---
title: "RCM Systems - Tags and Prioritization"
slug: "rcm-systems-tags-and-prioritization"
description: "Prioritize assets effectively by assessing failure consequences, using RCM analysis to enhance maintenance strategies and resource allocation."
tags: ["Systems", "RCM"]
status: "update"
updated: 2026-10-27T23:11:57Z
published: 2026-10-27T23:11:57Z
canonical: "ims-handbook.cenosco.com/rcm-systems-tags-and-prioritization"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://ims-handbook.cenosco.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# RCM Systems - Tags and Prioritization

Asset prioritization is based on the potential consequences of asset failures, modeled as a failure chain: A failure mode causes an equipment failure, which may lead to a system failure. The severity of the resulting consequences determines an asset's criticality.

When you prioritize, assess only the highest credible consequence of a failure. This is a deliberately narrow view: at the prioritization stage you consider the single most severe consequence of an individual failure mode, whereas the later RCM analysis evaluates all dominant failure modes.

## Priority Levels

IMS codes three priority levels using Computerized Maintenance Management Software (CMMS) indicators, which match the RCM Criticality assessment levels. However, these are simply indications and not accurate. Keep that in mind when assessing criticality and consequence level, as no probability is involved in prioritization.

| Priority | Criticality Assessment Level |
| --- | --- |
| **X** | High (H) or Extreme (E) |
| **Y** | Medium (M) or Medium-High (MH) |
| **T** | None (N) or Low (L) |

> [!NOTE]
> Note
> 
> The equipment type defined in the **Equipment Group** can indicate likely failure modes, but prioritization should be carried out by a knowledgeable RCM facilitator who can identify credible failure modes and assess their consequences.

Once an RCM analysis is completed for a tag, its priority is updated automatically based on the highest criticality among its failure modes.

## Assigning Tags to the System

You can assign assets to a system one at a time from the interface, or import many at once from a template. IMS lets you select, prioritize, and analyze assets at both the FLOC and Equipment level.

### Add Tags Manually

To select and assign the relevant Assets to the System:

1. On the System Details Page, go to the **Tags and Prioritization** section.
2. Click **+/-FLOCs/Equipment**
3. Select the assets (tags) to assign. Use the filter buttons at the top of the selection screen to narrow the list and click the **Tag Type** column to group by asset type.
4. Click **OK**.

![F:\M070.1.jpg](https://cdn.document360.io/e492a0e0-a4ba-4aca-8fc6-76b95f91fdf3/Images/Documentation/pic%201(890).png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-10-28T13%3A38%3A12Z&se=2026-10-28T14%3A38%3A12Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=G2jjS4rM8wLTFDaAZqCK7vuX821j1VcyJxilvYT4rgE%3D)

### Importing Tags from a Template

To add many tags at once, import them instead of adding them manually.

1. In the Systems main screen grid toolbar, click the *Import* button.
2. In the **RCM** import type, download and complete the **System Equipment** template.
3. Follow the steps in [Importing Data via Settings](/v414/docs/importing-data-via-settings-1).
4. Confirm the imported FLOCs and Equipment appear in the **Tags and Prioritization** section of the system.

![F:\M070.14.jpg](https://cdn.document360.io/e492a0e0-a4ba-4aca-8fc6-76b95f91fdf3/Images/Documentation/pic%201(892).png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-10-28T13%3A38%3A12Z&se=2026-10-28T14%3A38%3A12Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=G2jjS4rM8wLTFDaAZqCK7vuX821j1VcyJxilvYT4rgE%3D)

> [!NOTE]
> Note
> 
> For a walkthrough, watch [Add Equipment to Systems Episode 4](/v414/docs/rcm-tutorial-videos#add-equipment-to-systems-episode-4).

## **Prioritizing Assets**

After you assign assets to a system, prioritize them so RCM analysis effort goes to the highest-risk equipment first. You can prioritize a single asset or select several and prioritize them at once.

The purpose of prioritization is to quickly review assets with Failure Modes that could have significant consequences. This helps distinguish:

- Equipment that should undergo an RCM analysis.
- Equipment that should have an RSL assigned.
- Equipment with no scheduled maintenance.

This prevents resources from being spent on detailed RCM analyses of equipment where criticality appears low.

### Tags and Prioritization Columns

The Tags and Prioritization grid shows the following columns:

| Column | Description |
| --- | --- |
| AC | Pie chart indicating analysis completeness. |
| Tag Type | Whether the asset is a FLOC or Equipment. Click the header to sort and group by type. |
| Tag | The FLOC or Equipment identifier assigned to the system. |
| Pending Analysis | Indicates whether an RCM analysis is still outstanding for the tag — i.e., the asset has been selected/prioritized but its analysis is not yet complete. |
| SAP Equipment Number | The asset's unique equipment identifier in SAP, synced from the CMMS. |
| Object Type | The technical object-type classification of the asset as defined in the CMMS (SAP). |
| CMMS Type | The asset/object category as recorded in the connected CMMS. |
| Priority | The resulting CMMS indicator — X, Y, or T (see [Priority levels](/v414/docs/rcm-systems-select-equipment-and-prioritization#priority-levels)). |
| ABC Indicator | The SAP ABC classification ranking the asset by importance/criticality (A = highest, C = lowest), synced from the CMMS; usable as an extra input to prioritization. |
| SCE | Indicates whether equipment is Safety Critical Element or relevant in the Hazards and Effect Management Process (HEMP) is part of a barrier in a Bowtie model. |
| RBI CA | Status of the Risk-Based Inspection (RBI) Criticality Assessment (CA). |
| SIF CA | Status of the Safety Instrumented Function (SIF) Criticality Assessment (CA). |
| CR | Criticality from a completed RCM analysis. Populated once an analysis is done on the tag. |
| Asset Consequences | Severity of the asset/operational consequence of the highest credible failure. |
| Environment Consequences | Severity of the environmental consequence of the highest credible failure. |
| Priority Note | Free-text field for recording the rationale behind the assigned priority. |

Use the **RBI CA** status, **SIF CA** status, and **RCM Criticality (CR)** columns as additional context alongside the **Asset Consequences** and **Environment Consequences** when deciding a priority.

### Set asset and environment consequences

There are three ways to set the Asset Consequence and Environment Consequence. Choose the one that fits how many assets you are working with.

> [!NOTE]
> Note
> 
> For a walkthrough, watch [Prioritization Episode 5](/v414/docs/rcm-tutorial-videos#prioritization-episode-5).

#### Method 1 — Use the priority matrix (best for one or a few assets)

1. On the System Details Page, go the **Tags and Prioritization** section.
2. Select the asset you wish to edit.
3. Click the *Prioritisation* button to open the priority matrix on the right.
4. Select the **Severity** for the asset and environment consequences.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/e492a0e0-a4ba-4aca-8fc6-76b95f91fdf3/Images/Documentation/Prioritisation.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-10-28T13%3A38%3A12Z&se=2026-10-28T14%3A38%3A12Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=G2jjS4rM8wLTFDaAZqCK7vuX821j1VcyJxilvYT4rgE%3D)

> [!NOTE]
> Note
> 
> To use the full RCM matrix, set the **RCM Criticality Assessment Priority** [application setting](/v414/docs/application-settings) **B Value** to **1**. If you do this, you must sign out of IMS and sign back in to see the updated application settings.

#### Method 2 — Edit the grid directly

1. On the System Details Page, go the **Tags and Prioritization** section.
2. Select the asset you wish to edit.
3. Click the *Edit* button.
4. Select values from the dropdown list in the **Asset Consequence** and **Environment Consequence** columns. Valid values are 0–5.
5. Click the *Save* button.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/e492a0e0-a4ba-4aca-8fc6-76b95f91fdf3/Images/Documentation/Prioritization_edit.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-10-28T13%3A38%3A12Z&se=2026-10-28T14%3A38%3A12Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=G2jjS4rM8wLTFDaAZqCK7vuX821j1VcyJxilvYT4rgE%3D)

#### Method 3 — Export, edit, and import (best for many assets)

1. On the System Details Page, go the **Tags and Prioritization** section.
2. Select the asset you wish to edit.
3. Click the *Export* button.
4. Update the **Asset Consequence**, **Environment Consequence**, and **Priority Note** values in the exported file.
5. Import the file back into IMS.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/e492a0e0-a4ba-4aca-8fc6-76b95f91fdf3/Images/Documentation/prioritization_export.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-10-28T13%3A38%3A12Z&se=2026-10-28T14%3A38%3A12Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=G2jjS4rM8wLTFDaAZqCK7vuX821j1VcyJxilvYT4rgE%3D)

### Prioritize in bulk with Excel (FMEA)

Method 3 scales up for extensive Failure Mode and Effect Analyses (FMEA) — for example, across multiple large units. Collecting the data in an Excel worksheet first lets you enter consequences quickly, consistently, and systematically, and makes later adjustments and reassessments easy.

The key technique is building the Priority Note by concatenating the FMEA fields into a single line so it reads cleanly in IMS. The recommended workflow:

1. Collect the FMEA data in a working sheet, one column per attribute (equipment, failure mode, effect, consequence, cost, and so on). Keeping everything in one sheet lets you filter and reassess efficiently.
2. Concatenate the fields into the **Priority Note** column (column M in the example). This produces the single-line note that IMS displays.
3. Map the data into the IMS import sheet, which holds the fields IMS expects on upload.
4. Import the sheet into IMS RCM.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/e492a0e0-a4ba-4aca-8fc6-76b95f91fdf3/Images/Documentation/prio%20IMS%20work%20sheet%203.jpg?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-10-28T13%3A38%3A12Z&se=2026-10-28T14%3A38%3A12Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=G2jjS4rM8wLTFDaAZqCK7vuX821j1VcyJxilvYT4rgE%3D)

> [!NOTE]
> Note
> 
> Example import template with the above example is available here.
> 
> [](https://cdn.document360.io/e492a0e0-a4ba-4aca-8fc6-76b95f91fdf3/Images/Documentation/System Equipment.ImportTemplate.2023-07-02  UPL U100  HB.xlsx?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-10-28T13%3A38%3A12Z&se=2026-10-28T14%3A38%3A12Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=G2jjS4rM8wLTFDaAZqCK7vuX821j1VcyJxilvYT4rgE%3D)System Equipment.ImportTemplate.2023-07-02  UPL U100  HB163.02 KB[](https://cdn.document360.io/e492a0e0-a4ba-4aca-8fc6-76b95f91fdf3/Images/Documentation/System Equipment.ImportTemplate.2023-07-02  UPL U100  HB.xlsx?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-10-28T13%3A38%3A12Z&se=2026-10-28T14%3A38%3A12Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=G2jjS4rM8wLTFDaAZqCK7vuX821j1VcyJxilvYT4rgE%3D)

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