Understanding Maintenance Rules

Overview

Maintenance Rules are the building blocks of ARMOR's Maintenance Management system. Each rule defines what maintenance needs to be done, when it should happen, and which assets it applies to. This guide explains every component of a maintenance rule so you can configure them effectively.

What is a Maintenance Rule?

A Maintenance Rule is a configuration that tells ARMOR:

• What maintenance task to track (e.g., "Oil Change")
• When to trigger alerts (e.g., every 250 hours or 365 days)
• Where it applies (all assets, specific sites, or tag-based selection)
• How to initialize counters (start at zero or current value)

Anatomy of a Maintenance Rule

Every maintenance rule consists of two parts:

1. Maintenance Definition (The "What" and "When")

The definition specifies the technical details of the maintenance task:

Field	Description	Example
Name	Descriptive name for the maintenance task	"Oil Change"
Key	Unique identifier (auto-generated from name)	"oil_change"
Data Name	Display name shown in alerts/UI	"Oil Change"
Data Field	Telemetry field to monitor	"runtime" or "distance"
Threshold	Value at which to trigger alert	250 (hours)
Unit	Measurement unit for threshold	"hours", "miles", "days"
Max Days	Calendar backup trigger (0 = disabled)	365 (trigger after 1 year regardless)
Init Mode	How to initialize counters	"zero" or "current"
Set Message	Alert text when maintenance is due	"Oil change is due"
Clear Message	Alert text when maintenance is completed	"Oil change completed"

2. Scope (The "Where")

The scope determines which assets the rule applies to:

Scope Type	How It Works	Use Case
Account-Wide	Applies to all assets in your organization	Universal maintenance (annual inspections)
Site-Based	Applies only to assets at specific sites	Site-specific compliance requirements
Asset-Specific	Applies to manually selected assets	Unique one-off maintenance needs
Tag-Based	Applies to assets matching tag criteria	Manufacturer/model-specific maintenance

Field-by-Field Breakdown

Name and Key

Name is the human-readable description of the maintenance task. When you enter a name, ARMOR auto-generates a Key by converting to lowercase and replacing spaces with underscores.

The key is used internally to track maintenance status on each asset. Once created, keys should not be changed or historical data will be lost.

Data Field

The Data Field tells ARMOR which telemetry value to monitor. Common options:

Data Field	What It Tracks	Typical Use
runtime	Total operating hours (lifetime)	Engine maintenance
distance	Total miles/km traveled (odometer)	Vehicle maintenance
None	Calendar time only	Time-based inspections

Important: The data field must be available in asset telemetry. If an asset doesn't report the field (e.g., stationary equipment doesn't have distance), that asset won't be able to use distance-based maintenance.

Threshold and Unit

The Threshold is the value at which maintenance is triggered. The Unit defines what that value represents.

Available Units

• minutes - For very short intervals
• hours - Most common for runtime-based maintenance
• days - Calendar-based only (used with Max Days = 0, Threshold > 0)
• miles - Distance-based (US)
• kilometers - Distance-based (metric)

Max Days (Calendar Backup)

The Max Days field provides a time-based safety net. If set to a value > 0, ARMOR triggers maintenance when either the usage threshold OR the calendar limit is reached (whichever comes first).

Max Days Logic

Configuration	Behavior
Max Days = 0	Usage-based only (no calendar backup)
Max Days > 0, Threshold > 0	Hybrid: triggers on usage OR time (whichever first)
Max Days > 0, Threshold = 0	Time-based only (pure calendar)

Init Mode (Initialization)

When you create a maintenance rule, Init Mode determines where counters start for existing assets:

Mode	How It Works	When to Use
Zero	Set all counters to 0 (maintenance just performed)	Fresh start, or maintenance was just completed on all assets
Current	Use current telemetry values as starting point	Phasing in gradually, or unknown maintenance history

Example Scenarios

Set Message and Clear Message

These fields customize the alert text users see:

• Set Message: Displayed when maintenance alert is triggered (maintenance is due)
• Clear Message: Displayed when maintenance is marked complete (alert cleared)

If left blank, ARMOR uses default messages based on the maintenance name.

Scope Configuration Deep Dive

Account-Wide Scope

No scope fields populated = rule applies to ALL assets in your account.

When to use:

• Universal maintenance (annual inspections required for all assets)
• Company-wide policies
• Simple fleets where all assets need same maintenance

Site-Based Scope

Select specific sites from scopeSiteIds. Rule applies to all assets at those sites.

When to use:

• Site-specific compliance (some states require different inspection frequencies)
• Regional differences (winter vs. summer climates)
• Customer-specific requirements (different clients have different standards)

Asset-Specific Scope

Manually select individual assets from scopeAssetIds. Rule applies only to those specific assets.

When to use:

• Unique equipment with special needs
• Prototypes or trial equipment
• VIP customer assets
• One-off maintenance requirements

Tag-Based Scope (Most Powerful)

Define tag criteria in scopeTags. Rule applies to assets matching the tag logic.

Tag Logic:

• Tags within an array are OR (any match)
• Multiple arrays are AND (all must match)

When to use tag-based scope:

• Manufacturer-specific maintenance (Kaivac vs. Tennant vs. other brands)
• Model-specific intervals (different models have different oil capacities/requirements)
• Fleet segmentation (electric vs. propane vs. diesel)
• Dynamic scoping (as you add new assets with matching tags, rule auto-applies)

How Rules Are Evaluated

Evaluation Cycle

ARMOR checks maintenance status continuously:

Counter Accumulation

For usage-based maintenance, ARMOR tracks accumulated value since last completion:

Alert Lifecycle

1. Created: When threshold or max days reached
2. Active: Alert appears on dashboard, emails sent, remains active
3. Cleared: When user marks maintenance complete, counter resets to 0
4. Cycle Repeats: Accumulation starts over, next alert triggers after another 250 hours

Rule Priority and Conflicts

What If Multiple Rules Apply?

An asset can have multiple maintenance rules active simultaneously. Each rule tracks independently.

Overlapping Scopes

If multiple rules with different scopes could apply, all matching rules are applied. There's no conflict—ARMOR creates maintenance tracking for each applicable rule.

Common Configuration Patterns

Pattern 1: Standard Manufacturer Maintenance

Pattern 2: Universal Annual Inspection

Pattern 3: High-Use Equipment Accelerated Maintenance

Best Practices for Rule Configuration

1. Always Include Max Days

Even for usage-based maintenance, set a reasonable Max Days value. This catches rarely-used equipment that still needs maintenance due to aging components.

2. Use Tag-Based Scoping for Scalability

Instead of manually selecting assets, use manufacturer/model tags. As you add new assets with matching tags, rules auto-apply.

3. Start with Init Mode = Current for Existing Fleets

If you're adding rules to an established fleet, use "current" mode to stagger maintenance events. This prevents 50 assets all triggering alerts on the same day.

4. Customize Alert Messages

Generic alerts like "Maintenance due" aren't helpful. Use specific messages: "Oil change required - schedule with maintenance team by Friday"

5. Test on Pilot Assets First

Create rule with narrow scope (one or two assets), verify it works correctly, then expand scope to full fleet.

6. Document Your Rules

Use clear naming conventions. Instead of "Maint 1", use "Kaivac 17CC - Oil Change 300hr"

Troubleshooting Rule Issues

Rule Applies but No Alerts

Check:

• Threshold hasn't been reached yet (check asset runtime/distance vs. threshold)
• Telemetry device is reporting data (check "Last Update" timestamp)
• Data field exists for this asset type (stationary equipment won't have distance)

Alerts Trigger Immediately After Creation

Cause: Init Mode = "current" and assets already exceed threshold

Fix: Mark maintenance complete to reset counters, or adjust threshold higher

Rule Doesn't Apply to Expected Assets

Check:

• Scope tags are correct and assets have matching tags
• Site IDs are correct if using site-based scope
• Asset IDs are correct if using asset-specific scope

Related Topics

• Introduction to Maintenance Management - Overview of the maintenance system
• Types of Maintenance (Scheduled vs Trigger-Based) - Understanding trigger types
• Creating a Maintenance Plan - Step-by-step rule creation
• Maintenance Not Triggering - Troubleshooting guide

Getting Help

If you need assistance configuring maintenance rules, contact the ARMOR Support Team with your rule configuration details.