Course Description - Advanced Work Order Workshop

Course Description:

The Advanced Work Order Workshop is an interactive 1¾-day program designed for utility professionals who have previously completed Work Order Procedures. Building upon foundational work order knowledge, this advanced course focuses on improving processes, strengthening financial and operational controls, and maximizing the value of work order information throughout the utility.

Participants will move beyond understanding how work orders are processed to exploring why they matter and what actions should be taken next. Through practical examples, discussions, exercises, and case studies, attendees will evaluate current practices, identify opportunities for improvement, and develop strategies that strengthen the connection between engineering, operations, warehousing, accounting, and leadership decision-making.

The workshop emphasizes the complete work order lifecycle—from estimating and material planning through construction, reconciliation, unitization, reporting, and long-term capital planning.

The two primary takeaways from this workshop are: “So What?” and “What’s Next?”

Maximum value is achieved when attendees represent multiple departments, allowing participants to better understand how engineering, operations, warehousing, accounting, and leadership responsibilities intersect throughout the work order lifecycle. Successful work order management requires coordination across multiple departments.

This workshop is designed for utility personnel who are involved in planning, construction, accounting, reporting, management, or oversight of work orders and capital projects. This workshop is particularly valuable for organizations seeking to improve communication and collaboration between engineering, operations, warehousing, accounting, and leadership teams. Attendees will gain a better understanding of how decisions made in one area of the work order process impact project costs, plant records, financial reporting, and long-term capital planning.

Learning Objectives:

Upon completion of this workshop, participants will be able to:

• Improve the accuracy and efficiency estimating, assembly setup, staking units, and material planning processes.

• Strengthen inventory management practices, including stock and non-stock decisions, salvage management, and material accountability.

• Establish and maintain effective standard cost processes that support estimating, budgeting, work order and work plan analysis, and plant accounting.

• Improve work order reconciliation procedures to ensure accurate project costs, proper cost allocation, and reliable financial records.

• Evaluate and improve work order workflows from staking through closeout while enhancing communication among departments.

• Utilize work order information to support unitization, capital planning, financial reporting, and management decision-making.

Day 1 Morning

Module 1: Building Accurate Projects – Estimating, Assemblies, and Material Planning

Purpose: Create stronger estimates, improve assembly design, and ensure material requirements support both operations and accounting needs.

Topics include:

• Engineering specifications and staking sheet fundamentals

• Assembly design and maintenance best practices

• Assembly unit setup and considerations for estimating accuracy

• Developing accurate and efficient estimating processes

• Material planning considerations

• Improving pick list accuracy

• Avoiding “cafeteria-style” material selections

• Building assemblies that drive accurate material pulls

• Ensuring critical materials are not omitted from estimates

• Common estimating pitfalls and process improvements

• Practical estimating examples and discussion

Module 2: Inventory Management, Material Accountability, and Salvage

Purpose: Improve inventory control while understanding how material decisions affect work order costs and financial records.

Topics include:

• Inventory process review from warehouse to job closeout

• Stock versus non-stock material decisions

• Inventory control best practices

• Audit recommendations and inventory safeguards

• Material loss prevention strategies

• Salvage material identification and tracking

• Reuse of materials

• Financial impact of salvage on work orders

• Salvage impacts on plant accounting and financial statements

• Reconciling inventory activity to work order costs

Day 1 Afternoon

Module 3: Standard Costs, Time Studies, and Unitization

Purpose: Understand how standard costs support estimating, construction accounting, and plant records.

Topics include:

• Why standard costs matter

• Establishing and maintaining current standard costs

• Conducting practical time studies

• Labor, equipment, and overhead cost considerations

• Fixed asset-level standard costs

• Unitization concepts - Allocating costs among fixed asset accounts

• Construction and retirement units

• Impacts on depreciation and plant records

• Improving reporting and capital asset accuracy

• Case studies and examples

Module 4: Work Order Reconciliation and Cost Accuracy

Purpose: Ensure work orders close with complete, accurate, and supportable costs.

Topics include:

• Reconciling labor, material, and overhead costs

• Construction units versus retirement units

• Existing staking units and material variances

• Understanding when material quantities exceed assembly expectations

• Salvage considerations during reconciliation

• Reviewing work orders for completeness

• Identifying common reconciliation issues

• Improving accuracy of project costing

• Preparing work orders for closeout

• Practical reconciliation exercises

• Responsibilities of staking, operations, warehouse, and accounting in work order closing

Day 2 Morning:

Module 5: Process Optimization and Special Equipment Management

Purpose: Improve efficiency and accountability across the entire work order process.

Topics include:

• Mapping current work order workflows

• Staking-to-warehouse communication

• Material charging processes

• Job tracking and status monitoring

• Multiple work orders within a single project

• Departmental roles and responsibilities

• Eliminating bottlenecks

• Improving communication and accountability

• Special equipment management review

• Converting special equipment to inventory considerations

• Accounting and operational impacts

Module 6: Work Plan Analysis, Reporting, and Capital Planning

Purpose: Transform work order information into meaningful management and planning tools.

Topics include:

• Work plan monitoring techniques

• Determining what should be reviewed and by whom

• Annual and multi-year work plan reporting

• Reporting for management and leadership

• Member-consumer communication opportunities

• Overhead cost smoothing techniques and practical examples

• Capital project analysis

• Risk management considerations

• Long-term capital planning

• Using work order information to support strategic decision-making

Advanced Work Order Workshop

Colorado Rural Electric Association