Data from outside sources can be imported into Operator Advisor using one of two methods:

Importing data into Operator Advisor using either method adds new data to the database following the Operator Advisor data model, and storing any referenced binary data in the ThingWorx file repository. Once in Operator Advisor, all data is treated the same, regardless of its system of origin. This allows data from multiple systems to be used seamlessly together. Neither method supports updating or deleting data from Operator Advisor.

Both converting process plans and importing data using import bundles are intended to pull released data into Operator Advisor. Any updates to this data in the source system should be treated like a new released version, and pulled into Operator Advisor again as new data. Each time an import or conversion is performed, that data is pulled into Operator Advisor as a new set of work instructions.

For example, version A.1 of a released process plan is converted from Windchill MPMLink into Operator Advisor. That set of work instructions—the parent work definition, its child work definitions (operations), related materials and other information—is used for assembly in the factory. When version B.2 of the process plan is later released in Windchill MPMLink and converted into Operator Advisor, the result is a new and separate set of work instructions. If either version of the process plan is converted into Operator Advisor again, the result is a new set of work instructions. All these sets of work instructions exist in Operator Advisor at the same time.

When data such as older or duplicate work instructions are no longer needed, remove the data from Operator Advisor using the provided delete services.