Compare the top work order management tools, key features, and benefits to streamline field service operations and scale efficiently.
Sopia Le-Dimitrova , Director, Product Marketing, Salesforce
Work order management software centralizes data and automates tasks related to service requests done in the field. While the work itself may be manual and on-location, managing the orders can be streamlined in a digital, unified, cloud-based portal. The right software lets service reps and field techs easily access everything they need to coordinate the job.
Without a well-organized, digital system, managing service requests can involve sifting through spreadsheets, calendars, and maybe even paperwork, hoping it's organized and accurate. Scaling your service quickly becomes challenging if your channels are overwhelmed with work order requests that aren't being fulfilled fast enough for high customer satisfaction.
Software for work order management saves you time by organizing information, coordinating service delivery, and automating processes. In our research, field service technicians say software with AI features handles enough of their administrative work to give them back up to two hours a week . By 2027, service software with AI capabilities is expected to handle 50% of service cases, including order inquiries, giving both service reps and field techs much more time for high-value work.
Here's what to know as you look for a work order management solution.
Work order management software — a subset of field service management software — is a suite of tools that helps organizations manage work orders. It's used primarily for issue resolution, inventory tracking, and task management.
Work order management is a critical component of field service operations, involving the creation, assignment, and tracking of service tasks that typically occur where the customer or equipment is located. It includes organizing work requests, scheduling and dispatching the right technicians, and monitoring progress in real-time to ensure jobs are completed efficiently.
This process often begins with receiving a service request, then allocating resources based on skills, availability, and location. Technicians are equipped with the necessary details and tools, and their progress is tracked through updates and reporting.
Effective work order management often means improved operational efficiency, faster response times, and higher first-time fix rates.
With the breadth of what field service management software can handle, the benefits of work order management tools extend beyond just making things easier for the team.
Here are some of the top benefits of using work order management software:
With all the right data centralized in one place, including details about the actual asset that needs servicing (such as model numbers), the team can attach the correct knowledge articles and identify the necessary parts. This comprehensive data allows for the assignment of the right technician with the appropriate skills, ensuring that the correct resources are sent through your dispatch management software.
Having easily accessible guidance linked to the work order helps technicians complete the job accurately and efficiently, minimizing the risk of missed steps and enhancing overall service quality.
With field service automation, streamlining scheduling, and providing real-time updates, work order management software reduces manual effort and minimizes errors. Technicians can access job details, update progress, and close out work orders swiftly, leading to faster turnaround times and enhanced productivity.
Work order management software enables tracking of asset history, maintenance schedules, and performance metrics, ensuring that equipment is well-maintained and downtime is minimized. This proactive approach extends the lifespan of assets and optimizes their usage.
Automated documentation ensures that all necessary information is captured and easily accessible, reducing the risk of non-compliance and simplifying audits. This meticulous record-keeping also supports better tracking of service histories and warranties, further improving overall operational management.
By providing real-time data, insightful analytics, and comprehensive reporting, work order management software enables managers to make data-driven decisions. Tracking key performance indicators, identifying trends, and analyzing operational data enable proactive planning, resource optimization, and continuous improvement, ultimately driving business growth and success.
Measurable increases in customer satisfaction are a natural outcome of efficient work order management. With real-time updates, automated notifications, and transparent communication, customers are kept informed throughout the service process. Faster response times and improved first-time fix rates lead to happier customers who are more likely to remain loyal and provide positive referrals.
Learn how AI agents can help field service teams scale, work, and deliver service with confidence.
The best work order management software for your organization will depend on your business’s size, industry, and unique needs. However, the software highlighted in the following list are all strong options to consider.
This list was curated from Capterra , which scores business software based on functionality and user feedback. Each of the tools listed here received a minimum of 4.5 stars out of 5 on Capterra.
Field Service brings the efficiency of AI to field service and work order management.
With field service software from Field Service, you can set up AI agents to autonomously take care of appointment management, preventive maintenance scheduling, service appointment summaries, and more. Your team saves time on routine work so they can focus on providing exceptional service instead.
Work orders are simple to create and easy to assign and execute. Workers in the field can stay connected even when on-site by accessing work orders through a mobile app. This app is designed to be offline-first to better accommodate frontline team members traveling between different job sites.
Scheduling, resource management, and forecasting tools make it easy to optimize your team’s availability for both new work orders and routine maintenance. Orders for preventive maintenance get generated automatically thanks to Agentforce’s predictive analytics, so you can stop equipment failures and other issues before they occur.
All this functionality is part of the broader Agentforce for Service portfolio that also encompasses contact centers, customer service, and more. This makes it an ideal tool for large enterprises that need a solution capable of streamlining complex service environments.
MaintainX is a well-known computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) recognized for being intuitive and easy to use. Users praise its native mobile app that helps field service teams to stay on top of work orders on the go, and real-time data that helps techs make smarter decisions about their work and their schedules.
One of the many strengths of MaintainX is that users don’t need deep technical skills to learn it. The tradeoff for this simplicity lies in limitations on customization and more technical features like asset filtering. However, it’s a good fit for small businesses that need simplicity and fast adoption.
Another widely-known tool praised for its ease-of-use is Limble . This CMMS boasts functionality that lets users create new work orders by scanning a QR code at their work sites, facilitating faster and easier maintenance requests. Users also praise its intuitive interface, responsive support, and customizable predictive maintenance schedules.
Limble’s workflows integrate maintenance with production schedules to keep processes streamlined. Data and reporting help organizations better time preventive maintenance and track costs and performance. While some users complain of limited planning tools, the software is overall a great fit for organizations that value usability and fast setup.
UpKeep is an AI-powered workforce management solution and CMMS that boasts intelligent support for generating work orders and optimizing scheduling. Predictive maintenance schedules are intelligently generated as well, and AI analytics on asset performance and other key information help your frontline team optimize how they work.
UpKeep’s work order creation tools are robust, with options to provide context with photos, checklists, and real-time updates. Employees can save time with the ability to manage work orders from anywhere. Some reviewers complain of limitations on admin controls, but overall, it’s a valuable tool for proactive maintenance management.
The work order forms on FMX are praised for their customizability, allowing you to create unique templates and enable multiple submission methods. Work orders are then automatically assigned based on technicians’ skills, location, and availability. They can also be automatically generated in response to things like an inspection failure. Technicians can easily filter and sort their work orders for better organization.
Users praise FMX’s mobile access and simple, intuitive interface. Some complain of limitations in flexibility, but the straightforward nature of the app empowers a level of fast work order resolution and ease of adoption that many seem to appreciate.
eMaint ’s work order management suite offers extensive customizability, allowing users to create multi-asset work orders or design work order templates with built-in procedures that support the organization’s processes. Work orders are automatically moved through intuitive workflows, and automatic orders are triggered when asset data suggests preventive maintenance is needed.
This work order functionality is combined with complete asset data, communication and scheduling support, and a mobile app that makes all these features accessible while on the road. Some users do mention a learning curve and difficult reporting setup, but overall, the tool’s robust functionality makes it a strong choice.
Small businesses that need to be able to schedule, quote, and manage work orders while in the field may find FieldPulse to be a good fit. This tool offers a simple interface for creating and assigning jobs and tracking their progress in custom workflows. You can get real-time updates about a work order and dispatch team members from a simple drag-and-drop tool.
In addition to work order management, FieldPulse offers customer communication, project management, reporting, and even invoicing features that frontline teams can use. For small organizations looking to have a little bit of everything under the same roof, FieldPulse is a great option to consider.
Organizations with a large volume of equipment and other assets might find Fracttal One to be a good option, especially if those assets have Internet of Things connections. This solution leans on IoT data and AI analytics to provide real-time equipment tracking to help organizations stay on top of preventive maintenance. AI capabilities also mean other types of work orders can be created in as little as one click.
Fracttal One’s platform is mobile-first and underpinned by predictive analytics that aim to anticipate what your organization may need. In addition to equipment tracking, users praise its ease of use and streamlined scheduling capabilities. This solution won’t be right for organizations that don’t have machinery to maintain, but for those that do, it’s one to consider.
From scheduling woes to administrative bloat, uncover what’s adding to costs, inefficiencies, and burnout. And get a free assessment on how AI agents could recapture ROI.
Some basic features that your work order management software should include are the ability to create different types of work orders, add products and skills required for the work order, and track milestones to ensure SLAs are met. Additional key capabilities include:
Good work order management software solutions can track equipment and appliances through their usable life — sometimes aided by internet of things (IoT) sensors, asset service management, and asset tagging — and automatically create a work order before they need service. This can be added to the queue and assigned to a technician to handle.
Manage people and parts through a centralized dashboard. Dispatch management lets you match jobs with technicians based on skill and availability, and order parts — all scheduled and orchestrated from a bird's eye view.
Modern work order management software is cloud-based, which means your mobile workforce in field service should be able to access it on their devices. This ensures they always have the most accurate information about customers and jobs. These apps should be designed with offline access in mind, in case they have jobs in remote areas with poor Wi-Fi connections.
Help your field service technicians prepare for each job by providing the details on their mobile devices. The best pre-work briefs tie in all customer data (such as upcoming contract renewals) and even include AI-generated summaries of all relevant details in the work order.
The customer and the business both need a clear summary of what was done during the job. Use tools that harness generative AI to create comprehensive service reports with minimal input from the technician. By analyzing a few key inputs, along with any photos or videos captured on-site, generative AI can produce detailed and accurate summaries.
A post-work checklist remains essential for standardizing the technicians' workflow, ensuring that no steps are missed. With generative AI, this checklist can be seamlessly integrated into the reporting process. This technology not only saves time but also ensures that both the customer and the business have a thorough record of the services provided.
Mobile workers and their back office should be able to talk to one another in a way that captures everything and maintains a record of it. Built-in communications or integrations with team-based chat tools such as Slack are good ways to accomplish this.
Give your technicians a leg up with a knowledge base containing information about the equipment you service and products you sell, plus the approved processes for all maintenance. Knowledge articles can be attached to work orders for reference, or a technician can also use an AI assistant to generate a summary of the knowledge article while on-site. Salesforce Unified Knowledge, for example, takes customer data stored in Data 360 to produce accurate and relevant generative AI content. Be sure to have a person review for accuracy.
The real power of a work order management platform is seeing everything that happens in one place so you can get even better. Generate reports on completed work, costs, technician performance, and other field service metrics to optimize operations and decision-making.
With Visual Remote Assistant, service reps and field techs can walk customers through instructions and help sort through issues on a video call. Even if that doesn't resolve the issue, the interactive process provides thorough documentation to start a successful work order.
Use cases for work order management software can be found in any organization that needs to send technicians or other frontline employees to complete maintenance or repair work on-site. Some real-world use cases include:
Organizations that own or manage buildings use work order management software to receive maintenance requests from tenants and make sure their properties remain clean and safe.
For example, a property manager in charge of residential apartment buildings may use work order management software to coordinate their maintenance teams. When tenants have a leaky faucet or need a new smoke detector, they can create work orders through an online portal. From there, the work order software assigns jobs to maintenance professionals, optimizes their schedules, and tracks when jobs are completed.
Most utility companies manage sprawling infrastructures that require regular maintenance. When they need maintenance or repairs, utility companies use work order management software to help technicians organize their tasks.
Technicians can typically access work order software via mobile devices while they travel around repairing power lines or inspecting water pipes. This lets them update work orders, close completed jobs, and receive notifications of new jobs, all without having to return to a central site or waste time on the phone.
Manufacturers typically own large inventories of equipment that need regular inspections and preventive maintenance, not to mention repairs if something goes wrong. Work order management software can automate scheduling and assigning these tasks.
With work order management software, preventive maintenance can be automatically placed on a technician’s schedule based on regular maintenance timelines or on asset performance information from IoT devices. When a piece of equipment fails, work order management software lets workers on the factory floor submit electronic requests for technician support in real time.
Getting started with work order management software is easier with a clear plan. These steps will help you implement it smoothly and set up your team for success.
There are lots of field service management software options out there, even if you just narrow your choices down to the feature set that your business needs. Consider some of these factors to determine what functionality and features will be valuable for your field service team.
Investing in work order management software is a game-changer for field service operations. It boosts customer satisfaction and reduces errors through data centralization and task automation. It also streamlines workflows with features like automated scheduling, mobile access, and detailed reporting, leading to faster resolution times and improved accuracy.
Implementing the right software can enhance efficiency, ensure compliance, and provide valuable data for strategic decisions, making it a smart investment for increased productivity and customer satisfaction.
Work order management software should be easy to use to ensure quick adoption and maximum efficiency among teams. An intuitive interface and straightforward navigation allow technicians to focus on their tasks, rather than struggling with complex software. Ease of use also minimizes training time and reduces the likelihood of errors, leading to smoother operations and higher user satisfaction.
As we covered above, your solution should be customizable to work with current workflows. It should also allow you to build your own dashboards for tracking what matters most to your field service team, such as first-time fix rates, customer satisfaction, and more.
Visibility is crucial when choosing a work order management software, as it allows you to track progress, allocate resources, and make informed decisions on the fly. Having up-to-date information at your fingertips ensures nothing slips through the cracks, enhancing overall operational efficiency.
Security should be a top priority to protect sensitive information. Ensuring the software complies with relevant security standards and offers robust data encryption, secure user authentication, and regular backups will safeguard your data and maintain customer trust.
Your work order platform should automate recurring tasks, such as reassigning jobs based on no-shows, allocating workforce based on availability, and sending reminders to both customers and field service technicians so they never miss an appointment.
Maintenance scheduling software can also predict maintenance needs, route optimization, and provide real-time insights to improve overall service efficiency. By integrating AI, your field service management software can enhance decision-making, reduce manual effort, and deliver a superior customer experience.
It’s crucial that your software enables your field technicians to access and update work orders, check inventory, and collect signatures right from their mobile devices. This not only boosts productivity but also improves data accuracy by capturing information in real-time.
Your solution should be able to grow with you, no matter how many new team members you work with as you expand. Many modern tools operate on a per-user, per-month model to allow this.
By tracking key performance indicators and generating insightful reports, you can identify trends, optimize processes, and make data-driven decisions to improve your bottom line.
Lastly, your solution should integrate with your other systems. Here are a few to consider:
Investing in work order management software is a game-changer for field service operations. It boosts customer satisfaction and reduces errors through data centralization and task automation. It also streamlines workflows with features like automated scheduling, mobile access, and detailed reporting, leading to faster resolution times and improved accuracy.
Implementing the right software can enhance efficiency, ensure compliance, and provide valuable data for strategic decisions, making it a smart investment for increased productivity and customer satisfaction.
Make sure your customers get fast, complete service from start to finish. This starts with the right field service management solution with AI.
Work order management software works by aggregating work orders submitted by users or automatically developed by the software. It then assigns those work orders to team members and suggests schedules for their completion according to factors like team member availability, location, and resource availability.
The cost of work order management software varies depending on the functionality you need for your team. Software with basic features and limits on the number of active orders or users may be available for free. Most work order management software providers offer tier-based subscription contracts and a per-user basis for determining cost, from entry-level to mid-size to enterprise. You can also expect implementation fees, hardware expenses, and training costs at the start.
Work order software improves technician accountability because it makes it easier for the organization to track what a technician does each day, including factors like how much time they spend at a job site and what tasks they complete while there.
One of the ways you can calculate return on investment for work order software is by estimating the money saved by eliminating manual administrative tasks related to work orders. You can also estimate whether money has been saved through productivity enhancements, such as faster work order completion and better scheduling.
Work order software assists with regulatory compliance because it records all work order-related activity, which helps with creating and maintaining audit trails. Organizations that use work order software can clearly demonstrate how they conduct their maintenance and repair work and can show regulators how often they perform this work.
This article is for informational purposes only. This article features products from Salesforce, which we own. We have a financial interest in their success, but all recommendations are based on our genuine belief in their value.
