How to Report a Problem
Problems in DreamzCMMS are used to capture recurring or significant issues that require root-cause analysis — separate from day-to-day Work Requests. Where a Work Request addresses a single incident, a Problem record is raised when you need to investigate why an issue keeps happening and prevent it from recurring. Logging problems systematically helps your team move from reactive firefighting to proactive, long-term maintenance improvement.
Overview
The Problems module sits under Incidents and follows a similar structure to Work Requests, but is purpose-built for deeper investigation and resolution tracking. Each problem record captures the subject, priority, affected asset, requester details, and any supporting files — giving your team everything needed to analyse the root cause and drive a permanent fix.
If you need to log a one-off maintenance issue rather than a recurring problem, see Manage Work Requests
Before You Begin
- You must have Admin or Manager permissions to create and manage Problem records.
- The facility or asset location must already be set up before linking an asset to a problem. See Create Asset Locations
- The asset you want to link must already exist in your asset register. See Add an Asset
- Ensure your Incident Priority Master is configured if priority-based due dates and response dates are important to your workflow.
How to Report a Problem
Step 1 – Navigate to Problems
From the left-side menu, click Incidents, then click Problems. This opens the Problem listing page, showing all existing problem records.
Step 2 – Click "New Request"
Click the New Request button in the top right corner to open the problem creation form.
Step 3 – Fill in the Request Details
Complete the following fields in the Request Details section:
- Subject — Enter a clear title describing the problem (e.g., "Recurring Pump Failure – Building B").
- Description — Provide a detailed explanation of the problem, including how often it occurs, what has already been tried, and any patterns observed.
- Request Type — Select the appropriate type for this problem record.
- Priority — Set the priority level (e.g., Low, Medium, High, Critical). Based on the priority selected, the Due Date and Response Date will be automatically populated according to your Incident Priority Master settings.
Step 4 – Fill in the Requester Details
In the Requester Details section:
- Requester Type — Select whether the requester is a Customer or an Internal Employee.
- Name — Start typing the requester's name. If they exist in the system, a suggestion will appear — select it to auto-populate their details.
Step 5 – Link the Related Asset
In the Related Asset section, search for and select the asset the problem is associated with.
Important: Before selecting an asset, ensure the facility or asset location has already been added to the system. If the asset doesn't exist yet, click Add New Asset to open the asset pop-up, check the box next to the relevant asset, and click Add Asset to link it.
Step 6 – Attach a File (Optional)
If you have supporting evidence such as photos, inspection reports, failure logs, or trend data, click Choose a File to upload an attachment to the problem record.
Step 7 – Save the Problem
Click Save to submit the problem record. It will now appear on the Problem Listing Page and be visible to your team for investigation and action.
Once saved, each problem record on the listing page has a set of Action buttons that allow you to:
- Edit — Modify the problem details or update findings as the investigation progresses.
- Update Status — Change the current status (e.g., Open, Under Investigation, Resolved, Closed).
- Note — Add internal notes, investigation findings, or communication records.
- Convert to Work Order — Escalate the problem into a Work Order when the corrective action is ready to be scheduled and executed.
- Convert to Job — Convert the problem into a Job record if appropriate for your workflow.
- Purchase Request — Create a linked Purchase Request for any parts or materials needed to fix the root cause.
- Delete — Remove the problem record from the system.
Tip:
Use the Columns option in the top right of the listing page to show or hide columns and customise your view to focus on the information most relevant to your team.
After Reporting a Problem — What's Next?
Once a problem is logged, your team should:
- Investigate the root cause using the notes and history attached to the problem record.
- Convert to a Work Order when the corrective action is identified and ready to be carried out — see Create and Manage Work Orders ← [HYPERLINK → Work Orders article]
- Monitor resolution by updating the status as the investigation and fix progress.
- Review related Work Requests to identify other incidents that may be symptoms of the same underlying problem.
- Close the problem once the root cause has been resolved, and the fix has been verified.
Tips for Reporting Problems Effectively
- Be specific in the subject and description. Include how frequently the issue occurs, which assets are affected, and what conditions trigger it. The more detail provided upfront, the faster the root cause can be identified.
- Always link the related asset. This connects the problem to your asset's full maintenance history, making it easier to spot patterns across past Work Requests and failures.
- Use Notes to document the investigation. As your team works through the root-cause analysis, add notes to build a complete investigation trail — this is invaluable for audits and future reference.
- Set realistic priorities. A problem affecting a single non-critical asset is different from one causing repeated shutdowns of core equipment. Accurate priority ensures the right level of urgency is applied.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a Problem and a Work Request?
A Work Request captures a single, specific incident that needs to be fixed. A Problem is raised when an issue is recurring or significant enough to warrant root-cause analysis — the goal is to prevent the issue from happening again, not just fix it once.
Can a Problem be linked to multiple Work Requests?
You can reference related Work Requests in the Notes section of a Problem record to build context. Direct multi-record linking depends on your system configuration.
What happens when I convert a Problem to a Work Order?
The system creates a new Work Order pre-populated with details from the Problem record. The Problem remains in the system for reference and audit trail purposes.
Can I attach multiple files to a Problem record?
Yes. You can upload multiple supporting files (photos, reports, logs) to a problem record to support the investigation.