Summary
Let the staff and techs know to call a customer ahead of arriving by putting the information in the Service Instructions or in the Location Notes. The problem with this is the tech has to open the Work Order to see that instruction.
To make it easier for everyone to see this instruction, place that information in a place where the they can see it from the calendar screen without needing to open the Work Order.
Key Points
Do one of the following:
Create a Status
Change the Location name
Create a service such as Call Ahead Before Arriving.
Create a Status
Click the New Status button
Type in the status, such as PHONE AHEAD
Give it a unique color that is different from your other status colors
Let it act as Scheduled
6. Apply the status to the customer's Work Order
Note The techs must reload data in the mobile app for them to see this change.
Save any unsaved Work Order in the mobile app.
Tap Save in the upper-right corner of the open Work Order.
Tap Save & Exit
Then, from the Calendar, tap the menu in the upper-left corner (the three lines)
Tap Settings
Tap Reload Data
Tap Ok or Allow to any messages
It will appear in the mobile app as follows with the correct color and the first letter (P) indicating to phone ahead:
Put the instruction in the Location Name
Go to Settings/Calendar & Time
Verify there's a check mark in [x] Show location name instead of customer on schedule and work pool
Select {location_name}
Click Save
Edit the customer's location page
Update the customer's location name
It will appear in calendar as:
And in the mobile app it appears as:
This is good when you have to call the customer ahead of time for each visit.
Put the instruction in as a service
If a call ahead is not necessary for each visit, follow these steps:
Create a new service and name it Call Ahead Before Arriving, and add it as the first service line in the Work Order.
Create the Service
Go to Settings/Services
Click the New Service button
Type Call Ahead Before Arriving in the Description text box
Give the service a price of $0.00
Click the Create Service button
Add the service to the Work Order as the first line:
Save the Work Order. It will appear in the mobile app as:
Note The techs must reload data in the mobile app for them to see this change.
Save any unsaved Work Order in the mobile app.
Tap Save in the upper-right corner of the open Work Order.
Tap Save & Exit
Then, from the Calendar, tap the menu in the upper-left corner (the three lines)
Tap Settings
Tap Reload Data
Tap Ok or Allow to any messages