modem
¡ On the various levels of a system interface network hierarchy
¡ On all the networks on a local station (from the AMS Device Manager icon in Device

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Connection View)
¡ On all the networks on another station in the distributed system (from a station icon in
Device Explorer)

3. Select a Bulk Configure operation from the context menu. You may select either the Bulk
Configure New Devices operation or the Bulk Configure All Devices operation.
AMS Device Manager begins scanning devices, and a dialog indicates the scanning progress.
Scanning is only performed on devices never scanned before. Any newly identified devices
are assigned an AMS tag. If a configuration mapping is found in the database for any device
that is affected by the operation (only newly identified devices, or all identified devices), the
Process Information dialog is displayed, summarizing the impact on each device.

4. Review the impact on each device.

WARNING
This operation COULD change the device output. Ensure all safety precautions and work
procedures have been followed. Failure to do so COULD result in property damage,
death, or serious injury.

It is important to read and understand this warning. All user configurations mapped to
devices in the database must include safe, tested parameter values, and be properly set up
on the Configure for Bulk Transfer view of the User Configurations window.

5. Leave the box checked (default) for Take Foundation Fieldbus devices out of service before
processing, unless you have a reason to uncheck it.

Note:
Most FOUNDATION fieldbus devices must be taken out of service before being changed.
It is generally not recommended to attempt to change these devices while in service. The
final state of the device is determined by the Target Mode defined in the Configure for
Bulk Transfer view of the user configuration.

6. Do one of the following:

¡ Click Yes to start the bulk transfer.
¡ Click No to cancel.
If you click Yes, the Processing dialog is displayed to show the progress of the bulk transfer.

7. Monitor the progress of the bulk transfer.

8. Click Done when processing is completed.

Related information
Bulk Configure overview
Bulk Transfer Utility overview

Create a mappings report

Procedure

1. Select Tools → Bulk Transfer Utility from the main menu.

The AMS Device Manager Bulk Transfer dialog is displayed.

2. Select Reports → Mappings Report.

Data is gathered for each user-configuration-to-device mapping in the database, and is
displayed as a report. The DeviceState column shows how the mapping was last used: Live
indicates AMS Device Manager can communicate with the device, Virtual if it cannot. Live

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does not guarantee the user configuration has been transferred to the device.

Create user configuration reports

Prerequisites

Device Read permission OR SIS Device Read permission

Procedure

1. Make sure that you have run the Bulk Transfer Utility at least once.

2. Select Bulk Transfer Utility from the Tools menu in AMS Device Manager.

3. On the Reports menu, select User Configuration Report.

4. Select one or more user configurations from the displayed list.

5. Click Create.
Data retrieval begins. This may take a long time depending on the number of user
configurations selected and the number of devices to which they have been applied. Report
generation begins for each selected user configuration when all data is retrieved for that user
configuration.

6. Wait approximately 1-2 minutes per report being generated. The Reports area auto-refreshes
regularly, but you can also click Refresh to refresh the list of reports manually.

7. Select a report and click View All or View Differences.

8. In the result, the parameter values that differ from the user configuration are highlighted.

9. If necessary, change any incorrect configuration settings on devices and then recreate the
report.

Tip:

Either manually change incorrect settings on individual devices, or run a Bulk Configure
operation to bring multiple devices back into alignment with the user configuration.

Related information
User Configuration Reports overview
Bulk Configure overview

Deleting and retiring field devices

Remove Device utility

The Remove Device utility permanently removes all records for the selected device or devices from
the database. The data removed includes all configuration information and Audit Trail events.

To launch the Remove Device utility, enter Remove Device on the Start screen and click Remove
Device. Remove devices you plan to delete from the Device Monitor list. All connections to the
database must be closed before you can launch the Remove Device utility. Applications that connect
to the database include AMS Device Manager applications, SNAP-ON applications, and those using
Web Services. If AMS Device Manager is on a DeltaV network, DeltaV Explorer should also be closed
on all DeltaV stations before removing a device.

Removing a device requires Assign Plant Hierarchy Location permission.

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Once you have removed a device, the information is deleted permanently from the database.

If you remove an identified PROFIBUS DPV1 or PROFIBUS PA device in AMS Device Manager but not
in the host system, the device will appear as an identified PROFIBUS DPV1 or PROFIBUS PA device
after a Rebuild Hierarchy and Scan New operations.

Important:
If the device is in a system interface network, perform a Scan New Devices operation at the top
level of the hierarchy of that system interface network. If you are not certain which network the
device is in, use Tag Search to search the networks in the distributed system for the device.

Related information
Remove a device from the database

Unassign Device dialog

The Unassign Device dialog asks you to select the disposition of a device or devices. Select one of
the following:

l Spare: Changes the disposition to Spare, which makes the device available for assignment to
the Plant Locations hierarchy.
l Retired: Changes the disposition to Retired, which removes the device from active status.
Retired devices are not available for assignment to the Plant Locations hierarchy.

Note:
To delete a device (completely remove its records from the database), you must use the
Remove Device utility. You cannot unassign a device that is in the Device Monitor List in Alert
Monitor.

Related information
Remove Device dialog

Remove Device dialog

The Remove Device dialog displays a list of the registered devices in your AMS Device Manager
system. The list shows the AMS tag name, manufacturer, device type, device revision, and device
ID for each device. The list is ordered by AMS tag.

Select the device you want to remove from AMS Device Manager. To select multiple devices, use
Ctrl-click or Shift-click. To remove the device from AMS Device Manager, click Delete and then
confirm the deletion.

All records for the deleted device or devices are permanently removed from the database. The data
removed includes all configuration information and Audit Trail events.

Related information
Remove Device utility

Unassign a device

Prerequisites

Assign Plant Hierarchy Location permission OR SIS Assign Plant Hierarchy Location permission
Use this procedure to change a device's disposition to Spare or Retired.

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Note:
l You cannot unassign a device that is in the Device Monitor List in Alert Monitor.
l To unassign a device that was assigned from a Det-Tronics network, you must use the
Delete key as described below.

Procedure

1. Click the device for which you want to change the disposition.
2. Press the Delete key on the keyboard or right-click the device icon and select Unassign
from the device context menu.
3. In the Unassign Device dialog, select Spare or Retired.
4. Click OK.
Retire a Spare device

Prerequisites

Assign Plant Hierarchy Location permission OR SIS Assign Plant Hierarchy Location permission
Use this procedure to change the disposition of a device from Spare to Retired.

Procedure

1. In the Device Explorer, expand the Device List to locate the Spare device. Click the device.
2. Drag the device to the Retired folder under the same device type.
3. Click OK to retire the device.
4. The Device Explorer displays the devices in the Retired folder for the particular device type.
Change the disposition of a device from Retired to Spare

Use this procedure to change the disposition of a device from Retired to Spare.

Note:
You must have the Assign Plant Hierarchy Location permission to change the disposition of a
device.

Procedure

1. Locate the Retired device in the Device List.

2. Drag and drop the device to the Spare folder of the same device type in the list.
Remove a device from the database

Prerequisites

Assign Plant Hierarchy Location permission OR SIS Assign Plant Hierarchy Location permission

Procedure

1. Remove devices you plan to delete from the Device Monitor list. Close all applications that
connect to the database on all stations. This includes AMS Device Manager applications,
SNAP-ON applications, and those using Web Services. If AMS Device Manager is on a DeltaV
network, DeltaV Explorer should also be closed on all DeltaV stations before performing this
operation. (It is not necessary to log out of Windows or turn off the PCs.)

2. If the AMS Device Manager Server icon in the system tray does not have a slash through

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it , right-click the icon and select Stop AMS Device Manager Server from the context
menu.
3. Enter Remove Device on the Start screen and click Remove Device.
4. In the Remove Device dialog, select the device or devices you want to remove. To select
multiple devices, use Ctrl-click or Shift-click.
5. Click the Delete button.
6. Click Yes to delete the device.

Note:
After removing a device from the database, you need to perform a Rebuild Hierarchy and Scan
New Devices operation at the top level of the hierarchy of the system interface network to which
the device was connected.

Related information
Remove Device utility

AMS Trex Units

AMS Device Manager can synchronize device data with AMS Trex units. When you connect a
licensed AMS Trex unit to AMS Device Manager using USB, you can pair the unit. Pairing allows the
unit to send Audit Trail entries about devices to the AMS Device Manager database. Pairing is only
done from the AMS Device Manager station. You must have the Field Communicator license enabled
to communicate with AMS Trex units.

Once paired, an AMS Trex unit can send device data to AMS Device Manager wired (through USB) or
wirelessly, if your Trex unit is connected to a wireless network node that can access the AMS Device
Manager database. Devices not in the AMS Device Manager database that are scanned by the paired
AMS Trex unit appear in the Spare folder of the particular device type, and can then be assigned to
a Plant Location. See the AMS Trex User Guide for more information. You cannot pair an AMS Trex
unit to more than one AMS Device Manager station at the same time.

CAUTION
Do not use USB communication in a hazardous area.

AMS Trex units are displayed under the Physical Networks icon when connected by USB. They
appear in one of three states:

Icon Description
The unit has been connected to the AMS Device Manager station with USB, but not
paired.

The unit is currently connected to the AMS Device Manager station, and has been
paired.

The unit has been paired to the AMS Device Manager station, but is currently
disconnected.

You can unpair AMS Trex from an AMS Device Manager station from the AMS Trex units icon. If
necessary, you can also unpair from the AMS Trex unit. Once unpaired, data cannot be transferred

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to AMS Device Manager. You will be prompted to connect before unpairing to make sure data from
AMS Trex has been synchronized, and is not lost.

TCP Communications
Once an AMS Trex unit has been paired, it can communicate wirelessly to send Audit Trail
information to the AMS Device Manager database. When in range, the AMS Trex unit automatically
sends device data to the AMS Device Manager Audit Trail. Make sure your network allows
connections to the port you are using. If your network restricts access to this port, you can change
the default on AMS Device Manager stations and the AMS Trex unit. See AMS Device Manager
Planning and Installation Guide, and AMS Trex User Guide for more information.

Related information
Pair an AMS Trex unit with an AMS Device Manager station

Field Communicator Interface

The Field Communicator is a portable, handheld communicator from Emerson that is used to
configure, test, and diagnose HART and FOUNDATION fieldbus devices. The Handheld
Communicator Interface is a licensable AMS Device Manager option that lets you install a Field
Communicator network to use a Field Communicator with AMS Device Manager, or pair and
synchronize device data from an AMS Trex unit to the AMS Device Manager database.

Note:
You need a Field Communicator license, but do not need a Field Communicator interface
configured to communicate with the AMS Trex Device Communicator.

With this interface, you can do the following:

l Display and modify Field Communicator HART configurations in AMS Device Manager.
l Copy HART configurations from a Field Communicator to AMS Device Manager, and from AMS
Device Manager to a Field Communicator.
l Compare HART configurations in a Field Communicator with HART configurations in AMS
Device Manager.
l Synchronize the database with Field Communicator device configurations (HART only).
l Delete configurations in a Field Communicator using AMS Device Manager (HART only).

Icons

The Field Communicator icon represents the top level of the Field Communicator hierarchy. At
the next level of the Field Communicator hierarchy, AMS Device Manager may display one or more
of the memory storage location icons listed below for a connected Field Communicator. The System
Card appears only if your Field Communicator has the Device Configuration Management license.

Icon Memory type

Expansion Module (available in the 375 only)

Internal Flash

System Card

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Each memory storage location icon has two folders under it: one for the Field Communicator device
configurations (HART only) and one for the Field Communicator user configurations (HART only).
Double-click these icons to open or modify the configurations.

Connect a Field Communicator using IrDA or Bluetooth

The Field Communicator network supports IrDA and Bluetooth connections. IrDA is available for
both the 375 and 475 Field Communicator. To connect using IrDA, the AMS Device Manager station
must have an IrDA adapter and IrDA drivers installed.

Bluetooth is available for only the 475 Field Communicator. To connect using Bluetooth, the AMS
Device Manager station must have a supported Bluetooth adapter using the Windows Bluetooth
software and drivers.

You can connect only one Field Communicator to an AMS Device Manager station at a time. The
Field Communicator does not support more than one AMS Device Manager connection to it at one
time.

For information on using the Field Communicator, refer to your Field Communicator User's Manual.
Copying and comparing configurations between AMS Device Manager
and a Field Communicator

You can copy HART configurations from a Field Communicator to AMS Device Manager and from
AMS Device Manager to a Field Communicator. You can also compare HART configurations between
the Field Communicator and AMS Device Manager.

Copying Field Communicator device configurations to AMS Device Manager

You can copy a Field Communicator device configuration to these locations in AMS Device Manager:

l Device Templates window

The default name of the new device template is "Template" plus an incremental number
starting at 1 (Template 1, Template 2, and so on). Enter a different name if desired.
l User Configurations folder

You can rename the new AMS Device Manager user configuration by right-clicking the icon and
selecting Rename.

If an existing AMS Device Manager device configuration, user configuration, or device template
has the same name as the Field Communicator device configuration, AMS Device Manager
notifies you that the tag already exists and prompts you for another name.
l Control Module within the Plant Locations hierarchy

The name of the new AMS Device Manager device configuration is the name of the Field
Communicator device configuration you copied.

If the device already exists in the AMS Device Manager (in other words, has same device ID),
the Field Communicator device configuration is not copied. If an existing AMS tag name has
the same name as the Field Communicator device configuration, the Field Communicator
device configuration is copied, but the current date/time is used as its tag name. Otherwise,
the Field Communicator device configuration name is used.

Copying Field Communicator user configurations to AMS Device Manager

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You can copy a Field Communicator user configuration to a User Configurations folder in AMS Device
Manager. The name of the new AMS Device Manager user configuration is the name of the Field
Communicator user configuration you copied. If an existing AMS Device Manager device
configuration, user configuration, or device template has the same name as the Field Communicator
user configuration, AMS Device Manager notifies you that the tag already exists and prompts you to
enter another name.

Copying AMS Device Manager configurations to a Field Communicator

You can copy these types of AMS Device Manager configurations to a Field Communicator:

l Device templates (from the Device Templates window)

l User configurations (from the User Configurations folder)
l Device configurations in the Assigned or Spare disposition (from the Plant Locations hierarchy,
Device List, or under a physical network)
l Future device configurations (from the Plant Locations hierarchy)

If the AMS tag name of an AMS Device Manager configuration contains special characters, it must
be renamed before it can be copied to a Field Communicator. These characters are allowed in an
AMS tag name, but not allowed in a Field Communicator configuration name.

The AMS tag name or configuration name is used for the name of the new Field Communicator user
configuration. If a Field Communicator configuration in the Field Communicator storage location you
are copying to has the same name as the name of the AMS Device Manager configuration you are
attempting to copy, the configuration is not copied.

You can drag and drop or copy and paste the AMS Device Manager configuration onto the memory
storage location icon or onto the User Configurations folder icon under the Field Communicator
hierarchy.

Comparing configurations between AMS Device Manager and a Field Communicator

You can compare a Field Communicator configuration with any configuration in AMS Device
Manager, as long as the two configurations have the same manufacturer and device type. If the
device revisions or the device IDs of the two configurations do not match, a message is displayed
asking if you want to continue with the Compare operation.

Critical parameters

Before AMS Device Manager lets you copy or compare a Field Communicator configuration, it checks
to see if any of the critical parameters defined in the device resource file are missing in the
configuration. If any critical parameters are missing, AMS Device Manager displays a wizard that
prompts you to fill in the missing values.
Field Communicator Bluetooth overview

Bluetooth is a short-range wireless protocol for exchanging data over short distances. The 475 Field
Communicator can connect to AMS Device Manager using Bluetooth communication.

Connecting a Field Communicator to AMS Device Manager

You need the following to connect using Bluetooth:

l A Field Communicator with a Bluetooth license.

l Bluetooth set as the connection type in the Field Communicator Listen For PC window.
l Bluetooth set as the connection type in AMS Device Manager. See the Related information

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section for more details.

l An approved Bluetooth adapter connected to your PC. The approved adapters are listed in the
Release Notes (enter Release Notes on the Start screen and click Release Notes). You may
need to reboot your PC to ensure the PC and AMS Device Manager recognize the new
hardware.
l The Bluetooth adapter using the Windows Bluetooth software and drivers (stack). See the
Release Notes for more information. If other Bluetooth software and drivers are installed on
your PC, AMS Device Manager may not use the required drivers and may be unable to
communicate with the Field Communicator using Bluetooth. Other Bluetooth software and
drivers are listed in the Windows Programs and Features screen in the Control Panel. You can
set up the Bluetooth adapter to use the Windows software/drivers. See the Related
information section for more details on the procedure.

A Field Communicator can communicate with a PC up to 30 feet away, but it is recommended to

have the Field Communicator within a few feet of the PC.

Note:
Only one Field Communicator can connect to AMS Device Manager at a time.

When you double-click the Field Communicator icon or select Open from its context menu, AMS
Device Manager searches for one or more Field Communicators communicating through Bluetooth.
If you assigned a unit name to the Field Communicator, AMS Device Manager displays that name
when it detects the Field Communicator. Otherwise, the last three numbers of the System Card
Serial Number are displayed. Both the unit name and System Card Serial Number are listed on the
Listen For PC window on the Field Communicator, so you can verify you are connecting to the
correct Field Communicator.

Transferring files between AMS Device Manager and a Field Communicator

After the Field Communicator is connected, you can transfer HART configurations between the AMS
Device Manager and the Field Communicator.

Related information
Field Communicator Interface
Connect a 475 Field Communicator using Bluetooth
Set up the Bluetooth adapter
Change the default Field Communicator connection type

Troubleshooting Bluetooth communication

If your Field Communicator is having trouble connecting to AMS Device Manager using Bluetooth,
see the troubleshooting table below for possible solutions:

Possible Cause Solution

The Field Communicator is not Your Field Communicator must be licensed for Bluetooth to use this
licensed for Bluetooth. functionality.
To check the licenses from the Field Communicator:
1. Ensure the Field Communicator is powered on.
2. Select Settings from the Field Communicator Main Menu.
3. Select License. A checkmark is displayed next to Bluetooth if it is
licensed.

The Field Communicator is not 1. Ensure the Field Communicator is powered on.
in Listen For PC mode with
Bluetooth selected as the 2. Select Listen For PC from the Field Communicator Main Menu.
connection type.

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3. Tap the Change Connection Type button.

4. Tap Bluetooth and tap OK.
5. Wait until the Bluetooth symbol on the Field Communicator keypad
is illuminated by a blue light and a "Waiting for connection" message
appears.

Bluetooth was not selected as 1. Right-click the Field Communicator icon in Device Explorer
the connection type in AMS or Device Connection View and select Options from the
Device Manager.
context menu.
2. Select Connect via Bluetooth and click OK.

An approved Bluetooth adapter Verify an approved Bluetooth adapter is attached to your PC. For internal
is not attached to your PC. adapters, ensure the adapter is enabled on your PC. (There may be a switch
on the side of the PC to enable internal Bluetooth adapters.)
The Release Notes list the approved adapters (to open the Release Notes,
enter Release Notes on the Start screen and click Release Notes).
If an adapter was not plugged in, insert the adapter and then close and
restart AMS Device Manager, if it was open. Try to connect the Field
Communicator using Bluetooth. You may also need to reboot your PC.

The approved Bluetooth Insert the Bluetooth adapter into a USB port or enable the adapter and then
adapter was removed or reboot your PC. After your PC restarts, try to connect the Field
disabled while AMS Device Communicator using Bluetooth in AMS Device Manager.
Manager was open.

The Field Communicator is too Place the Field Communicator within a few feet of your PC and try to
far away from the Bluetooth connect.
adapter on your PC.

The Field Communicator is Ensure there are no other PCs connected to and communicating with the
already connected to AMS Field Communicator using Bluetooth in your area.
Device Manager on a different The Field Communicator can connect to only one application on one PC at a
PC in your area. time.

The approved Bluetooth If your PC has other Bluetooth software and drivers (stacks) installed, the
adapter is not using the Windows Bluetooth software and drivers may not be used for the approved
required Windows Bluetooth Bluetooth adapter. AMS Device Manager may not find or communicate with
software and drivers. an adapter using other Bluetooth software and drivers.
The required Windows Bluetooth software and drivers are included with
Windows 7 or higher, so they should already be on your PC. You can set the
Bluetooth adapter to use these drivers. See the procedure under the
Related information section for more details.

Related information
Set up the Bluetooth adapter
Field Communicator Bluetooth overview

Field Communicator Device Configuration Synchronization Rules

When you select Apply from the context menu of a Field Communicator device configuration icon,
the database is synchronized with the Field Communicator device configuration according to the
following rules:

l If the device (device ID) already exists in the database, the existing AMS Device Manager
configuration is updated. AMS Device Manager generates an Audit Trail event whose Category
is "Change performed by Handheld" and Reason is "Imported from Handheld".
l If the device does not exist in the database and the Field Communicator configuration name
does not conflict with an existing AMS tag name, the Field Communicator device configuration
is added to the database and the Field Communicator configuration name becomes the AMS

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tag name.
l If the device does not exist in the database but the name is the same as an existing AMS tag
name, the Field Communicator configuration is added to the database and the date-time
stamp is used for the AMS tag name.

Note:
In the Field Communicator hierarchy of an AMS Device Manager station, the tag name of a
HART device will be blank until you select Apply from the context menu of a Field Communicator
device configuration. This adds the device to the AMS Device Manager database.

Field Communicator Network Options dialog

The controls at the top of the dialog let you select the information to be displayed in the ToolTips for
Field Communicator configuration icons in the Field Communicator hierarchy. The order of the
ToolTips in the Selected ToolTip Text list is the order in which the ToolTips display in AMS Device
Manager.

Tooltips and icon labels

The following are the possible selections for ToolTips and labels:

l AMS Tag - Displays the AMS tag. (The tag is blank if the database does not have this device.)
l Configuration Name - Displays the Field Communicator configuration name.
l HART Tag - Displays the HART tag for the device.
l Device Descriptor - Displays the contents of the Descriptor parameter in the device.
l Device Type (ToolTips only) - Displays the device type.

The list in the lower left corner of the dialog lets you select what is displayed for the icon labels for
Field Communicator configurations in the Field Communicator network hierarchy.

To see the change to the icon labels or ToolTips, you must collapse and then re-expand the memory
storage location icons.

Communication with the Field Communicator

To change the default connection type for the Field Communicator network, select the connect via
IrDA or connect via Bluetooth option. After you select an option and click OK, AMS Device Manager
tries to connect to a Field Communicator using the selected connection type.
Field Communicator icon

This icon represents a Field Communicator configured on this AMS Device Manager PC. Its label is
configured in the Network Configuration utility. This icon is displayed even if a Field Communicator
is not currently connected to the PC. The tooltip for the icon is "Field Communicator" if it is
connected using IrDA or "Field Communicator <unit name or the last three numbers of the System
Card Serial Number>" if it is connected using Bluetooth.

Right-click the icon to display a context menu. The context menu has the following selections:

Open
Closes any current connection and then opens the new connection to the Field Communicator. The
connection type selected in Network Configuration or the Field Communicator Network Options
dialog is used. After a Field Communicator is connected, icons for the Internal Flash memory,

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System Card, and the Configuration Expansion Module (if it is installed) are displayed.

AMS Device Manager displays an error message if the Field Communicator is not connected to AMS
Device Manager, the IrDA adapter and/or driver are not installed, or the Bluetooth adapter and/or
Windows Bluetooth drivers are not used.

Delete All Configurations

Deletes all HART configurations that are stored in the Field Communicator and that can be displayed
in AMS Device Manager. You are asked to confirm the deletion.

Options
Displays the Field Communicator Network Options dialog, where you can change the ToolTips and
icon labels for the Field Communicator configurations in the Field Communicator hierarchy in AMS
Device Manager. You can also set the default Field Communicator connection type to IrDA or
Bluetooth from this dialog.
Field Communicator user configurations folder icon

This icon represents the Field Communicator user configurations in the Internal Flash memory,
System Card, or the optional Configuration Expansion Module (375 only).

Double-click the icon to view the Field Communicator user configurations.

Right-click the icon to display a context menu. The context menu has the following selection:

Delete All Configurations

Deletes all Field Communicator user configurations that are in this memory storage location and
that can be displayed in AMS Device Manager.
Field Communicator device configurations folder icon

This icon represents the Field Communicator device configurations in the Internal Flash memory,
System Card, or the optional Configuration Expansion Module (375 only).

Double-click the icon to view the Field Communicator device configurations.

Right-click the icon to display a context menu. The context menu has the following selection:

Delete All Configurations

Deletes all Field Communicator device configurations that are in this memory storage location and
that can be displayed in AMS Device Manager.
Field Communicator memory icon

This icon represents the Internal Flash, System Card, or Expansion Module (375 only) memory
storage location in a Field Communicator.

Double-click the icon to view the Device Configurations and User Configurations folders for a
memory storage location.

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Right-click the icon to display a context menu. The context menu has the following selection:

Delete All Configurations

Deletes all configurations that are in this memory storage location and that can be displayed in AMS
Device Manager.
Field Communicator user configuration icon

The icon, representing a particular device, represents a Field Communicator user configuration.

Right-click the icon to display a context menu. The context menu has the following selections:

Delete
Deletes this user configuration from the Field Communicator.

Configure/Setup
Displays the Configure/Setup view, which lets you view and modify the parameters for this Field
Communicator user configuration.
Add a Field Communicator

Prerequisites

Network Configuration Manage Write permission

Note:
You can configure only one Field Communicator interface in the Network Configuration utility.

Procedure

1. Close AMS Device Manager if it is running.

2. Look at the AMS Device Manager Server icon in the system tray and do one of the
following:

¡ If the icon has a slash through it , go to the next step.

¡ If the icon does not have a slash through it, right-click the icon and select Stop AMS
Device Manager Server from the context menu.
3. Enter Network Configuration on the Start screen and click Network Configuration.
4. Click Add.
5. From the Select Network Component Type dialog, select Field Communicator and click
Install.
6. Click Next.
7. Change the network name if desired.
8. Click Next.
9. Set the default connection type to IrDA or Bluetooth.
10. Click Finish.
11. Click Close.
The Network Configuration utility does not verify that the IrDA or Bluetooth adapter and appropriate
drivers are installed.

Note:
AMS Device Manager will display a Field Communicator icon in Device Connection View and
Device Explorer even if a Field Communicator is not connected to the PC.

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Related information
Connect a Field Communicator using IrDA
Connect a 475 Field Communicator using Bluetooth

Change the default Field Communicator connection type

You can change the default connection type for an existing Field Communicator network from two
places.

To change the connection type from within AMS Device Manager:

Procedure

1. Start AMS Device Manager by entering AMS Device Manager on the Start screen and clicking
AMS Device Manager.

2. Right-click the Field Communicator icon in Device Connection View or Device Explorer.

3. Select Options from the context menu.

4. Select the appropriate connection type on the Field Communicator Network Options
dialog.

5. Click OK.
AMS Device Manager will try to connect to a Field Communicator using the selected
connection type.

Related information
Connect a Field Communicator using IrDA
Connect a 475 Field Communicator using Bluetooth

Connect a Field Communicator using IrDA

Procedure

1. Make sure an IrDA adapter and drivers are installed on the PC.
2. Make sure the Field Communicator has been added to AMS Device Manager and the default
connection type was set to IrDA using the Network Configuration utility. See Related
information for more details.
3. Align the IrDA adapter with the IrDA interface on the Field Communicator.
4. On the Field Communicator, select Listen For PC from the Field Communicator Main Menu.
If the default connection type is set to Bluetooth, change the connection type to IrDA.
5. Start AMS Device Manager by entering AMS Device Manager on the Start screen and clicking
AMS Device Manager.
6. Double-click the Field Communicator icon, or right-click the Field Communicator icon and
select Open from the context menu to connect to the Field Communicator.

Note:
The Field Communicator does not support more than one AMS Device Manager connection to it
at one time.

Related information
Field Communicator Interface
Add a Field Communicator
Change the default Field Communicator connection type

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Set up the Bluetooth adapter

If your 475 Field Communicator cannot connect with AMS Device Manager, the Bluetooth adapter
may not be using the required Windows Bluetooth software and drivers (stack) included with
Windows 7 or higher. The procedure below will set the adapter to use these required drivers on your
PC.

Note:
If you installed BlueSoleil Bluetooth software and drivers on your PC, complete these steps
before proceeding. If it is installed, BlueSoleil is listed in the Programs and Features screen in
the Control Panel.
1. Enter Folder Options or File Explorer Options on the Start screen and click Folder
Options or File Explorer Options.
2. Click the View tab and ensure the Show hidden files, folders, and drives option is
selected.
3. Click OK
4. Open C:\WINDOWS\inf.
5. Make a copy of the bth.ini file in this directory by copying and pasting it in this
directory.
6. Rename the copy of the bth.ini file to bth.inf and press Enter.
7. Click Yes, if prompted

Note:
You cannot use the procedure below on Windows 64-bit systems. The driver is not supported on
64-bit systems.

Procedure

1. Enter Device Manager on the Start screen and click Device Manager.

2. Insert the approved Bluetooth adapter into a USB port on your PC or ensure the internal
adapter is turned on. The Windows Device Manager screen will refresh to display the adapter.
If the BlueSoleil Bluetooth software is on your PC, also insert the other adapter you have
used.

3. Double-click the approved adapter in the Windows Device Manager screen.

It may be listed as one of the following under the Bluetooth, Other Devices, or Bluetooth
Radios option: Generic Bluetooth Radio, CSR Bluetooth, Bluetooth adapter, Bluetooth device,
Bluetooth dongle, etc.

4. Click the Driver tab and click Update Driver.

A wizard opens.

5. Click No, not this time and click Next.

6. Click Install from a list or specific location (Advanced) and click Next.

7. Click Don't search. I will choose the driver to install and click Next.

8. Click Have Disk.

9. On the Install From Disk dialog, click Browse and select the Bluetooth folder in the AMS
Device Manager install directory.
The default location is C:\AMS\Bluetooth.

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10. Select the Emerson.inf file and click Open.

11. On the Install From Disk dialog, click OK.

12. Select 475 Bluetooth Radio from the wizard dialog and click Next.
A message indicates the driver is not digitally signed.

13. Click Finish to close the wizard.

14. Click Close.

The Device Manager window should look similar to the image below.

15. Close AMS Device Manager and restart your PC.

16. After your PC restarts, open AMS Device Manager and try to connect a Field Communicator
using Bluetooth.

Note:
You may need to repeat this procedure if you plug the approved Bluetooth adapter into a
different USB port.

Related information
Connect a 475 Field Communicator using Bluetooth

Connect a 475 Field Communicator using Bluetooth

Note:
The Field Communicator must be licensed for Bluetooth to use this connection type.

Procedure

1. Make sure a Bluetooth adapter using the Windows Bluetooth software and drivers (stack) is
connected and/or enabled on the PC. You may need to restart your PC after you attach the
adapter to ensure the PC recognizes it. See the Release Notes for more information about the
supported adapters and required drivers.

2. Make sure the Field Communicator has been added to AMS Device Manager and the default
connection type was set to Bluetooth using the Network Configuration utility. See Related
information for more details.

3. On the Field Communicator, select Listen For PC from the Field Communicator Main Menu.
If the default connection type is set to IrDA, change the connection type to Bluetooth.

4. Wait until the Bluetooth symbol on the Field Communicator keypad is illuminated by a blue
light and a Waiting for connection message appears.

5. Start AMS Device Manager by entering AMS Device Manager on the Start screen and clicking
AMS Device Manager.

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6. Double-click the Field Communicator icon or right-click the Field Communicator icon and
select Open from the context menu to search for Field Communicators.

7. Select the Field Communicator from the 475 Field Communicator Bluetooth Connection dialog
and click Connect.
The Field Communicators are listed by unit name, if assigned, or the last three numbers of
the System Card Serial Number. Both of these are listed on the Listen For PC window.

8. To connect to a different Field Communicator using Bluetooth, right-click the Field

Communicator icon and select Open to restart the search for other Field Communicators.

Note:
The Field Communicator does not support more than one AMS Device Manager connection to it
at one time.

Related information
Field Communicator Interface
Field Communicator Bluetooth overview
Add a Field Communicator
Change the default Field Communicator connection type

View/modify a Field Communicator configuration

Prerequisites

Device Write permission or SIS Device Write permission

Procedure

1. Right-click a Field Communicator configuration.

2. Select Configure/Setup from the context menu.

If this is a Field Communicator device configuration, AMS Device Manager warns you that if
you change the configuration, it will become a Field Communicator user configuration. You
must click OK to continue.

If this is a Field Communicator user configuration, AMS Device Manager checks to see if any
of the critical parameters defined in the device resource file are missing in the configuration.
If any critical parameters are missing, AMS Device Manager displays a wizard that prompts
you to fill in the missing values.

3. View and modify the parameter values as desired. When you change a value, the field and
the associated tab turns yellow.

4. Click Save to commit changes.

Related information
Configure/Setup view
Device views

Compare/transfer HART configurations between AMS Device

Manager and a Field Communicator

Prerequisites

Device Write permission or SIS Device Write permission

Procedure

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1. Drag and drop one configuration icon over the other. The device must be of the same
manufacturer and device type.
The Compare view is displayed.

2. Select the desired configuration in the Time field. You can modify the Offline configuration in
AMS Device Manager and then transfer it to the Field Communicator as a Field Communicator
user configuration.

3. Transfer parameters by doing one of the following:

¡ Click the transfer buttons at the bottom of the Compare view. This transfers all
parameters in all tabs except for some parameters that are manufacturer-protected and
those that are not transferable.

¡ Copy parameters one at a time by clicking the transfer buttons between each
parameter.
If you modify a Field Communicator device configuration, it becomes a Field Communicator
user configuration.

4. When done comparing configurations, click Save to commit changes.

Related information
Copying and comparing configurations between AMS Device Manager and a Field Communicator
Comparing and transferring device configurations

Copy a Field Communicator configuration to AMS Device Manager

You can copy device configurations or user configurations from a Field Communicator (375 or 475)
to AMS Device Manager.

Prerequisites

To copy device configurations from a Field communicator, you need Assign Plant Hierarchy Location
permission OR SIS Assign Plant Hierarchy Location permission

To copy User Configurations from a Field Communicator, you need User Configuration Write
permission.

Procedure

l To copy device configurations, drag the device configuration from the Field Communicator
Device Configurations folder to the desired location in the Plant Locations hierarchy in AMS
Device Manager.
l To copy user configurations, drag the user configuration in the Field Communicator to the
folder.
If you are copying a Field Communicator user configuration, AMS Device Manager checks to see if
any of the critical parameters defined in the device resource file are missing in the configuration. If
any critical parameters are missing, AMS Device Manager displays a wizard that prompts you to fill
in the missing values.

If you are copying a Field Communicator configuration to a User Configurations folder, and an
existing AMS Device Manager device configuration, user configuration, or device template has the
same name as the Field Communicator configuration, AMS Device Manager notifies you that the tag
already exists and prompts you for another name.

Related information
Copying and comparing configurations between AMS Device Manager and a Field Communicator

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Copy an AMS Device Manager configuration to a Field Communicator

Prerequisites

Device Write permission or SIS Device Write permission

Procedure

1. If the AMS tag name of an AMS Device Manager configuration contains special characters, it
must be renamed before it can be copied to a Field Communicator. These characters are
allowed in an AMS tag name, but not allowed in a Field Communicator configuration name.
2. Do one of the following:
¡ Click the configuration icon and select Copy from the Edit menu, and then click on a
Field Communicator memory storage location icon or a Field Communicator User
Configurations folder icon and select Paste from the Edit menu.
¡ Drag the icon for the AMS Device Manager configuration onto a Field Communicator
memory storage location icon or a Field Communicator User Configurations folder icon
and drop it.
The copied configuration becomes a Field Communicator user configuration. If you are copying an
AMS Device Manager User Configuration, no permissions are necessary.

Related information
Copying and comparing configurations between AMS Device Manager and a Field Communicator

Synchronize the database with a Field Communicator device

configuration

Procedure

1. Right-click a Field Communicator device configuration icon in the Field Communicator

hierarchy.
2. Select Apply from the context menu.
The database is synchronized with the Field Communicator device configuration, according to the
synchronization rules.

Related information
Field Communicator Device Configuration Synchronization Rules
Field Communicator Interface

Delete configurations in a Field Communicator

Do one of the following:

Procedure

l To delete all configurations in a Field Communicator:

1. Right-click the Field Communicator icon and select Delete All Configurations.
If you select Delete All Configurations and a Field Communicator is not connected, you
are prompted if you want to continue. Then connect the Field Communicator and select
this option again.

2. Click Yes.

l To delete all configurations in a Field Communicator memory storage location:

1. Right-click a Field Communicator memory storage location icon and select Delete All

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Configurations.
2. Click Yes.
l To delete a single Field Communicator configuration:
1. Right-click a Field Communicator configuration icon and select Delete.
2. Click Yes.
Select labels for Field Communicator configuration icons

Procedure

1. Right-click the Field Communicator icon.

2. Select Options from the context menu.
3. Select an icon label type from the Icon label list.
4. Click OK.
5. Collapse and then re-expand the memory storage location icons to see the change you made
to the icon labels.
Select ToolTips for Field Communicator configuration icons

Procedure

1. Right-click the Field Communicator icon.

2. Select Options from the context menu.
3. Select the desired ToolTips from the Possible Tool Tip Selections section.
4. Click >>. The ToolTip selections move to the Selected ToolTip Text section.
5. To arrange the order of how the ToolTips are displayed in AMS Device Manager, select a
ToolTip under the Selected ToolTip Text section and click either Up or Down until it is in
the position you want.
6. Click OK.
Device type installation overview

Device files that allow you to work with a particular HART, WirelessHART, FOUNDATION fieldbus,
PROFIBUS DPV1, or PROFIBUS PA device type and device revision are installed on an AMS Device
Manager station in two ways: automatically and manually.

Automatic device type installation

When you install AMS Device Manager, device files for all supported devices are installed on the PC.

l Files for the HART and WirelessHART devices are copied to the AMS\Devices\HART folder.
l Files for the FOUNDATION fieldbus devices are copied to the AMS\Devices\FF folder.
l Files for the PROFIBUS DPV1 devices are copied to the AMS\Devices\PROFIBUS-DP folder.
l Alarm files for FOUNDATION fieldbus devices are copied to the AMS\Devices\DevAlmMsgs
folders.
l The FMS.INI file is updated with information about the installed devices.
l The database is updated with information about the installed devices.

When you upgrade an existing AMS Device Manager station, the installation program overwrites the
AMS\Devices folder with currently supported device information.

Manual device type installation

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You must manually install devices on your AMS Device Manager station when:

l The FMS.INI file on the PC is overwritten or corrupted, and you need to synchronize the
devices in the FMS.INI file with the devices that are actually installed in your database.
l You are unsure which devices and device revisions are currently installed on the PC.
l You add a new AMS Device Manager station to a distributed system to which you had
previously manually added devices on the Server Plus Station.
l You obtain a device type install kit from the "Emerson Device Install Kits" Internet site
(https://www.emerson.com/en-US/support/software-downloads-drivers).

Note:
Device type install kits are also available from some device manufacturers. Any issues
arising from the use of these install kits will be addressed by the device manufacturers.

l You download new device descriptions (DDs) from the FieldComm Group.

You can run the Add Device Type utility from the Server Plus Station or the Client SC Station. New
device information from the Server Plus Station or Client SC Station is propagated to all online
(network accessible) AMS Device Manager stations in a distributed system. If a station is offline (not
network accessible) when a DD is added in any station, the DD will not be propagated to the offline
station and you must run Add Device Type on the offline station. The Server Plus Station must be
online to propagate DDs to other stations.

If you are installing a DD or device type install kit (obtained from the FieldComm Group, Emerson
Internet site, or another source) on an AMS Device Manager station co-deployed with DeltaV, the
DeltaV Yellow Pages utility will propagate new device information to connected DeltaV Stations.

Note:
If you previously installed a HART device using a generic DD, and subsequently install a device-
specific DD, you may see some differences in the AMS Device Manager Device
Configuration/Setup and Compare windows.

Replacing a newer device

There may be times when it is necessary (perhaps due to an incompatibility between a device and a
DD) to replace a DD with an older version than the one currently installed on your system.

The AMS Device Manager Add Device Type utility lets you replace a newer DD with an older DD.
During the replacement process, the utility deletes the existing DD files prior to installing the
replacement DD files.

See the Related information section for more details about device type installation.

Related information
Device type installation overview
Add device types

Device firmware upgrades

Device firmware upgrades typically provide increased functionality in a device. If you determine that
a firmware upgrade is beneficial, there are some AMS Device Manager configuration considerations.

If the firmware upgrade will result in a new device revision, ensure that the new device description
(DD) is installed prior to upgrading the firmware. If the new DD is not installed first, a HART device

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will be placed in forward compatibility mode. A FOUNDATION fieldbus device will be represented by
the Unknown Device icon.

After the firmware is upgraded and a Scan New is performed, AMS Device Manager will be using two
AMS Tags: one for the device with the original DD (old firmware) and one for the device with the
new DD (new firmware). If the original device is in Alert monitor, remove it from Alert Monitor and
add the new device to Alert Monitor. If it is a HART device and you want to use the same AMS Tag
as the old device, you must perform a Replace operation. See the Related information section for
more details.

If the firmware upgrade will not result in a device revision change, follow the upgrade directions
provided by the device manufacturer.

Related information
Replacing Assigned devices
Forward compatibility mode
Device icon

Add device types

Use the Add Device Type utility to reinstall missing or corrupted files or to install new device files
from a local drive or removable media.

Prerequisites

Shut down AMS Device Manager, Alert Monitor, and DeltaV Explorer before updating a device type
that exists in AMS Device Manager.

Procedure

1. Enter Add Device Type on the Start screen and click Add Device Type.

2. Click Browse.

3. In the Select Source Directory dialog, navigate to the drive and folder containing the
device installation files:
¡ For HART and WirelessHART devices, select the folder with the ddinstal.ini file if
available. Otherwise, select the folder with the FM6 or FM8 files. If you install with just
an FM6 or FM8 file, you may not see an icon and see Field Communicator menus
instead.
¡ For PROFIBUS DPV1 and PROFIBUS PA devices, select the folder with the ddinstal.ini file
or the .GSD file. PROFIBUS DPV1 and PROFIBUS PA devices need both a GSD file and a
DD file to display properly and provide full AMS Device Manager functionality.
¡ For FOUNDATION fieldbus devices, if a ddinstal.ini is not included, select the folder
containing other FOUNDATION fieldbus device files (.FFO, .SYM, and others).

4. With the appropriate folder selected, click OK.

5. In the Add Device Type dialog, click OK.

Device Files

If you have received a folder of HART, WirelessHART, FOUNDATION fieldbus, PROFIBUS DPV1, or
PROFIBUS PA device files that contain sets of files for multiple device revisions, Add Device Type
automatically installs the device files for all device and DD revisions.

The filenames are in hexadecimal format with the first 2 digits representing the device revision, the

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last 2 digits representing the DD revision, and the fm? extension representing the tokenizer version.
For example, you could potentially download a set of files for a HART device containing the following
files:

l 0102.fm6
l 0102.sym
l 0103.fm6
l 0103.sym
l 0301.fm8
l 0301.sym
l 0A0D.fm6
l 0A0D.sym

The Add Device Type utility installs files for all device revisions so when it is run on a folder
containing this set of device files, it automatically processes all files.

Note:
You cannot add a device to AMS Device Manager with an FHX file exported from DeltaV due to
file syntax and structure differences.

See the Related information section for more details.

Related information
Device type installation overview
Add Device Type dialog

Device Description Update Manager overview

The Device Description Update Manager automates the installation of device files through the Add
Device Type utility. The device files may be new or updates for existing devices.

You can also choose which device files to install by running the Device Description Update Manager
user interface.

Installation
The Device Description Update Manager has a client and server setup. See the Installation Guide for
more information.

Server Configuration
You can configure the server to point to a PC with access to the Guardian Software Update Delivery
Service download folder or specify the download folder if your server has direct access to it.

Client Configuration
You can configure the client by adding a Server Host Name or IP Address and checking the
connection, modifying the update mode, and enabling automatic updates.

User Interface
The user interface lets you install device files manually, configure the client, print or export the
Device Description toolkit list, and view the client log file.
Device Description Update Manager User Interface

The user interface lets you install device descriptions (DDs) manually, configure the client, print or

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export the DD toolkit list, and view the client log file.

Toolbars

Install Installs the selected DD

Configure Open the client configuration window

Refresh Updates the DD Toolkit list

Exit Closes the application

Print Prints the DD Toolkit list

Export Exports the DD Toolkit list to .XLS file format

View Log Opens the client log file

Help Opens AMS Device Manager Books Online

Status information
Lists the Server name, Server IP Address, AMS Device Manager version, and the name of the host
system and its version (if Device Description Update Manager is installed in a co-deployed host
system).

Device install information

Information is divided into three sections:

1. Install New Device Descriptions - Displays new DD toolkits that have not been installed.
2. Update Existing Device Descriptions - Displays DD toolkits that updates the DD revision of an
existing device.
3. Overwrite Device Description - Displays DD toolkits that have the same DD revision of an
existing device.

Device install information is further described by the following headers:

Select Checked if a DD is selected

Manufacturer Displays the DD toolkit manufacturer

Device Model and Revision Displays the device model and revision number

Protocol Displays the protocol of the DD toolkit

Device Description Revision Displays the DD toolkit revision number. If the DD

toolkit is under the Update Existing Device
Descriptions section, the existing DD revision and the
new DD toolkit revision is displayed.

Device Kit Revision Displays the toolkit revision number of the DD toolkit.
If the DD toolkit is under the Update Existing Device
Descriptions section, the existing toolkit revision and
the new toolkit revision is displayed.

Related information
Device Description Update Manager overview

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Install a DD using Device Description Update Manager

Configure the Device Description Update Manager client
Export the Device Description toolkit list

Configure Device Description Update Manager to access the Guardian

Software Update Delivery Service download folder

Procedure

1. Enter Server Configuration on the Start screen and click Server Configuration.
2. Select Server has direct access to the Guardian Software Update Delivery Service
download folder.
3. Click Next.
4. Browse to the location of the download folder and click OK.
5. Click Save.

Related information
Device Description Update Manager overview

Configure Device Description Update Manager to access the Guardian

Software Update Delivery Service download folder on another server

Procedure

1. Enter Server Configuration on the Start screen and click Server Configuration.
2. Select Server does not have direct access to the Guardian Software Update Delivery
Service download folder.
3. Click Next.
4. Enter the Server Host Name or IP Address of the PC with direct access to the download
folder.
5. Click Test to check the connection.
6. Click Save.

Related information
Device Description Update Manager overview

Configure the Device Description Update Manager client

Procedure

1. Enter Client Configuration on the Start screen and click Client Configuration.

2. Enter a Server Host Name or IP Address.

3. Click Test Server Connection.

Click OK on the message dialog indicating that there is a connection to the server.

4. Select the Update Mode from the following options:

¡ Install new Device Descriptions
¡ Update Device Descriptions
¡ Overwrite Device Descriptions

5. Click the Turn on Automatic updates check box.

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Note:
If you do not want to turn on automatic updates, you can update Device Descriptions
using the Device Description Update Manager User Interface. See the Related information
for more details.

6. Select the frequency and time for automatic updates.

7. Click Save.

Related information
Device Description Update Manager overview
Device Description Update Manager User Interface

Install a DD using Device Description Update Manager

Prerequisites

System Settings Write permission. If you are updating a device that already exists in AMS Device
Manager, shut down AMS Device Manager, Alert Monitor, and DeltaV Explorer before adding a
device type.

Procedure

1. Enter User Interface on the Start screen and click User Interface.

2. Select the DD you want to install.

3. Click Install.
A dialog is displayed indicating installation progress. Click Details to see more information.

4. Once installation is complete, click Print Details to display the installation log or click Close.

Related information
Device Description Update Manager User Interface

Export the Device Description toolkit list

The Device Description toolkit list is saved as a Microsoft Excel file when exported.

Procedure

1. Enter User Interface on the Start screen and click User Interface.
2. Click Export.
3. Enter a filename and click Save.

Related information
Device Description Update Manager User Interface

Drawings/Notes overview

Drawings/Notes is an AMS Device Manager feature that lets you associate information with a device.
The information can be text, bitmap files, or anything that can be put into a document in a
supported Drawings/Notes application.

Drawings/Notes are accessed from a device's context menu. The Drawings/Notes feature is not
available for Future devices.
How AMS Device Manager stores and displays Drawings/Notes data

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The Drawings/Notes data for all devices in your AMS Device Manager system is stored in one master
file named FMSALL.AMS_SRVNTS in the AMS\Db directory on the Server Plus Station. When you
enter and view drawings and notes for a device, however, you see only the notes and drawings for
the selected device.

When you access Drawings and Notes files, they are copied from FMSALL.AMS_SRVNTS file to a
temporary location on your computer's hard disk. If you are using Word as the application for
editing, and you have multiple Drawings and Notes files open at the same time, you need to be
aware that none of the files will be saved into the FMSALL.AMS_SRVNTS file until all of them are
closed and you exit Word.

If you save a file without closing Word, and then go back to make additional changes, AMS Device
Manager retrieves the earlier database version and overwrites any changes you have already made.
To determine if WINWORD.EXE is running, use the Windows Task Manager, Processes tab.

Use Save instead of Save As when saving your edits. Save As does not establish the association
between the drawings and notes for a device and the application used to enter them.

Important:
AMS Device Manager does not have a transaction locking mechanism, so a device's Drawings/Notes
can be simultaneously modified from multiple AMS Device Manager stations. Although the
probability of this is low, you should be aware that if this happens, whichever version is saved last
will be the version stored.

Related information
Drawings/Notes overview

Default template and application for Drawings/Notes

The file TEMPLATE.DOC is the default template for drawings and notes. TEMPLATE.DOC and the
compound file of Drawings/Notes (FMSALL.AMS_SRVNTS) are located in the AMS\Db directory on
the Server Plus Station.

The template file is used the first time you create Drawings/Notes for a device. After you enter
device information, the resulting information is stored in FMSALL.AMS_SRVNTS.

The template file is associated with an application for entering the drawings and notes by its file
extension. This association is done on a device-by-device basis, and is established the first time you
enter Drawings/Notes for a device.

The application you first used to create Drawings/Notes will be used for all subsequent
Drawings/Notes for that device. For example, if the default file association for the .DOC extension
on your PC is with Microsoft Word and the default Drawings/Notes template is TEMPLATE.DOC,
creating Drawings/Notes for a device launches Word, and Word will be used for any subsequent
changes to the Drawings/Notes for that device.

Related information
How AMS Device Manager stores and displays Drawings/Notes data
Modify the default template for Drawings/Notes

Applications verified for use with Drawings/Notes

The Drawings/Notes feature has been verified to work with several applications. For these
applications, AMS Device Manager includes a set of application-specific templates in the \TEMPLTS
subdirectory under \DB. (The \TEMPLTS directory and the drawings and notes data are all located

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on the Server Plus Station.) These applications and the template files used with them are as
follows:

Application Template File Name

Microsoft Word TEMPLATE.DOC or TEMPLATE.DOCX*

Microsoft WordPad TEMPLATE.RTF

Microsoft Excel TEMPLATE.XLS or TEMPLATE.XLSX

* May be associated with Microsoft WordPad if Microsoft Word is not installed.

Make sure that the application you choose is installed on all PCs in your distributed system, and that
the template file's extension is associated with the same application on all PCs.
Troubleshooting Drawings/Notes

If you have problems entering or viewing drawings and notes for a device:

l Make sure you have the appropriate file association set up on your PC. Make sure that the file
association on your PC is the same as the other PCs in the distributed system.
l Verify that the application you are trying to use to enter drawings and notes is installed on
your PC. (Checking file associations does not verify whether an application is installed on your
PC.)
l Use Save instead of Save As when saving your edits. Save As does not establish the
association between the drawings and notes for a device and the application used to enter
them.

Related information
Drawings/Notes overview

Enter drawings and notes for a device

Procedure

1. Right-click the device icon and select Drawings/Notes from the context menu.
AMS Device Manager starts the application associated with the file extension on the
Drawings/Notes template file, and opens a copy of the template file as a temporary file.

2. Enter the desired notes and drawings for the device. You can use any capability available
with the application you are using.

3. Save your changes.

Use Save instead of Save As when saving your edits. Save As does not establish the
association between the drawings and notes for a device and the application used to enter
them.

Note:
If you open multiple Drawings and Notes files, they all use the same WINWORD.EXE process,
and no files are saved back to the database until all Word documents are closed and you exit
Word. When multiple drawing/notes documents are open, saving one file does NOT save it back
to the database until you exit WINWORD.EXE.

Related information
How AMS Device Manager stores and displays Drawings/Notes data
Drawings/Notes overview

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Change the application and template for Drawings/Notes

Procedure

1. On the Server Plus Station, move, delete, or rename the file AMS\Db\Template.xxx,
where .xxx is the three- or four-character file extension (with a default of .DOC or .DOCX).

2. Do one of the following:

¡ Copy one of the template files supplied with AMS Device Manager from the \Db\Templts
subdirectory to the \Db directory.
¡ Create a new file named Template.xxx with the appropriate file extension.

3. Modify the template, if desired.

4. Verify that:
¡ The application you want to use as an editor is installed. (The application must be
installed on all stations.)
¡ A file association exists between the template file name's extension and the application.
(The file association must be made on all stations.)

5. Right-click a device icon and select Drawings/Notes from the context menu to verify that
the appropriate application and template file are launched.

Related information
Drawings/Notes overview

Modify the default template for Drawings/Notes

Procedure

1. Open the file named Template.DOC in the AMS\Db\Templts directory on the Server Plus
Station.
2. Modify the template as needed.
3. Save your changes.
4. Test the changes to the template with device data by right-clicking a device icon, selecting
Drawings/Notes from the device context menu, and then trying out each change.

Related information
Drawings/Notes overview

Plant Locations hierarchy

The Plant Locations hierarchy is a model you construct in AMS Device Manager to represent your

plant. The Plant Locations hierarchy is represented by the icon in Device Explorer and Device
Connection View.

The Plant Locations hierarchy has four levels:

Area under the Plant Locations hierarchy icon

Unit within an Area

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Equipment Module within a Unit

Control Module within a Equipment Module

Each level of the Plant Locations hierarchy has a set of functions available from its context menu.
Plant Locations icon

The Plant Locations icon is the root of a tree structure showing the physical layout of your plant.

Right-click the Plant Locations icon to display a context menu. The selections on the context menu
include:

Add Area
Adds a new Area to the Plant Locations hierarchy.

Adding an Area to the Plant Locations hierarchy requires the Assign Plant Hierarchy Location
permission.

Related information
Plant Locations hierarchy

Relationship between Device List and Plant Locations hierarchy

The Plant Locations hierarchy is a model you construct in AMS Device Manager to represent your
plant.

The icon in the Device Explorer and Device Connection View represents the Plant Locations
hierarchy.

The icon in Device Explorer represents the Device List. The Device List gives you a view of all the
devices in your plant, including unassigned, or Spare devices, and devices that are Retired.

Initially, the Device List is built from the device types that your particular installation of AMS Device
Manager "knows" about; that is, for which device descriptions have been installed on this AMS
Device Manager system. Subsequent changes to the Device List occur in the following cases:

l When registered devices are added to the database.

l When new PROFIBUS DPV1 or PROFIBUS PA devices are identified in AMS Device Manager.
l When devices are assigned, unassigned, replaced, or retired. Any of these operations changes
a device's organization in the Plant Locations hierarchy, which in turn is reflected in the Device
List.
l When a paired AMS Trex unit connects to a device not currently in the AMS database, and
scans it.

In your Device List, you may see some manufacturers and devices with no entries in them. Entries
are added and moved depending on your actions with devices in the Plant Locations hierarchy. For
example:

l When you connect a new HART or Foundation Fieldbus device to an AMS Trex unit that has

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been paired to an AMS Device Manager station, and the device is scanned by AMS Trex, that
device is created in the Spare folder under the particular device type.
l When you connect a new HART device to a multiplexer that device is put in the Spare folder
under the particular device type.
l When you assign a device to an Area, AMS Device Manager moves that device from the Spare
folder for that device type to the Assigned folder for that device type.
l When you select Unassign from the context menu of an Assigned device and then select
Retired as the disposition, the device is moved to the Retired folder for that device type.

Note:
You must have the Assign Plant Hierarchy Location permission to unassign a device. You cannot
unassign a device that is in the Device Monitor List in Alert Monitor.

In all of these cases, AMS Device Manager automatically creates or moves the devices between
folders.
Building a Plant Locations hierarchy

The following is an example of how to start building your Plant Locations hierarchy. You can follow
along and try out the steps on your own AMS Device Manager system, in either Device Explorer or
Device Connection View.

This example uses a pancake syrup plant for illustrative purposes. The plant has three main areas of
operation: the West Plant, the East Plant, and the North Plant.

Adding Areas
First, you will build the three main plant Areas under the Plant Locations hierarchy. To add the three
Areas to your Plant Locations hierarchy:

1. Right-click the Plant Locations icon and select Add Area from the context menu. A new
folder appears under the Plant Locations icon with the default name Area.
2. Type over the default name while it is selected, assigning the name you want (East Plant, in
this example) and press Enter.

Repeat this process for each of the other two Areas.

Adding Units
Each of the plant Areas contains three Units: a mixer, a boiler, and a cooler. You want to show one
of each Unit in each Area.

To add these Units to the Areas:

1. Right-click the East Plant folder and select Add Unit from the context menu. A new folder
appears below the East Plant folder, with the default name Unit.
2. Type Mixer over the default name to rename the new Unit and press Enter.
3. Repeat step 1 to add the Boiler and Cooler Units to the East Plant, renaming each folder as
appropriate.
4. Repeat steps 1 through 3 for the West Plant and the North Plant.

Adding Equipment Modules

Each Mixer Unit has an Equipment Module called Adder, where the ingredients are added (sugar,
maple syrup, water, and so on.). Each Boiler unit has an Equipment Module called Cooker, where
the mixed ingredients are cooked. Each Cooler Unit has an Equipment Module called Refrigerator,

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where the cooked ingredients are cooled to their final temperature. You want to show each
Equipment Module in its proper Unit.

To create an Equipment Module called Adder under each Mixer Unit:

1. Right-click each Mixer Unit folder and select Add Equipment Module from the context
menu.
2. Rename each of these Equipment Modules Adder in the same way you renamed the Area
and Unit folders.

To create an Equipment Module called Cooker under each Boiler Unit:

1. Right-click each Boiler Unit folder and select Add Equipment Module from the context
menu.
2. Rename these Equipment Modules Cooker.

To create an Equipment Module called Refrigerator under each Cooler Unit:

1. Right-click each Cooler Unit folder and select Add Equipment Module from the context
menu.
2. Rename these Equipment Modules Refrigerator.

Adding Control Modules

Finally, each Equipment Module has a Control Module, which in turn has a device (or devices). You
add and name Control Modules within Equipment Modules in the same way you added Units within
Areas.

To add Control Modules:

1. Right-click each Equipment Module folder, in turn (Adder, Cooker, and Refrigerator), and
select Add Control Module from the context menu.
2. Rename each Control Module folder as appropriate (for example, Control Module 1, Control
Module 2, and Control Module 3).

The Plant Locations structure is now complete. This is what it looks like:

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The next step is to assign Spare devices to the appropriate Control Module folders.

Related information
Plant Locations hierarchy
Assign a Spare device to a Control Module in the Plant Locations hierarchy

Add a level to the Plant Locations hierarchy

Prerequisites

Assign Plant Hierarchy Location permission

Use this procedure to add an Area, Unit, Equipment Module or Control Module to the Plant Locations
hierarchy.

Note:
If the User Manager utility is open while you make changes to the Plant Locations hierarchy,
User Manager does not register the changes until closed and reopened.

Procedure

1. On the toolbar, click to open the Device Explorer, or to open the Device Connection
View.
2. Locate the level in the Plant Locations hierarchy above the level you want to add.
3. Right-click that location in the Plant Locations hierarchy and select the appropriate Add...
command from the context menu.
4. When the new Plant Locations hierarchy level appears, enter the name of the new level in the
edit box.

Related information
Plant Locations hierarchy

Delete a level in the Plant Locations hierarchy

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Prerequisites

Assign Plant Hierarchy Location permission

Note:
l You cannot unassign a device that is in the Device Monitor List in Alert Monitor.
l If the User Manager utility is open while you make changes to the Plant Locations
hierarchy, User Manager does not register the changes until closed and reopened.

Procedure

1. Locate the level in the Plant Locations hierarchy that you want to delete. Click on that level.
2. Right-click the level in the Plant Locations hierarchy and select Delete from the context
menu.
3. In the Unassign Devices dialog, select whether you want the devices in the deleted level to
be made Spare or Retired and click OK.
4. Click OK to confirm the delete and change the disposition of the devices.
5. Verify that the deletion was successful by checking the appropriate folders in the Device List.

Related information
Plant Locations hierarchy

Rename a level in the Plant Locations hierarchy

Prerequisites

Assign Plant Hierarchy Location permission

Use this procedure to rename an Area, Unit, Equipment Module, Control Module, or device in the
Plant Locations hierarchy.

Note:
If the User Manager utility is open while you make changes to the Plant Locations hierarchy,
User Manager does not register the changes until closed and reopened.

Procedure

1. Locate the level in the Plant Locations hierarchy above the level you want to rename.
2. Right-click the desired level in the Plant Locations hierarchy and select Rename from the
context menu.
3. Enter the new name in the edit box.

Related information
Plant Locations hierarchy

Assigning devices

An assigned device is a registered device that has been placed under a Control Module in the Plant
Locations hierarchy.

Devices can be assigned by selecting Assign Spare Device from a Control Module's context menu, or
dragging a device icon from under a physical network and dropping it onto a Control Module.
Conventional devices are created and assigned to a Control Module by selecting Add Conventional
Device from a Control Module's context menu.

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Note:
Dragging a wireless device from a modem to a wireless gateway (or wireless I/O card)
provisions the device.

Only Spare devices can be assigned to the Plant Locations hierarchy; Retired devices cannot. When
a device is assigned, its disposition in the Device List changes from Spare to Assigned.

AMS Device Manager accumulates historical configuration data for all registered devices.

Unassigning a device removes the device from the Plant Locations hierarchy and places it in the
Spare or Retired category in the Device List.
Assign a Spare device to a Future device

Prerequisites

Assign Plant Hierarchy Location permission OR SIS Assign Plant Hierarchy Location permission

Procedure

1. Right-click a Future device in the Plant Locations hierarchy and select Assign from the
context menu. This launches the Replace Future Device wizard.

2. Enter or browse for the AMS tag of the device you want to use as a replacement. You can
replace a device of one protocol with a device of another protocol in AMS Device Manager.

3. Click Next.

4. Click Yes if you want to transfer configuration parameter information from the Future device
to the replacement device. The Yes selection is available only if the two devices are of the
same manufacturer and device type.

5. If you clicked Yes, the Compare view is displayed. The left column contains the configuration
for the Future device. The right column contains the configuration for the Spare device.
Select a different configuration in the Time field if desired, and then transfer parameters from
the Future device to the configuration for the Spare device as required:

¡ Transfer multiple parameters by clicking the transfer buttons at the bottom of the
Compare view. This transfers all parameters in all tabs except for some parameters that
are manufacturer-protected and those that are not transferable.

¡ Transfer parameters one at a time by clicking the transfer buttons between

each parameter.

After copying parameters, click Save or Send. The new device uses the Future device AMS
tag, and the Future device is removed from the AMS Device Manager database.

Related information
Plant Locations hierarchy

Assign a Spare device to a Control Module in the Plant Locations

hierarchy

Prerequisites

Assign Plant Hierarchy Location permission OR SIS Assign Plant Hierarchy Location permission
Use this procedure to assign a Spare device to a Control Module in the Plant Locations hierarchy.

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Assignment of a Spare device changes its status in the Device List from spare to Assigned.

Procedure

l If you are assigning multiple devices, do the following procedure:

1. In Device Explorer or Device Connection View, right-click a Control Module and select
Assign Spare Device from the context menu.
2. Click the devices that you want to assign.
3. You can sort the list of devices by clicking on one of the column headings.
4. Click OK to assign the devices to the selected Control Module.

l If you are assigning a single device, go to Device Explorer or Device Connection View and drag
a device icon from under a physical network and drop it on the desired Control Module.
If the device is assigned in another Control Module in the Plant Locations hierarchy, you are
prompted to confirm that you want to move the device.

Related information
Plant Locations hierarchy

Move a device from one Control Module to another

Prerequisites

Assign Plant Hierarchy Location permission OR SIS Assign Plant Hierarchy Location permission

Procedure

Drag the device to another Control Module.

Related information
Plant Locations hierarchy

Replacing Assigned devices

After you replace a physical device in a plant with another device, you also need to perform a
Replace operation in AMS Device Manager or DeltaV Explorer.

Note:
Some devices do not allow some parameters to be changed when the device is configured or
replaced. Typically, this is due to a restriction placed on the device by the manufacturer. If you
see this behavior with a particular device, contact the device manufacturer.

Replacing a device in AMS Device Manager

You cannot replace a device in AMS Device Manager that is:

l located on a DeltaV system interface with rename and replace disabled in AMS Device Manager
Options (Tools → Options).
l in the Device Monitor List. If you want to replace a device in the Plant Locations hierarchy with
another device, you must first delete the device from the Device Monitor List.

Note:
The conditions above apply only for a replace operation in AMS Device Manager. Replacing a
device from DeltaV Explorer is a separate operation. See the section below. If you replace a
device in AMS Device Manager, the device is not automatically replaced in DeltaV.

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Before replacing a device

Before replacing an Assigned HART or FOUNDATION fieldbus device, perform a Rebuild Hierarchy
and Scan New Devices operations from the system interface that connects to the replacement
device. This allows AMS Device Manager to display this new device.

Before replacing an Assigned PROFIBUS DPV1 or PROFIBUS PA device, you may need to manually
identify the new replacement device. Unlike HART and FOUNDATION fieldbus devices, AMS Device
Manager does not automatically detect which new device type and revision is attached from a
Rebuild Hierarchy and Scan New operation. You must manually identify the device. The new device
cannot be scanned until it is identified. Do this by right-clicking the replacement device from the
system interface, selecting Identify New PROFIBUS Device or Identify PROFIBUS Device from the
device's context menu, and entering the new device information. Only one of these option appears
at a time.

Use the Identify New PROFIBUS Device option when the replacement device uses the same host
location as the old device (see Replace an Assigned PROFIBUS DPV1 device or PROFIBUS PA device
in the Plant Locations hierarchy with a device using the same DeltaV placeholder in the Related
information section. If the replacement device is assigned, it is recommended that you unassign it
before performing the Identify New operation. Use the Identify PROFIBUS Device option when the
new device uses a different host location (different device manufacturer and type), or AMS Device
Manager displays the PROFIBUS DPV1 or PROFIBUS PA unknown/unidentified generic or device icon

with an exclamation point . The appropriate Identify operation for a device needs to be done
only one time in a system.

After the PROFIBUS Identify operation completes, launch the AMS Device Manager Replace Device
wizard from the Identify PROFIBUS Device dialog or the device context menu as described below.

Launching the Replace Wizard

Perform the Replace operation by selecting Replace from the context menu of the device you are
replacing. You must have the Assign Plant Hierarchy Location permission to use the Replace
operation. You can replace a device of one protocol with a device of another protocol in AMS Device
Manager.

The Replace Device wizard guides you through the replacement process. You are prompted to enter
a unique AMS tag for the old device. Then you are prompted to mark the device being replaced as
Spare or Retired. After selecting the replacement (Spare) device, you can compare the
configurations and transfer parameters from the old device to the new one, but only if the devices
are of the same manufacturer, device type, protocol. If the devices are two FOUNDATION fieldbus
devices or two PROFIBUS DPV1 or PROFIBUS PA devices, they must have the same device revision.

When replacing a FIELDVUE digital valve controller (DVC), AMS Device Manager moves the AMS
ValveLink SNAP-ON data from the original device to the new device. After the Replace operation,
the AMS ValveLink data associated with the original device is now only accessible from the new
device. The AMS ValveLink Tag count used for "ValveLink Licensing" is not affected. See the Related
information section for overviews on the AMS ValveLink SNAP-ON application and the License tag
count.

Replacing a device in DeltaV Explorer and its effect on AMS Device Manager

Note:
Before replacing a device in DeltaV, be sure to remove it from any AMS Device Manager
calibration routes.

Replacing a device on a DeltaV system in DeltaV Explorer requires different operations based on the
protocol. To complete the operations below, AMS Device Manager must be installed on the DeltaV

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station, the DeltaV network must be configured in Network Configuration Utility, and the DeltaV
username and privileges must be synchronized with AMS Device Manager.

It is recommended that you disable the AMS Device Manager option that allows renaming and
replacing of devices on DeltaV networks (Tools → Options). Disabling this option helps keep the
devices synchronized in DeltaV and AMS Device Manager. Instead it is recommended that you use
DeltaV Explorer to replace a device and do not run the AMS Device Manager Replace Device wizard
for that device. If you do, the tags for the device may no longer match in both applications.

Protocol Operation to replace the device in DeltaV Explorer

HART (wired) device Auto-Sense for the same device tag

WirelessHART device or device connected to Commission or reconcile operations for the same device
WirelessHART adapter tag

FOUNDATION fieldbus Replace or Automatic Commissioning and Replacement for

the same device tag

PROFIBUS DP or PROFIBUS PA Replace operation for the same device tag

See the procedure in the Related information section if you are not using DeltaV to replace the
device.

After the replace operation in DeltaV, the new replacement device replaces the old device in all
areas of AMS Device Manager without any action from you. This includes the control module and
Alert Monitor Device Monitor List. Any SNAP-ON application data will also be transferred to the new
replacement device. DeltaV automatically sets the old device to Spare in AMS Device Manager and
assigns the host Device ID as the tag. When you replace a device using DeltaV, you may want to
compare or reconcile the parameters of the old device to the new device. If the old device was
removed from calibration routes, add the new device to the routes, as needed.

Viewing the Audit Trail for a replaced device

When you display the Audit Trail for the AMS tag, you will see events for both the device being
replaced (events prior to the replace event) and the Spare device (events since the replace event).
You can view the events for the previous tag name of the device that was used as the replacement
by selecting Audit Trail from the context menu of the rename event in Audit Trail.

Associating Test Schemes for a replaced device

After a Replace operation, the replacement device is associated with the same Test Scheme as the
replaced device. The replaced device is associated with a default test scheme—either the default
Field Device, External Lab, or Flow Verification test scheme.

Related information
Prevent rename and replace of AMS tags on a DeltaV network
Comparing and transferring device configurations
AMS ValveLink SNAP-ON application overview
Licensed tag count overview
Rebuild Hierarchy and Scan operations

Replace an Assigned device in the Plant Locations hierarchy with a

Spare device

Prerequisites

Assign Plant Hierarchy Location permission OR SIS Assign Plant Hierarchy Location permission

Note:

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For DeltaV users, it is recommended that you use the DeltaV Explorer Replace option to replace
the device. See Replacing Assigned devices overview under the Related information section for
more details. If you are replacing a PROFIBUS DPV1 or PROFIBUS PA device in AMS Device
Manager with a new PROFIBUS device that uses the same DeltaV placeholder, see the
procedure under the Related information section.

Make sure the device is not in the Alert Monitor Device Monitor List, and that the option to allow
renaming and replacing on a DeltaV network is enabled. See the Related information section for
more details.

Procedure

1. Right-click the system interface that connects to the new replacement device, and select
Rebuild Hierarchy.
If the replacement PROFIBUS DPV1 or PROFIBUS PA device uses a different device location
and appears as an unknown or unidentified device, right-click the device, select Identify
PROFIBUS Device, and enter the device information. Then click Identify Device and
Close.

2. Right-click the system interface and select Scan New Devices. Wait for the Scan operation to
complete.

3. Right-click the Assigned device you want to replace and select Replace.

4. Enter another AMS tag for the device being replaced if you do not want to accept the default.

5. Set the state (Retired or Spare device) for the device being replaced.

6. Click Next.

7. Enter or browse for the AMS tag of the Spare device you want to use as a replacement.

8. Click Next.

9. Click Yes if you want to compare and transfer configuration parameter information from the
device being replaced to the replacement device.
Yes is unavailable if the replacement device has a different manufacturer, model, and/or
protocol from the device being replaced, or if the replacement device and device being
replaced are FOUNDATION fieldbus, PROFIBUS DPV1, or PROFIBUS PA devices with different
revisions. (You can transfer between conventional devices that have different manufacturer
and model names but have the same "category".)

10. Click Finish. The replacement device now uses the old device's AMS tag.

11. If you clicked Yes, the Compare view is displayed. The left column contains the configuration
for the device being replaced. The right column contains the configuration for the
replacement device. Transfer parameters from the device being replaced to the configuration
for the replacement device as required.
¡ Transfer multiple parameters by clicking the transfer buttons at the bottom of the
Compare view. This transfers all parameters in all tabs except for some parameters that
are manufacturer-protected and those that are not transferable.

¡ Transfer parameters one at a time by clicking the transfer buttons between

each parameter.

When done copying parameters, click Save or Send.

Related information
Replacing Assigned devices

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Replace an Assigned PROFIBUS DPV1 device or PROFIBUS PA device in the Plant Locations hierarchy
with a device using the same host location
Plant Locations hierarchy
Prevent rename and replace of AMS tags on a DeltaV network
Comparing and transferring device configurations

Replace an Assigned PROFIBUS DPV1 device or PROFIBUS PA device

in the Plant Locations hierarchy with a device using the same host
location

Prerequisites

Assign Plant Hierarchy Location permission OR SIS Assign Plant Hierarchy Location permission

Note:
For DeltaV users, it is recommended that you use the DeltaV Explorer Replace option to replace
the device. Follow this procedure only if the DeltaV Explorer replacement wizard was not run
and the replacement device uses the same placeholder (device manufacturer and device type).
See "Replacing Assigned devices overview" under the Related information section for more
details.

Make sure the device is not in the Alert Monitor Device Monitor List, and that the option to allow
renaming and replacing on a DeltaV network is enabled. See the Related information section for
more details.

If the replacement device is assigned, it is recommended that you unassign it before performing the
Identify New operation.

Procedure

1. Right-click the system interface that connects to the new replacement device, and select
Rebuild Hierarchy.

2. Right-click the replacement device from the system interface and select Identify New
PROFIBUS Device.

3. Enter the device model, revision, and a unique identifier for the new replacement device.
If the replacement device has been previously identified and used in the system, make sure
you enter the correct device information and select Yes when prompted to use the previously
identified device.

4. Click Identify Device. The replacement device uses the same AMS tag as the old device,
but 0x is appended to the end, where x is a number.

5. Make sure the Do not launch the Replace Wizard option is unchecked and click Close.
The AMS Device Manager Replace Device wizard opens.

6. Enter another AMS tag for the device being replaced if you do not want to use the default.

7. Set the state (Retired or Spare device) for the device being replaced.

8. Click Next.

9. Enter or browse for the AMS tag of the Spare device you want to use as a replacement. You
should see the AMS tag with 0x appended. This is the device you identified.

10. Click Next.

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11. Click Yes if you want to compare and transfer configuration parameter information from the
device being replaced to the replacement device.

12. Click Finish.

13. If you clicked Yes, the Compare view is displayed. The left column contains the configuration
for the device being replaced. The right column contains the configuration for the
replacement device. Transfer parameters from the device being replaced to the configuration
for the replacement device as required.
¡ Transfer multiple parameters by clicking the transfer buttons at the bottom of the
Compare view. This transfers all parameters in all tabs except for some parameters that
are manufacturer-protected and those that are not transferable.

¡ Transfer parameters one at a time by clicking the transfer buttons between

each parameter.

When done copying parameters, click Save or Send.

14. Right-click the system interface that connects to the replacement device, and select Scan
New. Wait for the Scan operation to complete.

Related information
Replacing Assigned devices
Plant Locations hierarchy
Prevent rename and replace of AMS tags on a DeltaV network
Comparing and transferring device configurations

Future devices overview

A Future device is a configuration for a HART or conventional device that is not associated with a
registered device. It is a placeholder in the Plant Locations hierarchy for a device that you anticipate
installing in the future. Future devices do not appear in the Device List and do not accumulate
history.

Creating a Future device

If you have Assign Plant Hierarchy Location permission, you can create a Future device by selecting
Add Future Device from the context menu of a Control Module in the Plant Locations hierarchy. You
are prompted to select a device template on which the Future device will be based. You can then
leave the device parameters as is or modify them.

Note:
You can only configure 25 Future devices with the name of "Future Device".

Viewing and modifying a Future device configuration

To view the configuration of a Future device, select Configure/Setup from its context menu. You can
modify the configuration if you have Device Write permission.

Assigning a Spare device to a Future device

If you have Device Assignment permission, you can assign a Spare device to a Future device.

Comparing a Future device to another configuration

You can compare a Future device configuration to another device configuration in AMS Device
Manager by dragging and dropping the Future device icon onto another device icon or another
device icon onto the Future device icon. If you have Device Write permission, you can transfer
parameter values to the Future device configuration.

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Moving a Future device in Plant Locations hierarchy

If you have Assign Plant Hierarchy Location permission, you can move a Future device to another
location in the Plant Locations hierarchy.

Related information
Device views
Assign a Spare device to a Future device
Comparing and transferring device configurations

Add a Future device - from Control Module context menu

Prerequisites

Assign Plant Hierarchy Location permission

Use this procedure to add a Future device for a HART or conventional device to a Control Module in
the Plant Locations hierarchy.

Procedure

1. In Device Explorer or Device Connection View, navigate to the Control Module under the
Plant Locations hierarchy to which you want to add a Future device.

2. Right-click the Control Module and select Add Future Device.

3. Locate the template that you want to use and click on the template name in the dialog.
You can sort the list of templates by clicking on the column headings.

4. Click OK.

5. Enter the tag in the edit.

Note:
You can only configure 25 Future devices with the name of "Future Device".

Related information
Device templates overview
Future devices overview

Add a Future device using drag-and-drop or copy-and-paste

Prerequisites

Assign Plant Hierarchy Location permission

Use this procedure to add a Future device for a HART or conventional device to a Control Module
using a drag-and-drop or copy-and-paste operation.

Procedure

1. Select View → Device Templates from the main menu.

2. Select the device template you want to use.
3. Copy the device template to the Control Module in the Plant Locations hierarchy using the
drag-and-drop or Edit → Copy and Edit → Paste operation.
4. Enter the tag in the edit box.

Note:

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You can only configure 25 Future devices with the name of "Future Device".

Related information
Device templates overview
Future devices overview

Add a Future device by copying a device

Prerequisites

Assign Plant Hierarchy Location permission

Use this procedure to add a Future device for a HART or conventional device to a Control Module by
copying a device. This procedure creates a new Future device configuration containing parameter
values identical to those in the original device.

Procedure

1. Select the HART or conventional device to be copied, press the Ctrl key, and drag that device
to the same Control Module or a different Control Module.
2. Enter a unique AMS tag name for the new device in the edit box.

Note:
You can only configure 25 Future devices with the name of "Future Device".

Related information
Future devices overview

Delete a Future device

Prerequisites

Assign Plant Hierarchy Location permission

Procedure

1. Close any open windows that contain data read from the Future device. These windows must
be closed for the device to be deleted.
2. In the Device Explorer or Device Connection View, expand the Plant Locations hierarchy and
click the Future device you want to delete.
3. Delete the Future device by doing one of the following:
¡ Press Delete.
¡ Right-click the device and select Delete.
4. In the confirm delete dialog, click OK.

Related information
Future devices overview

Move a Future device to a different Area in the Plant Locations

hierarchy

Prerequisites

Assign Plant Hierarchy Location permission

Procedure

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1. In the Device Connection View or Device Explorer, expand the Plant Locations hierarchy to
display both the Control Module containing the Future device and the Control Module to
which you want to move it.
2. Click the Future device.
3. Move the Future device to the different Control Module by using a drag-and-drop operation.
4. Verify that the Future device has been moved instead of copied to the different Control
Module.

Related information
Future devices overview

Set Device Identity wizard overview

The Set Device Identity wizard provides a means for entering conventional devices into the
database. The wizard lets you add conventional devices of various types. Test equipment is a
special type of conventional device; it has its own hierarchy under the Calibration icon, if you have
the Calibration Assistant SNAP-ON application.

Where you start the wizard determines what type of conventional devices you can add.

You can add any type of conventional devices when you start the wizard by:

l Selecting Add Conventional Device from the context menu of folders in the device list.
l Selecting Add Conventional Device from the context menu of a Control Module under the Plant
Locations hierarchy.

You can also add test equipment when you start the wizard by:

l Selecting Add New from the context menu of any level of the Test Equipment hierarchy.
l Clicking the Add Test Equipment button on the Equipment tab of the Calibration Management
Test Data Entry wizard.

Some fields will be filled in (read-only) on the Set Device Identity wizard if you start the wizard
from any level below the top level of the device list. For example, if you select Add Conventional
Device at the revision level under a particular manufacturer and model, the Manufacturer and Model
fields will be filled in.

Related information
Conventional devices overview

Add a conventional device

Prerequisites

Assign Plant Hierarchy Location permission

Procedure

1. Do one of the following:

¡ Select Add Conventional Device from the context menu for a Control Module.
¡ Select Add Conventional Device from a folder in the Device List.
¡ Select Add New from the Test Equipment hierarchy (requires the optional Calibration
Assistant SNAP-ON application).

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Note:
You can also add test equipment when entering data using the Calibration Management
Test Data Entry wizard.

2. Enter the manufacturer, model, and revision of the device. Depending on where you started
the wizard, this information may already be filled in. All previously entered manufacturers,
models for the selected manufacturer, and revisions for the manufacturer-model combination
appear on the selection lists.
Do not use the following characters in the manufacturer, model, revision, or serial number
fields: ? ' " \ * ! |

Note:
When manually creating a Test Equipment device to represent a documenting calibrator
that will have routes downloaded to it, enter "Undefined" as the revision. If you use a
revision other than Undefined, AMS Device Manager will not be able to associate the
communicating calibrator with the device you have created. (The easier solution is to let
AMS Device Manager automatically create a conventional Test Equipment device when it
first communicates with the calibrator.)

3. Select the category and sub-category of the device from the lists, if available. You cannot
enter a new category or sub-category.

4. Enter the serial number and AMS tag of the device. They must be unique within AMS Device
Manager. If you enter a duplicate, you will be prompted accordingly.

5. If this is test equipment, enter the date the device was last calibrated, and then the
calibration interval in number and units. Units must be selected from the list.

6. If one or more templates exist for this device type, the Set Default Parameters page is
displayed. If you want to use a template to set parameters for the device, click the "Default
values from Template below" option button and select a template from the list.

7. On the last page of the wizard, click Yes, Add Another if you want to add another device of
the same manufacturer model, and revision; otherwise click No. The device will then be
added to the database.

When you have completed entering information in the wizard, the conventional device is registered
in the database.

You can enter additional parameters for the device into its current configuration, if desired. (The
manufacturer, model, revision, and serial number are already filled in.)

To use the AMS Device Manager calibration management functionality for this device, you must fill
in all parameters on the Basic Setup tab.

Related information
View/modify a device configuration
Conventional devices overview
Create a new device template

Device List overview

The Device List is an inventory of all the HART, FOUNDATION fieldbus, PROFIBUS DPV1, PROFIBUS
PA, and conventional devices that have been or are currently being used in your plant. The Device

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List is accessible from Device Explorer. The Device List has folders for all supported manufacturers
and devices, but the devices do not actually appear in the folders until they are registered (HART
and FOUNDATION fieldbus) or identified (PROFIBUS DPV1 and PROFIBUS PA) in AMS Device
Manager. To identify a PROFIBUS DPV1 or PROFIBUS PA device, select Identify PROFIBUS Device
from its context menu.

Conventional devices are placed on the Device List when you add them to the database. (You can
add conventional devices by selecting Add Conventional Device from the Device List context
menu.)

When a paired AMS Trex unit connects to and scans a device that is not in the AMS Device Manager
database, that device is created as a Spare device in the Spare folder in the Device List. Audit Trail
creates a record of the event. You can subsequently assign that device by right-clicking a Control
Module folder and choosing Assign Spare Device.

The Device List is organized by device manufacturer, device protocol, device type or model, device
revision, and the disposition of the device. Each device has three folders, representing its three
possible dispositions in the database: Spare, Assigned, and Retired.

When AMS Device Manager registers a HART or FOUNDATION fieldbus device, it puts it in the
Device List in the Spare folder for its manufacturer. ("Spare" means that the device has neither
been assigned to a specific Area in the Plant Locations hierarchy nor retired.) PROFIBUS DPV1 and
PROFIBUS PA devices are added to the Spare folder for its manufacturer after the device is
identified in AMS Device Manager. You can put a conventional device in the Spare folder by creating
it from the Spare folder context menu selection Add Conventional Device.

When you associate a device with an Area in your Plant Locations hierarchy ("assign" it), AMS
Device Manager moves the device from the Spare folder to the Assigned folder.

When you no longer want the device assigned to an Area in your Plant Locations hierarchy, nor do
you want it listed as spare, you can "retire" it. When you retire a device, AMS Device Manager
moves it from the Spare or Assigned folder to the Retired folder.

Note:
Retiring a device allows you to retain the device's history in the database. Deleting a device
removes all of the information about the device from the database.

Relationship between Device List and connected devices

Device Connection View displays the network components connected to the local station and Device
Explorer displays the network components connected to the local station plus all the system
interface networks and modems connected to the other stations in the distributed system. The
Device List displays all the registered devices in the distributed system.

Depending on where you are in the process of connecting a modem, multiplexer, or a system
interface network and accessing its devices or performing Scan operations on them, you may or
may not see the same devices in the Device List and in the network's hierarchy in Device
Connection View or Device Explorer. For example, a device connected to a DeltaV system may
appear in the DeltaV network hierarchy in Device Connection View or Device Explorer, but it will not
appear in the Device List until it is accessed or scanned. Similarly, when a device not in the AMS
database is scanned by a paired AMS Trex unit, it appears in the Spare folder under the device's
protocol, model, and device revision folder, and is subsequently available for assignment in a Plant
Location.
Audit Trail overview

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AMS Device Manager maintains an Audit Trail of historical records, which are also known as events.
You can display the events by AMS tag, by physical device, or for the entire system. To see the
most recent Audit Trail event, click View → Refresh.

Events are grouped on the All, Application, Calibration, Configuration, Status Alerts, and System
Maintenance tabs in the Audit Trail window.

SNAP-ON applications, including AMS ValveLink, also write events to Audit Trail.

Use the toolbar buttons to print, print preview, or refresh events in the Audit Trail window.

Note:
Some FOUNDATION fieldbus devices report only one PlantWeb alert for an alert category at a
time. The first alert must be cleared in the device before additional alerts from the same
category will be reported. Refer to your device manual for more information.

Viewing events by AMS tag

To view all events for an AMS tag, right-click the device icon and select Audit Trail. All events that
have occurred for that AMS tag are displayed, including events that occurred when the tag was
associated with any other physical device.

Viewing events by physical device

To view all events for a physical device, right-click the device icon and select Audit Trail, and then
select Device in the Show By field on the Audit Trail window. All events associated with that
physical device, even those that occurred when the device was associated with other AMS tags, are
displayed. To go back to the display of events by AMS tag, select AMS Tag in the Show By field.

Viewing events for the entire AMS Device Manager system

To view events for the entire AMS Device Manager system, select View → Audit Trail from the
main menu. All historical events are displayed.

Filtering events
To filter the events displayed, click Filter on the Audit Trail window. For example, you can view
events logged by a particular user or at a specific computer, or view only events of a particular
category.

Recording events manually

You can manually record a device event by selecting Record Manual Event from a device icon's
context menu. You can manually record a system event by selecting Record Manual Event from the
context menu of the AMS Device Manager icon in Device Explorer or the Plant Database icon in
Device Connection View.

AMS Device Manager usernames and their association with events in the Audit Trail
Events that are generated by the user (logging in and out of AMS Device Manager, editing device
configurations, and calibrating devices, for example) display the username associated with the
event.

Events not generated by a user but detected by AMS Device Manager, including system alerts,
database maintenance, and synchronization between device data and the AMS Device Manager
database are logged in the Audit Trail under AMS Device Manager-generated usernames that
include the computer name or Windows username.
Recording events manually

AMS Device Manager lets you manually record an event in the Audit Trail. You can record manual
events for either a device or for the AMS Device Manager system and can assign them an

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appropriate event type.

To record a device event, right-click a device icon and select Record Manual Event. To record a
system event, right-click the Plant Database icon in the Device Connection View or the AMS Device
Manager icon in the Device Explorer View and select Record Manual Event.

If you launched Record Manual Event from a device context menu, the event you record will be
associated with the selected AMS tag and physical device. If you launched Record Manual Event
from the Plant Database icon in the Device Connection View or the AMS Device Manager icon in the
Device Explorer View context menu, the event you record will be associated with the AMS Device
Manager system.

The date and time recorded for the event is the moment you click OK on the Record Manual Event
dialog. The time is based on your local PC time.

Related information
Audit Trail overview
Manually record a device event
Manually record a system event

Audit Trail - All tab

The Audit Trail All tab displays all events that have occurred for the AMS Device Manager system,
AMS tag, or physical device. The events are sorted by time, from the most to least recent. You can
use the Filter button to narrow down the records displayed.

You can display detailed information about the event by performing one of the following operations:

l Double-click the record.

l Right-click the record and select Detail from its context menu.
l Select Actions → Detail from the menu bar.

Event information
The All tab displays the following information for each event:

Date
The date the event occurred.

Time
The time the event occurred (HH:MM:SS). The time is based on the local time of the PC on which
the event occurred.

AMS Tag
The AMS tag associated with the event (if applicable).

User
The name of the user who was logged on to the system when the event occurred. Events that are
generated by a user are logged under the AMS Device Manager username. Examples of such events
include logging in and out of AMS Device Manager, adding, editing, and deleting configurations, or
performing operations to monitor, control, and interact with a device, such as device calibration and
sensor characterization.

Some events are logged under the computer name or Windows login name, such as PS.<computer-
name> for events detected by the AMS Device Manager Plant Server or DBM: <username> for
database maintenance events.

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Event Type
The type of event.

Note:
"Change performed by foreign host" means that the configuration change was performed by a
source outside of this AMS Device Manager system, such as a handheld communicator, OPC, a
control system, or another AMS Device Manager system.

Reason
A description of the event category.

Event context menus

Each event record has a context menu that lets you display more information. Right-click the event
to display the context menu. The selections available depend on whether you are viewing the Audit
Trail by physical device, AMS tag, or for the entire AMS Device Manager system, and on the event
type. The selections include:

Detail - Displays detailed information about the event.

Audit Trail - For events associated with an AMS tag, displays the audit trail for the AMS tag.

Compare - For events associated with an AMS tag, displays the Compare view for the tag.

Configure/Setup - For events associated with an AMS tag, displays the Configure/Setup view for
the tag.
Audit Trail - Application tab

The Application tab displays login/logout and password change events, and other events related to
AMS Device Manager application and username administration. The events are sorted by time, from
the most to least recent. You can use the Filter button to narrow down the records displayed.

To display detailed information about the event, either double-click the record or right-click it and
select Detail from its context menu.

Event information
The Application tab displays the following information for each event:

Date
The date the event occurred.

Time
The time the event occurred (HH:MM:SS). The time is based on the local time of the PC on which
the event occurred.

AMS Tag
The AMS tag associated with the event (if applicable). This column is displayed only when viewing
the Audit Trail for the entire AMS Device Manager system.

User
The name of the user who was logged on to the system when the event occurred.

Events that are generated by a user are logged under the AMS Device Manager username.
Examples of such events include logging in and out of AMS Device Manager, adding, editing, and

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deleting configurations, or performing operations to monitor, control, and interact with a device,
such as device calibration and sensor characterization.

Some events are logged under the computer name or Windows login name, such as PS.<computer-
name> for events detected by the AMS Device Manager Plant Server or DBM:<username> for AMS
Device Manager database maintenance events.

Category
A sub-type further defining the Audit Trail event type.

Note:
"Change performed by foreign host" means that the configuration change was performed by a
source outside of this AMS Device Manager system, such as a handheld communicator, OPC, a
control system, or another AMS Device Manager system.

Reason
A description of the event.

Event context menus

Each event record has a context menu that lets you display more information. Right-click the event
to display the context menu. The selections available depend on whether you are viewing the Audit
Trail by physical device, AMS tag, or for the entire AMS Device Manager system, and on the event
type. The selections include:

Detail - Displays detailed information about the event.

Audit Trail - For events associated with an AMS tag, displays the audit trail for the AMS tag.

Compare - For events associated with an AMS tag, displays the Compare view for the tag.

Configure/Setup - For events associated with an AMS tag, displays the Configure/Setup view for
the tag.
Audit Trail - Calibration tab

The Audit Trail Calibration tab displays all the calibration events for the physical device, AMS tag, or
all tags in the AMS Device Manager system. The events are sorted by time, from the most to least
recent. You can use the Filter button to narrow down the records displayed.

To view the calibration events for the physical device associated with the AMS tag, select Device in
the Show By field. All calibration events associated with that physical device (even those that
occurred when the device was associated with other AMS tags) are displayed. To go back to the
display of events by AMS tag, select AMS Tag in the Show By field.

To display detailed information about the event, either double-click the record or right-click it and
select Detail from its context menu.

Event information
The Calibration tab displays the following information for each event:

Date
The date the event occurred.

Time
The time the event occurred (HH:MM:SS). The time is based on the local time of the PC on which

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the event occurred.

AMS Tag
The AMS tag associated with the event (if applicable). This column is displayed only when viewing
the audit trail for the entire AMS Device Manager system.

User
The name of the user who was logged on to the system when the event occurred. Events that are
generated by a user are logged under the AMS Device Manager username. Examples of such events
include logging in and out of AMS Device Manager, adding, editing, and deleting configurations, or
performing operations to monitor, control, and interact with a device, such as device calibration and
sensor characterization.

Some events are logged under the computer name or Windows login name, such as PS.<computer-
name> for events detected by the AMS Device Manager Plant Server or DBM:<username> for
database maintenance events.

Category
A sub-type further defining the Audit Trail event type.

Note:
"Change performed by foreign host" means that the configuration change was performed by a
source outside of this AMS Device Manager system, such as a handheld communicator, OPC, a
control system, or another AMS Device Manager system.

Reason
A description of the event.

Event context menus

Each event record has a context menu that lets you display more information. Right-click the event
to display the context menu. The selections available depend on whether you are viewing the Audit
Trail by physical device, AMS tag, or for the entire AMS Device Manager system, and on the event
type. The selections include:

Detail - Displays detailed information about the event.

Calibration History - For calibration events, displays the calibration history for the AMS tag
associated with the event.

Audit Trail - For events associated with an AMS tag, displays the audit trail for the AMS tag.

Compare - For events associated with an AMS tag, displays the Compare view for the tag.

Configure/Setup - For events associated with an AMS tag, displays the Configure/Setup view for
the tag.
Audit Trail - Configuration tab

The Audit Trail Configuration tab displays events related to device configuration changes,
device/database synchronization, device replacement and renaming, AMS tag assignment, and
Electronic Signature confirmation. The events are sorted by time, from the most to least recent. Use
the Filter button to narrow down the events displayed.

To view the configuration events for the physical device associated with the AMS tag, select Device
in the Show By field. All configuration events associated with that physical device (even those that

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occurred when the device was associated with other AMS tags) are displayed. To go back to the
display of events by AMS tag, select AMS Tag in the Show By field.

To display detailed information about the event, either double-click the record or right-click it and
select "Detail" from its context menu.

Event information
The Configuration tab displays the following information for each event:

Date
The date the event occurred.

Time
The time the event occurred (HH:MM:SS). The time is based on the local time of the PC on which
the event occurred.

AMS Tag
The AMS tag associated with the event (if applicable). This column is displayed only when viewing
the audit trail for the entire AMS Device Manager system.

User
The name of the user who was logged on to the system when the event occurred. Events that are
generated by a user are logged under the AMS Device Manager username. Examples of such events
include logging in and out of AMS Device Manager, adding, editing, and deleting configurations, or
performing operations to monitor, control, and interact with a device, such as device calibration and
sensor characterization.

Some events are logged under the computer name or Windows login name, such as PS.<computer-
name> for events detected by the AMS Device Manager Plant Server or DBM:<username> for
Database Maintenance events.

Category
A sub-type further defining the Audit Trail event type.

Note:
"Change performed by foreign host" means that the configuration change was performed by a
source outside of this AMS Device Manager system, such as a handheld communicator, OPC, a
control system, or another AMS Device Manager system.

Reason
A description of the event.

Event context menus

Each event record has a context menu that lets you display more information. Right-click the event
to display the context menu. The selections available depend on whether you are viewing the Audit
Trail by physical device, AMS tag, or for the entire AMS Device Manager system, and on the event
type. The selections include:

Detail - Displays detailed information about the event.

Audit Trail - For events associated with an AMS tag, displays the audit trail for the AMS tag.

Compare - For events associated with an AMS tag, displays the Compare view for the tag.

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Configure/Setup - For events associated with an AMS tag, displays the Configure/Setup view for
the tag.
Audit Trail - Status Alerts tab

The Audit Trail Status Alerts tab displays all the status alert events for the AMS tag, physical device,
or the entire AMS Device Manager system. The events are sorted by time, from the most to least
recent. You can use the Filter button to narrow down the events displayed.

To view the status alert events for the physical device associated with the AMS tag, select Device in
the Show By field. All status alert events associated with that physical device (even those that
occurred when the device was associated with other AMS tags) are displayed. To go back to the
display of events by AMS tag, select AMS Tag in the Show By field.

To display detailed information about the event, either double-click the record or right-click it and
select Detail from its context menu.

Event information
The Status Alerts tab displays the following information for each event:

Date
The date the event occurred.

Time
The time the event occurred (HH:MM:SS). The time is based on the local time of the PC on which
the event occurred.

AMS Tag
The AMS tag associated with the event (if applicable). This column is displayed only when viewing
the audit trail for the entire AMS Device Manager system.

User
The name of the user who was logged on to the system when the event occurred.

Events that are generated by a user are logged under the AMS Device Manager username.
Examples of such events include logging in and out of AMS Device Manager, adding, editing, and
deleting configurations, or performing operations to monitor, control, and interact with a device,
such as device calibration and sensor characterization.

Some events are logged under the computer name or Windows login name, such as PS.<computer-
name> for events detected by the AMS Device Manager Plant Server or DBM:<username> for
database maintenance events.

Category
A sub-type further defining the Audit Trail event type.

Note:
"Change performed by foreign host" means that the configuration change was performed by a
source outside of this AMS Device Manager system, such as a handheld communicator, OPC, a
control system, or another AMS Device Manager system.

Reason
A description of the event.

Event context menus

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Each event record has a context menu that lets you display more information. Right-click the event
to display the context menu. The selections available depend on whether you are viewing the Audit
Trail by physical device, AMS tag, or for the entire AMS Device Manager system, and on the event
type. The selections include:

Detail - Displays detailed information about the event.

Audit Trail - For events associated with an AMS tag, displays the audit trail for the AMS tag.

Compare - For events associated with an AMS tag, displays the Compare view for the tag.

Configure/Setup - For events associated with an AMS tag, displays the Configure/Setup view for
the tag.
Audit Trail - System Maintenance tab

The Audit Trail System Maintenance tab displays all the database maintenance events for the AMS
Device Manager system. The events are sorted by time, from the most to least recent. You can use
the Filter button to narrow down the events displayed.

To display detailed information about the event, either double-click the record or right-click it and
select Detail from its context menu.

Event information
The System Maintenance tab displays the following information for each event:

Date
The date the event occurred.

Time
The time the event occurred (HH:MM:SS). The time is based on the local time of the PC on which
the event occurred.

AMS Tag
The AMS tag associated with the event (if applicable).

User
The name of the user who was logged on to the system when the event occurred. Events that are
generated by a user are logged under the AMS Device Manager username. Examples of such events
include logging in and out of AMS Device Manager, adding, editing, and deleting configurations, or
performing operations to monitor, control, and interact with a device, such as device calibration and
sensor characterization.

Some events are logged under the computer name or Windows login name, such as PS.<computer-
name> for events detected by the AMS Device Manager Plant Server or DBM:<username> for
database maintenance events.

Category
A sub-type further defining the Audit Trail event type.

Note:
"Change performed by foreign host" means that the configuration change was performed by a
source outside of this AMS Device Manager system, such as a handheld communicator, OPC, a
control system, or another AMS Device Manager system.

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Reason
A description of the event.

Event context menus

Each event record has a context menu that lets you display more information. Right-click the event
to display the context menu. Choose Detail to display detailed information about the event.
Audit Trail Filter dialog

The Audit Trail Filter dialog lets you set selection criteria to narrow down the records displayed in
the Audit Trail dialog.

You can narrow down the record display by:

l Date and time

l User
l Computer
l Reason
l Category

Related information
Audit Trail overview

Detail Viewer dialog

The Detail Viewer dialog displays the available detailed information for an event, including:

Date/Time of Event
The date and time (HH:MM:SS) the event occurred.

Source of Event

User
The name of the user who was logged on to the system when the event occurred. Events that are
generated by a user are logged under the AMS Device Manager username. Examples of such events
include logging in and out of AMS Device Manager, adding, editing, and deleting configurations, or
performing operations to monitor, control, and interact with a device, such as device calibration and
sensor characterization.

Some events are logged under the computer name or Windows login name, such as PS.<computer-
name> for events detected by the AMS Device Manager Plant Server or DBM:<username> for
database operation events.

Computer
The name of the computer on which the event occurred, if it is available. If the name is not
available, the computer’s IP address is displayed.

Note:
The IP address is stored in the database, and the computer name lookup is performed as the
data is displayed or exported via Generic Export. As a result, the computer name displayed may
or may not be for the computer that generated the event.

Source
The application where the event originated.

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Manufacturer
This is the manufacturer name. For an event not associated with a device, the value will be blank.

Device Type
This is the HART, FOUNDATION fieldbus, PROFIBUS DPV1, PROFIBUS PA, or conventional device
type. For an event not associated with a device, the value will be blank.

Revision
This is the HART, FOUNDATION fieldbus, PROFIBUS DPV1, or PROFIBUS PA device revision number.
For conventional devices, this is the device revision name you entered. For an event not associated
with a device, the value will be blank.

Identifier
A unique device identifier that AMS Device Manager uses, in addition to the AMS tag, to track device
data.

For devices that are HART Rev 5 and higher this is the HART device identifier. (The HART device
identifier is a non-modifiable parameter stored within a HART device.)

For devices that are HART Rev 3 and 4 this is the final assembly number. The final assembly
number is user-modifiable, and can be viewed and modified within AMS Device Manager. Do not
modify the final assembly number.

For FOUNDATION fieldbus devices, this is a set of alphanumeric characters assigned to the device
by the device manufacturer, known as the FOUNDATION fieldbus device identifier.

For PROFIBUS DPV1 and PROFIBUS PA devices, the device ID is the manufacturer code, device
type, revision, and the unique identifier you entered when you identified the device.

For conventional devices, the device ID is generated when the device is added to the database, and
is made up of the AMS Device Manager-generated manufacturer code, AMS Device Manager-
generated device type code, user-entered device revision, and user-entered device serial number.

Block Name
Displays the associated block name for FOUNDATION fieldbus configuration change events.

Event

Event Type
Indicates the type of event, such as "Application", "Calibration", Configuration Change", "Status
Alerts", or "System Maintenance." Each event type corresponds with an Audit Trail tab. (Device
synchronization events are displayed on the Configuration tab.)

Category
A sub-type further defining the event type.

Note:
"Change performed by foreign host" means that the configuration change was performed by a
source outside of this AMS Device Manager system, such as a handheld communicator, OPC, a
control system, or another AMS Device Manager system.

Reason
A description of the event.

More Detail

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Additional details about events such as configuration change, system maintenance, diagnostic
alerts, and calibration events with categories of "Test Scheme change" and "Change Test Scheme
assignment."

Parameter Details
Displays internal parameters that are not shown in the Configure/Setup view for the device. You
cannot modify these parameters, nor is there a way to access them in AMS Device Manager. The
descriptive information is arranged under the following column headings:

Parameter - The parameter that was changed.

As Found - The value of the parameter before the configuration change event. If this parameter was
blank before the configuration change event, the As Found column is blank.

As Left - The value of the parameter after the configuration change event.

Diagnostic Alerts
Diagnostic alerts are provided by a SNAP-ON application. The descriptive information is arranged
under the following column headings:

Severity - The severity for each of the diagnostic alert events. Accepted values are failed,
maintenance, and advisory. A red circle indicates "Failed" or "No Communication", a yellow circle
indicates "Maintenance", and a purple circle indicates "Advisory" or "Abnormal".

Diagnostic Event - Contains the name of the event(s) that caused the diagnostic alert.

Diagnostic Details

Description
A description of the diagnostic alert event.

Possible Cause(s)
Displays the possible causes of the event, as provided by the source reporting the diagnostic alert.

Recommended Action(s)
Displays the recommended ways to address the reasons for the event.

Printing Content

To print the information in the Detail Viewer dialog, click .

Related information
Audit Trail overview
Alert Monitor overview

Record Manual Event dialog

This dialog lets you manually record an event in AMS Device Manager. The event will be entered in
the database and will be viewable in the Audit Trail.

Source of Event
Displays the current AMS Device Manager username, the AMS tag name (if Record Manual Event
was launched from a device icon), and the name of the computer on which the event is being
entered.

Event

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Select the event type that most closely matches the type of event you are entering. The event type
selections correspond to the tabs in the Audit Trail viewer.

The selections available depend on where you launched Record Manual Event. If you launched it
from the AMS Device Manager icon in Device Explorer or the Plant Database icon in Device
Connection View, then the event types "Application" and "System Maintenance" are available. If you
launched it from a device icon, then the event types "Application", "Status Alerts", "Calibration",
and "Configuration" are available.

Reason
Enter a description of the event.

Related information
Audit Trail overview
Recording events manually

View detailed information about a specific event

Procedure

Do one of the following:

l With the Audit Trail window open, double-click on a listed event.
l In the Alert Monitor Alert List window, click Alert Details to view more information about the
selected alert.

Related information
Audit Trail overview
Alert Monitor overview

Display the Audit Trail

You can display the Audit Trail for either an AMS tag, a physical device, or the entire AMS Device
Manager system.

Prerequisites

Device Read permission OR SIS Device Read permission is required to:

l See devices and their context menus

l See Device Configurations and Device Synchronization events

Procedure

l To display the Audit Trail dialog for an AMS tag:

1. Select a device icon.
2. Right-click to display the device context menu.
3. Select Audit Trail.
l To display the Audit Trail dialog for a physical device:
1. Select a device icon.
2. Right-click to display the device context menu.
3. Select Audit Trail.
4. Select Device in the Show By drop-down menu on the Audit Trail window.
l To display the Audit Trail dialog for the entire system:

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1. Select View → Audit Trail from the main menu or select the AMS Device Manager icon
in Device Explorer or Plant Database icon in Device Connection View.
2. Right-click to display the context menu.
3. Select Audit Trail.

Related information
Audit Trail overview

Display the Configure/Setup or Compare views from the Audit Trail

Procedure

1. On any Audit Trail tab (except System Maintenance), right-click on any record to display a
context menu.
2. Select Configure/Setup or Compare.
When the Configure/Setup and Compare views are displayed from an Audit Trail record, AMS Device
Manager searches for the most recent historical record prior to the time in the Audit Trail, and
displays that time for that record in the Time field, and the associated configuration. For this
reason, the time displayed in the Time field may differ from the event time in the Audit Trail record.

l If the event in the Audit Trail is a parameter change, the times in the Audit Trail and
Configure/Setup or Compare view are identical.
l If the event in the Audit Trail is of another type, such as a method execution, the time
displayed in the Configure/Setup or Compare view is the configuration change event that
occurred closest to the time of the Audit Trail event.

Related information
Audit Trail overview

View events by date and time

Procedure

1. Open the Audit Trail window.

2. Click the Filter button.

The Audit Trail Filter dialog appears.

3. From the Date/Time frame of the Filter window, select the drop-down list in the Begin field to
select the starting point for the filter.
A calendar dialog appears.

4. At the top of the calendar dialog, use the and buttons to select the month and year.

5. In the month/date boxes, select the starting date.

6. In the time in the Begin line, click the hour, minute, seconds and AM/PM in sequence to enter
the starting filter time.

7. To set the end Date/Time filter, repeat the above steps on the End line in the dialog.

8. When Begin and End Date/Times have been entered, click OK. Only events between the
entered Begin and End times are displayed.

View events logged by a specific user

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Procedure

1. Open the Audit Trail window.

2. Click the Filter button.

The Audit Trail Filter dialog appears.

3. In the User Filter group box, select the user from the drop-down list.

4. Click OK. Only events generated from the specified user are displayed.

View events logged at a specific computer

Procedure

1. Open the Audit Trail window.

2. Click the Filter button.

The Audit Trail Filter dialog appears.

3. In the Computer Filter frame of the Filter window, select the Computer from the drop-down
list.

4. Click OK. Only events generated from the specified computer are displayed.

View events by reason

Procedure

1. Open the Audit Trail window.

2. Click the Filter button.
3. In the Reason field, type a word or phrase from the reason description to narrow the search
to include records with that word or phrase in their reason description.
4. Click the Match Reason Exactly checkbox to indicate that the search should include only
records with a reason description that exactly matches the word or phrase you have typed in
the Reason field.
5. Click OK.
View only events of same category as selected event

Procedure

1. Open the Audit Trail window.

2. Click the Filter button.

The Audit Trail Filter dialog appears.

3. Select the Show only events of category <current category> checkbox click OK. Only
the events of the specified category are displayed.

Related information
Display the Audit Trail

Manually record a system event

Procedure

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1. Right-click the AMS Device Manager icon in Device Explorer or the Plant Database icon in
Device Connection View and select Record Manual Event.
2. Select an event type from the list.
3. Type in a description of the event. You can enter a maximum of 250 characters.
4. Click OK.
The date and time recorded for the event is the moment you click OK. The time is based on your
local PC time.

Related information
Manually record a device event

Manually record a device event

Procedure

1. Right-click a device icon and select Record Manual Event.

2. Select an event type from the list.
3. Type in a description of the event. You can enter a maximum of 250 characters.
4. Click OK.
The date and time recorded for the event is the moment you click OK. The time is based on your
local PC time.

Related information
Manually record a system event

Alert Monitor overview

Alert Monitor is a diagnostic tool you can use to observe devices you suspect may be malfunctioning
or reporting false data. You can use Alert Monitor to watch for device failures or patterns that need
to be corrected, and to view alerts from SNAP-ON applications. AMS Device Manager supports
PlantWeb Alerts and NE-107 alerts, which categorize FOUNDATION fieldbus and HART device alerts
according to severity. Currently, only the FOUNDATION fieldbus device protocol implements NAMUR
NE-107 recommendations.

Note:
Alert Monitor is intended to complement, not replace, the alarm capabilities of your control
system.

Alert Monitor displays active and inactive alerts for devices connected to any AMS Device Manager
station that has alert monitoring enabled. It also divides them into acknowledged and
unacknowledged alerts. You can track the history of past alerts using Audit Trail.

Opening Alert Monitor

You can open a new Alert List screen in Alert Monitor by doing one of the following:

l Clicking the Alert Monitor icon on the AMS Device Manager toolbar.
l Double-clicking an Alert Monitor icon in the system tray.
l Selecting View → Alert Monitor from the main menu.

Clicking the Alert Monitor icon or selecting View → Alert Monitor will not open an existing Alert List
screen that is minimized. They only open new Alert List screens.

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Multiple Alert Lists can be opened at the same time, letting you have different views of the alerts.
For example, you can sort one Alert List by AMS tag and another by alert severity.

Alert Monitor can also remain open after AMS Device Manager is closed, and the current user will
remain logged in.

Configuring Alert Monitor to receive alerts

Before you can receive alerts, you must configure Alert Monitor to monitor selected devices. For
Alert Monitor to display alerts for a device, ensure the AMS Device Manager Server is running on the
station that connects to the device, add the Assigned device to the Device Monitor List, set the
device monitor configuration, and enable alert monitoring. Your host system or device may require
additional setup.

You can set Alert Monitor to filter alerts for optimized devices by clicking the Default button on the
Device Monitor Configuration dialog. The Supported Device List indicates devices that have
optimized alerts.

Note:
Some PROFIBUS DPV1 and PROFIBUS PA devices do not natively support alerts. To verify if
your device supports alerts, open the Device Monitor Configuration dialog in Alert Monitor and
see if any alert conditions are listed for that device. If no alert conditions are listed, contact the
device manufacturer to see if an updated install kit is available. Then run the Add Device Type
utility and shut down and restart the AMS Device Manager Servers.

Receiving alerts
After Alert Monitor is configured, it can receive alerts in one of the following ways:

l Monitoring: FOUNDATION fieldbus devices and SNAP-ON applications send alerts to Alert
Monitor as they occur.

Alerts from FOUNDATION fieldbus devices are only reported once, which is when the alert
occurs. If the AMS Device Manager Server is not running at the time an alert is sent, the alert
will get missed and not appear in Alert Monitor.

Note:
Some FOUNDATION fieldbus devices report only one PlantWeb alert for an alert category
at a time. The first alert must be cleared in the device before additional alerts from the
same category will be reported. Refer to your device manual for more information.

l Polling: HART, PROFIBUS DPV1, and PROFIBUS PA devices are polled at a configurable period
to determine if an alert condition exists.

For wireless devices, alerts are not sent to AMS Device Manager based on the polling rate, but
on the configuration of the self-organizing network and the devices. Consult your wireless
device manual for details.

Certain HART multiplexer networks provide enhanced polling, which uses scanning features in
the multiplexer and bypasses the polling rate to scan the device more quickly. See the Release
Notes (Enter Release Notes on the Start screen and click Release Notes) for a list of HART
multiplexer networks that provide enhanced polling capabilities. To minimize impact on AMS
Device Manager performance, you should carefully follow the Alert Monitor performance
guidelines.

Note:
By default, AMS Device Manager does not poll for HART alerts when co-deployed with

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DeltaV. DeltaV forwards the alerts to AMS Device Manager as the alerts are received, so
they function similarly to FOUNDATION fieldbus alerts. If the AMS Device Manager Servers
are shut down or alert monitoring is disabled when an alert occurs or clears, Alert Monitor
will not be updated.

Suppressed and unsuppressed alerts in DeltaV

When you suppress an active alert in DeltaV, the alert is removed from Alert Monitor and it does not
appear in the Audit Trail, Device Diagnostics screen, and AMS Device Manager database. The active
alert will not reappear until the alert is unsuppressed and the device resends the alert.

Suppressing an alert at the device or control system is different from disabling alerts in Alert
Monitor Device Monitor Configuration. Disabling an alert in Alert Monitor removes the alerts only
from Alert Monitor; the alerts will still appear in Audit Trail and the Device Diagnostics screen. If an
alert is suppressed at the device or control system, AMS Device Manager will not receive or display
any information about the alert.

Alert notification
Alert Monitor can use system tray icons, desktop alerts, and audible alerts to notify you when a new
alert occurs.

System tray icons

Two Alert Monitor icons appear in the system tray to indicate the alert monitoring status of your
system. Double-clicking either of these icons in the system tray opens the Alert List in Alert Monitor.
The icons disappear when all AMS Device Manager applications and the AMS Device Manager
Servers are shut down on all stations.

The Alert Monitoring icon below has four possible states to indicate if your stations have alert
monitoring enabled and if any active alerts are present in your system.

Icon Description
state
Alert monitoring is disabled on all stations in the system, and no active alerts are present.

Alert monitoring is enabled on one or more stations in the system, and no active alerts are
present.

Alert monitoring is enabled on one or more stations in the system, and one or more active alerts
are present.

Alert monitoring is disabled on all stations in the system, and one or more active alerts are
present.

The Unacknowledged Alert icon can also appear in your system tray when a new,
unacknowledged alert occurs in the system. This icon disappears when you acknowledge an alert,
clear an alert, right-click an alert and open a context menu, open Audit Trail, the Device Monitor
List, or the Station Monitoring screen. The icon will not appear if you enabled the setting to
automatically acknowledge new alerts (Tools → Options).

Desktop alerts
A desktop alert is a pop-up that appears for 5 seconds above the Unacknowledged Alert icon when a
new unacknowledged alert occurs in your system. The pop-up appears on the local station and
displays the AMS tag and the alert condition for the device. You can enable or disable desktop alerts
from the Options for AMS Device Manager dialog (Tools → Options).

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Icons in the desktop pop-up stand for the following alert severities:

Icon Meaning
Failed or No Communication alert

Maintenance alert

Advisory or Abnormal alert

Check Function alert

This is an NE-107 alert severity available only for
certain FOUNDATION fieldbus devices (FF NE-107
devices).

Example:

Audible alerts
You can also configure an audible alert (a sound file or .WAV) to play when an unacknowledged
alert occurs in your system. Alert Monitor must be open when the alert occurs, and the option to
automatically acknowledge new alerts (Tools → Options) must be disabled for the audible alert to
play. Configure the audible alert in the Options for AMS Device Manager dialog (Tools → Options).

Viewing, acknowledging, and clearing alerts

To view alerts in your system, open Alert Monitor. The Alert List displays all alerts from all stations
that have alert monitoring enabled. The information displayed for an alert includes the device's AMS
tag, its location in the Plant Locations hierarchy, the time of the alert, the device group, a
description of the alert, the model and device type, and the station name associated with the
device. Click the Alert Details button to view the details associated with the corresponding Audit
Trail event.

Acknowledging an alert is an optional way to indicate which alerts have been reviewed. When an
alert first appears in Alert Monitor, it is an active, unacknowledged alert.

The acknowledged and unacknowledged states also help keep track of alerts that may become
inactive. When the AMS Device Manager Server is running and an acknowledged alert becomes
inactive, the alert is automatically removed from the Alert List when a device or SNAP-ON
application clears it. If an unacknowledged alert becomes inactive, the alert remains in the Alert List
until you acknowledge or manually clear the alert. Keeping the inactive alerts in the Alert List helps
you identify devices that have intermittent problems and keep track of alerts in your system.

You can automatically acknowledge all new alerts on all stations as they come into the system. Use
this feature if you want Alert Monitor to show only active alerts.

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Alert timestamps
Timestamps for alerts are based on the PC time of the station that connects to the device.

Important:
You should closely synchronize all PC clocks in a distributed system. Third-party tools are available
for this purpose.

Renaming or replacing monitored devices

If you rename an AMS tag in one of the other AMS Device Manager views while the Device Monitor
List is open, you must refresh (open and close) the Device Monitor List to see the new name. All
alerts associated with the previous AMS tag are now associated with the new AMS tag.

A Replace operation in AMS Device Manager is not permitted for a device that is in the Device
Monitor List. If you want to replace a device in the Plant Locations hierarchy with another device,
you must first remove the device from the Device Monitor List.

DeltaV users can replace devices that are in the Device Monitor List by using DeltaV Explorer. The
new device automatically replaces the old device in the Device Monitor List and retains the device
monitor configuration settings after the replace operation is complete.

Performance guidelines
Alert Monitor can affect the performance of AMS Device Manager, particularly if you add many
devices to the Device Monitor List and set polling rates for HART, PROFIBUS DPV1, or PROFIBUS PA
devices that are too frequent. To minimize impact on AMS Device Manager performance, follow the
guidelines on using Alert Monitor.
Alert Monitor performance guidelines

Alert Monitor can affect the performance of other AMS Device Manager processes, particularly if you
add many HART, PROFIBUS DPV1, or PROFIBUS PA devices to the Device Monitor List or set polling
rates that are too frequent for these devices. The more HART, PROFIBUS DPV1, and PROFIBUS PA
devices you add to the Device Monitor List and the faster the polling rates, the more communication
bandwidth is being used to read device alert status. As a result, other AMS Device Manager
operations such as displaying the Configure/Setup or Process Variables view for a device can take
longer to complete.

In addition, having a large number of HART, PROFIBUS DPV1, and PROFIBUS PA devices in the
Device Monitor List results in longer initial startup times for the AMS Device Manager application,
AMS Device Manager Server, and the Alert List.

There is a low performance impact in AMS Device Manager for FOUNDATION fieldbus devices,
SNAP-ON applications, and HART devices connected to DeltaV version 10.3 or higher because they
do not require polling; they send alerts to Alert Monitor as they occur. Multiplexers that support
enhanced polling have a minimal impact on performance because the multiplexer, not AMS Device
Manager, obtains the alert information. AMS Device Manager polls only the multiplexer, not each
device connected to the multiplexer.

Note:
By default, AMS Device Manager does not poll for HART alerts when co-deployed with DeltaV.
DeltaV forwards the alerts to AMS Device Manager as the alerts are received, so they function
similarly to FOUNDATION fieldbus alerts. If the AMS Device Manager Servers are shut down or
alert monitoring is disabled when an alert occurs or clears, Alert Monitor will not be updated.

Communication performance may decrease if there are many devices with "More status available"
and "Device malfunction" alerts active.

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To minimize the Alert Monitor performance impact:

l Decrease the frequency of alert monitoring by using higher numbers in the Polling Rate field.
Decreasing the polling rates increases the number of HART, PROFIBUS DPV1, and PROFIBUS
PA devices that can be monitored effectively.
l Limit the number of HART, PROFIBUS DPV1, and PROFIBUS PA devices in the Device Monitor
List.
l Use Alert Monitor to monitor only devices that are newly installed, are critical to a process, or
have shown symptoms of poor health or inaccurate/inconsistent reporting of data.

Important:
Alert Monitor polls HART, PROFIBUS DPV1, and PROFIBUS PA devices for status based on when it
received the last poll response plus the poll rate interval, so the actual update rate will be slightly
greater than the configured rate. System loading can also affect the poll rate. Use the
recommended guidelines to help keep the actual polling rate close to the configured polling rate.

Alert Monitor will warn you if the combined polls for all HART devices being monitored by an AMS
Device Manager Server rises above a threshold called the polling factor. This warning can be
ignored if you are using multiplexers with enhanced polling capabilities or have HART devices
connected to DeltaV version 10.3 or higher.

Related information
Alert Monitor overview
Alert Monitor polling factor
OPC Server requirements

Alert Monitor polling factor

The polling factor is a setting you configure in the Options for AMS Device Manager dialog (Tools →
Options) to help AMS Device Manager determine when the combined number of polls per minute
for all HART devices being monitored by the AMS Device Manager Server is too high. The polling
factor applies only to the devices connected to the local station.

There are three polling factor settings, each associated with a predefined threshold of number of
polls per minute. Each time you add a HART device to the Device Monitor List or change a HART
device's polling rate, AMS Device Manager re-calculates the total number of polls per minute by the
AMS Device Manager Server, using the new configuration and the approximate bandwidth of your
network. If the resulting number exceeds the threshold associated with your selected setting, you
will receive a warning. This warning can be ignored if you are using multiplexers with enhanced
polling capabilities or have HART devices connected to DeltaV version 10.3 or higher.

Note:
By default, AMS Device Manager does not poll for HART alerts when co-deployed with DeltaV.
DeltaV forwards the alerts to AMS Device Manager as the alerts are received, so they function
similarly to FOUNDATION fieldbus alerts. If the AMS Device Manager Servers are shut down or
alert monitoring is disabled when an alert occurs or clears, Alert Monitor will not be updated.

HART-based Open Enterprise networks and Det-Tronics networks provide alert data and do not rely
on AMS Device Manager to poll them.

The polling factor settings, Simple, Mixed/Medium, and Complex, are based on the number of total
polls per minute a particular network accommodates:

l "Simple" means the network accommodates a relatively high number of polls per minute.

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l "Mixed/Medium" means the network accommodates a moderate number of polls per minute.
l "Complex" means the network accommodates a relatively low number of polls per minute.

Set your polling factor accordingly. If you monitor HART devices from more than one network,
select Complex.

The networks that support and poll HART devices are classified below.

Network Polling Factor

HART modem Simple

HART multiplexer Simple

Ovation Mixed/Medium

RS3 Complex

PROVOX Mixed/Medium

8000 BIM Simple

HART Over PROFIBUS Mixed/Medium

STAHL Simple

Kongsberg Mixed/Medium

ABB Mixed/Medium

Related information
Alert Monitor overview
Alert Monitor performance guidelines
Change the default device monitor configuration settings

Configuring Alert Monitor to receive alerts

Before you can view and receive alerts, Alert Monitor must be configured to receive alerts from
specified devices. To receive alerts in Alert Monitor, ensure the AMS Device Manager Server is
running on the station that connects to the devices, add the Assigned devices to the Device Monitor
List, set the device monitor configuration, and enable alert monitoring. See the sections below for
more information on each of these steps.

Ensure the AMS Device Manager Server is running on the station that connects to the
devices
For alerts to appear in Alert Monitor, the AMS Device Manager Server must be running on the
station that connects to the device that will be monitored. The icon in the system tray indicates
the state of the AMS Device Manager Server. The "Auto-start AMS Device Manager Server" option
can be used to ensure that the AMS Device Manager Server is running whenever Windows is
launched. Otherwise, the AMS Device Manager Server starts when AMS Device Manager is opened.
See the Related information section for more details on automatically starting the AMS Device
Manager Server.

The Alert Monitor Alert List does not need to be open for the Server to receive alerts.

Add Assigned devices to the Device Monitor List

You can add any Assigned device from any licensed station to the Device Monitor List. However,
make sure you add only the appropriate number of devices. Adding too many devices may affect

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system performance. See "Alert Monitor performance guidelines" in the Related information section
for more details.

Set the device monitor configuration for the devices

Each station has unique Alert Monitor device monitor configuration defaults, set in the Options for
AMS Device Manager dialog (Tools → Options). These default values are automatically applied to
any device when it is added to the Device Monitor List from the local station. This includes devices
that are not connected to the local station.

You can change the device monitor configuration settings for devices on any licensed station. For
each HART device in the Device Monitor List, you can filter which alert conditions are displayed in
Alert Monitor, set the polling rate, and enter a device group number. For each FOUNDATION fieldbus
device in the Device Monitor List, you can enter the device group number and filter the alert
conditions. For PROFIBUS DPV1 and PROFIBUS PA devices that support alerts, you can filter the
alert conditions, set the polling rate, and enter a device group number.

Note:
Some PROFIBUS DPV1 and PROFIBUS PA devices do not natively support alerts. To verify if
your device supports alerts, open the Device Monitor Configuration dialog in Alert Monitor and
see if any alert conditions are listed for that device. If no alert conditions are listed, contact the
device manufacturer to see if an updated install kit is available.

SNAP-ON application alerts displayed in Alert Monitor are not configurable. This may be possible
within the given SNAP-ON application. See the SNAP-ON application user documentation for more
information.

Enable alert monitoring

You can enable or disable alert monitoring for any station from the Station Monitoring dialog. Click
Station Monitoring in the Alert List window to open this screen. When alert monitoring is enabled on
a station, the station's AMS Device Manager Server can receive alerts from devices connected to
that station and display them in the Alert List.

Alert monitoring can be enabled or disabled for any licensed station, from any licensed station. An
icon appears in the system tray to indicate if alert monitoring is enabled or disabled for the stations
in your distributed system. See the "Alert notification" section in the Alert Monitor overview in the
Related information section for these icons.

Note:
Some system interface networks have settings that enable and disable device alerts. See the
topics for your system interface under the AMS Device Manager Books Online Contents tab for
more information.

If alert monitoring is enabled on a station in a distributed system, Alert Monitor starts monitoring
the devices when the AMS Device Manager Server is started on that station. Only the devices in the
Device Monitor List are monitored. The alerts from these devices are displayed in the Alert List and
are visible to all stations in the distributed system.

If alert monitoring is disabled on a station in the distributed system, the Alert List and Audit Trail
cannot display any new device alerts or any changes to existing alerts from that station. Disabling
alert monitoring does not remove existing alerts from the Alert List.

Alerts from SNAP-ON applications are sent to and displayed in Audit Trail and Alert Monitor if a
device is in the Device Monitor List. Alert monitoring does not need to be enabled for Alert Monitor
to receive alerts from SNAP-ON applications. If a device is not in the Device Monitor List, an alert
from a SNAP-ON application appears in only Audit Trail.

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See the Related information section for the procedure to enable or disable alert monitoring.

Related information
Alert Monitor overview
AMS Device Manager Server overview
Add device to Device Monitor List
Change the device monitor configuration for individual devices
Enable or disable alert monitoring
Alert Monitor performance guidelines
Configuring DeltaV to report device alerts and events

Device alert conditions

Detection of an enabled alert condition causes an alert to appear in the Alert List window, if Alert
Monitor is configured to monitor devices and receive alerts. You may need to also enable alerts for
your system interface network, your host system, or your device before they will appear in AMS
Device Manager or Alert Monitor.

Setting alert conditions

Each device type has a unique set of alert conditions. In Alert Monitor, you can select which alert
conditions you want to view for a device. Open the Device Monitor Configuration dialog in Alert
Monitor to select which alerts can be displayed in the Alert Monitor Alert List. The alert conditions
are still displayed in Audit Trail and the Device Diagnostics view if you disable the conditions in Alert
Monitor. See the Related information section for more details.

Unlike HART and FOUNDATION fieldbus devices, some PROFIBUS DPV1 and PROFIBUS PA devices
do not natively support alerts. To verify if your device supports alerts, open the Device Monitor
Configuration dialog in Alert Monitor and see if any alert conditions are listed for that device. If no
alert conditions are listed, contact the device manufacturer to see if an updated install kit is
available. Then run the Add Device Type utility and shut down and restart the AMS Device Manager
Servers.

Receiving alerts
For HART, PROFIBUS DPV1, and PROFIBUS PA devices, alerts are collected at the poll rate, with the
exception of HART devices connected to DeltaV version 10.3 or higher and certain multiplexer
networks which implement enhanced polling capabilities.

Note:
By default, AMS Device Manager does not poll for HART alerts when co-deployed with DeltaV.
DeltaV forwards the alerts to AMS Device Manager as the alerts are received, so they function
similarly to FOUNDATION fieldbus alerts. If the AMS Device Manager Servers are shut down or
alert monitoring is disabled when an alert occurs or clears, Alert Monitor will not be updated.

For wireless devices, alerts are not sent to AMS Device Manager based on the polling rate, but on
the configuration of the self-organizing network and the devices. Consult your wireless device
manual for details.

For FOUNDATION fieldbus devices, alerts are sent by the devices only once when the alert condition
occurs. If the AMS Device Manager Servers are not running when the alert occurs or alert
monitoring is disabled on that station connected to the device, AMS Device Manager and Alert
Monitor will not display the alert.

Note:
Some FOUNDATION fieldbus devices report only one PlantWeb alert for an alert category at a
time. The first alert must be cleared in the device before additional alerts from the same

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category will be reported. Refer to your device manual for more information.

Related information
Alert Monitor overview
Configuring Alert Monitor to receive alerts
PlantWeb Alerts
Change alert conditions for devices in the Device Monitor List

PlantWeb Alerts

Some Emerson devices classify their device alerts into these three categories or severities:

Alert icon Description

Failed - A problem with a device that affects its
operation. Failed conditions require immediate action.

Maintenance - A problem with a device that, if

ignored, could eventually lead to its failure.
Maintenance conditions require prompt action.

Advisory - A minor problem with a device. An

advisory condition does not have an impact on the
process or device.

Alerts that are classified in such a manner are called PlantWeb Alerts. Alerts that are unclassified
appear as Abnormal.

Alert conditions
Devices report alerts for various conditions. Alerts appear in the Device Diagnostics view, and in
Alert Monitor if the devices are being monitored.

Recording and displaying device alerts in AMS Device Manager

Device alerts (for either devices that support PlantWeb Alerts or for devices that do not) are only
recorded in Audit Trail and displayed in Alert Monitor if the following is true:

l AMS Device Manager Server is running on the station to which the device is connected.
l Alert monitoring is enabled on that station.
l The device is in the Device Monitor List.
l Alerts are enabled for the system interface network, if the network has a setting to
enable/disable them.
l The host system is configured and set up to receive and report device alerts.
l The devices have their Report option enabled.
l The alert being reported by the device is enabled in the Device Monitor Configuration list.

Enabling the alert to display in the Device Monitor Configuration list is not the same as enabling the

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device to report the alert. If the alert is disabled at the device, checking the alert in the Device
Monitor Configuration List has no effect.

See AMS Device Manager Books Online for information on whether your system interface network
has a setting to enable device alerts (and if so, how to enable them) and for information on how to
configure and set up your host system to report device alerts.

Note:
Some FOUNDATION fieldbus devices report only one PlantWeb alert for an alert category at a
time. The first alert must be cleared in the device before additional alerts from the same
category will be reported. Refer to your device manual for more information.

Suppressing and unsuppressing PlantWeb Alerts

Devices that support PlantWeb Alerts let you suppress or unsuppress the reporting of individual
alerts. The suppressing and unsuppressing of PlantWeb Alerts is done from the device's Device
Diagnostics view. (See "Suppress/unsuppress alert reporting" under the Related information section
for more details.) You may also be able to suppress and unsuppress alert conditions from the host
system.

When a PlantWeb Alert is suppressed, it is still evaluated by the device, but the device does not
report the status condition through a device alert. The active status condition is shown on the
Device Diagnostics view, but because the alert is suppressed, no entry is recorded in Audit Trail and
no alert is displayed in Alert Monitor.

If an active alert exists for a status condition at the time the status condition is suppressed, the
alert is automatically cleared.

Enabling and disabling the reporting of alert conditions

Devices that support PlantWeb Alerts let you enable and disable the reporting of alert conditions.
The settings to enable and disable them are usually on the Configure/Setup view. If a condition is
disabled, it is not evaluated by the device. Because it is not evaluated by the device, it does not
generate alerts. When a condition is disabled, it is grayed out on the Device Diagnostics view.

Devices that do not support PlantWeb Alerts may allow you to enable and disable the reporting of
certain conditions. These settings, if the device has them, are on the device's Configure/Setup view.

If an active alert exists for a FOUNDATION fieldbus device at the time the reporting of it is disabled,
the alert is automatically cleared.

Communication alerts
If a FOUNDATION fieldbus device stops communicating, a communication alert is recorded in Audit
Trail and displayed in Alert Monitor (assuming the criteria described above in "Recording and
displaying device alerts in AMS Device Manager" are met). When the device starts communicating
again, the alert is automatically cleared.

Related information
Alert Monitor overview
Display diagnostics for a device
Suppress/unsuppress alert reporting

Viewing, acknowledging, and clearing alerts

Device and SNAP-ON application alerts are displayed in Audit Trail and the Alert List in Alert
Monitor. New alerts initially appear in Alert Monitor as active, unacknowledged alerts. You can
acknowledge alerts at any time to indicate they have been reviewed.

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Devices or SNAP-ON applications automatically clear alerts when the alert condition is corrected.
You can manually clear alerts from the Active Alerts tab, even if the alert condition still exists in the
device. Manually clearing an alert also acknowledges the alert.

Viewing alerts in Alert Monitor

Alerts are viewed from the Alert List in Alert Monitor. Alerts are displayed on two tabs that divide
them into active alerts and unacknowledged alerts. Make sure Alert Monitor is properly configured
to receive alerts. See the Related information section for more details.

You can also filter which device alerts are displayed in Alert Monitor from the Device Monitor
Configuration dialog. If an alert is disabled (filtered) using this dialog, it will not appear in the Alert
List. The device still reports the alert and it will still appear in the Device Diagnostics screen for the
device. See "Change the alert conditions for a device in the Device Monitor List" under the Related
information section for more details.

Note:
Some PROFIBUS DPV1 and PROFIBUS PA devices do not natively support alerts. To verify if
your device supports alerts, open the Device Monitor Configuration dialog in Alert Monitor and
see if any alert conditions are listed for that device. If no alert conditions are listed, contact the
device manufacturer to see if an updated install kit is available. Then run the Add Device Type
utility and restart the AMS Device Manager Servers.

Viewing alerts in Audit Trail

Alerts are not stored permanently in Alert Monitor, but they are recorded in Audit Trail. You can
prevent disabled alert conditions from being sent to Audit Trail using the option in the Alert Monitor
tab in the Tools > Options dialog. Use the All or Status Alerts tab in Audit Trail to view the complete
list of alerts as well as when they occurred (set), cleared, or were acknowledged.

Acknowledging alerts

Note:
When you acknowledge an alert, it becomes acknowledged in all Alert Monitor viewers on all
stations in your system.

The acknowledged and unacknowledged states help you identify which alerts you have reviewed
(acknowledged) and which ones you have not (unacknowledged). Acknowledging an alert is an
optional step that does not affect the device or the alert; it only affects which tab in the Alert
Monitor Alert List displays the alert.

These states also allow for alert latching, which determines how the Alert List displays alerts that
become inactive or are automatically cleared by the device or SNAP-ON application. See the
"Clearing Alerts" section below for more information.

You can manually acknowledge any alert in the Alert List, or you can set Alert Monitor to
automatically acknowledge all new alerts in the system as they occur. This is a system-wide setting,
so the Unacknowledged Alerts tab in the Alert List will be empty on all stations in your system.
Automatically acknowledge alerts if you want Alert Monitor to show only active alerts, and not
inactive alerts.

Clearing Alerts

Alerts cleared by devices or SNAP-ON applications

When an acknowledged alert condition is corrected and the AMS Device Manager Server is running,
the device or SNAP-ON application automatically clears the alert because it is now inactive. The
acknowledged alert is then removed from the Active Alerts tab in the Alert List when the HART,

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PROFIBUS DPV1, or PROFIBUS PA device is polled or a clear is sent by the FOUNDATION fieldbus
device.

When an unacknowledged alert condition is corrected and the AMS Device Manager Server is
running, the alert remains "latched" in the Unacknowledged Alerts tab in the Alert List until you
acknowledge or manually clear the alert. Keeping the inactive alerts in the Alert List helps you
identify devices that have intermittent problems.

You must manually clear an alert in Alert Monitor in the situations below. Otherwise, the alert will
remain as an active alert in Alert Monitor.

l A HART or FOUNDATION fieldbus alert is cleared by a device or SNAP-ON application when the
AMS Device Manager Server is not running.
l An alert is cleared by a device or SNAP-ON application when the AMS Device Manager Server
is running, but alert monitoring is not enabled on the station that connects to the device. In
this situation, alerts from devices that are polled by AMS Device Manager should clear during
the next polling cycle.

Manually clearing alerts

You can manually clear an alert by using the Clear Entry button on the Active Alerts tab. You can do
this even if the alert condition still exists in the device. An alert becomes acknowledged when it is
manually cleared. Clearing an alert does not clear the condition in the device, but it does remove
the alert from Alert Monitor.

When you have multiple alerts to clear manually, you should clear one at a time.

Manually cleared alerts reappearing in Alert Monitor

If you manually cleared an alert for a device while the AMS Device Manager Server was running and
the condition still existed in the device, the alert will not reappear again until the condition has been
cleared in the device and the device re-alerts.

For HART, PROFIBUS DPV1, and PROFIBUS PA devices, shutting down and restarting the AMS
Device Manager Server when the alert still exists will also cause the alert to be re-reported as an
active, unacknowledged alert.

Note:
By default, AMS Device Manager does not poll for HART alerts when co-deployed with DeltaV.
DeltaV forwards the alerts to AMS Device Manager as the alerts are received, so they function
similarly to FOUNDATION fieldbus alerts. If the AMS Device Manager Servers are shut down or
alert monitoring is disabled when an alert occurs or clears, Alert Monitor will not be updated.

SNAP-ON application alerts that have been manually cleared will redisplay when the SNAP-ON
application re-reports the alert.

Handling Communications failure alerts

A Communications failure alert indicates the HART device was found by the AMS Device Manager
Server at Alert Monitor startup but subsequently did not respond to polling. Alert Monitor will
continue to monitor for the device and if found, will clear this alert. It may also indicate that the
HART, PROFIBUS DPV1, or PROFIBUS PA device was not found by the AMS Device Manager Server
at Alert Monitor startup. Alert Monitor will continue to monitor the device.

Related information
Alert Monitor overview
Configuring Alert Monitor to receive alerts
Change alert conditions for devices in the Device Monitor List

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Display the Audit Trail

Manually acknowledge an alert
Automatically acknowledge all new alerts
Manually clear an alert from the Alerts List

Alert List window

The Alert List window is displayed when you click the Alert Monitor icon on the AMS Device
Manager toolbar, double-click one of the Alert Monitor system tray icons, or select View → Alert
Monitor from the main menu. This window displays all alerts for devices that are in the Device
Monitor List.

The Alert List contains two tabs that organize the alerts in your system. The Active Alerts tab
displays all active, acknowledged and unacknowledged alerts. The Unacknowledged Alerts tab
displays all unacknowledged, active and inactive alerts.

The Alert List displays the number of active and unacknowledged alerts at the bottom of the screen.

Alert List columns

You can modify the column widths, rearrange the columns, or sort the alerts by a column in
ascending or descending order.

The following columns appear on the Alert List tabs:

AMS Tag - A unique identifier associated with a device in AMS Device Manager, frequently used to
represent a plant location.

Count - The number of times the alert has been reported (set) since the time it was first reported.
Acknowledging the alert resets this number the next time the device reports the alert. Removing
the device from the Device Monitor List resets the count.

Time - The most recent occurrence of the alert.

Severity - The severity of the alert. Each severity is color-coded. One of the following is listed: No
Communication (red), Failed (red), Maintenance (yellow), Advisory (purple), Abnormal (purple), or
Check Function (peach). Check Function is an NE-107 alert severity and is only available for certain
FOUNDATION fieldbus devices (FF NE-107 devices).

Note:
If you restore an AMS Device Manager database, "Unknown" may appear for the severity
because previous versions did not display the alert severity.

Description - A summary of the alert condition.

Device Group - A numeric value you can assign to a device to organize it into a group with other
devices.

Plant Location - The location of the device in the Plant Locations hierarchy.

Station - The name of the station that connects to the device.

Manufacturer - The manufacturer of the device.

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Device Type - The model of the device.

Device Revision - The revision of the device.

Protocol - The device's communication protocol.

Acknowledged - An X appears if the alert has been acknowledged. This field appears on only the
Active Alerts tab.

State - The alert is listed as active or inactive. This field appears on only the Unacknowledged
Alerts tab.

What you can do from the Alert List

View and print a list of the alerts in your system

Click Print when either the Active Alerts tab or Unacknowledged Alerts tab is displayed.

Add or remove devices from the Device Monitor List

Click Configure or select Edit → Configure from the menu to add or remove devices from the
Device Monitor List.

Enable or disable alert monitoring

Click Station Monitoring or select Edit → Station Monitoring from the menu to enable or disable
alert monitoring for the stations in your system.

The Alert List will not display alerts from a station that has alert monitoring disabled. Only alerts
from SNAP-ON applications or devices connected to stations with alert monitoring enabled are
displayed.

View Audit Trail

Click Audit Trail or select View → Audit Trail from the menu to open a system-level view of
events.

View the details of an alert

Click Alert Details or select View → Alert Details to view additional information about the
selected alert.

Turn off audible alerts

Click Silence to turn off an audible alert for an open Alert List on the local station.

Acknowledge alerts
Select an alert and click Acknowledge or select Edit → Acknowledge to indicate it has been
reviewed.

Manually clear alerts

Select an alert and click Clear Entry or select Edit → Clear Entry to manually clear an alert from
the Alert List. Alerts cannot be cleared from the Unacknowledged Alerts tab.

Note:
A Replace operation in AMS Device Manager is not permitted for a device in the Device Monitor
List. If you replace a device in the Plant Locations hierarchy with another device, you must first
delete the device from the Device Monitor List. However, a device in the Device Monitor List can
be replaced using DeltaV Explorer. The new device automatically replaces the old device in the
Device Monitor List and retains the device monitor configuration settings.

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Note:
For DVC5000 and DVC6000 devices in the Device Monitor List, Alert Monitor displays Out of
Service alerts while the AMS ValveLink SNAP-ON application Advanced diagnostics are being
run. Out of Service is not a configurable alert condition.

Refreshing the window

If you change the Device Protection status of a device, or mark it as SIS in AMS Device Manager,
press F5 when the window is active to see the updated icons.

Related information
Alert Monitor overview
Viewing, acknowledging, and clearing alerts
Add device to Device Monitor List
Enable or disable alert monitoring
Turn off an audible alert
Manually acknowledge an alert
Manually clear an alert from the Alerts List

Device Monitor List window

This window displays the Assigned devices in a distributed system that are monitored by Alert
Monitor. Right-click a device to access its device context menu. This window displays the following
information for each device:

AMS tag - The unique identifier associated with a device in AMS Device Manager, frequently used
to represent a plant location.

Plant Location - The location of the device in the Plant Locations hierarchy.

Station - The name of the station that connects to the device.

Polling Rate - The interval of time between polls of a HART, PROFIBUS DPV1, or PROFIBUS PA
device.

Device Group - A numeric value you can assign to a device to organize it into a group with other
devices.

Manufacturer - The manufacturer of the device.

Device Type - The model of the device.

Device Revision - The revision of the device.

Protocol - The device's communication protocol.

Modifying the columns

You can modify the column widths as desired and you can sort by column, in ascending or
descending order.

You also can rearrange the columns by dragging and dropping them to the desired location in the
window.

Adding or removing devices

To add a device to the Device Monitor List, click Add. The Device Selection List displays the

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Assigned devices that you can add. Select the device you want to add and click OK. You can select
and add multiple devices by using Ctrl-click or Shift-click.

You can also add devices to the Device Monitor List by dragging and dropping or copying and
pasting Assigned device icons from the Device Connection View, Device Explorer, or the Tag Search
window into the Device Monitor List.

To delete a device from the Device Monitor List, select the device and click Delete or press the
Delete key. You can select and delete multiple devices, if desired. If you delete a device, all of its
alerts are removed from the Alert List.

While a device is in the Device Monitor List, you cannot remove the device using the Remove Device
utility, set the device to spare or retired, or replace in AMS Device Manager.

Note:
The alert list is global. If you add a device to a group from any station, after saving, it will
become the alert list for all stations.
Also, any device type currently in the list, if selected as a group, can be configured for alert
types as a group. The available fields displayed are dependent on the versions of the selected
devices. You can select multiple devices to configure together, which can be of different
revisions. However, any new device added after configuring the group will need to be configured
separately.

Note:
A replace operation in AMS Device Manager is not permitted for a device that is in the Device
Monitor List. If you replace a device in the Plant Locations hierarchy with another device (using
the Replace operation), you must first delete the device from the Device Monitor List. However,
a device in the Device Monitor List can be replaced using DeltaV Explorer. The new device
automatically replaces the old device in the Device Monitor List and retains the device monitor
configuration settings.

Changing the device monitor configuration

To change the device monitor configuration for a device in the Device Monitor List, double-click the
device or select the device and click Edit Selected List. To select multiple devices, use Ctrl-click or
Shift-click. If you disable alert conditions from this configuration, those alerts are not displayed in
the Alert List and they are removed from the Alert List, if present.

Printing the Device Monitor List

To print the list of all devices being monitored in Alert Monitor, click the print icon.

Related information
Alert Monitor overview
Add device to Device Monitor List
Delete device from Device Monitor List
Change the device monitor configuration for individual devices
Print a list of all devices being monitored in Alert Monitor

Device Selection List dialog

This dialog displays a list of the Assigned devices on all stations in your system that are available to
be added to the Device Monitor List.

You must have Manage Alert Configurations permission to add or remove devices in the Device
Monitor list.

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To add a device to the Device Monitor List, select it and click OK. To select multiple devices, use
Ctrl-click or Shift-click.

The following information is provided for each device in the Device Selection List:

l AMS Tag
l Plant Location

To sort these lists in ascending or descending order, click a column heading.

Related information
Alert Monitor overview
Add device to Device Monitor List
Delete device from Device Monitor List

Device Monitor Configuration dialog

This dialog lets you change the device monitor configuration settings for one or more devices. The
device monitor configuration only applies to device alerts. SNAP-ON application alerts displayed in
Alert Monitor are not configurable.

The Device Monitor Configuration settings include the items listed below. The dialog may hide some
settings or their information. Changes to these settings are applied immediately.

Plant Location
The Plant Location is the path of the device in the Plant Locations hierarchy. If multiple devices are
selected, only the first location followed by an ellipsis (...) appears.

Device Group
The device group number is a numeric value you can assign to a device to organize it into a group
with other devices. The number must be between 1 and 254. This field is blank if multiple devices
with different group numbers are selected. The device group numbers for the selected devices
remain unchanged unless you enter a new value.

AMS Tag
The AMS Tag is a unique identifier associated with a device in AMS Device Manager, frequently used
to represent a plant location. If multiple devices are selected, only the first AMS tag followed by an
ellipsis (...) appears.

Polling Rate
The polling rate is the time interval between polls of a HART, PROFIBUS DPV1, or PROFIBUS PA
device. This appears only when HART, PROFIBUS DPV1, or PROFIBUS PA devices are selected. This
field displays zeros if multiple devices with different polling rates are selected. The polling rates for
the selected devices remain unchanged unless you enter a new value.

Alert conditions
The Alert List in Alert Monitor displays only the enabled alert conditions for a device, letting you
filter which alerts are displayed in Alert Monitor. If an alert condition checkbox is selected (enabled),
the alert will appear in the Alert List. The alert conditions are organized by severity into one or more
of the following tabs: Failed, Maintenance, Advisory, or Abnormal. The organization of alerts will
vary by device type.

The alert conditions do not appear on the Device Monitor Configuration dialog in the following
situations:

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l The devices are using different protocols.

l The devices have different manufacturers, device types, and device revisions.
l The PROFIBUS DPV1 or PROFIBUS PA devices do not support alerts.

If multiple HART devices that have different manufacturers, device types, or device revisions are
selected, only a set of common HART alert conditions appears.

A square in a checkbox indicates that some of the selected devices have the alert condition enabled
while others have it disabled. Select the checkbox to enable or disable the alert condition for all of
these devices, if necessary. If you select a checkbox and a square appears, the alert conditions are
not changed.

The "Communications failure" alerts cannot be enabled or disabled.

Clicking Default automatically sets an optimized alert configuration for devices that have
undergone the optimization process. Alerts that do not bring additional value, such as redundant or
irrelevant alerts, are disabled for optimized devices. See the Supported Device List on the AMS
Device Manager media for a list of optimized alert device for a particular release.

For devices that have not been optimized, clicking Default enables all device alerts.

The Select All and Deselect All buttons only apply to checkboxes on the displayed tab.

Note:
Enabling the alert to display from the Device Monitor Configuration dialog is not the same as
enabling the device or control system to report the alert. If the alert is disabled at the device or
control system, unchecking the alert in the Device Monitor Configuration dialog has no effect.
Disabling an alert in the Device Monitor Configuration dialog only removes the alert from Alert
Monitor.

Related information
Alert Monitor overview
Change the default device monitor configuration settings
Change the device monitor configuration for individual devices
OPC Server requirements
Alert Monitor performance guidelines
Device alert conditions

Station Monitoring dialog

The Station Monitoring dialog lets you enable or disable alert monitoring for any station in your
system. This screen is displayed by clicking Station Monitoring on the toolbar or selecting Edit →
Station Monitoring in the Alert List. Alert monitoring must be enabled on a station for Alert
Monitor to receive alerts from its connected devices. If alert monitoring is disabled, AMS Device
Manager, including Audit Trail, does not log changes to device alerts from that station.

Enable or disable alert monitoring

To enable alert monitoring, select the Enabled checkbox next to the appropriate station name. To
disable alert monitoring, clear the checkbox. SNAP-ON applications send device status alerts to Alert
Monitor and Audit Trail if alert monitoring is disabled.

If you cannot select a station's checkbox, start the AMS Device Manager Server on that station. A
tooltip for each station indicates if alert monitoring is enabled on that station.

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The bottom of the screen displays the number of stations in your system that currently have alert
monitoring enabled.

Note:
Disabling alert monitoring does not remove alerts from the Alert List.

Sort the columns

Click the column headings to sort the lists in ascending or descending order.

Related information
Alert Monitor overview
Configuring Alert Monitor to receive alerts
Enable or disable alert monitoring

Enable or disable alert monitoring

Prerequisites

System Settings Write permission

Note:
Disabling alert monitoring does not remove alerts from the Alert List.

Procedure

1. Open the Alert List by doing one of the following:

¡ Click the Alert Monitor icon on the AMS Device Manager toolbar.
¡ Double-click an Alert Monitor icon in the system tray.
¡ Select View → Alert Monitor from the main menu.

2. Click Station Monitoring on the Alert List toolbar, or select Edit → Station Monitoring .

3. Click the Enabled checkbox for one or more stations to enable alert monitoring. Clear the
checkbox to disable alert monitoring. If you cannot select a station's checkbox, start the AMS
Device Manager Server on that station.
If you disable and then enable alert monitoring, the interval for the poll rate restarts.

4. Click OK.
The Alert Monitoring icon in the system tray may change to indicate the monitoring status of
your system. See "Alert Monitor overview" under the Related information section for more
details.

Note:
The Alert List in Alert Monitor will not display alerts from a station that has alert monitoring
disabled. Only alerts from SNAP-ON applications and stations with alert monitoring enabled are
displayed.

Related information
Alert Monitor overview
Configuring Alert Monitor to receive alerts

Add device to Device Monitor List

Prerequisites

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Manage Alert Configurations permission OR SIS Manage Alert Configurations permission

Procedure

1. Open the Alert List by doing one of the following:

¡ Click the Alert Monitor icon on the AMS Device Manager toolbar.
¡ Double-click an Alert Monitor icon in the system tray.
¡ Select View → Alert Monitor from the main menu.
2. Click Configure on the Alert List toolbar, or select Edit → Configure.
3. Do one of the following:
¡ Click Add, select one or more devices, and click OK.
¡ From the Device Connection View, Device Explorer, or the Tag Search window, drag and
drop or copy and paste an Assigned device into the Device Monitor List window.

4. Click or select File → Save in the Device Monitor List.

5. Select File → Close.

CAUTION
Adding many devices to the Device Monitor List and/or polling too frequently can affect the
performance of Alert Monitor as well as other AMS Device Manager processes. Refer to the Alert
Monitor performance guidelines for more information.

Related information
Alert Monitor overview
Alert Monitor performance guidelines

Delete device from Device Monitor List

Prerequisites

Manage Alert Configurations permission OR SIS Manage Alert Configurations permission

Procedure

1. Open the Alert List by doing one of the following:

¡ Click the Alert Monitor icon on the AMS Device Manager toolbar.
¡ Double-click an Alert Monitor icon in the system tray.
¡ Select View → Alert Monitor from the main menu.
2. Click Configure on the Alert List toolbar, or select Edit → Configure.
3. Select a device to be deleted.
4. Click Delete or press the Delete key to remove the selected device.
5. Click OK in the message box.

6. Click or select File → Save in the Device Monitor List.

7. Select File → Close.

Note:
Deleting a device from the Device Monitor List will remove all of the device's alerts from the
Alert List.

Related information

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Alert Monitor overview

Add device to Device Monitor List

Change the default device monitor configuration settings

Prerequisites

System Settings Read permission AND either Manage Alert Configurations permission OR SIS
Manage Alert Configurations permission

Procedure

1. Select Tools → Options from the main menu.

2. Click the Alert Monitor tab.
3. Change the settings for polling rate, polling factor, and device group as desired.
4. Click OK.
These values are applied to all devices you add to the Device Monitor List from the local station.
This includes devices that are not connected to the local station. However, you can change the
settings for individual devices from the Device Monitor Configuration dialog in Alert Monitor.

Related information
Alert Monitor overview
Change the device monitor configuration for individual devices

Change the device monitor configuration for individual devices

Prerequisites

System Settings Read permission AND either Manage Alert Configurations permission OR SIS
Manage Alert Configurations permission

Procedure

1. Open the Alert List by doing one of the following:

¡ Click the Alert Monitor icon on the AMS Device Manager toolbar.
¡ Double-click an Alert Monitor icon in the system tray.
¡ Select View → Alert Monitor from the main menu.

2. Click Configure on the Alert List toolbar, or select Edit → Configure .

3. Select a device.

4. Click Edit Selected List, or select Edit → Edit List.

5. Enter a number from 1 through 254 in the Device Group field.

6. In the Polling Rate field (PROFIBUS DPV1, PROFIBUS PA, and HART wired devices only),
enter or select the desired number of days, hours, and minutes between polling.
HART devices connected to DeltaV version 12.3 or higher and wireless devices do not use
this polling rate.

Note:
By default, AMS Device Manager does not poll for HART alerts when co-deployed with
DeltaV. DeltaV forwards the alerts to AMS Device Manager as the alerts are received, so
they function similarly to FOUNDATION fieldbus alerts. If the AMS Device Manager

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Servers are shut down or alert monitoring is disabled when an alert occurs or clears,
Alert Monitor will not be updated.

Certain HART multiplexer networks provide enhanced polling, which uses scanning features in
the multiplexer and bypasses the polling rate to scan the device more quickly. To minimize
impact on AMS Device Manager performance, follow the performance guidelines on using
Alert Monitor.

See the Release Notes for a list of HART multiplexer networks that provide enhanced polling
capabilities. To open the Release Notes, enter Release Notes on the Start screen and click
Release Notes.

Important:
Alert Monitor polls HART, PROFIBUS DPV1, and PROFIBUS PA devices that support alerts for
status based on when it received the last poll response plus the poll rate interval, so the
actual update rate will be slightly greater than the configured rate. System loading can also
affect the polling rate. Use the recommended loading guidelines to help keep the actual
polling rate close to the configured polling rate.

7. Select or clear the checkboxes to enable or disable alert conditions. Selected (enabled) alert
conditions are displayed in the Alert List.

8. If the device has undergone the optimization process, click Default to set the optimized alert
configuration for the device. You can also select devices of the same device revision and
protocol by sorting the list, to apply the optimized alert settings to all of them at the same
time.

Note:
To see which devices have optimized alerts, see the Supported Device List.

9. Click OK.

10. Click or select File → Save.

11. Select File → Close.

Related information
Alert Monitor overview
Alert Monitor performance guidelines

Change alert conditions for devices in the Device Monitor List

Prerequisites

Manage Alert Configurations permission OR SIS Manage Alert Configurations permission

Note:
The device alert conditions will not appear on the Device Monitor Configuration dialog if the
selected devices have different protocols, the devices have different manufacturers, device
types, and device revisions, or if the PROFIBUS DPV1 or PROFIBUS PA devices do not support
alerts. If the PROFIBUS DPV1 or PROFIBUS PA device does not support alerts, contact the
device manufacturer about obtaining a new install kit, run the Add Device Type utility, and then
shut down and restart the AMS Device Manager Servers.

Procedure

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1. Open the Alert List by doing one of the following:

¡ Click the Alert Monitor icon on the AMS Device Manager toolbar.
¡ Double-click an Alert Monitor icon in the system tray.
¡ Select View → Alert Monitor from the main menu.

2. Click Configure on the Alert List toolbar, or select Edit → Configure .

3. Select one or more devices.

4. Click Edit Selected List, or select Edit → Edit List.

5. Enable or disable the alert conditions as desired. Enabling (selecting) a checkbox indicates
that alert condition should be displayed in the Alert Monitor Alert List. If an alert condition is
disabled (the checkbox is cleared), the device will still report the alert to the Device
Diagnostics window but the Alert List will not display it.
If multiple HART devices that have different manufacturers, device types, or device revisions
are selected, only a set of common HART alert conditions appears.

6. Click OK.

7. Click or select File → Save.

8. Select File → Close.

9. Scan, identify, and add the device to the Control Module.

Note:
The Communications failure alerts cannot be enabled or disabled.

Related information
Alert Monitor overview
Device alert conditions
Device Monitor Configuration dialog

Change the device polling rate in the Alert Monitor List

Prerequisites

Manage Alert Configurations permission OR SIS Manage Alert Configurations permission

Procedure

1. Open the Alert List by doing one of the following:

¡ Click the Alert Monitor icon on the AMS Device Manager toolbar.
¡ Double-click an Alert Monitor icon in the system tray.
¡ Select View → Alert Monitor from the main menu.

2. Click Configure on the Alert List toolbar, or select Edit → Configure .

3. Select a device.

4. Click Edit Selected List, or select Edit → Edit List.

5. In the Polling Rate fields, enter or select the desired number of days, hours, and minutes
between polling.
HART devices connected to DeltaV version 10.3 or higher and Wireless devices do not use

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this polling rate.

Note:
By default, AMS Device Manager does not poll for HART alerts when co-deployed with
DeltaV. DeltaV forwards the alerts to AMS Device Manager as the alerts are received, so
they function similarly to FOUNDATION fieldbus alerts. If the AMS Device Manager
Servers are shut down or alert monitoring is disabled when an alert occurs or clears,
Alert Monitor will not be updated.

Certain HART multiplexer networks provide enhanced polling, which uses scanning features in
the multiplexer and bypasses the polling rate to scan the device more quickly. To minimize
impact on AMS Device Manager performance, you should be careful to follow the
performance guidelines on using Alert Monitor. See the Release Notes (enter Release Notes
on the Start screen and click Release Notes).

Important:
Alert Monitor polls HART, PROFIBUS DPV1, and PROFIBUS PA devices for status based on
when it received the last poll response plus the poll rate interval, so the actual update rate
will be slightly greater than the configured rate. System loading can also affect the poll rate.
Use the recommended guidelines to help keep the actual polling rate close to the configured
polling rate.

6. Click OK.

7. Click or select File → Save.

8. Select File → Close.

9. Scan, identify, and add the device to the Control Module.

Related information
Alert Monitor overview
Alert Monitor performance guidelines
Change the device monitor configuration for individual devices

Change the device group number for a device in the Device Monitor
List

Prerequisites

Manage Alert Configurations permission OR SIS Manage Alert Configurations permission

Procedure

1. Open the Alert List by doing one of the following:

¡ Click the Alert Monitor icon on the AMS Device Manager toolbar.
¡ Double-click an Alert Monitor icon in the system tray.
¡ Select View → Alert Monitor from the main menu.
2. Click Configure on the Alert List toolbar, or select Edit → Configure .
3. Select a device.
4. Click Edit Selected List, or select Edit → Edit List.
5. Enter a number from 1 through 254 in the Device Group field.
6. Click OK.

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7. Click or select File → Save.

8. Select File → Close.
9. Scan, identify, and add the device to the Control Module.

Related information
Alert Monitor overview
Change the device monitor configuration for individual devices

Filter nuisance alerts for optimized devices

Prerequisites

l System Settings Read permission AND either Manage Alert Configurations permission OR SIS
Manage Alert Configurations permission
l Devices are in the Device Monitor List
l Devices are set for Optimized Alerts in the Supported Device List (enter Supported Device
List on the Start screen and click Supported Device List)

Procedure

1. Open the Alert List by doing one of the following:

¡ Click the Alert Monitor icon on the AMS Device Manager toolbar.
¡ Double-click an Alert Monitor icon in the system tray.
¡ Select View → Alert Monitor from the main menu.

2. Click Configure on the Alert List toolbar, or select Edit → Configure .

3. Select multiple devices based on Device Revision.

4. Click Edit Selected List, or select Edit → Edit List.

5. Select each displayed tab and click Default.

Note:
Typical tabs include Maintenance, Advisory, Abnormal, and Failed.

6. Click OK.

7. Repeat the procedure for each Device Revision.

Related information
Alert Monitor overview
Add device to Device Monitor List

Manually acknowledge an alert

Prerequisites

Acknowledge Alerts permission OR SIS Acknowledge Alerts permission

Note:
When you acknowledge an alert, it becomes acknowledged in all Alert Monitor viewers on all
stations in your system.

Procedure

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1. Open the Alert List by doing one of the following:

¡ Click the Alert Monitor icon on the AMS Device Manager toolbar.
¡ Double-click an Alert Monitor icon in the system tray.
¡ Select View → Alert Monitor from the main menu.

2. Select an alert in the Active Alerts tab or the Unacknowledged Alerts tab.

3. Click Acknowledge on the Alert List toolbar, or select Edit → Acknowledge.

An X appears in the Acknowledged column in the Active Alerts tab. The alert is removed from
the Unacknowledged Alerts tab.

Related information
Alert Monitor overview
Viewing, acknowledging, and clearing alerts
Automatically acknowledge all new alerts

Automatically acknowledge all new alerts

Prerequisites

Acknowledge Alerts permission OR SIS Acknowledge Alerts permission

Procedure

1. Click Tools → Options from the main menu.

2. On the Alert Monitor tab, select the Automatically acknowledge new alerts checkbox.
3. Click OK.

Note:
Only new alerts are automatically acknowledged. Existing alerts need to be manually
acknowledged.

Related information
Viewing, acknowledging, and clearing alerts
Manually acknowledge an alert

Manually clear an alert from the Alerts List

Prerequisites

Clear Alerts permission OR SIS Clear Alerts permission

Before performing this procedure, see the Related information section for more details on viewing,
acknowledging, and clearing alerts.

Procedure

1. Open the Alert List by doing one of the following:

¡ Click the Alert Monitor icon on the AMS Device Manager toolbar.
¡ Double-click an Alert Monitor icon in the system tray.
¡ Select View → Alert Monitor from the main menu.
2. Select the Active Alerts tab. Alerts cannot be cleared from the Unacknowledged Alerts tab.
3. Select an alert that you want to clear.

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4. Click Clear Entry on the Alert List toolbar, or select Edit → Clear Entry .
5. Click OK to clear the alert.

Note:
Manually clearing an alert also acknowledges the alert.

Related information
Alert Monitor overview
Viewing, acknowledging, and clearing alerts

Print a list of all alerts in Alert Monitor

Procedure

1. Open the Alert List by doing one of the following:

¡ Click the Alert Monitor icon on the AMS Device Manager toolbar.
¡ Double-click an Alert Monitor icon in the system tray.
¡ Select View → Alert Monitor from the main menu.
2. Click the Active Alerts tab to view all active, acknowledged and unacknowledged alerts, or
click the Unacknowledged Alerts tab to view all unacknowledged, active and inactive
alerts.

3. Click File → Print Preview to preview the list, and then click to change the Page Layout,
if necessary.

4. Click from the Alert List or Print Preview window, or select File → Print.
5. Click Print from the Print dialog.

Related information
Alert Monitor overview
Print a list of all devices being monitored in Alert Monitor

Print a list of all devices being monitored in Alert Monitor

Procedure

1. Open the Alert List by doing one of the following:

¡ Click the Alert Monitor icon on the AMS Device Manager toolbar.
¡ Double-click an Alert Monitor icon in the system tray.
¡ Select View → Alert Monitor from the main menu.
2. Click Configure on the Alert List toolbar, or select Edit → Configure .

3. Click File → Print Preview to preview the list, and then click to change the Page Layout,
if necessary.

4. Click or select File → Print.

5. Click Print on the Print dialog.

Related information
Alert Monitor overview
Print a list of all alerts in Alert Monitor

Save a list of all alerts

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To save the Alert List in Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word, or PDF format:

Procedure

1. Open the Alert List by doing one of the following:

¡ Click the Alert Monitor icon on the AMS Device Manager toolbar.
¡ Double-click an Alert Monitor icon in the system tray.
¡ Select View → Alert Monitor from the main menu.
2. Click the Active Alerts tab to view all active, acknowledged and unacknowledged alerts, or
click the Unacknowledged Alerts tab to view all unacknowledged, active and inactive
alerts.
3. Click File → Print Preview to preview the list.
4. In the Print Preview window, click and select one of the following:
¡ Excel
¡ PDF
¡ Word
5. Select a location and enter a filename.
6. Click Save.
Save a list of all devices being monitored in Alert Monitor

To save the list of devices in Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word, or PDF format:

Procedure

1. Open the Alert List by doing one of the following:

¡ Click the Alert Monitor icon on the AMS Device Manager toolbar.
¡ Double-click an Alert Monitor icon in the system tray.
¡ Select View → Alert Monitor from the main menu.
2. Click Configure on the Alert List toolbar, or select Edit → Configure.
3. Click File → Print Preview to preview the list.
4. In the Print Preview window, click and select one of the following:
¡ Excel
¡ PDF
¡ Word
5. Select a location and enter a filename.
6. Click Save.
Enable or disable desktop alerts

Prerequisites

System Settings Read permission (to launch Tools → Options), AND Manage Alert Configurations
permission

Note:
If multiple unacknowledged alerts occur at the same time, only the first alert is displayed in the
desktop alert.

Procedure

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1. Select Tools → Options from the main menu.

2. On the Alert Monitor tab, select the Show desktop alerts checkbox to enable desktop
alerts. Clear the checkbox to disable desktop alerts.

3. Click OK.
To ensure the desktop alert appears, set the Windows taskbar to display inactive icons and
disable the option to automatically acknowledge new alerts. See the Related information
section for more details.

Note:
This is a local setting.

Related information
Alert Monitor overview
Automatically acknowledge all new alerts

Configure an audible alert

Prerequisites

System Settings Read permission (to launch Tools → Options), AND Manage Alert Configurations
permission

Note:
To play audible alerts, ensure Alert Monitor is open when an alert occurs and the setting to
automatically acknowledge new alerts (Tools → Options) is disabled.

Procedure

1. Select Tools → Options from the main menu.

2. Click the Alert Monitor tab.
3. In the Audible Alert field, select a sound file (*.WAV) from the list.
4. Click OK or Apply.

Related information
Alert Monitor overview
Automatically acknowledge all new alerts

Turn off an audible alert

Prerequisites

System Settings Read permission (to launch Tools → Options), AND Manage Alert Configurations
permission

Note:
Turning off the audible alert does not acknowledge the alert.

Procedure

1. View the Alert List.

2. Click Silence on the Alert List toolbar.

If multiple Alert List screens are open on the local PC, click Silence on each Alert List screen
to turn off the audible alert.

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Note:
The audible alert stops playing only on the local station.

Related information
Alert Monitor overview
Configure an audible alert

Tag Search overview

The Tag Search function lets you search for devices in an AMS Device Manager system. You can
either search the AMS Device Manager database or search within a system interface network. You
cannot search across system interface networks.

You can search using a variety of criteria, including:

l AMS tag
l Device manufacturer
l Device type
l Calibration information
l Network-specific values such as device tags, hardware paths, and addresses
l Critical service status

Tag Search only searches for registered devices; it does not search for future devices, device
templates, or user configurations.

From the results list that is displayed after a search, you can access live and historical information
for the devices or drag and drop the device icons to other AMS Device Manager windows.

To display the Tag Search window, select View → Tag Search from the main menu or click on
the toolbar. You can open multiple Tag Search windows.

Related information
Search criteria for 8000 BIM networks
Search criteria for ABB networks
Search criteria for DeltaV networks
Search criteria for Det-Tronics networks
Search criteria for FF HSE networks
Search criteria for HART Over PROFIBUS Networks
Search criteria for Kongsberg networks
Search criteria for multiplexer networks
Search criteria for Ovation networks
Search criteria for PROFIBUS networks
Search criteria for PROVOX networks
Search criteria for RS3 networks
Search criteria for STAHL networks
Search criteria for Wireless networks

System interface network search criteria

Each system interface network has a set of search criteria items. Click on the name of a system
interface to see the search criteria items for that type of network:

l 8000 BIM

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l ABB
l DeltaV
l Det-Tronics
l FF HSE
l HART multiplexer
l HART Over PROFIBUS
l Kongsberg
l OpenEnterprise
l Ovation
l PROFIBUS
l PROVOX
l RS3
l STAHL
l Wireless
Tag Search window

The Tag Search window lets you search for registered devices in your AMS Device Manager system.
Tag Search only finds devices for which you have Device Read permission. You must have Device
Read permission OR SIS Device Read permission to ensure Tag Search returns the entire list of AMS
Tags.

Search Source
Identifies where you want to search for tags. Select "AMS Device Manager database" to search the
entire database. Select the name of a system interface network to search within that network. (You
cannot search across system interface networks.) The network name is preceded by the computer
name of the station to which it is connected (for example, PC1\DeltaV - DeltaV Network 1).

The system interface networks connected to this station are always included in the drop-down list.
If the system interface networks connected to other stations in the distributed system are not
displayed, go to Physical Networks hierarchy in Device Explorer and expand the hierarchy for each
station whose networks you want displayed in the drop-down list, and then close and reopen the
Tag Search window.

AMS Device Manager Server must be running on a station when you expand its hierarchy in Device
Explorer for its networks to be displayed. If AMS Device Manager Server is not running on a station,
the message "AMS Device Manager Server is not running on this station" is displayed under the
station's icon in Device Explorer.

Search For
Specifies the type of value you want to search for. The selections in this field depend on what you
specified as the Search Source.

Value
Specifies the value to search on. You can enter a specific value, a partial value with a ? wildcard
character for specific characters, or a * wildcard character or as the value or for parts of the value.

Examples:

l PT-101, s1.1 (specific values)

l PT-?01 finds PT-101, PT-201, and PT-A01 (specific character wildcard)

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l PT* finds PT-101, PT-201, PT-AO1, and PT-300 (* used for a part of the value)

The tag search is not case sensitive. For example, pt-101 is treated the same as PT-101.

Manufacturer
Specifies a device manufacturer. This field is grayed out until you select AMS Device Manager
Database in the Search Source field. Select from the list of manufacturers. If you do not want to
specify a device manufacturer in the search criteria, select All.

Device Type
Specifies a device type. This field is grayed out until you select a device manufacturer. The
selections in the list are the device types for a given manufacturer. If you do not want to specify a
device type in the search criteria, select All.

Calibration Criteria
Lets you search tags by calibration information. This field is grayed out until you select AMS Device
Manager Database in the Search Source field. Select as follows:

l Device/TestEq. - Specifies whether you want to search for field devices or for test equipment
used for calibrating devices.
l Next/Last - Specifies whether the next or last calibration for a tag will be checked. This
selection works only for devices that have a next or last calibration defined.
l On or Before, Between, On or After - Specifies whether Tag Search should search for devices
that have calibrations occurring before or after a specified date, or between two specified
dates. This selection works only for devices that have a next or last calibration defined. If you
select Between, two date fields are displayed.
l Date field - Select the calibration date(s) by editing the field directly or by clicking the drop-
down arrow and selecting a date from the calendar that is displayed.

Note:
If the Calibration Criteria check box is selected, PROFIBUS DPV1 and PROFIBUS PA devices are
excluded from tag search results.

Critical Service
Specifies whether the Critical Service field will be a criteria in the tag search. This field is grayed out
until you select AMS Device Manager Database in the Search Source field. The Critical Service field
is set in the Test Scheme associated with the device. The possible choices are:

l All - Searches for all tags, regardless of the Critical Service field.
l Yes - Searches for tags with the test definition Critical Service field set to Yes.
l No - Searches for tags with the test definition Critical Service field set to No.

Note:
If the Critical Service field is not set to All, PROFIBUS DPV1 and PROFIBUS PA devices are
excluded from tag search results.

Search button
Click this button to start the tag search.

You can cancel a tag search before it completes by clicking Cancel. Only items found before the
cancellation are displayed in the results pane, and the Status bar and results printout will show
Search Cancelled.

Search results

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The results of a search are displayed in the pane at the bottom of the window. To display view and
arrangement options for the icons, right-click the background of the results pane.

You can access the context menu for a device in the results list by right-clicking on the AMS tag
name for the device. You can drag and drop a device in the list to another AMS Device Manager
window. You can change the disposition of a device by clicking it and pressing the Delete key.

To print a list of the tags found, select File → Print from the main menu. (You may need to change
the print orientation to landscape to print all of the columns.) Printouts may span several pages. To
see how the printout will look before you print it, select File → Print Preview from the main menu.
To change the footer text, select Tools → Options from the main menu, and then update the
Reports Footer Text field on the General tab.

Add to Route button

Click this button to add selected devices in the tag search results list to a calibration route. This
button is enabled only if your system is licensed for the Calibration Assistant SNAP-ON application
or AMS Suite Calibration Connector application, and is enabled for database searches only.

Individual devices, including those found in a search of a system interface network, can also be
assigned to a route by dragging and dropping the device icon onto a route icon in Device Explorer or
Device Connection View.

Note:
The Add to Route button does not work for PROFIBUS DPV1 and PROFIBUS PA devices.

Status bar
The status bar at the bottom of the Tag Search window shows the number of tags found for the
most recent search.

Related information
Tag Search overview
System interface network search criteria

Tag Search results window

The Tag Search results window displays the devices found in the search. Use the scroll bar to view
the entire list. The status bar at the bottom of the window shows the number of tags found for the
most recent search.

The following information is listed for each device:

l Tag – For database searches, this column displays the AMS tag name for the device. For
system interface network searches, what is displayed in this column depends on the current
setting for device icon labels for the network. Device icon labels are set in the Network Options
dialog for the network. To display the Network Options dialog, right-click the top-level icon
in the network hierarchy in Device Explorer or Device Connection View and select Options
from the context menu.
l Manufacturer – The manufacturer of the device.
l Device Type – The model of the device.
l Device Revision – The variation of the device type.
l Protocol – HART, FF (FOUNDATION fieldbus), PROFIBUS DPV1, PROFIBUS PA, or Conventional.
l Area – The location in the Plant Locations hierarchy. If the device is not assigned to the Plant
Locations hierarchy, either Spare (for a Spare device) or Retired (for a Retired device) is
shown.

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l Physical Location – The path to the device’s physical location, including the computer name,
system interface network, etc. This field will be blank for a conventional device.

To re-sort the list according to a particular column, click on that column heading.

To display the context menu for a device, right-click the device icon. To change the disposition of a
device, click the device icon and then press the Delete key.

You can change the display of the devices in the results pane by right-clicking the background of the
results pane and selecting one of the following options from the context menu:

l View – Lets you change the display of the devices. The selections are Large Icon, Small
Icon, List, and Detail.
l Arrange Icons – Lets you re-sort the list (same as clicking on the column headings). See the
descriptions above.

Related information
Tag Search window
Tag Search overview

Search for tags

Prerequisites

Device Read permission

Tag search is affected by a user's permissions. Users without read permissions will not be able to
see devices in Tag Search.

Procedure

1. Click on the toolbar, or select Tag Search from the View menu. The Tag Search window is
displayed.

2. In the Search Source field, select the source to be searched: the AMS Device Manager
database or a system interface network.

3. In the Search For and Value fields, specify the type of tag you are searching for, and all or
part of the tag name. In the Value field, you must enter a complete tag, or a partial tag
with ? or * wildcard characters.

4. Optional: If you want to limit the search to a particular manufacturer and device type, select
from the list of manufacturers, and then select from the list of device types. The Device Type
field is grayed out until you select a device manufacturer. The choices in the list are those
device types for a given manufacturer.
Manufacturer and device type criteria are enabled only for database searches.

5. Optional: To search for devices by their Critical Service setting, select from the list of
options. The possible choices are:
¡ All - Searches for all tags, regardless of the Critical Service field.
¡ Yes - Searches for tags with the test definition Critical Service field set to Yes.
¡ No - Searches for tags with the test definition Critical Service field set to No.

Critical Service criteria are enabled only for database searches.

6. Optional: To search for tags by device calibration criteria associated with the tag:

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¡ Check the Calibration Criteria check box.

¡ Specify whether you are searching for a device or test equipment.
¡ Specify whether you want to find devices by their Next Calibration or Last Calibration
date, or device calibrations between two specified dates. Select the calibration date(s)
by editing the date field directly or by clicking the down arrow next to it and selecting a
date from the calendar that is displayed. If you choose Between, two date fields are
displayed.

Calibration criteria are enabled only for database searches.

7. Click Search.
The results of the search are displayed in a list at the bottom of the window. You can change
the view of the results by right-clicking on the background of the results list and selecting the
desired display option from the context menu.

8. Optional: Add devices to a route by selecting the devices and then clicking the Add to
Route button. Select the desired route in the Add to Route dialog and click OK.
The Add to Route button is enabled only if your system is licensed for the Calibration
Assistant SNAP-ON application and is only enabled for database searches.

To print a list of the tags found, including the search criteria, select File → Print.

Related information
Tag Search overview

Database operations overview

Note:
All database utilities in the Database Utilities folder (with the exception of the SureService
registration) require database-specific permissions to operate. You can easily assign users who
manage the AMS Device Manager database to the group "Database Administration" to obtain
these permissions. See Related information for more details about permissions and User
Manager.

Some database operations are available on both the Server Plus Station and Client SC Stations, and
some are available only on the Server Plus Station.

General database operations

l Upload from Remote to Base
l Export
l Import

These operations are launched from the context menu of the AMS Device Manager icon in Device
Explorer or the Plant Database icon in Device Connection View.

Database operations on the Server Plus Station

l Database Backup
l Database Restore
l Database Verify/Repair
l Remove Device
l Tag Naming Utility

Because these operations (with the exception of Backup) require exclusive access to the database,

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you must close all connections to the database before running them. Applications that connect to
the database include AMS Device Manager applications, OPC clients, and applications using Web
Services. If AMS Device Manager is on a DeltaV network, DeltaV Explorer should also be closed on
all DeltaV stations.

The Backup, Restore, Verify/Repair, Remove Device, and Tag Naming Utility operations can only be
run on the Server Plus Station.

Some of these operations need to be performed routinely, others only occasionally. The table below
shows the recommended frequency for each type of operation.

Operation Recommended frequency

Backup Daily

Restore As needed

Verify/Repair As needed (recommended before upgrading AMS Device Manager from an earlier
version)

Remove Device As desired

Tag Naming As desired

Utility

Related information
Upload from Remote to Base operation overview
Remove Device utility
Security overview

Tag Naming Utility for HART devices

The Tag Naming Utility is an application that lets you rename the AMS tags for your assigned HART
devices to their corresponding HART tags, HART descriptors, or HART messages. If you select HART
tag and have HART revision 7 devices, the HART long tag, if present, is used for those devices.
Otherwise, the HART short tag is used.

Running the Tag Naming Utility requires Assign Plant Hierarchy Location permission. If you are
renaming unlocked SIS devices, you must have SIS Assign Plant Hierarchy Location permission.

Launching the Tag Naming Utility

Close AMS Device Manager before you open the Tag Naming Utility.

To launch the Tag Naming Utility,enter Tag Naming Utility on the Start screen and click Tag
Naming Utility.

Renaming AMS tags

The utility gives you the following options for renaming HART devices:

l Rename all HART devices in the database

l Rename only those HART devices whose AMS tag has the following date-time format:
xx/xx/xxxx xx:xx:xx.xx

where xx/xx/xxxx represents the month/day/year and xx:xx:xx.xx represents the time. This
format is used for the default AMS tag name, and represents the date and time the device was
registered with AMS Device Manager. The month and day must be valid numbers, or the tag
will not be renamed.

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l Rename only registered HART devices from a comma separated values (CSV) input file

Any errors that occur will be written to the TagRename.log file.

Verifying tag names

The utility verifies that each new tag name is unique and is not a duplicate. If it is a duplicate, the
utility appends an underscore and number to the HART tag, HART descriptor, or HART message (for
example, TT-111_1). Each duplicate will be logged in the log file. If the name length exceeds the
AMS tag maximum length, the original part of the new name (text before _X) is truncated.

The utility will not modify the AMS tag if the HART tag, HART descriptor, or HART message in the
device is blank or empty. If the HART tag, HART descriptor, or HART message is already the same
as the AMS tag for a device, the AMS tag will not be modified.

If the new tag already equals the AMS tag, the AMS tag will not be modified and there will not be an
Audit Trail event.

Renaming AMS tags for devices on a DeltaV network

To rename AMS tags on a DeltaV network, the rename and replace AMS tags/devices option must
be enabled from the Tools → Options menu. See the Related information section for more details.

Renaming AMS tags for devices in calibration routes

If you rename AMS tags using the Tag Naming Utility, the renamed AMS tags that were already in
calibration routes will be represented by "no device" icons in the routes, and will need to be re-
added to the routes with their new tags.

Note:
Because HART multiplexers, wireless gateways, and WirelessHART Adapters are devices, they
will also be renamed.

TagRename.log file
Errors encountered during the running of this utility are displayed on the screen and written to the
file TagRename.log, which is located in the \AMS\Log directory. Audit Trail events are generated for
tags that are renamed.

Related information
Rename AMS tags to the HART tag, descriptor, or message values
Prevent rename and replace of AMS tags on a DeltaV network

Create an ODBC data source

There are two scenarios for creating an ODBC data source. If you are importing data from another
AMS Device Manager database, use the "Import from Remote System operation" procedure. If you
are replacing your Server Plus Station, use the "Replace your Server Plus Station" procedure.

Prerequisites

You need Database Import Data permission to create an ODBC data source.

You also need System Settings Write permission to perform an import from remote system
operation.

Procedure

l Import from Remote System operation:

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1. Right-click the AMS Device Manager icon in Device Explorer View or the Plant Database
icon in Device Connection View and select Import → From Remote.
2. On the Import from Remote System dialog, click Add.
3. On the Create a New Data Source dialog, select System Data Source, and click Next.
4. From the list of drivers, select the SQL Server driver (SQLSRV32.dll) from Microsoft,
and click Next.
5. Click Finish.
6. Continue with common step 1.

l Import from Remote System operation on a 64-bit operating system:

1. Select Start → Run and enter C:\Windows\SysWOW64\odbcad32.exe to access ODBC
to configure the required data source for importing and exporting using an ODBC data
source.
2. Select the System DSN tab, and click Add.
3. From the list of drivers, select the SQL Server driver (SQLSRV32.dll) from Microsoft,
and click Finish.
4. Continue with common step 1.

l Replace your Server Plus Station operation:

In addition to this procedure, see the Installation Guide for additional information about
replacing a Server Plus Station.

Note:
You must complete this procedure for each Client SC Station.

1. Open the Administrative Tools folder in the Control Panel and select Data Sources
(ODBC).
2. Select the System DSN tab, and click Add.
3. From the list of drivers, select the SQL Server driver (SQLSRV32.dll) from Microsoft,
and click Finish.
4. Continue with common step 1.

l Common steps
Now you will step through a series of wizard windows to ensure you connect correctly to the
AMS Device Manager SQL Server. You must do this once for each database that contains data
you want to import. Subsequent imports can be done by selecting the data source from the
drop-down list.

1. Fill in the Name and Description fields. In the Name field, enter FMS. In the Description
field, enter AMS database. In subsequent connections to this database, you will select
this name from a drop-down list.

2. The Server list identifies all PCs with SQL databases on the domain. Choose the one
that has the data you want to import. It will be listed in the format <computer
name\Emerson2014>. Click Next.

3. Select the SQL Server authentication option button, and in the Login ID field, type
AMSDbViewer. In the password field, type 09DbViewer09. If this password has
changed due to network requirements, see your system administrator for the correct
password. Click Next.

4. Accept the default settings on this page, and click Next.

5. Accept the default settings on this page, and click Finish. Verify that your settings are
correct in the text box presented, and click the Test Data Source button to make a

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test connection. Click OK.

6. Click OK.

7. Select the newly added ODBC data source from the drop-down list.
If you are performing the Import from Remote System operation, continue with the
import from remote system procedure.

Related information
Import from remote

Rename AMS tags to the HART tag, descriptor, or message values

Prerequisites

Assign Plant Hierarchy Location permission OR SIS Assign Plant Hierarchy Location permission

Note:
To rename AMS tags on a DeltaV network, the rename and replace AMS tags/devices option
must be enabled. See the Related information section for more details.

Procedure

1. Close AMS Device Manager if it is running.

2. Enter Tag Naming Utility on the Start screen and click Tag Naming Utility.
3. Select whether you want to rename all registered HART devices or only those with the
date/time format.
4. Select OK.
5. Select whether you want to rename the current AMS Tags with the HART Tag, HART
Descriptor, or HART Message. If you select HART Tag and have HART revision 7 devices, the
HART long tag, if present, is used for those devices. Otherwise, the HART short tag is used.
6. Select OK.
7. Read the note telling you what part of the AMS tags is about to be renamed and select Yes
to proceed.
8. Note the name and location of the log file, and click OK.
9. Open the log file to review the generated messages.

Related information
Tag Naming Utility for HART devices
Prevent rename and replace of AMS tags on a DeltaV network

Restore operation overview

The Restore operation restores the database from a backup file. The default folder for the Restore
operation is where the last backup file was saved. This must be a local drive.

All connections to the database must be closed on all stations before you can perform a Restore
operation. Applications that connect to the database include AMS Device Manager applications,
SNAP-ON applications, and those using Web Services. If AMS Device Manager is on a DeltaV
network, DeltaV Explorer should also be closed on all DeltaV stations before performing this
operation.

Important:
Back up your database before doing a Restore.

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In the Restore Database dialog, select the file that you want to restore and click the Restore
button. When the Restore operation is complete, click OK to confirm the operation.

If you change the passwords for any SQL Server logins used by AMS Device Manager, and then
perform a Restore operation, AMS Device Manager will reset them to their as-shipped defaults. You
must use the AmsDbLogin utility to reset the passwords so they match on all the stations in the
distributed system.

This can be done by either changing the passwords on the Server Plus Station back to the
passwords used prior to the Restore operation, or by creating new passwords for all stations in the
distributed system. The AmsDbLogin utility is installed in the bin folder of AMS Device Manager. See
the document provided on DVD2 in the Tech Support Utilities/ChangeAMSDbLogin folder for more
information.

Important:
After a Restore operation, perform a Rebuild Hierarchy and Scan New Devices operation at the top
level of the hierarchy of all system interface networks.

Related information
Restore the database from backup

Restore dialog

From the Restore dialog, you can restore your AMS Device Manager system from a backup file. The
AMS Device Manager system should be backed up on a regular basis to protect against catastrophic
failure, such as a disk crash or data corruption. The backup can be written to the local hard disk and
then immediately copied to a network or offline location.

The Restore dialog lets you specify a filename and folder for the AMS Device Manager backup file to
be restored.

If AMS Device Manager backup file is selected in the Files of Type field, only AMS Device Manager
backup files are listed in the directories you select. To see other files, select All Files in the Files of
Type field.

Related information
Restore the database from backup
Restore operation overview

Restore the database from backup

Prerequisites

Database Restore permission

Procedure

1. Close all applications that connect to the database on all stations. This includes AMS Device
Manager applications, SNAP-ON applications, and those using Web Services. If AMS Device
Manager is on a DeltaV network, DeltaV Explorer should also be closed on all DeltaV stations
before performing this operation. (It is not necessary to log out of Windows or turn off the
PCs.)

2. If the AMS Device Manager Server icon in the system tray does not have a slash through
it , right-click the icon and select Stop AMS Device Manager Server from the context
menu.

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3. Make a back up of your existing database.

Note:
If performing a database restore on a PC with User Account Control enabled, do so with a
username included in the AmsDeviceManager Windows group to avoid multiple error
messages.

4. Enter Database Restore on the Start screen and click Database Restore.
If you receive a message stating that you cannot perform the operation because one or more
database connections have been found, run the Terminate Servers operation on all AMS
Device Manager stations (enter Terminate Servers on the Start screen and click Terminate
Servers).

5. Click OK to continue.

6. In the Restore Database dialog, type or select the name of the backup file to restore from.
Click Open. The backup file must exist on the local drive.

7. Click OK.

8. After you perform the Restore, you must rebuild the Hierarchy and perform a Scan New on
all physical networks in the distributed system.

Note:
If you are restoring a database created on a different PC, and you want to retain the Device
Monitor List and Alert Monitor alerts, before restoring the database ensure that the names of
the PC and the system interfaces configured on the new station are the same as the original
station.

Related information
Back up the database
Restore operation overview

Backup operation overview

The Backup operation backs up the database to a single backup file (two backup files will be created
if you are using service notes.) The purpose of the operation is to store and recover AMS Device
Manager data in case of a catastrophic failure such as a disk crash or data corruption.

Daily backups of your database recommended

It is very important that the database be backed up on a regular basis - once a day is suggested. It
is well worth the effort to back up once per day should the database be corrupted or accidentally
deleted.

Where to write the backup file

The backup files can be written to the local hard disk and then immediately copied to a network or
offline location.

Backing up the database when Windows is restarted

You can add the DB Backup icon to your Windows Startup folder, so any time Windows is restarted,
the database back up is started. The back up does not automatically run; a file name and a location
for the back-up file must be specified before each back up begins. See the Windows help procedure
"To start a program each time you start Windows" for details.

Backups and DeltaV

If you are using DeltaV, you can also back up your AMS Device Manager database using DeltaV

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Backup and Recovery (based on Acronis Backup Advanced). See the "Introduction to DeltaV Backup
and Recovery" on the DeltaV Backup and Recovery media for more details.
Backup Database dialog

From the Backup Database dialog, you can back up all your AMS Device Manager data to a single
backup file. The AMS Device Manager system should be backed up on a regular basis to protect
against catastrophic failure, such as a disk crash or data corruption. The backup file can be written
to the local hard disk and then immediately copied to a network or offline location.

The backup dialog is a common Save As dialog, where you select or specify the filename and folder
for the backup file:

l The default folder is the last folder that was used for this operation, or the folder \AMS\Bin.
l The default file name is based on the current date, or you can type in a different file name in
the edit control. If the file already exists, you are asked to confirm the selection.
l If AMS Device Manager Backup File is selected in the Files of Type field, only AMS Device
Manager backup files are listed in the directories you select. To see other files, select All Files
in the Files of Type field.

Related information
Back up the database
Backup operation overview

Back up the database

Procedure

1. Enter Database Backup on the Start screen and click Database Backup.
2. In the Backup Database dialog, enter or select the name of the backup file. You must back
up the database to a local drive.
3. Click Save.

Note:
The back up will not save drawings or notes, from the Drawings/Notes feature, if they are open
when the back up begins.

Related information
Backup operation overview

Verify/Repair operation overview

The Verify/Repair operation is used primarily to diagnose database problems, most often with the
assistance of AMS Device Manager technical support personnel.

All connections to the database must be closed on all stations before you can perform a
Verify/Repair operation. Applications that connect to the database include AMS Device Manager
applications, SNAP-ON applications, and those using Web Services. If AMS Device Manager is on a
DeltaV network, DeltaV Explorer should also be closed on all DeltaV stations before performing the
Verify/Repair operation.

What the Verify/Repair Operation does

The Verify/Repair operation performs semantic checks on the database. If errors are found,
additional dialogs are displayed that let you specify how you want AMS Device Manager to handle
them.

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You can perform a standard database verification that checks the entire database for four main
problem types in the database: duplicate records, missing records, corrupted records, and duplicate
tag assignments. Or, you can customize how you want a particular verify/repair operation to occur.
For example, you can set which part of the database you want to verify, choose which repair options
to perform, and select the action to be performed for each repair option.

For very large databases, the Verify/Repair operation can take hours to complete.

At the completion of the Verify/Repair operation, any errors are displayed in the Progress window.
The database can be damaged or corrupted from any number of possible causes, according to the
database internal structure "business rules", but not all errors will be fixed.

While the Verify/Repair operation fixes many errors, it cannot fix all database errors. Therefore it is
very important that you back up the database on a regular basis—once per day is recommended.

Note:
Verify/Repair may need to be run multiple times. Verify/Repair should be run until there are 0
records recreated, 0 records repaired, 0 records discarded.

When to verify/repair your database

Consider using the Verify/Repair operation on your database if your AMS Device Manager system
experiences any of the following symptoms:

l Peculiar error messages

l Application locks or hangs up
l Missing data (event or parameter)
l Field devices without names, or names without field devices
l Unusual errors during database maintenance operations
l Lost disk sectors
l PC runs out of disk space
l Power outages
l Workstation reset (Ctrl+Alt+Delete) with database running
l A software discrepancy in the application
Verify/Repair dialog

You can diagnose database problems from this dialog. You will generally use Verify/Repair with the
assistance of AMS Device Manager technical support staff.

The Verify/Repair dialog has a simple and expanded set of options.

If you want the system to perform a standard database verification, click OK when the simple set of
options is displayed.

To narrow down the range of the verify operation and customize repair options and actions, click the
Options button. The expanded options are:

Verify what?
Lets you select the parts of the database to be verified.

Repair options
Lets you select four types of database problems for which to select a repair action: duplicate

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records, missing records, corrupted records, and duplicate tag assignments. The repair action
options differ depending on the type of problem selected.

Action
Lets you select an action to be performed for the type of problem selected under Repair options. For
example, to specify that a warning be issued when the system encounters duplicate records, select
Duplicate records under Repair options and then select Warn under Action.

Prompt before repairing

Select if you want AMS Device Manager to warn you before initiating a database repair operation.

Related information
Verify/Repair operation overview
Verify/Repair the database

Verify/Repair the database

Prerequisites

Database Verify Repair permission

Procedure

1. Close all applications that connect to the database on all stations. This includes AMS Device
Manager applications, SNAP-ON applications, and those using Web Services. If AMS Device
Manager is on a DeltaV network, DeltaV Explorer should also be closed on all DeltaV stations
before performing this operation. (It is not necessary to log out of Windows or turn off the
PCs.)

2. If the AMS Device Manager Server icon in the system tray does not have a slash through
it , right-click the icon and select Stop AMS Device Manager Server from the context
menu.

3. Enter Database Verify Repair on the Start screen and click Database Verify Repair.
If you receive a message stating that you cannot perform the operation because one or more
database connections have been found, run the Terminate Servers operation on all AMS
Device Manager stations (enter Terminate Servers on the Start screen and click Terminate
Servers).

4. To see the options that you can change, click Options to expand the Verify/Repair dialog.

5. In Verify what?, check the parts of the database you want to be verified/repaired. All the
items are selected by default.

6. Select repair actions to be performed for each type of problem: duplicate records, missing
records, corrupted records, and duplicate tag assignments.
To do this, select a type of problem in the Show options for handling drop-down list, and
then select an option in the Action group box.

For example, to specify that a warning be issued when the system encounters duplicate
records, select Duplicate records in the Show options for handling drop-down list, and
select Warn in the Action group box.

7. Select the Prompt before repairing check box to have the system warn you before a repair
operation is initiated.

8. Click OK to start the Verify/Repair operation.

At the completion of the Verify/Repair operation, the Progress window indicates any errors

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found; how many records were verified; how many records were re-created, repaired, and
deleted; and any other applicable messages

Note:
Verify/Repair may need to be run multiple times. Verify/Repair should be run until there are 0
records recreated, 0 records repaired, 0 records discarded. If you are unable to perform a
Verify/Repair operation, contact AMS Device Manager Technical Support.

Related information
Verify/Repair operation overview

Progress dialog

The Progress dialog shows the progress of a database operation. It stays on the screen until you
close it or exit AMS Device Manager. It cannot be closed while a database operation is in progress,
but it can be resized, moved, or minimized.

The Progress dialog contains a read-only text area where short status messages are displayed as
the operation progresses, a progress bar showing the duration of the operation, and an area that
contains information, warning, and error messages posted from the current or last operation. You
can copy and print the messages displayed in this area (see below).

If you click Cancel when the operation is in progress, the operation aborts. The operation cannot be
restarted from the Progress window. Import operations cannot be cancelled.

The Cancel button turns into a Close button when the operation is complete.

Clicking the right mouse button anywhere in the Progress window displays a context menu. The
selections on this context menu include:

Save As
Saves the messages in the message area to a text file.

Print
Prints the messages in the message area to a connected printer.

Clear
Removes all messages from the message area.

Copy
Copies the selected messages to the clipboard.

Select All
Selects all messages in the message area.

Properties
Displays the Progress Properties dialog.

Related information
Verify/Repair operation overview
Verify/Repair the database

Importing data overview

Importing data is a method of bringing information into the database from an outside source and

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merging it with existing data in the database, while maintaining data integrity, consistency, and
resolving conflicts.

Moving information from the source to the main database typically involves:

l Extracting the information from the source.

l Merging the extracted information into the main database.

There are several options for importing data into the database. Right-click the AMS Device Manager
icon in Device Explorer or the Plant Database icon in Device Connections View and select Import to
access these options.

You must have Import Data permissions in User Manager.

Importing data from an AMS Device Manager merge file

Importing from a merge file is the reverse of the AMS Device Manager Export operation: data is
copied from a source file (on another AMS Device Manager system) into the existing (active)
database. The imported data is either the whole database, data selected when using the AMS
Device Manager Export function to create the file, or data indicated in the dialog for the AMS Device
Manager Import operation.

If you move and identify a PROFIBUS DPV1 or PROFIBUS PA device between two or more AMS
Device Manager systems, make sure you use the same unique identifier for the PROFIBUS DPV1 or
PROFIBUS PA device. If you use two unique identifiers and do an AMS Device Manager
Import/Export operation, AMS Device Manager displays the device as two different devices.

Note:
You cannot import an export (merge) file from a previous version of AMS Device Manager.

Importing data from a remote AMS Device Manager system

You can import directly from a database on a remote AMS Device Manager system. You must set up
an ODBC connection.

Importing from ValveLink Solo application

You can import device data from the ValveLink Solo application into the AMS Device Manager
database.

Importing from non-AMS Device Manager systems

You can import device data from non-AMS Device Manager systems into the database.

How imported data is recorded in the database

When data is imported from another data source, and the data for a field device in the configuration
has changed from what is currently in the database, the existing data is recorded as historical data.
The current data appears as the active data.

Any duplicate SNAP-ON application and test results data items that are detected during the import
operation are rejected.

Any AMS Device Manager usernames merged into the existing database are disabled. Use the User
Manager utility to enable these usernames.

Backing up the database

It is recommended that you back up the database before importing data. An import operation
cannot be cancelled. In the event of an import error, the backup file provides a version of the

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database you can restore.

Related information
Importing and exporting data to and from ValveLink Solo
Backup operation overview

AMS Device Manager Import operation overview

The AMS Device Manager Import operation is used to move data from one AMS Device Manager
system to another when there is not a convenient or direct connection between the two systems.

l On one AMS Device Manager system, the data is exported to a merge file using the AMS
Device Manager Export operation.
l On the other AMS Device Manager system, the merge file is imported using the AMS Device
Manager Import operation.

Note:
You cannot import an export (merge) file from a previous version of AMS Device Manager.

Related information
Export data to another AMS Device Manager system
Import a merge file into the main database

Importing data from a remote AMS Device Manager system overview

There are several ways to import data from a remote AMS Device Manager system:

l If a direct connection between the remote and base AMS Device Manager system exists, use
the Import from remote operation.

The Import from Remote System operation is used to directly import data from another AMS Device
Manager database. This operation is intended for advanced users.

An example of where this procedure applies is a laptop PC with AMS Device Manager: 1) An
engineer installs and configures devices in the field, 2) The contents of the database on the laptop
PC, or remote AMS Device Manager system, are then merged into the database on the base AMS
Device Manager system. This procedure could also be used when transferring data between any two
AMS Device Manager databases of the same version.

Before import from a remote can occur:

l You must set up an ODBC data source the first time you connect to that PC.
l The source computer disk must be mapped to the destination computer as a drive letter.
l Both workstations must be networked together in some way, such as through an Ethernet
connection.
l The user importing the data must have Database Import Data permission in User Manager.

If no direct connection exists between the remote and base AMS Device Manager systems, export
the data from the remote system to a merge file, then use the AMS Device Manager Import
operation to merge the data into the base AMS Device Manager system.

If you want to import all database information from a particular date and time and do not want to
choose which information you want to import, use the Upload from Remote operation

The same rules apply for database logins between the remote AMS Device Manager system and the

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base AMS Device Manager system as apply in a distributed system; that is, the login information
must match between the two systems.

Note:
You cannot import an export file from a previous version of AMS Device Manager.

Related information
Create an ODBC data source
Import from remote
AMS Device Manager Import operation overview
Upload from Remote to Base operation overview

Import From File dialog

From the Import From File dialog, you can import information from an AMS Device Manager export
file. The Import From File dialog lets you look up a file and path for the file to be imported.

When you select a file from a folder, it is automatically displayed in the File Name field, and you can
start importing the file by clicking Open.

Note:
You cannot import an export file from a previous version of AMS Device Manager.

Related information
AMS Device Manager Import operation overview

Import From Remote System dialog

From the Import From Remote System dialog, you can import data directly from a remote database.

Import from ODBC data source

Specify an ODBC data source from which to import files. You can access ODBC and SQL setup
functions by clicking Add.

Import what
Select the items you want to import. Click Select next to an item to narrow down the selection.

Include data
Specify inclusive dates and times for the data to be included.

When importing selected portions of a device in the database, it is important to follow two rules:

1. If this is the first time the device is to be imported to another database, you must set the
date/time to include the entire 'life' of the device, including its creation date (that is, the date
and time that the device was registered in the database).
2. If you are creating an import file to UPDATE a device in another database, the start
date/time of the export file MUST be set to include all data back to the last Import from
Remote System operation for that device.

Failure to follow these rules could cause configuration data to be missing from the imported device.

Note:
You cannot import data from a previous version of AMS Device Manager.

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Related information
Importing data from a remote AMS Device Manager system overview

Import a merge file into the main database

Prerequisites

Database Import Data permission

Procedure

1. Back up the database (in case an error occurs during the import operation).
2. Right-click the AMS Device Manager icon in Device Explorer or the Plant Database icon in
Device Connection View and select Import → From AMS Device Manager Import File.
3. Enter or navigate to the merge file.
4. Click Open.
5. Click Yes to start the import operation.

Note:
l You cannot import a merge file from a previous version of AMS Device Manager.
l Test Schemes that already exist in the target database are not imported.

Related information
Importing data overview

Import from remote

Prerequisites

Database Import Data permission

Use Import → From Remote when you want to copy specific data from a remote (roving) system
to the base system. When you want to upload all database files as of a particular date and time, use
the Upload from Remote to Base operation.

Procedure

1. Right-click the AMS Device Manager icon in Device Explorer or the Plant Database icon in
Device Connection View and select Import → From Remote.

2. From the Import from ODBC data source drop-down list, select the name of the data source
for the remote database. If the data source that you want is not in the list, click the Add
button to create a new data source.

3. Use the checkboxes to select the types of objects and events to be imported.

Note:
Test Schemes that already exist in the target database are not imported.

4. To select only certain objects for any of the checked items:

Click the Select button next to the checkbox. The Select Devices dialog is displayed.

In the Select Devices dialog, check the objects in the remote database you want to import.

Click OK.

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5. Select a range of dates and times from which data should be imported.
Prior to importing, you must follow two rules when exporting selected portions of a device in
the database:

¡ If this is the first time the device is to be imported to another database, you must set
the date/time to include the entire "life" of the device, including its creation date (that
is, the date and time that the device was first registered in the database).
¡ If you are creating an import file to UPDATE a device in another database, the start
date/time of the export file MUST be set to include all data back to the last export of
that device.

Failure to follow these rules could cause configuration data to be missing from the imported
device.

6. Click OK to start the import. On the confirmation message screen, click Yes.

Note:
You cannot import from a previous version of AMS Device Manager.

Related information
Create an ODBC data source
Importing data from a remote AMS Device Manager system overview

Generic Import operation overview

The Generic Import operation lets you move device configuration data into AMS Device Manager
from a non-AMS Device Manager system. You can import configuration data for Future devices,
conventional devices, and HART devices, for a specific date/time.

Importing data from a non-AMS Device Manager system involves:

l Creating generic import template and enumerations files for the device type/revision.
l Populating the generic import template file with the device data from the non-AMS Device
Manager system.
l Importing the data from the generic import file into AMS Device Manager.
This process must be performed for each device type/revision.

Related information
Create Import Template Wizard

Generic Import file: structure and rules

The Generic Import template file is a tab-delimited file containing the required information for a
particular HART device type. You can also import Conventional and Future devices. You use a
spreadsheet editor (such as Microsoft Excel) to modify the Generic Import Template file and add the
data needed. After you modify the Generic Import Template file, save it as a tab-delimited text file
(.TXT), which is then used by the Import from Generic Import File operation.

Required Structure
To be compatible with AMS Device Manager, your Generic Import file must conform to the required
structure. Rows 1 through 7 contain fixed data, which should not be changed. The information in
the Generic Import file is structured as follows:

Row 1 - Device Type labels used as a column heading for row 2

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Row 2 - Device Type identifier information related to row 1

Row 3 - Indicators of required parameters

Row 4 - Parameter names used as column headings for rows after row 7

Row 5 - Parameter long names used for reference only

Row 6 - Parameter types used for reference only

Row 7 - Parameter long name abbreviations used for reference only

Rows 8 through end - The data to be imported. Obtain this information from the device
manufacturer or from your plant records.

Generic Import File Rules

Device S/N
The device serial number is required for all Assigned, Spare, and Retired devices.

For HART Rev. 5 and higher devices, this must be the Device ID. This parameter is numeric-only
and limited to 8 characters; the number cannot be larger than 16777215.

For HART Rev. 3 and 4 devices, this must be the final assembly number. This parameter is numeric-
only and limited to 8 characters; the number cannot be larger than 16777215.

For conventional devices, this must be the device serial number. This number is alphanumeric and
limited to 32 characters.

AMS Tag
Required for all devices. For each device, the AMS tag must follow the AMS tag naming rules. For a
given date-time, an AMS tag can be associated with only one device ID.

Status
Required for all devices. Choose from Assigned, Future, Spare, or Decommissioned/Retired.
The definition determines where the device will appear in the Device List.

Event Date-Time
Required for all devices except Future devices. Each date-time must be unique (no two events can
occur at the same time). The date and time must be entered in the form: mm/dd/yyyy hh:mm:ss.
If you use Microsoft Excel to modify the device template, verify the date-time format by right-
clicking the worksheet cell and selecting Format Cells from the context menu. Change the date-
time format as required.

Last Calibrate Date-Time

Required for all new devices except Future devices. The date-time (mm/dd/yyyy hh:mm:ss) that
the device was last calibrated. If you use Microsoft Excel to modify the device template, verify the
date-time format by right-clicking the worksheet cell and selecting Format Cells from the context
menu. Change the date-time format as required.

Next Calibration Date-Time

Required for all new devices except Future devices. The Next Calibration Date-Time must be later
than the Last Calibration Date-Time. The date-time (mm/dd/yyyy hh:mm:ss) that the device is due
for the next calibration. If you use Microsoft Excel to modify the device template, verify the date-
time format by right-clicking the worksheet cell and selecting Format Cells from the context menu.

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Change the date-time format as required.

Last Calibration Status

Required for all new devices except Future devices. Valid values are "Passed" or "Failed".

Plant Area Path

Required for new Assigned and Future devices. The location of the device in the Plant Locations
hierarchy.

Data Integrity Protection

To protect the integrity of your database, the Generic Import operation examines the data in the
Generic Import file before it changes the database. The goal is to avoid importing data that could
result in duplicate, overwritten, invalid, or incomplete database records.

The content of each record in the Generic Import file is compared with the database. A record will
be rejected if, for a given date-time:

l A different device ID exists in the database with a matching AMS tag. (The device ID in the
import file does not match a device ID in the database, and for the same date-time, the AMS
tag in the import file matches an AMS tag in the database.)
l A matching device ID exists in the database with a different AMS tag. (The device ID in the
import file matches a device ID in the database, and the AMS tag in the import file does not
match the expected AMS tag in the database based on the date/time of the import
configuration.)

Note:
AMS Device Manager associates an AMS tag with a device ID for a particular time period.

l A matching historical configuration exists in the database. (The device ID in the import file
matches a device ID in the database, and the date-time of a historical configuration in the
import file matches a date-time of an existing historical configuration for the device ID in the
database.)

If a record is rejected, the entire Generic Import file will be rejected. A Generic Import file will also
be rejected if:

l The configuration in the import file does not contain all required parameters.
l A value of a parameter in the import file is invalid. The following characters are not allowed in
the AMS Device Manager database: ? ' " \ * ! |

Related information
Generic Import operation overview
Create Generic Import template and enumerations files for a device type/revision
Populate Generic Import template with data
Import from Generic Import file
Generic Import Template file example
Create Import Template Wizard

Generic Import Template file example

This example shows a Generic Import Template file as it appears when opened with Microsoft Excel.
This example represents a Generic Import Template file for a Rosemount 1151 Rev. 1 device.

Each device has unique parameter and configuration information, which is included in its
corresponding template file. All information in rows 1 through 7 is for reference to help you enter

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your device information beginning at row 8.

Note:
Do not change the information in rows 1 through 7.

Rows 1 and 2
These rows show device type information. Row 1 contains the column headings for the information
in row 2. Do not change this information.

Rows 3 and 4
The following is a partial view of the information that is present. Row 3 shows the condition for
required parameters. Row 4 contains the column headings for all rows after row 7. Do not change
this information.

Rows 5 through 7
The following is a partial view of the information that is present. Row 5 contains parameter identifier
values that are used by AMS Device Manager. Do not change this information.

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Row 6 shows the type of data that is expected for the associated parameter (identified in row 4).
For row 6 columns where "Enumerated" appears, obtain the desired number for the associated
parameter from the enumeration file that was created with the Generic Import template file. Enter
the number obtained from the enumeration file in the corresponding column in a row after row 7.

Row 7 shows the parameter abbreviations. All information in rows 5 through 7 is for reference only.

Entering Your Data

Enter your device information into the spreadsheet beginning at row 8. The following example is a
partial view of the information. When creating your Generic Import file, be sure to follow the rules
for the Generic Import file.

The information you enter in a particular column must correspond with the column headings shown
in row 4 and to the type of information shown in row 6.

In columns where the word "Enumerated" appears in row 6, obtain the number corresponding to the
value of the parameter from the Enumeration file. After you have entered your device information,
be sure to save the file as a tab-delimited text file.

Note:
The following characters are not allowed in the AMS Device Manager database, and will be

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rejected if they are imported from the Generic Import file. ? ' " \ * ! |

Related information
Generic Import operation overview
Create Generic Import template and enumerations files for a device type/revision
Populate Generic Import template with data
Import from Generic Import file
Generic Import file: structure and rules
Create Import Template Wizard

Generic Import Operation dialog

This dialog lets you import a file that contains data from a non-AMS Device Manager system that
has been converted to match the format required by AMS Device Manager.

Enter or browse for the path and name of the file you want to import, and then click Import. The
Progress window is displayed while the file is being imported.

Related information
Generic Import operation overview

Create Generic Import template and enumerations files for a device

type/revision

Procedure

1. Right-click the AMS Device Manager icon in Device Explorer or the Plant Database icon in
Device Connection View and select Import → Create Generic Import Template.
2. Click Next on the first page of the wizard.
3. Select the device types/revisions for which you want to create a template. Press and hold the
CTRL or SHIFT keys to make multiple selections.
4. Specify the path of the template file and enumerations file (the default location is C:\AMS).
You can change the template file names for the first device selected (the file extensions must
be .TXT). The file names for the remaining selected devices will be generated automatically,
using the defaults.
5. Click Finish.

Related information
Generic Import operation overview
Populate Generic Import template with data
Import from Generic Import file
Generic Import file: structure and rules
Generic Import Template file example
Create Import Template Wizard

Import from Generic Import file

Prerequisites

Database Import Data permission

Procedure

1. Right-click the AMS Device Manager icon in Device Explorer or the Plant Database icon in
Device Connection View and select Import → From Generic Import File.

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2. Click Yes to confirm.

3. Click Browse to locate the template file that contains the data from the non-AMS Device
Manager system.
4. Click Import.
5. Click OK.
6. Click Close.
7. In AMS Device Manager Device Explorer or Device Connection View, select View → Refresh
from the menu or press F5.

Related information
Generic Import operation overview
Create Generic Import template and enumerations files for a device type/revision
Populate Generic Import template with data
Generic Import file: structure and rules
Generic Import Template file example
Create Import Template Wizard

Populate Generic Import template with data

Procedure

1. If the device data is coming from a non-AMS Device Manager system, follow the instructions
provided by that system to save or export the data.
2. Open the device template and enumerations files for the device type/revision using an
application such as Microsoft Excel.
3. Populate the device template file with data from the non-AMS Device Manager system data
file and from the enumerations file as required. Some parameters are required and are
labeled as such. If a required piece of data is not exportable from or available in the non-
AMS Device Manager system, you must create it manually.
4. Save the template file as a .TXT file.

Related information
Generic Import operation overview
Create Generic Import template and enumerations files for a device type/revision
Import from Generic Import file
Generic Import file: structure and rules
Generic Import Template file example
Create Import Template Wizard

Exporting data overview

You can export AMS Device Manager data to another application or system using these export
operations:

AMS Device Manager Export operation

The AMS Device Manager Export operation copies data from a database to an AMS Device Manager
merge file, for the purpose of transferring data to another AMS Device Manager system.

Note:
If you export an AMS Device Manager database to another Server Plus (for example, a Roving
station) with the intention of later importing it back to the original location, avoid changing any
AMS tag names. When the database is imported, the original tag name will be changed to the
imported tag name which can create confusion.

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Generic Export operation

The Generic Export operation copies data from the database to a generic XML-formatted file, for the
purpose of importing the data to another application.

Upload from Remote to Base operation

The Upload from Remote to Base operation exports the data from a Roving (remote) station to a
Stationary (base) station.

Related information
Upload from Remote to Base operation overview

Upload from Remote to Base operation overview

The Upload from Remote to Base operation exports the data from a Roving (remote) station to a
Stationary (base) station. It is essentially the same as doing an Export → To AMS Device
Manager Export File on the Roving station, followed by an Import → From AMS Device
Manager Import File on the Stationary station. The difference between this operation and the
respective AMS Device Manager Export and AMS Device Manager Import operations is that the
Upload operation uses a wizard and some fixed settings to make the data exchange easier to
perform.

The export file can be transferred from the Roving station to the Stationary station either by
network transfer or by storage media.

For this operation, the source workstation should have Options for AMS Device Manager set to
Roving and the base station should have Options for AMS Device Manager set to Stationary.
Uploading data from remote to base

Use the Upload from Remote to Base operation when you want to upload AMS Device Manager data
from a particular date and time on a remote system to the base system. When you want to copy
specific files or kinds of files from a remote to the base system, use the AMS Device Manager Export
operation on the remote system and then the AMS Device Manager Import operation on the base
system.

Uploading AMS Device Manager data from a remote system to the base system is a two-stage
process:

Procedure

1. On the remote system, create a merge (export) file.

2. On the base system, import the merge file.

Related information
Upload data - creating an export file
Upload data - uploading a merge file
Upload from Remote to Base operation overview

Upload data from remote to base

Prerequisites

Database Import Data permission

Procedure

l On the remote station:

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1. Select Tools → Options, and verify that the Station Type is set to Roving.
2. Right-click the AMS Device Manager icon in Device Explorer or the Plant Database icon
in Device Connection View and select Upload from Remote to Base.
3. Select the range of date/time values from which data you want to upload data, and click
Next.
4. Enter or browse for the name of the export file to be created, and click Next.
5. Click Finish.
6. Move the export file if necessary so that the base AMS Device Manager system can
access it.
l On the base station:
1. Select Tools → Options, and verify that the Station Type is set to Stationary.
2. Right-click the AMS Device Manager icon in Device Explorer or the Plant Database icon
in Device Connection View and select Upload from Remote to Base.
3. Enter or browse for the name of the export file to be created, and click OK.

Related information
Upload from Remote to Base operation overview

Upload data - creating an export file

Prerequisites

Database Import Data permission

This is the first stage of the procedure for uploading AMS Device Manager data from a Roving
(remote) station to a Stationary (base) station.

Procedure

1. On the remote station, right-click the AMS Device Manager icon in Device Explorer or the
Plant Database icon in Device Connection View and select Upload from Remote to Base.
An Upload wizard takes you through the upload file specification process.
2. On the first Upload wizard page, select the date/time range for the data you want to upload.
Click Next to continue.
3. On the second Upload wizard page, enter or browse to the merge file. Click Next to continue.
4. On the third Upload wizard page, click Finish to begin the upload operation.
5. If necessary, move or copy the file to a location from which it can be uploaded to the base
station.
The merge file can now be uploaded by using the Upload from Remote to Base operation on the
base station.

Related information
Upload data - uploading a merge file

Upload data - uploading a merge file

Prerequisites

Database Import Data permission

This is the second stage of the procedure for uploading AMS Device Manager data from a remote
(Roving) system to a base (Stationary) system.

Note:

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Before you can import the merge file, you must transport it to a location from which it can be
accessed from the base system. (Use a CD, network directory, etc.)

Procedure

1. On the base system, right-click the AMS Device Manager icon in Device Explorer or the Plant
Database icon in Device Connection View and select Upload from Remote to Base. An
Upload dialog is displayed, prompting you to enter the name of the export file that you
created using the Uploading data: creating an export file procedure.

2. Enter the file name of the export file that you want to upload. You can also click Browse to
search for a folder or file.

3. Click OK.
The file is imported into the base system.

Related information
Upload from Remote to Base operation overview

Generic Export operation overview

The Generic Export operation exports data from the database to an XML-formatted file. You can
then import the data into another application such as Microsoft Access or a Web browser. (Use an
application that supports XML, such as Microsoft Office XP to get the most user-friendly data.) Once
the AMS Device Manager data is exported to another application, you can develop your own reports,
transfer data to other programs, compare data in another database, or perform analysis on
calibration data.

You can select the types of data to export, including:

l Parameters/configurations that are common to all device types (HART and conventional
devices only)
l Parameters/configurations that are specific to each device type
l Event list from the Audit Trail (event details are optional)
l Calibration test results (for devices assigned to field device and flow verification devices)
l Device List

You can select the devices for which you want to export data. For device parameters, events, and
calibration test results, you can choose to export the data by AMS tag or by physical device.

You can choose whether you want to export data for live devices and the most recent results for
other items, or whether you want to export data for a specific date range. Exporting live data for
PROFIBUS DPV1 and PROFIBUS PA devices is not supported. Although AMS Device Manager displays
the local time and date, the database stores the corresponding GMT date and time. When you
create a generic export file, all dates and times in the export files will be in GMT.

You must be licensed for Audit Trail to use Generic Export.

Note:
The Generic Export operation can export the entire AMS Device Manager database, but this is
very time-consuming. The database Backup operation should be used when you need a copy of
the database.

Export to an XML-formatted file

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Prerequisites

You can create a Generic Export file without any AMS Device Manager permissions. However, for the
appropriate data to appear in your file, you need the following permissions:

Device Read permission OR SIS Device Read permission

In addition, to see Calibration data, you need:

Calibration Test Results Read permission OR SIS Calibration Test Results Read permission

Note:
The Generic Export operation can export the entire AMS Device Manager database, but this is
very time-consuming. The database Backup operation should be used when you need a copy of
the database.

Procedure

1. In the Device Connection View or Device Explorer, right-click the AMS Device Manager icon in
Device Explorer or the Plant Database icon in Device Connection View and select Export →
To AMS Device Manager Export File. The Export dialog is displayed.
2. In the Export to file box, enter or select the name of export file. You can also click Browse to
search for a file or folder.
3. Under Device Parameters/Configurations and Other, select the items to be exported by
clicking the checkboxes. To narrow down the selections for a checked item, click Select next
to the item.
4. Under Include Data, select either Current or Historic and provide a range of dates and
times from which data should be exported. Exporting live data for PROFIBUS DPV1 and
PROFIBUS PA devices is not supported.
5. Click OK to start the export operation.
6. Click OK in the Info dialog.
7. Click Close.

Related information
Generic Export operation overview

Generic Export dialog

The Generic Export dialog lets you make selections regarding your generic export operation. After
you have made your selections, click OK to initiate the export operation.

Export to file
The name and location of your export file. Click Browse to find a folder and file name.

Device Parameters/Configurations
Common to All HART Devices exports values for parameters that are common across all device
types (HART and Conventional devices only).

Specific to Each Device Type exports values for device parameters specific to each device type.

Select the items you want to export. Click the Select button next to an item to narrow down the
selection.

Note:

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The Calibration Test Results item is available only if the Calibration Assistant SNAP-ON
application is licensed.

Other
Select the items you want to export. Click the Select button next to an item to narrow down the
selection.

Include Data
Select Current if you want to export data for live HART and FOUNDATION fieldbus devices, as well
as the most recent results for other items. Exporting live data for PROFIBUS DPV1 and PROFIBUS
PA devices is not supported. An error message appears in the XML file. Select Historic if you want
to export historic data; select a date range for the data under "From" and "Until". Selecting Current
will cause the operation to take longer because AMS Device Manager must read the data directly
from every HART or FOUNDATION fieldbus device that you have selected.

The time and date of the data is based on the local PC's settings. The data will appear in GMT in the
export file.

Note:
The Generic Export operation can export the entire AMS Device Manager database, but this is
very time-consuming. The Database Backup operation should be used when you need a copy of
the database.

Related information
Generic Export operation overview

AMS Device Manager Export operation overview

The AMS Device Manager Export operation copies data from an active database to an AMS Device
Manager merge file. Once the data is exported to a file, it can be transferred to another computer.
You do not need to access or modify the export data.

Note:
If you export an AMS Device Manager database to another Server Plus (for example, a Roving
station) with the intention of later importing it back to the original location, avoid changing any
AMS tag names. When the database is imported, the original tag name will be changed to the
imported tag name which can create confusion.

You can choose to export either the entire database or selected elements of the database.

When exporting selected elements of a device in the database, it is important to follow these rules:

l If this is the first time the device is to be imported to another database, you must set the
date/time to include the entire 'life' of the device, including its creation date (that is, the date
and time that the device was first registered in the database).
l If you are creating an import file to UPDATE a device in another database, the start date/time
of the export file MUST be set to include all data back to the last export of that device.

Failure to follow these rules could cause configuration data to be missing from the imported device.
Export dialog

The Export dialog lets you specify parameters for exporting the contents of the main database into a
merge file.

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Export to file
The name and location of your export file. Click Browse to find a folder and file name.

Export what
Select the items you want to export. Click Select next to an item to narrow down the selection.

Include data
Specify inclusive dates and times for the data to be included. The date and time are based on your
local PC settings.

Related information
AMS Device Manager Export operation overview

Export data to another AMS Device Manager system

Prerequisites

You can create an AMS Device Manager Export file without any AMS Device Manager permissions.
However, for the appropriate data to appear in your file, you need the following permissions:

Device Read permission OR SIS Device Read permission

In addition, to see Calibration data, you need:

Calibration Test Results Read permission OR SIS Calibration Test Results Read permission

Note:
If you export an AMS Device Manager database to another Server Plus Station(for example, a
Roving station) with the intention of later importing it back to the original location, avoid
changing any AMS tag names. When the database is imported, the original tag name will be
changed to the imported tag name which can create confusion.

Procedure

1. In the Device Connection View or Device Explorer, right-click the AMS Device Manager icon in
Device Explorer or the Plant Database icon in Device Connection View and select Export →
To AMS Device Manager Export File. The Export dialog is displayed.

2. In the Export to file box, enter or select the name of export file. You can also click Browse to
search for a file or folder.

3. Under Export What, select the elements to be exported by clicking the checkboxes.
To select only certain items for any of the selected elements:

¡ Click Select next to the checkbox.

¡ Select the items for which you want to export data.
¡ Click OK.

4. Under Include Data, provide a range of dates and times from which data should be exported.
CAUTION
When exporting selected portions of a device in the database, it is important to follow
two rules:

¡ If this is the first time the device is to be imported to another database, you must set
the date/time to include the entire "life" of the device, including its creation date (that

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is, the date and time that the device was first registered in the database).
¡ If you are creating an import file to UPDATE a device in another database, the start
date/time of the export file MUST be set to include all data back to the last export of
that device.

Failure to follow these rules could cause configuration data to be missing from the imported
device.

5. Click OK to start the export operation.

Related information
AMS Device Manager Export operation overview

Exporting AMS ValveLink SNAP-ON data to another AMS Device

Manager system

AMS Device Manager supports the export of AMS ValveLink SNAP-ON application data to other AMS
Device Manager systems.

To export AMS ValveLink SNAP-ON application data to another AMS Device Manager system, use
the AMS Device Manager Export operation to create an AMS Device Manager merge file on one AMS
Device Manager system, and then use the AMS Device Manager Import operation to import the file
on the other AMS Device Manager system.
Importing and exporting data to and from ValveLink Solo

AMS Device Manager supports the importing and exporting of data to and from ValveLink Solo.

Importing from ValveLink Solo

First create an export file in ValveLink Solo. After creating the export file, import it into AMS Device
Manager by right-clicking the Plant Database icon in Device Connection View and selecting
Import → ValveLink data.

The ValveLink import operation brings the imported valve devices into the database, but it does not
put them into levels of the Plant Locations hierarchy. The imported devices are visible only in the
Device List. You can put the devices into Control Modules in the Plant Locations hierarchy as
desired.

See the ValveLink Software documentation for information regarding what data is exported.

Note:
There are some device parameters that exist in AMS Device Manager but not in AMS ValveLink
software; when you view the configuration for a device imported from a AMS ValveLink system,
the values for these parameters may be blank.

Exporting to ValveLink Solo

To export AMS ValveLink SNAP-ON application data to ValveLink Solo, launch AMS ValveLink from
the context menu of a DVC5000 or DVC6000 device and perform the export operation within the
AMS ValveLink SNAP-ON application. Refer to the AMS ValveLink SNAP-ON application online help
for more information.
Import data from ValveLink

Prerequisites

Database Import Data permission

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Procedure

1. In ValveLink, create an export file for the data to be imported to AMS Device Manager.
2. Start AMS Device Manager by entering AMS Device Manager on the Start screen and clicking
AMS Device Manager.
3. Right-click the AMS Device Manager icon in Device Explorer or the Plant Database icon in
Device Connection View and select Import → ValveLink data.
4. Enter or browse to the file to be imported and click Import.

Related information
Importing and exporting data to and from ValveLink Solo

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