Maximo REST APIs examples

Update April 2021 – This post describes the old REST APIs. A tutorial on the new APIs can be found here.

In this tutorial I will show how easy it is to query and update data in Maximo using the Integration Framework (MIF) REST interface.

To send REST calls you first need to setup an HTTP/REST client. In this tutorial I will use a Google Chrome add-on called Advanced REST Client.

Retrieve a record

In this first example I will show you to retrieve a PERSON record from Maximo using a REST call with an HTTP GET request:

http://[MXHOST]/maxrest/rest/mbo/person/1

Probably you will get an authentication error like this:

Error 401: BMXAA0021E - User name and password combination are not valid. Try again.

This means that you have to pass the authentication credentials to your request. If you are using native authentication you can pass the _lid and _lpwd arguments as described in this example:

http://[MXHOST]/maxrest/rest/mbo/person/1?_lid=wilson&_lpwd=wilson

Now you should see the PERSON record identified by the PERSONUID=1.

NOTE: For all the examples below I will exclude the authentication arguments for simplicity.

MBO and OS resources

The REST API provides access to business objects and integration object structures.

The two calls below will provide access to the same resource:

http://[MXHOST]/maxrest/rest/mbo/person/1

http://[MXHOST]/maxrest/rest/os/mxperson/1

The first call access data straight from the PERSON object through MBO persistence layer.
The second call access data from the MXPERSON integration object structure through the MIF.
You will notice that results are slightly different.

Data format (XML or JSON)

By default Maximo retrieves data in XML format. JSON could be used instead passing the _format argument:

http://[MXHOST]/maxrest/rest/mbo/person/?_format=json

Select records

To retrieve the REVIS person record use the following REST call:

http://[MXHOST]/maxrest/rest/mbo/person/?personid=revis

Note that Maximo will perform a wildcard search by default so if you type ‘re’ instead of ‘revis’ you will get a list of records that contains ‘re’ in the PERSONID field:

http://[MXHOST]/maxrest/rest/mbo/person/?personid=re

To search with an exact match use the ~eq~ token as demonstrated in this examples:

http://[MXHOST]/maxrest/rest/mbo/person/?personid=~eq~revis

http://[MXHOST]/maxrest/rest/mbo/person/?personid=~eq~re

Results can be sorted using the _orderby, _orderbyasc or _orderbydesc argument. Multiple attributes can be passed separated by a comma character.

http://[MXHOST]/maxrest/rest/mbo/person/?personid=re&_orderby=statusdate

http://[MXHOST]/maxrest/rest/mbo/person/?personid=re&_orderby=status,statusdate

Create or Update a record (AddChange)

To create an existing record the AddChange action can be used. The following example will create a new person named RESTINT. Note that in this case a POST request must be used instead of a GET.

http://[MXHOST]/maxrest/rest/mbo/person/?_action=addchange&personid=restint&firstname=Rest&lastname=Int

To update the same record we can use the PERSONUID returned from the create. In my example it’s 161.

http://[MXHOST]/maxrest/rest/mbo/person/161?_action=addchange&personid=restint&firstname=RestNew&lastname=IntNew

Updating child objects

Lets now pretend we need to update an asset specification and one of its attributes. You will see things are now a little more complex.

First of all we can create a new asset with a POST request.

http://[MXHOST]/maxrest/rest/mbo/ASSET/?assetnum=myasset01&siteid=BEDFORD&description=TestTest

Take note of your ASSETUID and query the new record with a GET request.

http://[MXHOST]/maxrest/rest/mbo/ASSET/2585

Now login to Maximo, classify the MYASSET01 as a BEARING, add an ALN attribute and save it.
If you query the asset using the GET request above you will notice that you just have a CLASSSTRUCTUREID attribute with a number in it specifying the classification. This is not usable in our scenario and will not allow to update attribute.

The right approach is to switch to the object service structure. Try to query the new record with a GET request like this:

http://[MXHOST]/maxrest/rest/os/MXASSET/2585

You will see that the HIERARCHYPATH field is now available and a subelement ASSETSPEC returns the attribute.
If we now want to update the value of the ALN attribute we can use a POST with a dotted notation like this:

…/MXASSET/2585?ASSETSPEC.1.ASSETATTRID=BEARTYPE&ASSETSPEC.1.ALNVALUE=ABC&ASSETSPEC.1.LINEARASSETSPECID=0

If you want to set a new classification here’s an example:

http://[MXHOST]/maxrest/rest/os/MXASSET/2585?hierarchypath=BEARING%20\%20ROLLER

Note how the spaces have been encoded in the URL with the ‘%20’ string. Hope this can help all of us dealing with integration scenarios using REST calls…

PREPARE FOR MAXIMO 7.6.0 END OF SUPPORT (EOS)

 

WHEN WILL IBM MAXIMO 7.6.0.X NO LONGER BE SUPPORTED?

On September 8, 2020, IBM announced the end of support for Maximo 7.6.0.x, Industry Solutions, and Add-Ons. The official announcement letter was #920-136.

As of September 30, 2021, any fixes, patches, and telephone support will no longer be provided for Maximo 7.6.0.x

This announcement provides current clients 12 months prepare for and conduct an upgrade to at least Maximo 7.6.1.2.

 

CAN I STILL USE MAXIMO 7.6.0 IF IT’S NO LONGER SUPPORTED?

Yes, and we recommend you purchase “extended support,” while you are planning your path to upgrade.

TRM of course can assist you in the planning for the upgrade. TRM has performed 100’s of upgrades over the years for clients in many different situations.

 

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF UPGRADING TO MAXIMO 7.6.1.2?

Maximo 7.6.1.2 has several enhancements, one of which is the furtherance of Work Centers, an alternative user interface better suited for mobile users. Other features such as Inspections, Budget Monitoring and License Monitoring may be of interest to your business.

The need for an upgrade might also be the impetus for you to move your on-prem Maximo to be hosted by TRM in the cloud. TRM has programs to make this process less disruptive and financially beneficial to you.

 

CAN I UPGRADE TO MAS 8?

Yes. There are several paths you can take to move into Maximo Application Suite (MAS). Note that the licensing approach to MAS is different than that of traditional Maximo. App Points are now used to entitle your users to the various elements of MAS. TRM can assist you in developing a strategy to move from the licensing you have now to App Points.

What's New In Maximo's 7.6.1.2 Feature Pack

 

Maximo v7.6.1.2 was released by IBM on July 24, 2020 and brings new functionality to the user community of the world class asset management solution. IBM continues to take notes from their user community to enhance the solution to best fit the needs of their maintenance program, enabling them to continuously optimize and improve the reliability of their assets and decrease maintenance costs.

 

The updates in Maximo 7.6.1.2 are broken up into:

 

• Currency updates
• Technical Enhancements
• Functional Enhancements
• Push notifications

Here is the top new functionality in Maximo's 7.6.1.2 feature pack:

 

1. Multiple Attachments in Maximo 7.6.1.2

You can now attach multiple files simultaneously.

 

2. Update Drilldown Capability in Maximo 7.6.1.2

The Drilldown navigation has a refreshed look and feel and provides greater access to more related data and actions. You can now drilldown to PM’s, Job Plans, and Spare Parts, view details on related records, and Drag and Drop to move assets or locations.

 

3. New Inventory and Storeroom Updates in Maximo 7.6.1.2

Users can now create storeroom hierarchies, add items to multiple storerooms, and set a default reorder storeroom. There are also additional details which can now be specified when adding to storeroom.

 

Picking & Staging

In the Inventory Work Centers users have the new functionality of “Pick & Stage” This gives the options of:

• Open: Reservations waiting to be processes
• Picked: Removed from the shelf but not yet staged or issued
• Staged: Physically moved to staging area in anticipation of issue
• Issued: Removed from inventory, financial transaction written
• Review: History of what happened

Reconciliation Preview

Inventory Work Centers now give users the ability to reconcile physical counts under the “Reconcile” tab. This provides enables users to review reconcile before executing the reconcile process and is a visual indicator of proposed changes to easily identify problem areas needing further investigation.

 

Barcode Scanning

Barcode scanning is now available wherever the user is selecting bin or item. The camera opens in video mode and snaps the picture once it is in focus. An audible beep will sound indicating success.

 

Condition-Enabled Items

Lastly, updates to the Inventory Work Centers help users better manage Condition Enabled Items by supporting setting condition enables items, managing condition codes for the item or set, and using smart controls when saving to keep data accurate.

 

4. Updated Browser Support for Maximo 7.6.1.2

Maximo will now be supported in Microsoft Edge Chromium.

 

5. Data import from IBM Digital Twin Exchange in Maximo 7.6.1.2

This latest release of Maximo now supports an import capability allowing data from IBM’s Digital Twin Exchange to be brought into Maximo.

 

6. Cognos Entitlement in Maximo 7.6.1.2

Maximo users now have access to Cognos v11.0.13 which provides additional reporting and analytic capability.

 

7. Push Notifications in maximo 7.6.1.2

Users can subscribe to events within Maximo Asset Management and will receive an automatic push notification to their supported iOS or Android mobile device when an event or data change occurs. Use the new Push Notification Administration Application to configure this setting on your mobile device.

8. IoT Connectivity in Maximo 7.6.1.2

In Maximo 7.6.1.2, an IoT connector was added into the administration work center. This helps increase connectivity within IoT platforms. After configuration, this allows you to associate an IoT device with a specific asset or location. 

This product includes content to support

• IBM Watson IoT
• IBM Watson Asset Monitor
• AT&T Asset Management - Operations Center

And other IoT platforms can be added if needed.

9. Regulatory Compliance in Maximo 7.6.1.2

Maximo users can now add electronic signature keys to their profiles. When an electronic signature verification is required in an application, the user can enter their electronic signature key - if they don’t the record will not be saved. This is native to Maximo 7.6.1.2, and therefore can be used with more protocols such as SAML or OIDC.

10. Work Supervision and Work Execution Work Centers in Maximo 7.6.1.2

The following enhancements were made to Work Supervision and Work Execution Work Centers to streamline the work management process and improve efficiency for supervisors and technicians:

• More signature options within Work Centers
• Populating description field with IDs when no description is specified
• Inspection launch from “Details” page of work order
• Classification title added to “Details” page to classify work orders