Each maintenance task has a Frequency or Fixed Schedule that it needs to be completed. There are 2 options for setting this up when creating an instrument. This may only be done by administrators.
Frequency
Make a selection that describes how often the task must be completed ex. every 8 hours, daily, weekly.
Next you choose the Lead Time you want it to show as Ready and the time in which it would be Overdue. The time for the task shows as ready means, from the last time the task was entered, when it can be done and still be compliant.
Then select the Overdue. For example, if you have a 24 hour/Daily task with a Lead Time of 3 hours, Overdue after 5 hours, this means the task will be due 24 hours after the last time it was completed.
A frequency selection of Daily, Lead time 3 hrs, Overdue after 5 hrs will appear on your dashboard as Ready 3 hours prior to the last completed time and be considered Overdue 5 hours afterwards. This means there is an 8 hour window in which the task may be completed.
Fixed Schedule
You may also choose to set a Fixed Schedule for each task. This may be used when a task can be done at any point in a given window. For example, a daily task, that can be done at any point during the day. The task will show due at 00:00 and be done any time before 00:00 the following day.
Clinical laboratories should use caution when selecting any time setting greater than 24 hours. There is potential for the frequency to allow a completion time greater than what is intended. For example, a monthly task, this task will trigger every 30 days from the first time it was completed and will remain on the dashboard for up to 30 days or until completed. If not completed within 30 days, it will become overdue.
In this example the task was completed the day it triggered (day 1). In 30 days the task triggers again. The task is then not completed for 29 days. The monthly task was completed 59 days apart.
Task Status and Frequencies
It is important to understand how the frequency, and (more specifically) the lead time, late time, and site "working hours" affects your task status throughout the maintenance/QC cycle. Here is a more detailed listing of each possible status and how it is affected by each.
Up-to-date: No action on the task is necessary at this time. The "lead time" (Due Date/time minus Lead time hours) has not yet been reached.
Due Now:The task has reached or exceeded the Due Date/time, but has not yet exceeded the "late time" hours specified in the frequency.
Example: If the task was due on a Monday and the late time specified on the frequency is 48 hours, the task will show as Due now until Wednesday, at which point it will be marked as Overdue status.
NOTE: It should be noted that the the Due Date/time calculation WILL TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE SITES BUSINESS SCHEDULE.
Example: If a task is due on a day where the lab is closed (i.e. a "Saturday") The task Due Date/Time will be adjusted to be the next scheduled business day (i.e. "Monday").
Overdue: The task is ready to be logged. This is determined by taking the calculated "Due Now" date/time of the task and subtracting the Lead Time hours from the frequency (Due Date/Time minus the Lead Time hours). If the task is not yet due, but past the calculated lead time, the task is marked as "Ready".
Ready: The task is ready to be logged. It is not yet Due, but has surpassed the lead time hours specified in the frequency. This is determined by taking the calculated "Due Now" date/time of the task and subtracting the lead time hours from the frequency that has been assigned (Due Now date/time minus Lead Time hours). If the task is not yet due, but past the lead time, the task will be shown as "Ready".
NOTE: The "Ready" and "Overdue" statuses will be calculated using the "Adjusted" Due Now date/time, for example:
A task with a 48 hour lead and late time has an upcoming task due. The next due date/time falls on a Saturday. The site is closed on Saturdays and has been configured as such in our system. Since the lab is closed, the system will automatically adjust the due date to be the next working business day (Monday). The "Ready" state will be seen on Saturday. The "Overdue" state will be seen on Wednesday, if the task is not performed.
Editing a Frequency
Frequency to Fixed Schedule: When your task is built with a frequency such as below
and you want to change it to a fixed schedule you would click the box beside of Fixed Schedule, make sure your start time is 00:00 and choose Repeats Every 24 Hours. (We recommend only using the Fixed Schedule with a start time of 00:00 every 24 Hours)
Note: When the frequency is changed from "Frequency" to "Fixed Schedule", the task will trigger the new frequency based on time of last completion.
Fixed Schedule to Frequency: When your task is built with a fixed schedule and you want to change it to a frequency, click on the check mark beside of Fixed Schedule to remove it then click on the arrow in the box beside of Frequency to open a list of frequencies available for you to choose your new frequency. If the frequency you need is not listed, notify support and we will get it added to your database.
Note: When the frequency is changed from "Fixed Schedule" to "Frequency", the task will trigger the new frequency based on time of last completion.
Unscheduled: This frequency is used for any tasks that are as needed or do not have a specific schedule. It is found in the list under Frequency.
Note: If the Unscheduled task has previously been completed and you change to a "Frequency" or a "Fixed Schedule" the task will trigger due based on the time of last completion. However, if the task has NOT previously been completed it will not automatically trigger. You will have to complete the task the first time after the frequency has been changed for it to trigger on the Dashboard.