Work Order Tracking.

I run a service business. All of my work order tracking at the moment consists of a clipboard, a pen, and a dry erase board. Crap is getting lost in the paper shuffle. I need a better system that doesn't cost a arm and a leg. I don't need cloud, web or mobile. I don't need tech tracking or dispatch at the moment. Just a system to keep up with things and send reminders when stuff sits too long. 

Most of the commercially available systems are expensive and a lot more complicated than I need. 

Ideas?

won't quickbooks do it?

Check out Trello? Basically a pretty lightweight project management tool. Even Google Keep is basically a system of post-its, but you can set reminders.

I don't know how much of what you don't need you'll never need, but don't underestimate the overhead of changing from the lightest, cheapest thing you can find right now to a system that has something you end up needing later.

This wholly depends on how much automation you want. A general purpose CRM package will provide contract dates and send you an email when service appointments are coming up. Goldmine is pretty well regarded in this area and offers service contract management which is what it sounds like you're looking for. I don't know what their SMA (software maintenance agreement) looks like which is going to be a recurring cost for you. So if you buy it make sure you ask what it is and if it's mandatory so you're not surprised.

Note: They are a tangentially a competitor of mine as they deal in part of what I do (CRM) but you stated you don't need a full blown ERP/Service package. I talk with a lot of people that use Goldmine and like it when they add our ERP package to their business.

Quickbooks is more complicated than I want. 

Trello has possibilities. Thanks. 

I'm reviewing an app right now called Upkeep. Seems very promising. Has a lot of capabilities, but can be used at a very basic level. 

I spent some time with Trello today. I think it's going to work like a charm. In a couple of hours, I managed to get all our work orders into the system and get everyone in the company set up as a team for keeping things updated. We will give it a trial run and see how things work out. 

Upkeep also looked promising. It's more geared towards facilities management, but I'll keep it in mind if Trello doesn't work out. 

Thanks for the input gents. 

Whoa ok I thought you didn't want cloud!?!?

Isn't Trello all stored on their cloud? I was going to say that there was a decent Template already created for a MS access database for controlling ERP/CRM and if you linked it with SharePoint enterprise services it worked ok my IT wouldn't enable the parts of sharepoint we needed and wouldn't allocate a person to manage it for our group. 

Some things to think about:

1. Exit capability? Can you backup locally and/or download total history if you decide to leave Trello?
2. Personal information storage, be careful with storing all of your customers' personal info and payment info in the same cloud unless. It is a risk we all take but measure it for yourself.

I agree that before you fall totally in love with any subscription/cloud type app - make sure you understand who owns the data and what if any ability you have to download/migrate the data should:

• The host company go out of business (or other type of "change of control").
• Your company grows/changes and wants to migrate to something else.
• Your company gets bought or you acquire another company and you want to change the name or change the bill to address.

That last bullet sounds weird but we made an acquisition of a small LLC and they were using a "killer app" with web portal and hosted data. Changing the bill to address was considered by the host a "new owner" and they wanted full price brand new just to keep running the existing data. We suggested they pound sand, lost all the data and started over from scratch with a new brand of software instead of paying what we considered data ransom.

Now that I sound like Debbie Downer I have to admit that I like the potential with Trello. We may try it out for some stuff we do here at work!

Advan046 said:

Whoa ok I thought you didn't want cloud!?!?

Isn't Trello all stored on their cloud? I was going to say that there was a decent Template already created for a MS access database for controlling ERP/CRM and if you linked it with SharePoint enterprise services it worked ok my IT wouldn't enable the parts of sharepoint we needed and wouldn't allocate a person to manage it for our group. 

Some things to think about:

1. Exit capability? Can you backup locally and/or download total history if you decide to leave Trello?
2. Personal information storage, be careful with storing all of your customers' personal info and payment info in the same cloud unless. It is a risk we all take but measure it for yourself.

Storage on the cloud has turned out to be a distinct advantage. I was able to set it up so the field techs can update things as they happen. So I know what is going on without having to dig through a clipboard and hunt down missing paperwork. 

What I have on Trello is extremely basic. There is no customer or company information online. Only work order numbers, a scan of the work order, brief descriptions, and updates. All it does is give me a place to keep up with a WO without having to shuffle through a stack of papers. If the system crashes, I still have the hardcopy of work orders to fall back on. We are a small company so at any given time there are only about 25 work orders in the works.

This is a screen shot. (literally)

As a work order progresses, it gets moved right and comments added so we know exactly what is going on. The columns continue all the way to the Invoiced column, off screen at the far right.  

All invoicing is done in house so there is no billing or payment information online. 

This will work for now. Total investment was $0. Most of the subscription services were going to be pretty pricey. 

I work for a company that has adopted an "agile development process". It has been applied to every department because the CTO believes in it. Upper management uses Trello and everyone else uses an in house built application with a Trello knock off "Kanban" board.

I think it could work for some people. I am in a strange place between the C-Suite and everyone else. It doesn't work for me, but I have figured out how to manipulate it to kinda sorta report and plan properly. I hate it.

So, lay it out correctly and its great. Over complicate it, and it is terrible. I have no idea how to properly track time using such a system unless you actually do one thing at a time. 

I hate saying this, but Quickbooks is probably better with their time, mileage, and expense tracking.

I'm probably a terrible person for doing this, but for my side gigs I just bill what I think its worth and schedule with google calendar.

As a psychological aside.... seeing a calendar with things to do for the day/week is a lot less stressful than seeing the pile of things that can happen in Trello. We have a trello/kanban phase called "ideas" and another called "good to code" that drove me to seek professional help. Imagine your significant other writing all over your kitchen in dry erase marker with all of the things she wants you to do, and that's what I have. Items can range from replacing a light bulb to remodeling an office, and they are all written in the same sanserif font and color. Imagine being the guy that submitted the item for a light bulb 30 seconds after the guy that asked for a new office.

Items currently in my Kanban in the "On Deck" phase: "Employee Resignation 1/2/18"; "Move accounting dept to new office"; "printer out of ink"

FML

You need crm. 

I'm not tracking time, mileage or expenses on Trello. Nor do I use it to generate any reports. The only thing I'm tracking is the work order itself and where it is in the completion process. 

We were previously making two copies of every work order. One to go in the field, one for the office. The field copy would get notes written on it, but would occasionally get lost in the field. The office copy would disappear into a stack to be shuffled through a dozen times. 

This is only being used to eliminate the paper shuffle. 

CRM I'll have to look into. Thanks. 

A crm

solution allows you to track all aspects of your customer experience. Who ordered what when. Who has what equipment. What are the names of my main clients. What are their favorite crhristmas treats.  You want to take service to the next level. Get CRM.