Printable work order format tips that fuel success

Your work orders travel across your business from customers to field techs and meet many eyes. Each person must understand the information your work orders are meant to convey, and work order format plays a big role in that.

However, field service professionals are busy people, meaning you don’t have time to ensure that every work order is formatted correctly.

So the question is: how do you efficiently format work orders? The answer is with a free printable work order template.

Keep reading to learn about the importance of work order format and for tips on simplifying the process with a work order template.

As a bonus, you’ll get a free printable work order template that you can customize for your business.

First things first… what is a work order?

A work order is a document that outlines all of the tasks required to complete a job. Work orders are delivered to everyone involved in the job and ensure you’re all on the same page.

Since so many people rely on this document, it’s important to have a work order format that is easy to understand.

Following key work order format best practices ensures that your work orders hit the mark.

Next, let’s look at what your free printable work order template PDF should include.

Work order format best practices

When you create a work order, all relevant information must be there. However, more goes into a printable work order template PDF than words on a page.

Your work order format is an important element in ensuring that the job in question is understood by everyone involved.

Here are two printable work order template PDF best practices to follow to impress your customers and empower your team.

1. Presentation is key

Your work order format matters just as much as the information it delivers, and presentation plays a big role in that. There are several reasons why you should prioritize the presentation in your work orders.

For one, a clear and concise work order demonstrates professionalism to your customers. Every document you hand your customers reflects your business. If your printable work order template PDF is messy and disorganized, your customers may think the same about your business.

What’s more, a disorganized work order format leaves room for errors and misunderstandings. In most cases, three people get a copy of your work order:

• Your customer.
• The dispatcher.
• The technician assigned to the job.

All recipients must have the same understanding of the information in your work order. If your customer and the technician have two different understandings of the work required, you’ll end up with an unsatisfied customer and a frustrated technician.

On top of this, your printable work order template PDF is a great branding opportunity for your business.

So make sure your logo, brand colors, and contact details are part of every printable work order you share with customers.

2. Consider the needs of your internal team

When it comes to your business, it’s easy to get caught up in your customer’s needs. But you can’t forget the needs of those who keep your business running — your team.

From your field techs to your office staff, you need to consider the needs of your internal team in every move you make for your business, including your work orders.

Although your dispatcher and field tech are the main internal recipient of your work orders, there may be instances where other members of your team need access to work orders, such as:

• Your accountant to verify invoicing.
• Administrative staff for archiving purposes.
• Marketing for potential customer reviews.

In these instances, it’s helpful to have a standard work order format that everyone across your business understands. A recognizable, printable work order template PDF ensures consistency, so everyone knows where to find the information they need.

Next, let’s dive deeper into the benefits of free printable work order templates.

The benefits of a free printable work order template

Creating work orders does not produce revenue — completing a job does. When you use a printable work order template PDF, you send work orders out faster, enabling your team to complete more jobs.

Templates take the “work” out of work orders and allow you to have a consistent work order format. Here are some ways that work orders benefit your business.

Improved work order management

Deciding on a standard work order format lets you create a printable work order template PDF.

A work order template speeds up the creation process, so you spend less time creating work orders and focus more on management. A template makes work order management easy.

Work orders are easier to process when they’re all in the same format. This means that you can process more work orders in a shorter amount of time, maximizing your team’s productivity.

Better yet, a printable work order template Word document gives you additional options for delivering the work order to your crew and customer, eliminating the need to create a new copy.

Your work order management is part of your overall business management, meaning that if your work orders flow well, then your business runs smoothly.

From work order to invoice in an instant

Just because the job is complete, that doesn’t mean that your work order is done serving its purpose. You still need to get paid.

Your printable work order template PDF most likely has all of the information you need to create an invoice. It’s even better if you have a work order format similar to your desired invoice format. With this knowledge, creating an invoice from scratch feels repetitive.

The best work order management system streamlines the process by easily converting work orders to invoices. Once the job is complete, it only takes a few clicks to turn your work order into an invoice and deliver it to your customer.

But the benefits don’t end once you get paid either. Some service order software uses your work orders to provide useful insights into your business.

Here’s an example for QuickBooks Users. Method:Field Services makes work orders in QuickBooks Online possible. Plus, its customizable report builder (pictured below) lets you deep dive into your work order data so you can make decisions that drive your business forward.

Better execution on work orders

Work orders deliver important information, and the success of any job depends on how effectively your work order delivers that information.

When you use a template to create your work orders, you save time and get your work orders to your techs a lot quicker.

Better yet, make sure that your printable work order template PDF includes complete job details, such as:

• Special customer requests.
• Detailed instructions.
• Attached images.

These details ensure that your techs get the job done quicker and execute it to your customer’s satisfaction.

Ensure consistency

When you run a field services business, you have to be ready for anything. So, it’s important to take control of every aspect of your business. Consistency in your operations plays a key part in that.

One way to ensure consistency is to use custom work order forms. These forms give you control over your work order format.

A custom work order form starts with a work order template. A work order template means you have the same starting point for each custom work order.

As a result, you’ll have an efficient system to create work orders, empowering your team to accomplish more.

Now that you know the benefits of work order templates let’s check out your options.

Creating a work order template is a great way to speed up the process and ensure a consistent work order format. You can use a free work order template Word document or printable work order template PDF to help you accomplish this.

That being said, creating a printable work order template PDF or Word document can be challenging. The good news is that you don’t have to make it from scratch because we’ve started it for you.

Use this free printable work order template as a starting point. Customize this template to suit your business needs, and start saving time on your work orders right away.

Wrap up: The value of the right work order format

To recap, your work order format matters for three reasons:

1. To convey professionalism to your customers.
2. Ensure your team’s on the same page.
3. Simplify your work order process.

Templates eliminate the need for verifying the format of each work order you create. Several field services software solutions let you create work order templates quickly and efficiently.

Field service management software improves your work orders, and as a result, enhances your business operations as a whole, with features such as:

• Customizable templates.
• Automated invoicing.
• Simplified scheduling.

See how Method:Field Services perfects your work orders process.

Image: Nestor via Adobe Stock