Working with Records in the FMRA

A record will be automatically added to the FMRA hierarchy whenever you add an item to the system hierarchy or add a function, failure or cause to an FMEA. In addition, you can add items, functions, failures and causes to your project (as well as delete them from the project) directly from the FMRA.

To move records within a project or across projects in the same database, you can cut/copy them and then paste them in the new location. (Please note that if you want to share records between different databases, you must use the import/export functionality.)

Note: If you set a record's reliability policy to "Define at this level," you will not be able to add dependents to that record via the FMRA. For example, if an item's policy is set to "Define at this level," then you will not be able to add any sub-items or FMEA records to that item. This is because once you define the reliability policy at a given level, any records at the lower level would be irrelevant to the software's calculations.

Adding and Deleting Records

Use any of the following commands to add an item to the FMRA. Any items you add will also appear in the system hierarchy.

To add a new top-level (system) item, choose FMRA > Add System Items > Add System.

To add a new item to the next level below a selected item, choose FMRA > Add System Items > Add Next Level Item.

To add a new item to the same level as a selected item, choose FMRA > Add System Items > Add Same Level Item.

Use any of the following commands to add an FMEA record to an item. If you add a record to an item that does not already have an associated FMEA, the software will create a new FMEA for that item. (Note that you cannot add effects because they do not affect reliability.) When applicable, the software will add an effect record to the FMEA as a placeholder.

To add a function to a selected item, choose FMRA > Add FMEA Items > Add Function.

To add a failure to a selected function, choose FMRA > Add FMEA Items > Add Failure.

To add a cause to a selected failure, choose FMRA > Add FMEA Items > Add Cause.

To delete a record from the FMRA, select it and press DELETE (or choose Home > Edit > Delete). The record will be deleted, along with any dependents. There is no undo for deleting a record.

Cutting/Copying Records

First select the record(s), then use the standard keyboard shortcuts for cut/copy (CTRL+X and CTRL+C). You can also choose Home > Clipboard > Cut to cut them or Home > Clipboard > Copy to copy them. When a record is cut or copied, all dependents also will be cut or copied, along with any associated analyses and attachments.

Tip: You can also choose Home > Clipboard > Copy Active View to copy the currently visible contents of the System or Analysis panel to the Clipboard as a graphic that can be pasted into other applications. The entire visible area within the active panel will be copied, but any information that is not currently visible will be excluded.

Pasting Records

You can paste a record as a dependent to another record in the same project or to another project within the same database by pressing CTRL+V or choosing Home > Clipboard > Paste. The record will be pasted as a dependent to the selected record in the hierarchy.

To paste the record as a system, choose Home > Clipboard > Paste > Paste As Top Level.

Once a record has been cut or copied, any edits that are made to the original will also be applied to its copy in the Clipboard. If a record is cut or copied and then deleted from the project, the copied data will also be deleted from the Clipboard. Also note that you will not be able to cut or copy a record in a project that is locked by another user.