This article walks you through how to use the work orders features in the Transit Assets Product Suite.
Why Use It? A key component of this feature is that you can seamlessly create work orders, assign them to staff, and track them for completion; while sharing daily work order tasking on a shared workstation monitor for easy viewing among your team.
Another clear advantage for using this feature is that all data entries 'feed' into the correct tables to ensure the department, labor, time and materials, vendors, and selected codes are all accurately accounted for in your GL (general ledger) account.
SOP Relationship: This is generally a Supervisory workflow, with functions managed by Maintenance Supervisors/Managers; though position settings determine access and agencies can customize according to need.
Work Order Management Settings
Work Order Management Settings: This card is initially used by Avail technical staff who work with your agency to create the 'setup' (defining your agency class and operational codes that will pull to/ populate as items to use when creating and assigning work orders. This first step is crucial as it connects all work order data entries to staff assignments, and populates the correct tables in the GL account.
Important- All employees who will be assigned to complete work orders must first have an active ETMS account. Agency staff will then use this card to add staff ( labor) to be able to work on active work orders.
Employees Tab
Add New Maintenance Employee: Enter employees easily right here, to provide access for using the Work Order feature. Enter information using dropdown menus. Users must be set up in Personnel.
Class Codes Tab
Review Class codes from here and add new, as needed. Press one to open and review its details.
Open a class code to review its details. You can adjust projections here, as needed. Notice, the Reset Inspection feature on this screen, too. Use the Reset Inspection on Open or Reset Inspection on Close button to allow the software to update the Inspection status, either after the first update (Open) or upon final close (Close). One or the other must be chosen for each Class Code.
Add New Class Code
Press this button to add a new class code. Enter all information using the dropdown menus. Optional fields: Labor and Material Overhead.
Operation Codes Tab
Review Operation codes from here and add new, as needed.
Press an operational code to open and review its details.
Add New Operation Code
Press the Add Operation code button to add a new operation code. Enter the Id for the operation code and add a description. After pressing Save, this code can be used for work orders.
Example Use: Work orders that require use of operation code 0001-0010-2 will be tracked on the screen noted below against this code [time projections], which are useful to inform future work orders using this code. For example, a work order included projected hours based on this code, and the work order was completed over or below that projection of time.
Work Orders
Work Orders: Use this card to review all existing work orders, as they will be displayed here. You can use the built-in quick filters to locate what you need, or use the Search field to search by work order Id or Asset Number. You can review each Work Order Id, Repair Type, Asset Number, Status, Class Code, Pending, and Open and Closed Dates for each active order from this screen.
Quick Filters
Quick filters allow you to sort on what's needed quickly. Press a quick filter button, located near the top right of the screen, to quickly find what you need. This is helpful when you want to review all due vehicle inspections, you want to see last week's work orders, or you need to review a vehicle's warranty.
Add New Work Order
Press the Add Work Order button. In the popup window, use the dropdown menus to input the required information for the new work order: Location, Repair Type, Class Code, Asset Type, Asset Number, Asset Information - this field pre-populates and is based on vehicle inputs in the Vehicles card. The Location and the Repair Type will become the first two characters of the Work Order.
The Work Order is auto-assigned an Id and displays the vehicle, and the date and time the WO was created. Complete the work order by entering all details on the screen.
Basic Info Tab
Basic Info - Enter Needed Data. The description should briefly outline what repair is needed. This will auto-populate on Inspection Work Orders created via the PM Checklist.
Repair Tab
Repair Info - Review information. If the Return to Service Date and Time are known, you can enter these here.
Labor Tab
Add Labor - Use the dropdown menus to add details for date started and date completed ( if known), time, labor, rate, hours, etc.
Select Staff to Assign - Use the dropdown menu to locate appropriate staff.
After saving, confirm all details as needed. You can adjust labor here until it has been Updated.
Material Tab
Add Material - Press this button to add materials for the work order. Use the dropdown menus to input the information in each field.
Notes Tab
Notes - Press this button to enter relevant notes and include the required Operations Code. Already saved notes will also display below, date and time stamped.
Audit Tab
Audit - Use the Audit screen to verify/review the original work order and any edits, if included, along with staff names and dates.
What Next? Supervisors can begin assigning tasks accordingly. If you're using the Work Order Display feature, you can add the Work Orders Display screen to a large monitor for easy viewing or work laptop for tracking of daily tasks right in the maintenance work area/ garage. As work orders are completed, reopen each, Save, Update, and close.
Incident Reporting
When Incidents related to maintenance repairs are created from Operations, the Compliance product suite or through Decision Support, the data can be attached to a work order, seamlessly connecting workflows. Let's say bumper damage was reported by a vehicle operator. After using Decision Support Tools to document the vehicle swap, and included Incident Management documentation, you can attach the reported damage to a work order.
Operations Screen Monitored by Dispatch
Auto Create Work Orders Function
Generally speaking, supervisors and managers are suggested users of the Settings cog wheel in Incident Management to adjust values.
Auto Create Work Orders Menu
After pressing the Settings cog wheel, a menu displays with all items available for reporting on. Select those preferred.
Review Existing Work Order
Simply open an existing work order to review it, or to make adjustments, if necessary. Maybe you need to add material or assign it to someone else, or maybe a material quantity simply needs to be updated.
Select any work order to open it and make adjustments as needed.
Deferred Asset Defects
The Defects Button in Work Orders is populated by entries made in
Transit Assets > Asset Condition > Deferred Asset Defects card
Press the Defects button to review details for each defect reported for the work order asset. If you want to include repairs for one or more, simply check the box/es to the right of each defect to add to the WO.
Asset Condition - Deferred Asset Defects Management
Supervisors/managers will manage the Deferred Asset Defects card to add, modify or remove defects for reporting on in your system. In Transit Assets, navigate to the Asset Condition Card, or simply use the Search field to locate it.
If you are likely to interact with this card often, press the heart on the card to keep it on your main screen [displays immediately visible cards when you login] as a favorite.
Use the Asset Condition card to manage several workflow items, such as 1. Deferred Asset Defects 2. Vehicle Mileage Reporting 3. Useful Life and 4. Asset Alerts.
Deferred Asset Defects Menu
Open the Deferred Asset Defects card to review all defects reported in the system and to add newly reported defects.
Each defect requires a unique Id, the date it was reported, if it has been assigned to a work order, asset type and Id, problem code, reported by and status (closed, open, etc.). Use the built-in quick filters to sort information, and to easily identify trends in reporting across asset types.
Add New Defect
Press the Add Defect button. In the popup that displays, enter all required information for the defect and press Save when done. IMPORTANT NOTE: Be sure to add Comments as details are crucial for some work orders.
Below is an example of an added defect.
The newly added defect now displays on the Deferred Defects Asset screen.
The defect can now be added to a work order. Active defects display a badge on a work order to alert you. Press the Defect button when it displays an alert badge to view details and add it, as preferred.
Make selections and press Save.
A popup message displays at the bottom of the screen to confirm the action.
Warranty Button
When the Warranty button includes badge alerts, this means at least one warranty for the asset is active. Press the button to review the information. This can be helpful, as some parts/ work may be covered by/ supplied by the vendor if warranted.
Use the scroll bar to move up/ down to review further.
Scroll down.
The software will give the option of changing the WO to a Warranty Repair Type or keeping the user's original choice.
Inspection Button
When the Inspection button includes a badge alert, this means there is an Inspection due soon. Press the button to review the checklist and possibly, the parts list, for the inspection.
Tip: Often, agency staff will review the work order on a workstation ( laptop, etc.), and begin gathering the parts in preparation.
Review the Part List and/ or Check List by pressing the buttons.
Parts List Button
Review the parts included for the inspection work order.
Check List Button
Review the pass/ fail checks that are included on the inspection order. It also notes the Tech who completed it.
When work orders related to Inspections are completed and closed, the software resets the status for the inspection, and starts clocking toward the next inspection.
Update Labor
Be sure to save your changes and then press Update. The software will prompt you.
Update Materials
Adjust materials by pressing the Edit button (pencil icon on right of screen). Press the Add Material button to add additional materials as needed. Save and update when done.
Update Button
After updating a work order, press the UPDATE button. A popup allows you to check your update against the list. If you deselect an item, it ill not be included in the update process.
When you press START, the entries 'feed' into all the correct maintenance tables and ledger accounts and creates an audit trail, for tracking purposes. For example, let's say that a material quantity is updated, as the maintenance tech working the job realized they needed 8 more lug nuts. When you press Update, after adjusting the WO, the update procedure will update the materials management tracking system and will reflect the remaining quantity. Materials included 32 lug nuts. After the update, the lug nuts available in materials reduces to 24.
Update Pending Button
Use this button to update all work orders with a status of 'Pending'. Each work order in the group will be updated and their information will auto- feed into the necessary tables for each maintenance account and for materials management tracking. Let's say it's the end if the work day and you need to manage all work orders at one time, due to time constraints. Use this feature to allow the software to perform an update for all pending work orders.
Update Button Process:
All checked items will be updated when you press UPDATE
- Labor consumed
- Materials management (quantities)
- Outside costs (vendors)
- Component transactions
- Finished goods
How:
- Press the Quick Filter for Pending on the main screen for Work Orders
- All work orders with a pending status will display
- Press the Update Pending button
- Each work order is updated- materials and related financial tables
Printing Work Orders
In ETMS 10.0, when using the 'Update Pending' feature for work orders, a PDF is automatically generated. Stay tuned for updates to this feature in later version of 10.0.
Work Order Display
Work Order Display [Screen]
Use the Work Orders Display Card to enable a convenient display of all work orders on a large monitor for ease of tracking for daily assignments- right in the maintenance area! This screen provides a large font for easy viewing, automatic scrolling, and is optimized for use on workstations, laptops, and even tablets for convenience that matches how maintenance teams work. When individual orders are assigned, started, or updated, the updated status displays in this view. Press the card to open and view the screen:
Since each feature in ETMS is web-based, add this screen to a large monitor for easy viewing.
Or a laptop/portable tablet.
SOME FYIS
Vehicles Card
It is important to include all relevant details for each vehicle entered on the Vehicles Card as these will populate when creating work orders for those assets.
Vehicle inputs are located in Transit Assets > Asset Inventory > Vehicles Card
Best Practices
Below is a great example where all pertinent details are included for vehicle information.
Duplicate Work Order Notification: This popup displays to inform you that a work order is already active for the selected vehicle and WO type.
Close Audit Report
The following popup displays after opening an Audit report for a work order to review, then pressing the Cancel button.