Recurring Jobs + Reminders Add-on — Overview

Recurring Jobs can only be created online in the Dispatch Board. To set up a new recurring job for a client, click 'New Recurring Job' in the top-left of the Dispatch Board, search and select a client, and set the rules for how you want the recurring job to be automatically created and scheduled over time:

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1. Recurring jobs are always based on a Job Template i.e. preset templates of job cards, with pre-filled job descriptions, checklists & items. By creating a Job Template for each type of recurring job you need to schedule, ServiceM8 can pre-fill job cards when each instance of a recurring job is automatically created. You can create Job Templates in Settings > Job Templates. If you use the Services Add-on, your recurring jobs will be based on a 'Service' instead of a Job Template.
2. The job description for every job auto-created will be pre-filled from the Job Template you select. What you type here will be added to the pre-filled job description, or you can simply leave this field blank.
3. If you need finer control over the recurrence pattern, click the 'Frequency' dropdown and select 'Custom', to reveal more advanced recurrence options.
4. In the right-hand Bookings pane, you can:
   • View future booking dates of the recurring job, based on your current settings.
   • View past bookings of the recurring job.
   • Open current jobs e.g. to add a note. To do so, right-click > Open Job.
   • Edit booking times for activated jobs. To do so, right-click > Edit Booking.
   • Activate 'inactive' future bookings (these are designated yellow, with a 'TBC' job number). To activate a future recurring job, right-click > Open Job, or simply double-click.
   • Cancel 'inactive' future bookings. To do so, right-click > Cancel Booking.  

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There are three different 'Recurring Types' to choose from in deciding how you'd like the job to repeat in your ServiceM8 account:

1. Job should be automatically scheduled: set the job to automatically create & schedule itself to selected staff at a fixed time of the day (e.g. 8am), according to your recurrence pattern.
2. Job should be automatically allocated: if the job doesn't need to be done at a fixed time (e.g. anytime during business hours is OK), you can set the job to automatically create and 'allocate' itself to selected staff in one of your allocation windows. If this option isn't visible, you'll need to activate the Job Allocations Add-on.
3. Reminder should arrive in the Inbox: set the job to arrive in your ServiceM8 Inbox, as a reminder. You can use this option for longer-term recurring work where a specific time and staff member needs to be confirmed closer to the date. One week prior to the the booking's occurrence you will receive a notification in your ServiceM8 Inbox about the work. You can then contact the client to confirm whether they want to proceed, organise a time and convert it to a job. If the client doesn't want to go ahead you can delete or snooze the reminder in your Inbox.

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You can view, modify or cancel recurring jobs in the Recurring Jobs tab of the Dispatch Board — just double-click to open.

While individual job cards created under a recurring job can be opened & managed anywhere in the app and online dashboard, you can only manage the settings of a recurring jobs here in the Online Dashboard.

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When you set up a new Recurring Job, ServiceM8 doesn't create and schedule all future bookings all at once. Future bookings of a recurring job are inactive and "TBC" until a set timeframe before their scheduled recurrence date, at which time they will automatically activate by creating a job card, and scheduling/allocating itself according to your recurrence settings.

Before activation, a future recurring job are designated yellow and "TBC" in areas such as the right-hand pane of the recurring job's settings (visible above), and on the Staff Schedule. Inactive future bookings:

1. Do not have a job number.
2. Cannot be opened.
3. Can be activated manually (before their auto-confirmation date) by double-clicking them.
4. Can be cancelled without activation e.g. if a client wants to skip a future booking. To do so in the recurring job's settings, right-click > Cancel Booking. In the Staff Schedules tab, double-click the inactive booking, then 'Cancel Booking'.

You can set how many weeks prior to a booking that a recurring job will activate and confirm itself, in Settings > Preferences > Recurring Jobs:

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Once activated, a recurring job will display and behave much the same as regular jobs in ServiceM8, with some subtle differences.

Recurring jobs are designated with a recurring symbol in the top-right of their booking block on the Staff Schedules tab:

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If you move a recurring job on the Staff Schedule, it will prompt whether you wish to reschedule it for this booking only, or all future bookings:

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If you open a job card which has been created under a recurring job, it will have the 'Recurrence' information in the top-left section of the job card. You can click this to open the Recurring Job's settings: