As from version 3.2 we have added a new feature to improve the handling of planned maintenance when:
a. Anchored schedules are used
b. A PPM is missed (not found or not made available)
c. The device is then found shortly afterwards
The Problem
Suppose that a device is on an anchored 12-monthly PPM schedule and the job planned for 1/1/2015 is closed as NOT FOUND FOR PPM in February 2015. The PPM scheduling mechanism will schedule the next job for 1/1/2016.
Now suppose that the device is found in shortly afterwards, in March 2015 and the open PPM job is closed with a Work End Date of 1/3/2015. This will reschedule the next PPM job, but because the schedule is anchored the planned date will be 1/1/2017 (i.e. 12 months from the planned date of 1/1/2016). This is clearly not desirable as the device will not be scheduled to be serviced in 2016 at all.
Prior to version 3.2 the best solution to this was to edit the Planned Date of the job being closed to 1/1/2015 but this was still not ideal. This approach would schedule the next job for 1/1/2016 which is actually 3 months earlier than necessary. While this alleviates the risk of the device not being when it is actually required it is wasteful of resources.
The Solution
The solution is to make use of the new system option Reschedule as Floating after Missed PPM. This option is enabled using the system options.
1. A PPM job is planned for 1/1/2015. In February the job is closed down as NOT FOUND FOR PPM
2. e-Quip schedules the next job for 1/1/2016
3. In March 2015 the device is found and the job closed down on 15/3/2015
4. The next PPM job is scheduled for 15/3/2016
Notice that the PPM schedule itself is still anchored. This means that from this point onwards the device maintenance is anchored to 15th March
As always, any feedback is welcome