Document ID: GLOSSARY-001 Version: 1.0 Last Updated: May 2026
Approval Gate A checkpoint in the workflow where authorization is required before proceeding. Different approval gates exist at different stages based on amount, type, or complexity.
Asset A physical item or equipment being maintained or procured (e.g., HVAC unit, electrical panel, furniture).
Authority Officer Senior staff member with signing authority for high-value or special category purchases. Authority limits vary by role.
Audit Trail Complete record of all transactions, changes, approvals, and actions in a system, maintained for compliance and accountability.
Barcode Scanning Use of barcode reader to capture product information during goods receipt, inventory management, or work tracking.
Batch Group of invoices or payments processed together for efficiency.
Bill of Materials (BOM) Detailed list of all materials, parts, and components required for a maintenance task.
Budget Variance Difference between budgeted amount and actual amount spent or committed.
Capital Purchase Large purchase over certain threshold that is capitalized and depreciated over time rather than expensed.
Catalog Item Item pre-approved and stored in the purchasing system for quick requisition.
Corrective Maintenance Repair of broken or malfunctioning equipment after failure (reactive).
Cost Center Organizational unit charged with maintenance costs for accountability.
Cycle Time Total time from request submission to final closure.
Departmental Approval Approval from department head confirming request is appropriate for department.
Dispatch Assignment and notification of maintenance team to respond to a request.
Downtime Period when equipment or facility is not operational or unavailable for use.
Emergency Request Highest priority request indicating immediate safety risk or operational emergency (0-2 hour response).
Equipment Lifecycle Stages of equipment from procurement through disposal, tracked for maintenance planning.
Exception Report Document highlighting discrepancies or issues requiring attention (e.g., three-way match exceptions).
Finance Review Stage where finance manager confirms budget availability and financial compliance.
First-Time Fix (FTF) Successful completion of maintenance request without rework or follow-up visits.
Forecast Prediction of future spending based on historical data and planned activities.
Geofencing GPS-based technology to confirm technician location and trigger notifications.
Goods Receipt Reception and inspection of delivered items against purchase order.
GR (Goods Receipt) System abbreviation for goods receipt document or process.
High Priority (High Urgency) Second highest priority level indicating significant operational impact (2-8 hour response).
Historical Record Complete documented history of maintenance or procurement activity for future reference.
Incident Report Documentation of safety incidents, accidents, or near-misses during maintenance work.
Invoice Processing Stage where vendor invoice is received and matched against PO and goods receipt.
Item Master Database of all approved items available for purchase with specifications and pricing.
Job Completion Final stage when maintenance work is finished and closed.
Job Costing Tracking and allocation of costs to specific maintenance requests.
KPI (Key Performance Indicator) Measurable metric tracking system or team performance (e.g., first-time fix rate, response time).
Low Priority (Low Urgency) Lowest priority level for minor or cosmetic issues (1-2 week response).
Lock-Out/Tag-Out (LOTO) Safety procedure to de-energize equipment before maintenance work begins.
Maintenance Request Formal submission of need for maintenance work on an asset or facility.
Medium Priority (Medium Urgency) Middle priority level for moderate impact issues (1-3 day response).
Mobile App Mobile application providing on-field access to maintenance requests and work tracking.
Notification Automated alert sent to relevant parties about status changes or deadlines.
Occupant/Requester Person or department submitting a maintenance request or using a facility.
On-Time Delivery (OTD) Vendor delivery within promised or acceptable timeframe.
Operating Expense (OpEx) Routine maintenance costs expensed in current period rather than capitalized.
Permit Authorization required for certain types of work (hot work, confined space, etc.).
PO (Purchase Order) Official document authorizing vendor to supply goods/services at specified price and terms.
Predictive Maintenance Maintenance scheduled based on equipment condition data and predictions rather than fixed schedules.
Preventive Maintenance Scheduled maintenance performed before breakdown to prevent failures.
Priority Level Urgency classification (Critical/High/Medium/Low) determining response time.
Quality Inspection Verification that completed maintenance work meets specifications and safety standards.
Recurring Maintenance Maintenance tasks repeated on fixed schedule (daily/weekly/monthly/quarterly/annual).
Request Coordinator Staff member who receives and triages maintenance requests.
Requisition Initial purchase request before approval and PO creation.
Response Time Time from request submission to team arrival and start of work.
Rework Additional work required to correct defects or incomplete initial work (undesirable).
Scope Change Modification to original request affecting timeline, cost, or resources required.
SLA (Service Level Agreement) Guaranteed response or completion time target.
Spare Parts Pre-stocked replacement parts for common maintenance needs.
Supplier/Vendor External provider of goods or services.
Technician Skilled maintenance worker performing the actual repair or maintenance work.
Three-Way Match Verification that PO, goods receipt, and invoice all match in quantity, description, and price.
Triage Initial assessment and classification of maintenance request.
Troubleshooting Diagnostic process to identify root cause of equipment failure.
Urgent Request High priority request indicating significant operational impact (2-8 hour response).
User Satisfaction Requester’s satisfaction with maintenance work quality and timeliness.
Variance Discrepancy between expected and actual (time, cost, quantity, etc.).
Vendor Management Process of tracking vendor performance, contracts, and relationships.
Verification Confirmation that work meets specifications and safety requirements.
Warranty Manufacturer or contractor guarantee covering repairs or replacements for specified period.
Work Order System document tracking all details of a specific maintenance job.
Workload Balance Distribution of work assignments ensuring no team member is overloaded.
XML/EDI Data format for electronic document exchange with vendors and systems.
Year-to-Date (YTD) Cumulative metrics from January through current date.
Zone/Area Specific physical location within facility (building, floor, section).
| Abbreviation | Full Term | Context |
|---|---|---|
| AP | Accounts Payable | Finance/Payments |
| BOM | Bill of Materials | Maintenance Planning |
| CFO | Chief Financial Officer | Senior Approval |
| ETA | Estimated Time of Arrival | Delivery/Shipping |
| FTF | First-Time Fix | KPI/Quality |
| GR | Goods Receipt | Procurement |
| HVAC | Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning | Maintenance Type |
| KPI | Key Performance Indicator | Metrics |
| LOTO | Lock-Out/Tag-Out | Safety Procedure |
| OD | Organizational Development | Staff Training |
| OpEx | Operating Expense | Cost Type |
| OTD | On-Time Delivery | Vendor Performance |
| PO | Purchase Order | Procurement |
| REQ | Requisition | Request Tracking |
| RFID | Radio Frequency Identification | Inventory Tracking |
| ROI | Return on Investment | Financial Analysis |
| SLA | Service Level Agreement | Performance Target |
| SME | Subject Matter Expert | Expertise |
| SOD | Segregation of Duties | Compliance |
| YTD | Year-to-Date | Time Period |
| Status | Definition | What Happens Next |
|---|---|---|
| Draft | Initial creation, not yet submitted | User can edit or submit |
| Submitted | Sent for approval | Awaiting Department Head review |
| Approved | All approvals obtained | Moves to PO generation |
| Rejected | Rejected by approver | Requester can revise and resubmit |
| On Hold | Pending information or decision | Will be resumed when condition met |
| PO Created | Purchase order generated | Sent to vendor |
| Ordered | Vendor confirmed receipt | Awaiting delivery |
| In Transit | Item shipped from vendor | Arriving soon |
| Received | Goods arrived and inspected | GR entered in system |
| Invoiced | Invoice received from vendor | Awaiting 3-way match |
| Matched | 3-way match complete | Ready for payment |
| Paid | Payment processed | Transaction complete |
| Closed | All activity complete | Archived for historical reference |
| Cancelled | Requisition cancelled | No further action |
| Status | Definition | What Happens Next |
|---|---|---|
| New | Just submitted | Awaiting triage/classification |
| Triaged | Classified and prioritized | Scheduled for work |
| Scheduled | Team assigned and date set | Awaiting technician arrival |
| In Progress | Work started by technician | Ongoing progress tracking |
| Testing | Repairs being tested/verified | Quality confirmation needed |
| Pending Approval | Awaiting final approval | Inspection/approval in progress |
| Completed | Work finished and approved | Awaiting closure |
| Closed | All activities done | Archived for historical reference |
| On Hold | Temporarily suspended | Will resume when condition met |
| Cancelled | Request cancelled | No further action |
| Level | Typical Processing Time | When to Use | Approval Levels |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emergency | Same day | Urgent operational need | Department + Finance |
| Expedited | 2-3 days | High priority, time-sensitive | Department + Finance |
| Standard | 5-7 days | Normal business needs | Department + Finance |
| Scheduled | As planned | Planned future procurement | Department only |
| Level | Response Time | When to Use | Escalation | SLA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Critical | 0-2 hours | Immediate safety risk | Supervisor + Emergency | 2h |
| High | 2-8 hours | Major impact on ops | Supervisor | 8h |
| Medium | 1-3 days | Moderate impact | Coordinator | 3d |
| Low | 1-2 weeks | Minor/cosmetic | Coordinator | 14d |
Direct Costs - Materials/parts used - Labor (technician time) - Contractor fees - Equipment rentals
Indirect Costs - Supervision overhead - Facility overhead - Administrative processing - Software/system costs
Capital vs. Operating - CapEx: Large purchases capitalized and depreciated - OpEx: Routine maintenance expensed in current period
Amount | Approval Required
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$0-5K | Department Head
$5K-25K | Finance Manager
$25K-100K | Authority Officer
>$100K | Procurement Committee/CFOSpending Category | Authority Required
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<$500 | Department Head
$500-$2K | Facilities Manager
$2K-$10K | Director level
>$10K | VP/CFO level
Emergency | Supervisor (any amount)Average Cycle Time = Total days from requisition submission to payment cleared / Number of requisitions
Budget Variance = (Actual Spend - Budgeted Amount) / Budgeted Amount × 100%
Cost Savings = (Previous price - New negotiated price) × Quantity
Three-Way Match Accuracy = (Successful matches / Total invoices) × 100%
First-Time Fix Rate = (Completed without rework / Total requests) × 100%
Average Response Time = Total response hours / Number of requests
SLA Compliance = (Requests met SLA / Total requests) × 100%
Technician Utilization = Billable hours / Total available hours × 100%
Customer Satisfaction Score = Average rating from satisfaction surveys (1-5 scale)