Accruent MC v2023 On Premise Release Notes

Microsoft SQL Server 2016 is the new minimum requirement for a SQL server. Maintenance Connection does not support SQL Express.

We added two new preferences and an asset group right to facilitate setting asset downtime/return to service defaults by work order type.

Two new preferences for asset downtime/return to service

We added two preferences to improve control over asset downtime. You can now require setting asset downtime and/or returning an asset to service based on work order type. Previously, only the blanket preferences for all work orders were available. The new preferences save technicians time in the complete/close process, as they are only forced to engage controls for asset downtime when it is needed (such as with corrective work orders, as opposed to preventive maintenance work orders).

You can configure the new preferences at Preferences > Work Order > Work Order Complete/Close - Defaults. You can configure multiple work order types for these preferences.

New access group right for editing asset downtime

When a work order requires a technician to record asset downtime, the Edit downtime check box on enhanced complete close access group right keeps the technician from clearing the Set Downtime check box before closing the work order. Making the option read only forces the technician to record asset downtime when it is required.

You can configure the access group right in the Access Groups Rights page, in the Work Order Module and Type: Edit list.

We updated the Downtime units preference to ensure it applies to both MC Express and the Main Application (MRO). Now, when you record asset downtime in either application, the units (days, hours, or minutes) remain consistent in both.

To facilitate this update, we moved the Downtime units preference from MC Express > Assets - General to Asset > Defaults.

When you add asset downtime while closing a work order in the Main Application (MRO), the system now auto-calculates downtime or the return to service date and time, depending on the downtime entry mode you choose. We created a new preference so that the Main Application (MRO) mirrors asset downtime entry in MC Express. In the Preferences > Asset > Defaults category, you can set the Downtime entry mode to either enter asset downtime manually or enter the asset shutdown and return to service dates and times to auto-calculate downtime.

Enter asset downtime manually

With this option, when you close a work order, you enter a value for Downtime. The system auto-calculates the return to service date and time based on the asset shutdown and downtime values.

Enter shutdown and return to service dates and times

With this option, when you close a work order, you enter the dates and times for the asset shutdown and return to service. The system auto-calculates the downtime based on the difference between these dates and times.

When closing a work order and recording asset downtime, you can now select the Shutdown and In-Service Date/Time from widgets rather than having to type the values.

Updates to the Graph QL API now allow you to:

• Create an inventory part

• Create an asset

• Query and filter by stockroom

• Query PhotoURLs

• Add asset parts

• Search parts by stockroom

• Attach images

• Return and remove assets from service

• Add/remove labor to/from assets

• Add or remove asset specifications

• Add part vendors

• Delete assets

• Search for, add, and update alternate parts

• Add and update part specifications

• Add part notes

• Apply pending inventory counts

• Transfer parts

• Search for purchase orders

• Add and update asset parts

• Add and update part location/stockroom

• Add latitude and longitude coordinates to work orders

• Update part vendors

• Remove asset downtime

• Update asset downtime

• Create a part location without a cycle count

The new Grid view enhances the List and Expanded List views in Maintenance Connection, giving you more dynamic control over records shown and the ability to take action on them more efficiently.

Only available in/not available in modules..

Enable the Grid view

1. Go to Preferences > System and search "grid."

   You can only enable the Grid view in user preferences, not in repair center preferences. Searching "grid" when setting preferences for a repair center does not return any results.

2. Click Enable the new grid experience and set the Current Value to Yes.

   Note that this is a user preference. It cannot apply to a whole repair center.

3. Close Preferences to return to the WorkCenter and use the new Grid functionality.

   You may need to log off and log back in again for the preference to be applied.

Resize columns

With grid enabled, you can expand columns in the Expanded List view. Whenever you want to resize a column in any module list, click and hold the line between column headers and drag laterally to expand or reduce column size.

Focus on data relationships by dragging and dropping columns

With grid functionality you can reorganize columns to see fields side by side. Click the Asset/Location column header and drag and drop it next to the Reason column, move Department next to Target Date reorganize the list however you want so you can focus on how the fields relate and take appropriate action.

See more fields, remove what you don't need

Don't see a field you need in the Expanded List view? The Grid view lets you add it easily, or you can remove a column you don't need at the moment. Open the context menu for any column shown, click the column button in the menu, and select or clear the check boxes for fields you want to appear.

With this feature you can dynamically add fields that aren't shown in the list by default, like work order Status, for example. Then, you can drag and drop the Status column next to the Reason field to have a better sense of action needed.

The grid experience includes some of our customer's most popular calculated fields as available columns, such as work order age (Days Old), Days Overdue, and Assigned Labor. Previously, without grid, you had to build these calculated fields with custom expressions. With grid, we did the work for you!

Narrow records shown by filtering columns

Let's say you've added the Status field to the Work Order List view and have dragged and dropped it next to the Reason column. Now you only want to see work orders that have a Requested status. You can filter records shown by a specific column and see only the records you need in the moment. To do this, open the context menu for the column, click the filter button, and enter the criteria for the filter. The list dynamically refreshes to show only records relevant to you at the time.

But what if you only want to see work orders with a Requested status for a specific department? You can do that with the Multi-Filter feature, which allows you to set filters for multiple columns and further narrow records shown. To do this, just repeat the process described above for additional columns.

Dynamic button availability

Grid functionality still lets you take bulk action on records in the Expanded List view, but with an upgrade. Now, when an action does not apply to a record in your selection, the button for that action is disabled. For example, if you select two work orders, one issued, the other not--the Issue button is disabled, thus preventing the action for both records since one is already issued.

Searching with Grid

We better integrated search functionality into the List view by replacing the Search tab with a search button (magnifying glass button). This button opens the Expanded List view, in which the Search by and Search value fields are built in.

You can also search by yes or no values in boolean fields (such as Warranty? and Shutdown required?) in the Grid view.

1. In the expanded Grid view, open the Search by menu.

2. Select a boolean (true/false) field.

3. To search for records with a yes value, select the Search value check box.

   To search for records with a no value, clear the Search value check box.

4. Click Search.

Search by yes/no value

You can search by a yes or no value in boolean fields (such as Warranty? and Shutdown required?). For example, in the Work Orders Grid view, you can display all the work order assets that are under warranty.

We updated the look and feel of some module lookups to improve the experience of filtering, searching, and making selections from them. We used many of the concepts available in the Grid view for List views but kept the module lookup functionality in tact.

Included in these updates is that you no longer need to use the % wildcard to search in module lookups for matches within a value. For example, searching “building” returns any values with the word “building” in it. You don’t have to search “%building” to return values like “1st building” or “Lila Rose Building”.

Applicable lookups were updated regardless of whether you have turned on the Grid view.

General improvements

We enhanced the use of Maintenance Connection in non-English languages by providing a more complete experience, including improved translations of labels, menu options, and validation and error messages.

Translation Manager

The new Translation Manager tool (available in the Tools > System menu) lets you manage translations of global labels and user-entry data across your instance of Maintenance Connection. You can edit translations directly in the tool.

You can also allow/disallow the system to automatically translate values for specific languages and areas in the application on its regular sync. This feature within the Translation Manger is available for purchase. Reach out to your account executive to learn more.

Translation of user-entry data

We improved the user experience for non-English users by translating user-entry text in the Work Orders and Assets modules, such as non-English selections for lookup tables and module lookups.

Note that codes for lookup tables have not been translated, but the user-entry values that correspond to them have.

Translate default work order reasons

We created a new preference to translate default, auto-generated work order reasons into non-English languages. Default work order reasons generated for follow up work orders and meter readings outside of the acceptable range translate into the selected language on the work order.

You can now add latitude/longitude coordinates for assets. The coordinates transfer to work orders to help technicians locate assets more easily. You can still define a physical address for location (Type L) assets, such as buildings, but equipment (Type A) assets only show latitude and longitude.

You can also manage latitude/longitude coordinates for assets via the API.

You can now click MC Express at the top of all MC Express pages to return to the Home page.

We renamed Maintenance Connection’s failure analysis solution from Problem/Failure/Solution to Problem/Cause/Remedy to align with current industry standards. And, in response to the most highly requested enhancement in our Ideas portal, we made several improvements to failure analysis as a whole, including the ability to create failure classifications and enhancements that ensure proper failure code input.

Failure classifications

You can now create a failure classification in the Classifications module and add problem, cause, and remedy codes to the class. You can then link the failure class to an asset classification or a work order, streamlining the process of assigning appropriate failure codes to an asset.

Enhanced failure code input

We improved the process for adding failure codes to work orders, ensuring the right codes are used at the right time. If failure codes are tied to an asset class, the lookup for adding codes to a work order defaults to show only codes associated with the asset. You can also change the view to see other failure codes if needed.

Finally, to reduce input errors, you can turn on a new preference to ensure that Problem fields only accept problem codes, Cause fields only cause codes, and Remedy fields only remedy codes. Previously, you could input a cause code into a Problem field, for example, and disrupt proper failure analysis.

To turn on this preference, go to Preferences > Failure > Settings and turn on Prevent mixing problem, failure, and remedy codes.

New filter for problem, cause, and remedy codes

You can now filter problem, cause, and remedy codes by failure class or asset class, or you can Show all (equivalent to removing the filter) when selecting codes for failure analysis. If a Failure Class is populated for the work order asset, only codes associated with the class appear by default. If not associated with a Failure Class, only codes associated with the asset class appear by default. If there are no codes associated via either class, Show all is applied.

We created a new preference that allows you to require a photo for a task failure. A photo of the asset tied to the work order can verify why a technician marked a task as failed. The Show work order task images preference must also be turned on to honor this preference. You can set this preference separately for the Main Application (MRO) (Preferences > Work Order > Work Order Task Settings) and MC Express (Preferences > MC Express > Work Orders - Tasks).

We updated alert notifications to give them a more modern look and feel and updated alert messages to be simpler, provide helpful instruction where applicable, and align with current industry best practices for alert messages.

Permission to view and edit a purchase order sub-status is now determined by access group rights at Access Groups > Rights > Purchase Order Module > Fields. The six new rights are enabled by default.

We now support document versioning and snapshotting, ensuring work order compliance with the appropriate binding documentation. These features apply to all externally-sourced documents in MC.

Maintenance Connection is better in the Cloud. Here are a few items we added to cloud-based environments for your reference. Reach out to your account executive to learn more about making the switch.

Include link in emailed work order assignments

Accruent Observe integration

View and annotate Meridian documents directly in MC