Mobile apps for Work Orders and Rounds are among the more commonly used by field technicians to increase employee productivity and asset/plant maintenance. An equally interesting area where a mobile app can be very useful is in the upfront Planning and Design process.
For complex maintenance and construction tasks, the technicians have to go onsite and survey the site, take measurements, estimate the components needed for repair, and supporting equipment like ladders or scaffolding. Today, most of this work is done on paper leading to errors, duplicate data entry, time delays, and increased downtime. These inefficiencies can be eliminated by a mobile application that can help with the following:
The technician can download the Work Order authorizing the Design/Planning activity. The notification can be attached to the work order. The worker can take pictures with the mobile device’s camera so that the work execution can be facilitated. The estimates of time, material, tools, and equipment needed can be captured on the mobile device, and sent to SAP or any other backend system instantly from the field. Workflow can be enabled so that the manager approves the Planning tasks. User guides and standard operating procedures can be accessed from corporate portals like Microsoft SharePoint that help the worker make accurate estimates leading to increased compliance and safety.
As we have conversations with customers around Mobile Enterprise Asset Management, we find that a Planning/Design mobile app can solve an important pain problem. Combined with Rounds, Work Orders, Inventory Manager, the Planning app completes the portfolio for keeping plants and equipment running smoothly.
