---
title: "RCM Changes and Deferrals"
slug: "rcm-changes-and-deferrals"
description: "Learn about the Change and Deferral workflow for RCM requests, including steps for creating, approving, and implementing changes or deferrals."
status: "update"
updated: 2026-10-27T23:11:57Z
published: 2026-10-27T23:11:57Z
canonical: "ims-handbook.cenosco.com/rcm-changes-and-deferrals"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://ims-handbook.cenosco.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# RCM Changes and Deferrals

> [!NOTE]
> Note
> 
> This article describes the Change and Deferral workflow in RCM — requesting a change to an RCM analysis or maintenance strategy. It is a different process from deferring (extending) an Inspection Schedule. For in-depth information on change and deferral processes across other disciplines, see [Approving, Editing and Deferring Schedules](/v414/docs/approving-editing-and-extending-schedules) and [Integrated Deferral Approval Process for Schedules](/v414/docs/deferring-schedules).

The Change and Deferral (CD) module lets you create, approve, and implement requests to change an RCM analysis or its maintenance strategy. Each step in the workflow is tied to predefined users with authorization levels, and each is backed by an informative e-mail to the people involved. A CD request moves through five stages: Initiated, Awaiting Approval, Disapproved, Awaiting Implementation, and Implemented.

## **Creating a CD Request**

Click **+** in the **Change/ Deferral** Main Screen (Grid List) to open the **Change / Deferral List** window. Set **Type Of Request** to **Change** or **Deferral** first — the rest of the window adjusts to show the fields relevant to that request type. This window is kept deliberately compact, since requests are often created at field locations with weak internet connectivity; the fuller Details page opens once you save (see below).

> [!NOTE]
> Note
> 
> Fields shaded amber are required; white fields are optional. Both windows are shown below with amber marking exactly which fields must be filled in before you can save.

### Creating a Change

To create a Change request:

1. Set **Type Of Request** to **Change**.
2. Fill in **Related Discipline**, **Unit**, **Request Priority**, **Requester**, and **Short Description** — all required.
3. Under **FLOCs / Units**, click the search icon and add every FLOC the change applies to.
4. Under **Equipment**, click the search icon and add every Equipment tag the change applies to.
5. Optionally, set Type Of Plan Action to describe the kind of change (see [categorization examples](/v414/docs/rcm-changes-and-deferrals#categorizing-changes-and-deferrals-examples) below).
6. Under **Details**, set **Duration of Change** — for example, “Permanent" for a lasting change.
7. Under **Additional Information**, select the required **ABC Indicator**, and optionally set **Execution Condition**. For more information, see [Deferral and Change Field Reference](/v414/docs/rcm-changes-and-deferrals#deferral-and-change-field-reference) below.
8. Click **Save**. This assigns a Document Number (for example, CHG00001776) and opens the **Change / Deferral Details** page, where you complete the rest of the request — see [Completing the Change / Deferral Details Page](/v414/docs/rcm-changes-and-deferrals#completing-the-change-deferral-details-page) below.

![Change request details including priority, equipment, and requester information for maintenance.](https://cdn.document360.io/e492a0e0-a4ba-4aca-8fc6-76b95f91fdf3/Images/Documentation/change_window.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-10-28T14%3A22%3A55Z&se=2026-10-28T15%3A22%3A55Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=eMrEXVvkmemrS%2Fl6Z6J44f%2FMO5sygV%2B2X5VU8JOBCQ8%3D)

> [!NOTE]
> Note
> 
> **Does the change involve a ROOM/HEMP Critical item?** and **Production Critical** fill in automatically once FLOCs/Units and Equipment are added — they are not editable directly.

### Creating a Deferral

To create a Deferral request:

1. Set **Type Of Request** to **Deferral**.
2. Fill in **Related Discipline**, **Unit**, **Request Priority**, **Requester**, and **Short Description** — all required.
3. Select a **Reason for Deferral** — for example, "Economic Opportunity," "Engineering Judgement," or "Required Repair Parts Not Available."
4. Under **Additional Information**, enter the required **New Schedule Due Date** and select the required **ABC Indicator**. For more information, see [Deferral and Change Field Reference](/v414/docs/rcm-changes-and-deferrals#deferral-and-change-field-reference) below.
5. Optionally, also under **Additional Information**: set the **Deferral Approval Due Date** (click the blue i icon for details), select an **Execution Condition**, and set an **Extension** value. Select **Repeated Request** if this deferral repeats an earlier one on the same item.
6. Optionally, add supporting notes under **Requirements By Authority**.
7. In the **Implementation System** grid, click **+** to open the **Select Schedule** pop‑up: search for and select a Schedule ID (its Schedule Type, Category, and Due date fill in automatically), set an Extension value, check Extends Deferral if this Schedule's deferral should extend rather than replace an earlier one, then click **Save**. Repeat for every Schedule this deferral covers.
8. In the **Location / Equipment** grid, click **+** to add every FLOC/Equipment tag this deferral applies to.
9. Click **Save**. This assigns a Document Number and opens the **Change / Deferral Details** page, where you complete the rest of the request — see [Completing the Change / Deferral Details Page](/v414/docs/rcm-changes-and-deferrals#completing-the-change-deferral-details-page) below.

![Request details for a deferral including schedule and equipment information.](https://cdn.document360.io/e492a0e0-a4ba-4aca-8fc6-76b95f91fdf3/Images/Documentation/deferral_creating.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-10-28T14%3A22%3A55Z&se=2026-10-28T15%3A22%3A55Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=eMrEXVvkmemrS%2Fl6Z6J44f%2FMO5sygV%2B2X5VU8JOBCQ8%3D)

### Completing the Change / Deferral Details Page

Saving the initial request opens its **Change / Deferral Details** page, numbered with an auto‑generated Document Number, across four tabs: Details, Attachments, Approval, and Implementation. The mechanics below apply the same way to Change and Deferral requests — only the content in the middle of the Details tab differs, since a Change is documented by its scope and consequences, while a Deferral is documented by the risk of delaying the work.

On the **Details** tab:

1. Review the Request Details you entered when creating the request — **Type Of Plan Action**, **FLOCs / Units**, and **Equipment** can still be edited here.
2. Fill in the section specific to the request type — see [For a Change](/v414/docs/rcm-changes-and-deferrals#for-a-change) or [For a Deferral](/v414/docs/rcm-changes-and-deferrals#for-a-deferral) below.
3. Fill the information in the [Remaining Tabs](/v414/docs/rcm-changes-and-deferrals#remaining-tabs) below.
4. Scroll to the top of the **Change / Deferral Details** page and, in the upper right corner click **Submit for Approval**.

#### For a Change

- Under **Scope of Change (What?)**, describe what is changing.
- Under **Change Justification (Why?)**, describe why the change or deferral is needed.
- Under **Consequences of the Change**, select an **Impact** (Positive or Negative) and describe the consequence.
- Under **Additional Information**, confirm **Does the change involve a ROOM/HEMP Critical item?**, **Production Critical**, **ABC Indicator**, and **Execution Condition**; optionally set **Does the change involve Environmental Compliance?**; and select any of the "Result of…" boxes that apply (Result Of MOC, Result of E&SB Analysis, Result of Project, Result of RCM Study, Result of Audit, Result of HEMP/Process Safety Review, Result of TA Finding, Result of UPDT (unplanned downtime), Result of Incident Management System (FIM), Result of Equipment Care Strategy) to record what triggered the request.

#### For a Deferral

- Under **Risk Analysis**, set the Unmitigated Risk Score (P, A, C, E) and describe the risk under Comments on Risk.
- Under **Monitoring and Controls**, check Mitigation in Place – Operations if applicable, and describe it under Comments on Mitigation.
- Under **Technical Evaluation**, summarize prior inspections under Summary of Past Inspections, and give an overall assessment under Technical Evaluation Summary.

#### Remaining Tabs

These tabs are the same for both request types:

1. In the **Attachments** tab, click the *Attachment* icon to add supporting files.
2. To set up this request's **Change / Deferral Approval Stage**:
  1. Click **+.**
  2. Select a **Discipline**.
  3. Search for and select a **Person**.
  4. Choose a **Tier Level** (for example, First). You can specify multiple Approvers on the same Tier level, or on different Tier Levels. If all are on the same Tier, they will all be notified simultaneously. If on different Tiers, then they will only be notified after the Approvers on the Tiers higher than them have Approved.
  5. Click **Save**. Repeat to add more Approvers or additional tiers.

> [!NOTE]
> Note
> 
> This is separate from pre‑defining Approvers and Implementers at the site level (see [Pre‑defining People for the Approval Process](/v414/docs/rcm-changes-and-deferrals#predefining-people-for-the-approval-process) below) — that setting only supplies the defaults this stage starts with; you can still add to or change them per request here.

1. Set up this request’s **Change / Deferral Implementation Stage** the same way.

### Deferral and Change Field Reference

Three fields on these windows are configurable lists rather than fixed options, so it's worth knowing what the values mean:

- **Reason for Deferral** — why the deferral is needed, e.g. economic opportunity, engineering judgement, or required repair parts not available.
- **Execution Condition** — the condition under which the work will be executed: OTR (On The Run), TA (Turnaround), or TBD (To Be Determined).
- **ABC Indicator** — a custom classification that sites can define themselves, or have created and assigned automatically by a connected CMMS. Values are site‑specific; examples include T, X, and Y.

### Categorizing Changes and Deferrals (Examples)

The **Type Of Plan Action** field (Change requests) and **Related Discipline** field (both request types) draw on lists the site admin configures in **Settings** > **Maintenance** > **Common Data** > **Change & Deferral**. Typical reasons for raising a Change request include:

- Review equipment RCM analyses regarding high maintenance cost.
- Review equipment RCM analyses regarding high operational effort.
- Review equipment RCM analyses regarding actual incident data available, and updating them with degradation data or failure effects data.
- A Causal Learning study was completed — reviewing or updating the equipment RCM study with the findings.
- Corrective Maintenance was done while Preventive Maintenance was present — reviewing equipment RCM analyses regarding actual failure modes and the effectiveness of the maintenance strategy.
- RCM Preventive Maintenance tasks are problematic for Maintenance and/or Operations — reviewing the maintenance strategy for improvement.

![Change & Deferral common data configuration.](https://cdn.document360.io/e492a0e0-a4ba-4aca-8fc6-76b95f91fdf3/Images/Documentation/Screenshot_304.jpg?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-10-28T14%3A22%3A55Z&se=2026-10-28T15%3A22%3A55Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=eMrEXVvkmemrS%2Fl6Z6J44f%2FMO5sygV%2B2X5VU8JOBCQ8%3D)

Typical **Type Of Plan Action** values cover the review and evaluation of the equipment RCM analyses, such as:

- No-Maintenance scenario.
- Criticality (Consequence and Probability).
- Maintenance Strategy.
- Do-Maintenance scenario.
- Task definitions.
- ETBC, MEI, and Residual Risk.
- Task grouping and task scheduling.
- Spare parts.

![Type Of Plan Action options.](https://cdn.document360.io/e492a0e0-a4ba-4aca-8fc6-76b95f91fdf3/Images/Documentation/Screenshot_305.jpg?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-10-28T14%3A22%3A55Z&se=2026-10-28T15%3A22%3A55Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=eMrEXVvkmemrS%2Fl6Z6J44f%2FMO5sygV%2B2X5VU8JOBCQ8%3D)

### **History**

When you add a change or deferral request, it's registered in the event history of every FLOC and Equipment item selected in the CD request. Multiple FLOCs and Equipment can be selected, even outside the Unit the CD request is registered under.

## **Pre-defining People for the Approval Process**

Register people in the Approver and Implementer roles via **Settings** > **Maintenance** > **Common Data** > **Change & Deferral** > **Auto Approval selection**.

**![Auto Approval selection.](https://cdn.document360.io/e492a0e0-a4ba-4aca-8fc6-76b95f91fdf3/Images/Documentation/Screenshot_328(2).jpg?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-10-28T14%3A22%3A55Z&se=2026-10-28T15%3A22%3A55Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=eMrEXVvkmemrS%2Fl6Z6J44f%2FMO5sygV%2B2X5VU8JOBCQ8%3D)**

You can define which Approvers prefill on Change Requests and which prefill on Deferral Requests (or both) and assign disciplines to further filter who can be selected as an Approver or Implementer.

![Overview of disciplines with implementation details and effective dates in a table format.](https://cdn.document360.io/e492a0e0-a4ba-4aca-8fc6-76b95f91fdf3/Images/Documentation/Screenshot_310.jpg?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-10-28T14%3A22%3A55Z&se=2026-10-28T15%3A22%3A55Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=eMrEXVvkmemrS%2Fl6Z6J44f%2FMO5sygV%2B2X5VU8JOBCQ8%3D)

## **Approving a CD Request**

For an Approval, the system looks first for predefined people at the unit level, then the plant, then the site — the unit's predefined people have priority over the site, and so on. Approvers are notified by e-mail once a request needs their approval.

An approval stage can include more than one Approver at a given hierarchy level. To approve or reject a request:

1. Follow the link you receive in the e-mail to implement the request and scroll down to the **Change / Deferral Approval Stage** tab on the request's Change / Deferral Details page.
2. Click **Approve** or **Reject**.
3. If rejecting, add a reason.

All included Approvers must approve for the request to move forward. If any Approver rejects, the approval process ends and a notification is sent to every included Approver. Once all approvals are in, the requester is notified by e‑mail. Approvers and Implementers also get a weekly e‑mail summarizing their pending activity.

## **Implementing a CD Request**

Implementers are notified by e‑mail once a request is approved and needs implementing. To confirm implementation:

1. Follow the link you receive in the e-mail to implement the request and scroll down to the **Change / Deferral Implementation Stage** tab on the request's Change / Deferral Details page.
2. Click **Approve** or **Reject**.
3. If rejecting, add a reason.

Once implemented, the requester is notified by e‑mail. As with approval, Implementers get a weekly e‑mail summary of pending activity.

## Weblink for Users Without RCM Access

Users without RCM access can still create a CHD (Change and Deferral) request through a weblink, giving access to just the IMS RCM CHD Details Page (Main Grid) and its dashboard.

![Change and deferral list for users without RCM.](https://cdn.document360.io/e492a0e0-a4ba-4aca-8fc6-76b95f91fdf3/Images/Documentation/change_deferral_without RCM.jpg?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-10-28T14%3A22%3A55Z&se=2026-10-28T15%3A22%3A55Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=eMrEXVvkmemrS%2Fl6Z6J44f%2FMO5sygV%2B2X5VU8JOBCQ8%3D)

> [!NOTE]
> Note
> 
> Both the weblink functionality and the e‑mail notifications require users to be registered in an Active Directory domain, which confirms a valid e‑mail address for that user. The weblink is the RCM instance link extended with **/#ExecutionRequest**. Users outside the domain need to log in with a username and password.

## **Dashboard**

An CD Request [Dashboard](/v414/docs/dashboard-introduction) lists requests across the following sections:

- Waiting for my approval or implementation.
- My Requests.
- Open requests.
- Requests in last 30 days.
- Overdue requests.
- Implemented requests.
- Disapproved requests.
- Total requests.

![Overview of requests showing open, overdue, implemented, and disapproved requests statistics.](https://cdn.document360.io/e492a0e0-a4ba-4aca-8fc6-76b95f91fdf3/Images/Documentation/Screenshot_312.jpg?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-10-28T14%3A22%3A55Z&se=2026-10-28T15%3A22%3A55Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=eMrEXVvkmemrS%2Fl6Z6J44f%2FMO5sygV%2B2X5VU8JOBCQ8%3D)

**My Requests** gives direct links to requests you issued, across these statuses: Initiated, Awaiting Approval, Awaiting Implementation, Implemented, Disapproved, and Total.

![Overview of request statuses including initiated, awaiting approval, implementation, and disapproved.](https://cdn.document360.io/e492a0e0-a4ba-4aca-8fc6-76b95f91fdf3/Images/Documentation/Screenshot_329.jpg?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-10-28T14%3A22%3A55Z&se=2026-10-28T15%3A22%3A55Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=eMrEXVvkmemrS%2Fl6Z6J44f%2FMO5sygV%2B2X5VU8JOBCQ8%3D)

**My Approvals** gives direct links to requests waiting on your approval or implementation, across these statuses: Awaiting Approval, Awaiting Implementation, and Total.

![Status overview showing tasks awaiting approval and implementation with percentages.](https://cdn.document360.io/e492a0e0-a4ba-4aca-8fc6-76b95f91fdf3/Images/Documentation/Screenshot_330.jpg?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-10-28T14%3A22%3A55Z&se=2026-10-28T15%3A22%3A55Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=eMrEXVvkmemrS%2Fl6Z6J44f%2FMO5sygV%2B2X5VU8JOBCQ8%3D)

Reliability Centered Maintenance

Change and/or Deferral

Functional Location

Hazards and Effects Management Process

Management of Change

Computerized Maintenance Management Software

Estimated Time Between Consequence

Maintenance Efficiency Index

Integrity Management System