Getting Started

Setup required for working with Maintenance Requests

Introduction

Maintenance Request Setup describes the setup tasks to be completed before you can create and manage Requests in the Dynaway Requests module for EAM-BC.

Prerequisites

You have installed and set up Enterprise Asset Management (EAM-BC) for Business Central. You have downloaded the Dynaway Requests app from Microsoft AppSource.

The license fee for the Dynaway Requests module is included in the paid license plans for EAM-BC.

Audience
Maintenance Manager

License Requirements

In EAM-BC, the license for the Requests module is included in the paid license plans. There is no additional fee for employees who create requests and are not part of your maintenance organization.

Email Setup in Feature Management

In the Maintenance Request module, you can set up email notifications that trigger automatic emails to selected groups or employees when new Requests are created, or existing Requests are modified or closed.

The email notification setup in the Maintenance Request module uses 'Enhanced email capabilities', which is a feature update included in Update 17.0 (Q4 2020) of Dynamics 365 Business Central.

  • Search for "feature", and select Feature Management to see an overview of the feature updates included in your current version of D365BC.

Refer to D365BC standard documentation to learn more about Feature Management.

In D365BC > Feature Management, "Feature Update: Enhanced email capabilities" must be enabled for email notification to work in the Maintenance Request module.

If you install a new version of D365BC, the 'Enhanced email capabilities' feature is automatically included.

For customers using older versions of D365BC, the new 'Enhanced email capabilities' feature will automatically be available in Update 19.0 (Q4 2021).

Set Up Maintenance Requests

Maintenance Requests are used to create a request indicating that a work order may be required for maintenance or repair on an Asset. A supervisor or manager may decide whether the request should be converted to a work order.

Before you can start working with Maintenance Requests, you must complete the setup tasks:

  • Assisted Setup
  • Maintenance Request Setup
  • Job Queue for Email Notification Setup
  • Setup of Users and Permission Sets
  • Setup of Maintenance Request Log
  • Retention Policy for Maintenance Request Log

Assisted Setup

Assisted Setup allows you to quickly set up various data required for working with Maintenance Requests.

On your Role Center, select Settings (cogwheel button) > Assisted setup > Get started with Dynaway Requests > Set up maintenance requests.

Learn more about Assisted Setup in this video: Assisted Setup for Requests.

The following setup is required:

  • Industry Type (optional)
  • Number series for Maintenance Requests
    • Can either be set up manually or by default by choosing Set up default No. Series.
  • Statuses - select initial status ("New Request") and enter no. of days allowed to reopen a Request after it has been closed.
    • Select Set statuses to edit Maintenance Request Statuses.
  • Priorities - select Set priorities to edit Maintenance Request Priorities.
  • Types - select Set Types to edit Maintenance Request Types.
  • Groups - select Set Groups to add/edit Maintenance Request Groups. Create Maintenance Request Groups for the Assets you want to be able to create Maintenance Requests for. In a group, you can add specific Assets, or you can define filters to include Assets with, for example, a specific Category Code or Condition Code.
  • Employees - (optional) select Set Employees to assign Maintenance Request Groups to Employees. Employees working with Maintenance Requests are able to see all Maintenance Request Groups when they create new Requests. If you assign specific Groups to an Employee, he or she will be able to switch view to "Assigned Groups", to see only those groups, when creating a new Maintenance Request.
  • Notifications - set up email notifications by selecting reports (messages), when to send messages, and the recipients and groups to receive messages.
    • Emails can be sent when Maintenance Requests are created, modified, or closed.
    • Select Notification Setup to work with the email notification setup. Refer to the Maintenance Request Setup article below for more information regarding this setup.

Refer to Test Case Set Up with Dynaway Package for a step-by-step procedure on how to complete Assisted Setup using the Dynaway package.

After you have completed Assisted Setup, you can edit the setup as you require, for example, by creating more Priorities or Maintenance Request Groups. In that case, refer to the following Test Case sections for step-by-step procedures:

Create Maintenance Request Status

Create Maintenance Request Priority

Create Maintenance Request Type

There are different ways to create Maintenance Request Groups. We have added links to three Test Cases. Note that the first Test Case creates a dynamic group, by using a filter. This is useful if you want to ensure that - in this example - the Condition Code of an Asset determines whether that Asset is included in the Maintenance Request Group. If you change the Condition Code of an Asset, the Asset is automatically added to the Maintenance Request Group if the Condition Code is selected in the Asset Filter setup on the Group.

After you have completed Assisted Setup, you can also edit or update setup on the Maintenance Request Setup card, which is described below.

Example: Assisted Setup - Email notification
Example: Assisted Setup - Email notification

Maintenance Request Setup

When you have completed Assisted Setup, you can edit or update setup in Maintenance Request Setup.

On your Role Center, select Maintenance Request Setup if it is available, or search for and select the Maintenance Request Setup card.

In the General, Numbering, and Notifications sections, you can edit some of the settings created during Assisted Setup, if required.

If you want to change or set up No. Series, it is possible to do by default by going to Actions > Default No. Series.

Select the Notification Setup button to edit the email notification setup:

General section:

  • In the Create / Modify / Close Request Report ID fields, the reports (message templates) you selected in Assisted Setup are shown.
    • If you have changed the default reports, and you want to return to the default report layout, select the More options button > Actions > Restore Default Reports.
  • Select the Show more link to show the Create / Modify / Close Request Subject fields, in which you enter the subject line for the related email messages.
    • Example: If you enter "Request %1 was modified" in the Modify Request Subject field, the subject message replaces "%1" with the Request number.

Refer to standard D365BC documentation regarding report layout and how to change it.

Notifications section:

  • You see the list of events that may trigger an email to be sent.
  • For each event, you add a check mark in the check box if you want an email to be sent when the event is triggered
    • Notify Requestor check box is selected: The employee or group selected in the Requestor field on a Maintenance Request receives an email regarding the update or change.
    • Notify Assigned To check box is selected: The employee or group selected in the Assigned To field on a Maintenance Request receives an email regarding the update or change.

In the Maintenance Employee Group E-mails section, enter email addresses for the Maintenance Employee Groups (users) that should receive notification emails. If an email is not added to a group, the email selected in the Default Recipient E-mail field will receive notifications for that group.

Note that for a group / user to receive emails, the email must be added to the User Card in D365BC. User setup is standard D365BC functionality.

  • Search for "Users" and select the Users List. Select a user who should receive emails regarding Maintenance Requests. Ensure that an email address is added in the Contact Email field on the User Card.

Refer to Test Case Set Up Maintenance Request for step-by-step procedures on how to set up Maintenance Requests.

Maintenance Request Setup
Maintenance Request Setup
Setting up Default No. Series from Maintenance Request Setup
Setting up Default No. Series from Maintenance Request Setup
Email Notification Setup in Maintenance Request Setup
Email Notification Setup in Maintenance Request Setup

Job Queue for Email Notification Setup

When you install the Maintenance Request module in EAM-BC, a job queue entry is automatically added to Job Queue Entries, which is standard D365BC functionality. The job queue entry relates to Email Notification Setup, which is described in the Maintenance Request Setup article above.

The job queue entry, named "DAMMR Send Notification", defines how often notifications are sent. You can edit the job queue entry, if required.

Search for "job queue", and select Job Queue Entries list.

  • In the Job Queue Entries list, select the Status link for the "DAMMR Send Notification" entry.
  • On the Job Queue Entry Card, you can edit the setup, for example, to set up recurrence on a specific weekday.

Refer to Microsoft documentation to learn more about how to Work with Job Queues in D365BC.

Users and Permission Sets

In D365BC, individual employees or a group of employees can be set up as a user. Permission sets are added to each user. Permission sets define which data the user has access to and whether the user is allow to read, edit, and delete data.

Refer to the User Management section for information about the users and permission sets required for Maintenance Employees in EAM-BC.

When you set up users to work with Maintenance Requests in EAM-BC, the following permission sets are required.

Permission Sets for Maintenance Request Managers

Users working as Maintenance Request Managers in the Maintenance Requests module must be set up as Maintenance Employees in EAM-BC, and they require the following permission sets on their User Card:

Permission Set Name
D365 BASIC Dynamics 365 Basic access
DAMMR MANAGER MR Manager

Maintenance Request Managers work with setup and management of the Maintenance Request module.

Permission Sets for Maintenance Request Technicians

Users working as Maintenance Request Technicians in the Maintenance Requests module must be set up as Maintenance Employees in EAM-BC, and they require the following permission sets on their User Card:

Permission Set Name
D365 BASIC Dynamics 365 Basic access
DAMMR TECHNICIAN MR Technician

Maintenance Request Technicians create Maintenance Requests. They can edit most fields on a Maintenance Request. They can also attach a Request to a Work Order Plan and create a Work Order from a Maintenance Request.

Permission Sets for Maintenance Requestors

Users working as Maintenance Requestors in the Maintenance Requests module are not set up as Maintenance Employees in EAM-BC, and they require the following permission sets on their User Card:

Permission Set Name
D365 BASIC Dynamics 365 Basic access
DAMMR REQUESTOR MR Requestor

Maintenance Requestors create Maintenance Requests, and they can add comments and edit their own comments on Maintenance Requests. This role is intended for non-Maintenance Employees, for example, machine operators in a production department.

Maintenance Request Log

The Maintenance Request Log shows a list of changes made to Maintenance Requests. In the setup, you define which changes should be shown in the log.

Search for "req log", and select Maintenance Request Log Setup.

  • In the Maintenance Request Log Setup list, ensure that a check mark is selected for the events you want to show in the log.

You can also set up the Maintenance Request Log by using Assisted Setup. Learn more in this video: Assisted Setup - Request Log.

Maintenance Request Log Setup
Maintenance Request Log Setup

Maintenance Request Type & Priority

Maintenance Request Type

The Maintenance Request Type is a value that the user chooses in the process of creating a Maintenance Request. The type can always be changed later on. It defines the type of request as in what caused the request to be created. Depending on your processes, you can create types that are relevant to situations that are typical in your company.

For each type, you can specify:

  • Default Assigned To user.
  • Default Work Order Category Code*.
  • Default Work Order Priority Code*.

*These values can be useful later on when someone creates Work Orders directly from the Maintenance Request document.

Maintenance Request Priority

The Maintenance Request Priority is a value that the user chooses in the process of creating a Maintenance Request. The priority can always be changed later on. It defines the priority of the request. Depending on your processes, you can create priorities that are relevant to situations that are typical in your company.

For each type, you can specify:

  • if the priority is the Default one - it will be applied automatically to the creator of the Maintenance Request.
  • Severity.
  • the Default Work Order Priority Code*.

*the usage of this code is defined in the article about Maintenance Request Types.

Work Order Category and Priority applied to created Work Orders

Based on your setup, different values for Work Order Category and Work Order Priority are applied to a Work Order when the Work Order is created directly from a Maintenance Request.

Work Order Category

The Work Order Category applied to the Work Order can come from 2 Categories specified in the system:

  1. A default Work Order Category specified on a Maintenance Request Type.
    • If a default value exists, this value will be applied (This value takes precedence over the value below).
  2. A default Work Order Category set up in EAM.
    • If the value in point '1' doesn't exist, this default value will be applied.


Work Order Priority
The Work Order Priority applied to the Work Order can come from 4 Priorities specified in the system:

  1. A default Work Order Priority specified on a Maintenance Request Type
    • If this default value exists, it will be applied (It takes precedence over the other values listed below).
  2. A default Work Order Priority specified on a Maintenance Request Priority.
    • If the value in point '1' doesn't exist, this default value will be applied.
  3. A default Work Order Priority specified on a selected Work Order Category.
    • If the value in point '2' doesn't exist, this default value will be applied.
  4. A default Work Order Priority set up in EAM.
    • If the value in point '3' doesn't exist, this default value will be applied.

In the screenshot below of the table, you can see an example of values in the Work Order Category and Work Order Priority columns and see, in the columns Applied Work Order Category and Applied Work Order Priority, which values will be applied to the created Work Order. Below the values, you can see examples of for instance a Work Order Category 'Inspection' and a Work Order Priority 'Low'.

Example of Maintenance Request Types.
Example of Maintenance Request Types.
Example of Maintenance Request Priorities.
Example of Maintenance Request Priorities.
Table of Work Order Category and Work Order Priority values applied to a Work Order.
Table of Work Order Category and Work Order Priority values applied to a Work Order.

Retention Policy for Maintenance Request Log

Retention policies are standard D365BC functionality. If required, you can set up a retention policy for the Maintenance Request Log. In the retention policy, you define how long you want to keep Maintenance Request data.

On your role center, search for "retention", and select Retention Policies.

  • In the Retention Policies list, select New.
  • In the Table Id field, select "Request Log".
  • Set up the Request Log policy as you require.

Refer to standard D365BC documentation for information about how to Define Retention Policies.

Set up Maintenance Request

Data Requirements

  1. Maintenance Request module.
  2. At least one (which is not a closing status) Initial Status exists.
  3. No. Series for Maintenance Request exists.

Steps 10 expand

Expected

The user can set up Maintenance Request module.

Assisted Setup

Set up with Dynaway package

Data Requirements

  1. Maintenance Request module.
  2. A new company.
  3. Set up Maintenance Request (in Assisted setup) is not completed.
  4. Allow HttpClient Requests in Dynaway MR Extension Settings set to ON.
  5. At least one user exists in the database.
  6. At least one Maintenance Request Status exists.

Steps 48 expand

Expected

The user can use Assisted Setup with Dynaway package to set up Maintenance Request module.

Maintenance Requests Status

Create Maintenance Request Status

Data Requirements

  1. Maintenance Request module.

Steps 10 expand

Expected

The user can create Maintenance Request Status.

Maintenance Requests Priority

Create Maintenance Request Priority

Steps 9

  1. Select the magnifier in the corner.

  2. Enter 'Maintenance Request Priorities' in this window.

  3. Select Maintenance Request Priorities visible in Go to Pages and Tasks area.

  4. Select New in the ribbon.

  5. Enter data in the Code field.

  6. Enter data in the Description field.

  7. Enter data in the Severity field.

  8. If added priority has to be the default one - mark this value in the Default column of its row.

  9. Repeat steps 4 - 8 for each new record.

Expected

The user can add a new Maintenance Request Priority and mark it as the default one.

Maintenance Requests Type

Create Maintenance Request Type

Data Requirements

  1. Maintenance Request module.
  2. At least one Maintenance Employee or Group exists.

Steps 9

  1. Select the magnifier in the corner.

  2. Enter 'Maintenance Request Types' in this window.

  3. Select Maintenance Request Types visible in Go to Pages and Tasks area.

  4. Select New in the ribbon.

  5. Enter data in the Code field.

  6. Enter data in the Description field.

  7. Select the arrow visible in Default Assigned To field.

  8. Select one record from the list.

  9. Repeat steps 3 - 7 for each new Maintenance Request Type.

Expected

The user can create Maintenance Request Types with Default Maintenance Employee/Group.

Maintenance Requests Group

Create by using Asset table filter (with no parent group) - example: 'BAD' condition - dynamic

Data Requirements

  1. At least one Asset exists.
  2. At least one condition code exists - with 'BAD' code.

Steps 13 expand

Expected

The user can use a dynamic filter to create Maintenance Request Group.

The user can set up as many filters as it is needed.

Create by assigning Assets manually (with no parent group) - static

Data Requirements

  1. At least one Asset exists.

Steps 11 expand

Expected

The user can create the new Maintenance Request Group and add Assets manually to this group.

Create with parent group

Data Requirements

  1. At least one Maintenance Request Group exists.

Steps 11 expand

Expected

The user can create a new Maintenance Request Group which is a parent of any existing Maintenance Request Group.

User/Employee

Set up Users/Employees in Maintenance Requests Groups

Data Requirements

  1. At least one Maintenance Requests Group exists.
  2. At least one user exists in the database.

Steps 9

  1. Select the magnifier in the corner.

  2. Enter 'Maintenance Request Employees' in this window.

  3. Select Maintenance Request Employees visible in Go to Pages and Tasks area.

  4. Select New in the ribbon.

  5. Select the arrow visible in the User ID field.

  6. Select the record from the list.

  7. Select the arrow visible in the Maintenance Request Group Code field.

  8. Select the record from the list.

  9. If more records need to be added - repeat steps 4 - 8 for each new record.

Expected

The user can set up Maintenance Request Users/Employees.

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