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Dispatcher Notes

Dispatcher notes let you attach written comments to a job. Every note stays inside your office team — notes are not shown to customers anywhere. The public and private distinction controls who on your team can see the note. Use notes for special instructions, follow-up reminders, status updates, and shift handovers.

Types of notes

FSM Navigator® supports two types of notes. Both types stay internal to your team — the difference is who can read them.

Note type Visible to Use for
Public Owners, Dispatchers, and Managers Updates the office team should see — appointment confirmations, work summaries, follow-up recommendations.
Private Only the person who wrote it Personal reminders, pricing details, and customer sensitivities you want to keep to yourself.

Notes are not shared with customers or technicians

Notes — public or private — are never shown to customers. They don't appear in the customer portal or in any customer-facing email. Notes are also not shown to technicians in the mobile app. To pass something to a technician or customer, use the job details or a message instead.

Adding notes from the web dashboard

  1. Open the job details page by clicking on a job.
  2. Scroll to the Activity & Notes section and expand it.
  3. Type your message in the text field.
  4. Choose whether the note is public or private.
  5. Click Add Note.

The note appears immediately in the notes timeline with your name, role, and timestamp.

Only Owners, Dispatchers, and Managers can add and read notes.

Editing, deleting and completing notes

Each note has buttons for the actions you can take on it:

Action What it does
Edit Change the text of a note you wrote. The note shows that it was edited.
Delete Remove a note you wrote. It is hidden from the list but can be brought back.
Restore Bring a deleted note back. Tick Show deleted notes to find it.
Mark Complete Mark a note as handled, such as a follow-up you have done. Tick Show completed notes to see completed notes.

You can edit and delete only your own notes.

Note history

Every note records who wrote it and when:

Detail Description
Author The name and role of the person who added the note.
Timestamp The exact date and time the note was created.
Note type Whether the note is public or private.
Content The full text of the note, with an indicator if it was edited.

Notes are displayed in chronological order, creating a running history for each job. This timeline is useful when several office staff work on the same job across shifts.

Use cases

Special instructions for the office

  • "Customer prefers back door entry — do not ring the front doorbell."
  • "Bring 3/4-inch copper fittings — the existing plumbing is non-standard."
  • "Dog in the backyard — ask the customer to secure the pet before entering."

Follow-up reminders

After completing a job, add a note for future reference:

  • "Compressor is aging — recommend full replacement within 6 months."
  • "Return in 2 weeks to verify the seal is holding."

Shift handovers

When a job spans multiple visits or shifts, notes provide continuity:

  • "Diagnosed the issue as a faulty circuit board. Part ordered — Model XR-200. Awaiting delivery."
  • "Circuit board arrived. Installing today."

Notes stay inside your team

Notes are an internal tool. Customers do not see job notes in the customer portal, and notes are not included in any customer-facing email or update.

  • Public notes are visible to Owners, Dispatchers, and Managers.
  • Private notes are visible only to their author.
  • If you want the customer to see a status update, use a job status change or a customer-facing message — those are the channels that reach the customer portal.

Best practices

Practice Why it matters
Use private notes for personal reminders Keep pricing, feedback, and sensitive details to yourself.
Add notes in real time Details are freshest immediately after a conversation or observation.
Be specific and actionable "Needs follow-up" is vague. "Schedule a return visit by March 15 to check the compressor seal" is useful.
Standardize for your team Agree on a note format — for example, always starting with the topic: "ACCESS: Back door, code 1234#".

Frequently asked questions

Can I convert a private note to public?

Not from the note editor. If a private note should be public, add a new public note with the same information.

Who can add notes to a job?

Owners, Dispatchers, and Managers. The author's name and role are displayed alongside every note.

Can technicians see notes?

No. Notes are an office tool and are not shown in the technician mobile app.

Do notes trigger notifications?

No. Adding a note does not send a notification to anyone.

What's next