--- title: "What is a work order?" description: "A work order authorizes and tracks one repair: location, priority, assigned vendor, cost approval and completion notes. See how a job moves to sign-off." url: https://assistbpo.com/glossary/work-order/ updated: 2026-09-20 publisher: AssistBPO (SS Support Network LLC) language: en-US --- # What is a work order? Glossary What is a work order? A work order is a written record that authorizes and tracks a specific maintenance or repair job. It states what needs doing, where, who reported it, its priority, the assigned technician or vendor, cost approval and completion notes. Work orders are used in property management, facilities, field service and manufacturing to keep jobs visible from request to sign-off. Updated September 2026 · Reviewed by [Nimra Khalid](https://assistbpo.com/team/nimra-khalid/) ## How does a work order work? 1. Create the order from the request: location, problem description, photos, access instructions and the reporter's contact. 2. Set the priority using a simple scale, for example emergency, urgent within 24 hours, routine within 7 days. 3. Assign a technician or vendor, confirm the appointment with the occupant, and record any cost estimate for approval. 4. Track status changes: assigned, scheduled, in progress, waiting on parts, completed. 5. Close the order with completion notes, the invoice and a quick check that the reporter is satisfied. ## A worked example An HVAC contractor with eight technicians was losing track of callbacks because jobs lived on a whiteboard and in a group text. A dispatch assistant moved every request into ServiceTitan as a work order the moment it arrived. She attached the customer's photos, set priority by the company's rules, assigned the nearest available tech and sent the customer an arrival window by text. Parts delays were marked as waiting with a follow-up date. The owner could see 40 open jobs sorted by age on one screen, and callbacks stopped slipping through the cracks. ## Where does a work order show up in your tools? Work orders are a core object in AppFolio and Buildium for property managers, and in ServiceTitan, Jobber and Housecall Pro for trades. Smaller teams track them on Airtable or Asana boards and use Zapier to create an order from a web form or email. ## Common mistakes - Accepting repair requests by text and voicemail without creating an order, so the job depends on someone's memory. - Leaving priority blank, which means a no-heat call in January waits behind a dripping tap. - Closing the order when the vendor says done, without a completion note, an invoice or a word with the occupant. ## Why does a work order matter? A work order is the difference between a repair that happens and one that is promised. It gives owners and customers a clear status, gives technicians the information to arrive prepared, and gives the business a cost history per unit or customer that makes budgeting and vendor reviews factual. ## How does AssistBPO handle a work order? Our dispatch and maintenance coordinators open, assign and close work orders inside your software, following the priority rules and spending limits you set. Vendors and occupants get confirmations from your company's number or email, and anything over the approval limit is escalated to you before it is booked. Open orders by age appear in your end-of-day report. [Jobs and drivers dispatched, ETAs confirmed](https://assistbpo.com/services/dispatch-desk/)[Get a staffing plan](https://assistbpo.com/get-a-staffing-plan/) ## Related terms - [Property management](https://assistbpo.com/glossary/property-management/) - [Tenant portal](https://assistbpo.com/glossary/tenant-portal/) - [Standard operating procedure](https://assistbpo.com/glossary/standard-operating-procedure/) - [Help desk](https://assistbpo.com/glossary/help-desk/) - [Contractor](https://assistbpo.com/glossary/contractor/) - [End-of-day report](https://assistbpo.com/glossary/end-of-day-report/) - [Zapier](https://assistbpo.com/glossary/zapier/) ## Where it is used - [Jobs and drivers dispatched, ETAs confirmed](https://assistbpo.com/services/dispatch-desk/) ## Next in the A to Z - [Workflow](https://assistbpo.com/glossary/workflow/) - [Action items](https://assistbpo.com/glossary/action-items/) - [After-hours coverage](https://assistbpo.com/glossary/after-hours-coverage/) [All 148 terms, A to Z](https://assistbpo.com/glossary/) Next step ## Your desk, staffed. Wherever you are. Tell us what is overloaded. A named person replies within 1 business day with a staffing plan, and we propose your assistant within 72 hours. [Get a staffing plan](https://assistbpo.com/get-a-staffing-plan/) [Book a 20-minute call](https://assistbpo.com/book-a-call/) Or call [+1-657-777-0006](tel:+16577770006) during US, UK or Australian business hours, or [hear our demo receptionist](https://assistbpo.com/demo-line/). - A named assistant proposed within 72 hours - Employed, screened and managed staff, never freelancers - Your hours, your tools, your data --- Source: https://assistbpo.com/glossary/work-order/ · Contact: https://assistbpo.com/contact/ · Full site map for agents: https://assistbpo.com/llms.txt