What basic data should be captured for each work order in a maintenance system?

• A. Request date, location, issue description, priority, assigned technician, materials, status, closure date, cost.
• B. Only issue description.
• C. Only cost.
• D. Only location.

Answer: (A)

Capturing a complete set of basic data for each work order ensures you can manage the task from start to finish with clear accountability, scheduling, and cost tracking. The essential fields include when the request was made, where the issue is (location or asset), a clear description of the problem, the priority to indicate urgency, who is assigned to do the work, what materials or parts are needed or used, the current status of the work, the closure date when the job is finished, and the total cost. With these details, you can quickly triage workload, assign the right technician, schedule, track progress, and close the loop with a documented completion and expense. If you only capture one aspect, like just the issue description, you lose critical context for prioritization, assignment, budgeting, and reporting. Recording only cost or only location, for example, leaves the work order incomplete and difficult to act on or analyze.