Fieldworker and Subworker Management

Fieldworker and Subworker Management

OctopusPro’s field-service workforce suite lets you recruit, onboard, schedule, track, pay and audit employees, contractors and their sub-workers from one cloud dashboard and mobile app. The guide below walks you through every feature—inviting new talent, configuring skills and service areas, using GPS check-ins, automating timesheets and payroll, and monitoring performance in real time—while weaving in industry benchmarks and best-practice tips from leading field-service studies and software analysts.


Fieldworker vs Sub-worker Roles

Fieldworkers

Direct contractors or employees hired and paid by your company. They receive jobs, communicate with customers and can update bookings, invoices or issues directly in OctopusPro.

Sub-workers

Helpers employed by a fieldworker. They clock in/out and upload job evidence but can’t see invoices, complaints or customer data—ideal for industries where a lead tech brings their own crew (e.g., cleaning teams, HVAC installs, landscaping).


Onboarding & Profile Management

Task Where in OctopusPro Key Actions Why It Matters
Invite Fieldworkers › Add Send email/SMS invite with role-specific link. One-click onboarding; no manual account creation.
Bulk Import Fieldworkers › Import CSV Map columns for name, phone, licences, pay rate, labels, geo-tags. Load hundreds of workers in minutes; ideal for franchises or seasonal ramp-ups.
Verify Email & Mobile Auto links in invite; flags in list. Enforce verified contact details before dispatching jobs.
Capture Compliance Docs Profile › Documents Upload licences, insurance, certifications; set expiry reminders. Avoid fines and failed audits.
Define Skills & Active Services Profile › Active Services Tag each worker with service codes (e.g., “HVAC-Repair”, “End-of-Lease Cleaning”). Auto-matching routes the right job to the right skillset.
Set Service Areas Profile › Service Areas Draw polygons on map, set default radius. Geo-fencing + labels fuel smart dispatch and surge pricing.
Working Hours & Availability Calendar View (admin or worker self-serve) Add recurring hours, time-off, sick days. Prevent double-booking and reduce last-minute cancellations.
Bank & Payment Details Profile › Bank Details Enter account / BSB / routing; choose payment frequency. Enables automated pay-runs and splits.
Commission & Pay Rates Profile › Pay & Commission Fixed fee, hourly, or %; add bonuses, travel stipend. Payroll engine calculates earnings instantly.
Assign Equipment or Assets Profile › Assets Record vehicle rego, tool serials, PPE kits; set maintenance dates. Tracks responsibility and depreciation.

Onboarding KPI Benchmarks

Metric Old Method With OctopusPro
Avg. admin time per new hire 45 min (manual forms) 12 min (invite + self-service profile)
Missing compliance docs at audit 22 % < 3 % (expiry alerts)
First-day job readiness 3–5 days Same day

Example Workflow

Plumbing franchise bulk-imports 200 subcontractors, applies the “Emergency 24/7” skill label, and draws a 25 km geo-fence around each technician’s home postcode. Dispatch now auto-routes burst pipes to the nearest on-call tech, cutting response time by 38 % and boosting first-time-fix rate.


Tip: Build an “Onboarding Smart Checklist” in Settings › Forms & Checklists. Require new fieldworkers to (1) upload licence photo, (2) e-sign safety policy, and (3) confirm bank details before they appear in the active dispatch pool.


Communication & Notifications

  • Email, SMS, in-app chat and push—triggered by status changes or sent ad-hoc.
  • All outbound/inbound messages log under Email /SMS /Discussion Logs for compliance.
  • Templates pull in job variables to speed responses.

Tip: Attach map links in SMS so a sub-worker can launch navigation in one tap, cutting average travel time by 12 %.


Job Lifecycle in the Fieldworker App

Stage In-App Actions Built-In Forms & Checklists Operational Benefit
Alarm • Push notification• Optional SMS/email Instant awareness of new or updated jobs; lower “missed assignment” rate. Fieldworker alarms video
Accept / Reject • One-tap acceptance or rejection• Suggested ETA auto-populated “Pre-accept checklist” (optional)Example: Verify licence & tools before accepting high-risk job. Real-time capacity planning; prevents over-booking.
Navigate (optional step) • In-app map opens preferred nav app• GPS breadcrumb trail begins Cuts average travel time; feeds live ETA back to customer portal.
Start Job • Tap START JOB• Estimated finish time entered
Pre-start form (mandatory or optional)Examples: • Safety PPE checklist • Customer asset photos • “Site condition” form• Custom photo fields (e.g., meter readings, before-clean images) Quality-control gate; satisfies WHS / OSHA documentation; feeds before-and-after images to customer.
Unable to Start • Tap UNABLE TO START• Select reason or type free-text• Optional photo evidence• Status auto-changes to Failed

Incident form (auto launches) • Capture reason, photo & signature
Admins alerted instantly; supports SLA pause rules; creates audit trail for disputes.
In Progress • Live timer records billable hours• Optional mid-job checklist pop-ups Mid-job form (time- or trigger-based)Examples: • 30-min safety refresh • Material usage log Prevents skipped steps, aids inventory reconciliation.
Finish Job • Tap FINISH JOB• Confirm actual service items & pricing (if permissioned)
Post-work form (always on screen) Examples: • Customer sign-off with signature • After-clean photos • Service quality rating• Generate PDF report
Captures proof-of-service; PDFs auto-attach to booking, emailed to customer and stored for warranty claims.
Checkout (if staged appointment) • Schedule next visit• Add follow-up notes
Follow-up checklist Example: “Parts on order?” flag Ensures multi-visit jobs stay on track.

Form & Checklist Engine Highlights

  • Form builder: Create text, dropdown, checkbox, photo, signature & conditional fields—no coding.
  • Rules-based triggers: Display a form only for specific services, job values, risk ratings or customer types.
  • Mandatory vs optional: Mark any field as required; app won’t proceed until completed.
  • Versioning & audit: Every submitted form is date-stamped, user-stamped and stored; PDF copies available in Reports › Forms Library.
  • Data reuse: Responses can populate invoice line items (e.g., “Material quantity”) or update custom job fields automatically.
  • Offline first: Forms cache on device if signal drops; sync when back online.

Quick Setup Path for Admins

  1. Build: Settings › General Settings › Forms & Checklists › New Form
  2. Assign: Choose trigger—Before Start, After Finish, Unable to Start, Mid-Job (minutes), or Recurring (daily/weekly).
  3. Preview on web and mobile; toggle Mandatory where needed.
  4. Publish; fieldworkers will see the form on their next sync.

How Forms & Checklists Drive ROI

  • 40 % fewer callbacks at a national cleaning chain after adding mandatory “Before-leave photo” form.
  • 30 % faster warranty claim approvals for an HVAC installer using automated PDF service reports.
  • Full OSHA compliance achieved by a roofing company after embedding safety gear checklist on every start-job action.

Leverage OctopusPro’s lifecycle workflow and flexible form engine to maintain safety, quality and real-time visibility—while giving field teams a friction-free mobile experience.


GPS Tracking & Device Security

  • Live map shows last ping, route and ETA; improves dispatch efficiency and lowers “where-is-my-tech” calls.
  • Device audit lists logged-in phones/tablets; admins can revoke tokens remotely to protect data.

Timesheets, Payroll & Commission

  • Auto-creates a timesheet line when a worker checks in/out; supports rounding rules.
  • Pay models: fixed fee per job, hourly, percentage commission, or blended.
  • Bulk approve, adjust or dispute payments; export to Xero, QuickBooks or CSV.

Example: A cleaning chain pays 40 % commission on completed jobs + travel stipend; OctopusPro calculates split automatically and pushes to payroll every Friday.


Reporting & Compliance

  • Activity, Email, SMS & Call Logs satisfy audit trails for ISO 9001 and state licensing boards.
  • Live Reports & Analytics dashboard highlights utilisation, first-time-fix rate, revenue per tech.

Benefits & ROI

  • Faster onboarding – Import & verify new hires 60 % quicker than manual spreadsheets.
  • Higher productivity – GPS routing plus mobile checklists cut non-billable time by 15-30 %.
  • Accurate payroll – Mobile timesheets eliminate buddy-punching, saving >5 % labour cost.
  • Improved compliance – Digital forms create auditable records for safety & warranty claims.

FAQs

  1. Can sub-workers log in? – Yes, limited dashboard hides prices & customer contacts.
  2. How many service areas per worker? – Unlimited; assign radius or polygon zones.
  3. Is offline mode supported? – App caches job data; syncs when signal returns.

Leverage these tools to build a productive, compliant mobile workforce—and watch utilisation, customer satisfaction and profit climb.

For more information please visit OctopusPro user guide, and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

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