Fieldworker Permissions: Control, Security, and Efficiency
Fieldworker permissions (access control flags) let you control exactly what field staff can see and do in the OctopusPro Fieldworker App. Use these settings to protect sensitive customer and financial data, prevent mistakes, enforce governance (approvals), and still give fieldworkers the freedom they need to complete jobs efficiently.
Where to configure: Settings → General Settings → Fieldworker Permissions
How to set permissions safely (best practice)
- Start with least privilege: enable only what fieldworkers need for the role (employee vs subcontractor vs team lead).
- Use approval workflows for pricing, schedule, scope, and customer-data changes where governance matters.
- Test with a real fieldworker login (or a test fieldworker profile) before rolling out to the entire team.
- Document your policy (who can edit what, when photos are mandatory, which SMS messages go out automatically).
Table of contents
- Booking control & visibility
- Customer data & communication
- Financial visibility & payment controls
- Photos, workflow prompts & owner details
- Creation rights (customers, bookings, quotes, invoices)
- Services & line-item flexibility
- Governance, risk controls & audit checklist
Booking control & visibility
Allow fieldworkers to edit booking details without restrictions
Flag name: Allow fieldworkers to edit their booking details at all times
What it does: Controls whether fieldworkers can edit their assigned work orders (bookings) freely, or whether changes must be governed through a controlled workflow.
- Enabled: Fieldworkers can edit booking details without restrictions (ideal for trusted teams and fast-moving on-site changes).
- Disabled: Edits are restricted. Depending on your workflow, fieldworkers may need office approval for significant changes or may only update limited fields/statuses.
Use when:
- You want fieldworkers to correct real-world issues immediately (e.g., fix address notes, adjust time window, update scope, add required details).
- You operate in remote areas where office staff are not always available.
Risks & governance tips:
- If you allow unrestricted edits, combine it with stronger financial controls (e.g., earnings visibility rules, payment pending until reconciled) and clear policies.
- If you want flexibility but still need governance, enable the approval workflow flag below.
Related guides: Allow fieldworkers to edit bookings
Allow fieldworkers to apply changes without office approval
This requirement is governed by two related controls:
- Workflow flag (on the permissions screen): Fieldworker requests permission to edit booking (office approval needed)
- Behavioral documentation: Apply fieldworker changes without office approval / Approve fieldworker changes workflows
How it behaves:
- Approval required (Enabled): Fieldworker edits are submitted for review and remain pending until an authorized office user approves them.
- No approval required (Disabled): Fieldworker edits apply immediately.
When to require approval:
- Regulated workflows (insurance, compliance, healthcare, government work).
- Pricing/scope must be controlled by office (quotes, add-ons, travel charges, discounts).
- You dispatch large teams and need consistency across scheduling and customer messaging.
Related guides: Fieldworker booking edit approval
Allow fieldworkers to view the full booking address at all times
Flag name: Display the full booking address to fieldworkers at all times
What it does: Controls when a fieldworker can see the exact service location.
- Enabled: Full address is visible immediately after assignment.
- Disabled: Full address is hidden until close to the appointment time; fieldworkers typically must tap On the Way to reveal the exact street address.
Use when:
- You want to reduce early address sharing (privacy/safety) or prevent crews from showing up too early.
- You want to encourage real-time status updates (dispatch visibility) before revealing the location.
Related guide: Display full address
Allow fieldworkers to accept or decline booking requests
Flag name: Allow fieldworkers to accept and decline booking requests
- Enabled: Fieldworkers can accept/decline job requests sent to them (useful for subcontractor marketplaces or flexible dispatch).
- Disabled: Requests are auto-accepted once assigned (better for employee crews and strict dispatch control).
Best practice: If you allow declining, define what happens next (re-dispatch rules, escalation, coverage SLAs).
Related guide: Accept/decline job requests
Customer data & communication
Always display customer contact details to fieldworkers
Flag name: Display customer contact details to fieldworkers at all times
- Enabled: Fieldworkers can view customer phone numbers/emails for assigned bookings (to call, text, or email where allowed).
- Disabled: Customer contact details are hidden in the fieldworker app.
When to enable: Fieldworkers must coordinate access, parking, gate codes, arrival timing, or on-site approvals directly with the customer.
When to disable: You want all customer communication centralized through the office/call center.
Related guide: Display customer contact details
Allow fieldworkers to view bill payer contact details
What this controls (practically): If your business uses a third-party bill payer (e.g., real-estate agency, NDIS coordinator, corporate accounts), you should decide whether fieldworkers can see and communicate with that bill payer.
- Common setup: Keep bill payer visibility limited to office users, while fieldworkers communicate only with the on-site contact/customer.
- When to allow: If the bill payer must approve variations on-site (e.g., strata/building manager authorizing add-on work).
Important: Bill payer messaging is usually enforced via your communication rules and template recipients (customer vs bill payer), not just a single toggle. If you want fieldworkers to send financial documents, use the quote/invoice sending permissions below.
Restrict fieldworker communication before booking start time
Flag name: Restrict fieldworker communication with customers prior to booking start time
- Enabled: Fieldworkers cannot contact customers before the booking start time unless certain conditions are met (e.g., job already in progress or there is an open invoice/complaint).
- Disabled: Fieldworkers can contact customers anytime, provided contact details are visible.
Why this matters: Prevents confusion from early calls/texts and protects the customer experience (especially when schedules change).
Related guide: Restrict fieldworker communication
Allow fieldworkers to access the entire customer database when creating bookings
Flag name: Allow fieldworkers to view your entire customer database when making new bookings
- Enabled: Fieldworkers can search/select any customer in your CRM when creating a booking (reduces duplicates).
- Disabled: Fieldworkers can only see customers they personally created (duplicates become more likely).
Related guide: Allow access to customer database
Notify customers by SMS based on fieldworker actions (On the Way, Arrived, Completed, Rescheduled)
On the Way / Running Late
Flag name: Notify customers by SMS when fieldworkers are on the way to their booking
- Enabled: When the fieldworker taps On the Way, the customer receives an SMS (often including ETA and tracking link, depending on your setup).
- Disabled: Status updates remain internal only.
Related guide: On-the-way SMS notifications
Arrived
- Typically triggered when a fieldworker marks Arrived / On Site (configured via your notification/automation rules and templates).
Completed
- Typically triggered when a fieldworker marks a job/visit as Completed (or completes checkout), based on your automations/templates.
Rescheduled
- If you allow fieldworkers to reschedule bookings, you can automate customer notifications for schedule changes (recommended to avoid “silent reschedules”).
Best practice for all SMS notifications:
- Standardize message wording and recipients (customer vs bill payer) through your templates and automated procedures.
- Keep SMS short and action-based (ETA, link, who’s coming, new time window).
- Align with your privacy policy (location/tracking links) and customer consent rules.
Related guides: Notify customers for bookings (overview) | Fieldworker rescheduling automation | Automated procedures (email/SMS/WhatsApp)
Financial visibility & payment controls
Allow fieldworkers to view booking billing amounts
Flag name: Display booking billing amount to fieldworkers
- Enabled: Fieldworkers can see the total charged/quoted amount on the booking.
- Disabled: Totals are hidden; fieldworkers may only see paid/unpaid status (depending on your setup).
Use when: Fieldworkers need to collect payment, explain totals, or confirm add-ons with the customer.
Disable when: You want field staff focused on service delivery while pricing is handled by office/sales.
Related guide: Display booking billing amount
Allow fieldworkers to view their booking earnings
Flag name: Display fieldworker earnings for bookings
- Enabled: Fieldworkers can see their own commission/share/rate breakdown for assigned bookings.
- Disabled: Earnings remain private to office/admin users.
Use when: You operate contractor models where transparency reduces disputes and speeds payouts.
Disable when: Earnings are calculated after QA, reconciliations, or managerial review.
Related guide: Display fieldworker earnings
Keep payments pending until approved by an authorised user
Flag name: Keep payments pending until reconciled by an authorized user
- Enabled: Payments recorded/collected by fieldworkers remain pending until an authorized user verifies them (reduces errors/fraud).
- Disabled: Payments apply immediately once recorded.
Use when: Fieldworkers accept cash, record POS payments, or enter manual payment records that must be validated.
Related guide: Keep payments pending until reconciled
Allow fieldworkers to invoice your company by uploading tax invoices to bookings
Flag name (subcontractor workflow): Fieldworker can invoice company & upload tax invoice
What it does: Lets subcontractors upload their own tax invoice against a booking so your office can reconcile and pay them correctly (especially useful for contractor marketplace models).
Best practice:
- Combine this with approval workflows and payment reconciliation to prevent duplicates or incorrect amounts.
- Standardize required fields (invoice number, tax amount, attachments, notes) and define who approves.
Related guide: Pay invoice / subcontractor invoice upload workflow
Photos, workflow prompts & owner details
Ask fieldworkers to upload photos at booking start
Flag name: Ask fieldworkers to upload photos when starting a booking
What it does: Prompts photo capture at check-in (before work begins) for evidence of site condition, access issues, and pre-existing damage.
Mandatory vs optional:
- Mandatory: Fieldworkers must upload photos before they can start the booking (recommended for high-risk jobs, insurance, bond/exit cleans, restoration work).
- Optional: Fieldworkers are prompted but can proceed without uploading photos (recommended when speed matters and documentation is not always required).
Related guide: Prompt photos when starting a job
Ask fieldworkers to upload photos at appointment/visit completion
Flag name: Ask fieldworkers to upload photos when completing a visit
What it does: Prompts photo capture at check-out to document completed work for QA, disputes, before/after proof, and customer satisfaction.
Mandatory vs optional:
- Mandatory: Photos are required before the fieldworker can complete the visit/appointment.
- Optional: Prompt only; completion can proceed without photos.
Related guide: Prompt photos when completing a visit
Enable owner details section in the fieldworker profile
Flag name: Display owners details section in fieldworker profile
What it does: Shows business owner/primary contact details inside the fieldworker profile screen (useful when fieldworkers need quick escalation details).
Related guide: Display owner details in fieldworker profile
Allow lead fieldworkers to add subworkers to their team
Permission name: Enable subworkers on fieldworker profiles so leads can add crew members
What it does: Lets team leads add assistants/apprentices (subworkers) to jobs for visibility and accountability, without giving full system access.
Related guide: Manage fieldworkers & subworkers
Creation rights (customers, bookings, quotes, invoices)
Allow fieldworkers to create new customer profiles
Flag name: Allow fieldworkers to add new customers
Use when: Fieldworkers generate leads on-site or need to add a customer immediately.
Disable when: You want strict CRM hygiene (office-only customer creation).
Related guide: Allow fieldworkers to add new customers
Allow fieldworkers to create new bookings
Flag name: Allow fieldworkers to create new bookings
Use when: Fieldworkers can schedule follow-up visits on-site (repairs, rechecks, add-on services).
Related guide: Allow fieldworkers to create new bookings
Allow fieldworkers to create new quotes
Flag name: Allow fieldworkers to create new quotes
Use when: Fieldworkers assess scope on-site and send estimates quickly to improve close rates.
Related guide: Allow fieldworkers to create new quotes
Allow fieldworkers to email quotes and estimates to customers (and bill payers when applicable)
Flag name: Allow fieldworkers to email quotes and estimates to customers
What it does: Lets fieldworkers send quotes directly from the app, reducing turnaround time and back-and-forth with office staff.
Operational note: If your workflow uses a third-party bill payer, ensure your templates/recipients are configured so the correct party receives the quote when required.
Related guide: Allow fieldworkers to send quotes
Allow fieldworkers to create new invoices
Flag name: Allow fieldworkers to create new invoices
Use when: You want faster billing on completion (especially for on-site payments).
Related guide: Allow fieldworkers to create new invoices
Services & line-item flexibility
Allow fieldworkers to manage their available services
Flag name: Allow fieldworkers to modify their services list
What it does: Lets fieldworkers enable/disable services on their profile based on capability, licensing, tools, or preference.
Related guide: Allow fieldworkers to modify services
Allow fieldworkers to add custom services to quotes, bookings, and invoices
Flag name: Allow fieldworkers to add custom services that are not listed in my services settings
What it does: Lets fieldworkers add one-off line items (custom title/description) that are not in your standard price list.
Best practice:
- Use custom services for genuine exceptions (unique add-ons), not as a replacement for your standard service catalog.
- If pricing must be controlled, pair with approval workflows.
Related guide: Allow fieldworkers to add custom services
Governance, risk controls & audit checklist
- RBAC alignment: Ensure only authorized office roles can change these flags.
- Approval boundaries: If fieldworkers can edit bookings, decide what needs approval (pricing, schedule, scope, address).
- Customer privacy: Contact details + address visibility should match your safety and privacy policy.
- Communication consistency: “On the Way / Arrived / Completed / Rescheduled” notifications should be controlled through templates and automations so customers always get the right message.
- Evidence standards: Make photos mandatory for jobs where disputes are common.
- Financial hygiene: Use pending payment reconciliation and subcontractor invoice upload approvals when fieldworkers handle money or upload invoices.
Recommended next step: Review related system-wide controls: Booking settings, flags & permissions
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