Work Order
Definition
A work order is the digital or paper document that authorizes and records the work performed on a specific service call.
What Work Order Means for Your Business
What it means
A work order is the single source of truth for a job. It lists the customer, the problem, the tech, the parts used, the labor hours, the photos, and the signature.
Why it matters
Work orders are the foundation of billing, warranty tracking, and job costing. A good work order pays you. A sloppy work order leaks revenue and creates disputes.
How contractors use it
Modern work orders live on the tech's phone or tablet. They start with the customer intake, get built out during the job with photos and notes, and end with a digital signature and automatic invoice generation.
Real-World Example
An HVAC shop digitized work orders and cut the time from job completion to invoice sent from 4.2 days to 18 minutes. With 240 monthly jobs averaging $675, that pulled $162,000 per month into collections faster.
Related Terms
Invoice
An invoice is a billing document that lists the work performed, parts used, and total amount due from the customer.
Digital Signature
A digital signature is a legally binding electronic mark a customer applies to a document on a screen, replacing a physical ink signature.
Job Folder
A job folder is a digital or physical collection of every document related to a single job, including quotes, photos, invoices, signatures, and notes.
Field Report
A field report is the written summary a technician completes after a job documenting what was found, what was done, and what the customer should know.
Proof of Completion
Proof of completion is the documented evidence, usually photos, notes, and signatures, that confirms a service job was finished and delivered to the customer's satisfaction.
Put This Into Practice with Free Software
Kaldr Tech handles work order and everything else you need to run your shop. $0/month, 3.5% + 30¢ per transaction.