Costs & KPIs · Advanced

Create a Custom Maintenance Report

Learn to define a custom maintenance report with a clear purpose, record scope and selection of standard and custom fields. Prepare a reproducible report specification; the supplied references do not document report-designer or template-saving procedures.

Custom maintenance reports are essential for gaining specific insights that standard reports may not offer. They allow organizations to tailor data presentation to their unique operational needs and analytical objectives, moving beyond generic overviews to granular, actionable intelligence. Effectively defining these reports ensures that the gathered information directly supports informed decision-making and continuous improvement initiatives.

Where it's available and step by step

Step by step in ManWinWin Desktop

1
Write the report question, for example: which work orders belong to each existing User 01 category for the selected equipment and period?
2
Define one row as one work order, and list the equipment and work-order statuses to include.
3
Specify the start and end dates and the date basis for inclusion, distinguishing work performed during the period from work scheduled during it.
4
List the required output fields: work-order identifier, equipment, relevant dates and the existing User 01 or User 02 field, using your organisation’s configured names.
5
Define the intended grouping by the selected custom field and the order within each group; specify whether records with an empty custom field should remain visible as uncategorised.
6
Check representative work orders against the specification to confirm that their dates, equipment and custom-field values place them in the expected report scope.
7
Send the specification to support@manwinwin.com to confirm the reporting options available in your installation and obtain the exact steps for generating the output and saving a reusable definition, if supported.

Theory and technical background

The Purpose of Custom Reporting in Maintenance Management

Custom reports enable maintenance professionals to extract precise data points crucial for performance analysis and strategic planning. Unlike predefined reports, they offer the flexibility to combine various parameters such as work order types, equipment criticality, specific date ranges, and custom user fields (e.g., ISO 14224 failure modes or EN 13306 maintenance types). This capability is vital for monitoring specific KPIs like MTBF or MTTR related to certain equipment categories or for tracking costs associated with particular maintenance strategies, ensuring alignment with asset management objectives (ISO 55000).

Defining Report Scope and Data Selection

A well-defined report begins with a clear scope, outlining exactly what information is needed. This involves identifying the primary entity (e.g., work orders, equipment, spare parts), filtering criteria (e.g., status, dates, equipment type), and the specific fields to display. Differentiating between 'work performed during the period' and 'work scheduled during the period' is critical for accurate financial accruals and workload planning. Leveraging standard fields alongside custom user-defined fields (e.g., 'User 01', 'User 02' for categorisation) allows for highly specific analysis, such as categorising work orders by specific maintenance categories or operational conditions.

Ensuring Reproducibility and Accuracy

For a report to be truly valuable, it must be reproducible and its output accurate. This requires a precise report specification, detailing every filter, field, grouping, and ordering rule. Checking representative data against this specification helps validate the logic, ensuring that the report captures the intended records and excludes irrelevant ones. Documenting this specification, including date bases and treatment of empty custom fields, facilitates communication with support teams for implementation and ensures consistent results over time, supporting reliable KPI calculations and performance benchmarking.

Best practices

Always start with a clear question to guide your report definition.
Use custom fields (User 01/02) to add specific categorisation needed for unique analyses.
Carefully differentiate date bases (e.g., creation, start, completion) for accurate data filtering.
Validate your report specification with sample data before finalising it.

Frequently asked questions

Why can't I just use ManWinWin's standard reports?

Standard reports provide general insights. Custom reports allow for detailed analysis tailored to your specific operational questions, helping you track unique KPIs or evaluate very particular maintenance strategies not covered by predefined templates.

What is the importance of 'date basis' in reporting?

The date basis (e.g., work order creation, scheduled, or completion date) significantly affects which records are included in a report. Choosing the correct one ensures you analyze the data relevant to the period you are examining, impacting financial and planning accuracy.

How do custom fields like 'User 01' enhance reports?

Custom fields allow you to categorize data beyond standard options, such as by specific failure modes (ISO 14224), asset criticality, or specific project phases. This enables highly granular analysis and targeted improvement initiatives based on your unique needs.

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