Overview
Work orders in Redlist are records used to track and manage maintenance work. Each work order lives on a Work Board, where it moves through status columns as the work progresses. Work orders can be created manually from a Work Board, generated automatically from a route or PM program, or submitted from the mobile app. They hold all the information your team needs to execute and track work — the asset being worked on, who is responsible, when it needs to be done, the tasks involved, time and cost tracking, and communication history.
Accessing Work Boards
From the navigation, click Routes. Work orders appear in the queue on the left side of the screen. Use the Board dropdown at the top of the queue to switch between boards.
How to Create a Work Order
From the navigation, click Routes.
Use the Board dropdown to select the board you want to create the work order on.
Click the + button next to the Board dropdown.
A panel opens on the right. Fill in the fields on the General tab.
Click Create to save the work order.
The new work order will appear in the queue on the left.
How to Open a Work Order
From the navigation, click Routes.
Use the Board dropdown to select the board containing the work order.
Click any work order card in the queue on the left.
The work order opens in the center panel with the General tab active by default.
How to Edit a Work Order
Work order fields on the General tab can be edited directly at any time.
Open a work order from the queue.
Click the General tab if it is not already active.
Click into any field and make your changes.
A Save / Cancel bar appears at the bottom of the panel when changes are detected.
Click Save to apply the changes, or Cancel to discard them.
How to Complete a Work Order
Open the work order from the queue.
Click the Complete button in the top-right corner of the work order panel.
A confirmation dialog opens. Confirm to mark all tasks complete and close the work order.
NOTE: The Complete button is only available on open work orders. It is not available for work orders generated from dynamic routes.
Use Cases
Reactive maintenance: A technician spots a failing pump bearing and a supervisor creates a work order on the spot. They fill in the asset, set a due date for tomorrow, add a task for the repair, and assign it to the technician who found the issue — all from their device.
Planned work: A planner creates a batch of work orders for a scheduled quarterly inspection. Each work order is assigned to the correct asset, given a planned start and due date within the maintenance window, and placed on the appropriate board where technicians can pick them up.
Generated from a route: When a route or PM program is run, work orders are generated automatically based on the scheduled tasks. These work orders appear on the configured board and don't need to be created manually.
Best Practices
Always Set an Asset: Linking a work order to an asset keeps your maintenance history organized and makes the work order searchable by equipment.
Always Set the Due Date: Due Date is required and defaults to today if left unchanged. Update it to the actual deadline — work orders with a default today date are harder to prioritize and may not appear correctly on the Work Order Calendar.
Use Tasks to Break Down the Work: A work order with clear tasks is easier to assign, track, and complete. Add at least one task so technicians know exactly what's expected.
Set Priority Consistently: Agree on what each priority level means across your team so the board reflects actual urgency.
Use Notes for Context: Add notes that give technicians the information they need before they start.
Troubleshooting
Issue: The work order is not appearing in the queue after creating it.
Solution:
The new work order appears at the top of the queue. Scroll to the top of the list.
Check if a filter is active — an active filter may be hiding newly created work orders. Clear the filter and check again.
Issue: The Complete button is grayed out.
Solution:
Confirm the work order is not already closed — completed work orders cannot be completed again.
Confirm the work order was not generated from a dynamic route — dynamic route work orders cannot be completed using this button.
Summary
Create work orders manually from a Work Board, edit fields directly on the General tab, use the tabs to manage tasks, parts, documents, time, and communication, and complete them when the work is done. A well-structured work order — with an asset, dates, clear tasks, and accurate notes — gives your team everything they need to execute and close out maintenance work efficiently.