# Maintenance plans, work rules and work order generation

*Agentforce Field Service and Operations Consultant Study Guide · Configuring Maintenance Plans · Last updated October 29, 2026 · https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/agentforce-field-service-consultant/configuring-maintenance-plans/maintenance-plans-work-rules-and-work-order-generation*

How to set up a maintenance plan so preventive work orders arrive on the right dates: first-visit date, generation timeframe and horizon, auto or manual generation, maintenance work rules, generation methods, the 2,600-record batch limit, addresses and service contract links.

- Certification: Salesforce Agentforce Field Service and Operations Consultant
- Exam section: Configuring Maintenance Plans
- Study guide: https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/agentforce-field-service-consultant

**Official exam objective:**

> Given a scenario, recommend the appropriate maintenance plan.

## What the exam expects

- Pick the plan field that sets the first visit, batch reach, batch timing or appointment window.
- Choose manual, automatic, horizon-based or completion-based generation from a requirement.
- Define recurrence with maintenance work rules on the plan or on single assets.
- Recommend work order and service appointment generation methods and predict what they create.
- Fix the batch limit, Due Date Offset overrides, addresses, schedule changes and service contract links.

Key terms:
- **Maintenance plan:** defines how often visits occur and mass-generates their work orders.
- **Maintenance asset:** an asset covered by a plan; an asset can be on several plans.
- **Maintenance work rule:** a recurrence on a plan or a maintenance asset.
- **Suggested Maintenance Date:** the planned service date on a generated work order.
- **Batch:** the work orders generated at one time.

## Key facts

| Fact | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Blank maintenance window | Appointment dates show the suggested maintenance date | [Maintenance Plan Fields](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.fs_maintenance_fields.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Auto-generate work orders | Blocks the manual Generate Work Orders action | [Maintenance Plan Fields](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.fs_maintenance_fields.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Completed status categories | Cannot Complete, Canceled, Completed, Closed | [Set Up Maintenance Plans](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=fs_create_maintenance.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Frequency fields | Phased retirement since Summer '22; migrate to work rules | [Maintenance Plan Fields](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.fs_maintenance_fields.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Asset-level work rules | Override the plan's default rules for that asset | [Set Up Maintenance Plans](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=fs_create_maintenance.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Batch limit | 2,600 work orders and line items combined | [Set Up Maintenance Plans](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=fs_create_maintenance.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Generation Method None | Defaults to one work order per asset | [Generation Guidelines](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.fs_generate_work_orders_plan.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Due Date Offset | Work type offset overrides the plan's due date | [Generation Guidelines](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.fs_generate_work_orders_plan.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Address lookup order | Asset, location visitor address, plan account shipping address | [Generation Guidelines](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.fs_generate_work_orders_plan.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |

## Check yourself

- Why doesn't the plan's own Date of the first work order in the next batch change after a batch when the plan has assets?
- Why can an admin not click Generate Work Orders on a plan that has Auto-generate work orders selected?
- When do a generated appointment's date fields simply show the work order's suggested maintenance date?
- When can the plan's Service Contract no longer be updated?

## Sources

- [Set Up Field Service Maintenance Plans](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=fs_create_maintenance.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Maintenance Plan Fields](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.fs_maintenance_fields.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Guidelines for Generating Work Orders from a Maintenance Plan](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.fs_generate_work_orders_plan.htm&language=en_US&type=5)

## About the full unit

The "Core concepts", "Exam traps" and "Worked scenario" sections of this unit, its 15 linked practice questions, and unlimited timed mock exams are included with the Agentforce Field Service and Operations Consultant pack (USD $19): https://www.certifyforce.com/practice-exams