Introduction to Job Templates
At GeoOp, we understand that efficiency is key to managing your day-to-day tasks. That's why we've made it easier for you to create and manage jobs quickly and effectively. Whether you're setting up recurring jobs that repeat over time or creating job templates for tasks that need to be replicated, our tools are designed to save you time and streamline your workflow. In this guide, we'll walk you through how to copy jobs, create job templates, and set up recurring jobs, so you can focus on what matters most—getting the job done.
Creating Job Templates
Job Templates are not 'real' jobs, in that they won't appear in your Jobs List. They are simply there to either create copies from or to generate automated recurrences with.
This can be useful if you use the same Job Details for lots of different clients but don't want to fill in each job every time. Simply copy the template, update the client and hit save.
You can add as many details as you need to a job template including: status, description, files, notes, forms etc. Meaning you won't have to manually add them to each new job you create if you start by copying from template.
To create a new Job Template head to the Jobs icon in the navigation bar, from here instead of selecting Jobs, select 'Job Templates'. Once here you can click 'Add Template' to get started.
You'll notice a template has less required fields than a job, this is so that you can use it as a quick start template when creating Jobs. Important to Note: If you want to generate automated recurrences out of a template then you will need to fill in the minimum required fields as per below.
Job Template Recurrences (Recurring Jobs)
Once you have created a job template, you will then be able to set a recurrence pattern against that template. This means that the system will automatically generate a copy of this template at the set pattern. This can be useful for a client who needs their lawn mowed once a week, or their house cleaned once a month for example.
In order for the recurrence tab to show on your job template, a minimum 4 fields are required to be filled on the template:
Client
Job Title
Job Address
1 or more Booking(s)
Recurrence Pattern
The Recurrence Pattern determines how often the system automatically generates jobs. You can set your jobs to repeat in one of four ways:
Every X Days:
Example: Schedule a routine equipment maintenance check every 3 days.
Every X Weekdays:
Example: Perform daily site inspections every 2 weekdays, skipping weekends.
On X Day, Every X Weeks:
Example: Conduct a team meeting every second Monday.
Day X of Every X Months:
Example: Generate a monthly service report on the 1st of every 3 months.
Recurrence Range
The Recurrence Range defines when the recurring jobs start and when they end. This is particularly useful for managing contracts or fixed-term projects.
Start and End Dates:
Set an end date for contracts with a defined duration.
Example: If your service agreement includes 12 monthly maintenance visits, set the recurrence to end after 12 occurrences.
Recurrence Generation
Once you’ve set your recurrence pattern and clicked 'Create Jobs,' GeoOp will generate a list of jobs. By default, recurring jobs are generated 30 days in advance.
Default Generation:
Jobs that occur in the next 30 days will populate automatically.
Example: If you have a recurring task to update software licenses every 6 months, the next instance won’t generate until it’s within 30 days.
Customizing the Recurrence Limit:
You can adjust the 30-day limit to better fit your needs.
Go to the Settings Cog in the navigation bar, then click 'Extra Features' in the side menu.
Find the setting labeled 'Job Recurrence Limit (Days)' and adjust it as needed. This allows you to control how many future jobs are generated.
Viewing Upcoming Recurrences:
You can view all upcoming job recurrences within the Job Template under the Recurrence tab.
Note: This tab only displays future job recurrences. Past jobs will not be shown once all bookings are completed.
Top Tips
If you find that the recurrence tab is not displaying for you, make sure you've got the 4 required fields filled in: client, job title, job address, 1 or more booking(s)
It is not possible to create recurring jobs in the past, only in the future
Any changes you make to job templates will only affect jobs in the future
The dates or days of the week you set for the Visit in the Job Template don't affect what dates the recurring Jobs occur on. The Recurrence Pattern determines what date and day of the week Visits within recurring Jobs occur. The time on a Visit in the Job Templates, however, is used for the recurring Jobs.
However, if there is more than one Visit, then the dates set on the Visits impact the recurring Jobs, i.e., if a Job Template has 2 Visits that are 3 days apart, and you select the recurrence pattern to create Jobs for a Monday, then the Jobs will be created with one Visit on a Monday, and another Visit 3 days after on Thursday, both under a single Job.
Steps to Modify Recurring Jobs
Update Job Templates:
Navigate to the specific Job Template that needs modification.
Make the necessary changes, such as updating the location, end date, or recurrence pattern.
Regenerate Future Jobs:
After making changes, click on 'Create Jobs' to regenerate all future jobs based on the updated template.
Important Note:
Modifying the template and regenerating jobs will override any custom details you may have added to future jobs that were already created.
Cancelling Recurring Jobs
If you need to cancel a recurring job, follow these steps:
Access the Job Template:
Hover over the 'Jobs' icon and select 'Job Templates.'
Use the search function to find the relevant Job Template.
Delete Recurring Jobs:
Go to the 'Recurrences' tab within the Job Template.
Click the 'Delete Jobs' button to stop additional jobs from being generated and delete all future jobs in the recurrence.
Note:
Jobs that have already occurred will not be affected by this action.
Recurring Job Generation Settings
GeoOp automatically generates recurring job instances 30 days in advance by default. This helps prevent your jobs list from becoming overwhelmed with too many future jobs.
Customizing Recurrence Generation:
Adjust the Recurrence Limit:
Go to the 'Settings' area and click on the 'Extra Features' tab.
Locate the "Recurrence Limit (days)" setting.
Set Your Desired Range:
If you need to see recurrences beyond the default 30 days (e.g., jobs that recur annually), adjust the limit to your preferred number of days (e.g., 1000 days for 3 years of jobs).
Copying a Job
To Copy a Job, navigate to the required Job or Job Template, and click on it to go to the Job or Template Screen. Next to the job Edit button you will see the context menu (3 dots) and within here you will find the option to Copy Job or Create Template.
In the Copy Job window you then have the option of instantly creating a new job based on the one you selected, or saving the job as a template. You also have extra tick-box options for using the same Client, Staff or Notes as your existing Job. Click Save when done.
Note: You can also do this with Job Templates. Once you have created them, you can keep going back to create copies. This can be useful if you use the same template for lots of different clients but don't want to fill in each job every time. Simply copy the template, update the client and hit save.
FAQS
Why cant I see a job booking on the schedule?
If you created a booking on a job template then that booking wont show on the schedule because this booking is just part of a template. Create a copy of the template by going to Copy > Create Job in order to see this booking on your schedule.