Auto Work Order Generation

When enabled, FreeMaint creates work orders automatically when PM plans come due.

How It Works

1. FreeMaint checks PM due dates daily
2. When due, a WO is created with PM plan details
3. Task template items added automatically
4. Technician notified
5. On completion, next due date recalculated

Deactivating or pausing a plan

Deactivating a PM plan stops work-order generation entirely — both the daily scheduler and the manual "Execute / Commence" action — until you reactivate it. To stop a plan only for a defined period (e.g. a school holiday or seasonal shutdown), use "Pause until" and choose a date: the plan resumes automatically on that date, and occurrences missed during the pause are skipped, not created in bulk. When deactivating or pausing you can optionally cancel the plan's open work orders that nobody has started yet.

Skipping one occurrence

If you do not want to perform a particular occurrence this cycle but want the plan to recur normally next time, use "Skip this occurrence" — do not delete or complete the work order. Open the work order and click "Skip next occurrence", or use the plan's (…) menu on the Preventive Maintenance list. The next occurrence is rescheduled automatically and the open work order is cancelled. Skipping does NOT record a maintenance as done, so your completion rate and history stay accurate (an optional reason is saved for audit). Deleting the work order would just regenerate the same occurrence; completing it would falsely record work that was never performed.