What this is
Preventive Maintenance (PM) is about keeping machines healthy before they break. Most people think of it as calendar-based (“service this press every 3 months”), but in real life, machines don’t wear out by dates — they wear out by use.
That’s why Next Plus lets you set up PM by runtime hours (or units produced). The system tracks actual usage and automatically opens a Work Order when a threshold is reached.
This approach is more reliable and cost-effective:
A forklift might need service every 500 hours — not every quarter.
A CNC machine may require calibration after 10,000 parts — not “sometime in June.”
A generator might be fine sitting idle, but after 700 operating hours it must be checked.
As an Editor, you’ll design the logic that makes this happen.
How to do it
1. Build a reporting workflow
Operators need a simple way to log usage. Create a workflow called Operation Reporting:
Fields:
Part Number (machine type)
Serial Number (specific unit)
Operation Hours (hours since last report)
Date (when it happened)
💡 Example: The operator finishes a shift and logs “Forklift A123 – 6 hours – May 2.”
2. Create a tracking table
Set up a table (e.g., Runtime Ledger) that will hold totals. Include:
Part Number
Serial Number
Accumulated Hours
Number of Maintenance Actions Done
Each new report updates this table.
💡 Example: A123 had 650 hours. Operator adds 50. The table updates to 700.
3. Configure triggers
In your reporting workflow, add a trigger:
When step is signed → Update or Create Record in your table.
If the row exists, add reported hours to Accumulated Hours.
If not, create a new row with starting hours.
💡 This is the engine that keeps totals running automatically.
4. Create a maintenance Work Order Template
Before the system can launch maintenance, you need a template that defines what the PM task looks like.
Go to Work Orders → Templates.
Click New Template and give it a clear name (e.g., Forklift 700h Service).
Select Workflow Type: Maintenance.
Link the workflow that should be executed during maintenance (e.g., Forklift Maintenance Checklist).
Add relevant Part Numbers that this template applies to.
Define steps and checks (inspection, lubrication, calibration, etc.).
Save the template.
💡 Now whenever the trigger fires, the system will open a new WO from this template.
5. Automate the maintenance work order
Finally, tie it all together with a trigger:
Add to your reporting workflow:
Condition: If Accumulated Hours ≥ Threshold (e.g., 700).
Action: Create Work Order from the Forklift 700h Service template.
Operators keep reporting hours, and the system will pop a WO exactly when due.
Common issues / FAQs
Q: Can the WO already show the exact serial?
Not yet — WOs open at Part level. The operator will pick the serial in the PM workflow.
Q: What about recurring PM (700h, 1400h, 2100h…)?
You can extend the trigger logic: compare (Accumulated Hours ÷ Threshold) to Maintenance Actions Done. If the ratio is higher, open a new WO.
Q: Can I mix runtime and calendar PM?
Yes. Templates still support calendar scheduling. Many factories use both.
Why it matters
⚡ Smarter service – no wasted downtime for machines that sat idle.
🔧 Better reliability – issues caught before failure.
📊 Clear history – each asset shows how much it worked before every PM.
This is one of the simplest but most impactful automations you can set up in Next Plus.