---
title: Manage a Service Order
description: Find every tab on a repair service order (Details, Repair Board, Estimate, Invoice, Billing, Chat, Files) and what you can do on each one.
---

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1. [MetaFleet Answer Hub](https://support.metafleet.ai/?hsLang=en)
2. [Work Intake (Requests & Service Orders)](https://support.metafleet.ai/work-intake-requests-service-orders?hsLang=en)
3. [Creating Service Orders](https://support.metafleet.ai/work-intake-requests-service-orders?hsLang=en#creating-service-orders)

# Manage a Service Order

## Use the tabs on a service order to assign the technician, follow the repair, handle the estimate and invoice, and talk to the customer.

**For:** Dispatchers, managers and service writers · **Permission:** Access to Service Orders; **Cancel Service Order** also needs the cancel-orders permission on your role · **Time:** ~5 minutes

### Quick summary

1. Open the order from the **Service Orders** page.
2. Use **Details** to check the customer, vehicle and complaint, and to assign a technician.
3. Follow the work on **Repair Board**.
4. Handle money on **Estimate**, **Invoice** and **Billing**. Record a check, cash or on-account payment on Billing once the invoice is sent.
5. Use **Chat** and **Files** to talk to people and keep photos and paperwork with the job.

### Before you start

- You need an existing service order. Create one with **+ New Service Order** on the Service Orders page.
- The examples below show a repair order for Pacific Crest Logistics that has no technician yet.

### Read the header and tabs

The header shows the order type and number, the status pill and when the order was created. The pill says **Unassigned** until a technician is assigned, then it changes as the job moves. For example, it says **Work Stopped** when work was stopped early and the order is waiting to be invoiced. The order's actions, such as **Cancel Service Order**, sit in the header on every tab, and only show for users whose role can cancel orders. The tabs sit right under it.

![Service order header with the Unassigned status pill and the seven tabs, Details through Files](https://support.metafleet.ai/hs-fs/hubfs/knowledge-base/oct-2026/manage-a-service-order-01-header-tabs.png?width=560&height=169&name=manage-a-service-order-01-header-tabs.png)

![Cancel Service Order button in the service order header](https://support.metafleet.ai/hs-fs/hubfs/knowledge-base/oct-2026/manage-a-service-order-13-header-actions-v2.png?width=174&height=43&name=manage-a-service-order-13-header-actions-v2.png)

If a technician is late, an alert can appear under the header, such as **Technician eta is too high.** Click **Dismiss** to clear it.

### Check the job on the Details tab

Details is where you confirm everything about the job except the work itself. The left side holds the company, contacts, unit location, vehicle and repair details.

![Vehicle card on the Details tab showing asset type, unit number, VIN, make, model, year, plate and mileage](https://support.metafleet.ai/hs-fs/hubfs/knowledge-base/oct-2026/manage-a-service-order-02-vehicle-v2.png?width=487&height=284&name=manage-a-service-order-02-vehicle-v2.png)

The **Repair Details** card lists the types of repair requested, the service location (service area) and the complaint the customer reported. Click **Edit** on a card to change it.

![Repair Details card with the repair type Brake and Air System Repair, service location and complaint text](https://support.metafleet.ai/hs-fs/hubfs/knowledge-base/oct-2026/manage-a-service-order-03-repair-details-v2.png?width=480&height=289&name=manage-a-service-order-03-repair-details-v2.png)

The right side holds the people and timing:

- **PO number:** click **Add PO number** to record the customer's purchase order.
- **Technicians:** click **Assign technician** to pick one. See [Manually Assign a Technician](https://support.metafleet.ai/manually-assign-a-technician?hsLang=en). On a repair or tow order, when you remove a technician: 
    - If they were the only technician on an **Assigned** or **En route** order, the order goes back to **Unassigned**.
    - If they drove this trip, other technicians stay and nobody is on the clock, the order goes back to **Assigned**. It moves to **En route** again when the new technician starts the drive.
    - If they were a helper who never drove, an **En route** order stays **En route**.
    - If they are the only technician on a job that has started, you can't remove them. MetaFleet shows **A started job needs a technician — assign a replacement instead of removing.**
- **Service Writer:** the staff member who owns the order.
- **Estimated Repair Duration:** the minimum and maximum minutes. Until you set them, the card shows your shop's defaults, marked **(default)**.
- **Time on This Order:** shows the time recorded once a technician starts work from the mobile app.
- **Additional Links** and **Payment method**.

![PO number card with the Add PO number button](https://support.metafleet.ai/hs-fs/hubfs/knowledge-base/oct-2026/manage-a-service-order-05-po-number-v2.png?width=480&height=125&name=manage-a-service-order-05-po-number-v2.png)

![Technicians section on the Details tab with the Assign technician button](https://support.metafleet.ai/hs-fs/hubfs/knowledge-base/oct-2026/manage-a-service-order-04-technicians-v2.png?width=480&height=121&name=manage-a-service-order-04-technicians-v2.png)

![Estimated Repair Duration card with 90 and 150 minute defaults, and the Time on This Order card with no time recorded](https://support.metafleet.ai/hs-fs/hubfs/knowledge-base/oct-2026/manage-a-service-order-06-time-on-order.png?width=462&height=271&name=manage-a-service-order-06-time-on-order.png)

> **Time on This Order** says **No time recorded yet** until a technician starts work from the mobile app.

### Follow the work on the Repair Board

The **Repair Progress** bar tracks the job through **Assigned**, **Heading to Site**, **Diagnosing Problems**, **Wait For Approval**, **Working on Repairs**, **Wait for Release** and **Job Complete!**. A line under the bar says what the job is waiting for. As diagnosis and repairs move along, you review and approve work, and use **Mark Work Complete** when the repairs are finished and ready for review and release. If the job is stopped early, the last step reads **Work Stopped** instead of Job Complete!.

![Repair Progress bar on the Repair Board with Assigned highlighted and a Show Technician as On Site button](https://support.metafleet.ai/hs-fs/hubfs/knowledge-base/oct-2026/manage-a-service-order-07-repair-board-v2.png?width=509&height=233&name=manage-a-service-order-07-repair-board-v2.png)

Before a technician is assigned, **Show Technician as On Site** is unavailable and the page says **Assign a technician first**.

### Know where each stage lives

- **Assign:** Details tab.
- **Diagnosis and repairs:** Repair Board tab.
- **Estimate and approvals:** Estimate tab.
- **Invoice and payment:** Invoice tab, then Billing tab.

> Status moves on its own as you work and stops at each approval gate you have turned on.

### Build and track the estimate

The **Estimate** tab has its own progress bar. It shows only the steps your approval settings use, from **Create Estimate** through **Estimate Approval**, **Customer Review**, **Wait for Repairs**, **Approve Repairs**, **Create Invoice** and **Invoice Approval** to **Invoice Sent**. Below it are the parts list and the estimate totals.

![Estimate Progress bar on the Estimate tab with six steps, starting at Create Estimate](https://support.metafleet.ai/hs-fs/hubfs/knowledge-base/oct-2026/manage-a-service-order-08-estimate-v2.png?width=509&height=226&name=manage-a-service-order-08-estimate-v2.png)

Which sign-offs this order needs depends on your approval settings. See [Understanding the Approval Gates](https://support.metafleet.ai/understanding-the-approval-gates?hsLang=en). A work item needs a complaint and a diagnosis before you can send it to the customer. Until then the send button is off, it names the work item, and **Go to it** jumps to it. For building and sending the estimate, see [Build & Send an Estimate](https://support.metafleet.ai/build-and-send-an-estimate?hsLang=en).

### Create the invoice

The **Invoice** tab stays empty until at least one work item is approved on the Estimate tab. Until then it says **No approved work items found**.

![Invoice tab message saying no approved work items were found](https://support.metafleet.ai/hs-fs/hubfs/knowledge-base/oct-2026/manage-a-service-order-09-invoice-v3.png?width=517&height=157&name=manage-a-service-order-09-invoice-v3.png)

### Take payment on the Billing tab

The **Billing** tab shows the repair status, the **Card hold** section and a **Transactions** table with charge date, amount, refund amount and actions. If your shop has card holds turned off, the Card hold section says so and links to Settings. In **Payment History**, a payment that was paid on a different day than it was entered (a backdated check, for example) shows a muted **Paid** date line under it.

If Stripe didn't answer a card charge, a banner locks the invoice so the card can't be charged twice. When **Check Stripe** turns on, click it. See [Record Payments and Customer Credit](https://support.metafleet.ai/record-payments-and-customer-credit?hsLang=en).

If the customer pays by check, cash or on account, click **Record Payment** once the invoice is sent. The button shows only for orders paid by check, cash or on account, and not for no-charge invoices.

![Billing tab with a Card hold section saying card holds are off for the shop and an empty Transactions table](https://support.metafleet.ai/hs-fs/hubfs/knowledge-base/oct-2026/manage-a-service-order-10-billing-v3.png?width=519&height=371&name=manage-a-service-order-10-billing-v3.png)

### Message people on the Chat tab

Chat has four threads, listed on the left: **Customer**, **Internal**, **Technical Support** and **AI Assistant**. Type a message and click **Send**. **Chat Options** has **Snooze 5 Minutes** and **Mark as Read**.

![Chat tab with Customer, Internal, Technical Support and AI Assistant threads, a message box and Send button](https://support.metafleet.ai/hs-fs/hubfs/knowledge-base/oct-2026/manage-a-service-order-11-chat-v2.png?width=540&height=234&name=manage-a-service-order-11-chat-v2.png)

### Keep photos and paperwork on the Files tab

Files is split by who should see it:

- **Photos:** job evidence that can be shown to the customer on the invoice.
- **Videos:** internal diagnostic clips, up to 3.
- **Shop only:** receipts, POs and vehicle reference that the customer does not see.
- **Documents:** PDFs and paperwork.

![Files tab Photos section with Add photos button and no images attached](https://support.metafleet.ai/hs-fs/hubfs/knowledge-base/oct-2026/manage-a-service-order-12-files-v2.png?width=489&height=148&name=manage-a-service-order-12-files-v2.png)

### Troubleshooting

| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
| --- | --- | --- |
| The order won't move past Diagnosis Complete | An approval gate is on | Check the Estimate tab to see who the order is waiting on. See [Understanding the Approval Gates](https://support.metafleet.ai/understanding-the-approval-gates?hsLang=en). |
| I can't create an invoice | No work item is approved yet | Approve at least one work item on the Estimate tab. |
| The Repair Board has nothing to act on | No technician is assigned | Click **Assign technician** on the Details tab. See [Manually Assign a Technician](https://support.metafleet.ai/manually-assign-a-technician?hsLang=en). |
| I can't edit a field | Some fields lock after creation | Click **Edit** on the card where it's available. Edit the vehicle or company from its own record. |

### FAQs

**Where do I assign or change the technician?**  
On the Details tab, in the Technicians section.

**Where are the estimate and invoice?**  
On their own tabs, Estimate and Invoice, across the top of the order.

**How do I cancel an order?**  
Click **Cancel Service Order** in the header, on any tab. You need the cancel-orders permission on your role.

- Assigned technicians are told the job was cancelled, and no technician can be added to a cancelled order.
- An estimate waiting on the customer can't be answered any more. The link in the estimate email opens **This estimate isn't available**, which says the service order has been cancelled.
- If the order has payments on it, MetaFleet refuses the cancel and tells you to refund them first.
- A repair or tow order with a sent invoice that still owes money can't be cancelled either. MetaFleet shows **A sent repair invoice has no void yet. Use Write off › Billing error.**
- A **Closed** order can be cancelled only if it was fully refunded, never charged, or written off with nothing paid.

**Where do I add a PO number?**  
In the **PO number** card on the Details tab, click **Add PO number**.

### Related articles

- [Understanding the Approval Gates](https://support.metafleet.ai/understanding-the-approval-gates?hsLang=en)
- [Manually Assign a Technician](https://support.metafleet.ai/manually-assign-a-technician?hsLang=en)
- [Build & Send an Estimate](https://support.metafleet.ai/build-and-send-an-estimate?hsLang=en)
- [Stop Work and Invoice Early](https://support.metafleet.ai/stop-work-and-invoice-early?hsLang=en)

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    - [Vehicles](https://support.metafleet.ai/companies-contacts?hsLang=en#vehicles)
- [Work Intake (Requests & Service Orders)](https://support.metafleet.ai/work-intake-requests-service-orders?hsLang=en#main-content)

    - [Creating Service Orders](https://support.metafleet.ai/work-intake-requests-service-orders?hsLang=en#creating-service-orders)
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- [Estimates & Approvals](https://support.metafleet.ai/estimates-approvals?hsLang=en#main-content)

    - [Approval Gates](https://support.metafleet.ai/estimates-approvals?hsLang=en#approval-gates)
    - [Estimates](https://support.metafleet.ai/estimates-approvals?hsLang=en#estimates)
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    - [Preventative Maintenance](https://support.metafleet.ai/dispatch-scheduling?hsLang=en#preventative-maintenance)
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