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Medical imaging equipment maintenance is one of the most critical — and complex — responsibilities for biomedical and field service teams. From MRI and CT scanners to X-ray and ultrasound systems, these assets require precise, consistent care to ensure uptime, compliance, and diagnostic accuracy. 

But as service operations grow, many teams struggle to keep imaging equipment maintenance organized, proactive, and scalable. 

In this guide, we’ll break down how to track and optimize medical imaging equipment maintenance so your team can reduce downtime, improve performance, and stay ahead of compliance requirements. 

What Is Medical Imaging Equipment Maintenance? 

Medical imaging equipment maintenance refers to the ongoing process of inspecting, servicing, calibrating, and repairing diagnostic imaging systems to ensure they operate safely and accurately. 

This includes: 

• Routine preventative maintenance (PM) 

• Calibration and performance testing 

• Software updates and system checks 

• Repair and parts replacement 

• Documentation and compliance tracking 

A structured approach ensures imaging systems continue to produce high-quality diagnostic results while minimizing risk to patients and staff. 

Why Imaging Equipment Maintenance Matters 

Medical imaging systems are highly sensitive and performance critical. Poor maintenance doesn’t just cause downtime — it can impact patient outcomes. 

Effective medical imaging equipment maintenance helps: 

• Maintain diagnostic accuracy through proper calibration and QA  

• Reduce unplanned downtime and service disruptions  

• Extend equipment lifespan through proactive care  

• Ensure compliance with regulatory and accreditation standards  

Even small issues, like skipped calibration or delayed repairs, can lead to inaccurate imaging or system failure over time. 

Common Challenges in Medical Imaging Equipment Maintenance 

Many imaging service teams face similar operational challenges:

Disconnected Service Records

Maintenance logs, repair history, and calibration data often live in different systems (or spreadsheets), making it difficult to get a complete picture.

Reactive Maintenance Habits

Without structured scheduling, teams end up responding to failures instead of preventing them.

Lack of Visibility Across Assets

As fleets grow across multiple sites, it becomes harder to track what’s been serviced and what’s overdue. 

Inconsistent Documentation

Missing or incomplete service records can create compliance risks and slow down audits.

Manual Processes That Don’tScale 

Paper-based or manual workflows make it difficult to manage high volumes of imaging equipment efficiently. 

Best Practices to Optimize Imaging Equipment Maintenance

Implement a Preventative Maintenance Schedule

A structured PM schedule is the foundation of effective imaging equipment maintenance. 

Best practices include: 

• Daily, weekly, monthly, and annual maintenance intervals 

• Routine inspections, cleaning, and calibration 

• Planned component replacement before failure 

Consistent scheduling helps identify issues early and avoid costly breakdowns. 

Prioritize Calibration and Quality Assurance

Calibration is essential to ensure imaging systems produce accurate, reliable results. 

Your QA process should include: 

• Routine image quality checks 

• Performance verification after repairs 

• Regular calibration of sensors and imaging components 

Skipping calibration can lead to poor image quality and compliance risks. 

Track Equipment Usage and Performance

Understanding how equipment is used helps you predict maintenance needs. 

Track: 

• Usage frequency 

• Downtime and failure rates 

• Service history trends 

Monitoring usage helps optimize service intervals and prevent over- or under-maintaining assets. 

Maintain Detailed Service Documentation 

Documentation is critical for both operations and compliance. 

You should record: 

• All maintenance and repair activities 

• Calibration results 

• Parts replacements 

• Technician notes and observations 

Accurate records support audits, troubleshooting, and long-term planning. 

Train Technicians and Operators

Improper use is a leading cause of equipment damage. 

Ensure teams are trained on: 

• Proper startup and shutdown procedures 

• Handling sensitive components 

• Identifying early warning signs 

Well-trained staff can prevent avoidable failures and extend equipment life. 

Replace Parts Proactively

Many imaging components have predictable lifecycles. 

Proactive replacement: 

• Prevents sudden system failures 

• Protects surrounding components 

• Maintains consistent performance 

Waiting too long can lead to cascading failures and higher repair costs. 

How to Track Medical Imaging Equipment Maintenance Effectively 

As your operation grows, spreadsheets and manual tracking become unsustainable. To truly optimize medical imaging equipment maintenance, you need a system that centralizes and automates your workflows. 

Key Capabilities to Look For 

An effective system should allow you to: 

• Track assets by serial number, model, and location 

• Maintain full service and maintenance history 

• Schedule recurring preventative maintenance automatically 

• Store calibration records and compliance documentation 

• Link work orders directly to specific equipment 

• Monitor warranties and service contracts 

How Software Improves Imaging Equipment Maintenance 

Modern field service management platforms like BlueFolder help imaging service teams move from reactive to proactive maintenance. 

With the right system, you can: 

• Centralize All Equipment Data – Keep asset records, service history, and documentation in one place. 

• Automate Preventative Maintenance – Generate recurring work orders based on schedules, usage, or contract terms. 

• Improve Visibility Across Your Operation – Instantly see which assets are overdue, in service, or under warranty. 

• Strengthen Compliance and Audit Readiness – Maintain complete, traceable records for every piece of equipment. 

• Reduce Downtime and Improve Efficiency – Ensure technicians have the information they need before they arrive on-site. 

The Bottom Line 

Medical imaging equipment maintenance isn’t just about keeping machines running — it’s about ensuring diagnostic accuracy, patient safety, and operational efficiency. 

By combining structured preventative maintenance, strong documentation practices, and the right technology, service teams can: 

• Reduce downtime 

• Improve service quality 

• Extend equipment lifespan 

• Scale operations with confidence 

If you’re still relying on manual processes, now is the time to modernize your approach to imaging equipment maintenance. 

FAQs: Medical Imaging Equipment Maintenance 

What is medical imaging equipment maintenance? 

Medical imaging equipment maintenance is the process of inspecting, servicing, calibrating, and repairing diagnostic imaging systems such as MRI, CT, X-ray, and ultrasound machines. It includes preventative maintenance, performance testing, and documentation to ensure accuracy, safety, and compliance. 

How often should medical imaging equipment be maintained? 

The frequency of medical imaging equipment maintenance depends on the device type, manufacturer recommendations, and usage levels. Most systems require: 

• Daily or weekly visual checks 

• Monthly or quarterly preventative maintenance 

• Annual inspections and calibration 

High-use imaging equipment may require more frequent servicing to maintain performance and reliability. 

Why is imaging equipment maintenance important? 

Imaging equipment maintenance is critical to ensure accurate diagnostic results, minimize downtime, and maintain compliance with healthcare regulations. Poorly maintained equipment can lead to image quality issues, delayed diagnoses, and increased repair costs. 

What are examples of medical imaging equipment that require maintenance? 

Common types of equipment that require regular imaging equipment maintenance include: 

• MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) systems 

• CT (Computed Tomography) scanners 

• X-ray machines 

• Ultrasound systems 

• Mammography equipment 

• Fluoroscopy systems 

Each system has unique maintenance requirements based on its technology and usage. 

What happens if imaging equipment is not properly maintained? 

Failure to properly maintain imaging equipment can result in: 

• Equipment breakdowns and unplanned downtime 

• Poor image quality and inaccurate diagnostics 

• Higher repair and replacement costs 

• Compliance risks during inspections or audits 

• Shortened equipment lifespan 

What is included in a medical imaging equipment maintenance checklist? 

A typical medical imaging equipment maintenance checklist includes: 

• System inspections and cleaning 

• Calibration and quality assurance testing 

• Software updates and system checks 

• Parts inspection and replacement 

• Documentation of service history and performance 

How do you track medical imaging equipment maintenance? 

Medical imaging equipment maintenance can be tracked using field service management or asset tracking software. These systems allow teams to: 

• Store equipment records and service history 

• Schedule recurring preventative maintenance 

• Track work orders and technician activity 

• Monitor warranties and compliance documentation 

What software is best for imaging equipment maintenance? 

The best software for imaging equipment maintenance is one that centralizes asset tracking, automates preventative maintenance scheduling, and provides full visibility into service history and performance. Solutions like BlueFolder help service teams manage complex equipment fleets more efficiently. 

How can you optimize medical imaging equipment maintenance? 

To optimize medical imaging equipment maintenance: 

• Implement a structured preventative maintenance schedule 

• Track equipment performance and usage 

• Maintain detailed service records 

• Use software to automate workflows and improve visibility 

• Train technicians and standardize procedures 

What is the difference between preventative and corrective maintenance? 

Preventative maintenance is performed on a scheduled basis to prevent failures, while corrective maintenance occurs after equipment has already failed. A strong imaging equipment maintenance strategy prioritizes preventative maintenance to reduce downtime and costs. 

The post How to Track & Optimize Medical Imaging Equipment Maintenance  appeared first on BlueFolder.

Commercial medical equipment powers critical healthcare workflows every day. For teams that service medical equipment in commercial facilities, keeping this equipment running reliably is a regulatory necessity that allows healthcare facilities to provide care for their customers. 

This guide covers the essentials of preventative maintenance (PM) for medical devices and equipment, why it matters, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s regulatory changes in 2026, and how to implement an effective maintenance program. 

What Is Preventative Maintenance for Medical Devices & Equipment? 

Preventative maintenance in medical service refers to scheduled, proactive inspection, testing, servicing, and documentation of equipment before failures occur. It focuses on maintaining performance, safety, and regulatory compliance, rather than reacting to breakdowns. 

For clinical environments, preventative maintenance includes: 

• Performance verification 

• Electrical safety testing 

• Cleaning, calibration, and replacement of wear components 

• Software/firmware checks 

• Documentation of outcomes 

PM supports both operational goals and broader quality system requirements defined by regulatory authorities, such as the U.S. FDA. 

Why Preventative Maintenance Is Important for Medical Devices

For life science, biomedical, and imaging service teams, PM matters because: 

• Equipment uptime directly impacts patient care and diagnostics 

• Unplanned failures can disrupt clinical schedules and lab throughput 

• Timely maintenance protects warranty and service contract terms 

• Accurate service histories help in audits and quality reviews 

• PM demonstrates professional stewardship of high-cost assets 

In highly regulated environments, documented PM isn’t just best practice — it’s part of the quality lifecycle of the device. 

U.S. FDA Updates Device Quality Requirements for 2026

As mentioned above, the U.S. FDA regulates the servicing of medical devices. On February 2, 2026, the FDA began using the Quality Management System Regulation (QMSR), which harmonizes U.S. requirements with the international standard ISO 13485:2016. This shift emphasizes documented quality processes, risk management, and traceability throughout the device lifecycle. 

The FDA also sunset the Quality System Inspection Technique (QSIT) on the same date, replacing it with a risk-based inspection approach. Under the new program, FDA inspectors look more closely at systemic quality links — including how maintenance records are created, stored, and reviewed. 

For medical equipment service professionals, this means documentation and traceability aren’t optional: they are part of overall quality expectations. 

Benefits of Medical Device Preventative Maintenance

Medical device preventative maintenance delivers clear, measurable advantages: 

• Increased equipment uptime and reliability 

• Reduced emergency service calls and costly repairs 

• Extended useful life of sensitive assets 

• Improved safety and performance consistency 

• Stronger warranty compliance and claims support 

• Better audit outcomes with documented service logs 

• Higher customer satisfaction due to fewer surprises 

When done well, PM protects revenue streams and boosts customer trust. 

Examples of Medical Devices & Equipment That Require Preventative Maintenance

Not all devices share the same maintenance needs, but typical categories that require structured PM include: 

• Imaging Systems: MRI, CT, X-ray, Ultrasound 

• Biomedical Devices: Infusion pumps, patient monitors, ventilators 

• Laboratory Instruments: Analyzers, centrifuges, spectrometers 

• Sterilization & Infection Control: Autoclaves, sterilizers 

• Clinical Support Equipment: Beds, lifts, anesthesia machines 

• Life Support Systems: Respiratory and dialysis machines 

Each type has specific OEM-recommended PM tasks, cycles, and documentation expectations. 

Challenges Associated with Maintaining Medical Devices & Equipment

Even the best teams face PM hurdles: 

• Complexity of modern equipment with software and embedded systems 

• Overlapping contracts or mixed OEM requirements 

• Lack of centralized service history across sites 

• Manual scheduling and poor visibility into planned vs completed PM 

• Inconsistent technician documentation 

• Regulatory documentation expectations under QMSR and ISO 13485 alignment 

These challenges can lead to breakdowns, lost revenue, and compliance gaps if not addressed. 

The Costs & Risks of Not Having a Preventative Maintenance Plan

Failing to maintain equipment proactively invites real risks: 

• Unexpected equipment failures 

• Costly emergency repairs and service callbacks 

• Warranty denial due to missing PM records 

• Reduced asset performance and life expectancy 

• Higher operational disruptions for customers 

• Compliance failures in audits (especially under the FDA’s QMSR) 

• Lower customer satisfaction and potential contract loss 

In regulated medical environments, lapses in PM documentation can also escalate legal and safety concerns. 

How to Properly Implement Medical Equipment Preventative Maintenance

An effective medical equipment preventative maintenance program doesn’t happen by chance. Key components include: 

1. Asset-Focused Scheduling

Create PM schedules for each piece of equipment by model, serial number, location, and clinical impact using software equipped with asset tracking tools — not just by calendar date. This ensures high-risk or high-value assets receive the attention they need on the right frequency. 

2. Standardized Checklists

Use equipment-specific checklists aligned with OEM recommendations. Each checklist should include clear steps, expected outcomes, pass/fail criteria, and room for detailed technician notes. 

3. Centralized Documentation

Record all work orders, inspection results, technician notes, and corrective actions in a searchable, centralized system. Consistent documentation supports quality reviews, audits, warranty validation, and handoffs between team members. 

4. Warranty Tracking

Track warranty status and expiration dates for every asset. Timely preventative maintenance can preserve warranty eligibility, and knowing when coverage lapses helps you plan service and replacement more effectively.  

5. Use Medical EquipmentService Software 

Digital tools designed for medical equipment service management help ensure nothing slips through the cracks. Good PM software should allow you to: 

• Trigger recurring PM work orders 

• Store asset details (serials, models, locations) 

• Link service history with warranties and contracts 

• Capture technician notes and inspection results 

• Generate reports for audits and quality reviews 

For service teams managing multiple assets across sites, tools like BlueFolder medical equipment service software help automate scheduling, centralize service history, and support consistent execution of PM workflows. 

Conclusion 

In 2026, preventative maintenance for medical devices and equipment is more vital than ever. With regulatory expectations shifting toward documented quality systems under the FDA’s QMSR, service teams must combine structured PM programs with reliable execution and documentation. 

A strong preventative maintenance program doesn’t just reduce failures — it protects warranties, supports audit readiness, enhances patient and customer outcomes, and sets medical equipment service organizations apart from their competitors. 

If you want help implementing predictable, compliant PM workflows across your service operations, tools like BlueFolder can make it easier — without adding administrative overhead. 

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The key to assess your current work order management systems is to identify gaps in your workflows. This allows you to update ineffective methods and restructure the process to help ensure seamless operations from start to finish.

In this article, we’ll examine how to establish a fully functioning work order system that helps your organization better manage and run your work order process flow.

What is a Work Order and Work Order Process?

Work orders are documented requests for repair, installation, or maintenance work for completion. These forms are useful across several industries where continuous equipment maintenance and other service jobs are a vital part of their customer relationships.

The following industries are examples of industries that use work orders to track their service requests:

• Heat, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC)
• Manufacturing machinery & equipment service
• Industrial equipment service
• Commercial food equipment service
• Medical equipment service
• Commercial security system installation and service
• Fire detection and suppression system installation and service
• Facilities maintenance

These types of companies often leverage work orders to track projects, tasks, expenses, working hours, the status of assignments, staff deployed, and other operational aspects.

Work orders can either be written or printed on paper or submitted as digital documents. A work order may be categorized based on:

• The type of problem. Planned work orders are used to schedule preventive maintenance work. Unplanned work orders are for addressing unexpected maintenance activities such as equipment breakdowns.
• Who initiated the work request. This can either be internal or external work orders.
• How the work order was scheduled. Manual work orders are scheduled by hand and usually on paper. Using work order tracking software, you can set up automatic work orders to automate your work order scheduling based on data from your equipment’s installed condition monitoring sensors or your calendar.

A work order process is a system designed to ensure accountability and timely delivery in each step required to complete work requests, from the initiation to the invoicing stage.

Establishing an efficient work order process flow helps your organization stay on top of your work orders, reduce risks, streamline your workflows, and keep your team updated from beginning to end.

What are the Steps of a Work Order Process and How Can You Optimize Your Process?

While work order processes can vary depending on the complexity of the work, learning the standard process helps you see it in practice, how it fits into your workflow management, and how you can improve it.

Initiation

A work order starts with a work request that contains a description of the work needing to be done, the customer information, contact person, location of the job, billing information, priority levels, deadlines, and account manager.

More specific details and attachments should also be included in the work order, such as images of any equipment to be installed or serviced, serial numbers, and detailed descriptions to avoid potential servicing errors.

Establish a consistent, uniform process for creating work orders within your company. Ensure work orders are generated for every job — whether it’s a single 30-minute parts replacement or a multi-site, weeks-long project — and put all the requests in one place.

For a quicker accomplishment of work orders, leverage templates with the necessary data fields. That way, your staff can simply fill in the same set of details every time. Doing these guarantees that your entire work is documented for all stakeholders to easily track and access, removing backtracking phone calls, meetings, and emails that eat up your time and productivity. Mapping out a formal, consistent request creation system also establishes order, helping your staff understand the workflow and service details needed to complete the job.

Companies often use traditional methods to record work orders, but these have serious flaws that can ruin your efficiency, business earnings, service quality, customer relations, and other things. For example, paper files tend to get misplaced easily. Details you write on whiteboards can be accidentally erased and cannot be archived for long (this is disadvantageous when you need to look up past transactions).

Digitize your documentation of work orders to be sure you do not lose and fail to meet the service requests. Use tools such as customer portal service software that allows your customers to submit work requests, view reports, check the status and see equipment or asset service history more efficiently at any time.

Planning

When creating, approving, and giving priority status to the work order, ask yourself these questions when choosing the right persons for the request:

• How many people are needed to finish the job?
• Where is the field location?
• Which technician is in the closest proximity?
• What skills and expertise are required for the task?
• Which among the field staff is available for the scheduled work?

If you do not have any available field technicians, or the service request needs capacities that are beyond what you can presently offer, consider hiring trusted external contractors.

Dispatch and Scheduling

Once you’ve chosen the right technicians, use the dispatch and scheduling features in your field management software to assign the work order. Monitoring assignments on a centralized schedule or dispatch board helps you keep track of equipment maintenance, service appointments, and overall visibility over your technicians’ schedules. It will also help you avoid double-booking and manage customer expectations better.

Share all the necessary work order information with your service techs and give them access to helpful resources, such as:

• Detailed job and customer descriptions, including job site location
• Compliance and service codes
• Required equipment or parts at the service site
• Information relevant to the asset’s or service request’s history: diagrams, videos showing equipment damage and repairs applied, purchase orders, notes by previous technicians, etc.
• Essential details, such as real-time personnel and vehicle locations, inventory data, and others.

Providing these resources hastens this stage of your workflow and improves your service implementation.

Fulfillment and Execution

The execution stage is when the Field Service Engineer (FSE) or technician fulfills the task outlined in the work order. FSEs should know what the job entails, the required parts or equipment, and the reference materials to use in case they need it to complete the job efficiently and successfully.

Monitor and record how long it takes to complete every task, keeping your team in the loop at all times and cutting down forgotten minutes. Ensure communication lines among your back-office personnel, managers, and field techs are open throughout the entire process to effectively implement quality assurance.

FSEs should also log everything while working on jobs, including job-related expenses, labor hours, and materials, so it’s easy for your account/service managers to provide real-time cost estimates with your customers. They should even note if a certain device has precarious or sensitive conditions and needs more careful handling, and other details unique to it or the service request that the next delegated FSEs must know.

This helps you correctly handle your next work orders for specific customers, gives insight to improving your support services and processes, improves your technician’s first-time fix rates, and keeps your customer satisfaction high.

Review or Verification

The review stage is where your non-tech personnel checks and compiles the billable charges and verifies all the information’s accuracy before issuing an invoice.

Accomplish your work order charges review as the job nears completion, so managers or team leaders have enough time to reconcile the data, check for errors, and ensure the total numbers’ accuracy. Some projects with many moving parts can be difficult to calculate and verify. Use a work order management platform with accounting software integrations to review and validate your billable activities more efficiently.

Billing & Invoicing

Once the FSE completes a work order, it enters the closeout phase and will be ready for invoicing. As long as the closed work order has gone through the proper checks and balances throughout its life-cycle, issuing an invoice will be quick and easy.

Attach a duplicate of the work order to your customer’s billing statement. File your copy of the invoice to the customer’s folder in your contact database, so you can trace your transactions history efficiently when needed. You should also confirm with your customer if they’d like to keep the same billing address (whether email or otherwise) and mode of invoice delivery (electronically or printed).

Conclusion

Improve your work order process flow by understanding each stage of the process and how work orders move through them and identifying gaps that prevent workflow efficiency. Schedule a demo of the BlueFolder platform and get a live demonstration of the work order management software and tools which will match your unique business needs, streamline your workflows, remove unnecessary tasks that hinder efficiency, and help you produce better and faster results.

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It’s been a long time since you asked, “What is a work order?” Maybe back in your first few days in the field services industry, you needed an introduction to the formal documents that define maintenance tasks and capture important details about each job. Today, it’s second nature to you. But take some time and ask yourself again, “What is a work order?” Look beyond the surface details and think about what it means for your business.

 

What is a work order?

For a customer, the work order is their formal request for services. It’s the start of your interaction and the main vehicle for communicating the requirements of the job. Customers don’t want to spend tons of time submitting work orders, and they don’t want to wait until office hours to make the request. They want an easy process they can access at any time, and they want to know that once that request is submitted, your team is gearing into action.

Technicians are out in the field, racing from job to job. They rely on work orders to provide all the information they need for a successful service call. It may include the location, time, and work description as well as supplies needed, part numbers, access instructions and more. Technicians don’t have desktop computers, of course. They need work orders that are easy to find, easy to read, and reliably contain the most recent information.

As the record of every job, the work order drives your business. It’s the channel for jobs coming in from customers; it’s the instructions for executing the work; and it’s the basis for sending invoices. These forms are essential to your success, which is why you need a robust, efficient, and reliable work order software for managing them.

If your work orders still look like this, it might be time to implement work order processing software and bring your work order management process into the 21st century.

What is the process of a work order?

A work order process is a system designed to ensure accountability and timely delivery in each step required to complete work requests, from the initiation to the invoicing stage. In order to optimize work order process efficiency or to identify and resolve work order concerns, it is necessary to understand each step of the work order process.

The stages of a work order process typically include the following:

1. Initiation

A work order starts with a work request that contains a description of the work needing to be done, the customer information, contact person, location of the job, billing information, priority levels, deadlines, and account manager.

More specific details and attachments should also be included in the work order, such as images of any equipment to be installed or serviced, serial numbers, and detailed descriptions to avoid potential servicing errors.

2. Planning

When creating, approving, and giving priority status to the work order, ask yourself these questions when choosing the right persons for the request:

• How many people are needed to finish the job?
• Where is the field location?
• Which technician is in the closest proximity?
• What skills and expertise are required for the task?
• Which among the field staff is available for the scheduled work?

If you do not have any available field technicians, or the service request needs capacities that are beyond what you can presently offer, consider hiring trusted external contractors.

3. Dispatch and Scheduling

Once you’ve chosen the right technicians, use the dispatch and scheduling features in your field service management software to assign the work order. Monitoring assignments on a centralized schedule or dispatch board helps you keep track of equipment maintenance, service appointments, and overall visibility over your technicians’ schedules. It will also help you avoid double-booking and manage customer expectations better.

4. Fulfillment and Execution

The execution stage is when the Field Service Engineer (FSE) or technician fulfills the task outlined in the work order. FSEs should know what the job entails, the required parts or equipment, and the reference materials to use in case they need it to complete the job efficiently and successfully.

Monitor and record how long it takes to complete every task, keeping your team in the loop at all times and cutting down forgotten minutes. Ensure communication lines among your back-office personnel, managers, and field techs are open throughout the entire process to effectively implement quality assurance.

5. Review or Verification

The review stage is where your non-tech personnel checks and compiles the billable charges and verifies all the information’s accuracy before issuing an invoice.

Accomplish your work order charges review as the job nears completion, so managers or team leaders have enough time to reconcile the data, check for errors, and ensure the total numbers’ accuracy. Some projects with many moving parts can be difficult to calculate and verify. Use a work order management platform with accounting software integrations to review and validate your billable activities more efficiently.

6. Billing and Invoicing

Once the FSE completes a work order, it enters the closeout phase and will be ready for invoicing. As long as the closed work order has gone through the proper checks and balances throughout its life-cycle, issuing an invoice will be quick and easy.

Attach a duplicate of the work order to your customer’s billing statement. File your copy of the invoice to the customer’s folder in your contact database, so you can trace your transactions history efficiently when needed. You should also confirm with your customer if they’d like to keep the same billing address (whether email or otherwise) and mode of invoice delivery (electronically or printed).

Here’s a helpful infographic that illustrates the work order process.

What is work order management?

Work order management is a system of defining, assigning, tracking, and billing jobs and/or service contracts.

1. Defining the work

Work orders may be one-time jobs, recurring jobs, or involve managing service contracts. Service contracts usually include blocks of hours, pre-paid amounts, or warranties, and they often specify expiration dates. With BlueFolder, business owners can quickly view the full lifecycle and history of work orders as well as the details of associated service contracts. The software also offers customers access to a customer portal, allowing them to see the details of their contract or open work orders. This type of transparency is a huge competitive advantage for businesses using work order tracking software because customer loyalty increases when all parties are on the same page.

2. Assigning the work

With BlueFolder, it’s easy for scheduling personnel to divvy up assignments to the right technicians and communicate all pertinent work order details. When technicians know which work order should be associated with labor hours, material costs, and other expenses, business owners don’t have to worry about costs appearing at the end of a billing cycle that were never accounted for. That means more revenue and better profit margins.

3. Tracking the work

Tracking work over the life of a job or service contract can be tricky with manual methods, particularly when multiple technicians are involved. For Craig Hickman, vice president of sales at ProBleu, relying on BlueFolder improved tracking accuracy and yielded a 60% upswing in billings. Before, work orders would be serviced and closed without being recorded, meaning clients got free work. Because BlueFolder accurately tracks contracts and provides an important audit trail, companies can ensure they’re billing clients the correct amount. As Hickman put it: “I wish I would have started with BlueFolder earlier. I missed out on a year of savings.”

4. Billing the work

With manual contracts, it’s easier for billable charges to slip through the cracks, costing your company valuable revenue. BlueFolder keeps contract details updated and makes them visible to both service businesses and their clients, ensuring that neither party gets an unexpected surprise at the end of a billing cycle. As an added bonus, customers pay invoices faster when the bills are easy to understand.

What are the benefits of a work order management system?

Field services management (FSM) software ensures that your critical work orders are handled quickly, easily, and correctly.  Handling work orders through an FSM software reduces errors, frees labor hours, serves customers faster, and speeds payments. The application can also be customized to follow your preferred workflow and procedures.

Streamline work order submission and approval.

Since the work order is your main channel for new business, you want it to be as easy as possible for customers to submit requests. With an FSM system, you can offer online forms that customers can fill out anytime from anywhere. Technicians or salespeople can even submit orders from the field if needed.

Once an order’s in the system, your managers can follow up, add important details, approve, assign, and schedule the work in one place. Even complex jobs are easier to manage. One work order, for example, may have several technicians and several scheduled assignments depending on what needs to be done. Instead of keeping track via paper or spreadsheets, you handle complex work orders in an FSM software with a few clicks.

Less manual labor means fewer errors, less lag time between work order submission and work completion, and lower costs. You can even update multiple records at once and create recurring work orders automatically.

 

Keep the team updated.

With an FSM system, everyone on your team sees the work details and status. A dedicated portal offers status information to customers, so they don’t have to call or email for information. When techs are working on a job, they have access to the most recent work order, so they won’t miss a late change. Also, as they complete the work, they can add notes, status changes, and photos to the record through a simple mobile interface. You and your customers never wait for updates.

 

Integrate with other systems.

When you have a different system for scheduling, billing, and work order management, it’s important that those applications can share information. Otherwise, you’re back to copying and pasting, making multiple data entries, or manually exporting data from one system and importing to another.

However, a modern FSM software will integrate with common business applications, such as QuickBooks® and Microsoft Outlook. Once your work order is in the FSM system, you never have to copy it to your billing system or calendars. You save time, avoid typo mistakes, and lower costs.

 

Keep good records.

If you’re currently using spreadsheets or paper, it’s very difficult to compile the information for analysis of activities and trends over time. And it’s especially hard to search for specific information.

An FSM system changes the equation, keeping all information in one place and offering the ability to search quickly for details. With the reports and dashboards that FSM softwares offer, you can easily look back over a quarter or a year of work to identify high-value customers, best performing technicians, and profitability.

You may not have asked yourself “What is a work order?” in a very long time. But if you’re planning to grow your business this year, it’s time to appreciate how important they are and adopt an intelligent system to manage them.

Your field service technicians and maintenance crews are always on the go. Give them a mobile work order management solution like BlueFolder to make their service calls go smoother (and faster – with fewer mistakes).

How do you manage work orders?

Field services companies have a range of strategies for processing and managing work orders. Some folks are still printing paper, passing documents through email, and copying details into the billing system. Some companies have added spreadsheets to help track and organize work order assignment and status. Business processes often grow organically as your company expands. But the more work you earn, the more tedious, labor-intensive, and error-prone, traditional management techniques become. You need a smarter, more efficient way to handle these essential business drivers.

BlueFolder makes work order management simple and effective.

BlueFolder’s FSM software was designed with the user in mind. We know that your FSM system is only effective if it’s easy for technicians, customers, and administrators to use, so we’ve made every interaction simple but powerful.

BlueFolder offers smart work order management that minimizes labor and speeds processing, so customers get work done faster and you get paid sooner. Here are just a few work order management features BlueFolder offers:

• Create orders from anywhere via email or webform.
• Customize workflows for your specific needs.
• Create custom work order status values, automate status changes, and set defaults.
• Capture a customer’s signature directly into work orders to record acceptance.
• Quickly integrate with Outlook, iCal, Google Calendar, QuickBooks®, FreshBooks, Xero, and more.
• Easily record labor, materials, and expenses.
• Attach files and links to any work order.
• Make bulk edits and updates to multiple orders at once.

See for yourself how BlueFolder streamlines your work order management and boosts your team’s productivity.

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