Dispatching Pump & Service Work Orders

Dispatching connects work orders with field technicians, ensuring service work gets assigned to the right person at the right time. This guide walks you through the dispatch process.

Quick Start: Dispatch a Work Order

1. Open the work order
2. Click Dispatch
3. Select technician
4. Set scheduled time
5. Click Send Dispatch

Step-by-Step: Dispatching

Step 1: Open the Work Order

1. Go to Pump & Service in the sidebar
2. Find the work order to dispatch
3. Click to open details
4. Verify work order is ready (status: Created)

Step 2: Click Dispatch

1. Click Dispatch button in header
2. Dispatch form opens
3. Shows work order summary

Step 3: Select Technician

The system displays available technicians:

Selecting the Best Technician:

1. Review availability column
2. Check current location
3. Consider skills needed
4. Select technician checkbox
5. Multiple techs can be assigned if needed

Step 4: Set Schedule

Dispatch Time:

• When you're sending the assignment
• Auto-fills with current time
• Can be modified if scheduling in advance

Scheduled Arrival:

• Time window for customer
• Example: "Between 10 AM - 12 PM"
• Appears on technician's schedule

Estimated Duration:

• How long the work should take
• Helps technician plan their day
• Alerts if work runs over

Step 5: Add Notes (Optional)

1. Enter any special instructions
2. These appear on the technician's mobile app
3. Include access codes, directions, or customer preferences

Step 6: Send Dispatch

1. Review all information
2. Click Send Dispatch
3. Technician receives notification
4. Work order status changes to "Dispatched"

Notification Methods

When you dispatch, technicians are notified via:

Configuring Notifications

1. Go to Settings > Notifications
2. Find Dispatch Notifications
3. Enable/disable each method
4. Set per technician preferences

Checking Technician Availability

From Work Order

1. Click Dispatch
2. View technician list
3. See schedule conflicts highlighted in red
4. Green indicates fully available

From Calendar

1. Go to Scheduling > Calendar
2. View all technicians side-by-side
3. Find open time slots
4. Drag work order to assign

Conflict Warnings

If you dispatch to an unavailable technician:

1. System displays warning
2. Shows conflicting appointments
3. Choose to:
   • Override and dispatch anyway
   • Select different technician
   • Adjust scheduled time

Reassigning Work Orders

When to Reassign

• Technician calls in sick
• Emergency job takes priority
• Customer reschedules
• Skills mismatch discovered

Step-by-Step: Reassign

1. Open the dispatched work order
2. Click Reassign
3. Select new technician
4. Add reason for reassignment (optional)
5. Click Reassign

Both technicians receive notifications:

• Original: "Work order reassigned to [name]"
• New: "Work order assigned from [name]"

Reassignment History

The work order tracks:

• Original assignment
• All reassignments
• Who made each change
• Timestamps

Dispatch Status Tracking

Monitor work orders as technicians progress:

Real-Time Updates

1. Go to Pump & Service Work Orders list
2. View status column
3. Colors indicate current state
4. Click for detailed timeline

Technician Location

If GPS tracking is enabled:

• View technician location on map
• See estimated arrival time
• Track route to job site

Scheduling Integration

Dispatched work orders appear on:

Daily Schedule

• Shows on assigned technician's calendar
• Visible in dispatch board
• Integrates with route planning

Team Calendar

• Office sees all dispatched work
• Identifies scheduling gaps
• Helps balance workload

Batch Dispatching

Dispatch Multiple Work Orders

1. Select multiple work orders from list
2. Click Dispatch Selected
3. Assign to same or different technicians
4. Set individual or group schedule
5. Send all dispatches

Best for:

• Morning dispatch runs
• Route-based assignments
• Area-focused work

Troubleshooting

Technician didn't receive notification?

• Verify notification settings
• Check email/phone on record
• Ensure mobile app is installed
• Resend notification manually

Can't find technician in list?

• Check they have Field role
• Verify they're active in system
• May be already at capacity

Dispatch button grayed out?

• Work order may already be dispatched
• Check your permissions
• Work order may be closed/invoiced

Schedule conflict not showing?

• Refresh the page
• Check technician's calendar
• Conflicts only show for same day

Related Topics

• Creating Work Orders - Create work orders
• Work Order Details - Manage work orders
• Calendar View - Schedule management
• Notifications - Configure alerts