Estimated duration is a labour estimate drawn from service quotes, routines and products which carry over into generated tasks and defect quotes. It should be used as a way to understand how your technicians are performing on maintenance and repair jobs and a way to assess the health of your maintenance contracts (budgeted vs actual).
Where estimated duration comes from on a routine
Estimated duration for a routine can be set in two places:
On the routine service level at an individual property.
On the routine level type, in Control Panel > Routines. This applies to every property that uses that routine level type.
When Uptick generates an Inspection and Testing task, it uses the estimated duration set on the routine at the property. If no duration is set there, it uses the duration from the routine level type.
The routine level type duration is used for both service quotes and generated I&T tasks.
Setup
You will need access to routines on a property to setup estimated duration on a single routine level.
Can create and update properties
You will need access to the product catalogue and the ability to edit products.
Can change product
Can view product list and detail page
You will need access to the control panel to set up estimated duration on a routine level type or a service quote. Contact your system administrator if you are unable to access this or reach out to our support team for assistance
How to set up estimated duration on routines for an individual property (to apply to I&T tasks)
Estimated durations can be configured per routine level on the property and will inform the estimated duration of the tasks generated from them. A duration set here overrides the duration on the routine level type. Please note, changes to a routine's estimated duration will only apply to tasks created after the update, and existing tasks will not be adjusted automatically.
1. Go to a property and click on Routines > Manage routine services
1. Go to a property and click on Routines > Manage routine services
2. Select a service level and click Edit. Then you can add estimated duration and click Save.
2. Select a service level and click Edit. Then you can add estimated duration and click Save.
Formatting:
When inputting duration you need to give a whole number followed by either h (hours) or m (minutes). For example input 2h, 30m for 2 hours and 30 mins (2.5 hours). Alternatively, a decimal point value followed by h (hours) can also be used, 2.5h will give you the same result 2h, 30m.
Example of how this works
A property with the following routines:
Fire extinguisher routine with an estimated duration of 60 mins on the 6 monthly level
Fire blanket routine with an estimated duration of 30 mins on the 6 monthly level
When you generate routine tasks, if both routines have the same service group, they will generate on the same task and will have a combined total estimated duration of 90 minutes.
How to setup estimated duration on material products (to apply on defect quotes and the resulting task)
When estimated duration is set on material products, these will factor into defect quotes. The total duration on all the products quoted will populate the estimated duration on a task raised from the quote.
Example of this populating on a defect quote
Example of this populating on a defect quote
1. Go to Billing > Product Catalogue
1. Go to Billing > Product Catalogue
2. Find the product you want to add estimated duration to, and click View
2. Find the product you want to add estimated duration to, and click View
3. Click Update
3. Click Update
4. Scroll to Quoting section and add in Estimated time. If you are creating a new product, this field will also be available for editing before saving.
4. Scroll to Quoting section and add in Estimated time. If you are creating a new product, this field will also be available for editing before saving.
Formatting:
When inputting estimated time against a product, you only have to give a number in minutes (i.e. 120 = 120 minutes = 2 hours).
Gif of how this works
Gif of how this works
Example
A material product for the replacement of a 4.5kg extinguisher has an estimated duration of 10 minutes. 2 of these are added to a defect quote.
A material product for the replacement of a smoke alarm has an estimated duration of 15 minutes. 3 of these are added to the defect quote.
In the above example, the task raised from the approved defect quote will be 35 minutes (2x10 + 3x15).
How to set up estimated duration on a routine level type (to apply to service quotes and I&T tasks)
Estimated duration set on a routine level type applies to every property that uses that level type. It is used in two places.
Service quotes. The estimated duration is populated automatically when you build a service quote that includes a fixed routine or a do and charge routine. Using this field when creating a service quote aids resource allocation, operational efficiency and contract reviews.
I&T tasks. The estimated duration is applied to tasks generated from routines on a property, where the routine at the property has no estimated duration of its own. If the routine at the property does have an estimated duration, that value is used instead.
1. Go to Control Panel > Routines
1. Go to Control Panel > Routines
2. Select the routine level type you wish to add estimated duration to
2. Select the routine level type you wish to add estimated duration to
3. Click Update
3. Click Update
4. Edit the Estimated Duration - Asset or Estimated Duration - Visit as needed and click Update
4. Edit the Estimated Duration - Asset or Estimated Duration - Visit as needed and click Update
Estimated Duration - Asset is the time allowed for each asset due to be serviced under that level. Estimated Duration - Visit is the time allowed once for the visit.
Please note: Where multiple routine levels are specified on the same line item on a service quote, Uptick will apply the estimated duration from the longest frequency level to the service quote (e.g. If you set 5 mins estimated duration on a six-monthly and 30 minutes on an annual, the service quote will populate with 30 minutes as the estimated duration)
Which duration is used on a generated I&T task
Duration on the routine at the property | Duration on the routine level type | Duration used on the task |
Set | Set | The property value |
Set | Not set | The property value |
Not set | Set | The routine level type value |
Not set | Not set | None |