# Parent Location Child Location Hierarchy

The CMMS often utilizes a hierarchical structure to organize locations, known as Parent/Child relationships. This structure allows for a more detailed and organized representation of the physical layout of an organization's facilities.

-Parent Locations: These are broader, more general areas within the organization. Examples of Parent Locations might include an entire manufacturing plant, a corporate office building, or a university campus. Parent Locations serve as the top-level categories under which more specific locations are grouped.

- Child Locations: These are more specific areas nested within Parent Locations. Child Locations can be individual rooms, floors, production lines, or specific areas within a building. For example, within a Parent Location of "Corporate Office Building," you might have Child Locations such as "First Floor," "HR Department," "Conference Room A," etc.

This hierarchical structure allows maintenance managers and technicians to pinpoint exactly where maintenance tasks need to be performed, where assets are located, and where inventory is stored. It also facilitates more accurate reporting and analysis of maintenance activities by location.

Examples:

- University Campus (Parent Location): Can be divided into Child Locations such as "Science Building," "Library,",”Canteen”,”Sanitaries” and "Student Center." Each of these Child Locations can be further divided; for example, the "Science Building" might include "Laboratory 101," "Professor Smith's Office," and "Lecture Hall 2."

- Manufacturing Plant (Parent Location): Might include Child Locations like "Assembly Line 1," "Quality Control Department," and "Warehouse." Each Child Location can have even more specific areas, such as "Shipping Dock" within the "Warehouse."

-If a technician needs to perform maintenance on an HVAC system, the CMMS could specify that the work order is for the HVAC units located on the third floor (2nd Child Location) of the main office building (Child Location) of the Manufacturing Plant 1( Parent Location). This level of detail ensures that maintenance activities are accurately recorded and that resources are directed to the correct locations.