Preventive Maintenance: Creating Plans

PM plans schedule maintenance before equipment fails. Each gets a reference (PM-1, PM-2, etc.).

PM Plan Fields

Name

e.g., 'Monthly HVAC Filter Change'

Asset

Equipment being maintained

Trigger Type

TIME_BASED, METER_BASED, or HYBRID

Frequency

Interval in days

Assigned To

Technician or team

Task Template

Checklist for generated WOs

Advance Notification

Days before due to alert

Required Parts

Spare parts needed for the maintenance

Tip

Start with your most critical assets — those whose failure causes production impact.

First scheduled occurrence

The Start Date is the date of the first scheduled occurrence — not just a placeholder. Following occurrences are computed from the frequency. Example: to replace equipment every 3 years with the next replacement due in 2 years, set the Start Date to today + 2 years. The cycle will then roll on its own.

If your Start Date is in the past, FreeMaint automatically rolls forward by the frequency until the next future occurrence.

Reference images on tasks

Each task in a PM plan can carry reference images — for example a photo of the machine with the greasing points numbered, or which grease to use. Upload them per task when creating or editing the plan; they are copied onto every work order the plan generates, so technicians can tap to zoom while doing the job. Available on every plan.

Creating a PM Plan