ToolbeltDocsHow to use this maintenance work order template
- Enter your company or property management details, the requester and the property and unit.
- Fill in the equipment involved, the type of maintenance, priority and permission to enter.
- Describe the problem reported, set the scheduled date, and pick common repairs from the maintenance item list.
- After the visit, record the work performed, parts and labor, and the completion date.
- Get a sign-off and download the work order as a PDF, Word or Excel file — or convert it to an invoice for the owner.
What should a maintenance work order include?
A maintenance work order should identify the property, unit and equipment involved, describe the problem as reported, set the priority and type of maintenance, and note permission to enter — then log the work done, parts, labor and completion date. Kept together, these records become the maintenance history of every unit and asset.
- Property and unit
- The building, unit or area where the work is needed.
- Requester and contact
- Who reported it — a resident, owner or inspector — and how to reach them.
- Equipment or asset
- The appliance or system involved, ideally with model and serial number.
- Problem reported
- The issue in the requester's words, with when it started.
- Type of maintenance
- Corrective (fixing something broken) or preventive (scheduled work that prevents breakdowns), inspection or turnover.
- Priority
- Emergency, high, normal or low, so urgent issues are handled first.
- Permission to enter
- Whether the tech may enter if no one is home, or must schedule a time.
- Work performed, parts and labor
- What was found and fixed, parts used and time spent.
- Completion and follow-up
- Date completed, sign-off and any follow-up needed.
Maintenance work order example
Example only Here is a filled-in example for an apartment unit where the resident reported a slow kitchen drain and a dripping faucet; the tech also changed the HVAC filter while on site. The prices are made up for illustration only — your labor rates and part costs will differ.
| Description | Qty | Rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maintenance labor – clear kitchen drain, rebuild faucet | 1.5 hr | $65.00 | $97.50 |
| Faucet cartridge | 1 ea | $24.80 | $24.80 |
| Drain cleaning supplies | 1 lot | $8.50 | $8.50 |
| Replace HVAC filter (preventive, while on site) | 1 ea | $12.00 | $12.00 |
| Subtotal | $142.80 | ||
| Sales tax (0%) | $0.00 | ||
| Total | $142.80 | ||
Sales tax is left at 0% in this example because whether repair labor and parts is taxable depends on your state. Check with your state's department of revenue before adding tax.
Tips for a better maintenance work order
- One unit or asset per work orderSeparate work orders per unit make it easy to see the full repair history of each apartment or piece of equipment.
- Record model and serial numbersWhen the same water heater or AC unit keeps failing, the history tells you when it's time to replace it.
- Define your priority levelsDecide what counts as an emergency (no heat, active leak, no water) so every tech prioritizes the same way.
- Log preventive work tooFilter changes and alarm tests belong on work orders as well; they prove the work was done on schedule.
- Write down entry permissionNote whether the resident allowed entry and how they were notified, and follow your lease and local rules on notice.
How we built and tested this
This maintenance work order template was written from scratch for its job and is checked by automated tests every time the site changes. Here is what it is based on and how the math is tested.
- Written for this template. The 9 extra fields, the 2 starter lines and the 22-item list of common items were written for this maintenance work order template, not copied from another website.
- Exact math, tested automatically. All money is calculated in whole cents, so there are no rounding errors, in a fixed order: subtotal, discount, tax on the discounted amount, then total. The site has 72 automated tests, 33 of them for the calculation engine, and they run on every change.
- Honest examples. The example above uses made-up prices, labelled as an example, and its totals are calculated by the same code as the tool.
- No legal or tax rules stated as fact. Where rules depend on your state or country, the page says so and points to the official body to check.
Built and tested by Muhammad Zaid · Last updated
Frequently asked questions
Is this maintenance work order template free?
Yes. Create maintenance work orders and download them as PDF, Word or Excel for free, with no sign-up. Nothing is sent to our servers.
What is a maintenance work order?
A maintenance work order is a written request and record for a repair or maintenance task at a property or facility. It says what needs fixing, where, how urgent it is, who's doing it, and what was done.
What is the difference between preventive and corrective maintenance?
Preventive maintenance is scheduled work that keeps equipment from failing, such as filter changes and inspections. Corrective maintenance fixes something that has already broken or stopped working.
How should I set work order priority?
Use a few clear levels and define them. Emergencies are issues that threaten safety or cause damage, like a major leak or no heat in winter; high, normal and low cover everything else by how soon it affects residents.
Do I need to give notice before entering a rented unit?
Notice rules for entering a rental unit depend on your state or local law and the lease. Check the rules that apply to your property, and record the resident's permission or notice on the work order.
Can I bill the property owner from the work order?
Yes. Click "Convert to invoice" and the labor and parts carry over to an invoice you can send to the owner.
What should a work order record about the asset?
Record what the asset is and where it is, plus the make, model and serial number if you know them, the problem reported, the work done and the parts used. Over time this shows which equipment keeps failing.
Can tenants send maintenance requests through this tool?
Not directly. There are no accounts and nothing is stored on a server, so there is no shared inbox. A tenant can fill in a work order and send you the PDF, but for an online request system you need property management software.
How do I send the maintenance work order to my requester?
Download the PDF and attach it to an email or a text message. On phones that support it, the "Share PDF" button that appears after the download sends the file straight to Messages, WhatsApp or email. Either way the file goes from your device to the app you choose, not through our servers.
Is my information safe? Is anything uploaded?
Nothing you type is uploaded. Your maintenance work order is filled in and turned into a PDF, Word or Excel file in your browser, on your own device, so your customer details, prices and logo never reach our servers or anyone else. Your draft, the documents in "My documents" and, if you tick "Remember my business details", your business details are saved only in this browser, and clearing your browser data removes them. The site's analytics and ads count visits and downloads but never include what you type. On a shared computer, delete your documents from "My documents" when you are done. The privacy policy has the details.
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