Work Order Template
A work order authorizes a specific job — a repair, an installation, a maintenance visit — and later records that it was completed. For service businesses and property managers it is the link between the customer's request, the technician's visit and the invoice. When the customer signs off on completion, billing disputes mostly disappear.
Work done, nothing signed
A technician finishes a job and leaves. Two weeks later the customer disputes the invoice: the work was not what they asked for, took less time, or did not fix the problem. Without a signed authorization before and a signed completion after, it is the company's word against the customer's.
What the template covers
Authorization up front
Customer, location, description of the job, estimated cost and the customer's signature authorizing the work.
Completion sign-off
What was done, parts used, time spent, and the customer's signature confirming completion.
Signed on the customer's phone
Show a QR code on site; the customer signs on their own phone in a minute.
Straight to billing
Signed work orders are stored with time, location data and a sealed PDF, ready to attach to the invoice.
A record that supports the invoice
A work order is a contract for a specific job: the customer's authorization defines the scope, and the completion signature is evidence the work was delivered. Some states require written contracts or disclosures for certain repairs, such as auto repair estimates and home improvement work, so check the rules for your trade. The Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, 15 U.S.C. § 7001, provides that a signature, contract or record may not be denied legal effect solely because it is in electronic form, and every state except New York has adopted the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act; New York reaches the same result through its Electronic Signatures and Records Act.
A property manager's maintenance backlog
A property manager in San Antonio overseeing 300 units could not match vendor invoices to completed jobs. Vendors now close each work order with the tenant signing on their own phone. Disputed invoices fell to almost none because each one comes with a signed completion.
What a work order should include
- Work order number, date, customer name and service address.
- Description of the problem or requested work.
- Estimated cost or rate, and the customer's authorization signature.
- Work performed, parts used and time on site.
- Completion signature from the customer and the technician.
Questions people ask about this
What is the difference between a work order and an invoice?
A work order authorizes and records the job; the invoice bills for it. A signed work order supports the invoice.
Who signs a work order?
The customer authorizes the work, and the customer or tenant signs off on completion; the technician signs as well.
Can customers sign work orders on their phone?
Yes. Show a QR code or text a link; they sign in their browser.
Can I use my existing work order form?
Yes. Upload it as Word or PDF and turn it into a fillable template.
Should a work order include photos?
Before-and-after photos are strong evidence of what was done and help resolve disputes; attach them to the completed work order.
Can technicians fill work orders offline?
They need a connection to send and sign, but most technicians fill the form on site using mobile data, and the customer signs on their own phone before the truck leaves.
How do I organize completed work orders?
Signed work orders are stored by date and can be grouped in folders by property, client or crew.
Can a work order include a price estimate?
Yes. Include the estimate the customer approves, and record the final amount on completion so differences are explained.