Solutions · Installations & new equipment
Stage the equipment, book the crew across as many days as the job needs and hand the lead installer a commissioning checklist. FSM Flow records every serial number, permit and sign-off so the install becomes a serviceable asset the moment it is complete.
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Install day 2 of 3 confirmed
Crew of 3 · equipment staged · permit #4471 attached
What it is
An installation job is field work that puts new equipment or a new system into service: a heat pump changeout, a water heater, an electrical panel, a rooftop solar array, an alarm system or a garage door. Unlike a repair, an install is planned in advance, often sold from a quote, usually needs more than one technician and sometimes more than one day, and depends on things outside the technician’s control: equipment delivery, a permit, a utility or inspector visit. It ends with commissioning (proving the system works to specification) and hand-over to the customer.
Installs carry the highest ticket in most trades and the highest risk of margin leakage. A crew that arrives before the equipment does, a permit that was never pulled, a serial number that was never written down, or a day-three return visit that nobody scheduled all eat into a fixed-price job. Good installation records also matter later: the serial numbers, start-up readings and photos captured on install day are what make warranty claims and future service calls fast.
FSM Flow treats an install as one work order with several visits. The accepted quote becomes the job, equipment is reserved from inventory and staged, the crew is booked across consecutive days on the scheduler, and the lead installer works through the commissioning checklist on the mobile app, capturing serials, nameplate photos and start-up readings offline if needed. On completion, each installed unit becomes an equipment record linked to the customer and site, the permit and hand-over documents are attached, and the final invoice is generated in one click.
7.75M
US central AC and heat-pump shipments in 2025, down 20% on 2024, each one an install to schedule and commission
Source: AHRI year-end shipment data
4.6 GWdc
Residential solar capacity installed in the US in 2025, with a year-end permitting surge before the 25D credit expired
Source: SEIA, US Solar Market Insight 2025 Year in Review
68%
Of US homeowners expect photo or video proof of completed work (survey of 1,040 homeowners, Oct 2025)
Source: Housecall Pro Customer Service Report
5M+
Solar installations now in the US installed base, each needing commissioning records and later service (2024)
Source: GreenLancer
The lifecycle
From sold quote to serviceable asset, with every dependency visible on the board.
- Step 1
Quote accepted, job created
The accepted options quote converts to an installation work order with the line items, site, customer and any deposit terms carried across. Nothing is re-keyed.
- Step 2
Equipment reserved and staged
Major equipment and install kits are reserved against the job in inventory. Low-stock alerts and parts linked to the work order show what is on hand, on order or still to collect.
- Step 3
Permits and dependencies logged
Permit numbers, utility applications and inspection dates are recorded on the work order with their status, so dispatch does not book a crew before the paperwork clears.
- Step 4
Crew booked across days
The scheduler books two or more technicians on consecutive days in one action, with the AI matching installers by skill and proximity. Follow-on visits for inspection or commissioning sit on the same job.
- Step 5
Customer confirmed and prepared
Automated email or WhatsApp messages confirm arrival windows and site preparation (access, power isolation, clearing the area), with changes updating the board.
- Step 6
Install day on the mobile app
The lead installer sees the scope, drawings and checklist. Serial numbers, nameplate photos, before and after photos and start-up readings are captured offline and sync later.
- Step 7
Commissioning and hand-over
The commissioning checklist enforces required readings and tests. Customer confirmation of the hand-over is recorded on the work order along with manuals and warranty documents.
- Step 8
Asset created, invoice raised
Each installed unit becomes an equipment record with install date, serials and warranty dates. The final invoice is generated from the completed job in one click, with the deposit already applied.
What goes wrong
The job is sold at a fixed price. Every surprise after that comes out of the margin.
The crew arrives before the equipment does.
Equipment is reserved against the job in inventory with status visible on the work order; dispatch only books the crew once everything is on hand or confirmed for delivery.
See how it worksBooking three technicians for two days takes a dozen calendar entries.
The drag-and-drop scheduler books a crew across consecutive days in one action, and the AI suggests installers by skill and proximity so the right lead is on the right job.
See how it worksSerial numbers end up on a photo in someone’s phone.
The commissioning checklist requires serials and nameplate photos per unit; each one becomes an equipment record linked to the customer and site the moment the job is completed.
See how it worksPermits and inspections slip because nobody owns them.
Permit numbers, application dates and inspection outcomes are recorded on the work order with a status, and a workflow can remind the office when an inspection is due or overdue.
See how it worksReturn visits for commissioning or punch-list items get forgotten.
Follow-on visits live on the same job, appear in the unassigned pool and show against the customer, so the install is not marked complete until every visit is.
See how it worksThe customer disputes what was installed or how it was left.
Before and after photos, start-up readings and the recorded hand-over confirmation sit on the work order and can be shared with the invoice, which settles most disputes before they start.
See how it works
Across the trades
The same multi-visit, multi-technician engine, with a different checklist in every industry.
HVAC
Full-system changeouts and heat-pump conversions over one to two days, with refrigerant charge, airflow and thermostat commissioning recorded per unit.
Plumbing
Tankless and heat-pump water heater installs, whole-home repipes and backflow assembly installs with the initial test logged on day one.
Electrical
Panel upgrades and EV charger circuits with permit numbers, AHJ inspection dates and the final sign-off attached to the work order.
Solar & battery storage
Racking, module and inverter installs by crew, with module and inverter serials captured, then inspection, PTO and commissioning as follow-on visits.
EV charging
Level 2 and DC fast charger installs with switchgear, make-ready coordination and commissioning onto the charging network.
Security & low-voltage
Alarm, CCTV and access-control installs with device lists, zone programming notes and monitoring activation on completion.
Garage door service
New door and smart-opener installs scheduled around door delivery, with the old door haul-away on the same ticket.
Appliance repair
Built-in appliance installs with model and serial capture, so the unit is already on file when a warranty call comes in.
Smart home & AV integration
Multi-day AV, lighting and network installs with device inventories, programming visits and client training as the hand-over step.
Refrigeration & commercial kitchens
Walk-in and rack installs for new kitchens, with start-up readings, refrigerant records and asset creation per compressor and case.
In FSM Flow
Installs touch quoting, inventory, scheduling, the mobile app and assets, so they are built into each rather than bolted on.
Crew & multi-day scheduling
Book several technicians across consecutive days on one job, with day, week and month views and an unassigned pool for follow-on visits.
- AI installer matching by skill and proximity
- Consecutive-day booking in one action
- Dependencies visible before booking
Equipment staging & parts
Reserve major equipment and install kits against the job, see what is on hand across warehouses and vans, and get low-stock alerts before install day.
- Parts linked to the work order
- Warehouse and van stock
- Tools tracked alongside equipment
Commissioning checklists
Checklist templates per job type with required readings, tests and photos, completed offline on the mobile app.
- Required serials and nameplate photos
- Start-up readings stored per unit
- Hand-over confirmation recorded
Install base & asset records
Every installed unit becomes an equipment record with install date, serials, warranty dates and documents, ready for the first service call.
- Equipment lifecycle from install to retirement
- Linked to customer and site
- History builds from day one
Permits, drawings & documents
Attach permits, plan sets, manuals and warranty certificates to the work order; document intelligence pulls key fields from PDFs.
- Permit status on the job
- Documents per asset
- Audit trail of every change
Deposits & final invoicing
Carry the quote’s deposit and terms through to the job, then raise the final invoice from the completed work order in one click.
- Quote-to-job-to-invoice without re-keying
- Customisable terms and templates
- PDF invoices sent by email or WhatsApp
Pricing & billing
Most installs are fixed price from a quote, but the payment schedule varies by trade and ticket size.
Fixed price from an options quote
The customer picks a tier (good, better, best) and the sold option becomes the job total. The invoice is raised from the completed work order.
Deposit plus balance on completion
A deposit is recorded against the quote when it is accepted; the final invoice shows the deposit applied and the balance due after hand-over.
Progress payments on larger installs
Multi-day or multi-phase installs can be invoiced at agreed milestones, such as equipment delivery, rough-in and commissioning.
Time and materials for unknowns
Where the scope cannot be fixed, labour hours and parts used are recorded on the job and invoiced at your rates with the line-item detail.
Change orders
Scope added on site, such as a new disconnect or extra ductwork, is added as line items on the job and approved before it is invoiced.
Install plus maintenance plan
A first-year maintenance agreement is attached to the install, so the new asset is on a PM schedule before the first season.
Numbers worth watching
All available as dashboard widgets, reports or a question to the AI assistant.
Install close rate
Installation quotes sold divided by quotes presented. Shows whether options are being offered and followed up.
Days from sold quote to install
The lag between acceptance and the first install day; long lags lose deposits to competitors and strain cash flow.
Gross margin per install
Quoted price less equipment, parts and recorded labour hours. The honest measure of whether fixed prices are right.
Installs completed in the planned visits
Jobs finished without an unplanned return visit. Driven by staging, scope clarity and checklist discipline.
Callbacks within 30 days of install
Service calls on newly installed equipment, linked back to the install job and the crew that did it.
Serial capture rate
Share of installed units with serials and nameplate photos recorded. Anything below 100% is a future warranty-claim problem.
Target 100%
What is installation software?
Can FSM Flow schedule one job across several days and several technicians?
How are serial numbers and installed equipment recorded?
Does FSM Flow track permits and inspections?
Can I make sure the equipment is on hand before booking the crew?
How does the install connect to future service and warranty work?
Does FSM Flow handle deposits and progress payments on installs?
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