Generating work orders

Create or update multiple work orders using the Generate Work Orders form.

The Generate Work Orders form consists of two pages: the Parameters page, on which you define the selection criteria for locating the work orders to process in the batch; and the Preview page, on which you can preview the work orders in the batch prior to actually processing them and select or unselect the work orders to process as necessary.

The Generate Options section of the Parameters page enables you to specify the manner in which the system processes the work orders during the batch generation process. Release WOs for Fixed/Variable PMs is selected by default, enabling the system to automatically release all PM work orders of PM TypeFixed or Variable with a Status of Awaiting release. When you unselect Release WOs for Fixed/Variable PMs, the system does not automatically release any fixed or variable PM work orders during the batch generation process.

If you choose to release fixed/variable PM work orders, the system releases the fixed or variable PM work orders based on their due dates. If you specified a dormant period for the equipment attached to the fixed/variable PM, the system temporarily postpones the release of the fixed/variable PM if the due date for the PM falls within the specified dormant period.

The system automatically recalculates the next due date for a fixed PM falling within a dormant period by incrementally adding the PM period to the due date until the due date for the PM is greater than the specified Dormant End date for the equipment.

The system recalculates the next due date for a variable PM falling within a dormant period by assigning the new due date as the next day following the specified Dormant End date for the equipment associated with the PM.

Note:  Adding a dormant period to PM equipment does not affect any previously created or released PM work orders.

If you choose to release duplicate PMs, the system searches for any PMs that meet the parameter criteria. If Perform On is specified for the PM equipment record, the system automatically adjusts the calculated Due Date based on Perform On. Within the month in which the normally calculated Due Date falls, the system sets to the week of the month and day of the week defined by Perform On for the PM equipment record.

The Preview page allows you to preview all of the work orders selected for processing based on the selection parameters, enabling you to select or unselect work orders to include in the batch generation process before you actually process the work order batch. You can select or unselect individual work orders for processing, or you can select or unselect all work orders for processing.

To generate work orders:

  1. Select Work > Process > Generate WOs.
  2. Specify this information:
    Organization
    Specify the organization to which the work order belongs if you use multi-organization security.
    Department
    Supervisor
    Equipment
    Location
    Assigned To
    PM
    PM Class
    WO Type
    Cost Code
    Specify one or all of these selection parameters for generating the work order batch.
    Generate Through
    Specify the date until which to process the work orders.
    Note: To generate all work orders meeting the specified selection criteria up to the current date, leave Generate Through blank.
    Change WO Status
    Select to change the work order status.
    Current WO Status
    Specify the current status of the work order.
    New WO Status
    Specify the status to which to change the current work order status.
    Generate WOs for Repairable Spares
    Select to generate work orders for repairable spares.
    Store
    Specify the store for which to generate work orders for repairable spares.
    Generate PM Work Package
    Select to create PM work orders for the parent equipment specified on a selected work package.
    Department
    Specify the department to which the work package belongs.
    Work Package
    Specify the code identifying the work package for which to generate a work order for the parent equipment.
    WO Status
    Specify the status of the work package.
    Period
    Specify the period under which the work package PM work orders were grouped.
    Parent Equipment
    Specify the parent equipment for which to generate PM work orders for all child equipment listed on the work package.
    WO Type
    Specify the work order type of the work package.
    Release WOs for Fixed/Variable PMs
    Select to create PM work orders that are of the type Fixed or Variable when processing the work order batch. The system releases the fixed PM work order’s status to the status specified in the WORKWOST installation parameter.

    If the ROUTEEOB installation parameter is set to Y, a Route is specified on a PM schedule, and the PM schedule Type is either Fixed or Variable, then the system also creates MEC work orders for the route equipment (as indicated by the setting of the MEROUTWO installation parameter). The system generates the MEC work orders in addition to the initial PM work order when the PPMSTAT installation parameter is set to R (Released), and the system automatically selects Multiple Equipment on the PM work order header.

    If AUTOPMCL installation parameter is set to YES, the system automatically closes all released minor PM work orders when a major PM is released. If the minor PM work orders being closed are multiple equipment work orders, then the system also closes all MEC work orders related to the minor PM work orders.

    In the current version of the system, if the ROUTEEOB installation parameter is set to Y, the system creates MEC work orders when a parent work order is released for a route-based PM.

    Note:  In previous versions of the system (version 7.9 or earlier), if installation parameter ROUTEEOB is set to Y, the system created RC (route child) work orders when a parent work order was released for a route-based PM.

    See Defining PM routes and equipment within routes.

    Generate WOs for Duplicate PMs
    Select to create PM work orders that are of the type Duplicate when processing the work order batch. The system automatically assigns the status entered for the PPMSTAT installation parameter to the PM work orders created during the batch process and then releases the work order’s status to the status specified in the WORKWOST installation parameter.
    Note: Work orders are not generated for PMs locked by a PM forecasting session.
    Generate WOs for Repairable Cores
    Select to create work orders for repairable core parts to be repaired internally. Store is enabled and it is required. See Generating work orders for repairable core parts
    Include Child Equipment
    Select to generate work orders for any child equipment of the selected Equipment when processing the work order batch.
    Release Other WOs
    Select to update other existing work orders that have the specified Current WO Status. Current WO Status is enabled and it is required.
    Current WO Status
    Specify the current work order status for which to update existing work orders.

    If you selected Release Other WOs and entered a Current WO Status, upon initiation of the work order generation process, the system locates and updates all existing work orders that have the specified Current WO Status and updates the status of the work orders to the value specified in the WORKWOST installation parameter.

    Print Summary Report
    Select to generate a summary report of all the generated work orders after the batch generation process is complete.
    Print Work Orders
    Select to print work order cards for the work orders created/updated when processing the work order batch.
  3. Click Process.
    The system displays the Preview page listing all of the work orders meeting the selection criteria.

    The Preview page retains the settings for Print Work Orders from the Parameters page. You can select or unselect Print Work Orders as necessary.

  4. Select each work order you wish to generate in the work order batch as necessary, or you can unselect each work order you do not wish to generate in the work order batch as necessary.
    Note: To select all the work orders at once, click Select. To unselect all the work orders at once, deselect Select.

    The system does not display MEC work orders on the Preview page. However, the MEC work orders are generated/released when the parent multiple equipment work order is generated or released.

  5. Click Generate.
    The system generates the work order for the selected records. If any errors occur, then the system changes the record’s visual attribute to red and displays an error message in the Error Message column of the Preview list.

    The system automatically copies From Point, unit of measure, Ref. Description, and Geographical Ref. and To Point, unit of measure, Ref. Description, and Geographical Ref. to work orders that are released for linear equipment PMs.

    Note: If you have set up the system to require an electronic signature to authorize status changes to work order headers, the system displays the eSignature popup once for every work order in the work order batch for which there is a status change.