Service orders allow you to assign items and resources to work to be done for a project. Service orders are created and managed in the Service Order Explorer.

Service orders can be integrated for use with the optional product Mobile Install.

To create a service order:

1/ Click Start > Scheduling > Manage Service Orders.

This will open the Service Order Explorer interface.

2/ Click New and choose to create a service order.

The New Service Order form will have the following tabs.

In the General tab, you can enter a name for the service order (required), a description, and a start and end date and time.

You can also change the priority from the default value.

This is a required field. You can select an existing client, create a new one, or import from Outlook or QuickBooks.

If you select an existing client with projects associated with it, you can associate the service order with a project; however, this is not a required field.

You can also choose to display Archived Projects.

In the Contact tab, you can enter contact information for the service order.

When a project is selected, the primary contact for the project will be automatically populated.

In the Addresses tab, you can enter the billing and site addresses for the service order.

When a project is selected, the billing and site addresses from the project will be automatically populated.

In the Notes tab, you can enter notes to provide any additional details.

In the Items tab, you can add labor items and products from your catalog to the service order.

You may not need to enter anything at this point, but later, after the service order has been started or completed.

In the Repair Items tab, add or delete items from the project that need to be repaired.

In the Resources tab, you can assign resources to the service order. Resources are the people who are doing the work for the service order.

When you click the Assign button, the following form will open. It displays all of your SI users.

Use Ctrl or Shift to select multiple resources and click the Assign button.

You can use the Quick Filter to check a resource's availability based on a date range.

Availability is based on whether the resources are not assigned to other tasks or service orders. You can also filter by user Roles or user Categories.

Assigned resources will automatically be assigned one hour in the Estimated Hours field. You can manually change this as you see fit.

You can also choose "Assign estimated hours based on total labor hours" or "Assign estimated hours based on duration."

Assign estimated hours based on total labor hours

This option will evenly divide the total labor hours among your assigned resources. The total labor hours value is the sum of the labor hours assigned to the labor items added to the service order.

Assign estimated hours based on duration

This option will evenly split the estimated hours entered on the General tab amongst your assigned resources.

Alternatively, you can return to the General tab and manually set the start and end dates and times or use the Compute End option.

Compute End

This option allows you to choose and assign the end date based on Item Labor Hours or Estimated Resource Hours.

You can click the Change Business Hours link to adjust your working hours.

You can then set the scheduled start and end dates and times with the Set as Scheduled Dates link.

The Time Sheets tab is grayed out for a new service order, but will become active when saved. Time sheets created in MI will be displayed here, and can also be created here for the service order.

Check out this article for more details.

In the Checklist tab, you can add a checklist to the service order.

You can choose a new checklist from your catalog or one already associated with the project (if you have associated a project with the service order.

In the Custom Fields tab, you can edit any custom fields created for service orders.

In the Comments tab, you can add comments to the service order. Each entry is automatically tagged with the date, time, and username of the user who commented.

You can export your comments to Excel or PDF if desired.

In the Scope Of Work tab, you can view the three scope of work documents for the project assigned to the service order. These documents can be published to MI.

Before publishing service orders, you can change the Site Labor settings for MI.

Check out this article for more details.

Once done, click the Save and Close button, and the service order will be displayed in the Service Order Explorer.

Service orders are also displayed on the calendar.

If you attempt to publish service orders to resources that are not MI users, you will be prompted to create MI users.

Check out this article for more details.