What Stops Equipment and Vehicle Maintenance From Slipping Through the Cracks?

Summary

The steps

1. 1

   Write your service schedule before opening the canvas

   Before you open Dave by voolama, write a plain-text list of every piece of equipment and vehicle your business owns, along with the service type, the interval in weeks, and the name of the person responsible for that item. This list becomes the content of the Information node, which the workflow reads on every run.

   A clear, consistent format matters here. The Routing node in Step 4 will evaluate whether service is overdue based on dates entered by the responsible person. If the schedule is ambiguous, the routing logic will be harder to configure and the tasks will be harder to act on.

   A hypothetical shop's service schedule might look like this:

   • Delivery van: oil change every 8 weeks, responsible: driver. Tire pressure check every 4 weeks, responsible: driver.
   • Forklift: hydraulic fluid check every 4 weeks, responsible: warehouse lead. Annual safety inspection every 52 weeks, responsible: owner.
   • Air compressor: filter replacement every 12 weeks, responsible: shop manager. Belt inspection every 26 weeks, responsible: shop manager.

   Write one line per service item, not one line per piece of equipment. An item with three service types needs three lines. Save this document before you open the canvas.

   A note on commercial vehicles. If your business operates commercial motor vehicles subject to federal regulations, 49 CFR Part 396 (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration) sets requirements for periodic inspections, driver vehicle inspection reports, and maintenance records. Specifically, 49 CFR Section 396.3 requires that every motor carrier systematically inspect, repair, and maintain all motor vehicles subject to its control. Section 396.17 requires periodic inspections at intervals not exceeding 12 months. The workflow in this guide is an internal reminder system, not a compliance record. Consult the FMCSA regulations at ecfr.gov and a qualified compliance advisor for your specific obligations.

   Do this

   • Open a plain text document or a sheet of paper.
   • List every piece of equipment and vehicle your business owns.
   • For each item, write every service type it needs, the interval in weeks, and the name of the person responsible.
   • Use one line per service item, not one line per piece of equipment.
   • Save this document. You will paste it into the Information node in Step 3.

   Example

   A hypothetical landscaping company with three trucks and four pieces of power equipment writes a 14-line schedule: each truck has three service items (oil change, tire rotation, blade sharpening for the mower attachment), and each piece of power equipment has two. The owner is listed as responsible for the annual safety inspection on all items. The crew lead is responsible for weekly fluid checks. The format is consistent across all 14 lines. All details in this example are invented for illustration.

   Best practice

   • Use intervals in weeks rather than miles or hours. Weeks are easier to track in a workflow that runs on a fixed schedule. If your equipment is better tracked by hours or miles, note the equivalent weekly interval based on typical usage.
   • List the responsible person by name or role, not just by job title. If the person changes, you only need to update the Information node, not the workflow structure.
   • Review the schedule at least once per quarter. Equipment added or retired mid-year needs to be reflected in the Information node.
2. 2

   Create the workflow in the Workflows section

   In Dave by voolama, navigate to Workflows in the sidebar. Click New Workflow. Give the workflow a name such as "Weekly Equipment Maintenance Check" and an optional description. Click Create Workflow. The system creates the workflow in draft status and opens the Workflow Editor.

   The Workflow Editor is a three-panel interface: the Node Palette on the left lists all 10 node types, the canvas in the center is where you build the graph, and the Properties Panel on the right appears when you click a node. Only users with the Admin or Curate role can open the Workflow Editor. If you do not see the editor, check your role assignment using the resource at Why Can't I See Agents, Workflows, or Other Sections in Dave by voolama?

   This workflow uses five of the ten node types available in Dave by voolama. Here is what each one does in this specific build:

   • Start (green, code start): the entry point. Every workflow must have exactly one Start node.
   • Information (indigo, code information): holds the service schedule. Does not affect execution. You update it when the schedule changes, without touching any other node.
   • User Interaction (blue, code user_interaction): pauses the workflow and creates a task in the Task Inbox for the responsible person to confirm service was done and enter the date.
   • Routing (purple, code routing): evaluates whether the service date entered is on or before the due date. Items that are on time route to End; items that are overdue route to Human Review. No AI agent is involved in this step.
   • Human Review (amber, code human_review): creates a review task for the owner when an item is overdue. The owner can Approve, Reject, or Request Changes.
   • End (red, code end): marks workflow completion. You can have multiple End nodes for different outcomes.

   Do this

   • Navigate to Workflows in the sidebar. Click New Workflow.
   • Enter the name "Weekly Equipment Maintenance Check" and an optional description. Click Create Workflow.
   • The Workflow Editor opens. You are now ready to place nodes on the canvas.

   Example

   A hypothetical auto repair shop owner (all details invented) names the workflow "Weekly Vehicle and Equipment Check" and adds a description: "Runs every Monday. Creates tasks for all service items due this week. Escalates overdue items to owner." The description is for internal reference only and does not affect how the workflow runs.

   Best practice

   • Give the workflow a name that includes the cadence (weekly, monthly) so anyone who opens the Workflows list knows when it runs.
   • Add a description that names the responsible person for updating the service schedule. This prevents the Information node from going stale when staff changes.
3. 3

   Build the canvas: place and connect the nodes

   In the Workflow Editor, drag nodes from the Node Palette on the left onto the canvas. Place them in order from top to bottom, then connect them by dragging from the source handle (bottom circle) of each node to the target handle (top circle) of the next node.

   Place the nodes in this order:

   1. Start (green, code start): drag from the palette and drop at the top of the canvas. Every workflow must have exactly one Start node.
   2. Information (indigo, code information): drag below the Start node. In the Properties Panel on the right, change the label to "Service schedule and intervals". Paste your service schedule from Step 1 into the node's config field. This node does not affect execution; it is a reference document on the canvas that any editor can read without running the workflow.
   3. User Interaction (blue, code user_interaction): drag below the Information node. In the Properties Panel, change the label to "Confirm service completed". In the User Assignment section, assign it to the responsible person's user account or the Use role. In the Notifications section, set it to notify the assignee so they receive an email when the task appears in their Task Inbox.
   4. Routing (purple, code routing): drag below the User Interaction node. In the Properties Panel, change the label to "Is service overdue?". In the Routing Configuration section, set up two output paths: one for items where the service date entered is on or before the due date (route to End), and one for items where the service date is after the due date (route to Human Review). The Routing node evaluates port criteria and routes execution without creating tasks or invoking agents.
   5. Human Review (amber, code human_review): drag to the right of the Routing node, on the overdue path. In the Properties Panel, change the label to "Owner reviews overdue item". In the User Assignment section, assign it to the owner's user account or the Admin role. In the Notifications section, set it to notify the assignee.
   6. End (red, on-time path): drag below the Routing node on the on-time path. Label it "Service confirmed on time".
   7. End (red, overdue path): drag below the Human Review node. Label it "Overdue item reviewed by owner".

   Connect the nodes: Start to Information, Information to User Interaction, User Interaction to Routing, Routing (on-time path) to End (on-time), Routing (overdue path) to Human Review, Human Review to End (overdue).

   Click Save Version in the top-right corner. The system creates version 1 of the workflow. Saving is non-destructive: previous versions are preserved and can be loaded later.

   Do this

   • Drag a Start node onto the canvas from the Node Palette.
   • Drag an Information node below it. Label it "Service schedule and intervals". Paste your service schedule into the config field in the Properties Panel.
   • Drag a User Interaction node below that. Label it "Confirm service completed". Assign it to the responsible person or the Use role. Enable notifications.
   • Drag a Routing node below that. Label it "Is service overdue?". Configure two output paths: on-time routes to End, overdue routes to Human Review.
   • Drag a Human Review node on the overdue path. Label it "Owner reviews overdue item". Assign it to the owner or Admin role. Enable notifications.
   • Drag two End nodes: one on the on-time path, one after Human Review.
   • Connect all nodes in the order described above.
   • Click Save Version.

   Example

   A hypothetical plumbing company (all details invented) with six service vehicles builds the canvas in about 20 minutes. The owner labels the Routing node "On time or overdue?" and the two End nodes "Done on time" and "Escalated to owner". The mini-map in the bottom-right corner of the canvas helps navigate the graph once it has more than eight nodes.

   Best practice

   • Name every node to describe its specific purpose. The default labels ("User Interaction", "Routing") are placeholders. Descriptive labels make the graph self-documenting for anyone who opens the editor later.
   • Use the Information node for the service schedule rather than embedding it in a node's config JSON. The Information node is visible on the canvas and easy to update without creating a new workflow version for minor schedule changes.
   • Save frequently. Each save creates a new immutable version. There is no auto-save in the Workflow Editor.
   • Ensure all paths lead to an End node. A Routing node with a path that does not connect to an End node will cause instances to hang at runtime.
4. 4

   Activate the workflow and start the first instance

   After saving the workflow, navigate back to the Workflows list. Find "Weekly Equipment Maintenance Check" and change its status from Draft to Active. Only an active workflow can have instances started against it.

   To start the first instance, navigate to Instances in the sidebar. Click New Instance. In the creation form, select "Weekly Equipment Maintenance Check" and the version number (for example, "Weekly Equipment Maintenance Check -- v1") from the Workflow Version dropdown. Click Create Instance.

   The new instance starts in draft status (gray badge). Review the instance detail page to confirm you selected the correct workflow version. When ready, click Start. The instance moves to running status (green badge) and begins executing nodes.

   The instance advances through the Start node and the Information node automatically, then reaches the User Interaction node. At this point, the instance moves to waiting_user_input status (amber badge), and a task of type user_interaction appears in the Task Inbox of the assigned person.

   The assigned person navigates to Tasks in the sidebar, opens the pending task labeled "Confirm service completed", reads the Payload (which contains the service item details from the workflow context), enters the date the service was done and any notes, and clicks Approve.

   The workflow advances to the Routing node, which evaluates whether the date entered is on or before the due date. If the service is on time, the instance routes to the End node and completes. If the service is overdue, the instance routes to the Human Review node, moves to waiting_review status (pink badge), and a task of type human_review appears in the owner's Task Inbox.

   The owner opens the Human Review task, reads the Payload (which contains the overdue item details and the date entered by the responsible person), and clicks Approve, Reject, or Request Changes, adding a comment to explain the decision. Every decision is recorded in the audit trail with the acting user's identity and a timestamp, supporting SOC 2 CC6.1 (logical access) and GDPR Article 30 (processing records) when those standards are active in your workspace.

   Do this

   • Navigate to Workflows. Find "Weekly Equipment Maintenance Check". Change its status to Active.
   • Navigate to Instances. Click New Instance. Select "Weekly Equipment Maintenance Check -- v1" from the dropdown. Click Create Instance.
   • On the instance detail page, click Start. The instance moves to running status.
   • The responsible person navigates to Tasks, opens the pending user_interaction task, enters the service date and any notes, and clicks Approve.
   • The Routing node evaluates the date. On-time items complete. Overdue items create a human_review task for the owner.
   • The owner opens the human_review task, reviews the overdue item, and clicks Approve, Reject, or Request Changes with a comment.

   Example

   A hypothetical electrical contractor (all details invented) runs the workflow on Monday morning. The crew lead opens a task for the van's oil change, enters last Friday's date, and clicks Approve. The Routing node evaluates the date: the oil change was due 8 weeks ago and the date entered is 9 weeks after the last service, so the item routes to the owner as overdue. The owner opens the Human Review task, sees the one-week delay, adds a comment noting the van was in the shop for an unrelated repair, and clicks Approve. The instance completes. The audit trail records both decisions with timestamps.

   Best practice

   • Run the workflow on the same day each week so the service dates are consistent and comparable over time.
   • Add a comment when you click Approve, Reject, or Request Changes on a Human Review task. Even a brief note explaining the overdue reason helps if you need to look back at a past decision.
   • Monitor the Instances list for items stuck in waiting_user_input or waiting_review. If a task has been pending for more than a day, the responsible person may not have seen the notification. Check their role assignment and notification settings.
5. 5

   Set a weekly cadence and assign the right roles

   Once the workflow runs correctly, the practical question is who runs it and how often. For most small shops and fleets, a weekly cadence works well: start a new instance at the beginning of each week, let the responsible people confirm service during the week, and review any overdue items before the weekend.

   In Dave by voolama, you start a new instance manually each week by navigating to Instances, clicking New Instance, selecting the workflow version, and clicking Start. There is no built-in scheduler that starts instances automatically on a fixed schedule. If you want to automate the weekly trigger, an API Call node connected to an external scheduling tool can start an instance via the Dave by voolama REST API (305 endpoints), but that configuration is outside the scope of this guide.

   Dave by voolama has six default roles: Admin, Create, Curate, Use, Reporting, and Financial. All six are editable. For this workflow, the relevant roles are:

   • Admin or Curate: Can open the Workflow Editor to update the service schedule in the Information node or change the workflow design.
   • Admin or Use: Can create and start instances. Can see and act on tasks in the Task Inbox (both the service confirmation task and the overdue review task).

   For a shop with one owner and two staff members, a practical assignment is: staff members hold the Use role (can confirm service tasks and start instances), owner holds the Admin role (can review overdue items and update the workflow). This is the same role split described in the contractor daily job report workflow, where a crew lead submits data and a manager reviews the output.

   If you want to document the maintenance process as a written procedure alongside this workflow, the resource at What Should a Standard Operating Procedure Include? covers the seven elements a maintenance SOP needs: a purpose statement, a named owner, a trigger, numbered steps, named decision points, a definition of done, and a review column.

   Do this

   • Decide who confirms service (staff member or owner) and who reviews overdue items (owner or manager).
   • Open the workflow in the Workflow Editor. Click the User Interaction node. In the Properties Panel, assign it to the appropriate user or role.
   • Click the Human Review node. In the Properties Panel, assign it to the owner or manager.
   • Click Save Version to save the updated assignments as a new workflow version.
   • Set a recurring calendar reminder for the same day each week to start a new instance.
   • After each Human Review decision, follow up with the responsible person on any overdue items.

   Example

   A hypothetical HVAC company (all details invented) with four technicians assigns each technician the Use role. The owner holds the Admin role. Each Monday, the office manager (Use role) starts a new instance. Each technician sees their assigned maintenance tasks in the Task Inbox and confirms service during the week. Any overdue items appear in the owner's Task Inbox by Friday. The owner reviews them before the weekend and adds a comment explaining the plan for each one.

   Best practice

   • Review the service schedule in the Information node at least once per quarter. Equipment added or retired mid-year needs to be reflected in the schedule or the workflow will create tasks for equipment that no longer exists.
   • Keep the Human Review node assigned to the owner or a senior manager, not a staff member. Overdue maintenance items carry safety and liability implications that warrant owner-level attention.
   • Use the comment field on every Human Review decision. A brief note explaining why an item was overdue (equipment in the shop, part on backorder, scheduled differently) creates a record that is useful if a safety or insurance question arises later.

What this workflow does and how it differs from other approval workflows

What you need before you start

What this guide does not cover