Work order form template
A work order form is the paper trail of a service call: the customer authorizes the work and a spending limit before the tech starts, and the tech records what was done, the parts used and the time on the job before leaving. This template does both in one document. Read it below, then open it in SignMaster and use it on your next call.
Updated November 5, 2026 · 3 min read
The contract
Gray blanks are yours to fill in before you send. Each signer fills in the blanks in their color.
- You, before sending
- Customer
- Technician
Work Order
Work order number: Work order number Date: Work order date
Company: Company name License number: License number Phone: Company phone
Customer: Customer name Service address: Service address
Part A. Authorization (completed before work starts)
1. Problem and work requested
Problem reported by the Customer: Problem reported.
Work requested: Work requested. Equipment, if any (make, model, serial number): Equipment details.
2. Rates
- Service call or diagnostic fee: Service call fee, charged whether or not the Customer approves a repair.
- Labor: Hourly labor rate per hour after the first Time included, billed in quarter hours.
- Parts and materials: Parts pricing.
3. Spending limit
The Customer authorizes the work requested up to a total of Not-to-exceed amount, including the service call fee, labor, parts and tax. If the technician finds that the work will cost more, or that different work is needed, the technician will stop and get the Customer's approval before going further. Approval may be given by phone, text or email and will be noted in Part B.
4. Access and conditions
Access notes (gate code, where the equipment is, pets, parking): Access notes.
The Customer confirms they are the owner of the property, or are authorized by the owner to approve this work. The Company is not responsible for conditions it did not cause, such as existing code violations, hidden damage, or failures of equipment it did not service. Parts installed carry the manufacturer's warranty, and the Company's labor is warranted for Labor warranty in days days.
Payment is due when the work is complete, by Payment methods. Customer email for the completed work order: Customer email
Safety: the Customer will tell the technician about known hazards near the work, such as asbestos, mold, gas smells or damaged wiring. The technician may refuse to work in conditions that are unsafe and will explain why. Replaced parts are disposed of by the Company unless the Customer asks to keep them before work starts.
Return visits: if parts must be ordered, the Company will schedule a return visit and will not charge a second service call fee for it. If the Customer cancels after the technician arrives, the service call fee and any labor already performed are due.
I authorize the work requested above, at the rates in section 2, up to the spending limit in section 3.
Customer (authorization)
Part B. Completion record (completed by the technician)
5. Work performed
Diagnosis and work performed: Work performed.
Parts and materials used, with quantities: Parts used.
Time on site: arrived Arrival time, left Departure time, labor hours billed Labor hours billed.
Additional work approved by the Customer after the work started, with how and when it was approved: Additional approvals.
6. Totals and recommendations
Total for this work order, including tax: Work order total.
Recommendations given to the Customer, such as follow-up repairs or equipment near the end of its life: Recommendations.
Technician name: Technician name. By signing, the technician confirms the record in Part B is accurate and the work area was left clean.
Technician (completion)
Opens it in SignMaster as a template you can edit and send.
A starting point, not legal advice. Have a lawyer review it for your state and situation.
On this page
What a work order does
A work order sits between an estimate and an invoice. It names the problem the customer reported, the work they authorized, how you charge, and a not-to-exceed amount you won't pass without asking. When the job is done, the same form shows the work performed and the parts and labor that make up the invoice.
HVAC, plumbing, electrical, appliance repair and property maintenance companies use one for every call. It's also what a property manager or landlord expects back from a vendor before paying the bill.
Two sections, two signers
- Before the work: authorizationFilled in by the office or the tech: the problem reported, the work requested, the service call fee, the labor rate and the not-to-exceed amount. The customer signs first.
- After the work: completion recordFilled in by the technician when the job is done: work performed, parts used, hours on site, the total and any recommendations. The tech signs second.
What the form includes
- Header: work order number, date, your company, the customer and the service address.
- Problem and request: what the customer reported in their own words, and the work they're asking for.
- Rates: the service call or diagnostic fee, the hourly labor rate and how parts are priced.
- Not-to-exceed amount: the spending limit the customer authorizes before you must call them.
- Access and equipment: where the unit is, gate codes or pets, and the make, model and serial number.
- Completion record: the work performed, parts and quantities, labor hours, the total and recommendations.
Work order mistakes
- No not-to-exceed amount. Without it, a repair that grows from a capacitor to a compressor starts an argument instead of a phone call.
- Writing "fixed it" as the work performed. Name the part, the test you ran and the reading you got; that's what defends the invoice and the warranty.
- Leaving the recommendation off. If you told the customer their water heater is near the end of its life, write it down with the date.
Running work orders in SignMaster
- 1
Open the form
Choose Use this template above. It's saved in your account with two signers in order: the customer, then the technician.
- 2
Dispatch fills the header
The office fills in the gray blanks: work order number, service address, problem reported, rates and the not-to-exceed amount, then sends it before the tech arrives.
- 3
Customer authorizes on site or by email
The customer adds access notes and signs. If they're home, the tech uses Sign in person on their phone. A landlord can sign from the email link before the tech rolls.
- 4
Tech completes the record
When it's the tech's turn, they fill in the work performed, parts, hours and total from their phone and sign. Everyone gets the finished PDF, ready to attach to the invoice.
On any paid plan, the answers from every work order land in the template's Responses tab, one row per call with columns for parts, hours and totals, so you can export them as CSV for billing or job costing. See every answer to a template in one table. Opening work orders for a whole building's preventive maintenance? Bulk send one per unit from a spreadsheet.
Questions? Answers.
What is the difference between a work order and an invoice?
A work order authorizes and records the work; an invoice asks for payment. The completion section of the work order is what you build the invoice from.
What does not-to-exceed mean on a work order?
It's the most the customer authorizes you to charge without asking first. If the job will cost more, you stop and get their approval, ideally on a change order.
Who fills in the technician's section?
The technician assigned to the job. Their blanks open when it's their turn to sign, after the customer has authorized the work.
Can a property manager approve a work order for a tenant's unit?
Yes. Send the authorization to the manager or owner instead of the tenant. The tenant doesn't need to sign unless your agreement with the owner says so.