What to record on a planned maintenance (PPM) visit

Identify each asset before the task list

Begin with the site, visit date and engineer, then identify each asset by ID and location. A plant-room pump, a cold-room evaporator and an indoor air conditioning unit need records that can be traced to the equipment actually checked.

Use a repeatable unit section when one visit covers several assets. Keep labels stable between visits so a reviewer can compare the same unit rather than wonder whether “AC 1” has become “office unit”. This is a form record of a visit, not a separate asset-register product.

• Site and visit date
• Engineer name
• Asset ID and location
• Relevant equipment details

Record tasks and readings, not just attendance

A task list should show what was checked and what was not applicable. A signature proves little about the visit if every task is left blank. Use notes for incomplete checks so a missed item does not look like a successful result.

Record readings with units and compare them with the expected ranges appropriate to that equipment. Choose ranges using manufacturer information and your competent procedure, not an example copied from another unit. If a reading is out of range, record the value and action rather than change the value to make the report look green.

• Tasks completed and checks not applicable
• Labelled readings with units
• Expected ranges suitable for the equipment
• Exceptions and corrective-action notes

Separate consumables and remedial work

List filters, belts and other consumables inspected or replaced. Explain the work in terms the site contact can understand, including whether an item was cleaned, adjusted, replaced or left for a later visit. Do not rely on an unexplained part code as the whole report.

Record defects clearly and keep remedials quoted separately from completed maintenance. A suggested repair is not work already authorised or carried out. The site contact should be able to read the record and understand which faults remain and what decision is needed next.

Photos are useful when they show an identified defect, the condition before cleaning or the work after completion. Include a caption that relates the image to the asset. A collection of unlabeled pictures of similar units is less helpful than two clear photos tied to a reading or task.

• Filters, belts and other consumables
• Defects and outstanding checks
• Remedials kept distinct from completed work
• Photos labelled to the asset or task

Leave the next visit clear

Record the proposed next visit date or review point, together with a sign-off and any handover notes. Do not present a routine maintenance interval as a legal deadline unless the applicable requirement has been checked. Equipment and operating conditions can change the appropriate maintenance plan.

JobForms scheduled checks can prefill a site or asset label and show due, overdue and completed form checks. A suggested schedule is opt-in; it does not create appointments or dispatch engineers. Free allows two active schedules and in-app reminders, while paid plans allow unlimited active schedules and optional automatic reminder emails.

Choose the free PPM template closest to the visit: air conditioning, plant room, general facilities or cold room. Edit a copy to match your task list, leaving existing completed jobs on their original definition. A readable PDF with defects near the top helps the site contact review the outcome before the next check.