Planon Live FAQ

Click to return to the Planon Live User Guides

General

Why are we using Planon and Planon Live (mobile)?

Dartmouth decided several years ago to invest in a replacement for FAMIS as the technology was outdated and not serving our needs. Planon Live allows us to transition from a manual paper-based work order management and time tracking process to a more efficient real time technology solution.

_______________________________________________________________________________

Why do we have to use Mobile devices?

This technology will increase efficiency in time, including having access to drawings and maps available for technicians in the field.

_______________________________________________________________________________

Why can’t we use our own cell phone?

Planon will have frequent updates to the platform which need to be pushed to every phone.  Having a Dartmouth issued device allows us to keep everyone on the latest version of the software. Each Tradesperson will be supplied with a Dartmouth managed Apple iPhone.  This phone will be pre-loaded with the required business applications.

_______________________________________________________________________________

Is our location being tracked?

No, we can ask for location data, but it must be approved by various people which would only be used in the event of a safety concern (someone is missing). If a phone is lost, to protect Dartmouth data, we can remotely lock and wipe the phone.  The phones should be used for Dartmouth business purposes.   You are encouraged to review the Campus Services Mobile Phone policy https://policies.dartmouth.edu/policy/campus-services-mobile-device-management-policy.

_______________________________________________________________________________

Who do I call if I have problems?

Your supervisor has been trained and should be your first point of contact. Jennifer Fullerton can also be contacted.

_______________________________________________________________________________

Are you measuring our productivity?

Yes, the campus is growing, plus we have an aging campus.  We need to be able to justify new positions to maintain the campus.  Data will show which buildings are receiving the most maintenance and where we need to focus our efforts.  We also need accountability for our workforce to ensure we are delivering a high-quality, cost-efficient service for our customers.

_______________________________________________________________________________

What’s next?

Over the next several months we will be expanding the roll-out of Planon Live and mobile phones to all shops and will continue to improve and expand the functionality to include asset management and other items as needed.

Work Assignments FAQ

What is a work assignment?

Work assignments make it possible for one or more people to work on the same order either simultaneously, intermittently, or consecutively. This does not replace the concept of sub-orders.  Work assignments already exist in Planon but largely behind the scenes.

_______________________________________________________________________________

How is a work assignment different from a work order?

• Work Orders: WHAT and WHERE work needs to be done. (Description & Location) Domain of the Supervisor

• Work Assignments: WHEN the work must be done and WHO is carrying it out. (Time & Resource) Domain of the Technician

Work Orders vs Work Assignments

_______________________________________________________________________________

What is a Key Work Assignment?

Each work order has a Key (or primary) work assignment.  Typically, it is the first work assignment that was created for that order.  All work assignments on an order need to be completed before the order can be moved to the next status transition.

_______________________________________________________________________________

Click to return to the Planon Live User Guides

Planon Live FAQ

When should I start a work assignment?

You should click Work to start the timer on a work assignment in the following moments:

1. When leaving your home building for the first time that day, after lunch, or after a meeting or special event to begin work.

2. When you begin preparing for the job by gathering materials or supplies before leaving your home building.

3. After you have finished the prior job and before you begin traveling to the next job.

(See: Starting A Work Assignment/Job)

When should I start a Work Assignment/Job (FAQ)

_______________________________________________________________________________

When should I finish a work assignment?

You should click Done to stop the work assignment when:

• The job is complete and all tools and the work area have been cleaned and packed up.

(See: Finishing a Work Assignment)

When should I finish a Work Assignment/Job? (FAQ)

_______________________________________________________________________________

What if it’s the end of the day and the job isn’t completed?

If it is the end of your shift and the job isn’t done you should Pause the work assignment in Planon Live.  (See Pausing a Work Assignment/Job)

When you return to work the following day you should open that work assignment and start it again.  (See: Starting A Work Assignment/Job)

_______________________________________________________________________________

What if I forget to start a job on Planon Live?

If you start work on a job and forgot to start the job on Planon Live, that’s okay.  Open the app and start the work assignment as soon as you remember.  You can backdate the start time to the time you actually began working.  (See: Adjusting the Start time on a Work Assignment/Job)

_______________________________________________________________________________

What if I forget to end a job on Planon Live before moving to a new one?

If you finish a job and forgot to end the work assignment in Planon Live you should:

• Open the app and finish the work assignment as soon as you remember, even if it’s several days later. (See: Adjusting the End Time of a Work Assignment/Job)

• Update the time recorded on your timecard at the end of the day.

_______________________________________________________________________________

What if I accidently leave a job open at the end of my shift or during a lunch break?

That's alright.  Adjust the end time in the Planon Live app and adjust the hours on your timecard at the end of the day.

• (See: Adjusting the Start time on a Work Assignment/Job)

• (See: Adjusting the End Time of a Work Assignment/Job)

_______________________________________________________________________________

What should I do with the app when it’s time for a break?

When it is time for a break (not lunch) you should leave the job open and Planon Live running and take your break as usual.  The work timer will continue to run while you take your break.

Do I need to do anything with the App at break time? (FAQ)

_______________________________________________________________________________

What should I do for Lunch break?

You should Pause the work assignment when taking a lunch break. 

• Tap All, then tap Pause. (See: Pausing a Work Assignment/Job)

• Tap to select a reason and select Lunch Break from the options shown.

When your lunch break is over you will need to start the job again by clicking Work.

What should I do for Lunch break? (FAQ)

_______________________________________________________________________________

What do I charge for picking up a piece of equipment?

You charge the job that requires the equipment.

_______________________________________________________________________________

What should I do when I need to attend a campus services event or meeting?

If you are actively working on a job, you should travel to the event location and then pause the work assignment prior to attending the event or meeting.  (See Pausing a Work Assignment/Job)

If you do not have an active work assignment, do not start one.

Attend the meeting or event.  When finished, open Planon Live and start a new work assignment before traveling to the work location.  (See Starting A Work Assignment/Job)

Time for the meeting or event should be logged via the Timecard application on your usual standing order.

What should I do when I need to attend a campus services event or meeting? (FAQ)

_______________________________________________________________________________

What should I do if I get dispatched to another job while actively working on something else?

If you receive a dispatch call while working on a job you should stop the current work (at a safe place) and leave to address the dispatch as soon as possible.  Before leaving, Pause the work assignment on Planon Live.  (See Pausing a Work Assignment/Job).

If you forget to pause the work assignment before leaving for the dispatch call, Pause the assignment as soon as you remember to and adjust the time on your timecard as needed.

_______________________________________________________________________________

What if I don’t have an order number yet?

FO&M is working on ways to improve the speed at which new work orders and assignments reach the technicians on the front line. In the meantime, there may be times when you are dispatched or assigned a job that you don't yet have access to in Planon Live.

In these cases, you should complete the work and make note of how long you spent on the job. Later, when a work order number is available, time should be manually entered in the Timecard web application.

_______________________________________________________________________________

How do I use Standing Orders on Planon Live?

At this time, standing orders are not visible in Planon Live. FO&M is working on ways to improve the workflow for standing orders in the future.

In these cases, you should complete the work and make note of how long you spent on the job. Time should be manually entered in the Timecard web application at the end of the day.

_______________________________________________________________________________

Can I have more than one active work assignment at a time?

Technically Planon Live allows you to have more than one work assignment in a status of Work at a time.  However, best practice is to open and close work assignments one at a time.

_______________________________________________________________________________

What if I need someone else from my trade to help with the job?

If you have not yet started the job: your supervisor can create another work assignment for another member of your team to work on that job.

If you have already started the job/are actively on the job: If someone is needed right away, they should assist you without waiting for an assignment on Planon Live.  Their time should be entered in Planon Timecard web application after the fact.

_______________________________________________________________________________

What if I need another trade to help with the job?

You can create a new suborder for the original request directly in Planon Live.  (See: Creating a Suborder).  The new suborder goes through the same review and approval process as all other work orders.

Select the trade you need from the list of standard orders.  In the comments section you must provide a detailed description of what additional work is needed.  For example:

• Electrical Shop work order to install new outlet: creates a new suborder for the Paint shop to repaint damaged drywall as part of request.

• Equipment Maintenance work order to install a window AC: creates a new suborder for Engineering to review electrical load.

• Building Repair work order to replace a water fountain: creates a new suborder for Equipment Maintenance to shut off water and disconnect pipes.

• Grounds Services work order to move office furniture: creates a new suborder for Building Repair to disconnect desk and/or furniture.

_______________________________________________________________________________

What do I do when the customer asks for additional work to be done while I’m on their job?

We seek to provide the best customer service possible to the Dartmouth Community first and foremost.

• If the additional task will take less than fifteen minutes then you should complete it and charge the time to the exiting work order for that customer.  On Planon Live, leave the job running while completing the additional work, before clicking Done.

• If the additional task will take more than fifteen minutes then you should ask the customer to enter a new request using Planon (facilities.dartmouth.edu) and let them know that you’ll return to do the new work shortly.

_______________________________________________________________________________

What if I need to contact the customer for more information or to schedule access to a space?

The requestor name, department, and phone number are available on Planon Live under the order details block. (See: Viewing Work Order Details).

• If the job has not been started you should reach out to the customer to get the information needed.  Do not start the work assignment until all questions have been answered.

• If the job has already been started you should mark the job as Waiting on Customer until your questions are answered.  (See: When you are waiting to work on a Work Assignment/Job).  Restart the job when you are ready to continue.

_______________________________________________________________________________

What if I need parts or materials for a job?

• If the job has not been started then you should order the parts/materials needed using your normal methods.  Do not start the work assignment until parts arrive.

• If the job has been started and can’t be finished then you should mark the job as Waiting on Materials.  (See: When you are waiting to work on a Work Assignment/Job)

_______________________________________________________________________________

How do I charge for parts and materials used for a job?

Materials and shop supplies should be recorded using the same processes in place today.  Fill out a miscellaneous costs form and submit to the Facilities Customer Support Center for entry into Planon.

_______________________________________________________________________________

Click to return to the Planon Live User Guides

Time tracking with Planon Live

How do I track time using work assignments on Planon Live?

Planon Live automatically tracks time spent on a work assignment and adds those hours to your timecard for you.

• Clicking Work starts the timer for this time tracking.

• Clicking Done stops the time for this time tracking.

_______________________________________________________________________________

Do I need to review my timecard if I’m using Planon Live?

Yes.  Even though Planon Live automatically calculates hours for each work assignment you do, at the end of each day (or once a week minimum) you should open the Timecard web application to:

• Review your hours for the week for accuracy

• Enter pay type values (REG, PREM, LEV) for each timecard entry

• Enter missing hours (standing orders, missing order number, etc.)

• Make corrections (forgot to start/stop or pause a job)

• Confirm your full 8 hours (or total work shift) for a day and 40 hours (or your total work shift) for a week has been recorded.

_______________________________________________________________________________

What should I do if I don’t have a full 8 hours of time on my timecard for the day?

If you don’t have a full 8 hours for your day, missing time should be allocated evenly across the orders for the day. For example:

• You work an 8 hour shift.  On Tuesday you worked 4 different jobs.  Planon Live recorded your timecard as seen below:

• Because you work an 8 hour shift, you need to account for an additional 0.4 hours of time to get to a full 8 hours ( ). 

• The missing 0.4 hours should be allocated across each work order equally.  Each work order will get an additional 0.1 hours added to the timecard entry. ()

• Your updated timecard will look like this when adjustments are finished:

_______________________________________________________________________________

Do I need to adjust my timecard entries to be fifteen minute intervals?
(:15, :30, :45, :00)

No.  Planon Live automatically logs work time down to the minute.  Time should only be adjusted for work in the following instances:

• You forgot to start/stop a job on Planon Live

• You forgot to pause a job for Lunch Break

_______________________________________________________________________________

Do I need to account for leave time or personal time in Planon Live?

No.  Leave time should be tracked via Planon Timecard web application using the same methods as today.  

_______________________________________________________________________________

How do I track overtime with Planon Live?

Planon Live does not record overtime hours automatically.  When reviewing your timecard you will need to indicate which work orders were completed as regular paid time and which were completed as premium time using the Wage Line column.

_______________________________________________________________________________

Click to return to the Planon Live User Guides