Overview
Knowing a work order is due soon is useful. Knowing it's supposed to start tomorrow is what lets your team actually plan around it. The Planned Start and Due Date fields give every work order a clear scheduling window — visible to the whole team and on the Work Order Calendar — so anyone can see at a glance whether work is on track.
Accessing Work Orders
From the navigation, click Routes. Work orders appear in the queue on the left. Click any work order to open it.
Both the Planned Start and Due Date fields are on the General tab of the work order.
How to Set a Planned Start Date and Due Date
Open a work order.
Click the Planned Start date picker and select the date when work is expected to begin.
Click the Due Date date picker and select the deadline for when the work must be completed.
Save or update the work order.
NOTE: Planned Start cannot be set to a date after the Due Date. If this happens, a validation message will appear and the work order cannot be saved until the dates are corrected.
How to Set Dates When Generating from a Route
How planned start and due dates are set during generation depends on the route type.
Manual routes — Use the Generate button in the Route Setup/Templates list:
From the navigation, click Route Setup/Templates.
In the routes list, find a manual route and click the Generate button in the Actions column.
If an open work order already exists for the route, a dialog opens showing the current planned start and due date alongside New Planned Start and New Due Date date pickers. Update the dates as needed and click Save Due Date.
NOTE: If no open work order exists for the route, clicking Generate creates a new work order with today's date as the due date. No date picker is shown — set dates on the work order directly after it is generated.
Fixed routes — Dates are calculated automatically and cannot be configured during generation. Set planned start and due dates on the work order directly after it is created.
Dynamic routes — Dates are calculated automatically and cannot be configured during generation. Set planned start and due dates on the work order directly after it is created.
Work orders generated from a PM program are created automatically using each route's scheduled next due date. There is no date-setting step during PM program generation — update planned start and due dates on individual work orders after they are created.
Understanding Planned Start vs Due Date
Field | Purpose |
Planned Start | When work is expected to begin |
Due Date | When work must be completed — the deadline |
If a work order has been completed, the Due Date field is replaced by a Completed Date field showing when it was closed.
Both fields are optional — work orders can be created without them. However, setting both fields enables accurate scheduling and calendar visibility.
Planned Start defaults to the same value as Due Date if only a due date was previously set, so planners can refine the window without losing the deadline.
Use Cases
Planning a scheduled maintenance window: A PM program generates work orders automatically using each route's scheduled next due date. After generation, a planner opens each work order and sets a Planned Start of the first day of the maintenance window and a Due Date at the end of the window. Technicians can then see exactly how much time is allocated and whether they're behind schedule.
Prioritizing urgent reactive work: A supervisor creates a work order for a pump failure. Setting today as the Planned Start and a due date 24 hours out flags the work as urgent, making it easy to spot on the Work Order Calendar alongside other scheduled work.
Reviewing scheduling coverage: A maintenance manager views the Work Order Calendar and uses the Planned Start and Due Date ranges to identify gaps in coverage — days with no scheduled work or periods with more work than available capacity.
Best Practices
Set Both Dates at Creation: A work order with only a due date is harder to schedule. Setting both fields from the start gives the calendar and your team a complete picture.
Keep Planned Start Before Due Date: This validation is enforced — if the start date is after the due date, the work order cannot be saved. Plan the full window before saving.
Review Dates After Route Generation: When generating work orders in bulk, confirm that the planned start and due dates reflect actual availability, not just default values.
Troubleshooting
Issue: "Planned start cannot be after due date" error when saving.
Solution:
Check the Planned Start field — it is set to a date after the Due Date.
Adjust either the Planned Start to an earlier date or the Due Date to a later date so the start falls within the window.
Save the work order again.
Issue: Work order does not appear on the Work Order Calendar.
Solution:
Confirm a Due Date is set on the work order — calendar visibility depends on the due date.
Check the calendar's date range filter to confirm it covers the work order's due date.
Refresh the calendar.
Issue: Completed Date is showing instead of Due Date.
Solution: This is expected behavior — once a work order is marked complete, the Due Date field is replaced by the Completed Date. The work order has already been closed.
Summary
Planned Start and Due Date fields give users the ability to define a clear scheduling window for every work order. Setting these dates keeps the team aligned on timelines and makes it easy to identify whether work is on track or at risk of falling behind.