SAP PM Notification

Notifications are the tool we use in exceptional operational situations in maintenance

processing to:   

• Describe the technical emergency situation of an object.
• Request a required task in the maintenance processing.
• Document the work performed.
• Document maintenance tasks and make them available for analysis in the long term.

Notification mainly contains technical information and practically no integration points with other SAP applications, so it does not contain information about any costs.

When we Create a Notification?When we need to report a problem, request for maintenance work, or record an event or activity.Notifications result from phone or electronic communication, as well as observations.Example: Some abnormal sound/Problem occurred in a machine or breakdown, So need to notify to concern.

Notification Elements:Equipment, Functional Location, description, reported by, work center etc.
Notification Types:  SAP predefined three notification types in the standard system:
1.  Malfunction Report - Notification Type : M2 ( T Code : IW24)
It is used when an object Breakdown or Objects Performance related issue Like : a technical system not working Properly, Reduces Performance etc. A malfunction report describes a malfunction at an object that affects its performance in some respect. For example, an employee from production would use a malfunction report to report that:

• A technical system is not functioning properly

• Performance has reduced for a technical system, or that the system is not functioning at all

• A production system is producing goods of poor quality

As a rule, a malfunction report requires the maintenance department to arrange for a specific repair task to be performed, for the ideal condition of the object to be restored.

Applicable:
As a rule, most companies only record the malfunction, damage or problem initially, in other words, only data relating to the malfunction are entered in the notification. Data referring to the repair  and to technical findings is usually only entered as a second step in the system, that is, as changes  to the notification.
A special case of malfunction report is when a machine operator determines a malfunction,
immediately repairs it and subsequently documents the malfunction that occurred, its effect and  the way in which it was rectified. In this case, the maintenance notification is created as a
completion confirmation once the maintenance tasks have been completed.
When you create a malfunction report, you should provide the maintenance planning department with as much information as possible regarding the malfunction or problem. To do this, make the following entries where possible:

•  Which malfunction or problem has occurred
• Where the malfunction or problem has occurred
• What effect it has
• Who reported the malfunction or problem
• What further damage or problems have been caused

2. Activity report - Notification Type : M3 ( T Code : IW25)
An activity report describes a maintenance or service activity already performed, or one that was not the result of a malfunction or damage. It simply provides technical documentation of which activities were performed when and with what results. Activity reports are therefore used for the technical confirmation of maintenance or service activities.
A typical activity report, for example, is the inspection findings, since it describes the results of an inspection to test the actual condition of the object. In most cases,the inspection task is based upon  an inspection order.
Another typical activity report is the maintenance findings. This documents the technical values of  the object that are determined during and/or after planned maintenance work. This maintenance work is performed in order to maintain the ideal condition of the object, and always results from maintenance plans.
Typical examples of the activities documented in activity reports are "Fill up oil", "Check pressure"  or "Tighten screws".

 3. Maintenance Request - Notification Type : M1 ( T Code : IW26)  (For requesting tasks to be performed.)
A maintenance request is a targeted instruction to the maintenance department to perform an activity in the manner described. The decisive factor in this case is that there is no malfunction.
Maintenance requests are typically used for investments, for example if an employee requires a  new monitor, or if all the telephones in one part of the building in a company need replacing. All that is initially important in the maintenance request is the maintenance activities.
Data relating to the execution of the tasks is only entered in the system in a second step,
by changing the maintenance notification.
When creating a maintenance request you should provide as much information as possible for maintenance planning, regarding the activities you want the maintenance department to carry out for you. To do this, make the following entries where possible:

• What is being requested
• The object or area to which the request refers
• Who requested the activity

General (User Specific) : A user-specific notification is one that does not belong to one of the
standard notification types. This is the case if your company uses individual notification types.
A user-specific notification type is based on the standard notification type. You can configure the
screens in Customizing
You can convert Notification to Maintenance Order as your requirements (If needed to involve  Maintenance Task, Material, Purchase Requisition etc).

Notification Characteristics:A notification has the following characteristics:
Header data :Each notification has header data. This includes information that is used to identify and manage the notification. It applies to the complete notification.
Notification item: You enter and maintain the data in a notification item to identify in more detail the problem or damage that occurred or for the executed action. A notification can have several items.
Actions: Actions document the work performed for a notification. They are particularly important in inspections to provide evidence of the work performed and the results established.
Task data:Task data describes activities that still have to be performed and may only have resulted from implementing the maintenance activity (Example Creating Report).

Notification Contents:
Reference object: (equipment, functional location, assembly, material serial number)
Subject : (For Adding Text. You can add Notification Related information)
Responsibilities:  (for example, planner group, main work center)
Item and cause : (for example, damage, cause of damage, object part)
System availability: (for example, system availability before/after)
Malfunction data : (for example, breakdown, start/end/duration of breakdown)
Start/end dates : (for example, priority, required start, required end)
Item overview : (for example, assembly, text)
Activities :For notification header and notification item
Tasks:  For notification header and notification item
Causes:  For notification header and notification item
Partner overview:  (for example, partner role, partner , address)
Warranty: (for example, start/end of warranty)
Location: (for example, maintenance plant, cost center, business area)
Others T-Code : IW21 (Create), IW22(Modify), IW23(Display), IW27(Assigned Deletion Flag) IW28 (Change: List), IW29 (List Display).