To: Texas
I may be going on a consulting contract working for a US Major to either modify the existing maintenance management system or create a new one. If it turns out that I am charged to create a new system it will be exactly like the systems used by the auto manufacturers. They have total control on every single job performed, the parts consumed, and the hours worked. I believe that they dump all of the jobs worked into memory and it is dumped into the central computer late at night.
I think the mechanic must be accountable for filling out the paperwork but not be responsible to input each job and wait until he can press the go button on his computer station.
I also believe that the work record should be input using some type of relational database with simple on screen formatting. The information on the database would then be sent to the main computer with no waiting on the part of the mechanic.
------------------
The Cat