It is a Maintenance Manager's nightmare.
A critical conveyor belt snaps, shutting down the main line for 6 hours.
You pull the maintenance records. You see that the belt was inspected yesterday. The checklist says: "Belt Condition: Good. Tension: OK."
So, either the belt degraded from "Good" to "Snapped" in 24 hours (unlikely), or the inspection never actually happened.
The technician checked the box, but he didn't check the belt.
This is "Pencil Whipping." It is the practice of rushing through paperwork to clear the queue. It poisons your data, invalidates your reliability strategy, and leaves you legally vulnerable during a safety audit.
You cannot run a data-driven department if the input data is a lie.
Here is how to spot it, and how to use software to stop it.
Sign #1: The "Usain Bolt" Inspection (Duration Analysis)
Paper logs don't track time. Digital logs do.
If you look at your CMMS data, you might see a "Monthly Boiler Inspection" (a 45-minute task) that was opened at 8:00 AM and closed at 8:03 AM.
Unless your technician is The Flash, he didn't do the work. He sat in the breakroom and clicked "Pass" on every item.
The Fabrico Fix: Fabrico timestamps the start and end of every job. Managers can run a "Short Duration" report to flag PMs that were completed suspiciously fast.
Sign #2: The "Parking Lot" Completion (Location Data)
On paper, you can sign off a work order from anywhere. You can fill out Friday's checklists on Thursday afternoon to get ahead.
This leads to inspections being signed off while the technician isn't even near the machine.
The Fabrico Fix: Fabrico utilizes QR Code Scanning for "Proof of Presence."
To open the checklist, the technician must physically scan the tag on the machine. They cannot do it from the office. If the QR code wasn't scanned, the PM doesn't count.
Sign #3: The "Perfect" Record
Real machinery isn't perfect. If you review a year's worth of daily rounds and see 100% "Pass" results with zero comments, zero photos, and zero minor fixes, you have a problem.
Operators often default to "Pass" because checking "Fail" means they have to write an explanation.
The Fabrico Fix: Mandatory Evidence.
You can configure Fabrico so that specific critical checks (e.g., "Check Hydraulic Hose for Leaks") require a photo to proceed. The technician cannot just tap "Pass"; they must snap a picture of the hose.
Summary: Trust, but Verify
Pencil whipping isn't always malicious. Often, it's a symptom of an overloaded team or a clunky process.
If you give a technician a 50-page paper checklist, they will pencil whip it.
By moving to Fabrico, you solve both sides:
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You make it easier: The app is faster than paper.
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You make it accountable: Photos and timestamps ensure the work was actually done.
Don't wait for a breakdown to find out your data is fake.
Ready to verify your inspections?
See how Fabrico's "Proof of Presence" features ensure 100% data integrity.
Book a Demo with Fabrico Today
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