Editing Maintenance Timing Records

This help file applies to an out-of-date version of MainBoss.
The most recent version of MainBoss is MainBoss 4.2.4.
For the latest version of this help file can be found here.

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You create maintenance timing records using the timing editor. The usual way to open the editor is to click New Maintenance Timing or Edit in the View section of Coding Definitions | Unit Maintenance Plans | Maintenance Timings.

The timing editor window contains the following:

Details section: Shows basic information for the record.

Code: A brief code to identify this record. No two records may have the same code.

Description: A longer description of the timing record.

Comments: Any comments you want to associate with the timing.

Periods section: Lists conditions under which this timing record is fulfilled. For example, an oil change might have two periods: one for "every three months" and one for "every 3000 miles".

New Meter Period: Opens a window to create a new period based on meter readings (e.g. "every 3000 miles"). For more, see Editing Meter Periods.

New Daily Period: Opens a window to create a new period measured in days (e.g. "every 30 days"). For more, see Editing Daily Periods.

New Monthly Period: Opens a window to create a new period measured in months (e.g. "every three months"). For more, see Editing Monthly Periods.

Edit : This drop-down button offers several possible actions:

Edit: Opens an editor window to let you edit the selected record.

View: Opens an editor window where you can examine the selected record.

Delete : Deletes the period that's currently selected.

Search : Lets you search through the list of records for a particular record. For more information, see Searching for a Particular Record. The Search button has an accompanying drop-down list containing the following:

Find Next: Uses the same search condition(s) as your most recent search and finds the next record in the table that matches the condition(s). If the search reaches the end of the table without finding a matching record, it goes to the start of the table and continues the search.

Find Previous: Same as Find Next except that it goes backward in the table. If the search reaches the start of the table without finding a matching record, it goes to the end of the table and continues the search.

Refresh : Updates the list to reflect recent changes.

Exceptions section: Lets you adjust the timing to deal with any special conditions. For more information on any of these exceptions, see Maintenance Timings.

Defer overdue work orders to the date maintenance is generated: Applies when work is already overdue on the date you generate work orders. For example, you might generate work orders on June 2 but a job came due on June 1. If you choose this option, MainBoss will schedule the job for the date you generate the work orders (in this example, June 2).

Inhibit generation of overdue work orders: Is the alternative to the previous option: if a job is already overdue on the date you generate work orders, MainBoss simply skips the job. It won't be scheduled until the next time it comes due.

Season, Start and End: Used when timing only applies to part of the year. For example, if you set "Start" to May 1 and "End" to October 31, jobs will only be scheduled in the period from May 1 to October 31. On the other hand, if you set "Start" to October 31 and "End" to May 1, jobs will only be scheduled in the period from October 31 to May 1.

Example for the fourth of May: Shows the format that should be used when entering dates into "Start" and "End". If either "Start" or "End" has an incorrect format, both will have error markers displayed beside them.

Your Windows settings determine what format is required for dates in the "Start" and "End" fields—different people will have different formats. Therefore, you should check "Example for the fourth of May" to make sure you're using the right format.

Defer work orders triggered outside the season until the start of the season: Applies when a job comes due outside the allowed season. For example, suppose the allowed season is from May 1 to October 31, but a job comes due in January. If you choose this option, MainBoss will schedule the job for the first date in the allowed season (in this example, May 1).

Inhibit generation of work orders outside the season: Is the alternative to the previous option: if a job comes due in the off-season, MainBoss simply skips the job. It won't be scheduled again until it comes due in the allowed season.

Weekday exceptions: Used when a job can only be done on certain days of the week. In the list, you specify which days are allowed.

Defer work orders triggered on disabled weekdays until the next enabled weekday: Applies when a job comes due on a weekday that is not allowed. For example, a job that can only be done on Saturdays comes due on a Thursday. If you choose this option, MainBoss will schedule the job for the next allowable weekday (in this example, the Saturday immediately following the Thursday when the job comes due).

Inhibit generation of work orders on disabled weekdays: Is the alternative to the previous option: if a job comes due on a weekday that is not allowed, MainBoss simply skips the job. It won't be scheduled again until it comes due on a day that's allowed.

Unit Maintenance Plans: Lists unit maintenance plans that use this timing record.

New Unit Maintenance Plan: Lets you create a unit maintenance plan using the current timing record. For more, see Editing Unit Maintenance Plans.

New Unplanned Maintenance Work Order: Uses the selected unit maintenance plan to make a work order immediately. For example, suppose the plan specifies an oil change on a particular vehicle. Clicking this button immediately creates an oil change work order for the vehicle. For more information, see Creating an Unplanned Maintenance Work Order.

Edit : This drop-down button offers several possible actions:

Edit: Opens an editor window to let you edit the selected record.

View: Opens an editor window where you can examine the selected record.

Restore: Restores a deleted record. This button is only active if the viewer is in All mode and if you've selected a deleted record. When you click Restore, MainBoss will open a window that lets you examine the contents of the deleted record. If you save the record and close the window, the record will be restored to the Active list.

Delete : Deletes the record that's currently selected.

Change Schedule Basis: Lets you specify the starting point for a plan's schedule. For example, if a job is to be done every 30 days, the schedule basis should state the last time the job was done; using this information, MainBoss can then calculate when the job should be done next. Without a schedule basis to use as a starting point, MainBoss can't schedule maintenance jobs. For more on setting a schedule basis, see Specifying a Schedule Basis.

Refresh : Updates the list to reflect recent changes.

Save & New: Saves the current record and sets up the window for you to enter a new record. Fields in the new record will be blank or set to default values.

Save: Saves the current record. The editor window stays open in case you want to make more changes to the same record.

Save & Close: Saves the current record and closes the editor window.

Cancel: Closes the window without saving any changes you've made to the record since the last time you saved. When you Save the record, the Cancel button changes to Close, indicating that you can safely close the window without losing any changes.

Close: Closes the window. This button only appears after you've saved changes with Save or before you've entered any data at all. Otherwise, the button is labeled Cancel.

For more on timing records, see Maintenance Timings. For more on viewing timing records, see Viewing Maintenance Timing Records. For more on editors in general, see Using Editors.

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