Your first job walkthrough

This article walks you through a real job — from creating a client to collecting payment — in about 15 minutes. By the end you’ll have touched every major part of Service Buddy.

We’ll use a stair runner install for a residential client as the example, but the same steps work for any flooring job — carpet, hardwood, LVP, laminate, tile, vinyl, or a mix.

You’ll work through five stages:

1. Add a client (Smith — Stair Runner Install)
2. Create and schedule a job
3. Update the job during the work
4. Close the job
5. Invoice and get paid

Stage 1: Add a client

Every piece of work in Service Buddy is attached to a client, so start there.

1. In the left sidebar, click Clients.
2. Click + Create in the top-right.
3. Fill in the basics — First Name, Last Name (e.g. Robert Smith), Email, Phone, Company Name (if applicable), and the install Address.
4. Click Create.

Tip

Capture the things that catch installers off guard on site — narrow doorways, walk-ups, furniture to move, pets, gate codes, stair count, subfloor condition, parking restrictions, or HOA delivery windows. Add them under Tags on the client or in the job’s notes once you create one. Your crew will thank you.

Stage 2: Create and schedule a job

A job is the unit of work you’ll schedule and bill for. Dates and crew assignment happen right on the job form.

1. Click Jobs in the left sidebar.

2. Click + Create in the top-right.

3. Pick the Client you just added (Robert Smith) from the Job For chooser, then select their install Property.

4. Enter a Project name — for our example, Smith — Stair Runner Install. Keep it short and descriptive.

5. In Assigned To, pick the installers or measurers doing the work. You can assign more than one person — useful for a two-person install crew or for putting a measurer and installer on the same job.

6. In the Calendar section on the right:

   • Set Start Date, End Date, Start Time, and End Time.
   • Tick All Day if the job runs the whole day, or Schedule Later if you don’t know the timing yet (you can add dates by editing the job later).
   • Pick a Calendar Color to make the job easy to spot on the team calendar.

7. Add Line Items — the material and labor you’ll bill for. Toggle each row to Product or Service:

   • Product — items from your Inventory (carpet, padding, LVP, hardwood, transition strips). Stock is tracked.
   • Service — labor offerings from your Services list (install per sq ft, stair labor, binding, measure fee). No stock.

   Each row has a Name, Qty, Unit Cost, Unit Price, Discount ($ or %), and an auto-calculated Total. Click + Add Line Item for more rows. Examples for the Smith job:

   • Wool stair runner — Product
   • Bruce Oak 3/4" Saddle — Product
   • Padding — Product
   • Stair labor — Service

8. Click Save at the bottom.

Note

If you sent a quote first (typical after a measure), open the approved quote and click More Actions → Convert To Job in the top-right. The line items and client info carry over automatically.

Stage 3: Update the job during the work

Once the installer is on site, you (or they) can update the job with notes and photos. Service Buddy gives you two ways to attach photos — pick the one that fits the moment.

1. Open the job from the Jobs list (click the pencil icon in the Actions column).
2. To document what happened in writing, scroll to Internal Notes and click + Add. The Add Note dialog has a rich text editor for context plus a file upload area (Drag and drop photos, PDFs, or documents here) — use this when the photo needs explanation (e.g. subfloor moisture reading 18% — too high to install today).
3. For quick photos with no commentary, use the Add Or Drag Image widget on the job or line item. Drop in site, before, and completion photos directly.
4. If the scope changed — extra runner length, an added landing, swapped padding, more LVP cartons, an added transition strip — edit or add Line Items and click Save at the bottom.

Tip

Encourage installers to take at least one “before” and one “after” photo on every job — old flooring condition before tear-out, subfloor issues, moisture meter readings (for hardwood and LVP), pet damage, and the finished install. These protect you if there’s a dispute later about damage, trim, or finished appearance.

Stage 4: Close the job

When the install is complete, mark the job as done.

1. Open the job from the Jobs list.
2. Click More Actions in the top-right → Close Job.

The status badge at the top of the job moves from Open to Closed. You can also skip this step — the job closes automatically when its linked invoice is marked Paid.

Stage 5: Invoice and get paid

The completed Smith stair runner install is ready to bill.

1. Open the job from the Jobs list.
2. Click Convert To Invoice at the bottom of the job page (or More Actions → Convert To Invoice in the top-right — both work).
3. Review the line items, taxes, and total. Edit if needed.
4. Click Notify Client at the bottom and choose how to deliver the invoice — email or text. Both send a payment link the client can use to pay online.
5. Click Save.

When the client opens the invoice, they can pay with a card or ACH if you’ve set up BuddyPay. The payment records automatically and the invoice moves to Paid.

If the client pays you offline

1. Open the invoice from the Invoices list.
2. Click the three-dot menu in the Actions column on the invoice row → Record Offline Payment.
3. In the Add Payment Detail dialog, select a Payment Method — Card, Cash, Check, Money order, Bank transfer, or Other.
4. Enter the Transaction date.
5. Click Add.

The invoice status updates to Paid (or Partially Paid if it’s a partial payment).

Note

“Bank transfer” covers ACH and wire transfers — Service Buddy stores both under the same payment method.

What just happened

You’ve touched the five things Service Buddy was built to connect:

• Clients — a record you can search, reuse, and link to history.
• Jobs — scoped work (measures, installs, binding, deliveries), scheduled and tracked.
• Notes & photos — a job diary that protects you in disputes.
• Invoices — generated from the job, not retyped.
• Payments — recorded in one place, feeding your reports.

From here, explore quotes, scope of work templates, and team commission plans.

FAQ

Do I need a quote before creating a job?

No. You can create a job directly from the Jobs page — useful for repeat clients, small repairs, or work the client has already verbally approved. For new work that needs pricing approval, start with a quote and use Convert To Job once the client signs off.

What if the client pays in cash or by check?

See the If the client pays you offline section above.

What’s the difference between a measure and an install in Service Buddy?

Both are jobs — Service Buddy doesn’t have a separate measure type. The convention is to put Measure or Install in the Project name (e.g. Smith — Living Room Hardwood Measure, then later Smith — Living Room Hardwood Install) and assign the right team member. Some retailers also use Tags (Measure, Install) to filter the Jobs list.

Can the install crew add notes and photos from a phone?

Yes — Service Buddy runs in any browser, including mobile. Installers with the right access level can open a job, add internal notes, and upload photos directly from a phone or tablet on site.

What happens to the job after I send the invoice?

Once the invoice is marked Paid, the linked job auto-closes. If you want to close a job before payment (the work is done but you’re waiting on a check), use More Actions → Close Job on the job itself.

Can I delete a job I created by mistake?

Yes, from the Jobs list. Deleting a job doesn’t delete linked invoices — handle those separately if you want them removed. Heads up: deleting a job that’s already been invoiced and paid leaves the invoice and payment in place but disconnects them from the job, which can muddy your reports.