By Ricky Sun, PI Consultant

In today’s post, I want to walk you through AF (Asset Framework) templates—what they are, why they’re useful, and how they can make your life much easier when building an asset hierarchy in PI. If you've ever found yourself entering the same data multiple times across equipment in your system, this post will show you why templates are essential.

What is an AF Template?

Before diving into templates, let’s revisit what the Asset Framework (AF) is. Essentially, AF provides a way to organize your data, making it easier to find, understand, and use—both for you and others in your organization. This structure fosters better collaboration and builds a data-driven culture where people know where things are and how they work.

Now, AF templates are like blueprints for your assets. When you have equipment that is identical or similar (like tanks or pumps), templates help you avoid repetitive work. Instead of recreating the same structure multiple times, you build it once and reuse it.

When Should You Use a Template?Here’s a simple way to know when you need a template:

Do you have equipment that appears multiple times?

Does each unit share the same set of attributes?

For example, let’s say you have 10 tanks. Each one has attributes like pressure, temperature, and maybe some calculations attached to it. Without a template, you’d need to create these tanks one by one:

Tank 1, Tank 2, Tank 3... all the way to Tank 10.

That’s a lot of clicking! And for each tank, you’d have to add all the attributes manually—pressure, temperature, and more. Now, imagine doing this across hundreds of similar pieces of equipment. As an admin, you’d quickly find yourself buried in repetitive tasks.

How Templates Save Time

Templates streamline this process. Instead of building every piece of equipment from scratch, you can:

Create a single tank template with the attributes you need (like pressure, temperature, and any calculations).

Apply the template to all your tanks—whether you have 10, 100, or 1,000.

The same approach works for pumps, compressors, valves, or any other recurring equipment. You only need to set it up once! When a new piece of equipment comes in, just link it to the appropriate template.

Scaling with Templates

Templates don’t just save time—they also help you scale.

You can use PI Builder to bulk-load new equipment with templates applied.

Or, use PI System Explorer to copy and paste elements based on your templates.

Even as your asset base grows, templates ensure your structure stays consistent and easy to manage.

Some people say that even if you only have two pieces of identical equipment, you should create a template. I think that might be a bit overkill—two is manageable. But if you’re dealing with 10 or more, a template becomes a game-changer. Why? Because with templates, you only build once and avoid ever having to redo your work.

Final Thoughts

​AF templates are a simple yet powerful way to reduce repetitive work and scale your asset framework efficiently. They allow you to build assets faster, manage them consistently, and focus your time on more valuable tasks.

If you’re tired of entering the same data over and over, it’s time to take advantage of templates!

​Thank you for reading!