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How to Assign Work Orders

How to Assign Work Orders

Assign work orders to specific team members or entire teams to ensure tasks get done.

Quick Summary

When creating or editing a work order, use the Assign to field to select one or more assignees. You can assign to individual users or teams.

Before You Begin​

Requirements
  • You must have create or edit permission for work orders
  • The people or teams you want to assign must exist in your organization

Assigning During Creation​

When creating a new work order:

  1. Scroll to the Assign to field at the bottom of the form
  2. Click the dropdown to see available assignees
  3. Search by name to find specific people or teams
  4. Click to select — multiple selections allowed
  5. Selected assignees appear as tags

Assigning to Existing Work Orders​

To change assignees on an existing work order:

  1. Open the work order detail view
  2. Click the More button (three dots) in the top right
  3. Select Edit
  4. Update the Assign to field
  5. Click Update to save changes
note

You cannot edit assignees if the work order is in a final status (Complete, Close, Skipped, Cancelled).

Assignment Options​

Assign to Individual Users​

Best for tasks requiring specific skills:

  1. Start typing the person's name
  2. Select them from the dropdown
  3. They receive a personal notification

Assign to Teams​

Best for tasks any team member can handle:

  1. Search for the team name
  2. Select the team
  3. All team members are notified
  4. Any team member can work on it

Assign to Multiple Assignees​

For collaborative work:

  1. Select as many users and teams as needed
  2. All selected parties are notified
  3. Everyone can see and update the work order

What Assignees See​

When someone is assigned to a work order:

  1. Notification — They receive an in-app and/or email notification
  2. Task List — The work order appears in their personal task list
  3. Work Order Details — They can view all information and attached files
  4. Status Updates — They can update the status as they work

Reassigning Work Orders​

To change who's working on a task:

  1. Open the work order
  2. Click More → Edit
  3. Remove current assignees by clicking the X on their tag
  4. Add new assignees
  5. Click Update

The new assignees will be notified, and the previous assignees will see the work order removed from their task list.

Unassigned Work Orders​

If you need to remove all assignees:

Required Field

The Assign to field is required. You cannot save a work order without at least one assignee.

If work is not yet ready to assign, consider:

  • Keeping it assigned to yourself
  • Assigning to a manager who can reassign later
  • Creating it as a draft (if your workflow supports this)

Real-World Examples​

Example 1: Assigning to a Specialist​

Situation: A complex electrical panel needs repair, and only one technician is certified for this work.

Solution:

  1. Create a work order: "Electrical panel repair - Server Room"
  2. In Assign to, search for "Sarah Chen" (your certified electrician)
  3. Select her name
  4. Add a note in description: "Requires certified electrician - Sarah please contact facilities before starting"
  5. Click Create

Result: Sarah receives a notification and the work order appears in her personal task list. She's the only one who can work on this specific task.

Example 2: Assigning to a Team​

Situation: A toilet is clogged in the 2nd floor restroom. Any available plumber can handle it.

Solution:

  1. Create work order: "Clogged toilet - Restroom 2A"
  2. Set Priority: Medium
  3. In Assign to, search for "Plumbing Team"
  4. Select the team
  5. Click Create

Result: All 5 members of the Plumbing Team receive notifications. The first available plumber can accept and respond. This ensures faster response than assigning to one specific person who might be busy.

Example 3: Reassigning Due to Absence​

Situation: Mike was assigned to repair an AC unit, but he called in sick today.

Solution:

  1. Open the work order "AC Repair - Conference Room 3"
  2. Click More → Edit
  3. In Assign to, click the X on Mike's name to remove him
  4. Search and add "HVAC Team" instead
  5. Add comment: "Reassigned from Mike (absent) to HVAC Team for faster response"
  6. Click Update

Result: Mike is removed and the HVAC Team is notified. The work order is no longer stuck waiting for Mike to return.

Example 4: Training Assignment​

Situation: You want a junior technician to learn how to handle fire alarm testing under supervision.

Solution:

  1. Create work order: "Annual fire alarm test - Building A"
  2. In Assign to, select:
    • "Tom Wright" (junior technician - he'll do the work)
    • "Lisa Park" (senior technician - she'll supervise)
  3. In description: "Training assignment: Tom to perform testing, Lisa to supervise and sign off"
  4. Click Create

Result: Both technicians are notified and can collaborate. The work order serves as documentation of supervised training.

Best Practices​

ScenarioRecommendation
Specialized taskAssign to the specific technician with the right skills
General maintenanceAssign to a team so anyone available can handle it
Complex projectAssign to multiple people who will collaborate
Urgent issueAssign to multiple people for faster response
Training situationAssign to both the trainee and supervisor

Need help? Contact Infodeck Support

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