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Work Order Types: How to Use and How to Create New

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Written by Iman Zulhisham
Updated over a week ago

In FieldEx, work orders define the type of job being performed. By categorising work orders correctly such as Preventive Maintenance, Corrective Repairs, or Internal Transfers, planners ensure that jobs follow the right checklist, schedule, and business workflow.

This article explains:

  • The four most common work order types used by Planners

  • How to configure new types to suit your operation

  • How job order templates link to each type

What Are Work Order Types?


Work Order Types classify jobs in FieldEx based on their operational purpose. Each type helps standardize:

  • Templates (pre-filled jobs)

  • Team responsibilities

  • Status transitions

  • Reporting and filtering

Understanding Work Order Types


Here are the most frequently used types in FieldEx:

Type

Purpose

Common Use Case

Preventive Maintenance (PM)

Scheduled servicing to reduce future faults

Monthly inspections, filter replacement, routine checkups

Corrective Maintenance (CM)

Reactive jobs triggered by faults, failed inspections, or breakdowns

Fix leaking pump, replace broken component, urgent repair

Installation / Site Visit / On-Demand Service

General field service calls not tied to a maintenance plan

Initial equipment setup, customer call-out, ad-hoc service

Warehouse Transfer / Internal Job

Logistics or internal technical operations

Move equipment between sites, calibrate tools, internal testing

Why Work Order Types Matter


Using the right type ensures:

  • Correct checklists and templates are applied

  • Maintenance reports are segmented properly

  • KPIs like breakdown rate vs planned service are measurable

  • Auto-triggers (e.g. follow-ups, billing) behave as expected

How to Create New Work Order Types


Path: Setup > Modules > Job Order > Picklists > Type

  • Navigate to Setup > Modules > Job Order > Picklists > Type.

  • Click Create new Type, and input the name of the Work Order Type.

  • Specify which Job Order statuses apply to this type.

    • Statuses in the right-hand box will be displayed in the status picklist when this Work Order Type is selected.

  • Click Save to complete the setup.

Tip: Align each work order type with a distinct business workflow. For example, use “Preventive Maintenance” for all recurring service jobs and “Corrective Maintenance” for reactive repair calls. This improves reporting clarity and helps technicians understand job expectations.

Linking to Job Templates


Each work order type can be connected to job templates, which preload checklists, asset filters, and other details.

  • Path: Settings > Modules > Job Templates

  • Create or edit a template and assign it to a specific work order type

This ensures consistency when the same type of job is created across many sites or assets.

Real-World Scenarios


  • Use Case: PM → A company sets “Quarterly Engine Inspection” as a PM type linked to a checklist with condition scoring and part usage

  • Use Case: CM → A failed inspection triggers a “Corrective Repair” job for pump seal replacement

  • Use Case: Transfer → A Planner logs “Internal Transfer” to track movement of assets from Workshop A to Workshop B

  • Use Case: On-Demand → A customer calls in for an urgent site visit; Planner uses “Ad-Hoc Service Call” type

Why This Matters


  • Reduces repetitive data entry when creating job orders.

  • Prevents manual errors in assigning teams and statuses.

  • Ensures technicians follow standard operating procedures.

  • Enables filtered analytics such as time-to-complete by job type.

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