Task Management System

The Task Management system was designed spread the condominium's repair and maintenance management work among many volunteers, while providing a single point of contact (more or less) between Cambridge Cohousing and any given Vendor. 

Service Area  

Maintenance work is divded into areas that roughly correspond to individual vendor specialities. For example, Plumbing, Snow Removal, or Pest Control.  Service areas are listed here. 

Service Manager

Resident volunteer who handles maintenance requests - arranging work with an appropriate Vendor. Service Managers are assigned to Service Areas, as documented here. 

Service Coordinator

Resident volunteer who triages incoming maintenance requests, and ensures that they are handled by the appropriate Service Manager.  

Maintenance Requests

Any resident can make a request for maintenance. Normally, these are requests for maintaining commonly-owned features of the property. Requests to repair or replace privately-owned features (fan coils, thermostats, leaky toilets, etc.) will most likely be directed back to the unit owner, along with appropriate vendor suggestions whenever possible.  

Tasks

Maintenance requests become Tasks in Buildium, and are assigned to Service Managers.  To view the current status of our tasks  in Buildium, either become a Service Manager, or ask Bob Melvin to add you to the management side of the Buildium system as an Observer. 

Work Orders

When a Vendor is hired to complete a Task, the Service Manager may create a Work Order.  Work Orders usually contain an estimated cost for the work. Note that Work Orders are optional. They are particularly useful for complex or expensive jobs, which should have a plan of work and a cost estimate or agreed-upon fixed price.  Our system can be configured to require approval for Work Orders, if desired. We currently ask Service Managers to request Board approval for jobs that cost more than $500, but this is handled outside of Buildium.  Work Orders are not necessary for long-term contract work. If there is a contract, the prices and work specifications should be in the contract, and the contract should be uploaded to the Vendor's profile in Buildium.

Invoices

When work is completed, and the final cost is known, the Vendor usually sends an invoice. The Payment Coordinator (Board Treasurer, or another authorized financial administrator) enters an Invoice, which documents the invoice that was received from the Vendor (if any).  The invoice can then be paid. Payment can be made directly in Buildium - either via check or via direct electronic funds transfer.  It is also possible to  write a paper check, and log the payment in Buildium. (Only three people on the Board have check-writing privileges.)