This project will imitate dispatching software that I've used in the past when I used to work for HVAC companies. This will be an ongoing effort so please check the Process section for future updates.
- No features at this time, still in planning stage.
- Basic functionality will be to just have a site that connects to Firebase and allows you to create, read, update, and delete the following: customers, work orders, addresses, technicians.
- Include the ability to assign jobs to each technician and to rearrange/reassign as needed.
- Be able to search by customer name and/or address.
Features that would make this an awesome dispatching software. In no particular order.
- Implementing separate logins for dispatcher, technicians, supervisor/admin, and customer.
- Integrate google maps api to provide distance from one job to the next on the technicians schedule.
- Allow customers to login and create new work orders for there business/house/or additional properties they own.
- Start/Stop function for the work orders.
- Alert system that will check in with the tech 15 minutes prior to the estimated completed time has passed to make sure they are running on schedule.
- Inventory system for technicians vans (which would update if they specified they used a part on a job)
- Alerts sent to dispatcher/technician if critical inventory is getting low or has run out.
- Suggested schedule for technicians (based on distance from home/previous job, technicians seniority, technicians skills, and skills needed for the job)
- Parts under warranty listed on the unit page.
- Work orders still under warranty have an extra notification.
- Easier quote generator for needed/recommended repairs.
- Automatic alert to dispatch if customer approves quote and wants the tech to do it same day or to schedule for a future date.
- Automatic work order created when new quote is submitted and alert is sent to the office if approved.
- If customer signs up for a maintenance plan then the maintenance work order will automatically generate and send an email reminder to the customer to call and get it scheduled at the specified interval when the agreement was made and have an alert in the office that the maintenance is due.
- If a recall or alert goes out for a unit be able to effectively search for those units and flag them.
- Implement VoIP calling features, so techs or office workers can click on a number to dial it.
- Centralized area to check what parts are pending for work orders, that way its easy to see if something is due today and if doesn't arrive its easy to catch.
- Additional features as I think of them.
- Download repository from https://github.com/PhilipEskins/dispatcher/
- Type npm install in the dispatch directory in the terminal
- Make a file in src/constants called firebaseConfig.js to hold your database connection information.
- Type npm run start and the website will open up in a new browser window
- If you'd like to alter or see the code for the project, after downloading open the folder up in your favorite code editor.
- Would like to have easy access to information related to the HVAC systems I own or I'm in charge of.
- Be able to edit incorrect/update information that relates to my account.
- Have the ability to submit work requests if my system stops working.
- Get automatic notices of maintenances I've signed up for.
- See past work that has been performed on my system(s).
- See any warranties that I have on my systems(s).
| Scenario | Response |
|---|---|
| Goal: | Have a one stop location for taking care of my HVAC system. |
| Pain points: | HVAC system is down and its either too hot or too cold. |
| Circumstance: | Need information about my HVAC system or to submit a work request. |
| Tech ability: | Basic web browsing knowledge. |
| Devices: | Mobile/Tablet or Laptop/Desktop. |
- Be able to see which work orders I have for the day.
- When I click on a work order I should be able to see customer information, unit information, past work performed and any access notes.
- See what kind of parts/tools I might need for the day.
- Easier way to make quotes for customers that provide multiple options.
- Be able to let the office know my status quickly.
| Scenario | Response |
|---|---|
| Goal: | Get through the day as efficiently as possible. Easy to use system with nothing to complicated so I can focus on the HVAC work that needs to be done. |
| Pain points: | Calculating invoice totals if extra parts/services were provided. Letting the office know I'm behind while I'm in the middle of a job. |
| Circumstance: | System to log onto to track technicians time and whereabouts. |
| Tech ability: | Basic web browsing knowledge. |
| Devices: | Mobile/Tablet or Laptop |
- Be able to rearrange work orders quickly.
- Keep track of how the technicians are doing during the day.
- Create new customers, addresses, and work orders.
- Edit or delete customers, addresses, work orders as needed.
- Have easy access to customer information and past history of work performed.
- See a list of needed parts that each technician will need for the day with an indication of if it is on the technicians van or not.
| Scenario | Response |
|---|---|
| Goal: | Keep tabs on the technicians so I can rearrange the work orders if needed to take care of all the customers for the day. Be able to quickly find information |
| Pain points: | Upset customer on the phone and not able to see needed information quickly. Technicians not calling in to report they are running behind. |
| Circumstance: | System to keep track of work orders and technicians. |
| Tech ability: | Basic web browsing knowledge. |
| Devices: | Desktop |
- Add and remove employees and/or access rights.
- Keep track of inventory that is on the technician van's and at the office.
- See a record of the day's activity.
- Need access to everything the technicians and dispatchers see.
| Scenario | Response |
|---|---|
| Goal: | Keep track of all employees to make sure everyone is doing what needs to be done. |
| Pain points: | Seeing if a job is profitable or not. |
| Circumstance: | System to keep track of inventory and employees. |
| Tech ability: | Basic web browsing knowledge. |
| Devices: | Desktop |
Work order
- ID Number
– Customer
– Address
– Issue
– Additional Info
– Notes
– Problem Type
– Bill to
– Estimated time
– Time Slot
- Date
- Assigned Technician
Customer
– Name
– Phone
– Email
– Maintenance (T/F)
– Address
– Work orders
- Preferred technician
Employees
– Name
– Address
– Type
– Wage/Rate
– Skills (if technician)
– Hire Date
Unit
– Type
– Brand
– Model
– Serial
– Install date
– Warranty info
– Location
Address
– Home owner/Business Name
- Main Contact
– Address
– Access Notes
– Units
– Phone
I was able to get the data to display when you click on an employee and it takes you to a new page that shows the employee details. I started working on an edit button, but I originally was going down the wrong path so it took awhile to realize that. Eventually I got the needed data to show up as a value in a input field that can be edited.
Made some good progress today. I decided to tryout using hooks in my React project and it worked out great. Got it to the point where it console logs the individual employee when you click on a name in the list.
Final week at Epicodus. Today I spent time trying to get the forms to function the way I wanted and it didn't go well. Decided to drop the path I was going down and start a new branch. Made more progress going that route. Implemented a Firebase connection and got framework set up to display the info from the database.
Put in a couple more hours on this project.
- 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm - Implemented the redux into the app.
- 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm - Hooked up the BasicInfo component to store the inputted text into redux.
- 4:00 pm to 4:30 pm - Tried to get it so once you hit submit on the BasicInfo component it'll take you to another component, but wasn't able to get it working correctly. Will think on it more and may get help on Monday.
Went to a Mentorship Saturday meetup and was able to work some more on my code.
- 11:00am to 12:00pm - Made new folders for my components to help organize them better in the future. Also decided on a starting point with employee's and started working on that component.
- 12:00pm to 1:00pm - Created form for adding a new employee, it's not hooked up to anything yet, Tried making a 'basic info' component that I can reuse with the add new customer form, still trying to figure out how to make that work though.
Wasn't feeling very good today. Only did about a half day of work. I started making the layout of the app and getting needed packages set up. Will continue working on it over the weekend.
Made some minor fixes to the README.
Realized that my project will probably need a good search component. Added this to the MVP. Also read an article on how to add Keyboard Shortcuts to your web app, might be useful for creating new customers, work orders, or starting a search with just a few key presses.
Spent some time doing research on Moment.js and css modules. Started thinking about some layout options. Also thought that work orders will need an assigned technician variable and possibly adding a preferred technician variable to the customer data. I'm considering using npx create-react-app for this project, did some research into that.
Since this is mostly a planning day the format for this entry will be a little different. I need to account for the time spent hour by hour so my instructors will know what I've been working on.
- 8:00am to 9:00am - Read Think in React and started making this README
- 9:00am to 10:00am - Collaborated with a former coworker (who is still doing dispatching at my old company) on some future features that would make this project really awesome if I'm able to figure out how to implement them.
- 10:00am to 11:00am - Small mental break after thinking up future features. Started working on User Stories.
- 11:00am to 12:00pm - Continue working on User Stories.
- 1200pm to 1:00pm - Lunch.
- 1:00pm to 2:00pm - Finish user stories and start planning data structure.
- 2:00pm to 3:00pm - Finish planning data structure, might change after I think about it some more.
- 3:00pm to 4:00pm - Thought up a new future feature and adjusted Work Order data. Started contemplating layout. Brain is getting tired from thinking about this project so much. Will need to take a mental health break. Will put in more time either later today or over the weekend.
No known bugs at this time
If you have problems or would like to comment about something feel free to contact me at philipeskins@gmail.com
MIT
Copyright (c) 2019 Philip Eskins