Recurring Work Orders - Automated Preventive Maintenance Scheduling

How to Set Up Recurring Work Orders

Automate preventive maintenance by creating work orders that repeat on a schedule.

Quick Summary

When creating a work order, set the Repeat Schedule field to Daily, Weekly, Monthly, or Yearly. The system automatically creates new work orders on schedule.

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Before You Begin

Requirements

• You must have create permission for work orders
• All required fields (title, location, assignee) must be filled

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Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Create a New Work Order

1. From the left sidebar, click Work Orders
2. Click Create Work Order
3. Fill in the required fields (title, location, assignee)

Step 2: Set the Repeat Schedule

1. Find the Repeat Schedule field
2. Click the dropdown (default is None)
3. Select your schedule type:
   • Daily — Creates a new work order every day
   • Weekly — Creates a new work order every week
   • Monthly — Creates a new work order every month
   • Yearly — Creates a new work order every year

Step 3: Configure Schedule Details

Depending on your selection:

Daily

• Work order is created every day at the scheduled time

Weekly

• Select which days of the week (Monday, Tuesday, etc.)
• Set how often (every 1 week, every 2 weeks, etc.)

Monthly

• Select the day of the month (1-31)
• Set how often (every 1 month, every 3 months, etc.)

Yearly

• Select the month and day
• Set how often (every 1 year, every 2 years, etc.)

Step 4: Save the Work Order

1. Review all settings
2. Click Create
3. The first work order is created immediately
4. Future work orders are created automatically on schedule

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Managing Recurring Work Orders

Identifying Recurring Work Orders

In the work order list, recurring work orders show:

• A recurrence indicator in the Recurrence column
• The schedule type (Daily, Weekly, Monthly, Yearly)

Skipping an Occurrence

Sometimes you may need to skip a scheduled occurrence:

1. Open the recurring work order
2. Click the More button (three dots)
3. Select Skip
4. The work order is marked as Skipped
5. The next scheduled occurrence is not affected

When to Skip

Skip when scheduled maintenance isn't needed, such as:

• Equipment is temporarily out of service
• Area is closed for renovation
• Task was already handled outside the system

Editing Future Occurrences

To change the schedule or details:

1. Open any occurrence of the recurring work order
2. Click More → Edit
3. Update the fields or schedule
4. Changes apply to future occurrences

Completed Occurrences

You cannot edit work orders that are already Complete, Close, Skipped, or Cancelled.

Stopping a Recurring Schedule

To stop future work orders from being created:

1. Open the recurring work order
2. Click More → Edit
3. Change Repeat Schedule to None
4. Click Update

The current work order remains, but no new ones will be created.

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Schedule Examples

Use Case	Schedule	Configuration
Daily equipment check	Daily	Every day
Weekly inspection	Weekly	Every Monday
Bi-weekly cleaning	Weekly	Every 2 weeks on Tuesday
Monthly filter change	Monthly	1st of every month
Quarterly safety audit	Monthly	Every 3 months on the 15th
Annual certification	Yearly	Every year on March 1st

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Real-World Examples

Example 1: Daily Opening Checklist

Situation: Your retail store needs managers to complete an opening checklist every morning.

Solution:

1. Create work order: "Store Opening Checklist - Main Location"
2. Set Repeat Schedule: Daily
3. Start Date: Tomorrow at 7:00 AM
4. Assign to: Store Managers Team
5. Attach SOP: "Opening Procedures Checklist"
6. Click Create

Result: Every day at 7:00 AM, a new work order is created. Store managers complete the opening checklist before opening the store. You can track compliance by reviewing completed responses.

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Example 2: Weekly HVAC Filter Check

Situation: You need to inspect and replace HVAC filters every Tuesday for a data center.

Solution:

1. Create work order: "Weekly HVAC Filter Check - Data Center"
2. Set Repeat Schedule: Weekly
3. Select day: Tuesday
4. Set every: 1 week
5. Priority: Medium
6. Assign to: HVAC Team
7. Asset: Select the data center HVAC unit

Result: Every Tuesday, a new work order is created. Your HVAC team knows to check and replace filters weekly. Maintenance history is tracked for each occurrence.

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Example 3: Quarterly Fire Extinguisher Inspection

Situation: Fire safety regulations require quarterly inspections of all fire extinguishers.

Solution:

1. Create work order: "Quarterly Fire Extinguisher Inspection - All Buildings"
2. Set Repeat Schedule: Monthly
3. Select day: 15th of the month
4. Set every: 3 months (quarterly)
5. Priority: High (compliance requirement)
6. Assign to: Safety Team
7. Attach SOP: "Fire Extinguisher Inspection Form"

Result: On the 15th of January, April, July, and October, a new work order is created. Completed inspections provide audit-ready compliance documentation.

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Example 4: Annual Equipment Certification

Situation: Elevators require annual certification by a licensed inspector.

Solution:

1. Create work order: "Annual Elevator Certification - Elevator #1"
2. Set Repeat Schedule: Yearly
3. Set date: March 1st (30 days before certification expires)
4. Priority: High
5. Assign to: Facilities Manager (to coordinate with external inspector)
6. In description: "Schedule certified elevator inspector. Certification expires March 31."

Result: Every year on March 1st, you get a reminder to schedule the certification inspection before the deadline.

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Best Practices

Choose the Right Schedule

Task Type	Recommended Schedule
Daily operations checks	Daily
Cleaning and maintenance	Weekly
Filter/consumable replacement	Monthly
Deep cleaning, calibration	Quarterly (every 3 months)
Certification renewals	Yearly

Set Appropriate Assignees

• Assign to teams for flexibility — any available member can complete the task
• Assign to individuals for accountability when specific expertise is required

Use Clear Titles

Include the frequency in the title for easy identification:

• "Weekly HVAC Filter Check - Building A"
• "Monthly Fire Extinguisher Inspection"
• "Annual Elevator Certification"

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Related Articles

• How to Create a Work Order
• How to Assign a Work Order

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