Scheduling - Schedule Patterns

The Schedule Pattern you set on an item determines how frequently the schedule becomes due and subsequently appears on your Task List in YMS. Below is an explanation of the various Schedule Pattern types available.

Hours Based Schedule Patterns

Equipment that monitors running hours can use an Hours-Only Schedule Pattern, ideal for maintenance tasks that must be performed after a specific number of operational hours.

Example:
If a piece of machinery requires an oil change every 250 hours of operation, you can set up the schedule accordingly.

Locking hours

• Locked Hours
  When hours are locked, the schedule will follow the set interval regardless of when the task is actually completed.
  Example: If the schedule is set for every 250 hours and is due at 500 hours, the next due hours will be 750, then 1000, 1250, and so on.

• Unlocked Hours
  When hours are unlocked, the next due hours are calculated based on the equipment’s hours at the time of task completion.
  Example: Next due is 500 hours but the scheduled task was completed late at 510 hours, after Task Completion the due hours will be:
  510 (current hours) + 250 (interval) = 760 hours next due.

Hours Next Due

This field indicates the equipment hours at which the schedule will next be due.

Example:
If an oil change is next due at 500 hours, the schedule will automatically trigger a task when the equipment’s running hours reach 500.

Current Equipment Hours

For hours-based schedules, the current running hours of the related equipment are displayed. This allows quick comparison between current and due hours when reviewing schedules.

Remind Me (Hours Based)

The Remind Me setting allows a task to be pushed to your Task List before it is due.

Example: If "Remind Me" is set to 25 hours, and the task is due at 500 hours, the task will be automatically populated on your Task List when the equipment reaches 475 hours.

Top Tip: You can only select an Hours Only pattern for Equipment Schedules related to a piece of Equipment that Monitors Hours. See monitoring equipment hours guide Here.

Date Based Schedule Patterns

All schedules can also use Date-Based Schedule Patterns, which may be simple or advanced:

Simple Patterns

Use a Simple Pattern when strict adherence to a fixed schedule is not required.

Example: To deep clean the forepeak every 6 months, use a simple pattern. When the task is completed, the schedule automatically resets to be due 6 months after the completion date. This allows flexibility based on vessel operations.

Advanced Patterns

Use an Advanced Pattern when it is critical to maintain a fixed schedule, regardless of when the task is completed.

Example: For monthly fire extinguisher checks required for compliance, set an advanced schedule pattern like "Day 1 of every 1 month(s)". This ensures the next task is always due on the 1st day of the following month, preventing "schedule creep."

Remind Me (Date Based)

The Remind Me setting allows a task to be pushed to your Task List before the actual due date.

Example:
If the schedule is due on 19-Dec-2025 and "Remind Me" is set to 2 weeks, a Task will be automatically populated on your task list on 05-Dec-2025.

Combining Hours & Date Based Schedule Patterns

You can combine hour-based and date-based scheduling patterns. Whichever condition is met first will trigger the task to appear on your Task List.

When the task is completed, both the hour and date portions of the schedule will be updated according to their respective patterns.

Limiting Number of Iterations

To run a scheduled task a specific number of times, apply a limit.

Example:
If a limit of 5 iterations is set, each time the scheduled task is completed, the remaining count is reduced by one. When the count reaches 0, the task will no longer be generated. This is useful for "break-in servicing" tasks recommended by manufacturers that only need to occur a fixed number of times.