Maintenance Schedules & Calendar
AccuArk's maintenance scheduling system has two components that work together: Maintenance Schedules define recurring rules for when maintenance should be performed, and the Maintenance Calendar provides a visual monthly view of all upcoming and overdue work. Together, they ensure your assets receive timely preventive care and that nothing falls through the cracks.
Creating a Maintenance Schedule
To create a new maintenance schedule, navigate to Assets > Maintenance or access the Maintenance tab on a specific asset's record.
Required Permission
You must have the Asset Maintenance permission to create, edit, or delete maintenance schedules.
Schedule Fields
Each maintenance schedule requires the following information:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Asset | The asset this schedule applies to. Each schedule is tied to a single asset. |
| Schedule Name | A descriptive name for this recurring task (e.g., “Quarterly Oil Change”, “Annual Fire Extinguisher Inspection”, “Monthly HVAC Filter Replacement”). |
| Description | Detailed notes about what should be done during each occurrence, including procedures, safety requirements, and materials needed. |
| Maintenance Type | The type of maintenance: repair, inspection, preventive, upgrade, or calibration. |
| Is Active | Whether the schedule is currently active. Deactivating a schedule stops it from generating alerts without deleting the history. |
Time-Based Scheduling
Time-based schedules use a frequency interval to determine when maintenance is due next. You configure two fields:
- Frequency Type — The time unit: days, weeks, months, or years
- Frequency Value — The number of units between each occurrence
Common configurations include:
| Frequency Type | Frequency Value | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Days | 30 | Every 30 days |
| Weeks | 2 | Every 2 weeks (biweekly) |
| Months | 1 | Monthly |
| Months | 3 | Quarterly |
| Months | 6 | Semi-annually |
| Years | 1 | Annually |
How Next Due Date Is Calculated
The system calculates the next due date by adding the frequency interval to the Last Performed Date. For example, if a quarterly schedule was last performed on January 15, the next due date is April 15.
When a maintenance event linked to this schedule is marked as Completed, the schedule's Last Performed Date updates automatically to the event's date, and the Next Due Date recalculates.
If the schedule has never been performed, the Next Due Date is calculated from the schedule's creation date.
Meter-Based Scheduling
Meter-based schedules trigger maintenance based on usage rather than time. This is ideal for assets where wear depends on how much the asset is used rather than how long it has been in service.
Setting Up Meter-Based Schedules
- Meter Threshold — The number of units between each maintenance occurrence (e.g., every 5,000 miles, every 500 operating hours, every 10,000 print cycles)
How Meter-Based Triggers Work
The system compares the asset's current meter reading against the threshold:
- When the asset's meter reading approaches the threshold (within a configurable warning range), a dashboard alert is generated
- When the meter reading meets or exceeds the threshold, the maintenance shows as due in the calendar and alerts grid
- After the maintenance is completed, the threshold counter resets to count from the current meter reading
Meter-based scheduling requires manual meter reading updates. You can update meter readings on the asset's record or through the Maintenance Event form when recording completed work.
Preferred Vendor
Each schedule can optionally specify a Preferred Vendor for the maintenance work. When a maintenance event is created from this schedule, the vendor field is pre-populated with the preferred vendor. This is useful for:
- Equipment under service contracts with specific vendors
- Warranty work that must be performed by authorized service providers
- Specialized maintenance that requires certified technicians
Last Performed Date
The Last Performed Date field tracks when this scheduled maintenance was most recently completed. This field updates automatically when a maintenance event linked to this schedule is marked as Completed. You can also set it manually when first creating a schedule to backdate it based on when the maintenance was last done before AccuArk was adopted.
Next Due Date
The Next Due Date is calculated automatically by the system:
- For time-based schedules: Last Performed Date + Frequency Interval
- For meter-based schedules: the date is not calendar-based but triggers when the meter reading hits the threshold
You cannot manually set the Next Due Date. It is always derived from the schedule's rules and the Last Performed Date.
Maintenance Calendar
The Maintenance Calendar provides a visual monthly view of all scheduled and ad-hoc maintenance across your entire asset portfolio. To open it, navigate to Assets > Maintenance Calendar. This opens the Maintenance Calendar.
Monthly View
The calendar displays a standard monthly grid with each day's cell showing the number of maintenance events scheduled for that date. The current day is highlighted, and you can navigate between months using forward and back arrows.
Day Navigation
Click any date on the calendar to see all maintenance due that day. The detail panel below the calendar updates to show a list of events for the selected date.
Event List
The event list for a selected day shows:
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| Asset Name | The name of the asset requiring maintenance |
| Schedule Name | The name of the recurring schedule (if applicable) |
| Maintenance Type | Repair, inspection, preventive, upgrade, or calibration |
| Status | Planned, in progress, completed, or cancelled |
Double-clicking an event in the list opens the maintenance event form for editing.
Overdue Indicator
Past-due maintenance items are highlighted in red on the calendar. A day cell with overdue items shows a red indicator so you can immediately spot missed maintenance. This makes it easy to identify maintenance that should have been done but was not completed on time.
Creating Maintenance from the Calendar
You can create a new maintenance event directly from the calendar by clicking a date. This opens the the Maintenance Event screen form with the date pre-populated to the selected day. Select the asset, fill in the maintenance details, and save.
This is a quick way to schedule ad-hoc maintenance or respond to an unexpected repair need.
Dashboard Alerts
Overdue maintenance appears in the Asset Dashboard alerts grid. The dashboard scans all active maintenance schedules and flags any where the Next Due Date has passed without a completed event. These alerts include the asset name, schedule name, and how many days the maintenance is overdue.
Reviewing the dashboard alerts regularly ensures that no scheduled maintenance is forgotten.
Tips and Best Practices
- Start with critical assets — Set up schedules for your most valuable or essential assets first, then expand to less critical equipment over time.
- Monthly inspection schedules — For most assets, a monthly preventive inspection is a good starting point. You can adjust the frequency later based on actual wear patterns.
- Review the calendar weekly — Make it part of your routine to check the Maintenance Calendar every Monday (or your first business day of the week) to see what work is coming up.
- Use descriptive schedule names — Instead of generic names like “Maintenance”, use specific names like “Quarterly HVAC Filter Replacement” or “Annual Forklift Safety Inspection”. This makes the calendar and reports much easier to read.
- Combine time and meter schedules — Some assets benefit from both. For example, a vehicle might have a time-based quarterly inspection and a meter-based oil change every 5,000 miles. Create separate schedules for each.
- Deactivate instead of deleting — When a schedule is no longer needed (e.g., the asset was sold), deactivate it rather than deleting it. This preserves the maintenance history.