Facilities Management Work Order Flow

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OHIO University Facilities Management Work Order Flow

  1. Work Request Initiated
    1. Phone, E-mail, Walk-in, Web
    2. TMA automated e-mail to requestor to identify request [Key to Steps 1 & 2 is frequent review of template feedback to ensure appropriate info and format being transmitted]
    3. Work orders will be initiated for all Maintenance calls, and for all Grounds Maintenance, Custodial and Safety calls that our outside their “normal” operations.
  2. Work Center reviews request, and if acceptable coverts to Work Order
    1. TMA automated e-mail to requestor to identify Work Order Number
    2. If not accepted, TMA automated e-mail to requestor with reason (as entered by Work Center) for disapproved request
  3. Work Order Processed by Work Center [24 hour coverage]
    1. If during hours of 7:00am – 3:30pm, work center sends appropriate shop/zone queue
    2. If after 3:30pm, work center sends to relief maintenance shop queue and schedules the technician on duty.
    3. After hours coverage maintains a document of calls and dispatches relief maintenance as needed. All other requests will be processed by the Work Center the following business day.
  4. Work Order reviewed and scheduled in TMA by shop/zone, grounds maintenance, or custodial manager
    1. All Managers must “schedule” their technicians in the TMA system. Managers can print hard copy of work orders and hand to scheduled technicians for completion.
    2. If a manager performs duties in support of a work order their time should be reflected on the work order.

Recommend Managers go through their open Work Orders (TMA Work Queue) for unscheduled work 2- 3 times per day and schedule technicians in TMA for each Work Order as appropriate. Our experience suggests that a technician should have around 10-15 work orders assigned at any one time.

Alternatively, a technician should not be scheduled for more than 2-3 days’ worth of work at any point in time. Type of work, experience of technician, location(s) of work should be considered when “scheduling” technicians. This process is built around technicians working on their own, at least initially, and only teaming when a manager approves based on complexity of the task. When technicians are out of the office (i.e. vacation, sick time, FMLA, etc) managers need to “unschedule” technicians from work

orders in TMA and assign to another technician to ensure work orders completed in accordance with our priorities. Ultimately, our priorities will be immediate, urgent, and routine with routines prioritized based on work order request date. Recommend Managers go through their open scheduled routine Work Orders and update status (progressing, parts on order, etc)

  1. Work Center can help managers execute this process. Managers can call via phone or radio to the Work Center and name a technician be scheduled for particular work order(s).


 

  1. We will be transitioning some managers and technicians to “mobile TMA GO” starting this summer/fall. This capability will allow managers to see and schedule their technicians from anywhere they have internet access.
  2. Technicians respond

Technicians respond to the appropriate job site and assess task. Regardless of outcome (below) complete log sheet and turn in to manager, manager reviews (see below), signs off or approves via appropriate cover sheet, and turns into Work Center before departing for the day.

  1. Managers will team with other managers or supervision to ensure this task is completed when they have unscheduled and scheduled time off.
    1. Incomplete log sheets will be returned to the shops within 24 hours of receipt. The work order will not be closed and time open will be counted against shop time/metrics. This is a key element because we need to ensure (1) accurate material costing for each work order (2) comments entered by technician providing appropriate feedback to customer on what action(s) have been taken to include opening new work order for another shop.
    2. Managers must manage their shop stock to ensure technicians from all areas can identify part and cost. The resource center will provide help by providing parts listing and costs for shop stock materials procured through them.
      1. Technician can request support from another shop because a different skill set is needed via log sheets or via phone or radio call to the Work Center to create a new work order.
      2. Technician can pick up materials from shop stock or resource center. Technician must provide work order to resource center in order to ensure appropriate cost of materials is associated with the work order…key to RCM and reimbursable customers. If using shop stock, technician must list each item and cost on their log sheet. See item 5.ii for incomplete log sheets.
      3. Technicians complete required task(s) on work order and enter on log sheet. Technicians CANNOT close a work order in TMA. Only managers, or work center with appropriate manager approval, may close a work order. For those shops using Mobile TMA Go, technicians can “finish” a work order, but not complete it. The work order finish date/time will be used for all time critical FM metrics. We are now looking at create to finish date, finish date to close date. As an alternative to log sheets (see below) technicians can call in their comments, materials (if from shop stock), and labor hours to the work center immediately upon finishing a work order.
      4. If Technicians execute some work for the work order, but do not complete. The work order remains open, time is charged daily as identified on the log sheet, work remains scheduled to technician unless they have a planned absence.
      5. Managers can request additional shops to help execute a work order, or execute some portion of the work and request additional work order(s) to receive assistance from different shop(s). This responsibility is shared with technicians. However, managers should be aware of what technicians are doing to preclude unnecessarily transferring work to other shops/zones.


 

  1. Log Sheets: Work Center receives manager approved log sheets from shops or technicians and executes the following within TMA:
    1. Enter Labor hours by technician
    2. Enter Tech Comments into the Tech and General comment section of TMA
    3. Finish Work Order as indicated by technician. [Managers close work orders themselves or on the log sheet in the applicable column, after quality review, within TMA]
    4. Enter parts used data if from shop stock (i.e. source and cost)
    5. Reengage with managers if questions about information provided in Log Sheet
  2. Work Order Closed by Manager
    1. Automated e-mail via TMA to requestor that work is completed. E-mail includes tech comments as entered by Work Center via log sheets

Work Rule: The technician comments must address the situation when a work order is closed, but the work itself has not been completed. This would typically occur when another shop/zone is needed to assist completion of the task. Comment must include new work order number. This is the responsibility of the Work Center to ensure appropriate information included in work order that is closed.

Work Rule: Every work order must contain general and technician’s comment to be viewed by the requestor.

Work Rule: All log sheets must be turned in daily. Multiple times per day is appreciated. Work Rule: Mangers must schedule technicians and close work orders.

Definition:

Schedule: Assigning appropriate technician to a work order for completion in the TMA system Efficiency:

Managers should prioritize routine work orders based on first in – first out principle. However, managers can group work orders by facility or proximity to make better use of technicians’ time.