Method CRM Try it FREE
 Method CRM Help Center
 Search  
Overview
Getting Started Checklist
Customization
Method FAQ


collapse all | expand all
A Day in the Life: One-Time Jobs
Solution No. 378

OVERVIEW
Before we get started
The one-time job
Adding a brand-new customer!
Preparing a work order for Bob!
Billing Bob for the job!
Closing out the work order!
Additional notes: how to create a job item
Additional notes: how to create a team
Video tutorial

Overview

Welcome to the first of our ongoing "Day in the Life" series, in which we'll guide you through some of the more common processes associated with running a field service business similar to yours. Today, we'll be tackling the ins and outs of how Method Field Services can be used to schedule a one-time job. The example industry we'll be using is plumbing, but there are many industries in which you might need to schedule a one-time job, including tech repairs and installation, home repairs, and any other field that provides an "as needed" service.

A quick disclaimer: our "Day in the Life" documents and videos are meant for users who are already familiar with how QuickBooks works and who have a working understanding of the Method environment as well. If this is your first time dealing with Method Field Services (for QuickBooks Desktop) or Method Scheduling and Invoicing (for QuickBooks Online), we'd recommend you check out our documentation and videos outlining the basic functionality of Field Services before delving into this content.

back to top

Before we get started

This document is designed for you to follow along and see how Method Field Services / Scheduling and Invoicing works in practice. But if you try to build an IKEA table without an Allen key, the end result won't look like what's on the box - similarly, you'll need certain prerequisites in place in your Method Field Services account in order for this example to work the same way in practice as it does on the page. Here's what you'll need to get started:

Job item - "service call"
Job item - "toilet"

We will use these two job items as part of our example below, so you'll have to ensure both of these items are in your Job item list before you get started. If you'd like a quick tutorial on how to add job items, click here for more information.

You will also need to set up a Team (in this case, you will have to use one of your own users in lieu of Robin, because Robin isn't actually a real person and therefore doesn't have a Method account!). For more information on how to create your Team, click here

All right - are we ready? Okay!

back to top

The one-time job

Robin Lefler has been a plumber for years, and she knows her way around a wrench. But she's been in need of a new kind of tool - one that can help her keep track of her customers, her material orders, and her invoices. To deal with these challenges, she's opted to use Method Field Services in conjunction with her existing QuickBooks account to help ensure her customers are getting the outstanding service they've come to count on. The following is an example of how a typical day in the life of Robin Lefler, Pipe Queen, might play out. This example is also useful for other field service industries that typically deal with one-time jobs, including service technicians and tech support.

In Robin's line of work, customers don't usually call her for regular upkeep - as a plumber, she gets the call when something goes catastrophically wrong and needs fixing. For that reason, most of Robin's scheduling revolves around one-time jobs.

That's precisely what Robin dealt with the morning of January 16, when she received a call from customer Bob Crenshaw about a rather serious problem he is having with his toilet. Specifically, it's leaking severely and needs Robin's expertise to install a new toilet. Here's how Robin might have dealt with this situation.

After talking to Bob, who we'll assume is a brand-new client for Robin, a customer record would need to be created using the Customers tab link.

back to top

Adding a brand-new customer!

  1. Navigate to the Tab Groups drop down menu and click on Field Service Operations.
  2. Click on the Customers tab link.
  3. In the Customer name field, type in Bob Crenshaw.
  4. If you want Method to be able to plan your route, make sure you include a valid address in the Bill to field.
  5. Click Save to save the new entry - Bob Crenshaw is now in your existing customer list! If you refresh the Existing customers grid, you'll be able to see him - and he'll be available to choose from the Customer drop down list on the Work order screen.

Now it's time for Robin to create a work order for Bob's leaking toilet.

back to top

Preparing a work order for Bob!

  1. Navigate to the Work order list and click on New work order.
  2. From there, choose the newly-created Bob Crenshaw from the Customer drop down list.
  3. Label the Job name "replacement toilet".
  4. Assign the work order to Robin (or in this case, the user you've used in place of Robin) from the drop down menu.
  5. Choose a time for the job (let's say 2:00 that afternoon, since Bob is in dire need of a new toilet).
  6. Under Job item, choose "service call" and, on the next job item line, "toilet".
  7. Click Save & Close to save the work order, which will now appear in your Existing work orders grid.

At this point the work order has been scheduled and Robin is free to head to Bob's house to replace his toilet. If she requires directions, she can get them by selecting the work order from the Existing work orders grid, then clicking on More actions > Maps and directions for selected. This will bring up a Google map showing the optimum route which Robin can then print out at her leisure.

And now it's off to Bob's to start the job!

back to top

Preparing a work order for Bob!

When Robin arrives at Bob's home, she is entitled to begin billing for her time.

  1. Open Method Mobile on your mobile device.
  2. Select today's work order and navigate to Details.
  3. Click on Start Timer. This will launch the timer application, which will run until you click Stop Timer. That information is logged to the work order in Method Field Services.
    TIP: It is also worth noting that if, for some reason, Robin needed to add additional parts to the work order while on-site (for example, if Bob also needed his sink tuned up while Robin was there), this can also be done through the Mobile application by opening the work order, navigating to Items, and adding the job item or items manually.
  4. When the job is done, access the mobile app to stop the billing time by clicking on Stop Timer. The time will be automatically updated on Method Field Services when you log in on your office computer.
  5. When you return to the office and log back into Method, your Field Services dashboard will show a completed work order needing invoicing. Clicking on that notification will take you to your Existing work order list, where the work order from today can be found. If you were to click on that work order, you would see the time updated and the status of the job set to "completed".

Depending on how Robin does her bookkeeping, she may elect to wait until the end of the month to send out invoices, but if she wants to do it immediately (which is often the case with one-time jobs), she can do so. Here's how!

back to top

Closing out the work order!

  1. Select the work order to be invoiced by checking the check box on the far left of the grid.
  2. Click on More actions > Invoice selected > Create invoices. This will create an invoice from this work order and, depending on how your preferences are set up, will email Bob Crenshaw to tell him his invoice is ready.

And that's it! Obviously, you will likely have more than one work order per day, but this is a good top-down view of how a one-time job would be processed from start to finish.

back to top

Additional notes: how to create a job item

  1. From the Work order list, choose the work order you'd like to edit.
  2. Under the Tasks & Materials subtab, click on the ellipses button (...) next to any of the Job Item spaces. This will bring up the New Item screen.
  3. For the "service call" job item, click on "Service". For the "toilet" job item, click on "inventory part".
  4. In the Name / Number field, type in "service job" or "toilet" (depending on which item you're creating).
  5. For the "service call", ensure you include your cost and sales price (in our video, we have chosen to use $60 and $100, respectively). For the "toilet", also include cost and sales price (our example lists $180 and $200, respectively).
  6. For the "service call" click on the Income account drop down list and choose "Services".
  7. For the "toilet", click on Inventory information > Asset account and choose Inventory asset.
  8. Click Save & Close to save these records.

back to top

Additional notes: how to create a team

  1. From the Dashboard, go to Settings > Team members.
  2. Choose a team name for your team and type it into the field (e.g. Pipe Queen).
  3. Under Team Leader, choose your personal user name from the drop down list.
  4. Under Employee/Vendor 1, choose your user name again, since there will only be one team member on this team (this will be your "Robin").
  5. Click Save & Close to save this record.

back to top

Video tutorial

back to top

 

Was this article helpful?