Start centers can be powerful, but most of the time they are vastly underutilized. In many cases, start centers were created as part of the initial Maximo implementation, and then never given any further thought.
Remember that start centers are associated with a security group, so a single start center might be used by one or many users. The layout and content can be changed by an administrator or, in some cases, a user.
Each portlet type may be displayed more than once. It’s common, for example, for a start center to have many different result sets, each containing a different query (“My POs to Generate”, “Active Safety WOs”, etc.). The ‘KPI List’ portlet is also often displayed more than once.
Having powerful start centers will provide each user with the information they need to do their job efficiently, whether that’s key performance metrics, workflow assignments, or records requiring their attention. They will save time, improve organization, and reduce omissions and oversights.
I could write a whole whitepaper on start centers (maybe I will sometime), but today I just thought I’d give a rundown of the different kinds of portlets and what each of them does. At the bottom is an example of a start center - not a very good one, but one that at least shows what each of the portlet types look like.
If it’s been a while since you’ve thought about start centers, I recommend you start having some conversations on the subject with your staff and your Maximo administrator.
Favorite Applications Portlet
Contains a list of common applications, displayed as links. The user saves time by avoiding the main menu.
Report List Portlet
Contains links to common reports. These can be either out-of-the-box reports, custom BIRT reports, or ad-hoc (user-created) reports.
Bulletin Board Portlet
Serves as an inbox for users to send messages to each other. These can be anything from management announcements or reminders to technicians’ notifications about plant conditions. Messages can be filtered by person group, and they can be set to display only during specified date/time periods.
Inbox / Assignments Portlet
Works only with workflows to display assignments to the logged-in user. When a user clicks on an assignment, they are taken immediately to the application, record, and action required of them to complete the assignment. An administrator selects which columns to display.
KPI Graph Portlet
Shows one or more related KPIs in list form, along with a graph. If only one KPI is selected, the graph will display as a gauge. If more than one KPI is selected, they will display as a bar graph for side-by-side comparison. An administrator or user creates the KPIs, and an administrator selects which ones to display.
Tip: This portlet is very useful for lining up KPIs, but they must be comparable in order to get a meaningful bar graph. For instance, it is perfectly logical to compare the PM compliance rate for the current month with the rate for the previous month, or to compare the total expenditures for one department with those of another department. But it wouldn’t be helpful to compare the inventory aging statistic with the percentage of PM work orders.
KPI List Portlet
Shows a list of related or unrelated KPIs in list form only. An administrator or user creates the KPIs, and an administrator selects which ones to display.
Result Set Portlet
Displays the results of any pre-defined query from any application. An administrator selects which fields to include and sets up color alerts. In the example shown, four columns are displayed and any work orders with a priority of 1 are shown in red text instead of the default.
This is often considered the most useful portlet, as it allows users to see and immediately access (via links) the specific records that require their attention.
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