Alternatives to field service software, and when are they enough?
The most common alternatives to field service management software are spreadsheets and paper, general project management software, ERP alone, or a patchwork of separate tools. All of these can be sufficient for a smaller company with few field tasks, but they typically become inadequate as the number of concurrent tasks and field employees grows.
The most common alternatives to field service software
Spreadsheets and paper
Many companies start out managing tasks in spreadsheets, calendars, and on paper. It requires no investment and is quick to get going with, but the entire responsibility for keeping data up to date and in one place falls on the individual employee, and nothing is automatically connected to invoicing or time tracking.
General project management software
General project management tools can give an overview of tasks and deadlines, but are generally built for tasks that are planned and followed up on from a desk. They typically lack built-in route planning, an offline mobile solution for documentation in the field, and a direct link between completed work and the invoice.
ERP alone
An existing ERP system often covers accounting and finance well, but is rarely built to plan and document tasks carried out at the customer's location. Whether ERP is enough, or not, mainly depends on how much of the operation actually happens in the field.
Separate tools patched together
Some companies solve this by combining several separate tools, for example a calendar app for planning, a spreadsheet for time tracking, and a separate system for invoicing. This can work for a while, but it also means data about the same task is scattered across several places, and none of the tools talk to each other automatically.
When are these alternatives enough?
For a smaller company with few employees and a manageable number of tasks per week, spreadsheets, paper, or a set of separate tools can work just fine. There's nothing wrong with starting simple.
Signs the alternatives are starting to cost more than they save
- More and more time goes into gathering information from several places before a task can be invoiced
- Field employees lack an up-to-date overview of the day's tasks
- Errors and missed entries happen because data has to be typed in manually in several places
- It's difficult to document completed work for customers or authorities when it's requested
Frequently asked questions about alternatives to field service software
Are spreadsheets and Excel enough to manage tasks in the field?
Yes, for a very small company with few concurrent tasks it can be sufficient. As the number of tasks and field employees grows, however, keeping the spreadsheet up to date and accurate quickly becomes time-consuming.
Why isn't general project management software always enough for field work?
Because it typically lacks features specific to field work, such as offline access from a phone, route planning, and a direct link between completed work and the invoice.
What's the difference between these alternatives and a dedicated field service system?
A dedicated system brings planning, execution, documentation, and invoicing together in one platform, instead of having data scattered across several separate tools or manual processes.
When should we switch from manual tools to dedicated software?
Typically when it takes more time to keep track of tasks manually than it would to use a unified system. Contact Microbizz for an assessment of your situation.
