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Set up work types

Define the kinds of work your team does, so every new work order starts with a sensible scope and duration.

A work type is the category behind every work order: Installation, Inspection, Repair, and so on. It sets what a new work order's description and estimated hours start as, and which report the technician fills out (set separately; see Match work types to the right report).

Before you start

You need the Owner or Admin role to create or edit a work type. Other roles can view the list.

Steps

  1. Go to Settings → Work types.
  2. Click New Work Type.
  3. Type a Name.
  4. Type the Standard scope. This auto-fills the work order description whenever this type is selected.
  5. Set the Default duration, in hours and minutes. This auto-fills the estimated hours on new work orders; a tech or dispatcher can still override it per work order.
  6. Turn on Used for permit inspections only if this work type is the visit for a permit inspection. Leave it off for every other kind of work. See Set up permit inspections.
  7. Click Create Work Type.

New Work Type drawer filled in with a name, standard scope, default duration, and the Used for permit inspections switch

Check it worked

The new work type appears in the list, marked Custom under Source and Active under Status. A work type that has Used for permit inspections on shows an Inspection tag next to its name.

Work types list showing custom work types, one with an Inspection tag, each with its standard scope and default duration

What you don't need to set here

A work type is usable the moment it has a name, scope, and duration. It doesn't need a report mapping to function: a work order using it still completes fine, it'll just use the built-in Visit Report fallback until you set one. See Match work types to the right report.

Common problems

A work type can't be deactivated. It's still referenced by live work orders. Move those off it first, or leave it active.

A platform work type's fields are all greyed out. Platform work types (Installation, Service, Inspection, and so on) are read-only, including the Used for permit inspections switch. You can't edit them, but any project template's Work Order step can still override individual fields like title or duration for that step only; see Build a project template.

A work type is tagged "(reserved)" and can't be deleted. A reserved work type drives an internal automation (for example, final-inspection or case-service flows). Leave it as is.

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Connect quotes to project templates

Set which project template a quote type hands off to when a quote is accepted and signed.

Set dispatch defaults

Set the default appointment start time, confirmation emails, technician placeholders, and board colors for the Dispatch Board.

On this page

Before you startStepsCheck it workedWhat you don't need to set hereCommon problems