What does maintenance really cost you? Per-device costs and a budget forecast

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The question "what does maintenance cost us?" is often answered with "it's somewhere in accounting". But accounting shows invoices, not which device and which provider caused them. MaintenanceDesk records costs where they arise — on the maintenance ticket.

Costs on the ticket, not in a side spreadsheet

When work is done, the external provider's amount is recorded on the ticket (with the invoice date), and consumed spare parts are added automatically from stock records. Every euro gets an address: a device, a provider and a work category.

Providers carry rate cards in the system — visit fee, hourly rate, or a flat contract. For flat contracts, reports also show whether the deal pays off or you are paying for work beyond its scope.

Reports that answer real questions

  • Per device — which machine eats the budget (external work + parts + total)
  • Per provider — provider comparison and flat-contract utilisation
  • Per category — where the biggest share goes (mechanical, electrical…)
  • Annual and monthly views — development over time, export for finance

Costs are visible to administrators only — technicians work with tickets without seeing amounts.

The budget forecast

From preventive maintenance plans and provider rate cards, the system estimates next year's costs — planned visits × rate + a buffer. Where the manager knows better (a planned overhaul, a known replacement), the per-device estimate can be overridden manually — with a required note, so the budget stays defensible.

Why it matters

  • Decisions with an address — "replace or keep repairing" leans on the real costs of the unit
  • Negotiating with providers — data about visits and hours instead of impressions
  • Budgeting without fortune-telling — the forecast grows from plans, not last year's number plus a percentage

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