There are a number of asset management software packages that make it easier to integrate asset management processes with your ArcGIS environment: Cityworks, AssetWorks EAM, KloudGin and FieldSquared. These systems allow you to add location-based information to your asset management.

The Esri Utility Network is a highly advanced data model developed specifically for utilities. Implementing the Utility Network offers opportunities in terms of process improvement.

In addition to choosing the Esri Utility Network and an 'ArcIGS-proof asset management system', we have a few more tips:

• Implement FME for seamless data exchange between your asset management system and ArcGIS.
• Use mobile apps such as ArcGIS Collector and ArcGIS Survey123 to give field workers access to up-to-date asset data. These mobile apps also allow employees to update data in real time.
• Using tools such as ArcGIS Pro and the Spatial Analyst extension, you can perform advanced analytics to better understand and optimise the performance of your assets.

FME is data integration software that works extremely well with ArcGIS software. In practice, FME is mainly used for GIS data. There are a number of things with which FME can help improve your asset management:

• With FME, you can collect, transform and integrate data from different sources. This creates a uniform and consistent dataset that you can use both in ArcGIS and in your asset management system.
• FME offers some very specific functionalities for transforming geographic data. You can transform coordinate systems, restructure attributes and create different data layers. These functionalities can help you optimise your asset data.
• Using automated workflows, you can streamline data integration and processing. This increases the efficiency of your asset management processes.
• FME can check and validate your asset data. This makes identifying inconsistent, incorrect and missing data fields much easier.
• Finally, FME gives you the ability to visualise and analyse. This allows you to identify trends and structural data problems and establish action points from a data-driven approach.

The ESRI Utility Network is an extension of the ArcGIS platform and provides an advanced data model for managing and analysing utility and telecoms networks. It is designed to better represent and support the complexity of utility networks, such as electricity, water, gas and telecommunications.

The ESRI Utility Network contributes to better asset management in a number of ways:

• The Utility Network provides a detailed model of a utility's physical and logical components. This allows you to store detailed information about your assets. For example: the location and characteristics of an asset, as well as the interrelationship between different assets.
• Thanks to the accurate modelling of network elements and their interrelationships, you can comprehensively analyse and then optimise the performance of your assets. This makes identifying bottlenecks and planning maintenance easier and more accurate.
• With advanced tracing functionalities, you can perform very complex network analyses. Identifying an area affected by a failure and the impact on services is thus much faster.
• The Utility Network
• The Utility Network offers extensive configuration options. The network model can be adapted to specific needs and business processes.
• Integration with other business systems, such as asset management and ERP systems, is possible. This facilitates collaboration with internal stakeholders.
• The Utility Network supports mobile applications. Field workers can therefore access network information and asset data on the street. During physical inspections, they can update real-time data in the Utility Network.

There are some methods for integrating the ESRI Utility Network with asset management systems:

• Via APIs and web services you can exchange data and functionalities between different applications.
• With Spatial ETL tools such as FME or the ArcGIS Data Interoperability Extension, you can convert and exchange data between the ESRI Utility Network and your asset management system.
• The ESRI Utility Network can be integrated with SAP HANA, an in-memory data management system, to create a unified platform for asset management and GIS analysis. This integration enables real-time data and analytics to be combined with business processes and asset management workflows.
• By using open standards such as the likes of OGC (Open Geospatial Consortium), you can ensure collaboration between the ESRI Utility Network and your asset management system.

You can use the ESRI Utility Network to anticipate changing environmental conditions affecting your assets. This can be done in a number of ways:

• Using Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence, you can identify and predict future trends and patterns in your infrastructure:
• You can simulate scenarios and analyse the hypothetical impact. This is a powerful tool to test the impact of changes in theory and adjust your asset management strategy accordingly.
• The ESRI Utility Network offers very specific functionalities that allow you to analyse environmental and climate impacts on infrastructure.