How to Create Recurring Jobs

Below is the simplified workflow for creating a recurring job template and creating and scheduling a new job from it:

Instead of creating a job manually each time, create a recurring job template, where you can add parts and labour and set the frequency to receive an alert to create the job for the customer.

You can create recurring templates for both service and project jobs.

You can also create a recurring job template by converting a quote.

If you want to make a change to the recurring job, you need to edit the template itself and not just one occurrence of the job. Only changes made to the template affects jobs created in the future. You can also Bulk-update prices for recurring invoice templates.

Create a recurring service job template

To create a recurring service job template:

1. Go to Jobs > Create New Recurring Job.
2. Search and select the Customer or customer contract
   • If the customer has an active membership , it appears in the header. Learn more in How to Use Memberships in Workflows.
   • Selecting an existing customer may display a warning message if the customer has invoices that are over 90 days outstanding. Click View Statement in the warning message box to open the customer statement and email it, if required. Learn more in View and email the customer statement.
     
3. Select the Site.
4. Select or add contacts as required.
5. Enter the Order Number and Recurring Job Name as applicable.
6. Select a Cost Centre.
7. Enter a Description.
8. Select the Recurring Start Date, then set the Recurring Frequency by selecting the number of Week(s), Month(s), or Year(s) you wish to have the job recur.
9. If required, assign a Technician, Salesperson and / or Project Manager .
10. In the Optional tab, select Service as the Recurring Job Type.
11. In the Optional tab, enter a new Cost Centre Name if required to provide more detail on what is involved in the cost centre.
    • This name then appears in the job breadcrumbs when you click Next. Learn more about where else this new name appears in Rename a cost centre in a quote, job, recurring job, or recurring invoice.
12. Click Next.
13. Click Parts & Labour to add billable items and labour as you would for a service job. Learn more in Manage parts and labour in a service job.
14. Click Details to review your Summary.
15. Click Save and Finish.

Create a recurring project job template

To create a recurring project job template:

1. Go to Jobs > Create New Recurring Job.
2. Search and select the Customer or customer contract.
   • If the customer has an active membership, it appears in the header. Learn more in How to Use Memberships in Workflows.
3. Select the Site.
4. Select or add contacts as required.
5. Enter the Order Number and Recurring Job Name as applicable.
6. Select the Recurring Start Date, then set the Recurring Frequency by selecting the number of Week(s), Month(s), or years you wish to have the job recur.
7. If required, assign a Technician, Salesperson and / or Project Manager to the invoice.
8. In the Optional tab, select Project as the Recurring Job Type.
9. Click Next.
10. Add Sections, Cost Centres, and parts and labour as you would for a project job. Learn more in How to Create a New Project Job.
    • You can also add the membership cost centre to sell the customer a membership every time a job is created from the template and invoiced to renew it in their card file. Learn more in How to Sell Memberships.
11. Click Save.
12. Click the Recurring Invoice # in the breadcrumbs to review your Summary.
13. Click Save and Finish.

To add parts and labour:

1. In the recurring job template, go to Parts & Labour > Billable.
2. If applicable, select a Callout / Service Fee and click Add.
3. Select one or more labour rates under Labour and click Add.
4. Click through the Parts & Labour sub-tabs to add take-off templates , pre-builds, catalogue items and / or one off items as required.
5. If the recurring job involves servicing a customer asset , click the Customer Assets tab:
   • Select an asset under Add Asset.
   • Select an asset type under Add Entire Customer Asset Type.
   • Click Create Customer Asset to create and add a new asset.
6. Click Finish > View Recurring Jobs.

Once you have finished creating the recurring job template, it appears under Jobs > Recurring Jobs.

You can skip over a period of a recurring job so you do not receive an alert until the next due date.

To skip a period:

1. Go to Invoices > Recurring Jobs.
2. Click Options or right-click the recurring job template.
3. Click Skip Period.

To skip a period on multiple recurring jobs:

1. Go to Invoices > Recurring Jobs.
2. Select the check boxes for each template you would like to skip.
3. Click Skip Period at the bottom of the page.

The Next Due Date column now displays the updated next due date.

After you've created a recurring job template, the prices of your catalogue items, pre-builds, labour rates or default overhead may change. The template continues to use the old prices unless you update it.

Remember that you cannot update pricing on a job if the cost centre has been locked. If only the estimates and prices are locked, the pricing still updates but the sell price does not.

To update item prices in recurring job templates in bulk:

1. Go to Jobs > Recurring Jobs.
2. Select the check boxes for the recurring job templates you wish to update.
   • Alternatively, select All in the footer options.
3. Click Update Pricing.

Jobs with customer-specific pricing from the customer's card file are not affected when you bulk-update pricing.

If you receive an alert that a recurring job is due soon, click the alert to view the list of recurring job templates. Alternatively, go to Jobs > Recurring Jobs.

Recurring jobs that are due to be created are highlighted in yellow.

To create a job from a recurring job template, click Options > Create Job on the template. The newly created job appears under Jobs > Pending. You can make changes to it and schedule employees like you would for a normal job. You can also remove the membership discount applied to it if the customer has an active membership, but the job requires standard pricing. Learn more in How to Use Memberships in Workflows.

To create jobs from multiple recurring job templates:

1. Select the check boxes for each template you would like to create jobs from.
   • Alternatively, select the All Due check box to create jobs for all recurring job templates highlighted in yellow. This is the best option for creating invoices, because it ensures you do not create a recurring invoice that is not yet due.
2. Click Create Jobs at the bottom of the page.
   • If you are creating a single job, click OPEN JOB to open the newly created job.
3. Click OK.

The newly created jobs appear under Jobs > Pending.

If you want to make a change to the recurring job, you need to edit the template itself and not just one occurrence of the job. Only changes made to the template affect jobs created in the future.

Complete the job

When you assign or Schedule a service job / How to Schedule a Project Job to a technician, they can complete the job and record the works performed in the field either by using Connect, or completing a job card.

US only: If you use simPRO in the United States, the term 'work order' is used instead of 'job card'.

Jobs created from recurring job templates are invoiced the same way as other jobs. You cannot apply an invoice to the recurring job template.

If you have a regular invoice that is not related to any jobs, create a recurring invoice. Learn more in How to Create Recurring Invoices.

Need additional help?

Try Walk Me Through, our step-by-step guidance tool, to create a recurring job.

In simPRO, go to Help > Walk Me Through and search Recurring Job (ID: 100397).

For additional training, complete an interactive material in the simPRO Learning | Toolbox.