How to create a facility maintenance request workflow

Build a maintenance workflow your operations team can actually rely on

A facility maintenance workflow helps employees submit issues, attach photos, and track progress while maintenance teams manage requests in a clear, prioritized system.
In this guide, you’ll build a workflow with automatic routing, status fields, assignment fields, and real-time dashboards, using only a single form and admin-only fields.

📘 Learn more: Create your first form, app, or portal in a flash

Why this helps

• Reduces back-and-forth by routing requests directly to the correct technician or department.
• Keeps maintenance teams updated with automated notifications and task assignment.
• Centralizes records for audits, compliance, and facility oversight.
• Allows employees to track the progress of their request in a portal if needed.
  📘 Learn more: Build personalized and time-saving flows with logic and automation

Step 1 – Create your maintenance request form

You can start from scratch or use a template from our Template Gallery (e.g., “Daily field report with memory form”). Or use Magic Create, try a prompt like:
“Facility maintenance request form with location, issue type, severity, attachments, and requester details.”

Add the core fields:

• Requester name and email (prefilled if using logged-in portal mode)
• Facility / building
• Room number or location
• Issue type (plumbing, electrical, HVAC, safety, etc.)
• Severity level
• Issue description
• Photo or video upload
• Preferred contact method

💡 Tip: Add a long text field for detailed description, technicians resolve issues faster when they have complete information.
📘 Learn more: Form editor and field types

Step 2 – Add admin-only workflow fields

Use admin-only fields to manage approvals and internal progress directly inside the same form.

Add fields such as:

• Assigned technician (Admin only – dropdown)
• Status (Admin only – New, In progress, On hold, Completed)
• Priority (Admin only – Low / Medium / High / Urgent)
• Internal notes (Admin only – long text)
• Completion date (Admin only – date)

💡 Tip: Switch each field to Admin only in the field settings.
📘 Learn more: What is “On Update” logic and how it works

Step 3 – Apply routing & notifications with logic

Use On Submit logic to notify the maintenance team immediately when a new request is submitted.

Examples:

• If issue type = “Electrical” → Send email to electrical team lead
• If severity = “High” → Notify operations manager
• Always send requester a confirmation email

Next, add On Update logic so technicians automatically notify requesters when the status changes.

Examples:

• If status changes to “In progress” → Email requester
• If status changes to “Completed” → Send completion message

📘 Learn more: What is “On Submit” logic and how it works
📘 Learn more: What is “On Update” logic and how it works

Step 4 – Build your maintenance dashboard

Turn your form into a dashboard or internal app to view, filter, and manage requests.

Inside your app:

• Add a table view filtered by Status = “New”
• Add a kanban board grouped by Status
• Add charts

💡 Tip: Use multiple table instances for each department.
📘 Learn more: How to create or edit an app
📘 Learn more: How to showcase charts based on form responses

Step 5 – (Optional) Let employees track their request in a portal

If you want requesters to log in and track their status:

• Enable portal mode
• Assign “Member” roles
• Add a filtered table showing only their own submissions

📘 Learn more: How to create a portal and manage users' access
📘 Learn more: How to add user roles on your portal

Pro tips

💡 Pro tip: Personalize follow-up emails using answer piping.
📘 Learn more: How to create and use answer piping

💡 Pro tip: Create department-specific dashboards like HVAC, electrical, safety.
📘 Learn more: Customize tables, kanbans, charts, and galleries

Real-world example

A manufacturing company built this workflow to manage facility issues across four buildings. Using admin-only technician assignment and automated email updates, they reduced average issue resolution time from 5 days to 48 hours.

📈 See more examples: Formaloo use cases

FAQ

1. Can I automatically assign technicians based on issue type?

Yes, use conditional On Submit logic.
❓ Learn more: What is “On Submit” logic and how it works

2. Can requesters upload multiple images or videos?

Yes, enable multiple uploads in the file upload field.
🔒 Learn more: Form editor and field types

3. Can technicians update the status from inside the app?

Yes, give them edit permissions or assign an admin role.
🛠️ Learn more: How to add user roles on your portal

4. Can we restrict issue categories based on building?

Yes, use show/hide logic.
❓ Learn more: Show or hide questions based on previous answers

Keep your facilities running smoothly

You now have a complete, scalable maintenance request workflow ready for operations teams.
Explore more ways to expand your system with inspections, equipment logs, or recurring checklists.

🎉 Learn more: Expand your workflow in Formaloo

Last updated November 2025