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Periodic Settings

Periodic task templates are used to automatically generate tasks for scheduled maintenance or other recurring services.

To create a periodic task template, click Create > Periodic Task. The New Periodic window opens.

Complete the fields as if you were creating a task, but in the:

  • Due Date & Time fields, enter the date on which AroFlo should generate the task for the first time
  • Periodic Task field, select the frequency at which the task should be generated, e.g. weekly, quarterly, yearly.

Click Create Periodic. The Periodic Task Template opens.

You can also create a periodic task template from the Quote worksheet via the Create button > Periodic Template. This method will auto-populate the Client, Location, Task Type, Description and Reported By/Contact fields on the template using the information within the quote. Set the Due Date to when the task is next due, then select a frequency option for how often the task should generate.

Once you have created the periodic task template, you will see the following fields and buttons appear in the Details section (left side of screen).

Field/ButtonDescription
Start Date*Used to record the start date of a contract (if applicable).
Review Date*Used to record the review date of a contract (if applicable).
Expiry Date

Used to record the expiry date of a contract (if applicable).

  • If you enter an expiry date, the periodic template will not generate any tasks after that date.
  • If you leave the expiry date field blank, the periodic template will generate tasks indefinitely.

Periodic task templates with an expiry date will trigger an alert on your home screen's message board two weeks before expiry.

To remove the alert from the message board, either extend or delete the expiry date on the periodic task template. The alert will disappear overnight.

Custom FieldsIf you have custom fields, they will appear with the 'Update field from task' checkbox. 

When ticked, the next generated task will be pre-filled with the value found on the most recent task.

View ChecklistClick this button to view, create or edit checklists for a periodic task. Checklists added to the periodic task template are specific to the periodic task only.
Generated Task StatusUsed to pre-set the task status for all tasks generated from this template. The default statuses are Not Started, In Progress, and Pending.
Template StatusUsed to activate or archive (deactivate) the periodic task template. See Archive a periodic template below for more information.
Delete

Allows you to delete a periodic template that has never generated a task. See Delete a periodic template below for more information.

* These dates are for review purposes only and do not affect the generation of tasks from periodic templates.

Periodic Task Owner

For businesses with multiple business units, users in the Management and Supervisor pre-built permission groups (and others with permission ) can change the Owner (i.e. business unit) when they create a periodic template. Managers can also edit the Owner field on existing periodic templates.

The Owner can only be changed if all the data that made up the template (i.e. task type, client, assigned users, assets, materials, compliance forms and priorities, both in the main template and in the Extras section) is also available in the business unit you want to switch to.

After a new Owner is selected, all fields that depend on the business unit will show data for the selected destination business unit. 

Frequency details

Use the Frequency Details tab (right side of screen) to set the frequency at which you want the periodic task to generate.

OptionDescription
Frequency, Baseline Date

These fields together determine when each instance of a periodic task will be generated.

  • Frequency defaults to the value you entered when you created the periodic task template. To change the frequency, click in the field and make another selection.

  • Baseline Date defaults to the Due Date you entered when you created the periodic task template. To change the Baseline Date to something other than the original Due Date, click into the field and make a selection from the calendar pop-up.

    About the Baseline Date

    The Baseline Date drives the generation of all instances of the periodic task and allows for necessary variations (e.g. weekends, short months). Once you've set the Baseline Date, avoid changing it. If you need to change the date of a particular instance of a periodic task, go into the Details section of the periodic task template and alter the Due Date.

Set Day of the Month

Set Day of the Month allows you to select which day of the month the periodic task should occur on, e.g. first Monday in the quarter.

This field only appears for month- or year-based frequencies.

Generated By

This determines whether the periodic task is generated automatically or manually.

  • Select System (Overnight) if you want the periodic task to generate automatically.
  • Select Manual if you want to manually control when the periodic task is generated.
  • Select both options (default) if you want the periodic tasks generated automatically but would also like the option to generate them manually.

Next Due Date Calculated Using

This field allows you to tell AroFlo to amend the next due date based on certain conditions.

  • Due Date (default). Select this option to generate the next periodic task based on the scheduled due date.

  • Due Date (Do Not Generate if Open Task Exists). Select this option to generate the next periodic task on the scheduled due date, only if the previous periodic task has been completed.

    If you choose this option and a task is open when the next periodic task is due, AroFlo will process that periodic task template and update the Due Date in that template without generating a task. This will prevent the generation of a new task until the current task is closed and the next Due Date arrives. This can be over-ridden if needed by manually generating the task.

  • Last Completed Date. Select this option to generate the next periodic task based on when the last periodic task was completed.

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Dynamic frequencies

Dynamic frequencies allow you to add a date range. If the next due date of the periodic task falls within that date range, the frequency will change to the one selected in the date range.

Schedule

The Schedule tab allows you to set a schedule for the upcoming periodic tasks to be shown in the scheduled resources calendar.

  • Baseline Schedule - Sets the default schedule for this periodic task template.
  • Next Due Schedule - Displays the schedule for when the periodic task is next due to generate. You can modify this without affecting future schedules. Change this when you need to reschedule a periodic for the next instance only, and not for all future schedules.

To set a schedule, click Schedule.

  1. In the Baseline Schedule, click Add Schedule.
  2. Select the resources and times and enter schedule notes as required.
  3. Save.

To see upcoming scheduled tasks in your calendar, you must enable Show Periodic Tasks in your calendar settings. For more information, see Calendar Settings. You can then account for upcoming periodic tasks as you schedule your work.

Materials

The Material tab is used to automatically add materials to the periodic task when it is next generated. For example, if your periodic task is for a standard servicing procedure that always requires a replacement filter, you can add the filter to the Material tab. This saves Field users from having to manually add materials to the task each time.

To add material to a periodic task template, click Material > Add Line Item. Hover over Multi-Search for access to your inventory list, assemblies and so on.

Assets

Equipment is generally registered within AroFlo as an asset against a client (or a business unit) and location. The asset register is accessible via the Assets tab on the periodic task template, allowing you to select the assets specified within the service contract.

When you create a periodic task template, you can only add one asset (a primary asset) onto the template at that time. After creation, you can use the Assets tab to add all of the assets that are required for this periodic task.

  1. Click Assets.
  2. Click Add Assets.

  3. Select the required assets from the asset register. If an asset does not exist in the register, click Add Asset to create a new asset. For more information, see Assets.

  4. Close the Search Assets window.

  5. Select a Service Action Group (if configured).

    What's a service action group?

    Service actions allow Field users to quickly add documents, materials and compliance forms to tasks based on predefined services in a group. They can be linked to assets and/or task checklists. For information on how to configure a service action group, see Service Actions.

  6. Enter the equipment location into the Description field (optional).

  7. Save.

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Notes and task notes

The Notes tab is used for recording notes about the periodic template for internal reference purposes.

The Task Notes tab is used for recording any job related notes that you want to appear on generated tasks.

Documents & Photos

Documents and photos can also be added to periodic task templates so that they are automatically added to tasks when generated. Either upload from a device or link to documents in the Document Directory. For more information, see Documents and Photos.

Sequence

You can use the Sequence tab to keep track of the number of periodic tasks that have been generated when there is a set limit required. For example, you may have a contract that defines 10 periodic services. In this case, you would set the:

  • Sequence No to 1
  • Sequence Target to 10.

This will append a sequence number to the Task ID each time the periodic task is generated.

Here's an example using the Task ID '12 Maroondah Hwy':

Periodic task instanceTask ID
First12 Maroondah Hwy 1
Fifth12 Maroondah Hwy 5
Tenth12 Maroondah Hwy 10
  • Neither the Sequence No. nor Sequence Target can be set to 0, so it's a good idea to start at 1.

  • Periodic tasks will still be generated after the Sequence Target number has been reached. This field is for informational and tracking purposes only. To stop the periodic tasks being generated, archive the periodic task template.

Compliance forms

You can add compliance forms to the Compliance tab on the periodic task template to allow your Field users to quickly and easily access the correct forms for the type of service they are performing.

  1. Click Compliance tab.

  2. Click Add Compliance Form.

  3. Double click the compliance forms you require.
  4. Close the Select Compliance Form window.
  5. Save.

Add compliance forms to periodic assets

Compliance forms can also be linked to each asset listed on the periodic task template. This allows your Field users to quickly and easily access the correct form for each asset they are servicing.

  1. On the periodic task template, click the Assets tab.
  2. Click Forms.
  3. Click View Forms.

  4. Click Add Asset Compliance Form.

    Asset compliance forms

    This list will only display the compliance forms that are linked to the asset within the asset register. If there are no compliance forms in this list, you can click the asset name to access the register and add the required compliance forms. For more information, see Asset Compliance Forms.

  5. Double click the compliance forms you require.
  6. Close the Select Compliance Form window.
  7. Save.

How do Field users find periodic asset forms?

When the task is generated for the periodic service, Field users will be able to access these compliance forms via More > Assets > options button on the asset > Forms > View Forms > Spec Forms > Periodic Asset Forms.

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Archive a periodic template

You can archive a periodic template to remove it from your list of active periodic templates.

  • Archived periodic templates will no longer generate tasks.
  • Tasks previously generated by an archived template will be unaffected.

To archive a periodic template, set the Template Status to Archived and click Save. 

To reactivate an archived periodic template:

  1. Go to ServiceTrack > Periodic and set the dropdown filter in the top right to Archived.
  2. Click the Task name to open the template.
  3. Set the Template Status to Active.
  4. Save.

Delete a periodic template

You can only delete a periodic template that has no tasks linked to it, i.e. the template has never generated a task, or you have deleted any tasks that it did generate. To delete the template, simply open it and click Delete Periodic > OK.

View our Routine Maintenance product page

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