Equipify.ai

Troubleshooting

Work orders

Symptom-first fixes for assignment failures, duplicate records, missing asset context, and completion bottlenecks—linked to workflows and product areas.

Quick answer

Start here

Most work order issues trace to four roots: permissions, incomplete customer/site context, conflicting assignment rules, or downstream billing gates blocking closure. Start by confirming the record state, then validate assignment capacity and completion requirements before changing templates.

Issues & fixes

I can’t assign a technician to a work orderUsually permissions, missing skills tags, zero capacity in the window, or the work order is in a read-only state. Verify role permissions first, then check technician availability and job requirements.Tap to expand steps & related links

Assignment UI often hides the real reason behind a generic error. In mature operations, dispatchers document skill requirements on the job type so routing rules can fail loudly instead of silently.

If only one dispatcher sees the issue, compare role templates—supervisor overrides are a common divergence point.

Recommended checks

  1. Confirm permissions — Ensure the signed-in user can edit assignments for that branch and job status.
  2. Validate job status — Queued vs on-hold vs completed states may lock edits; move to an editable state if policy allows.
  3. Check technician capacity — Open the technician’s day: overlapping jobs, PTO, or hard caps can block assignment.
  4. Match skills and job type — If skill rules are enforced, verify the technician has required certifications on file.
  5. Retry after refresh — If concurrent edits occurred, refresh and re-open the assignment panel to avoid stale locks.
Create and assign work orders (guide)Glossary: Work orderWork order lifecycleTechnician assignmentWork ordersService scheduling
Duplicate work orders appear for the same visitDuplicates come from unclear dispatch habits, split billing rules, or reactive re-entry when technicians can’t find the original record. Standardize “one visit = one WO unless compliance requires split.”Tap to expand steps & related links

If duplicates spike after a rollout, audit who creates records (dispatch vs tech vs portal) and whether mobile search is trusted.

Downstream, duplicates inflate utilization and confuse customers—finance often spots it first.

Recommended checks

  1. Define the split rule — Document when two WOs are allowed (split billing, separate asset compliance) vs forbidden.
  2. Search before create — Train dispatch to search by customer + site + date before creating a new WO.
  3. Align mobile behavior — Ensure technicians can find open WOs quickly with stable filters and recent list.
  4. Merge or cancel duplicates — Follow your governance policy; do not leave both active for billing.
  5. Track root cause weekly — Tag duplicates with reason codes to see if access, parts, or training dominates.
Workflow: Work order lifecycleWork order lifecycleWork orders
Work order won’t close / completion is blockedClosure gates often require required fields, billing readiness, linked PM evidence, or approvals. Read the blocking message literally—then resolve the upstream field, not the symptom.Tap to expand steps & related links

Recommended checks

  1. Read the blocking reason — Capture the exact validation (missing code, required photo, PO, etc.).
  2. Complete required fields — Structured completion codes beat free text for reporting consistency.
  3. Resolve billing holds — If invoices must tie to completion, confirm line items and approver metadata.
  4. Check linked PM tasks — PM programs may require checklist items before closure.
  5. Escalate policy conflicts — If policy blocks closure, route to ops leadership with customer impact notes.
Workflow: Service completion quality gateService completionInvoice follow-upQuotes & invoicesWork orders

FAQ

Should technicians ever create a second work order for the same visit?
Only when your documented policy requires a distinct record (split billing, compliance evidence). Otherwise, append notes, photos, and follow-ups to the original work order to preserve history integrity.
What is the fastest way to reduce assignment errors?
Standardize job types and required fields at creation time, then measure first-trip completion—not just assignment speed.