Most rework starts with a vague work order. The technician goes to the wrong building, cannot get in, brings the wrong part, or fixes something other than what the requester meant.
This guide covers the fields every work order needs, a template table and three worked examples. If you are choosing a system to issue and track them, see our work order management software and the work order management system guide.
What is a work order?
A work order is a written instruction to carry out one specific maintenance, repair or installation job. Once done, it is also the record of what was done, by whom and when.
It is different from a work request. A request reports a problem. The work order is the approved instruction to fix it, with a priority, an assigned person and a due date.
What fields does a work order need?
A work order needs enough detail for someone who has never been to the site to find the fault, fix it safely and prove it is fixed. These are the fields to include.
| Field | What to write | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Work order number | A unique reference, never reused. | WO-1042 |
| Title | Asset, fault and location in one short line. | Main gate motor not closing, Gate 1 |
| Site and exact location | Building, floor, room or landmark, so a stranger could find it. | Riverside Park, vehicle entrance on Main Road, left-hand gate |
| Asset | The asset name or tag number, if it has one. | Gate motor GM-01 |
| Problem description | What is wrong, since when, how it was noticed, and what has been tried. | Gate opens but stops about 1 m before closing since 06:30. Remote and keypad both tried. |
| Expected result | What done looks like, in terms the requester can check. | Gate opens and closes fully from remote and keypad. Safety beam stops the gate. |
| Priority | From your agreed priority definitions. | High: gate cannot be secured |
| Due date or target | When it must be made safe or finished. | Today, 14:00 |
| Assigned to | One named person or contractor. | Contractor: Gate Services (fictional) |
| Requested by and contact | Who reported it and how to reach them. | Site guard, Gate 1 post radio |
| Access and safety | Keys, permits, isolation or lock-out needs, and hazards on site. | Isolate gate power at DB-2 before work. Guard to control traffic. |
| Parts and tools | Known parts, model numbers and special tools. | Check limit switch. Motor model on sticker. |
| Form or checklist | The checklist the technician must complete. | Gate service checklist |
| Evidence to close | Photos, readings, test results and sign-off needed. | Photo of repair, video of full cycle, guard confirms |
Linking each work order to an asset pays off later. The US Department of Energy's maintenance guide lists tracking work orders by equipment, and keeping a history you can sort by equipment, date and person, as core functions of a maintenance system.
How do you write a clear problem description?
Describe what you can see, where and since when, not what you think the cause is. The technician will diagnose the cause.
- Say what is wrong. “Gate stops about 1 m before closing”, not “gate broken”.
- Say exactly where. Building, floor, room, bay or landmark.
- Say since when. A time or the round that found it.
- Say how it shows. Noise, smell, alarm code, leak, or not working at all.
- Say what has been tried. Reset, other remote, breaker checked.
- Add a photo. One clear photo of the fault and one showing where it is.
What does a good work order look like?
A good work order can be acted on without a phone call. These three examples are illustrative, at fictional sites, and show a vague version against a clear one.
Example 1: a leak
Vague: “Leak in the bathroom.”
Clear:
- Title: Water leaking from cistern, ladies' toilets, first floor, Block B.
- Problem: Water pooling on the floor below the second cubicle cistern since this morning. Cleaner reported it at 08:10.
- Expected result: No leak. Floor dry. Cistern fills and stops.
- Priority: Medium. Cubicle closed with a sign; the other cubicles work.
- Evidence to close: Photo of the repair and the dry floor.
Example 2: lighting
Vague: “Lights out in parking.”
Clear:
- Title: Four lights out in basement parking, level -1, bays 20 to 34.
- Problem: Found on the night maintenance round. Fittings are dark; the rest of the circuit works.
- Expected result: All fittings in bays 20 to 34 working.
- Priority: High. The area is used after dark and is close to the lift lobby.
- Evidence to close: Photo of the bays lit after dark.
Example 3: a planned service
Vague: “Generator service.”
Clear:
- Title: Scheduled service, standby generator, plant yard, Unit 4.
- Scope: Service to the manufacturer's schedule for the current run hours.
- Access: Book a shutdown window with the tenant. Generator off and isolated during the service.
- Priority: Planned. Due by the end of the month.
- Evidence to close: Service sheet, hour-meter photo and test run result.
What mistakes on a work order cause rework?
Most repeat visits trace back to a few missing details.
- Vague location. “Block B” on a site with six floors.
- Several jobs on one order. One gets done, and the order is closed with the rest still open.
- No access notes. The technician arrives and cannot get the key or the permit.
- No expected result. The technician and the requester disagree about whether it is fixed.
- Missing parts detail. No model number, so the first visit is only to identify the part.
- Every job marked urgent. Real emergencies wait in the queue with everything else. See work order priority levels.
- Closed without checking. Nobody confirms with the requester, so the fault comes back as a new request.
Who should write and approve work orders?
Anyone can report a problem, but one person or desk should turn requests into work orders. That keeps the wording, locations and priorities consistent.
The same person checks for duplicates, because one leak can produce five calls. They also confirm access and decide whether the job needs approval before money is spent, such as a contractor call-out or a part above an agreed amount.
What safety information belongs on a work order?
Any hazard the technician should know before arriving, and any isolation or permit the job needs. Do not leave this for the technician to find out on site.
Note electrical isolation and lock-out, work at height, confined spaces, hot work, and areas with traffic or the public. Name who controls the permit or the isolation point.
If the fault itself is a danger, such as exposed wiring or water near a board, report it at once and make the area safe first. Section 14 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act 85 of 1993 requires employees to report unsafe situations as soon as practicable. The work order follows. This is a summary, not legal advice.
What are the stages of a work order?
A work order moves through fixed stages from creation to completion. Each stage has an owner, so you can see where a job is stuck.
- Created. The request is checked and written up.
- Assigned. A technician or contractor is named, with a priority and due date.
- Accepted. The technician confirms they have it.
- In progress. Work has started on site.
- Review. The work and evidence are checked, and the job is sent back if needed.
- Completed. The job is closed with its record.
Why skipping stages causes problems is covered in the work order management system guide.
How does Worxit handle work orders?
In Worxit's Work Orders module, the dashboard creates each work order with a high, medium or low priority, a due date and a linked form template, then assigns it to a technician.
- The technician accepts the job on mobile, which starts time tracking.
- They complete the form, capture timestamped photos and video, and log the parts used.
- The job goes through multi-level approval. A reviewer can reject it and send it back, and revisions are tracked.
- Every job moves through created, assigned, accepted, in progress, review and completed.
- Managers see completion rates and time-to-completion, and export reports to Excel or PDF.
Licences are R600 per month for the dashboard, including one admin user, R75 per month for each additional dashboard user and R350 per month for each phone, tablet or radio running the app, all ex VAT.
Frequently asked questions
What is a work order?
A work order is a written instruction to carry out one specific maintenance, repair or installation job. It says what the job is, where it is, how urgent it is, who will do it, by when, and what proof is needed before it can be closed. It also becomes the record of the work done.
What is the difference between a work request and a work order?
A work request is someone reporting a problem, such as a tenant saying the lights are out. A work order is the approved instruction to fix it, with a priority, an assigned person and a due date. One request can lead to one work order, several, or none if it is a duplicate.
What information should be on a work order?
At minimum: a unique number, the site and exact location, the asset, a clear description of the fault, the expected result, the priority, the due date, the person assigned, access and safety notes, the parts needed, and the evidence required to close the job, such as photos and readings.
Who should write work orders?
Anyone can report a problem, but one person or desk should turn requests into work orders. That person checks for duplicates, confirms the location and sets the priority. Consistent wording and priorities matter more than who types it, so give everyone the same template and definitions.
Should one work order cover several jobs?
Usually not. Put one fault or task on each work order, so each can be prioritised, assigned and closed on its own. If a technician finds a second fault on site, they should raise a new work order for it rather than adding it to the original job.
Sources
- Operations & Maintenance Best Practices, Release 3.0 (US Department of Energy, Federal Energy Management Program, 2010). Chapter 4 on maintenance management systems and work order tracking.
- Occupational Health and Safety Act 85 of 1993 (Government Gazette 14918, via gov.za). Section 14 on reporting unsafe situations.