How work orders move from request to close — the core process, what to look for in a platform, keeping only compliant contractors on the job, and the recurring schedules that keep preventive maintenance on track.
A Work Order Management System is the collection of processes, steps, and tools for managing maintenance work orders across a workplace, building, site, property portfolio, or facility — often reported by tenants, residents, customers, staff, or from audits.
A work order starts with a maintenance request, which might range from a cleaning task to electrical work or a repair job. It's logged and assigned to a preferred contractor to action, then managed through quotes, authorised job tasks, and progress updates before being closed once all work is completed. Work orders might be recurring — such as regular scheduled maintenance on plant and equipment — or a once-off issue reported by a tenant or staff member.
Having this system in place allows for the efficient tracking of all maintenance requests, both reactive and preventive, and provides an organised channel of communication between maintenance staff, management, and other stakeholders — helping businesses catch issues before they become more serious and expensive.
A full end-to-end platform for managing work orders and contractors, integrating contractor compliance directly with work order management.
Set up a work request form so users can log new work orders as they arise, then assign them to preferred contractors — including multiple contractors on the same job where needed.
Contractors can provide updates on jobs, such as ETA and status, directly from their phone, keeping everyone across progress without the follow-up calls.
Behind the scenes, extensive work order management options cover everything from accounts through to invoices, quotes, documentation, and photos, with a registry of closed work orders and support for preventative maintenance work orders.
It all starts with logging a work order — reporting the job that needs action. This might be a fault with plant and equipment requiring detail on what happened, when, how, and the actions needed, or a minor issue like a flickering light, a spill, or a cracked door. Depending on urgency, the work order is logged in a registry and the facility or property manager assigns a contractor in order of priority.
Management assigns the work order to a preferred contractor — one who is inducted and fully compliant, holding valid licences, tickets and insurances, and who has been through the appropriate checks such as a contractor prequalification. The contractor can then provide updates on actions underway, expected completion time, and parts they're awaiting. Multiple contractors might be assigned the same work order at different stages of completion, and high-risk tasks may require a permit to work, a JSA, or a Safe Work Method Statement.
Quotes are organised, often with their own review and approval process where cost is above an approved threshold. Progress updates are provided by contractors and management as job tasks are completed. Once all progress updates are finalised, the job is flagged as completed and moves to the closed work order registry.
Recurring work orders are scheduled for ongoing works such as maintenance on plant and equipment. In this process, the work order is automatically triggered and sent to the preferred contractor when the due date approaches — whether that's for certifications, audits, inspections, or preventative maintenance on assets, plant and equipment, and may include asset tracking or sit as part of your overall maintenance plan.
With a work order management system, these workflows can be automated, streamlined, and systemised — ensuring actions are triggered, reminders and nudges are sent, and registries stay real-time for whatever work order activity is going on across a site, project, property, or building.
Enable staff, customers, or residents to access and submit work orders as maintenance requests arise, and give them visibility of progress updates on previous work orders to avoid follow-up questions.
A Work Order system will commonly be made up of the following.
A centralized place to access all the work order information and resources.
A calendar view of scheduled work orders that can be used to plan and manage resources.
The ability to quickly search and filter through work orders.
Alerts for upcoming work orders, changes in status, or any other custom notifications.
Generate detailed reports for individual work orders or for broader trends across the system.
Create custom fields to capture additional information about work orders.
Assign and manage resources, such as technicians and equipment, to work orders.
Integrate with other systems, such as accounting, inventory, or CRM platforms.
Control who can view and update work orders.
For the work order process itself, you might see a workflow similar to these steps.
The first step in the process is for the maintenance department to create the work order. This involves gathering the necessary information about the task, such as the type of work that needs to be done, the estimated time for completion, and any special instructions or requirements.
After the work order is created, the maintenance department will select a suitable contractor for the task. This involves researching potential contractors, determining their availability, and reviewing their qualifications.
The selected contractor is notified of the work order and all the details associated with it. The contractor can then decide whether or not to accept the job.
If the contractor accepts the job, they sign the contract and provide any necessary documentation. At this point, the maintenance department provides the contractor with any tools or materials needed for the job.
Once the job is completed, the contractor submits any necessary paperwork and invoices to the maintenance department, which reviews the work to make sure it meets all the requirements specified in the work order.
It's important to have the tools and processes in place to ensure that only approved and compliant contractors receive a maintenance work order. This starts with creating a list of approved contractors and requiring them to provide proof of compliance with any relevant regulations before they're allowed to perform the work.
This list should be regularly updated to ensure that only the most qualified and compliant contractors are performing the maintenance work. It's also important to ensure that any contractors hired to perform maintenance work are properly insured and bonded, so that only compliant contractors are carrying out the work.
Another area of a work order system is a recurring maintenance work order, where a work order is issued on a regularly scheduled basis to ensure preventive maintenance is completed on a regular basis. This type of work order is typically used for equipment or machinery that requires frequent maintenance, such as HVAC systems, vehicles, or machinery — scheduling routine tasks like oil changes, filter changes, or other regular maintenance activities.
See how requests, scheduling, contractor compliance, and reporting all come together in Work Metrics.