From Materials Used on Site to a Connected Sales Order
A Field Service task is not always about completing a service or repair using only the technician's time.
In many real-world service visits, technicians also need to use physical products, spare parts, or other materials to complete the work.
For example, a technician repairing an air-conditioning unit may need to replace a filter, use cleaning material, or install a replacement component.
When these materials are not recorded properly, it can become difficult to understand what was used during the service visit and which items need to be included in the customer's service charges.
A product-based workflow can make this process more structured.
In this example, we will follow a simple repair scenario and see how products can be selected directly from a Field Service task, recorded against the task, and reflected in the related Sales Order.
A Real-Life Scenario: Repairing an Air-Conditioning Unit
Imagine that a technician receives a service request from an office customer.
During the visit, the technician discovers that an office item needs to be replaced.
The technician needs a replacement product from the company's product catalog to complete the work.
Instead of recording the material only in a note, the product can be added directly to the Field Service task.
For this example, we will use one of the products available in the Office Things catalog.
The idea is simple:
The technician performs the work and records the product used as part of the same Field Service workflow.
1. Start With the Field Service Task
The first step is to open the Field Service task assigned to the technician.
The task is now ready for the technician to perform the required work.
But this particular service also requires a product.
2. Open the Products Smart Button
Instead of manually creating a product line somewhere else, the technician can access the products directly from the Field Service task.
The Products smart button provides access to the products that can be added to the task.
Clicking the smart button opens the product catalog.
This creates a direct connection between the service task and the products that may be required to complete it.
3. Browse the Product Catalog
The product catalog displays the products available for the Field Service workflow.
For our example, the technician needs a replacement item from the office products available in the catalog.
The technician can browse the available products and select the one required for the task.
This is useful because the technician does not need to manually type the product information into the task.
The product is selected from the existing catalog.
4. Select the Product Used for the Task
The technician finds the required product and selects it.
The important part is that the material used during the service visit is now recorded against the task.
5. Return to the Field Service Task
After selecting the product, the technician can return to the Field Service task.
The Products smart button now reflects the product that has been added.
This provides a quick overview of the materials associated with the task.
The technician can also return to the product catalog if another product needs to be added.
For example, if the first product was not enough to complete the work, another item can be selected and added to the same task.
6. The Product Becomes Part of the Service Record
At this point, the Field Service task contains more than just the description of the work.
This creates a clearer connection between the work performed and the material required to perform it.
7. From Field Service Task to Sales Order
The product information can then become part of the related sales workflow.
Based on the configured workflow, the product used on the Field Service task is reflected in the related Sales Order.
The Sales Order provides the commercial record for the product associated with the service task.
This means the process does not stop when the technician records the material.
The product information can continue through the sales workflow.
Products Can Be Part of the Actual Service Workflow
Products are often an important part of field work.
A technician may need a replacement component, consumable material, accessory, or another physical item to complete a task.
Recording these products as part of the Field Service workflow helps connect three things:
The Work
What the technician was asked to do.
The Material
What product was required or used.
The Commercial Record
How that product is represented in the related sales process.
This makes the workflow easier to follow from the original task through the material used and the resulting sales information.
From Service Task to Sales Order
In our example, the workflow started with a simple office maintenance task.
The technician opened the task, accessed the Products smart button, opened the catalog, selected the required office product, and returned to the task.
The selected product was then reflected in the related Sales Order.
The complete process can therefore be summarized as:
Task → Product Catalog → Product Selection → Task → Sales Order
The product is not treated as a separate activity.
It becomes part of the Field Service workflow.
Conclusion
Field Service tasks often involve more than technician time and task completion.
Products and materials can also be an important part of completing the work.
By using a product catalog from the Field Service task, technicians can select the products required for their service visit and keep those products connected to the task.
In this example, a simple office maintenance scenario demonstrated the complete workflow:
Open Task → Products Smart Button → Product Catalog → Select Product → Product Added to Task → Sales Order
The result is a more connected workflow where the service task, the products used, and the related sales information can be followed together.
For teams handling different types of service work, the same approach can be used for replacement parts, consumables, equipment components, accessories, and other products required to complete Field Service tasks.
The right product at the right time can turn a service task into a completed job.
When products stay connected to the service task, the work and its costs are easier to follow.