Overview
For over two decades, PI users have used PI ProcessBook to visualize PI system data. Users have become accustomed to the functionality within PI ProcessBook. This software can display data from PI Data Archive and PI Asset Framework using trends and process symbols. However, AVEVA is now retiring the application and asking its users to migrate their displays to PI Vision.
The timeline for retiring ProcessBook is as follows:
- Sales End – December 31, 2021
- Security Updates End – December 31, 2022
- Support Ends – December 31, 2024
Options and Challenges
AVEVA recommends that PI users migrate their displays to PI Vision, which is AVEVA’s premier data visualization software for PI and AF data at the present time. There are other software that can be used as well, such as Capstone DataParc. Customized conversions can be done to other visualization platforms as well. Users can continue to keep displays in ProcessBook indefinitely, however this isn’t recommended as AVEVA will not provide any support for this after the stated deadline at the end of 2024.
AVEVA provides a PI System migration utility to automate the conversion of the displays. However, the utility cannot handle all scenarios due to feature differences between PI Vision and ProcessBook, such as Statistical Quality Control (SQC) symbols or Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) functionality that are available within PI ProcessBook. The migration utility will provide a report that indicates which displays will experience functionality loss during the conversion. AVEVA also lists a set of limitations of this migration utility on their website. Users will have to deal with these limitations one by one and address them manually.
The MetaFactor Advantage
MetaFactor is an AVEVA Certified System Integrator and has many years of experience, having helped many customers through this exercise. We have a trusted and proven methodology for work execution. Additionally, we go above and beyond for our clients and provide expertise and solutions in key areas that help simplify the migration process.
- Gap-Filling with Custom Symbols – In case there are features you are looking for that are not available, MetaFactor can help build custom symbols in PI Vision to augment your deployment. Below are a few examples of symbols we have built:
Advanced Value with Metadata Manual Data Entry Data Table - Governance and Quality Control – We’ve also written utilities to help with bulk conversion, reporting, and governance-related functionality. Examples include:
- Scripts to check for PI Vision screen data quality based on invalid mappings, bad statuses, and calculation errors
- Utilities to find and replace PI Vision references using a mapping table
- Utilities to track access requests and access times to measure individual display performance
- Auto-documentation utilities to list all mapped AF paths, PI tags, or calculations (in both PI Vision and PI ProcessBook).
- Training – We will help provide hands-on training for using PI Vision. This includes a deep dive on using PI AF as well, since there are many synergies when using both PI AF and PI Vision together.
- Best Practices and Standards – We can help put together a set of tailored best practices and standards, including a UI Style Guide as well as a PI AF Hierarchy Best Practices guide. Your organization will want to start using PI AF if you aren’t already doing so, and having this early guidance will make sure the setup is done in the most effective manner for scalable growth and performance.
We Can Help
MetaFactor will help you migrate your PI ProcessBook displays to PI Vision. We are Calgary OSIsoft PI Experts and Calgary OSIsoft AF Experts. Talk to us today to find out how we can help your company.