ExpertViewer FAQs and HowTos: Installation, Activation & Updates

The ExpertViewer is licensed via an activation file (also called subscription file). After purchasing an ExpertViewer subscription, you receive this file by email, together with a short import instruction.

To import the activation file:

1. Save the file attached to the email somewhere on your hard disk, for example in your Downloads folder. Important: Do not drag and drop the file directly from Outlook into the software - download and save it first.
2. Start the ExpertViewer and click on the Info button in the upper right corner.
3. Click on the green button Import activation token and confirm.
4. Select the saved activation file.

After a successful import, the Info area shows your company designation and the date until which your activation is valid. A renewal license (typically issued for 12 months) will again be sent to you by email before the current one expires.

The ExpertViewer is available as a download from the Schaeffler Download Center. The installer is small (approx. 30 MB) and the software does not require a lot of system memory.

To install the software:

1. Download the setup file “Schaeffler OPTIME ExpertViewer_Setup.exe”.
2. Double-click on the file. A wizard guides you through the individual installation steps (installation language, target directory).
3. During installation, links are created in the Start menu which can be used to start the ExpertViewer.

Please note that administrator rights are required to install the software. If you do not have administrator rights on your computer, please contact your IT department. Tip: install the software with administrator rights and then switch back to a normal user account.

After ordering an ExpertViewer subscription, you receive an automated onboarding email from the Schaeffler OPTIME Team. This email contains everything you need to get started:

• Your subscription details: the customer name and the date until which your subscription is valid.
• The download link to the ExpertViewer client setup package for your Windows PC.
• The subscription file (ExpertViewer.subscription) as an attachment - this file activates the software.
• Step-by-step installation and activation instructions.

To activate the software:

1. Install the ExpertViewer by following the setup wizard.
2. Save the attached subscription file (*.subscription) to a local folder, e.g. your Downloads folder. Please do not drag & drop it directly from your email client, as this may be blocked by IT security policies.
3. Open the ExpertViewer, use the “Change Subscription” function and import the saved file to complete the activation.

You are welcome to forward the onboarding email including the subscription file to all eligible OPTIME users within your organization who also want to use the ExpertViewer. Please note that the subscription is not for resale outside your organization.

The onboarding email is sent from a no-reply address - please do not reply to it directly. If you have questions, contact our support team.

When a new version of the ExpertViewer is available, you will see a notification at the first start of the software. From there you can download the new version; alternatively you can always download the latest version from the Schaeffler Download Center.

The update is installed like a normal installation and requires administrator rights. If software installations in your company are managed centrally, please forward the installer to your IT department.

Note: the automatic update check and the download of update installers use the Schaeffler update server (http://sls-cdn.schaeffler-iot.com). If the update notification does not appear although a newer version exists, this endpoint may be blocked in your company network - see the FAQ entry on network and firewall requirements.

We aim to release three to four larger version updates of the ExpertViewer per year, i.e. roughly one update per quarter. In between, smaller updates may be released when an important fix is required.

When a new version is available, the ExpertViewer shows a notification at startup. In general it is not a problem if you do not update immediately - for example if your IT department needs to schedule the installation. Updates that contain breaking changes (i.e. the ExpertViewer would not continue to work without updating) are very rare, and in such cases all users are informed in advance.

The subscription file (ExpertViewer.subscription) is sent as an attachment of the onboarding email. In some company environments, this attachment is filtered out by the email filter or anti-virus program before the email reaches your inbox.

If your onboarding email does not include the subscription file, or if the software activation fails despite importing the file, please contact our support team directly - you will find the contact details at the top of this page. We will provide the subscription file to you through an alternative channel.

Two hints that solve the most common activation problems:

• Always save the file to a local folder first (e.g. your Downloads folder) before importing it. Dragging the file directly from the email client into the software may be blocked by IT security policies.
• Make sure you import the file via the “Change Subscription” function within the ExpertViewer, not by simply placing it somewhere on your disk.

Every new installation of the ExpertViewer includes a free 60-day test phase, so you can evaluate the software in your daily business before purchasing a subscription.

• A few days before the trial (or an active subscription) expires, the software displays a corresponding message, so the expiry will not surprise you.
• Once the 60 days are over, the software will ask you to import your license file at startup. The software can then no longer be used until it is activated with a valid subscription.
• No data is lost: the ExpertViewer does not store measurement data locally. All OPTIME data remains in the Schaeffler cloud, so as soon as you activate the software, you can continue exactly where you left off.

If you were not able to fully evaluate the software within the 60 days, please contact your Schaeffler representative - a trial extension is usually possible.

The ExpertViewer is a locally installed application, but it works completely online and communicates with the Schaeffler cloud. If your company network uses a firewall or proxy server, the following endpoints must be reachable (whitelisted) for the application:

• https://customer.schaeffler-optime.io - required for user authentication and OPTIME data access
• http://api.schaeffler.com - required for access to the Schaeffler Ticket System (Service Ticket Viewer)
• http://sls-cdn.schaeffler-iot.com - required to download software updates and user manuals

In addition, an internet connection with enabled HTTPS communication is required. If data loading suddenly fails or timeouts occur, the network connection or proxy configuration is the most common cause.