Work orders drive your business forward. Whether you manage a maintenance team or own a repair shop, work orders are the motor that keeps the field service industry running.
The days of spreadsheets and hand-written work orders are gone. Field service businesses rely on efficiency to keep up, and work order software delivers that.
Keep reading to learn how no-code technology makes creating custom work order forms easy so that your team can jump into jobs quicker.
Standard work order 101
Before you dive into the value of custom work order forms, let’s all get on the same page about what a standard work order is.
Work orders are an essential step in the quote-to-cash process. They outline the work that needs to be done and give your technicians key details to complete the job.
Typically, you create a work order after your customer has approved an estimate. Depending on your business processes, you can also have work order request forms for your customers to fill out themselves.
Work orders play a key role in providing good customer service. They ensure that everyone is on the same page, so it’s important to customize these forms with two aspects in mind:
- Your business.
- Each job.
How to strengthen your custom work order forms with no-code
When it comes to creating custom work order forms, you have options:
- Find a work order form template online.
- Create a spreadsheet with Google Sheets or Excel.
- Use ready-made software.
- Use a no-code tool.
You can find downloadable online forms, but these templates leave little room for customization. Oftentimes, personalizing an online form requires more work than making one from scratch.
Although creating a work order form template with Excel allows you to customize it the way you want, it is a tedious process that can take hours.
Software is supposed to make operating your business easier, but one-size-fits-all options don’t provide the personalized touch your business needs.
No-code technology solves all of these problems.
But first… what’s no code?
In short, a no-code solution lets you build apps without coding.
The goal of no-code is to allow non-technical professionals to build the applications they need without the help of software developers. It gives you control over your business by letting you customize all aspects of it. The only actions no-code require are:
- Scroll.
- Click.
- Drag and drop.
A no-code platform empowers your team to accomplish more. Let’s take a closer look at how to make custom work order forms using no-code.
The benefits of custom work order forms made with no-code
Custom work order forms can be a drag when you have to create each one manually. However, work order forms are a necessary step towards getting a job done.
Here are some of the problems that arise while creating work order forms:
- Constant repetition that leads to human error.
- Frustration in trying to customize forms.
- Feeling like your time could be better used doing something else.
No-code tools address all of these issues to make creating work order forms simpler.
1. Increased efficiency for your team
Think of how much time you spend creating custom work orders for each job. What’s worse is that the job doesn’t end once you create the work order.
You most likely manage multiple work order request forms at a time, which is difficult when you don’t have an organized process. The time you spend creating work orders won’t generate revenue, so you don’t want to dedicate your whole day to it.
No-code software allows you to make work orders in a matter of minutes, giving you time to motivate your team and build relationships with your customers.
In addition to creating work orders quicker, no-code enables efficient work order tracking. When you have a structured process in place, you always know who’s doing what so you can plan your next move.
2. Easy customization for your every business need
One of the most time-consuming steps in creating work orders is customization. No two jobs are the same, meaning each work order you make needs to be unique.
No-code technology lets you create custom work order templates that work for your business. When you start a new job, just populate the form and add custom fields to capture any customer requests or additional information.
The best no-code tools have several other features to make customization easy, including:
- Online portals to provide customers with self-service options.
- The ability to create custom fields and calculations within templates.
- Letting you choose what manual tasks to automate.
- Automatic data transfer to and from key documents like estimates and invoices.
3. Save time with automation
As a field service business, you present your customers with multiple documents throughout the sales process. A job typically goes through these stages:
- Create an estimate or quote for your customer to approve.
- Generate a work order for your field service technician.
- Present an invoice to your customer with payment details.
All three of these documents are connected and often contain the same information. So there’s no reason that you should copy and paste the same information three times.
No-code tools make the sales process seamless by converting estimates into work orders with just a few clicks. Once the job’s complete, easily turn that work order into an invoice and have it automatically sent to your customer.
Better yet, the best no-code platform doesn’t quit when the invoice is sent. Track the status of your invoices, and set up automated follow-ups with your customers to ensure that you get paid on time.
Custom work order forms: Tips for growing businesses
Here’s how to start creating custom work order forms that capture every detail of the job.
1. Include all the important information upfront
The most important part of a good work order form is making sure all the relevant information is there.
Leaving out information means that your crew won’t have all the details to accurately complete the job, leaving your customer unsatisfied with the work.
Make sure that your custom work order form includes the following information:
- Your business details.
- Date, time, and location that the job is to be completed.
- Name of the crew member assigned to the job.
- Project details.
- Pricing for labor and material costs, if applicable.
Sometimes you need to make updates to a work order. The right work order management tool lets you make these changes without missing a beat (more on this later).
2. Spend time on the design
Design plays a key role in work order creation. It’s important to present job information in an easy-to-read format for your field service technician and customer. That’s where customization comes in.
Custom work order forms mean that you can design your work orders to suit your business needs. To achieve this, you can use work order management software to:
- Add your business information.
- Create custom fields.
- Add images or photos.
- Treat every work order as a brand-building opportunity.
Another pro-tip is to make your custom work orders printable. Work order software makes it easy to view your work orders from any device and effortlessly print them out if needed.
3. Use your custom work order forms to schedule jobs
When it comes to custom work orders, the information isn’t the only important aspect to consider. Your work orders have to get to the right people.
When you create a work order, you send it out to three recipients:
- Your dispatcher.
- The field service technician assigned to the job.
- Your customer.
With custom work orders, your dispatcher has all the information they need to schedule and assign the job. This creates a clear line of communication and minimizes the risk of mishaps.
Work order software allows you to automatically send your work orders where they need to be. This cuts down on admin time and ensures that the job is assigned as soon as possible.
For the most efficient workflow, find service order software with a mobile app so that your contractor has access to the information on the field. Plus, you get real-time updates to ensure that the job stays on track.
4. Make sure the numbers add up
Your custom work order form should have the price that your customer agreed to during the estimating process.
However, things often change when your field service technician gets started on the job. Nothing’s worse than surprising your customer with a final invoice that’s higher than the estimate.
Custom work orders give you another chance to confirm the pricing and update it as the job progresses. This allows you to manage customer expectations, as they can use the work order to follow along.
Better yet, some digital work order forms (like Method’s) let your customers approve pricing and job completion with an e-signature.
Now that you know the importance of custom work order forms, let’s talk about how you can maximize them for your business.
The takeaway: How to get started with no-code custom form templates
By now, you know why custom work order forms are important, and you understand the benefits of no-code technology. All that’s left is to find the right work order management system to take your custom work orders to the next level.
It’s best to choose no-code work order management software that includes additional customization options. You may be surprised to hear that some common software options, such as QuickBooks, have limitations when it comes to custom work order forms.
The right approach here is to go with a no-code solution that specializes in work order management and syncs with QuickBooks like Method:Field Services.
Method:Field Services makes work order management easy with features such as:
- The best two-way QuickBooks sync on the market.
- A mobile app so your field service technician can view and update work orders in real-time.
- The ability to convert work orders into estimates, invoices, and time entries in just a few clicks.
- The option to set up recurring work orders for your favorite customers.
Enhance your custom work orders with no-code today with a free trial of Method:Field Services!
Image credit: Emmanuel Ikwuegbu via Unsplash
