Exception Report Troubleshooting
Note: This only pertains to Ricoh customers that use TRAC.
The Exception Report that can be found in the TRAC Asset Module under Monitoring is an invaluable tool for use by SDMS to ensure that all (or as many as possible) of client fleet devices, currently in TRAC, are reporting service status, supply status and meters via FMAudit. It is also a great way to tell if devices have been installed on the network, about which we have not been notified through the client's IMAC-D process.
The Exception Report includes four types of exceptions listed in the table below:
Exception Name | Defined |
Assets in FMAudit | This indicates a device that is in TRAC but no longer seems, to the system, to be reporting through FMA (FMAudit). |
Assets NOT in TRAC Exception Report | This indicates that a device is reporting its data to FMA for which there is no matching device (by serial number) in TRAC. |
No Meter Reported TRAC Exception Report | This indicates that the device is not reporting a meter via FMA. It follows, that all TRAC devices not reporting via FMA (the Asset Not in FMAAudit Exception) will also have this exception. However, devices that otherwise seem matched in both TRAC and FMA may throw this exception under certain circumstances. |
Invalid Reading TRAC Exception Report | This indicates that the meter reading appears to be invalid. This is usually a reading that yields a negative or excessively large page count when compared to the previous meter reading. |
Devices not listed on the exception report can be assumed to be reporting status and meters through FMA to TRAC, properly.
The information that follows will help you resolve these exceptions for individual devices.
Assets in FMAudit
Reason: Common causes for "Not in TRAC" error:
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Asset's internal serial number does not match what has been entered into the system.
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Incorrect serial number was provided on the data template for loading into TRAC.
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FM Audit has discovered a new device on the network.
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Export exception report from TRAC into excel (Assets>Monitoring>Exception Report).
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Export Device information report into Excel (Assets>Monitoring>Device Information.
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Sort by not in FMAudit (Exception Report).
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Sort by network yes (Exception Report).
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Compare serial number, IP Address, and host name from the exception report and device information (use vlookup).
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Compare exception report serial number to device information serial number.
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Compare to exception report address field to Device Information host name.
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Compare exception report address field to device information IP address.
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Confirm there is no serial number, host name or IP address matches in any of the three comparisons.
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If there is a match in the comparison for any results, research the serial number in TRAC (Asset>Inventory) to validate its IP address and/or host name.
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Copy IP address / host name from TRAC (Asset>Inventory) and paste into device information (Asset>Monitoring>Device Information) and filter to see results.
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If serial number is a close match (one or two characters off) update device information with serial number from the TRAC exception report.
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Check the exception report to verify the serial number is removed from the report.
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If the serial number remains in the report, consult your APPM / RPPM.
Assets Not in TRAC Exception Report
Reason: This device was found during the last FMA meter read and is not "contracted" (NOT IN TRAC) for coverage, as indicated by the MDS Inventory Data Collection Template.
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Copy Serial Number (SN) from the exception report from TRAC (Asset>Monitoring>Exception Reports) and paste into device information (Assets>Monitoring>Device Information) and filter to see the results.
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Use all of the information found from device information to locate the physical device (e.g. IP Address, Make, Model, Host Name, etc.).
Follow the customer and Ricoh-IKON "add" procedures to include the device in the current contract, then enter the device information manually into TRAC. You may need to work with your site's IT department to locate the device.
After adding to TRACK, check FMA device information after the next meter read (usually 24 hours later) to see if the device is being monitored in FMA.
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Check the exception report to verify the serial number is removed from the report.
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If the serial number remains in the report, consult your APPM / RPPM.
No Meter Reported TRAC Exception Report
Reason: The device is in the FMA database, but there was no response from the last meter read (may not be a problem until it happens more than once; the printer may have just been off).
Common causes for a "No Meter" error:
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The device is not connected or is idle. Scroll over the diamond in the "No Meter" column to see data from the last meter read. This may help you to track the cause of the problem.
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Confirm with client IT contact that FMA Onsite is active and communicating.
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If this has happened more than once: is this a model that should be reporting? Maybe this is a technical issue or firmware version; otherwise, you will have to read the meter manually each month.
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If the serial number remains in the exception report, consult your APPM / RPPM.
Invalid Reading TRAC Exception Report
Reason: Most current FMA meter reads are in conflict with the previous.
Common causes for "Invalid Reading" error:
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Getting a negative number. Scroll over the diamond in the "Invalid Reading" column to see data from the last meter read. This may help you track the cause of the problem. This will show you the last date and the meter of the last audit.
Could be a MIB-OID issue on the device.
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Verify the latest firmware is installed on the device.
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Edit meters (Asset>Monitoring>Monitoring Exceptions>Edit Inventory Item>Edit Meters).
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If meters continue with negative meters, verify you have the most current version of FMA Onsite, and consult your APPM / RPPM.
If you still encounter exceptions after trying all of the appropriate fixes above, contact your administrator for further instructions.
Coupled with regular attention, the TRAC Asset Module Exception Report provides the SDM the means to keep the number of fleet devices reporting their status and meters to TRAC via FMA, at the highest possible level, minimizing the manual effort required to effectively manage the fleet.
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