Field Service App Starter · Industry version
HVAC & Plumbing Field Service Template
Trade dispatch that knows the difference between a no-cool call and a tune-up — in a codebase your company owns.
In the trades, dispatch is triage: the burst pipe outranks the dripping faucet, the no-heat call in January outranks everything, and the right tech is the one licensed for the work. This starter builds those rules into the system — and generates it as code your company owns, not a per-tech subscription.
- 6 core entities
- Dispatch board
- Code you own
- Vibe + Governed modes
01 · The problem
Why a generic Field Service falls short
Generic field service treats every job as a visit; the trades sort by consequence. A no-cool call in a heat wave, a sewage backup, a dead panel — these preempt the schedule, and dispatch software has to make bumping a tune-up graceful rather than chaotic. A board without priority tiers and same-day rework turns every emergency into fifteen phone calls.
The trades also serve equipment as much as people. The 2016 condenser on the roof has a model, a serial, a refrigerant type, a warranty date, and a history of every visit — and the tech who can see that before the ladder goes up quotes repair-versus-replace with authority. A schema without installed equipment reduces all of it to notes-field folklore.
And the work is regulated. Electrical and plumbing jobs carry permits and inspections; HVAC work carries refrigerant handling and disposal records; licensing dictates who can legally take which call. Software that can't hold a permit number or block an unlicensed assignment leaves compliance living in the dispatcher's memory.
02 · Data model
The data model, adapted
Everything in the base Field Service starter —
customersjobstechnicianswork_orderspartsservice_agreements— plus the entities this industry actually runs on:
| table | what it holds |
|---|---|
equipment | Installed units at customer sites — model, serial, install date, warranty, and full service history. |
permits | Permit and inspection records tied to jobs — number, jurisdiction, status, and inspection outcomes. |
estimates | Quoted options with good-better-best pricing, approval status, and one-tap conversion to a job. |
03 · Screens
Modules through the industry lens
Priority-tiered dispatch board
01Jobs carry emergency, same-day, and scheduled tiers, and the board shows which scheduled work can absorb a bump. Skills and licenses filter assignment — the panel upgrade only drags onto a licensed electrician — so triage decisions stay fast and legal.
Equipment-centered job flow
02Jobs link to the installed unit, so status includes what the work is on: the tech arrives knowing the model, the warranty state, and the three previous visits. Repair-versus-replace conversations happen with the unit's whole record in hand.
Tech view built for the attic
03The mobile view leads with equipment history and the safety checklist for the trade, captures model-plate and before-after photos, and takes the homeowner's signature on the spot. Estimate options present cleanly at the kitchen table, where the yes actually happens.
04 · In practice
Workflows it models
January no-heat morning
01Six emergency calls land before 8 a.m. Dispatch tiers them against the day's tune-ups, bumps three routine visits with automatic customer notices, and routes by license and proximity. The board absorbs the surge; the phones stay calm.
Tune-up that becomes a replacement
02A maintenance visit finds a cracked heat exchanger. The tech documents it with photos on the work order, builds a good-better-best estimate on site, and the homeowner approves before the truck leaves — the install job schedules itself from the approval.
Permit-tracked panel upgrade
03The electrical job carries its permit from application to final inspection. Status is visible to office and tech alike, and the job can't close until the inspection passes — so nothing invoices ahead of the jurisdiction.
HVAC, Plumbing & Electrical Dispatch template — frequently asked questions
Does it handle emergency calls alongside scheduled maintenance?
Yes — priority tiers are built into the board, emergencies preempt gracefully with automatic notices to bumped customers, and service-agreement work fills the schedule's baseline. Triage is the design center, not an afterthought.
Can it track installed equipment at each address?
Equipment is a first-class entity — model, serial, warranty, refrigerant type, and every visit against the unit. Techs see the record before they climb, and aging-unit reports feed your replacement pipeline.
Does it manage permits and inspections?
Permits attach to jobs with number, jurisdiction, and inspection status, and completion can be blocked until the final inspection passes. Compliance lives in the schema instead of the dispatcher's memory.
We do estimates with option pricing — is that supported?
Estimates carry multiple priced options with approval capture on the tech's phone, and an approved option converts to a scheduled job in one step. Close rates by tech and option tier become queries on your own data.
Related
Dual7 App Starters
Build your HVAC, Plumbing & Electrical Dispatch on your terms
Trade dispatch that knows the difference between a no-cool call and a tune-up — in a codebase your company owns. Describe your version to start — the output is a project you own.