Understanding Job Status #
Job statuses represent the lifecycle stages of a work order from creation to completion. Customizing statuses allows you to match your specific business workflow and enable proper tracking.
Standard Job Lifecycle #
Typical field service job progression:
Created → Scheduled → Dispatched → En Route → On Site → In Progress → Completed → Invoiced
Status Functions #
Each status serves specific purposes:
Operational Control
- Track job location in workflow
- Enable/disable actions
- Trigger automations
- Control visibility
Performance Monitoring
- Measure time in each stage
- Identify bottlenecks
- Track efficiency
- Monitor SLAs
Customizing Job Statuses #
Step 1: Access Job Status Configuration #
- Navigate to Setup → Object Manager → Job
- Click on Fields & Relationships
- Find Status field
- Click on Status field name
Step 2: Review Default Statuses #
FieldAx includes standard statuses:
Default Status Values
- New
- Scheduled
- Dispatched
- In Progress
- Completed
- Cancelled
- On Hold
Step 3: Add Custom Statuses #
To add new status values:
- In Status picklist values, click New
- Add custom status:
- Status Value: Awaiting Parts
- API Name: Awaiting_Parts
- Description: Job paused pending parts arrival
- Click Save
Recommended Additional Statuses
- Awaiting Approval: Customer approval needed
- Needs Follow-up: Additional work required
- Invoice Pending: Work complete, billing pending
- Under Review: Quality check in progress
- Rescheduled: Customer requested new date
Step 4: Status-Based Automation #
Configure automatic actions by status:
When Status = Dispatched
- Send SMS to customer
- Update engineer schedule
- Start GPS tracking
- Create timecard record
When Status = Completed
- Stop time tracking
- Send service report
- Request customer feedback
- Generate invoice draft
To create automation:
- Navigate to Setup → Flows
- Create new flow: “Job Status Automation”
- Set trigger: When Job Status changes
- Add actions for each status
Customizing Job Categories #
Understanding Categories #
Categories group similar jobs for:
- Reporting and analytics
- Work assignment
- Pricing rules
- SLA management
Step 1: Access Category Configuration #
- Navigate to Setup → Object Manager → Job
- Click Fields & Relationships
- Find Category field
- Click to edit
Step 2: Define Category Structure #
Create logical groupings:
Service-Based Categories
- Installation
- Preventive Maintenance
- Repair Service
- Emergency Service
- Inspection
- Consultation
System-Based Categories
- HVAC Services
- Plumbing Services
- Electrical Services
- Appliance Services
Customer-Based Categories
- Residential Service
- Commercial Service
- Industrial Service
- Warranty Service
Integration with Business Processes #
Workflow Integration #
Connect statuses and categories to workflows:
Dispatch Workflow
- New jobs appear in “Unscheduled” queue
- Scheduler assigns based on category
- Status updates trigger notifications
- Category determines routing rules
Billing Workflow
- Completed status triggers invoice creation
- Category determines pricing rules
- Status = Invoiced locks job record
- Category drives revenue reporting
Reporting Configuration #
Set up reports by status and category:
Status-Based Reports
- Jobs by Current Status
- Average Time per Status
- Status Transition Report
- Stuck Jobs Report (same status >X days)
Category-Based Reports
- Revenue by Category
- Service Mix Analysis
- Category Performance Metrics
- Technician Utilization by Category
Best Practices #
Status Management #
Do’s:
- Keep status list focused (8-12 statuses)
- Use clear, action-oriented names
- Document what each status means
- Train all users on proper usage
Don’ts:
- Create redundant statuses
- Allow backward status movement
- Skip required statuses
- Use statuses for non-workflow purposes
Category Management #
Do’s:
- Align with business structure
- Keep categories mutually exclusive
- Use for meaningful analysis
- Review and refine regularly
Don’ts:
- Over-categorize (limit to 10-15)
- Mix different classification types
- Change frequently
- Use for temporary purposes
