The Work Order Management Setup is the central configuration page for work order management in maintool. It consolidates all system-wide basic settings that control the behaviour of work orders, postings, number series, time recording, and checklist functionality. This article provides a complete overview of all tabs and their fields.
Opening the Work Order Management Setup
The card is opened via the Tell Me search (Alt+Q): enter Work Order Management Setup and select the corresponding card.
The card contains the following tabs:
- General
- Purchase
- Sales
- Numbering
- Electronic Signature
- Time Recording
- Checklist
General Tab
Colour-Coded Work Order Levels
Field type: Toggle (on/off)
Enables colour-coded differentiation of work order levels in the work order overview.
Note: No function in Business Central.
Planned Costs % in Colour
Field type: Toggle (on/off)
Enables colour display of the progress bar in the work order card.
Note: No function in Business Central.
Planned Cost Overrun in Work Order
Field type: Drop-down selection
Controls the calculation of the planned cost overrun of the progress bar in the work order card. The following options are available:
- Posted Work Order: invoiced/planned – Calculation for posted work orders based on invoiced and planned amounts.
- Always: invoiced/planned – Calculation based on invoiced and planned amounts, regardless of whether the work order has been posted.
- Always: feedback/planning – Calculation based on reported-back and planned amounts.
Date/Time Line Format
Field type: Drop-down selection
Defines the date format in the Execution Date/Time field in the work order lines.
Options: Standard, DD.MM.YY HH:MM, DD.MM.YY, DD.MM.YYYY.
Note: No function in Business Central.
Work Order Posting Group
Field type: Drilldown menu
Defines the Work Order Posting Group to be used by default when creating a work order. If it is to be assigned manually, no entry is required. To create a Work Order Posting Group, you need a code, description, General Business Posting Group, and VAT Business Posting Group.
Location Code
Field type: Drilldown menu
Defines a preset Location Code for item planning. This code is also suggested during work order feedback and in Work Order Journal postings. A preset is not recommended if spare parts are managed across multiple locations.
Date Lookback Period
Field type: Date formula
Defines the time window for displaying past Date Proposals in the Role Center and in the Date Proposal list. Restricting this period can help avoid longer calculation times. Example: -5Y for 5 years.
Date Preview Period
Field type: Date formula
Enables pre-calculation of Date Preview entries in the database. For example, a monthly appointment can be pre-calculated and stored for the next 3 years (Date Handlings – Preview). If only the next due date is relevant, this field can remain empty. Does not affect the calculation of Date Proposals in the Role Center. Example: 3Y for 3 years.
Extended Work Order Planning
Field type: Toggle (on/off)
When set to On, additional planning lines can be added to a work order with status In Execution. Deleting or modifying existing planning lines is not possible. This setting is stored in the work order and can therefore be used temporarily.
Automatically Transfer Work Order Lines
Field type: Toggle (on/off)
When set to On, the work order planning lines are automatically transferred after entering the work order number in a Work Order Feedback.
In-house Service Allocation
Field type: Toggle (on/off)
When set to On, the dimensions of the resource are transferred to the work order planning line when a planning line of type Resource is created. When set to Off, the dimensions of the work order are inserted instead.
Inventory Warning
Field type: Toggle (on/off)
When set to On, maintool checks whether an item has inventory when it is entered in a work order line. The check takes variant, location, and bin into account.
Account/Global Dimension 1 Required
Field type: Toggle (on/off)
When set to On, the system checks whether Global Dimension 1 or the relevant account is specified when a work order status is changed to Execution. When set to Off, no check is performed.
Allow Negative Inventory
Field type: Toggle (on/off)
When set to On, negative inventory is permitted through postings (e.g. during work order feedback).
| This option is not recommended. |
Check Work Order Texts Complete
Field type: Toggle (on/off)
When set to On, the stored work instructions are also checked for completion when a work order status is changed to Complete. Completing the work order is only possible once all work instructions have been manually marked as complete.
Post Detail Costs to G/L
Field type: Toggle (on/off)
When set to On, detail cost entries can be posted to the general ledger. The account is defined in the Work Order Posting Setup. Detail cost entries are only created for work orders that are assigned to a Reference Object.
Allocation Posting on Capitalisation
Field type: Toggle (on/off)
When set to On, resource allocations for resource consumptions are also posted in the event of capitalisation (investments). When set to Off, no resource allocations are posted in the event of capitalisation.
Automatic Cost Posting
Field type: Toggle (on/off)
When set to On, value entries are automatically posted to the cost accounts of the general ledger when a work order transaction is posted. When set to Off, values are only posted when the Post Work Order Adjustment function is run manually.
Bing Key
Field type: Input (max. 100 characters)
The official Bing key for the map view in the maintool Work Order Schedule Board can be entered here.
Purchase Tab
Transfer of Dimensions to Purchase Line – Work Order
Field type: Drilldown menu
Controls the transfer of dimensions to the purchase line for non-capitalised work orders.
Options: Empty (no transfer), Purchase Header, Work Order.
Transfer of Dimensions to Purchase Line – Capitalised Work Order
Field type: Drilldown menu
Controls the transfer of dimensions to the purchase line for capitalised work orders.
Options: Empty (no transfer), Purchase Header, Work Order.
Invoice on Closed Work Orders
Field type: Toggle (on/off)
When set to On, purchase invoices can be posted to closed work orders.
Credit Memo on Closed Work Orders
Field type: Toggle (on/off)
When set to On, credit memos can be posted to closed work orders.
Create Document if Direct Unit Cost = 0 – Request
Field type: Toggle (on/off)
When set to On, a request can be created from the work order without specifying a Direct Unit Cost.
Create Document if Direct Unit Cost = 0 – Purchase Order
Field type: Toggle (on/off)
When set to On, a Purchase Order can be created from the work order without specifying a Direct Unit Cost.
Post Expected Costs
Field type: Toggle (on/off)
When set to On, value entries originating from receipt or shipment postings (but not invoice postings) are recoded in the general ledger. Expected costs represent the estimated cost of a purchased item before the invoice is received. To use this function, interim accounts must exist in the general ledger for the relevant posting groups. Expected costs are only managed for item transactions, not for non-material posting types such as capacity or item charges. When set to Off, costs are only recorded once the invoice is received and posted.
Sales Tab
Transfer of Dimensions to Sales Line – Work Order
Field type: Drilldown menu
Controls the transfer of dimensions to the sales line for non-capitalised work orders.
Options: Empty (no transfer), Purchase Header, Work Order.
Transfer of Dimensions to Sales Line – Capitalised Work Order
Field type: Drilldown menu
Controls the transfer of dimensions to the sales line for capitalised work orders.
Options: Empty (no transfer), Purchase Header, Work Order.
Check Credit Limit
Field type: Toggle (on/off)
When set to On, the customer's credit limit is checked when a sales invoice is created from a work order. maintool will then display a corresponding notice.
Numbering Tab
Each number series field requires either the selection of an existing number series or the creation of a new one via New. The key decision is whether the number series should be incremented automatically (check mark at Default No.) or managed manually.
| For budget numbers, budget item numbers, and budget total/heading numbers, it is recommended to enable manual number assignment. |
- Work Order Request Numbers – Number series for work order requests. Example: Code
AUFTANF, Starting No.AUFTANF-0000001. - Work Order Numbers – Number series for work orders. Example: Code
AUFT. - Work Order Feedback Numbers – Number series for work order feedback. Example: Code
AUFTRM. - Work Order Reclassification Numbers – Number series for work order reclassifications. Example: Code
AUFTUM. - Budget Total/Heading Numbers – Number series for budget total lines. Example: Code
BGS. - Budget Numbers – Number series for budgets. Example: Code
BG. - Budget Item No. per Budget (toggle) – When set to On, a number series can be set up directly on the budget; the general Budget Item Numbers field is then locked.
- Budget Item Numbers – Number series for budget items. Example: Code
BGP. - Work Plan Numbers – Number series for work plans. Example: Code
AP. - Time Schedule Numbers – Number series for time schedules. Example: Code
TP.
Electronic Signature Tab
Work Order Request Register/Post – Four-Eyes Principle
Field type: Toggle (on/off)
When set to On, the user ID is checked when posting a work order request. Posting is only possible if the user IDs of the person posting and the person registering are different.
Time Recording Tab
Time Recording Journal Template
Field type: Drilldown menu
Selection of the journal template for time recording. Example: Name ZEIT, Description Time Recordings.
Time Recording Journal Name
Field type: Drilldown menu
Selection of the journal name for time recording. Example: Name ZEITER, Description Time Recordings.
Time Recording Numbers
Field type: Drilldown menu
Number series for time recording. Example: Code IH-ZE, Description Time Recordings.
Post Time Recording
Field type: Toggle (on/off)
When set to On, time recording entries are posted directly via the time recording journal. When set to Off, the journal is only filled without posting.
Resource Capacity Overrun in Colour
Field type: Toggle (on/off)
When set to On, an overrun of resource capacity in time recording is displayed in red.
Note: No function in Business Central.
Checklist Tab
Checklist Catalogue Number
Field type: Drilldown menu
Number series for checklist tasks in the checklist catalogue. Example: Code IH-CHKL, Starting No. IH-CHKL-0001.
Checklist Performance Data Journal Template
Field type: Drilldown menu
Selection of the journal template for posting performance characteristics via checklist tasks. Example: Code LD-CHKL, Description Performance Data Checklists.
Checklist Performance Data Journal Name
Field type: Drilldown menu
Selection of the journal name for posting performance characteristics via checklist tasks. Example: Code LD-CHKL, Description Performance Data Checklists.
Setting Up Work Order Status
The Work Order Status can be configured via Actions > Function > Change Work Order Status. The status list allows modification of the default setup: labels in the Status and Description columns can be changed, new status lines can be added, and the check marks in the Mandatory and Downgrade Possible columns can be set or modified.
| Changes to the work order status require in-depth knowledge of the programme logic and should only be made in consultation with GLI. The option Downgrade Possible is not available for all status entries in order to maintain the maintool programme logic. |
Work Order Status – Translations
For a newly added status to be displayed in the interface, the associated translation table must be completed for the currently used language ID and any other desired language IDs. The table is opened via Related > Work Order Status Setup > Translations. At least one entry must exist for the currently used language ID. Additional translations for existing statuses can also be added here.
Additional Setup Steps for Work Order Management
The following setup menus are accessible (via Alt+Q) and supplement the basic Work Order Management Setup:
- Date Proposal Names – Set up multiple date proposal names with filter criteria. When working with the Workplanning Role Center, names are generated automatically at login. Each user should have an assigned date proposal name.
- Types of Activity – Define activity types for categorising and evaluating maintenance tasks (e.g. W1 – Cleaning, I1 – Inspection, R1 – Unplanned Repair).
- Work Shifts – Set up work shifts including start and end times (e.g. Early Shift 06:00–14:00).
- Work Order Priorities – Define priority levels (e.g. S – Immediate, H – High/24h, M – Medium/3 days, N – Low/1 week).
- Malfunction Codes – Set up malfunction codes for assignment to maintenance tasks and to support evaluation (e.g. S001 – Failure, S003 – Leakage).
- Work Order Journal Templates – Set up journal templates for work orders and reclassifications. It is recommended to set up a separate journal for reclassifications.
- Work Order Categories – Set up categories for maintenance tasks (e.g. REP – Repair/Malfunction, WART – Maintenance/Inspection, INV – Investments). Default values for activity type code, malfunction code, posting group, dimensions, and e-mail dispatch can be stored in the additional columns.