This article provides information to quickly get you started using work orders.

To learn more details about what work orders are, and how they differ from projects, see About Jobs: Projects and Work Orders.

Start Using Work Orders

To make it easy to get started processing work orders, SolarNexus has pre-defined several commonly used job processes for work orders that your company can simply copy to your account and begin using. SolarNexus strongly suggests using these to simplify your administration. You can customize a job process after copying it to your account.

There are 5 steps to begin using work orders:

1. Select job process(es)
2. Add a job process (copy a pre-defined job process to your account)
3. Review/edit service offerings handled by the job process
4. Review/edit milestone configurations of the job process
5. Activate and test new work order job process

This article describes how to add these processes to your account, and provides a high-level description of the each of the pre-defined job processes so that you can determine if you want to copy any one of them to your account for your company's use.

1) Select Job Process(es)

Although you may elect to create your own job processes from scratch, creating a useful job process is a complicated endeavor that requires many different entities to work together. SolarNexus has already done the hard work for you by creating a set of commonly used job processes that you can simply copy and then modify as needed to reflect your company's specific needs.

To jumpstart use of work orders, SolarNexus pre-populates all accounts with the "Diagnose and Repair" job process.

Job Process Descriptions

• Work Order: Diagnose & Repair (already populated)
• Work Order: Enhancements and Modifications
• Work Order: Equipment R & R
• Work Order: Routine Maintenance
• Work Order: Subcontract PV Install, and Work Order: PV System Install
• Work Order: Transfer System Ownership
• Work Order: System Evaluation

NOTE:  The Project: Standard Project Process is already populated and in-use for all your projects.

2) How to Add a Job Process

An administrative user can add any of the pre-defined job processes by navigating to Administration > Job Processes, and clicking on the Add Job Process icon. You will be presented with a list of the pre-defined processes available for use in your company's account. Simply click on the radio button to select a specific job process and click the "Save" button to make a copy of that process into your account.

Copying a job process includes copying all relevant entities associated with making that process work in your account. These entities may include custom fields, field sections, milestones, service offerings, and solution templates.

3) Review/edit service offerings handled by the job process

Job processes are intended to handle specific services that your company provides. Service offerings define those services (see About Service Offerings). For each of the pre-defined processes, SolarNexus has included one or more service offerings intended to be used with that process. These definitions are very generic and you need to review and modify them to reflect your company's actual services.

The job process descriptions below list out the service offerings included with each pre-defined process. You will find them in your Company Defined Service Offerings.

Go through each one. If your company does not provide that service, delete it from your service offerings. For the services you do provide, review the description text to ensure that it reflects the scope of work you actually provide.

Optionally add product item(s).

4) Review/edit job process configurations and milestones

Our job process definitions already have complete configurations. See the intro to Administering Job Processes walk thru for an overview of configuration settings.

While the milestone definitions provided in each pre-defined job process include descriptions and status values, they lack configuration of any user assignment.

Consider setting up a "service team" workgroup that can be assigned to various milestones in your work order processes.

 

5) Activate and Test Work Order Process

After creating a copy of a job process into your account, you should review the user experience for processing a work order using this process. See this intro walk-thru for creating work orders.

SolarNexus' Pre-defined Job Process Descriptions

Project: Standard Project Process

Your SolarNexus company account was already populated with a Standard Project Process when it was created. You may not create another project process.

The standard project process is used for sales of any new projects your company undertakes. It covers any service offerings you may sell in the categories of PV Systems, Energy Storage, Energy Efficiency, or General Services. You use the standard project process for all jobs that need a formal sales process and that may need multiple solution proposals with energy and utility bill analyses.

Work Order: Diagnose & Repair

Used For: Managing field service repairs of different system types for both existing and new customers. SolarNexus has already pre-populated this job process into your account. Includes the following service offerings:

• Repair PV Monitoring
• Equipment Replacement
• Leak Repair
• Panel Cleaning

Includes: Custom field(s), field section(s), service offerings, solution template, milestones.

Pricing Method: Gross Price input.

 

Process Summary:

Diagnosing and repairing existing systems can cover a wide variety of scenarios. In some cases, a detailed assessment of the problem including a site visit must be undertaken before a solution can be defined. As such, the diagnose and repair process steps can be highly variable.

PRIOR TO STARTING A DIAGNOSE AND REPAIR WORK ORDER...

When a customer reports a problem, always first determine if the customer is one of your existing customers for whom you already have job records. Use the universal search bar to find customer by name or address. Based on your findings, proceed as follows:

1. EXISITING CUSTOMER - From the search results, use the "View all Customer Jobs" feature to see full customer job history. Click on the job related to the customer's issue to view details on the existing installation. Next, you need to assess if problem can be resolved simply over the phone.
   
   Some issues (such as monitoring internet problems) can be resolved immediately over the phone, and are best handled and documented from within the existing project (no need for added overhead of a work order). If the issue is likely to be handled remotely, use the "Additional Tasks" feature in the existing job to create a simple task for tracking/resolving the customer issue. Record the relevant issue details in the task. If needed, you can assign this task to another colleague for followup and resolution. If you find later that the issue cannot be resolved remotely, you can complete the task and create a work order for the additional work.
   
   EXAMPLE 1: In the case of a monitoring issue, create an Additional Task in the current Job. Click on the Monitoring link in the "Solution of Record" section. You may discover that the monitor has lost internet connection. With your instructions, the customer may be able to reset the router and restore connection to the monitor. Complete the task and add resolution details in the project log.
   
   EXAMPLE 2: Customer reports roof leak. This issue cannot be resolved remotely, so you should immediately create a new work order (see below).
    
2. NEW CUSTOMER - When contacted by customers who may have systems installed by other companies, you lack existing information to leverage for resolving customer issues. In these cases, you should always create a new order.

WORK ORDER PROCESS...

1. Create New Work Order.
   1. EXISTING CUSTOMERS - Within the existing job's workspace, you can add a work order from the Related Jobs section of the Management Panel. If you are on another screen, you can click the "Add New" button and select the "Job for Existing Customer." Input search string (customer name or address), and click on "All Customer Jobs" for the correct customer contact. You can click on the Add Work Order link for the relevant project, input the details of the problem into the Description field.
   2. NEW CUSTOMERS -Click the "Add New..." button and select the "Work Order: Diagnose and Repair System" item. Input new customer information and address.
2. Capture relevant data about the issue and your process requirements on the Job screen. The Diagnose and Repair Work Order relies on user input to fields on the Job screen to enable the correct process milestones for each particular work order. At a minimum, you must complete these critical fields for accurate processing of the work order:
   • On-Site Assessment Required
3. If an on-site assessment is required, you can now schedule that with the customer.
4. If needed, Perform On-Site Assessment. Depending on the specific issue, the user should record findings and recommendations on the Job's project screen. In particular:
   • If this is a new customer for whom you have no system information, fill in fields about existing equipment in the Originating Job Info field section (SolarNexus auto-fills for your existing customer jobs).
   • Document the cause of the problem and recommend action(s) to fix it.
5. Define the Solution. This is where you define the work to be done to resolve the issue.
   1. Go to Services screen, click "Add General Service" button, select a service offering that provides the type of solution needed, for example: Repair PV Monitoring, Equipment Replacement, Leak Repair, etc.
   2. If Equipment Replacement, click Add Item, and find the specific equipment item that will be installed as a replacement.
   3. Go to Price Screen and Edit Price, Enter in price for this work order, if warranted by your company, input $0.
   4. NOTE - Although the Analysis screen is available, this type of work order generally does not require any analysis to be performed. IF any price adjustments are required for financing, incentives, etc, you will need to run the analysis to get a final price.
6. (Optional) Go to Docs screen, click Create Other Document > Repair Estimate. Print or send Repair to customer for e-signature.
7. Complete the “Define Work” milestone, optionally schedule the "Perform Work"
8. Complete remaining milestones as needed.
   1. If you've specified an equipment replacement, the Acquire Equipment milestone is included.
   2. You may need to schedule the service work.
   3. Perform the service work, and be sure to document repair work completely on the Job screen.
   4. Verify the payment, and complete the work order.

Work Order: System Enhancements

Used For: Use for processing a variety of system add-ons or upgrades to existing systems. Specific service offerings include:

• Critter Guard
• PV System Monitoring
• Consumption Monitoring
• Equipment Upgrade

Entities Included: Custom field(s), field section(s), service offering, solution template, milestones.

Pricing Method: Gross Price input.

Process Summary example:

1. Customer calls to complain about squirrels under their array (or interest in consumption monitoring, etc).
2. Suggest a system enhancement for them. For example, installation of a critter guard. Tell customer you'll provide an estimate.
3. Determine if this is an existing customer. Use universal search to find the existing customer project in SolarNexus.
   • If customer exists, click “View All Customer Jobs” link for relevant customer in search results. Click “Add Work Order” link for the correct job (or if you've opened the project workspace, click the Add Work Order icon from the Related Work section of the Management Panel). In either case, select the "Work Order: System Enhancement" option from the list. Type in a description if you wish, for example “complaint of squirrels under west facing array”.  Hit Save to create the new work order.
   • If this is a new customer, from the Home screen "Add New..." button, and select the"Work Order: System Enhancements" process. Enter the source, and contact information and mailing/site address for the customer and hit Save. On the Job screen, edit the Work Order information and enter a description, for example “complaint of squirrels under west facing array”.
4. On services screen click "Add General Service" and select applicable service offering (for example "Critter Guard").
   1. Modify service's scope of work and item quantity (if you've included a product item)
   2. Input price
   3. Generate a "Price Estimate" from the Docs screen.
   4. Send to customer.
5. Once customer OK's the estimate, complete the "Define Work" milestone, which sets the solution's scope of work and begins the milestones for completing the work.
6. If there is still any follow up work, you may Add an Additional Task.  If not, "Complete Work Order" milestone to close out the work order.

Work Order: Equipment R & R (Remove and Reinstall/Relocate)

Used For: Managing process of removing existing installed equipment to allow for other maintenance or construction, followed by re-installation of the same equipment in the same or a new location. This work order can be used for existing or new customers. Specific service offerings include:

• PV array(s) R & R
• Equipment R & R
• Solar Thermal System Removal

Entities Included: Custom field(s), field section(s), service offering, solution template, milestones.

Pricing Method: Gross Price or Cost Items.

Management Tips: Track active or completed jobs from the Installs screen by filtering on Job Type. 

Process Summary:

1. Customer calls to request a quote to remove and replace their PV array (or temporarily uninstall other equipment).
2. Determine if this is an existing customer. Use universal search to find the existing customer project in SolarNexus.
   • If customer exists, click “View All Customer Jobs” link for relevant customer in search results. Click “Add Work Order” link for the correct job and select “Work Order: Equipment R & R” from the pick list. Record description of the customer request in the Description field.
   • If this is a new customer, from the Home screen "Add New..." button, and select the"Work Order: Equipment R & R" process. Enter the source, and contact information and mailing/site address for the customer and hit Save. Edit the work order information and record description of the customer request.
3. Determine if a site visit is required to determine a price (a site visit is typically needed for a new customer.) On the Job screen, click the edit icon on the "Equipment R&R" field section and check the box if the On-site Assessment is needed. Also, some companies may collect a fee before scheduling a site visit. You can customize your process to handle these variations.
4. Complete the “Determine if Site Visit is Required” milestone.
5. If included, complete site assessment. NOTE: If this is a new customer, enter information about the existing PV system in the originating job field section. If this is an existing customer's project that you installed, the originating job's equipment will already be populated for you.
6. Complete the Site Assessment milestone.
7. Define the scope of work.
   1. Click "Add General Service" and select the desired service offering (for example, "PV Array R&R").
   2. Edit the price.
   3. Generate a Price Estimate document from the Docs screen and deliver to the customer.
8. Get customer approval and complete the Define Work milestone.
9. Work through the remaining milestones as you complete the job.

Work Order: Routine Maintenance

Used For: Managing routine maintenance jobs of different system types for both existing and new customers. Specific service offerings include:

• Panel Cleaning
• Solar Thermal Maintenance

Entities Included: Custom field(s), field section(s), service offering, solution template, milestones.

Pricing Method: Gross Price input.

Process Summary:

1. Customer calls to request a routine maintenance visit.
2. Determine if this is an existing customer. Use universal search to find the existing customer project in SolarNexus (or if already a known customer click "Add New... Job for Existing Customer."
   • If customer exists, click “View All Customer Jobs” link for relevant customer in search results. Click “Add Work Order” link for the correct job and select “Work Order: Equipment R & R” from the pick list. Record description of the customer request in the Description field.
   • If this is a new customer, from the Home screen "Add New..." button, and select the"Work Order: Equipment R & R" process. Enter the source, and contact information and mailing/site address for the customer and hit Save. Edit the work order information and record description of the customer request.
3. Define the scope of work.
   1. Click "Add General Service" and select the desired service offering (for example, "Panel Cleaning").
   2. Edit the price.
   3. Generate a Price Estimate document from the Docs screen and deliver to the customer.
4. Get customer approval and complete the Define Work milestone.
5. Work through the remaining milestones as you complete the job.

Work Order: PV Install and Work Order: Subcontract PV Install

Used For: These are two separate job processes used to manage installations for two closely related scenarios:

• PV Install: Manages the process of system installations that are sold by outside sales partners. In this scenario, your company provides par pricing to an external sales partner who defines and sells the system and pockets the difference in sale price between your price and their sales price. Your company executes the contact with the end-customer and you handle the installation process.
• Subcontract PV Install: Manages installations you may undertake for another contractor. In this scenario, the originating contractor sells the system to the customer and is the contractor, and your company handles the installation process.

We have documented these processes together since they share most of the same attributes.

Entities Included: Field section(s), service offering, solution template, milestones.

Pricing Method: Gross price input OR cost items. Gross price input is best option if you have established pre-agreed pricing scheme with your originating seller/contractor.

Management Tips: Active or completed installs can be tracked from the Install screen by filtering on Job Type.

 

Administrative Setup:

To add a process, navigate to Administration > Job Processes. Click add process, and select the process you want to add.

Before using either of these job processes, we recommend reviewing the process definitions and related entities. You can make updates to appropriately reflect your company's specific needs. Having individual process definitions simplifies the definition of each process - eliminating the need to define as many rule-driven milestones, ensuring that the proces definition reflects the requirements of each, and potentially requiring fewer UI inputs to drive milestone inclusion.

Create Source values for originating sellers/contractor(s) - Since this business is being brought to you by the originating seller or contractor, we recommend creating a Lead Source value for each of the partners you are working with. Go to Administration > Lead and Project Data and add lead source, inputting the originating seller/contractor's name. You may want to create a new category for "Partner Companies" to group all such lead sources.

Add Products to Company Catalog - (optional) If the originating seller / contractor sells products (PV modules, inverters, etc) that your sales team does not, you'll need to add those products to your Company Catalog so that they can be specified in each install's scope of work. Note that since this is a work order, any modules and inverters the Company Catalog can be added, even items that are "inactive" for your company's new project sales.

Update Service Offering - (optional) Unless the scope of work, or the lists of eligible equipment used in these installs is the same as what you provide in your company's own project sales, SolarNexus recommends creating separate service offerings for each originating seller/contractor's installation work orders. When you add one of these processes to your SolarNexus account, the respective service offering is also copied to your account ("PV Install", "Subcontract PV Install"). To edit the service offering, navigate to Resources > Service Offerings. Find the relevant service offering and click edit. Change the name and description to reflect the specific work you will do for this service when the job originates from this particular partner.

If the equipment that you install for a partner differs from the equipment your company sells otherwise, or differs from that of the other partners for whom you do  installs, specify the eligible equipment lists for each item type (modules, inverters, etc).

NOTE: If these install services or equipment lists do not differ from the services that you include in your own project sales, we recommend deleting these extra PV install service offerings added to your account for this process, and replacing it with your existing PV installation service offering. You do that by changing the Solution Template (see below).

Update Solution Template - (optional) These job process use pre-defined solution templates to pre-populate the PV install service, and to control the preset pricing method. At a minimum, we recommend modifying the solution template name to reflect use for the originating seller/contractor's installs. Navigate to Resources > Solution Template. Edit the "PV Install" or "Subcontract PV Install" template, modifying the name and description (for example: "Subcontract PV Install-ACME Builders").

If your install work orders use the same services as your regular project sales, you should remove the service offering provided with the job process, and add your existing PV installation service to the solution template.

Update Process Definition (milestones) - For subcontract installations, the originating contractor may perform some of the post-sale milestones (for example: permitting, interconnection, etc). As such, the process milestones for subcontract installation are highly dependent on the originating contractor's process. If your company does subcontract installs for multiple contractors who significantly vary the scope of your installation work, we recommend creating separate work order process definitions for each originating contractor so that you can accurately define the process for each (i.e. remove unecessary milestones, add custom ones, etc).

Navigate to Administration > Job Processes, and select the process from the selection list. Click edit and modify the name and description to reflect your originating seller/contractor.

Remove any unnecessary milestones from the process. For example, if you are supplied with the modules and inverters as well as the system design, eliminate the following milestones:

• Schedule site survey
• Conduct site survey
• Create design drawing
• Review drawing
• Order materials

 

Process Summary:

Since the originating contractor has already defined the solution (scope of work) and sold the job, you simply need to input the job's solution and process the relevant installation tasks.

1. Click "Add New..." button, select the relevant process (e.g. "Work Order: PV Install"). (Note: If you do subcontract installs for more than one company, make sure to select the work order for the correct company).
2. Enter source (pick originating contractor name from pre-defined lead sources). Enter homeowner/end-customer contact information as the customer. Click Save.
3. Add originating contractor to job as Other Participant. Although you've entered originating contractor as the source, you want to keep easy access to the originating contractor's information for your team throughout the job. So add the orginating contractor as a Participant. From the Job screen > Other Participants field section, click Add Participant:
   1. Type: Business
   2. Contact / Organization, select the originating contractor (or input, if not already in your Contact database).
   3. For Role, select "Seller" (optionally can add "General Contractor")
   4. Save. Your work order should appear like you see below, showing "ACME Builders" as the seller of the job:

      

4. Complete other fields on the job screen, such as "AHJ" and "Assessor Parcel Number" as necessary.
5. Upload any proposals, design drawings, photographs or other information that you received from the originating company.
6. Input the services you will install. Click on Services. This job process assumes you are installing a PV system so that service is pre-populated, but you need to input the specifics for this job:
   1. PV System
      1. Define Array Areas. SolarNexus suggests that you input the array areas defined by the subcontract install, even if you don't use the module layout features to define arrays using aerial imagery. This gives you visual indication of where each array will be installed, and allows you to output documents that communicate this to your team.
      2. Specify PV Module.
      3. Define Arrays. Note that you may wish to uncheck the “Use Module Auto-Layout” feature on the Define Array form.  This will allow you to directly enter the module quantity.
      4. Add Inverter(s) / DC Optimizers as required.
      5. Optionally add other major equipment items as needed/desired.
   2. If this job includes installation of other systems, use the other buttons (for example "Add General Service" to add any other services that you will install (e.g. MSP Replacement, etc)
7. Enter price on Price screen.
8. From the analysis screen, you can choose the correct analysis parameters and financing.  Analysis may not be necessary depending on the subcontract agreement.
9. If your partner is a sales organization and you still need to execute a contract with the end customer, generate the contract from the Docs screen and proceed to get it executed.
10. Complete the "Define Work" milestone to proceed into the rest of the installation process.
11. Complete milestones for the job process as your company works the job.

 

About Entering the Customer:

For Subcontract Installs, the originating contractor is technically your customer, not the homeowner/end-customer. So how to input a subcontract install work order? There are two possible approaches:

1. Add job with homeowner/end-customer as the "Customer." Every time you add a new subcontract install, you use the "Add New..." button and select "Work Order: Subcontract PV Install." You input the homeowner/end customer information as the customer. Then you followup by adding the originating contractor as the "Seller" role (maybe even the "General Contractor" role as well).
2. Add job with originating contractor as the "Customer." For the very first subcontract install, you would use the "Add New..." button and select "Work Order: Subcontract PV Install" process. You would input the originating contractor into the contact information. Then you would followup by adding the homeowner/end-customer as another participant, giving them the "occupant, PV system owner, and Host Customer" roles. For subsequent installs for this contractor, you would use the "Add Job for Existing Customer" feature, again adding the homeowner/end-customer as another particpant.

Although option #2 is more technically correct, we recommend using option #1 for three reasons:

• Document outputs are easier to produce on behalf of the homeowner/end-customer because customer variables used to fill contracts/forms etc are tied to the customer.
• This is the approach when doing projects or work order installations as the primary contractor - so its consistent.
• it's bit more natural way to think of the homeowner/end-customer as the customer even though the contractor is technically your customer when acting as the subcontractor.

One argument for inputting the contractor as the customer would be for generating change-orders or billing documents. However that is not a primary consideration and SolarNexus recommends using custom doc templates setup for each individual originating contractor if those docs are needed.

Work Order: Transfer System Ownership

Used For: Managing process of transferring the ownership of an existing customer's PV system when that exsiting customer sells their property to a new owner.These tasks may include:

• Transferring warranties
• Updating net metering agreements with the utility and advising the new owner on the recommended utility rate
• Commissioning on-line monitoring with the new customer
• Advising new owner on referral programs and other benefits

This process definition includes following service offering:

• Ownership Transfer

Entities Included: Custom field(s), field section(s), service offering, solution template, milestones.

Pricing Method: Gross Price or Cost Items.

Management Tips: Track active or completed jobs from the Installs screen by filtering on Job Type. 

Process Summary:

1. Transferring ownership involves first updating the existing SolarNexus project information to reflect the new owner's contact information
2. In the Related Work section of the original project's management panel, click the add work order icon. Select the Transfer Ownership process.
3. The solution will be pre-populated with the transfer ownership service.
   1. Make edits if needed to Ownership Transfer service.
   2. Input price (if any)
   3. On Docs screen, generate Cost Estimate doc if needed.
4. Get customer approval. Complete Define Work milestone.
5. Follow milestones process to complete work order.

Work Order: System Evaluation

Used For: This work order job process is used for a new customer with an existing system installed by another company. This process is for system evaluation and creation of a report, as opposed to diagnosing and repairing a system. It assumes that a prepaid site visit fee is collected before the visit is scheduled. If the system evaluation finds that equipment needs to be repaired or replaced, that would be done under another work order. Includes following service offering:

• System Evaluation

Entities Included: Custom field(s), field section(s), service offering, solution template, milestones.

Pricing Method: Gross Price or Cost Items.

Management Tips: Track active or completed jobs from the Installs screen by filtering on Job Type. 

 

Process Summary:

1. From Home, Sales, or Installs screen, click the "Add New..." button, select "Work Order: System Evaluation"
2. In New Work Order intake form, enter the Source (how the customer found you), and the new customer's contact information, and mailing/site address. Then click Save.
3. For this work order, a solution is automatically populated with the "System Evaluation" service on the Services screen. You may modify the default service description if needed.
4. Go to the Price Screen > Edit Price and enter in the total price for this service.
5. Once customer gives go ahead to proceed, complete the "Define Work" milestone.
6. After the site visit, the technician can complete the Conduct Site Visit milestone.
7. Upload the site visit data to SolarNexus:
   1. Record information about the system’s major equipment in the Originating Job fields on the Project Screen.
   2. Upload pictures to the Site tab and use the “As-Built” tag
   3. Complete the "Upload Site Visit Data" milestone.
8. Create the evaluation report and Upload to the documents section.  Complete the "Create Report" milestone.
9. Email the report to the customer and complete the "Provide Report to Customer" milestone.
10. Send final invoice and complete milestone.
11. Receive final payment and complete work order.

If the evaluation found that equipment needs to be repaired or replaced, a new work order should be created by going to this project management panel > related work and adding a work order.