Checklists, comments, and notes

A work order can hold three different kinds of information that look similar at first: checklists, comments, and internal notes. Each has a different purpose.

Use the right place for the right information

Checklist = what to do. Comment = what people involved should know. Internal note = what the maintenance team should remember privately.

Quick comparison

Use	Best for	Who should see it?
Checklist	Required work steps	People working the job
Comment	Shared updates, questions, explanations	People involved with the work order, including the requestor
Internal note	Staff-only troubleshooting or equipment knowledge	Maintenance staff only

Checklists: follow the work step by step

Use a checklist when the order of work matters, when a task should be performed consistently, or when you want a visible record that required steps were completed.

Work orders created from a preventive maintenance schedule can arrive with checklist items already built from the schedule’s procedure.

Comments: communicate on the shared work order

Use Comments for information that belongs in the shared conversation around the job, such as what was found, why the job is delayed, a question that needs an answer, or an update the requestor should be able to see.

Type @ followed by a person’s name to mention them and send a notification.

Choose the person from the mention list rather than typing an unselected name. MaintenanceOps limits the choices to people who are allowed to access that work order. The comment and each selected mention are saved together, so the alert points back to the correct record.

Write comments as if the requestor may read them

Comments belong to the shared work-order conversation. Keep them clear, professional, and appropriate for everyone involved in the job.

Internal notes: keep staff-only information private

Use the Notes tab for equipment quirks, recurring problems, cautions for the next technician, and troubleshooting context that should stay inside the maintenance team.

A General note stays with the current work order. An Asset note follows a specific asset and can appear on future work involving that equipment.

See Asset details and lifecycle.

Photos: document what the image proves

Every newly uploaded work-order photo needs a meaningful description of at least 10 characters. Explain what the image shows—for example, Damaged belt and worn pulley before replacement. You can also add an optional category.

Older photos without descriptions remain visible as legacy evidence, but new uploads cannot be saved without documentation. Photo steps inside a required checklist must also be completed before closeout.

Before you post, ask one question

Would I be comfortable with the requestor reading this?

If yes, a comment may be appropriate. If the information is only for the maintenance team, use an internal note.

Do not hide operational updates in internal notes

If a delay, access issue, or decision affects the requestor or other people involved, put that update in the shared comments rather than only in a staff note.

Before completing the work order

1. Required checklist steps are complete.
2. Important shared updates are in comments.
3. Staff-only lessons or equipment details are saved as internal notes.
4. New photos have meaningful descriptions and required photo steps are complete.
5. Labor, parts, purchases, and receipts are recorded where applicable.

That turns the work order into useful maintenance history instead of just a closed task.

Next step

Continue with Requests and approvals to see how reported problems enter the maintenance workflow.