What is the asset data lifecycle?

How the information about an asset is created, captured, stored, used, updated and archived — so the record stays as reliable as the equipment.

ASSET DATA LIFECYCLE · MANAGING THE INFORMATION BEHIND THE ASSET CAPTURE IT · KEEP IT CURRENT · NEVER LOSE THE HISTORY 1 CREATE Asset record opened Unique ID assigned At design or purchase STEP: open 2 CAPTURE Nameplate and serial Location and circuit Install and test data STEP: collect 3 STORE Asset register Controlled access Linked to drawings STEP: hold 4 USE Plan maintenance Trace faults and spares Report condition STEP: apply 5 UPDATE After every change Repair, replace, move Checked and approved STEP: maintain 6 ARCHIVE On leaving service Retained per rules Feeds cost history STEP: retain DATA QUALITY FEEDS PLANNING: MAINTENANCE, SPARES, RENEWAL, LIFECYCLE COST INPUTS DRAWINGS · NAMEPLATES · TEST DATA · WORK RECORDS What comes from design, site and maintenance OUTPUT ASSET REGISTER · HISTORY · REPORTS Supports warranty, spares and lifecycle cost records POOR DATA: WRONG SPARES · MISSED MAINTENANCE · LOST HISTORY SCHEMATIC · SIMPLIFIED · NOT TO SCALE · STEPS OVERLAP
lifecycle step
review loop and output
risk of poor asset data
The Fact Asset lifecycle

The asset data lifecycle is how the information about an asset is managed from the day it is specified until long after it is removed. A record is created, the details are captured, and the data is stored in a controlled asset register so that everyone works from the same facts.

The data is used for maintenance, fault tracing, spares and planning, and updated after every change so it stays true. When the asset leaves service the record is archived, not deleted. Poor asset data means wrong spares, missed maintenance and lost history.

  1. Create. Open the asset record and give it a unique identifier when the asset is designed or bought.
  2. Capture. Record nameplate and serial details, location or circuit, and installation and test data.
  3. Store. Hold the data in the asset register with controlled access, linked to drawings and documents.
  4. Use. Plan maintenance, trace faults, choose spares and report condition from the record.
  5. Update. Change the record after every repair, replacement, upgrade or move, with checks before it is accepted.
  6. Archive. When the asset leaves service, retain the record for the required period and keep it for cost history.
Asset data

The information that describes the asset: identity, location, specification, tests and history.

The asset

The physical item itself, such as a fixture, regulator, transformer or cable, which is removed at end of life.

MeaningManaging information about an asset from creation to archive
Starts fromThe asset being specified or procured
Typical dataID, type, serial, location, dates, tests, history, warranty
Key checksUnique IDs, complete fields, updates after every change
ProofAsset register, change history, verified field records
ReferenceAerodrome asset management procedures; manufacturer data; records and retention requirements
Schematic — simplified for clarity. Data fields, register systems, retention periods and access rules are set by the aerodrome’s asset management procedures, the manufacturer and the applicable regulations and contracts.
Entry 20 · Recycling Entry 22 · Warranty lifecycle

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1What is the asset data lifecycle in airfield ground lighting?

The path that the information about an AGL asset follows through its life: a record is created when the asset is specified or bought, details are captured and stored in a register, the data is used for maintenance and planning, it is updated after every change, and it is retained or archived when the asset leaves service.

Q2How is asset data different from the asset itself?

The asset is the physical item, such as a fixture, regulator, transformer or cable. Asset data is the information describing it: identity, location, specification, installation date, test results, work history and condition. The two have their own lifecycles, and data is often needed long after the physical item has been removed.

Q3What data is typically held for an AGL asset?

A unique identifier, type and model, serial number, location or circuit, installation and commissioning dates, manufacturer details, warranty information, test and inspection results, maintenance and repair history, spares links and, once it leaves service, decommissioning and disposal records.

Q4Why must asset data be updated after every change?

Maintenance, repair, replacement, upgrade and relocation all change what is true about an asset. If the record is not updated, planners and technicians work from wrong information, spares are mismatched, and condition trends and lifecycle cost figures become unreliable.

Q5What makes asset data reliable?

A single controlled register, unique identifiers, agreed fields and formats, a named owner, checks when data is entered, and regular verification against the field. Reliable data is complete, accurate, current and traceable to the work or test that produced it.

Q6How long should asset data be kept?

Retention periods are set by the aerodrome or responsible organisation and the applicable regulations and contracts. Records are usually kept at least as long as the asset is in service, and often longer for safety, warranty, audit and lifecycle cost purposes, so they are archived rather than deleted when the asset is removed.

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