Definition
Planned maintenance describes work whose scope, resources, and steps were defined in advance of execution, regardless of whether it is preventive, predictive, or corrective in origin. The defining feature is preparation before the work starts (the opposite of reactive, unplanned work) rather than a specific trigger or time commitment.
Key facts
- Defining feature is preparation: scope and resources were defined before execution, whatever triggered the need.
- Can apply to preventive, predictive, or corrective work, planned status is about preparation, not the trigger.
- Opposite of unplanned or reactive work, where execution begins without prior preparation.
- Distinct from scheduled maintenance, which additionally commits the work to a specific calendar date.
Why does Planned maintenance matter in maintenance?
A job counts as planned maintenance once its scope, required resources, and execution steps have been defined in advance, whether that preparation followed a preventive calendar trigger, a predictive finding, or a corrective need identified during inspection.
How do maintenance teams apply Planned maintenance?
Planned maintenance is about preparation status: the work is ready to execute. Scheduled maintenance adds the further commitment of a specific date and time slot on the calendar. A job can be fully planned while still waiting to be scheduled into the calendar.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What makes a maintenance job a prepared, planned job?
Its scope, required resources, and execution steps were defined before work started, regardless of whether the underlying trigger was preventive, predictive, or corrective: that preparation is what distinguishes planned from reactive, unplanned work.
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