Recording Function

 "Men may come, Men may go; But I go forever" Robert Frost, the famous poet describes the nature of a river. So also the Maintenance Department continues some people may join or leave the organisation. The new entrants, particularly, if they are not experienced in the field or fresh to the field of Engineering/Technology/Management, to facilitate them, the department has to maintain the operating and maintenance manuals, machine specification and details of its procurement / installation/commissioning, instructions of safety, repair history, preventive maintenance history, etc. The time and cost details of day-to-day repairs and Preventive Maintenance (PM) activities will be recorded in their logbooks or registers. Based on this information in the logbooks, a weekly/monthly reports will be generated and subsequently the reliability, availability, maintainability calculations will be performed. The maintenance department would also maintain a record of the spare procurement and inventory stock registers of inward, outward movements, etc.

The manager's function is not complete if there is no proper feedback system. Many authors of management speak about authorities and responsibilities of a manager and the proportion in which they have to be delegated. But they least speak about the accountability. Every manager has to account for every job he does. In fact, this function is more significant in maintenance department. The Plant Manager also has to account for his success as well as failure. This can be possible only if there is a good reporting system.

However, a good reporting system can be established in an enterprise with

• Simplified organisation and the organisation structure.
• Well defined programmes and policies without any ambiguity.
• Well designed methods of communication.
• Smooth relations among the managers horizontally and vertically.
• Good Record keeping.
• Faith in one another

Recording system provides a good control over the activities and events. Records give scope for introspection of the managers and the management by which a quality in work culture can be brought out. A good recording system will bring healthy atmosphere, unambiguous communications, smooth run of programmes, cordial relationships and accurate information system. The recording of maintenance jobs are usually figured by keeping track of the materials used and the labour hours expanded on any one job.