Resolving 'Hierarchy Folder Not Assigned to Model' Error in PCS 7 Import-Export Assistant

The error 'Hierarchy Folder not assigned to model. 0 IEA flagged I/Os exist instead of the expected ' in the PCS 7 Import-Export Assistant (IEA) occurs when the target Plant Hierarchy folder has not been associated with the Process Tag Type (PTT) model, or when the underlying chart in the target folder lacks IEA-flagged I/Os. In PCS 7, IEA requires that target hierarchy levels match the model definition and that the Process Tag Type template in the Master Data Library explicitly defines flagged parameters. To resolve this, right-click the target hierarchy folder in SIMATIC Manager, select Plant Hierarchy -> Assign Model / Process Tag Type, verify parameter flags in the PTT template, and re-export the IEA file.

Import-Export Assistant Architecture and Model Association

The SIMATIC PCS 7 Import-Export Assistant (IEA) is a core mass-engineering tool used to instantiate hundreds of standardized technological process tags (such as motor drives, valves, and analog transmitters) from master Process Tag Types (PTT) or Models. Within a Process Tag Type, specific block inputs, outputs, text attributes, and messages are marked as 'IEA-flagged parameters' or 'IEA-flagged signals'.

When an import file (.iea or .csv) is imported, the IEA engine traverses the target Plant Hierarchy (PH) specified in the import table. For each row, IEA verifies two conditions: first, that the target folder is formally linked to the corresponding Process Tag Type model in the Master Data Library; second, that the instantiated chart contains the exact number and signature of flagged I/Os declared in the model template.

Root Causes of Folder Assignment and Flagged I-O Mismatches

The error message Hierarchy Folder 'Analogues\' not assigned to model. 0 IEA flagged I/Os exist instead of the expected 7 stems from three primary configuration errors:

Missing Model Assignment: The target folder (e.g., Plant1\Unit2\Analogues) was created as a generic Plant Hierarchy folder, but the engineering user omitted the assignment step. Without an assigned model, IEA treats the folder as unmanaged space and cannot resolve chart instantiation rules.
Manual Chart Creation Bypassing IEA: If an engineer manually copied a standard CFC chart into the folder instead of generating it through the IEA wizard, the chart is not linked to the model GUID. The IEA scanner reports 0 IEA flagged I/Os exist because the local chart has no active IEA parameter metadata.
Template Parameter Desynchronization: If the Process Tag Type in the Master Data Library was modified (e.g., flagged parameters added or removed) without updating the model assignment across the plant hierarchy, the expected flagged I/O count in the import file (7) conflicts with the local chart state (0).

IEA Hierarchy and Parameter Validation Matrix

The following table summarizes the required configuration checks across IEA components:

ComponentConfiguration RequirementError Condition if MisconfiguredRemediation ActionPlant Hierarchy FolderModel assigned in Folder PropertiesFolder not assigned to modelRight-click folder -> Plant Hierarchy -> Assign ModelProcess Tag Type (PTT)Defined in Master Data LibraryModel not found in libraryOpen Master Data Library and create/compile PTTFlagged ParametersAttributes flagged via IEA wizard0 IEA flagged I/Os exist instead of NRe-run IEA wizard on template chart to flag inputs/outputsImport File (.iea / .csv)Hierarchy path must match PHPath not found in projectRe-export IEA file to capture current hierarchy syntaxChart NamesUnique within target PH folderObject already existsVerify naming schema in CSV column 1

Step-by-Step Procedure to Assign Models and Restore Flagged I-Os

To resolve the assignment error and complete the IEA import:

Assign the Model to the Hierarchy Folder:
- In SIMATIC Manager Plant View, navigate to the target hierarchy folder (e.g., Analogues).
- Right-click the folder and select Plant Hierarchy -> Assign Model / Process Tag Type.
- In the selection dialog, browse to your Master Data Library and select the corresponding Process Tag Type (e.g., PTT_AnalogInput).
- Click OK to bind the folder to the template model.
Verify Flagged I/Os in the Master Data Library:
- Open the Master Data Library and locate the template chart under Charts.
- Right-click the template chart and select Process Tags -> Create/Change Process Tag Type.
- In the IEA wizard, inspect the parameter list. Confirm that all 7 required I/Os (e.g., PV_In, Scale.High, Scale.Low, PV_Unit) are checked in the 'Flag' column.
- Finish the wizard to re-register the flagged parameters.
Regenerate the Import File (If Structure Changed):
- Right-click the target hierarchy folder or master folder and select Plant Hierarchy -> Import/Export Assistant -> Export.
- Open the exported .csv or .iea file in Excel or a text editor.
- Populate the parameter columns while preserving the exact column headers.
Execute Import:
- Select Plant Hierarchy -> Import/Export Assistant -> Import.
- Select the updated import file. The IEA validation parser will report 7 flagged I/Os matched, completing import successfully.

Verification

Verify successful import:
1. Confirm that the IEA import log completes with status 0 Errors, 0 Warnings.
2. In SIMATIC Manager Plant View, open the Analogues folder. Confirm that all imported CFC charts appear with the correct names.
3. Open one of the generated CFC charts. Verify that block parameters (e.g., scale high/low, unit, alarm limits) reflect the values defined in the CSV import table.
4. Perform a test compilation of the CFC chart folder to ensure symbol tables and block interconnections resolve cleanly.

Limitations and Operational Precautions

Hierarchy Depth Constraints: Models must be assigned at the exact hierarchical level specified in the template. If a template expects a 3-level hierarchy (Plant/Unit/Folder), assigning it at a 2-level folder causes structural path mismatch errors.
Renaming Restrictions: Manually renaming IEA-flagged blocks inside an instantiated chart breaks future IEA synchronization and prevents bulk parameter updates.
Overwriting Existing Charts: When importing with the 'Overwrite' option enabled, manual block customizations made inside individual charts will be overwritten by the master template.

Engineer FAQ

Can I convert an existing manual CFC chart into an IEA Process Tag Type instance?

No. Charts must be created directly by the Import-Export Assistant or instantiated from the PTT template in the Master Data Library to establish the required internal model GUID bindings.

Why does IEA show 0 flagged I/Os when parameters are clearly connected?

Interconnecting a parameter in CFC does not make it an IEA-flagged I/O. Parameters must be explicitly selected and flagged using the 'Create/Change Process Tag Type' wizard in the Master Data Library.

What file format should be used when editing IEA files in Microsoft Excel?

Always save IEA files as CSV (Comma Delimited) or Tab-Delimited text. When saving, ensure character encoding is UTF-8 without byte order mark header to avoid character parsing corruption in SIMATIC Manager.

How do I unassign a model from a Plant Hierarchy folder?

In SIMATIC Manager Plant View, right-click the folder, select Plant Hierarchy -> Assign Model / Process Tag Type, and choose '' from the model drop-down list.