Preventive maintenance schedule template: what to include
A preventive maintenance (PM) schedule is a list of recurring tasks for each machine, with how often each one must be done. This guide shows the columns a useful schedule needs, an example layout, and the point where a spreadsheet stops being enough.
The columns every PM schedule needs
- Department / area: where the machine is.
- Machine or asset: the exact name your team uses.
- Task: one clear action, for example "Check hydraulic oil level and top up".
- Frequency: daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, every six months, yearly.
- Trade: who does it (mechanic or electrician), so the workload can be balanced.
- Estimated duration: how long it takes, so you can see if a week is overloaded.
- Next due date: the date the task must be done next.
Example layout
| Department | Machine | Task | Frequency | Trade | Minutes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Packing | Conveyor 01 | Inspect belt tension and tracking | Weekly | Mechanic | 20 |
| Packing | Conveyor 01 | Lubricate drive chain | Monthly | Mechanic | 30 |
| Utilities | Air compressor 01 | Drain condensate and check filters | Weekly | Mechanic | 15 |
| Utilities | Main electrical panel | Thermal scan of connections | Yearly | Electrician | 90 |
Tips for writing tasks that get done
- Write each task so a new technician understands it without asking.
- Keep one action per task. "Inspect and replace belts" is two jobs with two different durations.
- Start with the machines that stop production when they fail, then expand.
- Use frequencies you can actually keep. A monthly task that is always late is worse than a quarterly task that is always done.
Where a spreadsheet breaks down
A spreadsheet works while the list is short and one person maintains it. It starts to fail when due dates must be updated by hand after each completion, when two people edit it, when you need to see what is overdue across the whole plant, or when you want to know how many hours of work are due next week against the hours your team has.
Those are exactly the jobs a CMMS automates: the next due date is calculated when a task is completed, overdue work is highlighted, and the weekly plan shows demand against capacity.
Starting from the schedule you already have
If you already have a PM list in Excel, you do not need to retype it. Riffhelm sets up your workspace from the files you already have: you send them, we prepare the machines and tasks, you review and approve, and the 30-day free trial starts when you approve.
Skip the data entry
Send us the files you already have. We set up your machines and maintenance tasks, you review and approve, and your 30-day free trial starts only then. No credit card.
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