The Ultimate Guide to Construction Equipment Work Order Management: Process, Benefits, and Solutions

The success of any construction work depends on the construction equipment. Excavators to bulldozers, all the equipment are very important to keep the standard and speed of the work. But then, it can be very challenging to handle the repair and maintenance of these heavy-duty equipment. 

Failure to have an organized system to deal with repairs and maintenance means that companies will suffer a costly loss of work time, opportunity to prevent problems with preventive measures and will have unforeseen breakdowns.

As a construction professional, you might already know how essential work order management (WOM) is in this case. A properly designed work order management system will enable construction firms to plan, monitor and control the maintenance of their equipment.

This guide aims to examine how construction equipment work orders can be managed, find out the benefits and the software-based solutions as compared to the traditional manual approaches.

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What is Work Order Management?

Work order management refers to the process of; creating, assigning, tracking, and closing of work orders, requests for maintenance, repairs, or checks of equipment. Work orders in the field of construction are understood as those tasks which are needed to maintain equipment at the optimum state. These may include regular repairs, emergency repair, and even upgrade of equipment.

• An effective work order platform streamlines the entire maintenance process.
• It ensures maintenance needs are identified and addressed quickly.
• Equipment availability is optimized, reducing unexpected downtime.
• Maintenance costs are better managed through clear tracking and planning.
• Construction equipment is a major investment — proper maintenance extends its lifespan.
• An organized maintenance system helps keep equipment reliable and ready for long-term use.
• Reliable equipment reduces jobsite delays and improves overall project efficiency.

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Types of Construction Equipment Work Orders

Knowing different work order types can enable maintenance teams to get their priorities straight and select the most appropriate work order type to address any given case.

1. Preventive Maintenance Work Orders

These are planned in advance to avoid break-downs. They perform basic operations such as fluid tests, changes of filter and visual checks. Preventive maintenance lowers wear and tear, assists in avoiding emergency fixes and reduces the time your equipment is out. 

2. Corrective Work Orders

These are created to address the issues that have been identified and need to be fixed but not urgent. Fixing can, many times, be scheduled ahead of time in future maintenance windows without adversely affecting in-process construction. 

3. Emergency Work Orders

These deal with failure or safety critical breaking downs that need urgent repair. Some emergency work orders are considered to be first and foremost and may include off-shift or urgent call. The braking system of a crane breaks down at the site and needs to be repaired so that further operations can be done.

4. Inspection Work Orders

They are designed to conduct regular checks or to check the condition of an asset, based on the occurrence of an event (e.g. post-rainstorm or subsequent long idle periods). Inspections in itself are not a physical repair activity but other work orders are usually generated as a result of inspections. A DOT check on a haul truck or a post delivery condition check of a newly purchased roller.

5. Upgrade or Modification Work Orders

Where equipment must be upgraded or customized, e.g.,V installing new technology or modifying parts to new specifications, these varieties of work orders guarantee the correct parts and talent are available to complete the work on non-standard jobs. Putting a GPS tracker and telematics sensor into a loader to see the fleets better.

6. Recall or Warranty Work Orders

When a particular equipment is under warranty or a manufacturer recall, certain type of work order helps to trace the parts, compliance activities and warranty claims. These may usually involve liaising with OEMs or dealership.

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How Does Work Order Management Work in Construction?

The work order process of construction equipment can be narrowed down to several crucial steps, including the need to recognize work on the equipment, a work order and the completion of the work order with documentation. 

It normally works like this:

1. Work Request & Creation

First, there is the identification of a maintenance need. This may be as a result of routine inspection, operator reports or sensor data in equipment. When the need is discovered a work order is made. The work order will normally entail the identification of the equipment, the problem description, priority, cost estimate, and the parts to be used.

2. Approval & Prioritization

After creating the work order it must be verified by the equipment manager or team. The work order is placed according to the urgency of repair and effect of a repair on the total project. 

As an illustration, an urgent maintenance of an excavator that will be needed in the next stage of construction will be given a very high priority compared to a non-emergency maintenance job.

3. Calendar Scheduling & Assignment

Once such an order is approved, the work order is planned, and a task is assigned to the relevant technician. It is important to reduce downtime by scheduling. This powerful feature lets shop managers plan and organize work orders with ease. 

With Clue, users can view their schedule for the day, week, month, or even the quarter in a simple, dynamic calendar. This stage also involves ordering the parts needed in the repair in case they are necessary.

See it in action

4. Execution & Progress Tracking

The technician or team then does any needed repairs or maintenance once the work order is received. Work order system gives the opportunity to monitor the progress in real time, therefore, managers are always aware of the progress of the task. 

The delays or any other problems that may occur on the implementation process are recorded in the system.

5. Completion, Review & Documentation

Once the task is done, the work is checked to verify that it is up to the standards required. This work order is closed and all the details of the work order as well as the labor hours, the materials used and any suggested work about subsequent maintenance are recorded. 

It is documented as a future reference, thus assisting in development of an upkeep history of every equipment.

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The Benefits of Effective Work Order Management

The benefits are not limited to the reduction of downtime but also comprise enhancing efficiency during operations, cost reduction, safety, and compliance.

1. Reduced Equipment Downtime

Probably the greatest advantage of an effective work order system is the reduction of the downtime of the equipment. Through a proper scheduling plan of preventive maintenance and any important repair that needs to be done on time, it reduces the chances of unexpected breakdown of the equipment.

This is vital to construction firms because each minute of non-productivity may lead to delays and cost escalations to projects.

Maintenance work orders allow companies to have scheduled maintenance work, thereby, doing away with the possibility of the occurrence of a serious equipment breakage in the middle of a task. The purpose is to prevent the development of minor problems, which later develop into bigger problems (at higher costs).

2. Increased Efficiency and Productivity

Work orders enable maintenance workers to have a linear, organized method of undertaking repairs and inspection. Such efficiency increases the effectiveness of the entire workforce as maintenance technicians do not run around trying to understand which of the tasks is to be done and in which order.

There is also an organized system, which allows the work orders to be done more quickly, so the technicians can concentrate their time on actually making repairs rather than sorting out paperwork or looking up information.

3. Better Resource Allocation

Work order management system helps managers assign a particular technician to the particular job and always have parts and tools needed to perform the work. This is a proactive way of making expenditure plans on resources that minimize the possibility of resources and time wastage.

One could be, once a work order is placed on a given piece of equipment and the specific part is handled, the system would notify the procurement to have the specific part ordered up in advance.

Effective utilization of resources increases the flow of the work due to the possibility of technicians conducting their work without any unnecessary interventions and delays, making the work of maintenance more efficient.

4. Lower Maintenance Costs

Overall maintenance costs can also be lowered with effective work orders management performed. Through anticipating preventive maintenance, businesses would be able to prevent contingent repairs and malfunctioning, which would regularly turn out to be more costly and consume more time.

Furthermore, an effective work order system assists in tracking the use of parts and labor and with this businesses can maximize their expenditure on the two items. This will ensure that an equipment has a longer life cycle thus necessitating fewer replacements that are very costly to carry out.

5. Improved Accountability and Communication

This ensures that there is better communication and accountability through a well-structured work order system. Maintenance teams know what work they are supposed to do and progress can be tracked in real-time by managers. It is through such openness that the technicians, field team and the office staff can learn to communicate without having to be on different wavelengths.

In addition to this, the work order management systems make the technicians accountable since every technician is given individual tasks, and it becomes apparent that a particular job was assigned to him or her.

6. Comprehensive Record-Keeping and Compliance

It is very important to keep proper records of each and every work order since this will help in ensuring that all work orders adhere to safety guidelines, maintenance processes and warranties. 

Work orders produce repair-by-repair, inspection-by-inspection, use-by-part and time-by-job statistics, which may be utilized in compliance reporting, audit, and future maintenance scheduling.

Constant maintenance records are very important especially in highly regulated industries such as construction industries so as to prove that the equipment has been maintained and serviced in a proper way that safeguards them according to the safety standards.

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What’s the Difference Between Manual and Software-Based Work Order Management?

Previously, a lot of construction businesses used to make use of manual systems to handle work orders. This usually could be on paper, spreadsheets or may require calling of phone as a way of tracking and scheduling maintenance.

It might be possible with the help of a relatively small number of equipment, operators, and maintenance work to keep track of, although it would prove cumbersome and very prone to errors with more diverse demands.

Manual Systems

• Work orders are also likely to be lost and misplaced when using paper-based records and spreadsheets which are more vulnerable to errors.
• The data could not be easily retrieved on a real-time basis, which implies that equipment managers will have to spend additional time hunting down a job status or an updated piece of information.
• Communication requires a lot of phone calls, emails or even visits to work sites which are inefficient and can result in miscommunication.
• Reporting and data analysis are complex, and they demand a lot of manual work.
  

Conversely, work order management systems implemented in the form of software have a lot of benefits, making them more suitable to handle the maintenance of construction equipment:

Software-based Systems

• Data with a centralized setup on a cloud-based system means that there is availability of all the information in real-time and this can be accessed anywhere and by anyone with respectively the right authorization.
• Automated systems do not require manual input and therefore, curbs errors and makes them consistent.
• Through mobile applications, maintenance teams will get instant updates and be up to date with activities and tasks.
• Analytics software assists companies to monitor their performance, find trends, and improve their maintenance procedures.
• The ability to be combined with other software (e.g. inventory management) makes the work easier and there is less duplication of effort.

Traditional, manual management of work orders can be delayed and full of mistakes whereas when using Clue, all work order information is centralized and communication is simplified, giving real-time access to information that makes the process seamless throughout.

Read our in-depth comparison guide for the best work order management software.

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How Clue Improves Work Order Management in Construction

Clue facilitates the maintenance processes of construction equipment, equipped with powerful features automating the process of working orders management.

It has also been updated recently to enhance its features and therefore it has been an essential tool in most facilities in ensuring maximum uptime and minimizing production time.

Key Features that Makes Clue the #1 Work Order Management System

1. Quick Work Order Setup & Automation

Easy to complete mechanic work orders based on fault codes, inspection results or maintenance prompt, resulting in less time between starting work. You can auto-generate work orders based on the problems identified, as this makes maintenance come on time.

2. Comprehensive Service History

Clue tracks all the maintenance performed on equipment as well as repairs and services, leaving a comprehensive history of all performed services for mechanics. This history is priceless to use in the scheduling of maintenance in the future and in predicting problems that are likely to arise ahead and those likely to prolong the life of the equipment.

3. Flexible Mechanic Assignment

The field "Assigned Mechanic" is blank by default, allowing managers the option of creating a flexible plan to allocate the correct technician, at the correct time. The feature gives more accuracy and control to technicians since there are no unintentional assignments.

4. Map View Insights

Planning, resource allocation strategies are refined as work orders can be visualized on a map. There are more insights in the map view to improve prioritization and resource planning of tasks. It assists in efficient utilization of time and effort without wasting the resources of both. The work orders are handled optimally with maximum efficiency.

5. Parts Inventory + ERP Sync

Clue interconnects with ERP systems such as Viewpoint, Spectrum, or Foundation and monitors part usage in real time. This guarantees that the right components are there when a customer requires as well as inhibits holds due to out-of-stock and unnecessary ordering.

6. Centralized Communication

Stores all updates, decisions, and text exchanges of any work order at the unified platform and enhances coordination and precision. Chat-based interaction can be centralized and will assist in addressing the issues quicker and enhance collaboration.

For more in-depth information on how Clue’s work order system helps streamline operations by organizing tasks, resources, and timelines in one place, watch our demo.

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Conclusion

Management of works of construction equipment is a very important process but which can, to a large extent, impact on the fate of any construction project. Through work order management, businesses are able to minimize down time, maximize efficiency, better allocate resources, and also cut maintenance costs.

Although the manual system was probably okay in the past, a modern solution based software solution is much more advantageous in that it is automated, capable of real-time tracking, and analysis of collected data. An effective work order management system helps construction companies enhance the durability and the effectiveness of the equipment they have, ensuring easier operations and better profits.

Enhancement of reliability of equipment used in construction and ensuring less downtimes requires companies to resort to higher technology-based solutions such as the advanced Clue that offers automation, centralized communications, and a real-time tracking to streamline operations with fewer maintenance problems.