Apps assist biz functions, detailed “menu” pricing, and refrigerant calculations

The cloud-based software solution FIELDBOSS Contractor (www.fieldboss.com, 416/644-1458) is a customized application built on the Microsoft Dynamics 365 platform, which shares the look and feel of Microsoft Office 365 and is configured specifically to facilitate business functions, including accounting.

Suitable for medium and large residential and commercial contractors, FIELDBOSS features estimating and quoting, work order, scheduling and dispatch, billing and invoicing, contract management, and equipment tracking. It offers HVAC specific functionality out of the box, but also allows for customizations of checklists, workflows, and reports. 

Schedule and dispatch functionalities include dashboard views by resource, work order, live mapping of technician location, or custom views. Embedded scheduling logic addressing resource management and conflict management aids in selection of the best technician based on conditions, taking into consideration technician status, availability and geo-location of each technician. Estimators can override specific markup percentages. 

FIELDBOSS automatically creates a work order from a completed quote, which then serves as a data collection point for all materials, time, and related costs.  

Customer service functionality includes automated or manual service activity assignment, job tracking, automated technician response, real time job status updates, unresolved job task alerts, and automated customer email response. Project tracking includes the ability to track real time profit from billing, labor, and materials costs.

The mobile app also includes configurable checklists for maintenance tasks, which walk the technician through the various steps.

Maintenance contract capabilities include automated maintenance scheduling and live dashboard views of contracts coming due. The software can automate the renewal process with email templates for reminders and notifications. The customer is offered EFT (electronic funds transfer) payment options to expedite invoice payment. 

FIELDBOSS Field Service Mobile app enables dispatch to send service tickets directly to technicians with email notifications and gives access to data on equipment, location, specifications, and service history (including equipment history, photos, and notes). The app can record numerous aspects of a service call, including time spent onsite (via clock in/out buttons), parts requested and used on the job, and follow-up tasks. 

Users can see all active locations on a map. The technician can receive details and see best routing. They can also update their status and skill sets, enabling dispatchers to make up-to-date informed decisions. 

The mobile app also includes configurable checklists for maintenance tasks, which walk the technician through the various steps. Upon completion of the checklist, it can be sent to the office or to customers.

Technicians onsite with a customer can generate a request for a quote on a new job or a piece of equipment and send it to a sales person or other team member for immediate follow up.

The mobile app works offline if there is no internet connection, updating the software when connection is re-established.

While FIELDBOSS does not offer an integrated customer portal, the developer points out that the contractor could provide the customer with a mobile license and configure a tablet to afford the ability to initiate a service request or run specific service history reports.

Once the contractor has collected the information wanted to analyze, service dashboards display the data in easy to read real-time charts and graphs. The ability to link operational and financial modules offers an opportunity to gain detailed visibility into business processes and profitability.  

THE NEW FLAT RATE app (www.thenewflatrate.com, 706/259-8892) offers “done for you” menu pricing and pre-written detailed explanations for in home service HVAC, plumbing, and electrical contractors, giving technicians an organized way to present five different options for each repair or replacement scenario in the field.

The options, pre-written by the developer, are presented in non-technical language to be easily understood by the customer. They range in breadth and depth of services and pricing, starting with that day’s service call diagnosis and escalating upward by addressing issues of concern about which the technician, but not necessarily the customer, is aware.

The HVAC, plumbing and electrical versions cover a full range of service repair tasks up to equipment replacements. The pricing system is customized and consolidated to match each contractor’s needs and prices are easily changed and updated.

The ability of the customer to select from among the various options enables decision-making based on budget as well as immediate and future needs.

Once a customer chooses one or more options, invoice and payment processing can be handled within the application or using the contractor’s existing invoicing program. Daily invoices and sales are easily tracked by technician.

HVAC Buddy (https://hvac-buddy.com) is a refrigerant charging and diagnostic HVAC app designed to help for technicians servicing equipment begin diagnosis and determine proper refrigerant. The user, armed with a set of gauges and a thermometer, enters the refrigerant, temperature, and pressure and the app does the math to display superheat, subcooling, and airflow target, actual and difference. A line graph shows readings and updates on value changes or in time increments from seconds to minutes. An out-of-tolerance indicator uses distinguishing colors for high and low conditions,

The readings can be emailed from the app in a personalized report, utilizing user-created defaults for email addresses, subject and system status report introductory text.

The app can calculate for over 100 refrigerants including R-22, R-134, R-404A, R-410A, and newer azeotropic refrigerants. A standard pressure temperature chart is included.

Bill and Patti Feldman write articles and web content for trade magazines and manufacturers of building products. They can be reached at [email protected].