What happens when I click this button?
Ahmed Rezika, SimpleWays OU
Posted 1/30/2025
Have you ever wondered what truly transpires when you click a button in a maintenance system? That seemingly simple action triggers a complex digital journey through interconnected systems—software applications, APIs, and distributed computing architectures.
Behind the scenes, your interaction initiates an event-driven workflow that traverses middleware, databases, and hardware components. Each digital layer—from user interface to backend infrastructure [1]—orchestrates a precise, real-time response to your input.
When users interface with digital systems, they engage in a sophisticated data exchange: entering information, triggering events, and awaiting processed results through intricate communication protocols.
In this article, we’ll explore the hidden digital mechanics behind common maintenance scenarios:
- Work order creation in a Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS)
- Spare part procurement via enterprise resource planning (ERP) modules
- Machine greasing cycle initiation through SCADA industrial control systems
By tracing a single button click’s path, we’ll reveal how modern maintenance technologies seamlessly bridge user intent with complex operational processes. Understanding these digital ecosystems allows teams to see beyond surface-level operations, recognizing how various systems and processes interconnect to deliver outcomes. By grasping the flow of data across layers—from user input to hardware execution—teams can identify inefficiencies, troubleshoot issues faster, and optimize workflows. This knowledge empowers strategic decision-making, enabling leaders to allocate resources effectively, predict maintenance needs, and integrate advanced technologies like IoT and predictive analytics. Ultimately, such understanding fosters a culture of innovation, where teams are equipped to adapt and evolve with emerging digital trends. Ready to uncover the magic behind that click?
The Clicks That Set the Wheels in Motion
1. Creating a Work Order in CMMS: The Technician’s Click
A maintenance technician notices an unusual vibration in a production machine. He grabs his tablet, opens the CMMS, and clicks “Create Work Order.” Within moments, the system springs to life. Behind the scenes, his click triggers a chain of actions:
- The CMMS interface collects the required inputs (machine ID, fault description, and urgency).
- The application assigns a unique identifier to the work order and logs it in the system.
- Simultaneously, a notification is sent to the supervisor,
- In addition, resources like tools and spare parts are crosschecked with the inventory. This inventory check is done via an API request with the store middleware i.e. service or it can be a standalone software
- The request is stored in a central database, ready for the maintenance team to act on.
What feels like a simple action is actually the launch of a carefully orchestrated process, ensuring no detail is missed.
2. Raising a Store Request in ERP: The Planner’s Click
A planner, realizes he needs a replacement bearing to complete a maintenance task. He logs into the ERP system, navigates to the inventory module, and clicks “Request Part.” Instantly, his action propels the system into motion:
- Inventory management middleware – or the inventory module in ERP – is triggered
- It verifies the part ID, checks stock levels, and links the request to the appropriate store location.
- A purchase request is generated automatically if stock levels are insufficient.
- Notifications are dispatched to the store manager for review and approval.
- The system updates dashboards to provide real-time visibility of the request status.
In seconds, a simple click ensures the right part is on its way, minimizing downtime and streamlining operations.
3. Starting a Greasing Cycle in SCADA: The Operator’s Click
At a complex industrial environment, the operator, initiates a routine greasing cycle for a critical pump. He selects the pump on the SCADA interface and clicks “Start Greasing Cycle.” What happens next is an interplay of systems:
- The SCADA system [2] converts his input into commands understood by the pump’s PLC (Programmable Logic Controller).
- The PLC activates the grease pump, while sensors monitor pressure and flow rates in real time.
- Data from the process is logged for maintenance records and trend analysis.
- Safety checks ensure the process halts immediately if an anomaly is detected.
The operator’s click sets off a synchronized dance of hardware and software, ensuring precise and reliable maintenance.
Systems at Scale: The Broader Picture
CMMS, ERP, and SCADA systems are the silent champions of industrial and maintenance operations, ensuring that tasks and decisions flow seamlessly across vast networks. I like SAP words about ERP which really applies for all of them: “An ERP software system acts as an enterprise’s central nervous system, helping efficiently manage all these crucial processes and operations by connecting them together in an integrated system.” [3]. These systems are designed to handle not just individual actions but the collective work of tens, hundreds, or even thousands of users simultaneously, each performing parallel tasks. Whether it’s a single click, a sensor reading, an alarm trigger, or a system trip, every interaction finds its way through a digital journey crafted by predefined logic. Each click or event like sensor reading, alarm, trip, or triggered action moves along its own unique path, crafting its own story based on predefined scenarios and logic.
Imagine this: While the maintenance supervisor creates a work order in the CMMS, the planner submits a store request in the ERP, and the operator initiates a greasing cycle via SCADA, hundreds of other users and triggers are performing their tasks at the same time. Each action is seamlessly managed by the system, as if it’s solely focused on that one user.
Unveiling the Abstract Layers:
Although these examples involve different systems, each relies on its own software and hardware layers, while also connecting with others through APIs or shared services that turn your actions into results. The journey through these layers can appear different depending on how you view them, and their names may vary based on your role in the process. Here’s a simple breakdown of this journey:
User Interface (UI): Entry point for user interactions, translating human input into digital commands.
Application Layer: Intelligent processing engine that interprets requests, applies business logic, and orchestrates system workflows.
Database Layer: Centralized data management system for persistent storage, retrieval, and real-time data synchronization.
Network Layer: Communication infrastructure enabling secure, high-speed data transmission between distributed systems and components.
Integration Layer: Middleware framework that facilitates interoperability, ensuring seamless communication across heterogeneous software and hardware platforms.
Hardware and Sensor Layer: Physical execution domain where digital commands are transformed into tangible mechanical actions and operational feedback.
Let’s see those layers clustered from a different point of view:
Conceptual Layers
Software Layers (Virtual) which are components of one app as ERP & cross communicate with other apps:
Frontend Layer (UI):
- Client-side interface using HTML, CSS, JavaScript
- Handles user interactions and initial input data capture
- Generates API request payloads for backend processing (Payloads are message body not metadata)
Backend Layer (Application or various Applications):
- Server-side logic processing user requests through services
- Manages business rules, authentication, data validation
- Implements RESTful or GraphQL API endpoints
Integration
- The integration layer is typically part of the backend application architecture, sitting between the frontend and the backend services. It’s responsible for:
- Handling API request routing
- Data transformation between frontend and backend
- Managing service communication protocols
- Implementing middleware\services logi
Database Layer:
- Database Management System (DBMS) as MongoDB, MySQL, PostgreSQL
- Controls data organization and access
- Manages authentication/authorization
- Handles concurrent transactions
- Ensures data integrity and backup
Physical Storage
- Data tables and indexes
- File system management
- Storage optimization
- Data compression
Query Processing
- Part of backend application layer
- Generates SQL/NoSQL queries
- Optimizes query performance
- Filters and transforms data
The backend application layer interacts with DBMS through queries, while DBMS manages actual data storage and retrieval operations.
- Example flows:
- CMMS: Work order data storage/retrieval
- ERP: Inventory transaction logging
- SCADA: Time-series sensor data storage
Physical Infrastructure Layers
Hardware components which are familiar to most maintenance teams:
- CPU
- Storage Devices
- Network Ports
- I/O Interfaces
- Field Sensors
- Mechanical Device Controllers
The software layers operate on and are enabled by the underlying physical hardware infrastructure, with each virtual layer utilizing the capabilities and sharing the resources of the physical layers.
The Interconnection Between and Across Virtual and Physical Layers
In the digital realm, each software application, such as ERP systems, SCADA platforms, and CMMS solutions, operates within its own comprehensive software layer stack. These applications leverage shared physical layer resources, such as hardware components and networking infrastructure, to function simultaneously. The physical layer itself comprises components embedded with specialized software, known as firmware, which governs their core operations. Applications communicate with the underlying hardware by performing read and write operations, enabling seamless interaction and data exchange. Field sensors exemplify this interplay, as they continuously transmit real-time data while also being remotely configurable for updates and adjustments. To manage the complexities of resource sharing and concurrent access, operating systems and hardware abstraction layers play a pivotal role.
The abstraction layer simplifies interactions by creating a standardized interface between hardware and software, shielding applications from the complexities of the physical components and allowing developers to focus on functionality rather than hardware-specific intricacies. This structured approach ensures robust, efficient, and scalable operations across digital maintenance ecosystems.
The abstraction layer primarily acts as a middleman between hardware and software, or between lower-level and higher-level software layers. An operating system uses a hardware abstraction layer (HAL) to allow applications to perform operations like reading from a sensor or writing to a storage device without knowing the hardware’s specific details. In a software stack, abstraction layers simplify development by hiding lower-level complexities, such as communication protocols or memory management.
Don’t mix it with the Integration layer which is focused on enabling communication and data exchange between different systems, applications, or services. It’s commonly part of an application backend and works to connect disparate systems, such as integrating a CMMS with ERP software or third-party APIs (e.g. store\warehouse\logistics software).
The True Story Behind the ‘Click’
After we had expanded our knowledge about different virtual and physical layers, let’s rewrite one of our stories in deeper technical but simple narrative.
A technician stands holdings its vibration measurement device, entering vibration data from a critical machine. The frontend layer validates the input format to ensure consistency. However, the reading surpasses the threshold limit, triggering an action routine. An alarm pop-up appears, notifying the technician that a repair work order is required. With a single click on ‘Approve,’ the system securely forms an API request payload, carrying the data to the backend layer for further processing.
In the backend, the system authenticates the technician’s request, applies predefined business rules, and generates a unique work order number. This triggers a notification workflow, ensuring that all stakeholders—maintenance planners, inventory managers, or supervisors—are informed in real-time. The query layer interacts with the database to log the work order, update the machine’s maintenance history, and record timestamps and user details.
Simultaneously, the hardware layer springs into action: the storage device writes data blocks to preserve records, the network interface transmits notifications to relevant devices, and a mobile device receives confirmation of the work order. These actions are managed seamlessly by the abstraction layer, which simplifies the interaction between software commands and physical hardware operations.
Through this cohesive architecture—frontend, backend, query, integration, abstraction, and hardware layers—the CMMS transforms a single input into a coordinated and efficient maintenance response, showcasing the deep interplay between digital and physical systems.
Hands-On Exploration: Observe the Interplay
Maintenance systems like CMMS, ERP, or SCADA may seem like “black boxes,” but the principles behind them can be explored using simple experiments on your computer or smartphone. By observing how devices handle everyday tasks, you can gain insights into the intricate interplay of digital layers.
For example, open your computer’s Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc on Windows or Activity Monitor on macOS) and expand the view to see columns like CPU, Memory, Disk, and Network. Notice how, even without any action, numerous processes are running—some tied to apps you aren’t actively using. Now, try something simple: open a web browser or a new app. Watch as new entries appear in Task Manager, reflecting processes such as loading pages, connecting to the network, and rendering content. Start a file download, and you’ll see network activity spike. As you open other apps, observe how resources like CPU and memory are dynamically allocated to manage multiple tasks simultaneously.
On a mobile phone, this interplay is equally fascinating. Open a messaging app like WhatsApp, send a message (preferably with an attachment), and enable “Airplane Mode” to simulate a network disruption. The app will shift the message status to “Failed” but automatically retry once connectivity is restored. This mirrors how systems like ERP or SCADA handle real-world interruptions, dynamically adjusting to maintain functionality.
These simple activities illustrate how various digital layers—user interfaces, backend processes, databases, hardware, and network layers—work together seamlessly. In upcoming lectures, we’ll dive deeper into hands-on experiments that not only demystify these systems but also help you develop practical digital skills.
Conclusion: From Understanding to Exploration
This journey began with a simple question—what happens when you click a button? Together, we explored how CMMS, ERP, and SCADA systems work behind the scenes, delving into the digital pathways that transform clicks into meaningful actions. We saw how CPUs process immense tasks at lightning speeds, how networks deliver data to its correct destinations, and how storage systems ensure reliability and accessibility.
These layers, combined with robust cybersecurity, enable maintenance teams to perform their roles confidently, knowing that the digital systems supporting them are both reliable and secure. We also provided hands-on examples to help you visualize these processes in real time, demonstrating how they mirror industrial systems in complexity and precision.
But this is just the beginning. As we deepen our understanding, we’ll transition from observation to application. In the upcoming articles, we’ll focus on:
Databases: How data is stored, retrieved, and structured for efficient operations.
Applications: The logic and design behind the software that powers maintenance systems.
APIs: (Application Programming Interfaces): The glue connecting different systems and enabling seamless integration.
Networks: A deeper dive into the infrastructure that carries data, with practical insights into its operation.
These articles will include practical, hands-on exercises you can try using accessible tools like online code labs. All you’ll need is an internet connection and a willingness to explore. Our goal is to empower you to not just understand these concepts but to interact with and apply them in your digital environment.
Stay tuned as we uncover the building blocks of the digital world and equip you with the knowledge to navigate it confidently.
References
1. Frank E. Ritter, Gordon D. Baxter, Elizabeth F. Churchill, 2014, Foundations for Designing User-Centered
Systems, What System Designers Need to Know about People, Springer-Verlag London 2014
2. Simona-Anda, 2017, Performances Analysis of a SCADA Architecture for Industrial Processes, International Journal of Advanced Computer Science and Applications, Vol. 8, No. 11, 2017,
3. SAP. What is ERP?, https://www.sap.com/products/erp/what-is-erp.html
Ahmed Rezika
Ahmed Rezika is a seasoned Projects and Maintenance Manager with over 25 years of hands-on experience across steel, cement, and food industries. A certified PMP, MMP, and CMRP(2016-2024) professional, he has successfully led both greenfield and upgrade projects while implementing innovative maintenance strategies.
As the founder of SimpleWays OU, Ahmed is dedicated to creating better-managed, value-adding work environments and making AI and digital technologies accessible to maintenance teams. His mission is to empower maintenance professionals through training and coaching, helping organizations build more effective and sustainable maintenance practices.