---
title: Set Up Asset Types, Unit Numbers and Vehicle Groups
description: Turn asset types on or off, set a default type, auto-fill unit numbers, and create vehicle groups for a customer on MetaFleet.
---
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# Set Up Asset Types, Unit Numbers and Vehicle Groups
## Choose which kinds of vehicles your shop services, decide how unit numbers get filled in, and group a customer's vehicles.
**For:** Admins and fleet coordinators · **Time:** ~5 minutes · **Permission:** a view-only user can open the Vehicle Types tab but can't save changes
### Quick summary
1. Open **Settings › Service Catalog › Vehicle Types**.
2. Turn on the asset types your shop services and pick a **Default type**.
3. Turn on **Auto-generate unit numbers** if you want new vehicles pre-numbered, then click **Save**.
4. Create vehicle groups per customer under **Company Details › Vehicle Management › Groups of Vehicles**.
### Before you start
- You need permission to change settings. If you don't see **Service Catalog**, or **Save** stays unavailable, ask an admin.
- Vehicle groups belong to one customer, so the customer must already exist under **Company Details › Companies**.
### Choose your asset types
1. Go to **Settings › Service Catalog** and click the **Vehicle Types** tab.
2. On the **Asset types** card, switch on each type your shop works on: **Truck**, **Trailer**, **Tractor**, **Heavy Equipment**, **Other** and **Dolly**.
3. Switch off the types you don't service. They disappear from the type picker when someone adds a vehicle.
4. Open the **Default type** list and pick the type most of your vehicles use. The list offers only the types that are switched on, and switching off the current default resets it to **No default**. New vehicles start with the default selected. Leave it on **No default** if you'd rather choose each time.
5. Click **Save**.
To check the result, click **Preview on vehicle form** on the card. It opens the Create Vehicle form.
> Vehicles you already have keep their type when you switch it off. The type just stops appearing on new vehicles. A change applies the next time someone adds or edits a vehicle.
> You can't switch off every type. Keep at least one on, or **Save** stays unavailable.
### Manage Heavy Equipment sub-types
When **Heavy Equipment** is on, a **Manage sub-types** button appears next to it. Sub-types show up as an optional list on the vehicle form once someone picks Heavy Equipment.
1. Click **Manage sub-types**.
2. Type a name in **Add a sub-type…** and click **Add**, or use the pencil to rename one, or the trash can to remove one.
3. Click **Save** at the bottom of the page. Sub-type changes are not applied until you save.
If vehicles already use a sub-type, removing it archives it instead. Open **Archived (N)** and click **Restore** to bring it back. A sub-type no vehicle uses is deleted.
### Decide how unit numbers are filled in
The **Unit numbering** card, below the asset types, has one switch: **Auto-generate unit numbers**.
- **Off:** whoever adds a vehicle types the **Unit Number**. The field is required on the vehicle form.
- **On:** **Unit Number** is pre-filled with the next number in your shop's sequence, in the format **V-000123**. The count runs across the whole shop. Anyone adding a vehicle can type over it.
Click **Save** after you change the switch. The card's own subtitle describes shops that don't use unit numbers; the switch is what decides the behavior.
Here is where the unit number is entered when you add a vehicle with **+ Create vehicle** on **Company Details › Vehicle Management**:
To fill in make, model and year from a VIN, see [Auto-Fill Vehicle Details from the VIN](https://support.metafleet.ai/auto-fill-vehicle-details-from-the-vin?hsLang=en).
### Create a vehicle group
A vehicle group is a named set of one customer's vehicles. You can pick a whole group when you schedule a preventive maintenance (PM) appointment, and you can enroll the group in a PM program as you create it.
1. Go to **Company Details › Vehicle Management** and click **Groups of Vehicles**.
2. Under **CUSTOMER**, pick the customer. Their existing groups are listed, with **Active** and **Archived** filters.
3. Click **+ Create group**.
4. Enter a **Group name**. Add a **Description** if you like.
5. Under **Vehicles**, tick each vehicle to include, or tick **Select all**.
6. To enroll them in a PM program now, tick **Enroll these vehicles in a PM program** and choose the program. See [Enrolling Vehicles in a PM Program](https://support.metafleet.ai/enrolling-vehicles-in-a-pm-program?hsLang=en).
7. Click **Create group**. If you enrolled the vehicles, the button reads **Create group & enroll**.
> Only vehicles that are active for that customer appear in the list. To bring back an archived vehicle first, see [Manage Vehicles: Archive and Restore](https://support.metafleet.ai/manage-vehicles-archive-restore?hsLang=en).
### Troubleshooting
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
| --- | --- | --- |
| A type is missing when adding a vehicle | The asset type is switched off | Switch it on under **Vehicle Types** and click **Save**. |
| I can't click **Save** | Nothing has changed, or every type is switched off | Make a change, and keep at least one type on. |
| Unit Number is empty on a new vehicle | **Auto-generate unit numbers** is off | Type the number, or switch on auto-generate. |
| The group list says "This customer has no active vehicles." | The customer has no active vehicles | Add a vehicle for that customer, then create the group. |
### FAQs
**Does switching off a type delete vehicles of that type?**
No. Existing vehicles keep the type. It only stops appearing on new ones.
**Can I change an auto-generated unit number?**
Yes. The number is a pre-fill. Type over it before you create the vehicle.
**Can I edit or archive a group later?**
Yes. Use the ⋮ menu on the group's row on the **Groups of Vehicles** tab.
**Can a group include vehicles from two customers?**
No. You pick one customer first, and the list shows only that customer's vehicles.
### Related articles
- [Manage Vehicles: Archive and Restore](https://support.metafleet.ai/manage-vehicles-archive-restore?hsLang=en)
- [Auto-Fill Vehicle Details from the VIN](https://support.metafleet.ai/auto-fill-vehicle-details-from-the-vin?hsLang=en)
- [Enrolling Vehicles in a PM Program](https://support.metafleet.ai/enrolling-vehicles-in-a-pm-program?hsLang=en)
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