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Manage automations

Create, modify or delete automations; the triggers that define when to generate a task using an existing task template.

Gui Rego avatar
Written by Gui Rego
Updated over 10 months ago

Create an automation

Automations set the parameters for when a new task should be auto-generated, or triggered, using one of your existing task templates. Therefore, it's the appropriate tool for setting up and triggering preventive maintenance tasks (PM's).

There are two types of automations:

  1. Time-based

  2. Metric-based

The method and options for adding each of these vary slightly, so each type of automation is explored separately below.

Pre-requisites for creating automations:

One or more actions may be required before establishing an automation on a task:

  • A suitable task template must already exist before creating any form of automation;

  • For time-based automations, you must know the due date of the next one that is to be triggered;

  • For automations that are triggered based on a metric reading gathered from an asset, the metric must already exist on the asset.

Time-based automations

To create a time-based automation:

  1. Navigate to Assets;

  2. Filter for and then click the title of the asset that is to receive the automation;

  3. Click the Automations tab;

  4. Click Time-based Automation;

  5. Select the task template that is to be used whenever this automation triggers a new task;

  6. Define when the next (or only, if non-recurring) task will be due;

    NOTE: The automation will use this date as the basis to calculate the due date of additional tasks for this automation in the future.

    NOTE: Tasks will be triggered (created) in advance of the due date.

  7. If the task is to be recurring (eg. a monthly service that occurs every month on an ongoing basis) click the checkbox to set the interval;

  8. Define the quantity and the interval by inserting a number and selecting any of day, week, month or year from the dropdown;

  9. If the tasks should only be triggered during a limited window of time, add an end date, or leave the End date field blank if the automation should continue indefinitely;

  10. Click Confirm.

    TIP: Use the interval selection to make the task fall due on a specific day of the week, or a specific date of the month. For example, if a weekly task is due each Monday, set the start date as a Monday and select "1 week" as the interval (as opposed to nominating "7 days"). Likewise, if a monthly task is due on the 1st of every month, set the start date as the first of a month and select "1 month" as the interval (as opposed to nominating, say, "30 days")

Metric-based automations

To create a metric-based automation:

  1. Navigate to Assets;

  2. Filter for and locate the asset that is to receive the automation;

  3. Click the Automations tab;

  4. Click Metric-based Automation;

  5. Select the task template that is to be used whenever this automation triggers a new task;

  6. Select the metric that is to be monitored for changes;

    If the selected metric is linear (this will already have been defined in the set-up of the metric), jump to STEP 10.

    For non-linear metrics:

  7. Select the condition that will trigger the creation of a task (in conjunction with the value defined in the next step);

  8. Define the value qualifier that will trigger the creation of a task (in conjunction with the value defined in the next step);

    1. If a Between or Between (inclusive) are selected, nominate the lower bound and the upper bound or the qualifier.

  9. Click Confirm

    For linear metrics:

  10. In the Condition field, select either Once-off (the task will only be performed once when the metric is reached), or Interval (the task will be performed on an ongoing basis each time the metric interval is reached).

    1. If Once-off was selected as the condition - the precise value of the metric that will trigger the creation of the once-off task, or;

    2. If Interval was selected as the condition - the metric interval between each instance of the trigger creating a new task (eg. a value of 100 hours will trigger a new task each additional 100 hours)

    If the Once-off condition was selected proceed to, jump to STEP 13.

    If Interval was selected:

  11. Define neither or either of the lower and upper Bounds:

    1. If neither bounds are defined - the automation will use zero as the starting metric value and the automation will continue to trigger tasks in the future;

    2. If the lower bound is defined, with no upper bound - the automation will use the lower bound as the starting metric value to commence triggering tasks, and the automation will continue to trigger tasks in the future.

    3. If an upper bound is defined, but no lower bound - the automation will use zero as the starting metric value to commence triggering tasks, and continue to trigger tasks based on the nominated metric interval until the upper bound is reached.

    4. If both a lower bound and an upper bound are nominated - the automation will use the lower bound as the starting metric value to commence triggering tasks, and the automation will continue to trigger tasks, and continue to trigger tasks based on the nominated metric interval until the upper bound is reached. .

  12. Nominate the Basis (in relation to for calculating when the automation should trigger

    1. Fixed - the interval (between tasks) is calculated from the lower bound (or zero if the lower bound is not nominated);

    2. Floating (trigger) - the interval is calculated from the metric reading that triggered the creation of the previous task of this automation;

    3. Floating (latest) - the interval is calculated from the most recent reading entered before the previous task of this automation was closed (ie. if additional readings where entered between the creation and the closure of the previous task of this automation).

  13. Click Confirm.

Modify an Automation

Automations can only be modified up until the point at which they have triggered a task.

Therefore, after generating their first task, automations cannot be modified and can only be deleted.

To modify an automation (time-based or metric-based):

  1. Navigate to Assets;

  2. Filter for and locate the asset that is to be modified;

  3. Click the Automations tab;

  4. In the list of automations, click the title of the automation that is to be edited;

  5. Make the necessary changes to the automation;

  6. Click Confirm.

Archive an Automation

Automations are disposable, so if the requirements change, simply archive (or delete if it has not yet been used to generate a task) the automation and add a new one that meets the new criteria.

To delete an automation (time-based or metric-based):

  1. Navigate to Assets;

  2. Filter for and locate the asset that is to be modified;

  3. Click the Automations tab;

  4. In the list of automations, click the title of the automation that is to be edited;

  5. Click Archive (or Delete).

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