We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.

Advertiser Disclosure

Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.

How We Make Money

We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently from our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.

What Should I Include on a Work Order?

By Amanda R. Bell
Updated May 17, 2024
Our promise to you
WiseGeek is dedicated to creating trustworthy, high-quality content that always prioritizes transparency, integrity, and inclusivity above all else. Our ensure that our content creation and review process includes rigorous fact-checking, evidence-based, and continual updates to ensure accuracy and reliability.

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

Editorial Standards

At WiseGeek, we are committed to creating content that you can trust. Our editorial process is designed to ensure that every piece of content we publish is accurate, reliable, and informative.

Our team of experienced writers and editors follows a strict set of guidelines to ensure the highest quality content. We conduct thorough research, fact-check all information, and rely on credible sources to back up our claims. Our content is reviewed by subject matter experts to ensure accuracy and clarity.

We believe in transparency and maintain editorial independence from our advertisers. Our team does not receive direct compensation from advertisers, allowing us to create unbiased content that prioritizes your interests.

The information you should include on a work order, a document used to request work from another person or department inside a company, will typically vary depending on the type of work that you are requesting. In most cases, your contact information, the contact information of the person or department to which you are sending the work order, and an internal or external tracking number are necessary. You will also need to include a detailed description of the work requested, including the urgency of the matter, where the work is necessary, and what needs to be done. In some cases, you may need to provide information on the cost of the work, specifically to what account the work should be charged.

Before submitting a work order, you will have to provide information on where you can be contacted for details on the work and estimated completion times. This will typically include your name, phone number, email address, and the physical location of your office. You will also need to include the name of the department to which you are sending the work order and, in some cases, the name of the person to which the work order is directed.

Tracking numbers are used on each work request for filing purposes and for following the progress of the job. In computerized work order systems, this tracking number is often automatically generated, typically by the date and the number assigned to the department requesting the work. In some cases, you may need to input this information yourself based on company policy. If your department or office uses internal tracking numbers, you will typically have to include this in the work order as well for tracking and filing purposes.

The main part of a work order is a description of the type of work that is being requested. This may be a short paragraph, primarily when the work is an office project or concerns technology. For work that includes manual labor, typically fixing or upgrading an office or building, you may have to include a rough drawing indicating the location of the issue. This information is usually attached to the order rather than inside the actual document.

A suggested date of completion is often also included in this type of document, including information on the urgency of the matter. Depending on your company’s policies, the date you include here will either be a suggestion to the person to whom you are submitting the order, or a firm deadline. You will also need to include detailed information on the location of the work to be completed, as applicable, including the address of the building, floor, and room number. If the work is to be performed on a system or computer, you will need to include information on which system or computer needs work and where the item is located.

You may also need to include an account number in which the department you are sending the order to can charge the cost of the job. Whether or not this is necessary will depend on how your company handles accounting procedures. The job will likely be charged to your department or, if the work is for a project, to the account with the money for the project.

WiseGeek is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.

Discussion Comments

WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.