In TradeMaster, an administrator has authority to add, change and delete information.

Most people are not administrators, but the ones that are have been designated by their organization to be the “keeper of the data”.

Nearly every module in TradeMaster has some administrative functions, and some non-administration (browse) functions.

Adobe is a company that makes software (www.adobe.com). A particularly useful and web-standard piece of software they make is called “Adobe Acrobat”.

Adobe Acrobat turns any printable document into a PDF file deliverable to anyone on the web, and is readable by anyone who has the Acrobat Viewer plug-in installed.

The TradeMaster ReferenceIt! module is designed to organize your PDF documents.

TradeMaster is designed to capture all possible causes (and resolutions) for faults and/or equipment problems on your equipment.

Cause information is stored in the FixIt! module.

Causes are presented to skilled trades when they select an active fault or equipment problem.

We take customer input seriously at TradeMaster. Every suggestion, complaint, or bug you report gets logged into our Help Desk system, and gets a tracking number.

This collection, coupled with research and interviews drives our future enhancements – it is how we truly reflect the voice of the customer.

The core function of FixIt! is to provide skilled tradesmen with information they can use to troubleshoot faults and equipment problems. Diagnosing a fault involves checking the symptoms (fault codes) and finding the root cause of those symptoms (TradeMaster can provide detailed procedures to help validate a cause.)

So at TradeMaster, diagnostics refer to the collection of fault codes and their causes.

Following a proper diagnosis, the next step is recovery from a fault / equipment problem. TradeMaster provides recovery information as resolutions (simple single-step tasks) and/or procedures (complex multi-step tasks). In some cases the recovery process may also benefit from a LearnIt! lesson.

The diagram wizard is a tool in FindIt! that allows an administrator to place active callouts on top of a photograph.

When and active call out is clicked on, BOM details are displayed.

Diagrams appear above the BOM list in FindIt!

An unexpected event that causes a manufacturing process to halt for an amount of time that exceeds the locations acceptable duration for downtime.

TradeMaster helps technicians capture information about these downtime events through the use of TrackIt! checklists. Analysis is also supported by storing and retrieving completed checklists.

This is a buzz-word meaning electronic documentation. TradeMaster deals specifically with Adobe PDF documents that can be stored and organized in ReferenceIt!

These documents can also be associated with maintenance tasks in MaintainIt!

Nearly everything in TradeMaster belongs on a hierarchy. When first setting up your TradeMaster environment, you define a hierarchy such as line, stations and equipment.

Each level down is more specific than the previous.

Handheld devices can make use of TradeMaster software. Passing data back and forth between the web and handheld is known as Synching or Hot Synching.

see PDA, Pocket PC

Learn It! training Lessons are short (between 5 and 10 minutes) “single point” or task focused lessons that teach a single maintenance or repair procedure. Such a lesson is best suited to the following situations:

• The process is so complex that illustration, coaching or instruction is necessary.
• The risks involved in improper recovery are great (example damage to expensive equipment)
• The recovery process is performed so infrequently that there are no experts to consult with.
• When you'd prefer to practice the recovery in a safe no-risk virtual simulation before moving to the real world.

LearnIt! Is designed to compliment FixIt! and MaintainIt!

LearnIt! Lessons require that the Shockwave Plug-in be installed on the computer.

Any unplanned maintenance that occurs.

In TradeMaster this is one of two types of maintenance work orders

TradeMaster's web-based maintenance management application is called MaintainIt!

A special type of BOM that was not an “off-the-shelf” component (example framing & support structures).

In terms of TradeMaster’s purpose, we do not recommend keeping make item data in your online BOMs, unless they are likely to be replaced as often as our parts that ware out.

See (spares)

In TradeMaster terms, this is the act of flagging a specific cause as the one that created a Fault or Equipment Problem to occur

For example a skilled tradesman, with a TradeMaster handheld device could “Mark As Cause” the exact reason why a press failed.

Over time, as handheld devices hot sync to the web site data, the more frequent causes appear ever higher in the list of causes.

MaintainIt! is a web-based computerized maintenance management system (CMMS).

MaintainIt! Can track and schedule your Corrective, Emergency and Preventative maintenance tasks, and deliver summary reports on your maintenance history.

TradeMaster is organized into logical operational modules, designed to work together as a complete suite of tools or individually to better meet your needs.

See FindIt!, FixIt!, TrackIt!, MaintainIt!, ReferenceIt!, LearnIt!, Administration.

In TradeMaster, a part is an item that belongs to a piece of equipment. A part has a specific collection of data (details) about it such as part number, description, nickname, manufacturer, and others. These details are stored in TradeMaster and organized in a hierarchy. To find parts you drilldown through the levels or search for them.

We refer to a collection of parts as a Bill of Materials.

Often this is the quickest way to get part information from the TradeMaster FindIt! module. By providing keywords, TradeMaster will search your part data and display matches.

To narrow a part search you can filter by hierarchy elements (example: Line, Equipment, and others).

Another way to get to part data is using the drilldown technique.

PDA stands for Personal Digital Assistant, and refers to mobile handheld devices.

Some of the TradeMaster modules (FixIt!, TrackIt!) make use of a specific PDA called a Pocket PC for delivering mobile solutions.

These terms are used interchangeably in TradeMaster to refer to digital images. In the various administration areas of TradeMaster (like Hierarchy administration), entries can have an associated photo.

Format guidelines (which format to choose?)

• JPEG is best used for photographic images – JPEG images have a variable degree of compression that you set at save time. Higher compression causes the image to be less sharp and pixilated.
• GIF is best used for diagrams or graphics (like from PowerPoint) that use a limited number of colors.
• BMP - whenever possible (due to its large size), BMPs should be converted into either JPEG or GIF to minimize download times.

A standard element used in applications to select a specific item from a list. TradeMaster makes extensive use of Pick Boxes (and several different types, depending on the need) for the express purpose of helping you quickly get to the information you need.

See Filter

The platform of choice for TradeMaster handheld applications.

See PDA, FixIt!, TrackIt!

A collection of steps. In TradeMaster, procedures are stored in the FixIt! module. Procedures can be associated (sometimes called attached) with:

• Line Fault Codes (causes & resolutions)
• Equipment Fault Codes (causes& resolutions)
• Equipment Problems (both causes& resolutions)

Procedures in TradeMaster can have steps and sub steps in an unlimited number.

In manufacturing this is returning to operation following a halt of production. The process of returning to production can vary from simple to complex.

In TradeMaster, we address the recovery process through fault code resolutions (simple single step tasks) and any procedures (complex multi-step tasks) attached to those resolutions.

In some cases the recovery process may also benefit from a LearnIt! lesson.

See Spares List

In TradeMaster, a cause can have one or more resolutions. A resolution in TradeMaster is any activity that eliminates a cause.

Resolution information is stored in the FixIt! module. Resolutions are associated with:

• Line Fault Codes
• Equipment Fault Codes
• Equipment Problems

A spare parts list is refers to parts that you should have on hand in case of a breakdown. Typically these parts are expected to wear out.

The spare parts list is a subset of the original BOM for a piece of equipment.

In terms of TradeMaster, this is the ideal set of parts that should be listed in FindIt!.

See Make Item

FixIt! - TradeMaster handheld software allows users to author new resolutions to existing Line Fault Codes, Equipment Fault Codes and/or Equipment Problems.

These user-authored resolutions are called “suggested resolutions”. FixIt! data administrators have authority to review these suggestions and approve them, at which point they become simply resolutions.

TradeMaster TrackIt! is a mobile database tool for tracking performance data, such as checklist data and downtime events.

TrackIt! also helps technicians analyze downtime events by storing and retrieving completed checklists. Retrieval can be filtered by date, employee and by keywords. Future enhancements will allow for custom extraction of specific data elements for user analysis in a spreadsheet application.

In TradeMaster, a checklist is a custom, pre-constructed form for capturing information related to downtime events on a handheld PDA.

Checklists are designed in the TrackIt! administration area. Designers have a variety of options they can build into a checklist:

• Headings
• Sections & subsections
• Single line text fields
• Multi-line test fields
• Pick boxes (including the pick box options)
• Data entry fields can record optional Time stamps for process analysis