In iiQ Facilities, both Preventative Maintenance Templates (PM Templates) and Work Order Templates are designed to automate tasks and save you time. These tools are fully compatible and can be used side-by-side.
Note: If you are currently using Work Order Templates for your Preventative Maintenance needs, there is no pressure to switch existing templates to the PM format; feel free to maintain any workflow that is currently effective.
Rule of Thumb
Build in PM Templates: If the task is preventative maintenance on a schedule (HVAC filter changes, inspections, grounds work, equipment servicing).
Build in Work Order Templates: If the task is a request template, an IT workflow, or any process that requires values to be filled into custom fields ahead of time.
Which one should I use?
To determine the correct template, consider the following questions:
Is this recurring preventative maintenance under the Facilities team's ownership?
If YES, then PM Templates is the ideal choice.
The image below covers the common cases.
2. Does another workflow depend on this custom field being pre-filled when the work order is created?
If YES: Keep that schedule in Work Order Templates.
If NO (the field is only for technician completion): You are safe to move it to PM Templates.
3. Does the Work Order Template rely on the ‘Do not process any more rules’ option?
If YES: Keep that schedule in Work Order Templates.
If NO: You are safe to move it to PM Templates.
Please note that Preventative Maintenance Templates will not trigger the “when created” rules from the rules engine, but will run the rule under the additional triggers.
Understanding Custom Fields & Pre-Filling
Custom fields are fully supported in both PM Templates and Work Order Templates. Any custom fields configured will appear on the generated work order for technicians to interact with.
The Key Functional Difference
PM Templates: Designed for technician input. These generate blank custom fields that technicians fill out during their work.
Work Order Templates: Designed for data pre-population. These allow you to pre-fill specific answers in custom fields before the work order is distributed.
Quick Reference
Use PM Templates when you need to:
Automate recurring maintenance: Schedule recurring servicing for HVAC units, equipment, or fixed assets.
Run repeating inspections: Cycle through regular inspections organized by building, grounds area, or specific asset types.
Flexible work order creation: Create one work order for each location (ideal for general grounds and field inspections) or one work order per asset (perfect for detailed equipment tracking).
Spend less time updating lists: Automatically include new schools or newly added equipment in your schedule without manually editing the template.
Manage sequential tasks: Trigger the next scheduled task only after the previous work order has been resolved.
Manage schedules independently: Allow Facilities Managers to set up and manage their own schedules without needing IT or Customer Success intervention.
Use a dedicated wizard: Walk through a guided, step-by-step setup interface built specifically for preventative maintenance.
Use Work Order Templates when you need to:
Create quick-submit options: Provide agents with pre-configured templates for common, one-off requests.
Support non-maintenance tasks: Accommodate IT-managed workflows or other departmental processes outside of core facilities maintenance.
Pre-fill values: Automatically populate specific work order fields before the work order is officially created.
Submit on behalf of others: Define exactly who a work order is requested by and requested for upon creation.
Apply templates in bulk: Push a single template to a massive batch of assets all at once, or copy/delete templates in bulk.
Manage event logistics: Standardize work orders for event setup, teardown, and related spatial requests.
Share with specific users: Grant access to templates for specific agents, teams, or user groups.
Run non-PM schedules: Automate recurring, time-based work that does not strictly qualify as preventative maintenance.