How to write a work order (with an example)
A work order is a written instruction to do a specific job. It says what’s wrong, where, who is doing it, and by when, and it becomes the record of what was done. A good one means the tech can do the job without calling anyone. A bad one means a second trip.
The fields that matter
| Field | What to write |
|---|---|
| Number | A unique, increasing number. It lets everyone refer to one job without describing it. |
| Job | A short title naming the problem and the place: “Leaking supply line, unit 4B kitchen.” |
| Location | Building, unit, room and any access notes (gate code, key in office, tenant works nights). |
| Priority | Urgent for water, power, heat, security and safety. High for things that stop work or bother a customer today. Normal for everything else. |
| Assigned to | One person. If two people share it, one of them still owns it. |
| Due date | When it needs to be done, not when it would be nice. |
| Details | What was reported, what to bring, what was already tried. |
| Work log | What the tech found, what they did, parts used, time spent. |
A filled-in example
No. 1042. Job: Leaking supply line under kitchen sink. Location: Unit 4B, tenant home after 3 pm, key in office. Priority: High. Assigned to: Marco. Due: today. Details: Tenant sent a photo of water pooling in the cabinet. Bring a 3/8 compression supply line and a quarter-turn shutoff.
Log: “Replaced braided supply line and shutoff valve. Cabinet floor dry, no damage. 40 minutes.”
Common mistakes
- Vague titles. “Plumbing” tells nobody anything. Name the fixture and the place.
- Several jobs on one order. Split them. Otherwise one part gets done and the order is closed with the rest forgotten.
- Closing with “fixed.” Six months later nobody knows whether the valve was replaced or just tightened.
- No owner. An order assigned to “maintenance” is assigned to nobody.
Want a paper version? Print our free work order template.
MaintenanceRequestDesk is simple work order software for crews of 2 to 15: assign jobs, take requests through a link, add photos from the job, print any order. Free for 2 people.