Working on a yacht requires good communication, planning, and an eye for detail. This is especially true for maintenance work. Crews often rely on spreadsheets or PMS systems to organize recurring tasks. This aligns the crew’s expectations and helps the vessel operate at its best.

Even so, breakdowns occur regularly. And while unplanned maintenance work is hard to predict, it’s relatively easy to prepare for. With PlanM8, you can record breakdowns using the UPM feature button. Doing so helps the team resolve issues faster while minimizing the vessel’s downtime. 

In this article, we give a short intro to the UPM button. We discuss how to log unplanned tasks and the advantages of doing so.

UPM Feature Button

The UPM button (or Unplanned Maintenance button) is a feature that helps PlanM8 users log unplanned tasks. Those with access to the software can report any issue by choosing from a variety of options to further define it (breakdown, modification, or warranty-related). By doing so, the crew becomes aware of the issue, and those responsible for solving it can do so quickly. 

The button can be found in the lower-right corner of the “Planning” section.

unplanned maintenance button
UPM button

In the following chapter, we briefly describe how to use the UPM button to log a breakdown.

How to log a UPM

To start logging an unplanned maintenance task, click on the UPM button. A new window will pop up, asking you to describe the issue at hand. Enter the necessary information in each box.

  • Select component - Find and select the component related to the issue you’re attempting to log. For this example, we want to report a breakdown related to the vessel’s underwater camera.
  • UPM type - You can further define the issue at hand, by selecting whether the issue is related to a breakdown, a modification, or a warranty-related task. In this case, the camera is not operating as it should, which is why we select “breakdown”.
  • Issue - What is the issue? Describe the breakdown using a short sentence.
  • Solution - What steps need to be taken to resolve the issue? Explain who needs to attend to the task, and/or what needs to be done. The more detail you provide, the faster you’ll resolve the issue.
  • When was action taken - What date and time was the issue reported? In most cases, you won’t need to change this information unless you’re logging an issue at a different time.
  • Documents - In this section, you can upload photos, videos, or documents that describe the issue or help to resolve it. Adding documents to the UPM is not mandatory but it’s often recommended.

After logging the UPM, click on “Save unplanned task”. All relevant parties will now receive a notification, which we further describe in the following chapter. You can find the reported UPM in: 

  • The “Boat History” section on the left-side column, where you can apply additional filters to narrow down your search;
  • The “History” tab of the specific component page;
  • Your inbox, in the form of an email notification (within 12 hours of reporting the issue).

UPM notifications

After a UPM is logged, an automated email is sent to all users (viewers, 

operators, and owners). The alert is very simple and gives an overview of the issue at hand.

upm notification
UPM email notification

The information in the email notification includes all the data entered in the UPM box, as described previously. On the bottom, users can see the email address of the user who logged the issue. If more UPMs are logged within 24 hours, they are grouped and sent in the same email, minimizing unnecessary notifications.

UPM email alerts are useful for crew members responsible for the resolution of the issue. They are also helpful for shore-sided support, for issues where external assistance is needed.

Benefits of UPM log button

  • Minimizes vessel downtime during heavy use. This is especially useful for management companies, where crews are often managed remotely.
  • Increases the vessel’s resell value, which is especially useful for vessels still in their warranty period.
  • Reporting of issues in a timely manner, irrelevant of importance level. Even for tasks that are less urgent, users can find, log and solve problems before they occur. Again, this is very useful for management companies, since downtimes can lead to additional costs or loss of profit.
  • Better cross-departmental communication. All parties are informed about breakdowns, and the parties responsible for their resolution can communicate in a quick and efficient manner.
  • Leverage UPMs to create periodic tasks, in case future maintenance is needed.

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