📊 Maximo Mobile Meter Reading
📖 Introduction
Meter readings in IBM Maximo are critical for monitoring asset health, tracking usage, and triggering preventive maintenance. With Maximo Mobile, technicians can capture these readings in the field, improving efficiency and reducing delays.
This blog explores the evolution of meter reading functionality across Maximo Mobile versions 9.0, 9.1, and 9.2. We'll examine the limitations of 9.0, the complete revamp in 9.1, and the further enhancements in 9.2 that optimize data download efficiency and user experience. You'll also learn how to customize these features to fit your business needs.
⚠️ Meter Reading in Maximo Mobile 9.0
Limitations
❌ Readings not shared across work orders: Example: Two work orders (WO1 and WO2) linked to the same asset (e.g., a centrifugal pump with meters like pressure and run hours). If a user entered a new pressure reading in WO1, it did not reflect in WO2.
❌ No support for remarks or delta readings: Users couldn't add comments or specify whether a reading was delta or actual.
❌ Offline-created work orders lacked meter data: Work orders created offline didn't have associated asset meters available for entry. Technicians had to reconnect and revisit work orders just to populate meter readings—counterintuitive for a true offline workflow.
❌ Data fragmentation and performance issues: Meters were child data of work orders via the activeassetmeter.mxapiassetmeter relationship. Each work order, task, or MultiAssetLocations record downloaded its own meter set, causing duplicate data downloads, slower API performance, and stale readings when updates occurred elsewhere.
🚀 Meter Reading in Maximo Mobile 9.1 — A Complete Revamp
Maximo Mobile 9.1 represents a major leap forward in how meter readings are handled. The functionality has been revamped in terms of efficiency, features, performance, and data integrity, addressing many limitations from previous versions. In this section, we will explore these changes in detail and include technical insights that can help you understand the current implementation better—especially if you plan to customize this area for your business needs.
Before diving into the new features, it's important to understand the architectural restructuring that underpins these improvements. In version 9.0, meters were treated as child data of work orders, which meant they were segregated and duplicated across multiple records. This design caused inefficiencies, stale data, and performance bottlenecks.
In 9.1, meter reading is now implemented as a common component shared across multiple applications, with its own unified data structure. Meters are no longer tied to individual work orders; instead, they are linked directly to Assets and Locations, aligning mobile functionality with Maximo's core architecture. This change ensures consistency and eliminates duplication, making meter data a single source of truth across all applications.
🔧 From a technical perspective:
For Assets, the mobile app uses the MXAPIASSET object structure and the int_assetmeter relationship.
For Locations, it uses MXAPIOPERLOC and the int_locationmeter relationship.
In simple terms, meters are now associated with Assets and Locations, not work orders. This restructuring improves data integrity, enables cross-app sharing, and lays the foundation for advanced features like offline meter availability and delta readings.
✨ New Features in 9.1
1️⃣ Meters Available Offline
One of the most significant improvements in Maximo Mobile 9.1 is the ability to enter meter readings even when a work order is created offline. This enhancement addresses a major pain point from version 9.0, where technicians had to reconnect to the network and revisit work orders just to populate meter readings—a process that disrupted workflow and defeated the purpose of a true mobile solution.
💡 How It Works
In 9.1, as long as Asset and Location meter data is available in the mobile database, users can record readings for work orders created in disconnected mode.
This means technicians can complete their tasks without worrying about connectivity, improving efficiency in remote or low-network environments.
❓ What Assets and Meters Are Available Offline?
This is a critical question because Maximo environments can have millions of assets, and downloading all of them to a mobile device is impractical due to storage and performance limitations.
To balance functionality and performance, Maximo Mobile uses saved queries to determine which assets and their meters are downloaded for offline use.
⚙️ Default Behavior
Technician app downloads assets linked to the default Assigned Work list. Saved query: ASSIGNEDWOASSETWITHMETERS Defined under MXAPIASSET
Asset Manager uses the query: ASSETWITHMETERS covers assets from the default My Assets list.
with offline-immediate-download=true, this ensures these assets and their meters are downloaded during mobile app initialization and remain available offline.
Result: Users can create new work orders for these assets and enter meter readings without reconnecting.
🎨 Customization Options
One size does not fit all. Organizations can adjust saved queries to suit their business needs and optimize download performance. For example:
If you have a limited set of assets, you can use a broader query: MOBILEASSETWITHMETER and MOBILELOCATIONWITHMETER This downloads all active Assets and Locations from your Maximo environment.
⚠️ Known Limitations
For environments with large asset volumes, downloading all assets for both Technician and Asset Manager applications can impact performance.
Careful planning is required to balance offline usability with data download size.
🛠️ How to Implement Customization
- For Technician Application:
- For Assets - Alter the "ASSIGNEDWOASSETWITHMETERS" saved query of "MXAPIASSET" object structure
- For Locations – Update "ASSIGNEDWOLOCATIONWITHMETERS" saved query of "MXAPIOPERLOC" object structure
- For Asset Manager Application:
- For Assets - Alter the "ASSETWITHMETERS" saved query of MXAPIASSET object structure
- For Locations – Alter the "LOCATIONWITHMETERS" saved query of "MXAPIOPERLOC" object structure
2️⃣ Refresh Readings from Server
In addition to offline capabilities, Maximo Mobile 9.1 introduces a feature that is particularly useful in connected environments: Refresh Meter Readings. This functionality allows users to pull the latest meter readings from the server before entering new data, ensuring that they are working with the most accurate and up-to-date information.
The refresh feature is critical for preventing data conflicts. For example, if multiple technicians are working on the same asset, one technician's update could overwrite another's if the local data is outdated. By refreshing readings from the server, users can confirm the current values before recording changes, reducing errors in delta calculations and improving overall data accuracy.
The process is simple: a Refresh button is available on the meter readings screen. When tapped, the application calls the Maximo server to retrieve the latest meter values and updates the local mobile database accordingly. These capabilities provide a robust solution for maintaining accurate meter data in both connected and disconnected scenarios.
Refresh button on meter readings screen
3️⃣ Delta Reading and Remarks Field
One of the most notable enhancements in Maximo Mobile 9.1 is the introduction of Delta Reading capability. Previously, users could only enter actual readings, which represent the total accumulated value of a meter (e.g., total run hours or total distance traveled). While this works for some use cases, many organizations prefer to record incremental changes—such as hours since the last maintenance or distance traveled since the last reading. This is where delta readings become essential.
With 9.1, users can now toggle the Only Delta option when entering a meter reading. This toggle is implemented through the isDelta property in the mobile application, allowing the system to interpret the reading as an incremental value rather than an absolute one.
In addition to delta readings, Maximo Mobile 9.1 introduces a Remarks field. This field allows technicians to add contextual information when updating a meter reading, such as "Current ODOM at location" or "Pressure spike observed during operation." The remarks field is configurable in terms of maximum length, giving organizations flexibility to meet their documentation standards. It's important to note that remarks can only be entered when a reading is being updated, ensuring that comments remain relevant and tied to actual changes.
Delta reading toggle and remarks field
4️⃣ Cross-App Data Sharing
Before version 9.1, meter readings were siloed within individual work orders, tasks, or MultiAssetLocations records. This caused significant challenges for organizations that rely on accurate and consistent data across multiple applications. For example, if a technician updated a meter reading in the Technician app, that change was not immediately visible in the Asset Manager app or other related applications. This lack of synchronization often led to discrepancies, stale data, and redundant work.
Maximo Mobile 9.1 addresses this issue by restructuring meter data to reside at the Asset and Location level, rather than being tied to individual work orders. This architectural change ensures that meter readings are shared across all applications that reference the same asset or location. As a result, when a technician updates a meter reading in one application, the updated value is instantly available in other applications, such as Asset Manager.
This improvement delivers several benefits. First, it enhances data integrity by eliminating duplicate or outdated readings. Second, it provides real-time visibility, ensuring that managers and technicians are working with the most current information. Finally, it streamlines workflows by removing the need to manually refresh multiple work orders or applications. From a technical perspective, this is achieved through shared data architecture leveraging MXAPIASSET and int_assetmeter for assets, and MXAPIOPERLOC and int_locationmeter for locations, aligning mobile functionality with Maximo Manage's core design.
📊 Comparison Table: 9.0 vs 9.1 vs 9.2
| Feature |
Version 9.0 |
Version 9.1 |
Version 9.2 |
| Offline created Workorder Meter Entry |
❌ Not supported |
✅ Supported with saved queries |
✅ Enhanced with preload database |
| Delta Reading |
❌ Not available |
✅ Available with toggle |
✅ Available with toggle |
| Remarks Field |
❌ Not available |
✅ Available |
✅ Available |
| Cross-App Data Sharing |
❌ No |
✅ Yes |
✅ Yes |
| Refresh from Server |
❌ No |
✅ Yes |
✅ Yes with on-demand fetching |
| Data Structure |
Child of Work Order |
Child of Asset/Location |
Child of Asset/Location |
| Redundant Asset Downloads |
✅ Yes (per work order) |
✅ Yes (per application) |
❌ Eliminated via preload DB |
| UI Organization |
Single list |
Single list |
✅ Tabbed with search |
| Last Reading Visibility |
In the list screen |
In the list screen |
✅ In the list screen and the enter reading screen also |
❗ Common Issue: "Record not available in the device" Error
Why am I getting "Record not available in the device" Error When Opening the Meter Dialog?
This is a common question among Maximo Mobile users, and the answer lies in how meter data is retrieved for offline and online operations. When you see the error "Record not available in the device", it means that the asset or location you are trying to access is not part of the saved query used for meter data download. In other words, the mobile application does not have the required asset or location in its local database because the saved query does not include it.
🤔 Why Does This Happen?
Maximo Mobile relies on saved queries to determine which assets and locations are downloaded for offline use. If your asset is not included in the query definition, the mobile app cannot display its meters.
✅ The Solution: Enhancement in Patch 9.1.11
This issue has been completely resolved in patch 9.1.11 with a significant enhancement that addresses the limitation in both Role-Based Applications (RBA) and Mobile applications.
🔧 RBA Enhancement:
In RBA, this issue is now completely fixed. Users can enter meter readings for any asset, regardless of whether it's included in the saved query. The application now seamlessly fetches asset meter data from the server when needed, eliminating the "Record not available in the device" error entirely in web-based workflows.
📱 Mobile Enhancement:
For mobile users, patch 9.1.11 enable a way to use: "Refresh meter readings". Instead of error toast of "Record not available in the device", you will see "Asset not available" message and if you're online, you can now tap the "Refresh meter readings" button to fetch the asset and its meters directly from the server.
This means that even if your saved query didn't include the asset you want to add meter readings for, you can still access it by refreshing. The application will retrieve the asset meters data from the server and make it available for meter entry, providing flexibility without requiring changes to your saved queries.
Key Benefits:
- No need to modify saved queries to include every possible asset
- On-demand access to any asset when connected online
- Maintains offline efficiency while providing online flexibility
- Consistent user experience across RBA and Mobile platforms
💡 Note: This enhancement was introduced in Maximo Mobile patch 9.1.11. If you're experiencing the "Record not available in the device" error, ensure you're running patch 9.1.11 or later to take advantage of this improvement.
🚀 Meter Reading in Maximo Mobile 9.2 — Further Enhancements
Maximo Mobile 9.2 builds upon the solid foundation established in 9.1, introducing significant enhancements that further improve data download efficiency, user experience, and offline capabilities. These improvements address key challenges related to redundant data downloads and streamline the meter reading workflow with enhanced UI features.
🎯 Major Enhancement: Assets Included in Preload Database
One of the most significant improvements in version 9.2 is that assets are no longer required to be downloaded separately. Assets and their associated meters are now part of the preload database, making them immediately available for entering meter readings—even for work orders created offline.
📊 Technical Changes
The datasources maxlib_assetmeters_parent and maxlib_locationmeters_parent are no longer downloaded during mobile initial sync. Instead, the preload database must be enabled to make meter readings available for a broader range of assets.
This architectural change eliminates a critical inefficiency from version 9.1: redundant asset downloads across different applications such as Technician, Approvals, and Asset Manager. In 9.1, the same assets were being downloaded multiple times for each application, consuming unnecessary storage and bandwidth. Version 9.2 resolves this by centralizing asset data in the preload database, ensuring a single source of truth.
✅ Key Benefits
- Eliminates redundant asset downloads across multiple applications
- Reduces initial sync time and storage requirements
- Improves data consistency across all mobile applications
- Enables meter reading entry for offline-created work orders without additional downloads
🌐 On-Demand Asset Fetching
Version 9.2 introduces intelligent on-demand data fetching. If an asset or location is not available on the mobile device, opening the meter reading sliding drawer will automatically attempt to fetch the data from the server when the device is connected.
💡 How It Works
When a user opens the meter reading drawer for an asset or location that isn't locally available, the application intelligently checks for network connectivity. If connected, it automatically fetches the required asset or location data along with its meters from the server, making them immediately available for meter entry.
This enhancement provides the best of both worlds: offline efficiency for commonly used assets (via preload database) and on-demand access to any asset when connectivity is available, without requiring manual refresh actions.
🎨 Enhanced User Interface with Tabbed Layout
Version 9.2 introduces a significant UI enhancement where asset meters and location meters are now displayed on separate tabs, each with its own search capability. This improvement dramatically reduces scrolling effort and makes it easier to find and enter readings for specific meters.
Tabbed interface with asset and location meters
Last reading visible while entering new reading
🔍 Key UI Improvements
- Separate Tabs: Asset meters and location meters are organized into dedicated tabs, providing clear separation and easier navigation
- Search Capability: Each tab includes search functionality, allowing users to quickly locate specific meters without scrolling through long lists
- Reduced Scrolling: By separating meters into logical groups and providing search, users spend less time navigating and more time entering readings
- Last Reading Visibility: Users can now view the last meter reading while entering a new reading, providing context and helping ensure accuracy—consistent with the Maximo Manage experience
- Improved Usability: The tabbed interface provides a cleaner, more intuitive experience, especially for assets with multiple meters
📈 Overall Impact
The enhancements in version 9.2 collectively deliver substantial improvements across three critical areas:
- User Experience: The tabbed interface with search capability makes meter reading entry faster and more intuitive
- Data Download Effectiveness: Elimination of redundant downloads and centralized asset data in the preload database significantly reduces sync time and storage requirements
- Ease of Use: On-demand fetching and improved UI reduce friction in the meter reading workflow, allowing technicians to focus on their core tasks
These improvements represent a continued commitment to optimizing mobile workflows, ensuring that technicians have the tools and data they need, when they need them, without unnecessary complexity or delays.
🎯 Conclusion
Maximo Mobile has undergone significant evolution in meter reading functionality across versions 9.1 and 9.2. Version 9.1 introduced foundational improvements such as offline meter availability, delta readings, remarks field, cross-app data sharing, and refresh from server capabilities. These features collectively enhanced the technician experience and aligned mobile workflows with Maximo's core architecture.
Version 9.2 builds upon this foundation with critical enhancements that address the data download challenges identified in 9.1. By integrating assets into the preload database and eliminating redundant downloads across applications, version 9.2 significantly improves data download effectiveness and storage efficiency. The addition of on-demand asset fetching and the enhanced tabbed UI with search capabilities further streamline the meter reading workflow, making it faster and more intuitive for technicians in the field.
Together, these improvements represent a comprehensive transformation of meter reading capabilities in Maximo Mobile, delivering substantial benefits in user experience, performance, and operational efficiency. The evolution from 9.0 through 9.2 demonstrates a continued commitment to addressing real-world challenges and optimizing mobile workflows for field technicians.
I will keep this document updated with the latest developments and solutions as these improvements evolve. Stay tuned for updates on how these challenges are being resolved and additional best practices for customization.
Other Resources:
Maximo Mobile - Performance optimization