Why I built a “Universal Data Entry” symbol

PI System veterans know how powerful templates are. One display works for hundreds of similar assets. Pump01, Pump02, TankA, TankB... you build once, reuse everywhere.

Yet in real life, operators and engineers often need to type values manually: lab results, meter readings, checklists, notes from the field, and so on. And while PI Manual Logger is great for structured rounds, it doesn't follow AF templates. Switch assets and it stays stuck on the first one.

That’s exactly why I built my “Universal Data Entry” symbol: a custom PI Vision symbol that lets you enter values directly into PI points and AF attributes from within a display, in a simple table.

What the symbol looks like for the user

On screen, the symbol looks like a small table embedded in your PI Vision display.

For each tag or AF attribute you drop onto it, you get a row with:

  • The name of the attribute or tag.
  • The current value and its units.
  • A text box where you can type the new value.
  • A checkbox to decide if this row should be included in the next send.

At the bottom, there’s a button like “Send value(s)”.
You can:

  • Select one or several rows.
  • Type the new values.
  • Click the button, and the symbol sends everything to the PI System in one go.

From the user’s point of view, it feels like filling a small Excel table directly inside PI Vision, then pressing a single button to save all changes.

How it follows AF templates and asset switching

Many sites build their PI Vision displays on AF templates, so the same screen can be reused for dozens of similar assets (Pump01, Pump02, etc.).

I wanted my symbol to behave the same way: one display, one symbol, reusable for all assets of the same template.

When you switch the asset context in PI Vision (for example from Pump01 to Pump02):

  • PI Vision automatically updates the data sources of the symbol.
  • The symbol notices that the labels and paths have changed.
  • It refreshes its internal links so new values are written to the new pump, not the previous one.

As a user, you don’t need to think about paths, WebIds, or anything technical.
You just change the asset at the top of the display and keep entering data; the symbol quietly follows the context behind the scenes.

What happens when you click “Send”

Behind the scenes, the symbol uses PI Web API as a bridge between your browser and the PI System.

Here’s what happens in simple terms when you click the button:

  1. The symbol looks at each row and keeps only the ones you selected and actually filled in.
  2. For each of these, it prepares a small “data package” with:
    • The timestamp (by default “*”, meaning “now”, but this can be changed in the configuration).
    • The value you typed (or the chosen state if it’s a digital/enumeration).
  3. It sends all those packages together to the PI System in a single request.
  4. After a brief moment, it refreshes the table so you see the new current values that were just written.

If something goes wrong for one of the rows (for example permission issues), the symbol detects it and logs a clear message for troubleshooting. From the user’s side, you mainly notice that some values didn’t update and you can check with your PI admin if needed.

Everyday scenarios where it helps

Here are a few simple situations where this symbol shines:

  • Lab data: You receive lab measurements once per shift. Instead of keeping them in Excel or mail, you type them into the PI Vision display that already shows the process. The values are immediately stored in PI for trends and reports.
  • Manual instruments: Some instruments are not wired or not yet connected. An operator reads them on site and enters the values into a tablet running PI Vision; the rest of the team sees them in the same trends as the automatic tags.
  • Checklists and status flags: For example, “equipment available / unavailable”, “inspection done / not done”, or other yes/no or list‑based values. The symbol supports these digital or enumeration types via drop‑down lists.

The key benefit is that all this manual information ends up in the same PI System as your automatic data, instead of being scattered across temporary spreadsheets or paper forms.

A few practical notes for your PI admin

To keep this article friendly for general users, I’ll just summarize what your PI administrator needs to know.

  • The symbol is a standard PI Vision custom symbol: it’s installed on the PI Vision server along with an icon, HTML templates, and a JavaScript file.
  • It uses PI Web API to write values, respecting existing PI security and user permissions.
  • It is designed to work with AF templates and asset switching, so one display can be reused for many similar assets.

Once it’s installed and configured, everyday users don’t have to think about any of this.
They just drag AF attributes or tags onto the “Universal Data Entry” symbol, type values, and click the button.

If you already live in PI Vision all day and still have “islands” of manual data in spreadsheets or notebooks, a symbol like this is an easy way to bring that information back into the PI System—without changing how you work or learning a new tool.