10 Best Practices for Work Order Management

Work orders are central to facilities management. Not only do they capture maintenance requests and guide technicians’ work, but they also generate the data leaders need to manage performance and plan ahead. However, without strong processes, work orders create confusion, wasted time, and unnecessary costs.

Here are 10 best practices facilities leaders can use to strengthen work order management. For more ways facilities leaders can drive meaningful, long-term success for your organization, read Best Practices for Facilities Management Leadership.

How to Strengthen Work Order Management

1. Prioritize with a Clear Method

When every request is marked “medium,” nothing feels urgent. Adopt a prioritization method like RIME (Risk, Impact, Money, Effort) so that backlogs organize themselves and critical jobs receive the attention they deserve.

2. Assign a Dedicated Planner or Scheduler

Planning is too important to be handled informally. Even a part-time planning role helps create weekly schedules, coordinate parts, and reduce last-minute chaos. Planned jobs consistently cost less and deliver better results than reactive ones.

3. Prepare Parts Before Work Begins

Technicians lose valuable time when they leave a job site to find missing tools or materials that they need. Kitting parts in advance ensures jobs start with everything needed to finish on schedule.

4. Tie Every Work Order to an Asset

“Bucket” work orders hide the true labor and material costs of maintenance. By linking every job to a specific asset, leaders gain reliable data for tracking costs on that asset, compliance, and lifecycle planning.

5. Strengthen Inventory Control

Unorganized storerooms and inaccurate counts waste hours every week. Use barcode scanners or RFID systems to maintain real-time visibility of parts, improve accuracy, and reduce wasted trips.

6. Automate Routine Tasks

Modern CMMS and IWMS platforms enable automation of repetitive steps such as:

• Routing work orders by technician skills, asset type, or location
• Sending reminders and notifications to requesters and technicians
• Triggering compliance checklists before a job can be closed

Automation reduces manual effort, improves consistency, and ensures the right work is done at the right time.

7. Empower Technicians with Mobile Tools

Mobile CMMS and IWMS applications transform how teams work. With mobile tools, technicians can:

• Update work orders in real time
• Review asset histories on the spot
• Scan inventory directly into the system
• Attach photos and signatures for documentation

These mobile workflows improve wrench time, enhance data accuracy, and eliminate delays caused by paper-based processes.

8. Use the CMMS or IWMS to Support the Process

A CMMS or IWMS is most effective when it supports disciplined workflows. Leaders should establish data entry standards and use the system to enforce consistency, capture costs accurately, and generate insights that guide leadership decisions.

9. Close the Communication Loop

Work order management isn’t complete until the requester is informed. Provide status updates during the job and close the loop with post-work feedback. This transparency builds trust across the organization.

10. Measure and Improve Continuously

Work order management should evolve over time. Track KPIs such as schedule compliance, reactive vs. planned work ratio, mean time to repair (MTTR), and wrench time. Share results with teams and use them to drive continuous improvement.

Conclusion

Work order efficiency doesn’t happen by chance. It requires strong processes, clear priorities, and the right technology. By applying these 10 best practices, from planning and prioritization to automation, mobile tools, and continuous improvement, facilities leaders can lower costs, improve service delivery, and build a foundation for long-term success.

Continue Learning

In Nuvolo’s latest facilities management playbook, I take these ideas further with deeper insights on how to streamline workflows and boost efficiency. You will also hear from my colleagues, who share practical best practices for asset data management, proactive maintenance, and capital planning.

Get your copy and start turning these insights into action today.

About the Author

Paul Head is a seasoned technology leader with over 30 years of experience in strategic and operational management of facilities and real estate. As the current president of the IFMA Public Sector Council and Director at Nuvolo, he is a passionate advocate for leveraging technology to drive operational transformation. His expertise lies in helping organizations align their mission with operational goals, using a digital-first approach to enhance effectiveness across the entire real estate lifecycle.