Advanced Work Order
Management
Master the full lifecycle of a Work Order, from creation and scheduling to managing its specific requirements like parts and checklists for complex, profitable one-time jobs.
Duration
25 minutes
Category
Field Operations & Work Orders
Part 1: The Power of Work Orders for One-Time Jobs
You've already learned about Route Schedules for your regular, recurring services. But what about the profitable, one-off jobs that keep your business growing? This is where Work Orders come in.
What is a Work Order?
A Work Order is a dedicated job ticket for any non-recurring task, such as:
A filter cleaning
Repairing a leaky pump
Installing a new heater
An opening or closing service for a seasonal client
Why Separate Work Orders? By creating a separate Work Order, you can track the specific details, parts, and labor costs associated with that single job, ensuring you bill correctly and maintain a detailed service record for the customer's equipment.
Part 2: The Work Orders Dashboard: Your Job Pipeline
Navigate to the main Work Orders page (/workorders) from the sidebar. This is your central hub for all one-time jobs.
📊 Dashboard Tabs for Workflow Management
The tabs at the top help you manage your workflow:
📋 Unscheduled (Most Important!)
This is your most important "to-do" list. It contains all the work orders that have been approved or created but haven't been assigned to a technician and a date yet. You should review this list daily to plan your upcoming work.
📅 Scheduled
These are work orders that are on the calendar, assigned to a technician for a specific day.
✅ Finished
A complete history of all completed one-time jobs.
🗂️ All
A view of every work order, regardless of status.
Part 3: Creating a New Work Order
Let's create a work order for a filter cleaning.
Step-by-Step Creation Process
Click "Create Work Order"
This opens the work order creation interface.
Fill in the Basic Information
Work Order Type
Select "Filter Clean". Notice how selecting a type can pre-fill the description and price, saving you time.
Customer & Service Location
Choose your customer and the correct service address.
Work Needed
Be descriptive! This gives your technician clear instructions.
Example:
"Perform full DE filter clean. Disassemble filter, clean grids, inspect manifold, reassemble, and add new DE."
Price
Enter the amount you will charge the customer for this specific job. This is separate from their regular service fee.
Schedule the Work (or Don't!)
To schedule it now:
Assign a Technician and select a Service Date and Time. This will immediately place the job on that technician's route for that day.
To schedule it later:
Leave the Technician and Date fields blank. The work order will be saved to your Unscheduled list, ready for you to schedule when you have the necessary parts or time.
Part 4: Managing a Work Order in Detail
Once a work order is created, clicking on it takes you to its detail page. This is where you manage the specifics of the job.
Key Sections of the Work Order Detail Page
📝 Work Order Details
At the top, you can edit the work description at any time.
💰 Pricing & Billing
You can adjust the Service Price (what the customer pays) and the Labor Cost(what you pay your tech, for internal tracking) here.
🔧 Items & Materials (Crucial for Repairs)
Click "Add Item" to list every part needed for the job (e.g., "Pump Seal Kit," "3-Way Jandy Valve").
Upbuoy has a built-in parts library with a smart search. Start typing "Pentair" and it will suggest matching parts.
Adding items here automatically populates the main Shopping List, alerting the office to order the necessary parts.
📋 Service Checklist
This is a checklist specific to this job.
Example for an acid wash:
• "Drain Pool"
• "Apply Acid"
• "Neutralize and Refill"
• "Balance Chemicals"
This ensures your technician follows a standard procedure and doesn't miss a critical step.
Part 5: From Work Order to a Completed Job
Here's the full lifecycle of a work order:
🔄 Complete Work Order Lifecycle
Creation
You create the work order (either scheduled or unscheduled).
Scheduling
If it was unscheduled, you'll later go into the detail page, assign a tech and date. This action creates a service_stop in the database.
Execution
The work order now appears as a regular stop on the technician's Routes Dashboard (/routes/dashboard) for the scheduled day.
Completion
The technician clicks the stop on their dashboard, which takes them to the Service Completion screen (/routes/stops/[id]/complete). They will:
Check off the items on the job-specific checklist.
Mark the parts from the "Items Needed" list as "Installed."
Enter any final notes or photos.
Click "Complete Service".
Billing
The work order status is now "Finished." You can then go to the Billing section and generate a dedicated invoice for this work order, which will automatically include the parts and labor you specified.
Key Takeaways
Use Work Orders for any non-recurring, billable job to keep it separate from routine maintenance.
The "Unscheduled" work order list is your pipeline of upcoming, profitable jobs. Manage it actively.
Use the Items & Materials section to ensure parts are ordered and billed correctly.
Use the job-specific Service Checklist to enforce standard procedures for complex tasks.
A scheduled Work Order becomes a Service Stop, ensuring a consistent workflow for your technicians in the field.
Next Steps
Managing parts and equipment is a huge part of a pool service business. You've seen how to add items to a Work Order, but how do you manage your inventory and shopping needs for the whole company?
Ready to explore inventory management?
Proceed to Module 15: The Shopping List