The 6 Best Work Order Apps for 2024
Looking for a work order app for your construction business? We’ve reviewed 6 of the best apps on the market to help you choose!
Drowning your field technicians in paperwork hurts your business more than you think.
Nearly 75% of technicians consider it their least favorite part of the job. It also wastes a lot of time they could have spent delivering exceptional service to customers.
A work order app reduces paperwork by automating repetitive tasks. As a result, your team can accomplish more in the field and even have more time to deliver results or upsell your services.
For this article, I’ve reviewed and tested the best work order management apps, which are designed to speed up your workflow without compromising service quality.
Let’s dive right in.
Top Picks
Below, you’ll find a summary of each app we’ve reviewed, with our scores, each app’s ideal use cases, its pricing, the availability of any free trials or free tiers, and the platforms on which the app is available. Each app has been thoroughly investigated and analyzed for users like you, with pros and cons, key features, integrations, and real user reviews.
Let’s take a look…
9.0 
14-day free trial, (no card needed)
8.1
7 days (no credit card needed)
8.1
30 days (no credit card needed)
7.7 
No free trial available
7.2
14 days (no credit card needed)
6.5
7 days (no credit card needed)
EDITOR’S NOTE: We created Workyard – the first app reviewed here – to address issues we encountered while struggling to track and manage construction payrolls for over 700 workers in over 50 construction businesses. We built the Workyard app from the ground up to support construction companies like yours, with industry-essential features like the industry’s most accurate time clock app with GPS and geofencing, intuitive contractor scheduling, construction cost tracking tools, and more.
Learn more about how Workyard works on our main website, or sign up for a 14-day free trial today to see what Workyard can do for your business.
Workyard
Scoring
Key Features
-
Drag-and-drop dispatching board with real-time notifications
-
Map-based team view with real-time location tracking
-
Precise work order tracking and labor cost analysis
-
High-accuracy time clock for on-site check-in/check-out
-
Customizable dashboard and reports
-
Out-of-the-box accounting and payroll integrations
Sends real-time alerts for every last-minute scheduling change
Offline-capable mobile app
Real-time tracking of field tech’s time, location, and mileage
Add notes, photos, and attachments for job updates
Workers may need time and training to adapt to GPS tracking
No option for workers to accept or reject work orders
No forever-free version
Highlights
While feature-bloated apps overwhelm users with their complexity, Workyard stands out for offering a simplified, centralized platform for creating, tracking, and managing work orders.
Workyard’s drag-and-drop calendar makes scheduling a breeze, whether you need to plan an equipment repair today, installations tomorrow, or inspections next month. For routine maintenance tasks, simply set the schedule on repeat, and Workyard will automatically populate the calendar for you.
With real-time GPS location tracking, dispatchers can see where the field workers are at any given time. It helps them make informed decisions on the spot, ensuring the right person gets the right job.
Workyard keeps everyone updated through notes, photos, checklists, and attachments. Plus, with integrated job costing and accurate time card reports, you’ll have all the data you need to monitor productivity and make smart, data-driven decisions.
Let’s take a closer look at Workyard’s work order management features.
Flexible Scheduling and Dispatching
Workyard’s visual calendar streamlines scheduling so you can quickly add a new work order even while you’re in the middle of a service call.
Toggle between daily, weekly, or monthly viewing modes to confirm the best schedule to handle the customer’s request and each team member’s availability.
To add a work order, simply click the cell corresponding to the date you want it scheduled. You can customize it by setting up a geofenced project location, adding a task watcher to oversee its progress, adding a color-coded task label, and creating a work order checklist.
Workyard’s drag-and-drop scheduling calendar makes it easy to make last-minute changes. Simply drag the scheduled job, drop it to the new date, and the work order will be automatically rescheduled without additional manual entry.
Whether there is a change of schedule, location, or assigned members, Workyard always sends push notifications to alert everyone involved. This ensures that no miscommunication gets in the way of your field service operation.
With Workyard’s dispatching software, you can also:
- Assign work orders to individual workers or groups
- Repeat maintenance tasks daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly
- Dispatch work orders on the spot
- Send app or email notifications to assignees
- Edit multiple work orders simultaneously
- Quickly search scheduled work orders using the search box
- Classify work orders as either assigned or unassigned
Real-Time Technician Location Tracking
Workyard’s map-based team view allows users to see at a glance all workers who are currently on the clock and where they’re located.
The bird’s-eye view of the team’s whereabouts makes it easy for managers to make on-the-spot dispatching decisions based on the workers’ proximity to the customer’s location.
By assigning the work order to the field technician closest to the job site, travel time and expenses are reduced, leading to higher customer satisfaction and a better business bottom line.
Workyard’s GPS location tracking is designed to work even in offline mode. This means the app will continue to operate in the background in low- or no-reception areas and will quickly sync to the server once the connection is restored.
The GPS logs are permanently available, providing the audit trail needed to ensure all workers get paid accurately, even if they’re assigned to remote locations.
Workyard’s GPS tracking system can also:
- Automatically capture driving route, time, and mileage
- Show map locations of all projects the team is currently working on
- Display the map in “road map” mode for easier route optimization
See why 50,000+ workers and over 10,000 contractors use Workyard (and why field service managers like you gave it a stellar score of 4.9 / 5 on Capterra). Explore Workyard and start a 14-day free trial today to see how we can speed up your field-based business and workforce management.
Precise Work Order Tracking and Management
Work orders can be created, tracked, and monitored right from Workyard’s scheduling calendar.
Managers can add a checklist to each scheduled job to ensure field technicians can complete work orders without forgetting any details. Teams can update each other on work order statuses by adding notes, sending photos, or uploading receipts and other attachments.
Each work order can be tagged to a specific project and cost code. This enables admins and managers to measure the time and labor spent on each work order.
By tracking labor costs, field-based businesses can bill their customers more accurately, provide better future estimates, and find ways to optimize their workflow to avoid budget overruns.
High-Accuracy Time Clock for Onsite Check-In/Out
Ensure work orders are carried out on time and on budget through Workyard’s GPS time clock. With a tap of the phone, Workyard immediately jumps into tracking mode to accurately record hours worked, locations visited, and driving mileage spent by the field technician.
Field workers can easily switch between work orders or pause the time clock in case they want to take a break.
Workyard’s mobile app sends reminders to take breaks or automatically inserts a meal break in case a worker forgets to take one during the shift, ensuring your business is always compliant with labor laws.
Workyard’s time clock automatically syncs to the server, so timesheets are updated in real time. Managers can then easily review, modify, delete, or approve employee time cards without the mind-numbing paperwork.
Insightful Work Order Reporting
By tagging each work order to a specific project or cost code, Workyard can channel each time, location, and mileage tracked to the appropriate buckets. As a result, managers can access a wealth of data under the Project Hub of Workyard’s web app.
For each project, you can easily view all collected data grouped according to hours, cost, driving time, and mileage. You can easily drill into these data to measure the time and labor spent on each work order.
Workyard also enables you to check who your strongest and weakest performing employees are and adjust your coaching plans accordingly.
Easy Integrations with Other Business Apps
With Workyard, you can instantly export your company’s timesheet to QuickBooks so it can handle your accounting needs while preventing double entries.
Workyard connects with payroll software like Gusto and ADP, as well as other out-of-the-box native integrations.
There’s also a developer API you can leverage to integrate Workyard with your existing system or other software solutions necessary for field work – from invoicing and estimating to payment processing and price book creation.
Reviews
Workyard mobile app users mostly work in the field, and they love its ease of use, time clock notifications, and robust job progress and costing features.
Meanwhile, business owners and managers on Capterra particularly commend Workyard’s versatility in tracking workers’ time and location while in the field. This gives them assurance that work is being done on time and within budget.
Let’s go over some select Workyard reviews from these platforms:
Workyard’s job costing report changes the game for field-based businesses. The iOS user below loves how the app automatically shows how much time and money are allocated to each job.
iOS Review:
App really saves me time – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The big surprise with Workyard is all the reporting it’s capable of. I’m getting reports now showing me how much our work time is costing us on each job. I even added cost codes for specific tasks and the app creates reports off of that. Really glad we found it and looking forward to seeing what’s next.
The Android user below gives a plus point to Workyard’s clock-in notification, which is designed to ensure field service employees never forget to clock in, no matter how busy things get.
Google Play Review:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Works great and very convenient!!! Love that it reminds me to clock in when on site. Definitely recommend
While the Capterra user review below loves Workyard’s accurate GPS tracking, it reportedly stops working when used in remote areas. However, Workyard is capable of working offline, so even if it seems not working, the app continues to record everything in the background.
Capterra Review:
Perfect for payroll and managers – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Overall: We have loved working with Workyard. They have made our experience extremely seamless.Pros: I love Workyard for the gps tracking, time tracking and payroll import. It makes my life so much easier
Cons: The only thing I don’t like about it is in some remote rural areas it doesn’t work but it does work 99% of the time.
Pricing
Free Trial?
14-day trial with no credit card required
Time Tracking
Annual: $6 / mo. per user + $50 base fee
Monthly: $8 / mo. per user + $50 base fee
Workforce Management
Annual: $13 / mo. per user + $50 base fee
Monthly: $16 / mo. per user + $50 base fee
Manage work orders and schedule jobs with Workyard
See how it works
Orderry
Scoring
Key Features
-
Single database for work orders and leads
-
Work order mobile app with payment and task management
-
Inventory tracking with real-time updates
-
Calendar-style work order scheduling tool
-
Automatic notifications for new jobs or status changes
-
Integrations with QuickBooks and instant messaging apps
Mobile app automatically synchronizes with web app
Easily add comment or attach files from mobile app
Barcode scanner automatically adds products and costs
Field techs can make quick calls straight from the app
May require learning curve for some technicians
Limited native app integrations
Invoicing lacks line item customization
Highlights
Using Orderry, repair shops can track every device, vehicle, and piece of equipment entering their shops without the need for a separate asset management solution.
Orderry makes it easy to keep detailed records of both client and company assets, organize tasks, and schedule maintenance to minimize downtime and costs.
Through Orderry’s work order app, users can create digital warehouses, manage asset transfers, and seamlessly add items to work orders.
For instance, a HVAC contractor can effortlessly track all the units they service, assign maintenance tasks to technicians, and ensure nothing falls through the cracks — all from within the Orderry platform.
However, Orderry has some room for improvement, particularly in its inventory management feature.
A common frustration is that you can’t add spare parts from the product list if they’re not currently in stock. This forces users to manually input parts into work orders and then delete and re-add them once they arrive—a tedious and time-consuming process.
Additionally, the inability to create multiple work orders for the same job without generating separate invoices can be a hassle.
Reviews
Business owners and managers love how easy it is to track work orders and issue invoices in the field using Orderry. Unfortunately, there’s no user review available for its mobile app at the moment.
The Capterra user review below gives a thumbs up for Orderry’s user-friendly interface but points out a missing element in the app’s inventory management feature.
Capterra Review:
Good value – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
All in all very good product with user friendly interface. Very easy to set it up from the start, my technicians and managers didn’t need special trainings to start using it. All function is perfect for us except inventory management. It is impossible for us to have all the spare parts needed so we have to make special orders, but this software do not allow to add spare parts from product list if you don’t have on stock, so all the time we have to add spare parts manually on order and after we receive and post, we have to open order delete manually added spare part and then to add the posted one from the warehouse.
Pricing
Free Trial?
7 days (no credit card needed)
Hobby
$39/mo.
Startup
Starting from $69/mo.
Business
Starting from $99/mo.
Enterprise
Starting from $199/mo.
Scoring
Key Features
-
Automatic work order triggers for preventive maintenance
-
Work order delegation and real-time progress tracking
-
Centralized inventory management with low-stock alerts
-
Work order sharing with vendors for seamless collaboration
-
Simple scheduling of maintenance and one-off work requests
-
Full maintenance log and audit trail
Free plan for very small teams
Stopwatch for simple time tracking
Pre-filled work order templates streamline documentation
Time-consuming onboarding and implementation
GPS tracking only available through third-party tool
Limited out-of-the-box integrations
Highlights
MaintainX stands out in the crowded CMMS (computerized maintenance management system) market with its AI-powered features.
Among them is automatic anomaly detection, which alerts technicians immediately if work order data inputs appear abnormal. This feature helps prevent mistakes and detect early signs of equipment failure, ensuring smooth operations.
Another handy feature is the ability to record work order notes using voice clips, which are then automatically transcribed by AI. This not only saves time but also enriches work order data with more context, making it easier for technicians to communicate and stay on the same page.
While MaintainX excels in functionality, its implementation can be daunting. Although the extensive feature set is beneficial, it makes the onboarding process lengthy and complex, especially for larger companies with diverse needs. It can take weeks or even longer to fully integrate MaintainX into your existing workflow.
In addition, essential features like time and cost tracking are only accessible in the highest-priced tiers, which may not be cost-effective for smaller businesses. GPS tracking requires integration with Titan GPS, adding another layer of complexity and potential expense.
Reviews
By building a good product and complementing it with reliable and responsive customer support, MaintainX has attracted great user reviews across the three platforms below. Let’s take a look at some of them.
iPad users like the person below love how intuitive MaintainX is, with well-thought-out placements of buttons and links so users can navigate the app with ease. The user also appreciates the app’s responsive tech support.
iOS Review:
What more could you ask for? – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The whole program is simply intuitive. It operates how you think it should, meaning that all of the buttons and links are where it makes sense for them to be. They have 24/7 tech support with a 3 minute response time, and when I did reach out for tech support, I was able to figure out my issue before they had an option respond! This is my first month using it, and I couldn’t be more happy with it. And the fact that it tracks both material and labor for each asset, is just an icing on the cake.
According to the Android user below, MaintainX is a great CMMS app but too costly for smaller businesses with tight budgets.
Google Play Review:
⭐⭐⭐⭐
I have reviewed 3 of the top CMMS maintenance apps. I liked this one the best, but it was close. This is a good deal price wise for a larger company. I am a smaller company and I was hoping for a cheap alternative for smaller business.
The Capterra user review below commended MaintainX for its ease of use, versatility, and excellent customer support, then pointed out a possible way to improve its pricing structure.
Capterra Review:
Excellent mobile fit for purpose tool – ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Not a lot missing, perhaps if they could create better step-costing (i.e above 20 users/30 users and so forth) we would roll it out much further into the organization as (say) 20 or 30 users use it all the time but if we we had another 20 or 30 ‘restricted use’ licenses at half the cost we would add this one (the ROI drops at a point when you add more and more licenses for staff that uese it less frequently for narrow uses i.e. part stock control/inventory)
Pricing
Free Trial?
30 days (no credit card needed)
Basic
Free, but with very limited features
Essential
$21/mo. per user
Premium
$59/mo. per user
Enterprise
Custom pricing available on inquiry
ServiceTitan
Scoring
Key Features
-
Technician access to full work order details via the app
-
Work order scheduling with automated job confirmations
-
Visual dispatch board to easily see job statuses
-
Real-time, GPS-enabled tracking of technician’s location
-
Integrated invoicing and payment systems
All-in-one field service management system
Drag-and-drop dispatch interface for quick rescheduling
Dispatchers can see real-time work updates and statuses
Mobile app creates professional estimates and proposals
Lengthy onboarding and implementation process
Dedicated training and multi-year contract
Pricing info only available on inquiry
Too expensive for small businesses
Highlights
A recognizable name in field service management, ServiceTitan elevates work order management through Uber-style GPS tracking. This allows dispatchers and clients (when notifications are enabled) to monitor technicians’ real-time location as they head to job sites.
ServiceTitan eliminates the uncertainty of vague arrival windows, providing customers with the peace of mind that comes with knowing exactly when help will arrive.
ServiceTitan’s extensive client database, which maintains detailed records of job history, equipment, and service agreements, is another notable asset. This wealth of information ensures businesses can deliver personalized and efficient service, significantly enhancing customer satisfaction.
However, ServiceTitan’s lack of publicly available pricing information hints at potentially high costs, which can be a deterrent for smaller businesses.
Furthermore, the implementation process is notoriously lengthy and complex, often involving multi-year contracts and extensive training.
Lastly, some users have also reported challenges with inventory management, marketing, and CRM tracking within the system. Integrations with other systems, such as HRIS or LMS, are also cited as problematic, which can disrupt workflow efficiency.
Reviews
ServiceTitan may seem to be banking on its popularity to compel users to switch to it, but the Capterra reviews suggest the app’s robust features live up to their standards.
However, mobile users are not as happy, with glitches ranging from faulty synchronization to photos not uploading at all, hindering good user experience.
One of the disadvantages of signing up for ServiceTitan’s multi-year contract is you won’t be able to escape easily whenever you want to. The iOS user below has a lot to complain about but is basically stuck with the software due to the contract.
iOS Review:
I do not recommend this software to anyone – ⭐
The software is slow, the company makes all these promises to sell you on a long contract, then won’t actually stand behind there program once you sign up. I have literally ran out of passwords to replace mine with because it always wants me to replace it. You can not switch between IPad and Phone without logging in and out from one to the other. It wants to constantly track to device all the time. No way to turn this off that I can find.
Field workers like the Android user below find the mobile app too buggy, making it difficult to complete essential tasks while working.
Google Play Review:
⭐⭐⭐⭐
This app is very convenient for various field estimating functions. However, I find it to be a bit buggy. I and my coworkers frequently have to either restart the device, restart the app, reload the pricebook, and/or uninstall and reinstall the app for it to function correctly.
While the Capterra user review below believes ServiceTitan’s features are robust enough to streamline business processes, the initial implementation can be quite a challenge, especially with no dedicated account rep to guide you.
Capterra Review:
The best CRM for the trades – ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Pros: We love how easy ServiceTitan makes things on our customers. Automated text messages when a technician is on the way, ability to pay their invoice online, and fast online scheduling with real time availability makes us very simple to do business with!Cons: The implementation and setup is quite the process. New feature onboarding requires a lot of research and figuring out for yourself. ServiceTitan helps as much as they can but not having a dedicated account rep anymore makes this a little challenging.
Pricing
Free Trial?
No free trial available
Starter
Available on inquiry
Essentials
Available on inquiry
The Works
Available on inquiry
UpKeep
Scoring
Key Features
-
Work order calendar with recurring schedule option
-
Automatic work order creation with push notifications
-
Integrated asset management with low-stock alerts
-
Runtime-based preventive maintenance to maximize uptime
-
Customizable dashboards and reporting
24/7 phone, email, and chat support
Offline-capable mobile app
Easily add photos, videos, or attachments to work orders
Natively integrated GPS tracking for fleet management
Complicated interface requires a learning curve
No built-in invoicing feature
No affordable plan for small businesses
Limited out-of-the-box integrations
API access and integration only available on the priciest plan
Highlights
UpKeep’s intuitive preventive maintenance tool is designed to help maintenance professionals stay ahead of asset breakdowns. It creates preventive maintenance tasks based on machine cycles, vehicle mileage, or any other unit of measure using the Meters feature.
Operators and technicians can easily log meter readings for runtime-based maintenance tasks and include photos in checklists to ensure thorough documentation. Once preventive maintenance is complete, technicians can swiftly close tasks and log details on the spot.
Additionally, UpKeep Analytics enables administrators to identify the assets that incur the most unplanned downtime, facilitating the creation of routine preventive maintenance schedules to avert future failures.
On the flip side, UpKeep’s limited out-of-the-box integrations can be a significant hurdle, particularly for businesses relying on a seamless flow of data across multiple platforms.
While UpKeep offers an API, Webhooks, and Zapier workflows, these features are only accessible through the most expensive plan–the Business Plan. The need to invest in the highest-tier plan to unlock essential integrations could limit UpKeep’s overall accessibility and appeal for businesses operating on tighter budgets.
Reviews
UpKeep has been in the asset management business for close to a decade, which explains its high review count.
Most users praise the app’s preventive maintenance functionality, but its regular glitches, some poorly executed features, and high price points are major letdowns.
Check the reviews below to see what it’s like to use UpKeep in the field.
Field technicians use their work order apps all the time. So, when a feature doesn’t work like what the iOS user below reported, the job is disrupted, leading to a disappointed worker and unhappy customer.
iOS Review:
Hangs… and suffers feature creep – ⭐⭐
Often when you tap on the work order brief description to see the full written order, it will not load the next page. It will hang with a blank page. This is really frustrating when you’re on site and just trying to remember which unit needs the disposer (for example) or what’s the tenant’s contact info.Why is it necessary for the work order to be broken up into two pages? For all the details you need two taps to go to a stupid pop-up page. The work order should be on one page. Who’s got time for buried details or phone numbers?
Occasional bugs and glitches can be forgiven. But when technical hiccups happen almost regularly, like what the Android user below experienced with UpKeep, it can be hard to justify the high monthly fee.
Google Play Review:
⭐⭐⭐
Effective and clean app when it works correctly. App is simply too expensive to justify regular failures and inability to access our sensitive information saved on it
The Capterra user review below commended UpKeep’s asset management feature but found the price too high for small businesses operating on limited budgets.
Capterra Review:
Great tool to manage your assets – ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Pros: This is a great solution to manage the assets, we were having issues controlling the location and distribution of our rented laptops and electronic equipment provided to consultants, after implementing the solution we were able to locate, manage and renew our equipment without effort. We also use it to track work orders because their reporting capabilities work very good with out ERP.Cons: The main con would be its price, $45 per user is a little high for many small businesses budget. Since this is an important tool the training in using it is a little hard but necessary. In addition we believe the permissions management needs a little more work.
Pricing
Free Trial?
14 days (no credit card needed)
Lite
$20/mo. per user
Starter
$45/mo. per user
Professional
$75/mo. per user
Business Plus
Contact sales for pricing
Coast
Scoring
Key Features
-
Work orders organized by status and priority level
-
Asset management workspace for tracking equipment
-
Preventive maintenance feature for adding recurring tasks
-
Automated work order reminders and notifications
-
Integrated inventory management with low-stock alerts
-
Maintenance dashboards and reports for identifying trends
Comes with a free plan with a 3 MB file upload limit
Track and close out work orders right from the app
With scheduling and communications features
Customer support limited to email and knowledge base
No clear info on available integrations
Discount offer for nonprofits
Highlights
Coast is the team management app you need if you’re looking for a straightforward way to handle work orders, scheduling, and communication.
Coast’s biggest strength lies in its intuitive work order management system, which is remarkably simple to use yet packed with essential features. Dispatchers can easily assign and prioritize tasks, set due dates, make work orders recurring, and even attach photos.
The Coast mobile app ensures you and your team can access and manage work orders from anywhere, providing real-time updates and the ability to close out tasks immediately upon completion. Plus, with Coast’s free plan offering unlimited messages and cards, you can keep everyone in the loop without breaking the bank.
However, Coast does have a few drawbacks. The most noticeable is the lack of information about integrations on its website. This can be a concern for businesses that rely on seamless integration with other tools and platforms.
Additionally, customer support options are somewhat limited, with assistance available only through email and an online knowledge base. For specialty contractors and project managers who might need immediate help or more comprehensive support options, this could be a significant downside.
Reviews
Coast offers a free plan many users, particularly small business owners, love. However, the app is glitchy at times, which can be very frustrating for users, especially those who are always in the field.
Despite its flaws, the app has generated terrific user reviews and ratings overall.
The iOS user below was impressed by Coast’s simple and straightforward interface, making it easy to navigate and invite other users to the platform.
iOS Review:
Functional and intuitive – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Coast is a very useful right from the start. It’s so easy to invite others and the app is very intuitive. I think it’s applicable to TONS of companies, groups, events, etc!
The Coast app is great when it works, but it doesn’t function well when there are bugs or a poor internet connection, as the Android user below experienced.
Google Play Review:
⭐⭐⭐
I just downloaded the app. Try create work order . I put all the info . Click create order and it’s keeps circling on right Corner. Does not complete work order. Is that an issue?
While the Capterra user review below appreciated the simplicity of Coast’s free version (particularly the messaging feature), the repeating bugs and glitches can be very distracting.
Capterra Review:
Useful for easy messaging – ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Overall: It’s been pretty good. We use the free version so we don’t get all the bells and whistlesPros: Ease of messaging. Ability to send documents and pictures as well.
Cons: It’s a bit glitchy at times. Also has issues connecting to the servers sometimes.
Pricing
Free Trial?
7 days (no credit card needed)
Free
No cost, but with limited features
Starter
$22/mo. per user
Pro
$43/mo. per user
Enterprise
Available on inquiry
Final Thoughts
There’s a reason why field technicians prefer not to work in an office: they hate paperwork!
By replacing manual processes with an efficient work order app, you’ll keep your workers engaged in their jobs and reduce errors and slow response times that have been weighing on your business.
For field service businesses, Workyard offers the most accurate GPS tracking to help dispatchers locate the right technician and plan the shortest route to the customer’s location.
Workyard also comes with a robust time clock to record workers’ hours and a dispatching tool to ensure work order schedules are free from gaps and overlaps.
Learn more about Workyard’s simplified work order management features, or sign up for its 14-day free trial to start dispatching work orders right away.
Our Scoring System Explained
Our 8-part scoring system was created to help you understand the potential value of any software we review simply and fairly.
We created it after reviewing dozens of software products, which we covered in depth, but without providing a direct and simple way for readers to compare products on their merits – without spending a lot of time looking through our articles for the information they needed to make an informed decision.
Every app we review will include Customer Support and Company scores, which we’ll explain in more detail below. Many of the factors reviewed in this article will also be consistent across most (or all) of our software reviews, with some differences:
The 8 factors assessed and their contribution to a product’s overall score may differ slightly from product to product based on various factors, such as the use case we’re reviewing for, the type of business these products are tailored to, and other considerations. However, all reviews will feature an 8-part score, weighted and combined to calculate each product’s overall score.
How We Score Software
All factors in our reviews are scored on a 10-point scale – technically 11 points – from 0-10. However, we only give products a score of 0 if it does not include an essential feature at all, and we try to avoid giving out 0 scores if a product can demonstrate any functionality in line with the specific factor being reviewed.
In general, the 0-10 range translates as:
- 9.0 – 10 – One of the absolute best in its category (amazing).
- 7.5 – 8.9 – Very good, but with some minor issues (very good).
- 6.0 – 7.4 – Mediocre performance with notable shortcomings (average).
- 3.0 – 5.9 – This feature is not ready for prime time (borderline).
- 1.0 – 2.9 – This feature actually makes its product worse (unacceptable).
- 0 – The product doesn’t include this important feature at all.
How We Calculate Overall Scores
The 8 factors reviewed are weighted based on an overall total of 100%:
- Ease of Use: 20%
- Time Tracking Accuracy: 20%
- Scheduling Features: 15%
- Job Tracking: 15%
- Integrations: 10%
- Customer Support: 15%
- Company: 5%
Methodology for Each Factor
Ease of Use
We evaluate a product’s ease of use based on three main considerations:
- How easy is it to set up this app?
- How easy is it for managers to use the backend dashboard?
- How easy is it for frontline workers to use the (mobile) app?
These three considerations cover the main ways you and your team would use the software being reviewed – when you first obtain it, when someone (a manager, executive, team leader, or similar role) needs to use it to manage people, money, data, and other things, and when workers you’re tracking use the app (usually a mobile version of the software designed for frontline and/or field team members) to clock in, clock out, record time worked, or address other day-to-day needs.
Time Tracking Accuracy
Every minute matters when you’re trying to control payroll costs. This factor accounts for various features and common needs in time-tracking apps, such as…
- How accurate or precise is its GPS tracking capability?
- How accurate – and how customizable – is its geofencing feature?
- How accurate is its travel and mileage tracking (if available)?
- Can it automatically clock workers in and out based on the above?
- Can you set and/or restrict rules for clocking in and out?
- Can the app continue tracking workers while offline?
- How easy is its mobile app and/or kiosk for frontline workers?
Scheduling Features
Many construction businesses prefer to manage as many aspects of employee labor activity as possible in a single app, which is why many time-tracking apps also include worker scheduling as a core feature.
When we consider a product’s scheduling features, we look at:
- Its dashboard customizability (daily, weekly, or monthly views).
- Its project-based scheduling and visibility.
- Its real-time updates and notifications for workers.
- Its real-time map views of worker locations for best-fit scheduling.
- Its recurring schedule (copies to subsequent weeks, etc.) functionality.
Job Tracking
This factor helps you understand if the software can also provide insight into specific projects, which is particularly handy when your business deals with many customers or clients who generally need shorter-term work. Effective job tracking typically also includes accurate job costing functionality for construction companies.
We assess several things when calculating a product’s job tracking score:
- Its project-based tracking for multiple projects per day/week/etc.
- Its ability to track multiple / many projects simultaneously.
- Its use of (and your ability to customize) construction cost codes.
- Any built-in job costing views.
- Any integrations for cost coding (QuickBooks etc.)
Integrations
No business can operate on a single app, which is why integrations with other apps and tools are such important aspects of modern business software.
To calculate a product’s integration score, we’ll examine:
- How many native integrations (the simplest connection) does it offer?
- How effective and easy-to-use are its integrations with payroll software?
- Does it have robust data import and export features?
Customer Support
Learning how to use a new app can be frustrating, even if it’s meant to be the most user-friendly app around. That’s why great customer support is so essential when considering which time-tracking app to use.
Customer support scores are calculated based on:
- Live support channels available (phone, email, chat, etc.).
- Live support hours (business hours only, 24/7, etc.).
- The strength of the product’s online help center and/or FAQs.
- What other users say about support in online reviews.
Company
A great company with a highly customer-friendly approach can often make up for shortcomings in their software products – at least up to a point.
When assessing this score, we’ll examine:
- Transparency (easy-to-find pricing, etc.)
- Trial period (duration, feature availability, credit card requirements, etc.).
- Subscription flexibility (contracts, required durations, etc.).
- Ease of cancellation or pausing subscriptions.
- Customer perceptions (online product reviews).
- Website (a minor consideration, but great companies tend to have great websites).
Any questions about our scoring system? Have any suggestions on how we could make it even better? Click here to send us your feedback – we’d love to hear from you!
