--- title: Why Do We Have So Many Overdue Work Orders? description: Tips to help you reduce a high overdue work order count --- [Skip to content](https://help.fmiworks.com/knowledge/why-do-we-have-so-many-overdue-work-orders#main-content) English Show submenu for translations [Log a Ticket](https://help.fmiworks.com/knowledge/kb-tickets/new?hsLang=en) [Go to Customer Portal](https://help.fmiworks.com/support?hsLang=en) [![Logo.svg\]](https://help.fmiworks.com/hubfs/Logo.svg)](https://www.fmiworks.com/) Open main navigation Close main navigation - English Show submenu for translations - [Log a Ticket](https://help.fmiworks.com/knowledge/kb-tickets/new) - [Go to Customer Portal](https://help.fmiworks.com/support) Get expert help, any time you need it - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. 1. [Help Centre](https://help.fmiworks.com/knowledge?hsLang=en) 2. [Facility Teams](https://help.fmiworks.com/knowledge/facility-teams?hsLang=en) 3. [Work Orders](https://help.fmiworks.com/knowledge/facility-teams?hsLang=en#work-orders) # Why Do We Have So Many Overdue Work Orders? ## Tips to help you reduce a high overdue work order count This article is for FMI Works users who have been given the permission of Works Coordinator or Works Manager  ### Overview Keeping the number of overdue work orders low is a key responsibility of the facilities team. When there are minimal or no overdue work orders, teams can be confident that they are keeping on top of reactive maintenance.  If your organisation’s overdue work order count is high, there are steps you can take to get it under control. ### Where is my overdue work order count?  From the *Services* module, go to the Dashboard to see your *Overdue Jobs*.  Select *View Details* to drill down into the list of overdue work orders.  ![The dashboard-1](https://help.fmiworks.com/hs-fs/hubfs/The%20dashboard-1.png?width=688&height=552&name=The%20dashboard-1.png) Alternatively, run a report in .csv or .pdf format. From the Services module, go to *Reporting \> Reports* \> *Work Order Management \> Work Orders Overdue.*  ### The three common reasons for a high overdue work order count  > 1. **Unrealistic priorities:** Jobs are being given a priority with an estimated timeframe to complete that is unrealistic.  > 2. **Completed jobs waiting on paperwork:** The work has been performed, but the job is still showing as 'Work in Progress' instead of 'Completed'.  > 3. **Work orders not being updated in real-time:** Jobs that have been delayed or completed are not being updated promptly by the contractor or internal tradesperson.  #### Unrealistic priorities  Check the priorities assigned to work orders in your *Overdue Jobs* list. Each *Priority* has the number of hours in which the work needs to be performed associated with it.   If most of your work is being assigned a priority with a 24-hour estimated completion time, it will be difficult to keep your overdue work order count under control. To review your priorities, see [How to Update Work Order Priority Settings](https://help.fmiworks.com/knowledge/how-to-update-work-order-priority-settings?hsLang=en).  If you are constantly updating the *Priority* on individual work orders, a better way is to change the priority on the Standard Request template.  Action: Update the priorities on your Standard Requests, to ensure they are achievable and set the right expectations for your requesters.   To update your Standard Requests, see [How to Modify a Standard Request](https://help.fmiworks.com/knowledge/how-to-modify-a-standard-request?hsLang=en).  #### Completed jobs waiting on paperwork  Leaving completed jobs as ‘[Work in Progress](https://help.fmiworks.com/knowledge/how-to-use-the-work-in-progress-work-order-status?hsLang=en)’ until the invoice or service report is received creates problems because it obscures the visibility of open work, and skews work order closure KPIs.  Instead, consider implementing this alternative process.  > 1. Move jobs to ‘Completed’ once the work has been performed.   > 2. Create a Process State of ‘Awaiting Invoice’ or ‘Awaiting Paperwork’ and use this in conjunction with the ‘Completed’ status.   Action: If your business requires contractors to upload invoices, create a Process State of ‘Awaiting Invoice’ and move completed jobs to a ‘Completed’ status ‘Awaiting Invoice'.   Using this approach, you can run reports to gain further insight into what stage of the process your work orders are sitting.  To set up an ‘Awaiting Invoice’ Process State, see [How to Set Up Process States](https://help.fmiworks.com/knowledge/how-to-set-up-process-states?hsLang=en).  #### Work orders not being updated in real-time   Check your *Overdue Jobs* list for work orders that have been ‘Delayed’ or ‘Completed’ by contractors or internal trades but are still showing as ‘Work in Progress’. Action: Encourage your contractors and internal trades to update the status of their assigned work orders in real time, rather than leaving it to the facilities team to update the work order days after the fact.  Action: Enable the [Delayed](https://help.fmiworks.com/knowledge/when-to-use-the-delayed-work-order-status?hsLang=en)feature so contractors can [use the Contractor Portal](https://help.fmiworks.com/knowledge/using-the-contractor-portal?hsLang=en) to update jobs that are delayed, rather than leaving them as ‘Work in Progress’.  To enable the Delayed feature, see [How to Enable the Delayed Work Order Status](https://help.fmiworks.com/knowledge/how-to-enable-the-delayed-work-order-status?hsLang=en). ### Conclusion  If you have reviewed your *Overdue Jobs* list for unrealistic priorities, jobs waiting on invoices or work orders not being closed out promptly, and you still have a high number of overdue work orders, here are some other resources which may help.  > [Pursuing Planned Maintenance eBook](https://help.fmiworks.com/hubfs/eBooks/Pursuing%20Planned%20Maintenance%20eBook.pdf?hsLang=en) – can implementing a practical, proactive maintenance strategy minimise reactive maintenance?  > > [Improving Risk Resilience eBook](https://help.fmiworks.com/hubfs/eBooks/Improving%20risk%20resilience%20eBook.pdf?hsLang=en) – enabling effective conversations with stakeholders about additional resources and funding.  - [Resources](https://help.fmiworks.com/knowledge/resources?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Getting Support](https://help.fmiworks.com/knowledge/resources?hsLang=en#getting-support) - [Overviews](https://help.fmiworks.com/knowledge/resources?hsLang=en#overviews) - [Set Up](https://help.fmiworks.com/knowledge/resources?hsLang=en#set-up) - [Advanced Set Up](https://help.fmiworks.com/knowledge/resources?hsLang=en#advanced-set-up) - [Product Updates](https://help.fmiworks.com/knowledge/product-updates?hsLang=en#main-content) - [FMI Works Product Updates](https://help.fmiworks.com/knowledge/product-updates?hsLang=en#fmi-works-product-updates) - [Pulse Product Updates](https://help.fmiworks.com/knowledge/product-updates?hsLang=en#pulse-product-updates) - [Technical & Security](https://help.fmiworks.com/knowledge/technical-security?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Application Programmer Interface (API)](https://help.fmiworks.com/knowledge/technical-security?hsLang=en#application-programmer-interface-api) - [Cloud Specifications](https://help.fmiworks.com/knowledge/technical-security?hsLang=en#cloud-specifications) - [Operational Requirements](https://help.fmiworks.com/knowledge/technical-security?hsLang=en#operational-requirements) - [Security Policies](https://help.fmiworks.com/knowledge/technical-security?hsLang=en#security-policies) - [Security Updates](https://help.fmiworks.com/knowledge/technical-security?hsLang=en#security-updates) - [Facility Teams](https://help.fmiworks.com/knowledge/facility-teams?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Assets](https://help.fmiworks.com/knowledge/facility-teams?hsLang=en#assets) - [Dashboards & Reporting](https://help.fmiworks.com/knowledge/facility-teams?hsLang=en#dashboards-reporting) - [Financial](https://help.fmiworks.com/knowledge/facility-teams?hsLang=en#financial) - [Locations](https://help.fmiworks.com/knowledge/facility-teams?hsLang=en#locations) - [Planned Maintenance](https://help.fmiworks.com/knowledge/facility-teams?hsLang=en#planned-maintenance) - [Standard Requests](https://help.fmiworks.com/knowledge/facility-teams?hsLang=en#standard-requests) - [Supplier Management](https://help.fmiworks.com/knowledge/facility-teams?hsLang=en#supplier-management) - [User Management](https://help.fmiworks.com/knowledge/facility-teams?hsLang=en#user-management) - [Work Orders](https://help.fmiworks.com/knowledge/facility-teams?hsLang=en#work-orders) - [Attachments](https://help.fmiworks.com/knowledge/facility-teams?hsLang=en#attachments) - [Requesters](https://help.fmiworks.com/knowledge/requesters?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Accessing FMI](https://help.fmiworks.com/knowledge/requesters?hsLang=en#accessing-fmi) - [Requests](https://help.fmiworks.com/knowledge/requesters?hsLang=en#requests) - [Contractors](https://help.fmiworks.com/knowledge/contractors?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Accessing FMI](https://help.fmiworks.com/knowledge/contractors?hsLang=en#accessing-fmi) - [Accreditations & Inductions](https://help.fmiworks.com/knowledge/contractors?hsLang=en#accreditations-inductions) - [Quotes](https://help.fmiworks.com/knowledge/contractors?hsLang=en#quotes) - [Work Orders](https://help.fmiworks.com/knowledge/contractors?hsLang=en#work-orders) [![FMI](https://help.fmiworks.com/hs-fs/hubfs/FMI%20Logo%20Orange-1.png?width=99&height=33&name=FMI%20Logo%20Orange-1.png "FMI")](https://www.fmiworks.com/) Copyright © 2026, FMI Software Pty Ltd trading as FMI Works