How to Choose the Best Work Order System for Your Facilities Management Team

How can a work order system help you do more with fewer resources?

You care about your building facility maintenance, and your team. But these days, you’re being asked to do a lot more within your organization. You also have fewer resources than ever.

So, the question is, how do you meet demand, keep everything running smoothly, and take care of your workers? The answer may be as simple as implementing an easy-to-learn, versatile facilities order software.

What is a Work Order System?

Before we dive too deep into this, let’s make sure we’re on the same page.

A work order system is a key component of a Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS - facilities management software). CMMS' can also be referred to as facilities work order software. These tools allow M&O facilities teams to keep track of an organization’s capital asset maintenance program. This includes work orders, maintenance data, and record-keeping.

But before you choose the right one for you, consider if the CMMS software you’re looking to purchase has the following features: 

Ability to Take Photos

Taking photos of problematic infrastructure or equipment makes locating and tending to the issue a lot faster. And when an app provides you the ability to capture and markup photos without requiring a separate software or uploading method, it’s less likely that valuable information will get lost in an inbox or on a file server. So instead of resorting to software that requires you to attach photos to work orders as a separate moving part, rely on a more efficient system designed to take photos directly through the software.

Easy to Submit

When a work order system requires multiple steps to submit a ticket, it’s more likely a job will get lost or significantly delayed. And that isn’t something that needs to happen to you or your reliable team!

A good system allows all moving parts of your work order to be combined rather than making them separate steps. This includes adding a description of the issue, photos, additional files, and maybe tags.

You can enhance work orders with a mobile app like Layer. Layer generates unique public URLs for each floor in your building. This allows end-users to submit their digital work orders without going through a complicated call or email system.

Assign Tickets. Set Due Dates

Working quickly and effectively is a key ingredient for successful facilities teams. Layer has a filter and tag feature that assigns jobs and sets deadlines for team members automatically.

This feature lets you easily push and rearrange assignments if one member of your team becomes overloaded or calls in sick. This ensures preventative maintenance and other work orders are still completed on time.

See Results

Sometimes, it becomes inefficient to continue fixing something that won’t stay fixed! It should be easy to see work order history on that troublesome HVAC unit! Knowing what team members have worked on the unit, repair history, and cost will help you make the business case to your leader.

The right work order software will give you that information. This ensures you can report the information you need to justify an upgrade next time a repeat work order comes through.

Keep Using Your Favorite Tech

Being a facilities maintenance worker is easier with a work order system that uses widely available technology. Scanning barcodes from your mobile phone’s camera for instance. Don’t reinvent the wheel by trying to find a work order system that has multiple one-use options. Instead, choose one that can integrate with other technology you already have and use frequently, making the learning curve less intimidating for your team.

All in One Place

The right work order system should bring
order to things like critical documentation, checklists, notes, and even photos
in one easy-to-use and mobile-friendly dashboard. Being able to access all of
your information, even from your mobile phone, will ultimately save you time
otherwise spent with cumbersome things like a clipboard, spreadsheets, and piles
of unorganized photos in a desktop folder.  

Flexibility

The key to finding a work order system is ensuring that it doesn’t dictate how you take maintenance requests. After all, you have a system in place—it only needs a bit of enhancement!

The right app will let you customize your current work order system and improve the areas you deem necessary. The wrong one takes away your ability to adapt and ultimately steals your valuable time.

Integration Options

If your organization is using BIM software like Revit—and there’s a good chance of this—then it’s pivotal your CMMS can connect to it! Consider that when the right CMMS app makes this possible, you’re able to leverage your building’s data in a savvy new way.

Why Layer?

A work order app like Layer is easy-to-use, affordable and connects seamlessly with Revit, making us the ideal solution for your maintenance staff. Learn more >