> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://learn.withessential.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://learn.withessential.com/customers-and-work/jobs/what-is-a-job-and-how-does-the-jobs-list-work.md). # What is a job, and how does the Jobs list work? A job is the container for a unit of work at a property. It groups together everything related to that work: one or more visits, the contacts, files, inspection reports, and any linked quotes or invoices. A visit is a single scheduled trip to the site that a technician performs; a job can have several visits over time, while the visit is the thing that actually appears on the schedule. Open the Jobs list from Scheduling > Jobs in the sidebar. ## Create a job without scheduling a visit 1. Select **Create Job** at the top of the Jobs list. 2. Choose the property where the work belongs. The picker includes active properties for active customers. 3. Select **Create**. Essential assigns the next job number for your business and opens the new job. The job's status shows **No visits** because none have been scheduled yet. You can add a visit later from the job page when the work is ready to schedule. Each row shows the job number, customer, property, status, techs needed, latest visit duration, visit types, latest technician instructions, open task count, a visits summary (such as 2/3 done), the next visit date, whether an invoice is linked, and the created date. Scroll horizontally to see all columns. You can search by job number, customer, or address, and click any column header to sort. Depending on your business configuration, job numbers can use a J prefix, such as `J5555`, or the job's two-digit creation year, such as `26-5555`. Both styles, with or without a leading `#`, remain valid when searching. Use the tabs to focus the list: * **All** shows every job. * **Backlog** shows jobs with at least one unfinished visit that has no scheduled start time and is not assigned to a visit batch. * **Scheduled** shows jobs with at least one unfinished visit that has a scheduled start time or is assigned to a visit batch window. * **Done** shows jobs whose non-cancelled visits are all done. Check Open Tasks for any office follow-up still needed. * **Open visits** shows jobs with any unfinished visit, whether scheduled or in the backlog. * **Open tasks** shows jobs with at least one job task not yet done. * **Deleted** shows deleted jobs with who deleted them and when. Open one to view it read-only, or select **Restore**. Deleted jobs appear in no other tab. A job with both backlog and scheduled visits appears in both filters. Jobs with no visits, or only cancelled visits, do not appear under Done. The selected filter and sort stay in the page URL, so opening a job and going back restores your view. ## Filter the Jobs list Select **Filter** next to the search box to narrow the list. Filters work together with the tabs and the search. * **Visit type**: jobs with a non-cancelled visit of that type. Types are shown with their category, such as **Fire Alarm: Inspection**. * **Technician**: jobs with a non-cancelled visit assigned to that technician. Lists everyone who has been assigned to a job visit, including former employees. * **Created**: jobs created between the dates you pick, or on or after / on or before one day. * **Next visit**: jobs whose next unfinished scheduled visit falls between the dates you pick, or on or after / on or before one day. Jobs with only backlog visits have no next visit date. Date filters use one calendar with **is between**, **is on or after**, and **is on or before**. See [Pick a date range](/administration/basics/pick-a-date-range.md). * **Linked invoice**: **Linked** or **Not linked**. * **Parts**: **Waiting on parts** shows jobs with a linked purchase order that still owes parts. * **Task folder**: shows jobs with a task still open (not in a Done status) in the folders you pick. A task counts toward a job when it sits on one of the job's visits, was created for the job, or is a deficiency task from a report on one of its visits. The list offers the Jobs folders, Deficiencies, and every folder your business has added, labeled with its category, such as **Quotes → Waiting on PO**. Only tasks you can open in Tasks count, so folders in categories you can't see (for example Quotes, without permission to view quotes) aren't offered. * **Custom fields**: each job, property, and customer custom field your business uses, labeled **Job**, **Property**, or **Customer**. Pick one or more values; the list offers the values in use, and has a search box for long lists. A field with more than 1,000 different values lists only 1,000 of them and says so under its name. Text longer than 200 characters isn't offered as a filter value. Within one filter, a job can match any of the values you pick. Across filters, a job must match all of them. For example, **Building type: Hotel** with **Account tier: Gold** shows jobs at hotels whose customer is a Gold account. Each active filter shows as a pill under the search box. Select **×** on a pill to remove it. Filters are saved in the page URL, so reloading the page or opening a job and going back keeps them. The **Deleted** tab doesn't use these filters and hides the **Filter** button; your filters come back when you switch to another tab. The Status column rolls up the job at a glance: Backlog means there is unscheduled work to do; Scheduled means there is scheduled work to do and no backlog visits; Action needed means no visits remain to do but open job tasks remain; No visits means there are no non-cancelled visits or open job tasks; and Complete means all visits are done with no open tasks. ## Plan work from the visit columns **Techs needed**, **Latest visit duration**, and **Latest technician instructions** come from the most recently created non-cancelled visit. This includes a newly added backlog follow-up, even if an older visit has a later scheduled date. Techs needed is the requested staffing count; duration is the estimated time in minutes. Select **Show all visits** in the instructions column to read the full latest instructions and earlier visit instructions without leaving the list. For a job with one visit, **Show all** appears only when the instructions are truncated. Widening the column hides the link once the full text fits. The history shows scheduled dates, or the date added for unscheduled visits. **Visit types** lists the distinct types across the job's non-cancelled visits, in alphabetical order. All data columns sort across the entire result set, including when the list spans multiple pages. Drag the teal divider between column headings to resize columns, including the instructions column. Double-click to fit the loaded content up to a reasonable maximum. Your widths stay saved for your account in this browser after logging out and back in. See [Adjust table columns](/administration/basics/first-login-navigation-and-support.md#adjust-table-columns) for keyboard controls. Cancelled visits are not counted toward these statuses. > **Where to find it:** Scheduling > Jobs in the left sidebar (the Jobs list), then click any row to open that job ## Related guides * [The job detail page: what it shows](/customers-and-work/jobs/the-job-detail-page-what-it-shows.md) * [Clock in and clock out records on a job](/customers-and-work/jobs/clock-in-and-clock-out-records-on-a-job.md) * [Job inventory: reserved vs used parts, transfers, and shortages](/customers-and-work/jobs/job-inventory-reserved-vs-used-parts-transfers-and-shortages.md) * [Link quotes and invoices to a job](/customers-and-work/jobs/link-quotes-and-invoices-to-a-job.md) * [Recurring service completions on a job](/customers-and-work/jobs/recurring-service-completions-on-a-job.md) --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the following URL with the `ask` and `goal` query parameters: ``` GET https://learn.withessential.com/customers-and-work/jobs/what-is-a-job-and-how-does-the-jobs-list-work.md?ask=&goal= ``` `ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. `goal` is what the user is ultimately trying to achieve, the reason they need the answer. Sharing it helps GitBook give you a better, more relevant answer. A goal is most helpful when it describes the outcome the user wants rather than restating the question. For example, with `ask=how do I create an API token`, a goal like `automate deployments from our CI pipeline` lets GitBook tailor the answer to that use case. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.