Happy to help you get up and running as a dispatcher! This guide covers the essentials you'll need to start scheduling jobs and keeping your technicians moving efficiently.
Before You Begin
Make sure you have:
- Dispatcher or Admin role assigned to your account
- Your team members added with correct technician availability configured
- At least one customer record created (you'll need this to create work orders)
Step 1: Access the Dispatch Board
- Log into FieldPulse
- Click Dispatch in the main navigation menu
- The default view shows today's schedule by technician
Pro tip: Bookmark this page! Most dispatchers live here.
Step 2: Schedule Your First Job
- Click the + New Work Order button (top right)
- Select your customer from the dropdown
- Enter job details and service type
- Click Assign to open the scheduling panel
- Drag the job onto a technician's timeline, or use Find Available Time
- Click Save & Dispatch
The technician receives an instant notification on their mobile app. See Scheduling a Job: Step by Step for more detail.
Step 3: Manage Your Day
| Action | How to Do It |
|---|---|
| Move a job | Drag and drop on the dispatch board |
| Reassign to different tech | Drag to another technician's row |
| Handle emergency | Right-click on board → Emergency Override |
| Check technician location | Click the map icon next to their name |
Step 4: Monitor Job Progress
Watch for status updates in real time:
- Scheduled → Gray
- En Route → Blue (technician tapped "Start Travel")
- On Site → Green (technician arrived)
- In Progress → Orange
- Completed → Dark green with checkmark
Need to nudge a technician? Click their job and select Send Reminder.
Common Dispatch Scenarios
Customer calls with an urgent issue:
- Use Unscheduled filter to see who's finishing soon
- Or check the Map View for nearest available tech
- See Handling Emergency and Unscheduled Jobs
Technician running late:
- Drag subsequent jobs to later slots
- Click Notify Customers to send automatic delay updates
Need to split a complex job:
- Open the work order
- Click Add Visit to create follow-up appointments
Keyboard Shortcuts
Speed up your workflow:
- D — Jump to Dispatch board
- N — New work order
- T — Today view
- W — Week view
- ? — Show all shortcuts
Next Steps
Once you're comfortable with the basics:
- Learn Drag-and-Drop Scheduling shortcuts
- Set up Route Optimization for multi-job days
- Configure customer notifications to reduce call volume
- Explore advanced filters and color coding
Questions? The community has great tips from experienced dispatchers, or reach out to support anytime.