The main workflow, step by step
One service call is shown here from booking to invoice. Each step opens the screen that person works from. The customer, the equipment and the engineer are invented for the demonstration.
Schedule job
JOB-6614Scheduled- Customer
- Meridian Print Works
- Equipment
- Large format printer, unit two
- Fault
- Paper feed stops mid-run
- Engineer
- Chosen by skill and distance
Off the pathIf the customer's contract has lapsed, the dispatcher is told before booking and can offer a chargeable visit.
Job brief
JOB-6614Travelling| History | Detail |
|---|---|
| Last visit | Feed rollers replaced |
| Known issue | Humidity in the print room |
| Contract | Parts and labour covered |
Off the pathAccess notes and site safety rules are shown first, and must be acknowledged before the job can be started.
On site
JOB-6614In progress| Check | Result |
|---|---|
| Feed path inspection | Sensor misaligned |
| Sensor recalibrated | Done |
| Test run | Passed |
Off the pathA failed safety check stops the job from being closed and sends the finding to the service manager.
Complete job
JOB-6614Signed by customer- Parts used
- One sensor bracket, van stock
- Time on site
- Recorded from start to finish
- Customer
- Signed on the phone
- Report
- Sent to the customer by email
Off the pathIf nobody is available to sign, the engineer records why and adds a photo of the finished work instead.
Job closed
JOB-6614Ready for billing| Item | State |
|---|---|
| Service report | Filed with the equipment |
| Van stock | Reduced by one bracket |
| Follow-up visit | Suggested, humidity check |
Off the pathA job that needs a return visit keeps one record with both visits, so the customer's history reads as one story.
Who uses it, and what each role can do
The engineer's phone is the centre of the system, and everyone else exists to make that visit succeed. Roles are kept few on purpose.
| Role | Sees | Can do |
|---|---|---|
| Engineer | Their jobs, the customer and equipment history, van stock | Start, record, use parts, capture a signature and close |
| Dispatcher | The board, engineers' positions and unassigned jobs | Schedule, reassign and inform the customer |
| Service manager | Open jobs, repeat visits and failed checks | Approve exceptions, review quality and adjust checklists |
| Customer contact | Their upcoming visits and past service reports | Request a visit, follow its progress and download reports |
| Back office | Completed jobs ready for billing | Check, invoice and manage contracts |
When the work leaves the usual path
Field work goes wrong in predictable ways. Designing for them is what separates a tool engineers trust from one they work around.
| Situation | What the system does | Who decides |
|---|---|---|
| No signal at the customer's site | Keeps the job on the phone and syncs later | No one, it is automatic |
| Part not on the van | Orders it and books a return visit on the same job | Dispatcher |
| Customer not on site | Records the failed visit with proof of attendance | Dispatcher |
| Job overruns | Warns the dispatcher and offers to move the next job | Dispatcher |
| Work outside the contract | Prepares a quote for approval before the work | Customer contact |
| Safety check fails | Blocks closure and alerts the service manager | Service manager |
What it connects to
Customers, contracts, stock and invoices usually exist somewhere already. The app joins those systems to the visit, so that nothing is entered twice.
| System | What moves | Direction |
|---|---|---|
| CRM or service desk | Customers, contracts and incoming service requests | Both ways |
| ERP or stock system | Parts, van stock and replenishment | Both ways |
| Accounting | Completed jobs with time and parts for invoicing | Out of the app |
| Maps and routing | Travel time and the order of the day's visits | Into the app |
| Email and text messages | Appointment notices and service reports | Out of the app |
What a first release includes
Scheduling board
A board for the office with engineers, skills, travel and drag-and-drop assignment of jobs.
Engineer mobile app
Today's jobs for iOS and Android with history, navigation and offline working throughout.
Checklists and findings
Job types with their own steps, measurements, photos and mandatory safety checks.
Parts and van stock
Parts used on a job taken from the van's stock, with requests when something is missing.
Signature and report
Customer signature on the phone and a service report generated and emailed on the spot.
Customer view
A simple portal or link where customers follow a visit and find their past reports.
Often added after the first release
- Planned service visits generated from contracts
- Route planning across the whole team
- Quotes and card payment on site
- Equipment that reports its own faults
- Knowledge articles suggested from the reported fault
What we need from you
- Your job types and the paperwork engineers complete for each today
- How jobs are scheduled now and what makes a day go wrong
- Access to a test copy of your customer and stock systems
- Contract types and what each one covers
- Two engineers and a dispatcher to trial the first version
Ownership and licensing terms are defined in the project agreement.
What to do next
Tell us how many engineers you run and show us one completed job sheet. We come back with the screens we would build first, the systems we would connect and a proposal. Start a conversation or book a 30-minute call.
Common questions
Is a ready-made field service product a better fit?
For many service companies it is, and we say so when we see it. Products cover scheduling, mobile job sheets and invoicing well. Building your own becomes sensible when your job types and checklists are specialized, when the app must work with systems the products do not connect to, or when per-user fees no longer match the size of your team.
Does the app work on both iPhone and Android?
Yes. We normally build one application for both platforms with shared code, which keeps the cost down and the two versions identical. Where a device feature such as background location or a rugged scanner needs it, native code is added for that part. Our page on React Native development explains the approach.
What happens when an engineer has no connection?
The day's jobs, customer history and checklists are stored on the phone at the start of the shift. Work is recorded locally, including photos and the signature, and sent when a connection returns. If the office changed something in the meantime, the app shows the difference and keeps both versions until a person decides. Engineers always see whether a job has been sent.
Can customers see when the engineer will arrive?
They can if you choose to offer it. A message with the appointment window is sent when the job is booked, and a link can show the engineer on the way on the day. Afterwards the customer receives the service report. What you share, and when, is configurable, since some service companies prefer to give windows instead of live positions.