Best Work Order Software

Work order management is crucial to service customers, manage maintenance and repair works, and for the smooth functioning of the organization’s operational processes. However, the work order life cycle is a complicated process that often requires multiple departments to collaborate to implement a strong work order management system. Inaccurate work orders, contract leakages, delays, breakdowns, etc. can decrease productivity and hamper operational efficiency. Implementing a technology-based efficient work order management is essential for the sustainable growth of organizations.

Fortunately, the work order service landscape is evolving continuously, and technology disruptors provide new opportunities and paradigm shifts in service operations. In this respect, work order software is a useful tool to keep services agile, improve operational efficiency, and fulfill work order commitments on time.

Amidst lucrative vendor offers, businesses that want to deploy a work order management software (WOMS) may find it difficult to select and evaluate the best solutions. Therefore, this buyer's guide intends to assist businesses and seekers of work order software solutions in making a prudent buying decision. This buyer's guide for work order software analyzes the value, types, average pricing, features, key aspects, and important factors related to work order software. 

A work order is a form/document that assigns and tracks an asset's maintenance.  Work order is also known as job order, service order, or work ticket.

Work orders are generated as a response to work requests, audits, inspections, scheduled maintenance, emergency works, etc. It lays down a set of instructions, rules, and procedures to address work requests, maintenance calls, facilities management services, etc. It is a task for employees, technicians, or departments on behalf of the customers or other employees and departments of the organization.

Examples of work order: 

• A technician may receive a work order to complete the inspection of all electrical equipment in a particular manufacturing unit. 
• A manager at an operational unit can create a work order for repairs required and send it to the approving authority.
• An IT technician can get an in-house work order from the HR department to install a particular software on all company computers.

An organization's employees and customers can request various types of work orders depending upon the work's nature and priority. Below are some common types of work orders: 

General Work Order

A general work order is any maintenance work that includes tasks like dismantling old equipment, setting up new equipment, or refurbishing products.

Preventive Maintenance or Investment

Preventive work orders are proactive work orders issued to prevent the deterioration of resources. It refers to routine usage-based or time-based maintenance tasks such as inspections, regular cleaning, or replacements of worn-out machinery parts. It can be performed on individual units or group assets. 

Inspection

An inspection work order is issued for a regular or ad hoc inspection requirement for a facility, equipment, or group of assets. Generally, inspections are carried out at a regular time interval for compliance and audit purposes. However, in case of critical incidents, an organization may require a maintenance technician to inspect an asset for safety purposes on an ad hoc basis.

Emergency

Organizations create emergency work orders when an unexpected breakdown occurs in a unit, and an asset needs to be repaired urgently. Such work orders are processed on a priority basis. 

Corrective Maintenance

Companies issue corrective maintenance work orders to restore assets to their optimal working conditions by rectifying all faults that were identified during maintenance work or everyday work operations. A corrective maintenance work order is different from an emergency work order as the fault identified in equipment is not serious and, therefore, can be scheduled later with proper planning.  

Rule-based maintenance: 

Rule-based maintenance or condition-based maintenance work order is automatically triggered when sensors attached with assets detect an approaching failure. Generally, AI-powered machinery integrated with work order software can automatically generate such work orders. 

Predictive maintenance: 

Sometimes technicians and experts use real-time machine data and historical equipment data to predict the failure or deterioration of certain sensitive assets. To prevent the assets from a sudden breakdown, predictive maintenance can be scheduled.

Core elements of work order:

Asset information: It lists down the equipment, assets, machinery, products, etc. for which the work order is issued.

Description of issue: It describes the nature of the problem that prompted the work order. For routine maintenance, it just underlines the time interval after which maintenance is required.

Work Details: It mentions the tools, skills, safety equipment, and procedure that is sought for completion of the job.

Other details:

The work order also mentions:

• Date of work order creation 
• Submission date
• Name, department, and designation of the creator
• Name, department, and designation of the receivers of the work order
• Cost estimate
• Name of the approver of the concerned department.
• Estimated number of hours to complete the work
• Expected completion date
• The priority of the work
• Attached are documents such as steps required, prior work history, SOPs, etc.

Need, generation, and assigning of the  Work Order:

A maintenance manager identifies the work and resources required for completing a job. He/ She generates a work order and assigns the work to the concerned department or technicians. Work orders can also be generated by customers or non-maintenance employees when particular assets are not performing properly. Work order software automatically generates work orders when prior set conditions are met. Work order software allows users to add essential data to the work order, and users can also use prebuilt templates to expedite the process of work order creation. 

Scheduling and performance analysis

After sending it to concerned departments, and the approval authority,  the work order can be scheduled for task completion.  Work order software provides detailed reports as the work gets updated and documents everything as noted down by the technicians. 

Closing the work order and documentation

Once the work is completed, technicians can add notes about the repairs and also mention precautions to be taken for further handling of equipment. For example, if a particular machine repaired requires three days of the cooling period before it can be used again, the technician can mention this in the work order software. The notification will automatically reach all concerned people with the set of instructions from the technician. 

After final analysis, inspection or approval, if required, the work order is closed, and it gets documented for future requirements. The repair history, maintenance records, etc. can be retrieved anytime in the future for business intelligence analysis, audits, and compliance needs. 

In a nutshell, the maintenance work order life cycle is completed in the following steps:

1. Identification of maintenance tasks such as regular inspections (Planned), or Emergency maintenance for a breakdown (Unplanned), proactive maintenance (Preventive or Predictive)
2. Creating a maintenance request work order and submitting it for approval and action. 
3. Scheduling the work order based on priorities. 
4. Setting deadlines for everyone who is involved in fixing accountability.
5. Completion of the work by finishing all activities mentioned in the work order
6. Closing the order and documenting it for compliance requirements and future audits.

Creating, sending, and cataloging manual orders can consume employees' crucial time.  Submitting manual work orders or service requests is also not feasible when the tasks have to be allotted to multiple locations. Facilities management departments of industrial units process hundreds of repair and maintenance requests. 

Quick resolution and execution of maintenance and repair works are essential for running facilities smoothly. One cannot afford to delay work orders due to outdated manual processes. Inaccuracies and delays are common phenomena with manual work orders. 

It is also difficult to track the ongoing progress and real-time status of the work order when manual methods are in place. Manual processing can never ensure an efficient work order program. Therefore, to mitigate these challenges, it is prudent to use well-designed work order management software.

Work order management software is an application tool that streamlines the generation, management, and documentation of work orders from initiation to closure. It can automate various tasks related to work orders. It acts as a kind of database for storing work orders, maintenance action plans, and facility requests. 

The work order system's basic function is to automate all recurring maintenance work and predictive maintenance work orders. Work order management software simplifies the process of creating, updating, automating, and tracking maintenance work and its progress for managers. Many work order management software is an integral part of computerized maintenance management systems (CMMS), and some are standalone work order systems. 

Most the Work Order Management systems are capable of;

• Handling all types of maintenance work
• Asset data management
• Processing Work order requests
• Routing Resources
• Task prioritization
• Equipment tracking
• Budgeting
• Dispatch Management

Work order management software is needed for:

• Responding to the need for a faster-than-paperwork method of creating work orders
• Creating an effective facility management strategy
• Organizing and managing the vast amount of work requests (especially in manufacturing)
• Automating redundant work order related tasks 
• Categorizing and scheduling maintenance tasks on time
• Tracking the real-time status updates of the ongoing maintenance tasks
• Managing service requests across multiple locations
• Assigning tasks easily for field technicians
• Finding the right technicians, contractors, departments for the job ( previous data of work order software can be used to find the appropriate people for new work requests)
• Reminding technicians of pending work orders through email alerts
• Automating payments for completed work orders
• Getting advanced analytics and reports
• Centralizing a database of work orders for audit and compliance purposes

CMMS (Computerized Maintenance Management System)

CMMS is a computerized maintenance management software with all tools required for work order management and functionalities to manage inventory and assets, contract management, and more. Work order management is a feature of CMMS software that allows users to streamline their daily maintenance activities and work-order related tasks.  A CMMS will not require integration with related services and is a complete solution in itself for all maintenance-related work.

Standalone Work Order software

Standalone work order software solutions are focused tools for 'work orders.' Standalone work order software may require system integration with other enterprise applications such as asset management software, inventory software, contract management software, etc. for gaining more insights and visibility into the ongoing maintenance work.

Field Service management systems

Industries with extensive fieldwork and hundreds of field technicians use field service management software with inbuilt work order features. Most equipment and appliance service industries such as plumbing, AC repairs, Electricity, and utility management companies use Field service management software. Along with work order management, the software also has features such as vehicle tracking, distribution of work, mobile work order management, etc.

Work orders are the pillars that give stability and structure to maintenance goals. With work order software, your technicians are relieved from the constant phone calls, and paperwork and your work order system gets smooth with automated workflow.  Manual work orders can be lost and misfiled, but computerized work orders are easy to create, track, retrieve, analyze, and report. It is also easy to send asset histories, images, and documents to technicians. 

By accessing the data already stored within the facilities management platform and automating the work order process, your organization gains efficiency not only in the work order submission process but also in overall time-to-resolution. The field management team receives real-time status updates and can communicate with customers and suppliers for better coordination. 

Work order software Improves efficiency by establishing and automating workflow processes such as: 

• Creation
• Submission
• Approval 
• Rejection
• Completion
• Documentation

Work order software increases the efficiency and productivity of field technicians by: 

• Inbuilt Work order Templates: Inbuilt work order templates make it easy for technicians to submit approvals or create new job orders. 
• Database for previous jobs: A technician can retrieve a database for previous maintenance work on a particular asset and get valuable insights and sets of instructions required to complete work orders of similar nature. 
• A planned approach to service requests: Work order software standardizes the process by data-driven decisions regarding the priority of work.
• One-click scheduling: Work order scheduling software can automate the scheduling of new work orders and prioritize them for faster resolutions. Work order software automatically schedules routine jobs on empty slots. 
• Attachments and Documents: The field maintenance team may require access to certain specific information such as warranty period, equipment diagrams, a troubleshooting procedure, maintenance history, repair information, previous bills, manuals, etc. All these documents are easily retrievable from the work order software's database.

All the above features bring down the downtime in facilities and foster productivity.

Other Benefits of Work Order Software: 

• Minimizes work order fulfillment time and thus reduces costs by saving work hours. 
• Reduces chances of errors by eliminating manual entries
• Prevents emergency breakdowns with automated preventive maintenance scheduling 
• Extends asset life span by timely repairs and predictive maintenance
• Work order software improves customer satisfaction by keeping customers in the loop of the work order process. 
• Emails and automated alerts are sent to customers and concerned departments whenever work requests are accepted, approved, rejected, or completed. 
• Reduce paper waste by digitizing the whole process
• Helps in accurately planning maintenance budget 
• Increases safety of sensitive asset information with secure dashboards

Manufacturing

• Maintenance of equipment and preventive maintenance
• Inspection and quality control
• Lean manufacturing and optimizing maintenance
• Enhancing productivity and streamlining repair operations
• Running machinery to specifications
• Better planning and scheduling of maintenance work

Construction

• Work order requests for heavy machinery
• Predictive and preventive maintenance of expensive construction tools and equipment
• On-site work order 
• Tracking historical data of machinery for timely maintenance

Corporate

• Create maintenance and repair requests
• Raising service requests such as plumbing, AC service, pest control, computer issues, etc

Contractors 

• Receiving work order requests from clients, agencies, government bodies
• Maintaining records of work completed for billing purposes
• Automatically receiving payments for contractual works
• Send quicker responses to work proposals
• Instruct their field workers 
• View work progress in real-time

Logistics and travel:

• Work orders for vehicle maintenance
• Predictive maintenance on certain routes
• Historical data tracking for faster services and prevention of vehicle breakdowns

Energy

• Work orders for maintenance of high-cost machinery for Energy companies such as oil and gas, hydroelectricity plants, solar energy plants, etc.
• Monitor data on machine conditions for safety purposes
• Tracking maintenance histories
• Compliance and audits
• Documenting completed inspections.
• Emergency maintenance work orders

Facility management companies

• Receive and generate work order requests
• Track progress related to maintaining client facilities
• Expense tracking and storing facility maintenance records

IT

• Work orders related to server downtime, hardware and software issues
• Client system remote service and maintenance

Technology and Appliance service companies

• Generate work orders for maintenance of generators, fire protection systems, appliances, etc.
• Approving work orders for on-field employees

E-commerce businesses

• Work orders for repair and maintenance of servers, databases, websites
• Processing supplier work order requests 

Augmented reality (AR)

The integration of AR technology with work order management systems can enhance service technicians' training experience. Completing some work orders may require training in hazardous environments, but with augmented reality, technicians can be trained to complete work orders in risk-free simulated environments.  

WOMS can also collect data from equipment sensors and project the technical glitch on the AR interface. During training and maintenance, AR can display minute parts on larger screens and for better inspections.  AR improves intelligence, and performance analysis, and optimizes training modules.  

AR can enable remote assistance from expert technicians, provide technicians with quality training material, and offer customers step-by-step repair guidance.  

Artificial intelligence (AI) 

AI can analyze data generated by work orders, sensors, technician inputs, etc., and can predict repair works. AI can be used to automatically trigger work orders for emergency maintenance. AI can help companies identify which equipment or appliances their clients are due for service and can send automated reminders to the clients. 

Maintenance Management combined with technologies like the internet of things, big data, and AI can revolutionize the maintenance world. Continuous monitoring of IoT-enabled devices with AI can reduce system failures.

Work order creation/modification: 

Work order software can be used to quickly and accurately create requests and instructions with prebuilt templates or guided order entry tools.

Work order tracking

The work order system can track orders from initial entry to job completion.  Technicians can assign criticality levels to each phase and prioritize tasks. 

Work order scheduling

With the work order management application users can schedule the work order based on the urgency of the work, availability of technicians, and open time slots.

Work order reporting

Work order software collects data, monitors trends in downtime, tracks materials and repair costs, and reports to you the key performance indicators (KPIs). 

Instant Team Notifications

The Work order system automatically notifies your service team by email and text messages regarding new work order requests. 

Compliance Management

Automatic and routine scheduling of preventative maintenance, predictive maintenance, general maintenance, etc. for regulatory compliance management

Automatic Task Assignment

The work order system can automatically assign tasks to the maintenance team based on their skills, availability, and location.

Maintenance Data Exports

Work order software easily exports data reports and work order histories whenever required.  It also keeps a backup of all databases in case of adverse events.

Sourcing

The work order management system also keeps records of the supplier of spare parts, maintenance material, licenses, and more to make the sourcing process easier for quick maintenance.

Customized Dashboards

Gain complete insight into work orders by category, priority, department, etc. on a custom dashboard. 

Risk Management

The work order management system monitors and checks warranty certificates, insurance, and rates, technician credentials for risk-free work order completion. It can red-flag items if any violation is found.

Website/software integration 

Work order software can be integrated with third-party websites, software service providers, portals, etc.  

Status updates

Work order software provides visibility on each order by live updating the status of the work order journey. 

Change orders

Work order tracking software can be used to change, edit, and format a work order whenever required. All changes are saved in real-time, and alerts are sent to concerned people. 

Rules-based approval 

Access control and conditional logic-based work order approval provide organizations the ability to approve work orders automatically.  

Gantt Chart

The work order management system allows users to set up a Gantt chart to plan, schedule, and track the work order on a timeline.  

Mobile Work order system

With this feature of the mobile work management app, your team can create and respond to work orders from anywhere. This feature is of particular importance to the field workers who can respond to emergencies quickly.  

Other Features:

• Electronic Invoicing
• Barcoding
• Cross-Platform Capabilities
• Sensor integrations
• Budgeting
• Asset repair costs prediction

Buyers should consider the following elements of the work management software before making an actual investment: 

• Can work management software integrate with other technologies such as AI, AR, IoT, etc.?
• How many free work order templates does it offer? 
• How many unique requests can it process in a day/week/month/year?
• How secure is the software from a compliance point of view?
• Does it have the required storage capacity? 
• How many units can it monitor?
• Is the software user-friendly, sophisticated, and easy to navigate?
• Can it process all types of work orders?
• Is the work order solution accessible on all devices such as desktops, laptops, tablets, and mobile phones? 
• Can it work smoothly with low bandwidth internet connectivity?
• Are any hidden costs, installation, and training charges? 
• Whether below functionalities available?
• Multiple languages,
• 24/7 customer support
• Free software upgrades
• Free training
• Free trial or Free demo

The costs of  the best work order management software depend on a large number of factors such as:

• The number of  requests it can process
• Features it offers
• User interface and experience
• Deployment required: Cloud-based, Web-based, on-premise software, or open-source.
• Type of automation it offers
• The number of devices it can work on simultaneously
• Quality of service and user support offered 
• Privacy and the data encryption it provides 

These variations can significantly change the pricing estimations of the work order software. 

Logixpath Operations Management is a free work order software with limited feature plans. If you need Free and open source work order software, check out OpenMaint, or gnuMims. Work order apps such as Snappii costs $15 per user per month for unlimited requests, Limble CMMS comes for $40 per user per month for a basic plan and $105 per user per month for a business plan. The online work order software eMaint CMMS will cost you $33 per user per month and $85 per user per month for a professional plan. For other work order software solutions such as ShireSystem, ProbusinessTools, Husky Intelligence, and FieldServio, you need to contact the vendor. Get the updated list and complete information from the Goodfirms Work Order Software page.

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The readers of this buyer's guide for work order management software are advised to navigate the list of thoroughly researched market-leading software solutions that provide immense features and the best services to manage their work orders.  You can also read reviews of work order management software here.