Summer work orders are different from the rest of the year.
The building is empty. Staff is reduced. Contractors are coming and going. There is no principal in the office to notice if something did not get done — and no one to follow up if it did not.
That is exactly why summer is when work orders go incomplete and no one finds out until August.
A simple sign-off system fixes this. You do not need software to start. Here is how to set one up.
Step 1: Assign a completion owner to every work order Each work order needs one person responsible for confirming it is done — not just the person doing the work, but someone with authority to verify it. For larger districts, that is typically the Building Manager or Lead Custodian for that facility.
Step 2: Define what "complete" looks like before the work starts Vague work orders produce vague results. Before any job starts, document the expected outcome in one or two sentences. "Replace ceiling tile in Room 114" is better than "fix ceiling." Clear expectations make sign-off straightforward.
Step 3: Require a physical or digital sign-off at close-out When the work is done, the completion owner confirms it — in writing. This can be a signature on a paper form, a checkbox in a spreadsheet, or a status update in a work order system. The method matters less than the habit. No sign-off means the work order stays open.
Step 4: Do a weekly open-item review Every week during the summer, the facilities supervisor should review any work order that has not been closed out. Five minutes per building. If something has been sitting open for two weeks without movement, it needs a conversation — not a reminder.
This system keeps accountability where it belongs and gives administrators something they can actually see at the end of the summer: a closed list.
If you're managing work orders on paper or in spreadsheets and want to move to a dedicated system, there are several CMMS platforms built specifically for K–12 facilities. I'll cover what to look for in a future issue.
Talk soon,
Daniel Mendoza Facility Insight www.facilityinsight.com
