---
key: create-an-asset-class
title: Create an asset class
audience: staff
section: operational-assets
routes: ["/assets/classes", "/assets/classes/new"]
permissions: ["assets.classes.create"]
features: ["operations.assets"]
since: 0.0.1
updated: 0.0.1
status: published
summary: Define an equipment family such as "Utility trailer" or "Service van" with its category, kind, readiness policy and default profile, then publish it so assets can be grouped and filtered by it.
keywords: [class, equipment type, asset family, category, vehicle type, trailer, van, readiness policy]
related: [create-an-asset-profile, create-an-operational-asset, set-up-operational-assets]
---

In the sidebar, open **Settings**, then choose **Asset Classes** under **Equipment & Fleet**. The page address is `/assets/classes`. The heading reads **Operational Asset Classes**. A class is the family an asset belongs to, such as "Utility trailer" or "Service van". It sets the category and kind that registry filters and reports group by, a default readiness policy, and optionally the profile new assets of that class start from.

## Before you start

- Viewing needs permission to view operational assets. Creating, publishing and deactivating classes need the asset class create, update and publish permissions.
- Classes belong to the whole organization. Set the branch picker to **All branches** first. From a single branch, or if your role only covers some branches, Nova refuses to save with a message about organization-wide access.
- If you want to link a profile, it has to exist first: see [[create-an-asset-profile]].

## Steps

1. Press **New class**. The builder opens at `/assets/classes/new` under **New Asset Class**.
2. Under **Class identity**, type a **Class key** (letters, numbers and underscores, such as "utility_trailer") and a **Class name**. The key has to be unique.
3. Choose a **Category** and an **Asset kind**. Pick an existing one or type a new one.
4. Set the **Initial status**: **Draft** to keep working on it, **Active** to make it usable right away, or **Inactive**.
5. Choose a **Default readiness policy**: Standard, Strict or Field Flexible. A linked profile can override it.
6. Optionally pick a **Linked current profile**. Only the current version of each profile is listed, and its category and kind have to match the class, or Nova refuses to save. Add an **Icon key** and **Color key** for how the class looks in lists, and a **Description**.
7. Press **Create class**. Nova shows "Operational asset class created." and reopens the class in its own builder.
8. If you saved it as a draft, press **Publish class** when it is ready and confirm with **Publish asset class**. **Deactivate class** asks you to confirm, with a box to explain why, then retires it without deleting anything.

## What you see

- Four tiles: **Visible classes**, **Active classes**, **Draft classes** and **Categories in view**.
- The **Class Registry** table shows each class with its **Family**, **Status**, **Linked profile** and **Updated** date, plus **Builder**, **Registry** and **Setup** per row, and **Create asset** when a profile is linked. Filter by **Status** and **Category**, or search by key, name or description.
- In the builder, **Linked profile preview** shows what the chosen profile requires, and **Validation and actions** lists anything missing before **Create class** or **Save class** turns on. Once saved, the status is changed only with **Publish class** or **Deactivate class**.
- When you pick a profile on **Create asset**, a class linked to it is filled in for you. Publishing a newer version of the profile moves the link to that version.

## If something looks different

- **Create class** stays greyed out: your role cannot create classes, or **Validation and actions** still lists something missing.
- Saving fails with "Asset profile category must match the selected asset class" (or kind): pick a profile with the same category and kind, or change the class's.
- A class shows **No linked profile**: it still works; people pick the profile themselves when they create an asset.
- You would rather manage classes and profiles together in one form: see [[set-up-operational-assets]].

[[route:/assets/classes|Open Asset Classes]]