The biggest source of missed maintenance work is not laziness — it is incomplete handoff between shifts. A consistent note format closes that gap.
The 4-line handoff format
At the end of every shift, post one note with these four lines:
WHAT'S OPEN: <jobs in progress that the next shift inherits>
WATCH: <things that did not need action but might soon>
DONE TODAY: <anything notable that closed>
HEADS-UP: <vendor visits, deliveries, planned downtime>
Example:
WHAT'S OPEN: WO-1245 (walk-in cooler temp drift) — waiting on tech tomorrow AM
WATCH: Roof unit 2 amp draw climbing, still in tolerance
DONE TODAY: Replaced burner on griddle, retrained AM cooks
HEADS-UP: Pest control 7 AM Wed, will need rear gate unlocked
That is your entire handoff. 30 seconds to write, 30 seconds to read.
Why this format works
- Scannable — each line has one purpose, the next shift can absorb it without re-reading.
- Searchable — the all-caps prefixes make it easy to filter later ("show me every WATCH from the last month").
- Auditable — when something goes wrong, you can trace whether the shift knew about it.
Tag the receiving shift
Use @morning-shift or @night-shift tags so the right people are notified when they sign in. Tags are configured in Admin → People → Groups.
When to escalate to a work order
If a "WATCH" item is still on the list three shifts in a row, promote it to a work order. The Notepad is for awareness; the work-order system is for action.
Common mistakes
- Burying important info in a paragraph. Use the format — it is shorter, not longer.
- Vague language. "Cooler acting weird" tells the next shift nothing. "Cooler cycling every 4 minutes (normal is 15)" gives them a starting point.
- No timestamps in notes. MaintIQ adds the post time automatically, but if the issue occurred at 2 AM and you are posting at 6 AM, say so.