November 27, 2023
Ask Mapcon - November 2023
Once again, Mapcon presents questions from our valued customers that are answered by a member of our staff, eager to be of assistance.
Challenge: I do the research to find my equipment number in the software, now I leave that data entry window and go look for my work orders. Oh oh, I have already forgotten the equipment number. Perhaps I am multi-tasking and get interrupted, for whatever reason, now I have to look up the number all over again. I am duplicating my efforts to accomplish the same task.
Solution: MAPCON has a quick access View Work Orders feature on the equipment window, simply click to see a list of currently open and closed orders, next page shows the older orders in history, and they can even click on a specific work order and view the details.
Challenge: I can’t find what I am looking for, I don’t know if I should be searching in equipment or inventory. I don’t know if it is still a work request or now a work order. I am duplicating my efforts to accomplish the same task because I have to do the same search in different areas.
Solution: Mapcon has a new Global Search feature that works much like Google, and when you search for a word or phrase you are searching everywhere at once.
If you're using the Advanced System Utilities module, you'll find this feature as part of the Main window's navigational options. You're able to search for records listings in Assets, Inventory, Work Orders, and Purchase Requests/Orders using keywords and narrow the search by adding parameters.
Challenge: It is too difficult to schedule work in the software. The labor craft doesn’t match what was planned for however this other worker is capable of doing the job. I can’t easily see everything on the schedule for that day or for the week without jumping through a lot of hoops. I need to be able to go back and forth, and things change constantly and we need flexibility to put any laborer on any task and move it to another day, or the next week or next month, and the software needs to keep up with our reality.
Solution: The Calendar scheduler allows drag and drop work orders, the list of orders is down the left side, the calendar on the right. Click, hold, drag and drop work orders to the desired day, or move them from one day to another day. A list of available workers can optionally be assigned the work, regardless of their craft designation, the system warns the craft doesn’t match, and lets you do it anyway. Quickly change from a daily to a weekly to a monthly view with the click of a button.
Do you have any questions you'd like to see featured in future Q&A posts? Email your inquiries to the MAPCON TEAM.