Image Uploads on Maintenance Requests
By Eve
In our continuous mission to streamline maintenance operations and make communication between teams more effective, we’re excited to introduce a new feature to our CMMS maintenance requests: Image Uploads on Maintenance Work Requests.
From small maintenance teams to enterprise-scale operations, visual documentation is often the missing link between a fast fix and frustrating downtime. By enabling users to upload images directly when submitting a maintenance request, we’re bridging that gap — delivering more clarity, improving technician response times, and reducing back-and-forth communication.
This blog post dives into what this new feature does, why it matters, and how your team can take full advantage of it.
Why Add Image Uploads to Maintenance Requests?
Let’s face it: explaining a problem with words alone isn’t always enough. In maintenance environments, being able to show the issue is far more efficient than trying to describe it. Whether it’s a leaking pipe, a cracked panel, or an electrical fault, images help paint a complete picture.
Until now, maintenance requests might have relied solely on written descriptions, which can be vague, overly technical, or just plain confusing. The result? Delays, misunderstandings, or even the wrong technician being sent out with the wrong parts.
By adding image uploads, requesters can now:
Snap a photo of the problem on their phone
Attach it directly to the request
Submit everything in seconds
This simple enhancement can dramatically accelerate first-time fix rates, reduce technician guesswork, and cut unnecessary back-and-forth communication.
Key Benefits of Image Uploads on Requests
1. More Accurate Request Submissions
Photos speak louder than words — especially in maintenance. A blurry explanation like “the motor’s making a weird noise” can now be replaced (or supplemented) with a photo of the machine, any visible damage, or even a short image series showing the condition over time. This provides immediate context for technicians, so they arrive better prepared.
2. Faster Troubleshooting and Work Order Assignment
When a technician or supervisor can see the issue upfront, they can often identify the root cause without needing to inspect the asset in person first. This allows:
Faster triaging of urgent issues
Correct technician assignment based on the visual problem
Better preparation for tools, spare parts, and PPE requirements
This leads to a quicker response time and helps reduce the mean time to repair (MTTR).
3. Improved Technician Efficiency
Technicians can view submitted images alongside the work order on their mobile app or dashboard. This helps them:
Understand the problem before arriving on site
Determine if further images or details are needed
Confirm they’re dealing with the correct asset
This leads to less time diagnosing and more time fixing — making your maintenance team more efficient and productive.
4. Enhanced Communication Between Teams
Maintenance teams often work closely with operations, facility staff, or external contractors. With image uploads:
Operations staff can flag issues they see on the floor
Facility managers can report site conditions visually
Contractors can receive visual documentation ahead of visits
This fosters clearer communication and smoother coordination between departments.
5. A Stronger Audit Trail
Every image attached to a maintenance request becomes part of the digital record. This creates a more complete audit trail that includes:
Visual condition of assets at the time of request
Evidence of recurring or chronic issues
Records that can be used for warranty claims or insurance
The ability to go back and reference visual data is a major step toward data-driven maintenance.
How It Works
We’ve made image uploads as intuitive as possible, whether you’re on a desktop or using the mobile app.
Users can submit up to 5 JPEG or PNG files.
📲 On Mobile:
Ensure that maintenance requests have been enabled via System in the left side menu of the web app. Supply the maintenance request URL to your requestors.
Users should navigate to the unique maintenance requests URL
Complete details on where the maintenance issue is located
Provide a detailed description of the maintenance issue
Tap Browse and select the images to be added to the maintenance request
Select the method for adding images (eg. photo library, camera, etc.) and follow the phone prompts
Submit the request as usual
💻 On Desktop:
Ensure that maintenance requests have been enabled via System in the left side menu of the web app. Supply the maintenance request URL to your requestors.
Users should navigate to the unique maintenance requests URL
Complete details on where the maintenance issue is located
Provide a detailed description of the maintenance issue
Tap Browse and select the images to be added to the maintenance request OR drag and drop the images into the area as indicated
Submit the request as usual
Practical Use Cases of Maintenance Requests
Wondering how this can be used in your organization? Here are a few common scenarios:
Facilities Management: A tenant reports ceiling water stains — they snap a photo and submit a request, enabling facilities to spot the plumbing issue immediately.
Manufacturing: A machine operator notices excessive belt wear — takes a close-up image and logs a maintenance ticket for inspection.
Hospitality: A housekeeper sees a damaged light fixture in a hotel room and uploads a photo when submitting the repair request.
Education: A teacher notices broken furniture in a classroom and logs it with a quick phone pic to show the damage.
No matter the industry, photos create instant clarity.
What’s Next?
Visual communication has become the norm in everyday life — and it should be in your maintenance process too. With image uploads on maintenance requests, we’re giving your team the tools to work smarter and faster from the moment an issue is spotted.
This new feature is now live on all plans — no extra configuration required.
If you’re already using Maintainly CMMS, give it a try on your next maintenance request. If not, book a demo and see how Maintainly is helping teams reduce downtime, boost productivity, and modernize maintenance — one photo at a time.
