Work Order Management

What is Work Order Management?

A work order is an accepted request for maintenance that travels through an organisation from customers or requesters to the maintenance manager to the technician completing the request.

Work order management is a systematic approach to processing and completing maintenance work raiders in a timely manner to reduce asset downtime. Mainly, work order completion depends on the availability of a lot of maintenance resources such as assets, parts, technicians and money.

Work Order Management Process

Here’s a general overview of the work order management process.

• Work request approval: Work orders often begin with a request from a customer, client, or an internal department. This request can be submitted through various channels such as a request form, email, phone call, or an online portal.
• Work order creation: Relevant details from the request are captured to create a work order. This information may include the nature of the work, location, priority, deadline, and any specific instructions.
• Prioritisation: Some organisations may require approval before work orders are assigned and executed. This step ensures that resources are allocated appropriately and that the requested work aligns with organisational priorities.
• Scheduling: Work orders may be scheduled based on urgency, priority, or resource availability. Efficient scheduling helps in optimizing resources and meeting deadlines.
• Assignment: The work order is assigned to the appropriate team or individual based on skills, availability, and workload. Assignees receive notification of the new task along with all relevant details.
• Distribution: Work orders need to get into the hands of technicians after they are assigned and scheduled. Although work orders can be delivered in person, finding technicians takes time. with Technicians can instantly receive work orders on internet-connected devices when their CMMS has mobile capabilities.
• Documentation: Detailed records of work performed, materials used, and any other relevant information are documented. This documentation serves as a reference for future needs, audits, and performance analysis.
• Closure: The work order is closed once the work is completed and verified. This triggers notifications to relevant parties and updates the system accordingly.
• Analysis: Periodic reports on work order performance, such as completion times, resource utilisation, and costs, are generated. These reports aid in strategic decision-making and process optimisation.

Benefits of Work Order Management

• Access to request details: using a work order system provides organisations with all the necessary data technicians to perform the maintenance efficiently.
• Organised and controlled process: Using work orders to manage and monitor maintenance enhances organisation and control of the process.
• Prioritised work: Work orders often include priority levels, allowing organisations to address critical tasks first. This ensures that high-priority work is completed promptly, minimising potential disruptions.
• Detailed documentation: Work order management systems facilitate the creation of detailed records for each task. This documentation is valuable for compliance, auditing, and future reference, contributing to better organisational knowledge and accountability.
• Seamless maintenance process: Organizations involved in maintenance activities work order management systems enable proactive planning. Regularly scheduled maintenance tasks can be planned and executed, reducing the likelihood of equipment failures and downtime.
• Improved efficiency: Work order management streamlines processes, reducing manual efforts in handling requests, assignments, and tracking. This leads to increased overall efficiency in task execution and resource utilisation.
• Cost reduction: By optimising resource allocation, reducing downtime, and preventing emergencies through proactive maintenance, work order management contributes to overall cost control.
• Performance monitoring: The work order system increases visibility across each maintenance process step, thus facilitating performance monitoring.

Types of Work Orders

• Preventive Maintenance
• Inspection
• Emergency
• Corrective Maintenance