What is Work Order Management?

Work order management is a systematic approach that allows work orders to be completed efficiently. Traditional job assignments saw tasks assigned to field technicians or subcontractors in paper form. These included tasks such as equipment installation, repairs or maintenance.

Inevitably this led to errors due to illegible handwriting and lost papers, or complicated searches among piles of paper that wastes time and leads to financial losses.

Organizations that want to increase productivity, minimize downtime and reduce the issues associated with paper need to invest in CMMS solutions (Computerized Maintenance Management Systems).

Work Order Management Process

A work order management process must ensure a smooth transition from creating a work request to completing the task. A CMMS solution allows you to access, share and use data to perform tasks as efficiently as possible — even when working remotely.

1. Work Identification and Request Creation

Maintenance tasks are divided into two scheduled and instant. Routine checks are an example of scheduled maintenance tasks, while instant maintenance includes unexpected tasks such as breakdowns.

When the maintenance need is detected, the technician creates a work request and sends it to the maintenance manager. Alternatively, the CMMS can create a work request automatically.

2. Prioritisation and Planning

Prioritization of work orders determines which tasks should be attended to first. Some works must be completed in a short timeframe to prevent major disruption to the organisation. In such situations, routine checks or unnecessary maintenance requests will be graded as a low priority.

Preventive work maintenance orders can be automated iteratively, based on the asset manufacturer’s instruction or uptime. Thus, unexpected breakdowns are minimised and there is no need to keep creating new work orders.

You can ensure the work is done as soon as possible by planning the work order, including scheduling technicians, spare parts and any other required equipment.

3. Work Order Creation

The task could be a complex repair that will take days or a five-minute bulb replacement. While creating a work order, it is essential to assign the right technician to improve productivity. Maintenance managers can easily ensure that the right person is allocated to a job by accessing past maintenance task assignments through CMMS.

4. Technician Assignment and Task Completion

After the technician is assigned to the work, they can still be informed about their work order with a physical copy, although this is unnecessary and will create chaos in large teams. A CMMS notifies the technician instantly. After the work is assigned, you can track the progress through the CMMS and monitor the percentage of completed work.

5. Closure and Documentation

The work order is closed when all tasks are performed, all service is provided and all conditions are completed. The closed work order is filed. The technician is now ready to work on new assignments.

6. Analysis

Thanks to the advanced reports available via CMMS, you can easily review past work orders when you encounter a similar issue, when you need to follow the steps of the technician or when you want to gain an insight into the operation.

Work orders are a crucial aspect of maintenance management. When properly managed, they ensure a smooth workflow, a clear audit trail and accountability.

If you are looking for the right CMMS tool to increase the efficiency of your maintenance management, Lena Maint offers you many different features beyond managing and reporting your work orders.

Ready to see how much easier Lena Maint will make your work order management? Contact us today.

Originally published at https://www.lenasoftware.com.