What is Work Order Management
Work order management is the process of assigning and performing maintenance work orders efficiently to reduce downtime. The fulfillment of a work order is contingent on the availability of maintenance resources like assets, supplies, personnel, time, and funds.
Importance of Work Order Software
Historically, maintenance and operations (M&O) teams have communicated job assignments using paper work orders. While it may be simple to write work orders by hand, managing paper-based work orders is labor- and time-intensive and frequently causes more difficulties than it solves.
For instance, maintenance personnel must translate illegible handwriting, resulting in inaccurate paperwork. Physical copies are susceptible to misplacement and loss, leading to neglected upkeep. Filing cabinets and workstations are cluttered with stacks of paper, making it impossible to locate prior work orders.
Some maintenance teams have adopted work order management using spreadsheets, but these systems have their own drawbacks. Spreadsheets have little to no automation, making it impossible for technicians to view the most recent data. Work orders created using spreadsheet software require a printer, which presents the previously described obstacles. Using spreadsheet software might be intimidating for technicians and employees.
As facilities expand, “traditional” ways of managing work orders may soon become untenable and inefficient. This is where Facilitron’s Work Order Management software can help.
Appropriate work order management software takes into account the work order throughout its entire lifecycle, from request to completion. The subsequent sections detail some of the benefits that Facilitron’s work order management software offers its users.
Making a Request
With its highly customizable system, requesters can submit requests on the dashboard using a simple, user-friendly form with customizable options. The system will automatically recognize a user’s property affiliation and will pre-populate the corresponding form fields. There are also options for delegating routine site visits so you can be sure the toilet paper is restocked every week or regular checks are carried out without involving administrators.
Assignment of Work Orders
Administrators are able to filter the dashboard many ways to ensure they are assigning the best technician for the job based on status, priority, availability, location, and purpose.
Technician-Friendly Dashboard
Gone are the days of paper work orders. Technician’s will be able to find work orders easily. Costs, labor, materials, and inventory can all be tracked directly in the software and settings can be adjusted to automatically calculate total labor cost, total hours, and many other important metrics. The platform can be viewed on mobile devices for technicians who are on-location and need to make updates from their tablet or phone.
Work Order Completion
Once a technician completes their task and enters associated hours, costs, and materials, they can close the task. Another option is for the technician to mark as pending which signals the administrator to review the work and then close the task.
Additional Benefits of Work Order Management software
In addition to the user-friendly dashboard, Facilitron’s Work Order Management software offers a host of additional benefits including:
- Recurring Work Orders – Templates for preventative or repeating tasks can save time and provide confidence that recurring inspections or work is being done on time.
- Asset Management – inventory and supplies can be tracked with each work order and important information like barcodes, locations and warranties can be stored in the dashboard.
- Customized reports – the software can be set up to automatically send tailored reports to your inbox
It’s important to find a software that is customizable so you can tailor it to your facility needs. Switching from an outdated paper or spreadsheet work order process is a big decision and change, but there is no doubt that switching to a work order management software will save you time and money in the long run.
