Using the Call Generator
Use the Call Generator (11.1.8) to create PM calls for a range of dates and contracts at one time. The most important advantage of using the Call Generator to create PM calls is it gives you more control over the calls open date.
When the system generates calls in Contract Maintenance, the call open date is the current system date. In the Call Generator, you can specify a call open date. The call open date is important because it determines effective limits and levels of coverage.
Example: You have a preventive maintenance schedule for an item that has a yearly PM interval. The first call is created from Contract Maintenance on 7/1/07, setting the call open date. The PM schedule date (6/30/07) sets the next event date on the call.
A year later, you dispatch an engineer to perform the PM service. Activity is recorded in CAR. The system looks for contract limits effective on the call open date (7/1/07). If you are using effective dates to provide phased coverage, the coverage effective when the service is performed may be quite different from the coverage provided a year ago. Based on the call open date, the system finds the older coverage.
Another drawback of creating calls far in advance is the extra load the calls place on the system for functions that need to search through the open calls.
For both these reasons, you may prefer to simply set up PM schedules in Contract Maintenance and create the calls closer to when the service needs to be performed. How frequently you generate calls can be affected by whether you are using engineer scheduling and how far in advance you want to schedule engineers.