Step-by-step guide for entering an estimate request in Service Fusion

1) Go to "Create An Estimate" page.

2) In the box next to Customer, start typing the number of the address. This will auto-populate a list of addresses that have that number. Select the address under the first grouping Customers. Do not choose the address under Customer Contacts as this will attach the tenant.

3) Under Service Location you will need to manually enter the address, including unit # if needed. If it is a gated property, please check the Gated Property box. This will create a new line under the address where you can input the gate code.

4) Next, click on the down arrow under Category and select Maintenance Request (Owner/Other).

5) Fill in the Description box. This is a brief summary/title of the repairs needed.

6) Now enter the needed items into the task list by clicking on the Add Task button. This is where you will list the items that you need an estimate for.

7) Next you will fill in the Custom Fields tab. The first item to fill out is Permission to Enter. You have the following options:

Yes (Implied) = this means the tenant has been notified that a crew member will be going out to create a bid and we have not had a reply response from them.

Yes = this means the tenant has been notified of someone coming out to create a bid and they give permission for a member of the team to enter their unit/property.

No = this means the tenant does not give us permission to enter the unit/property.

Appointment Only = this means the tenant has been notified that a crew member will be coming out to create a bid but does not allow anyone at the home while they are not present. A specific time and date has been set up with the tenant.

8) The next Custom Flds tab is Pets Present. You can find this information in pdata. Hover over the Units tab so the menu drops down. Select Pets. This will give you the list of all properties with pets, including what type of pet. This is important to include as some crew members may not feel comfortable entering a home with a specific type of pet. Once you have this information, click the down arrow to select from the list:

Yes = a pet is present in the home

No = a pet is not present in the home

Unknown = this is either a new property or a new tenant and we are unsure if there is a pet in the home.

9) Next you will need to upload the photos that correspond with the requested estimates. Click on Upload Pictures. You can either click on +ADD FILES and select the photos from your computer or drag the photos to the box. Once you have included all the photos, click the Start Upload button. You will be able to watch the progress of the photos uploading. Once they are uploaded to the job, the box will go blank again. You can now X out of it.

10) If the estimate request is an Appointment Only/ Scheduled request, you will now need to fill in the appointment information. First, click on the calendar icon next to the box that says Start Date. You will choose what day the appointment is scheduled for through here. Next, you will select the start time and end time. This is the time-frame that you will convey to the tenant as well. Example: 10am to 12pm, this is the arrival window for the crew member and the time-frame you will tell the tenant.

11) You will need to assign a tech to the estimate request. Click inside the box to get a list of names.

12) The last item, which is optional, is the Notes section. This section is for any additional, pertinent information that the crew member going out to the property needs to know. If you put additional notes in this section, at the end of the job description and/or the task list item, put “see notes” in parenthesis.

13) Once all of this information is filled in, you can now click the Save Estimate button at either the top or bottom of the screen.