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Preventive Maintenance Schedules

Automate recurring maintenance with PM schedules that create tickets automatically and link to approved estimates

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OverviewHow It WorksCreating a PM ScheduleLinking PM Schedules to EstimatesManaging PM SchedulesNotificationsTipsQuestions

Overview

Preventive Maintenance (PM) Schedules automate recurring maintenance work like HVAC tune-ups, filter changes, or seasonal inspections. Set up a schedule once, and BlueClerk creates tickets automatically when they're due - you never forget a customer's maintenance needs. When you approve an estimate with a property, BlueClerk prompts you to set up a recurring PM schedule linked to that estimate, making it easy to convert one-time jobs into ongoing service contracts.

How It Works

Automatic Ticket Creation

Every morning at 10am UTC, BlueClerk checks all active PM schedules:

  • Creates tickets for schedules that are due
  • Adds [PM] prefix to ticket descriptions so you know it's from a schedule
  • Sends notification to admins: "PM Due: HVAC at 628 Arabian Colt"
  • Does NOT notify homeowner - you handle customer communication

When Are Tickets Created?

BlueClerk creates tickets based on your frequency settings:

  • Weekly: Every 7 days from the start date
  • Every 2 weeks: Every 14 days from the start date
  • Monthly: Same day of month (if you start on the 15th, tickets are created on the 15th of each month)
  • Quarterly: Every 3 months from the start date
  • Yearly: Same date each year

The system checks at 10am UTC every day - so if a schedule is due, the ticket is created that morning.

Snoozed Virtual Assistant Reminders

IMPORTANT: Snoozed reminders are preserved - When the PM cadence system creates or updates virtual assistant follow-up reminders for tickets, it now preserves any reminders you've manually snoozed. If you've already pushed back a reminder to a later date, the system won't overwrite your snooze date with the default cadence. This prevents the AI assistant from re-nagging you about tickets you've already triaged and scheduled for follow-up at a specific time.

How snooze preservation works:

  • If you snooze a reminder, your custom date is stored in the reminder record
  • When the cadence runs, it checks for existing reminders with future snooze dates
  • Snoozed reminders are skipped - the cadence doesn't update them
  • Other reminders update normally - only manually snoozed ones are protected

This gives you full control over follow-up timing while still benefiting from automated reminders for tickets you haven't manually adjusted.

Creating a PM Schedule

From Scratch

  1. Click "Finance" in the sidebar
  2. Select "PM Schedules" from the flyout menu
  3. Click "New PM Schedule"
  4. Fill in the schedule details:
    • Customer: Choose the customer who will receive recurring maintenance
    • Property: Select the specific property where work will be performed
    • Frequency: Weekly, Every 2 weeks, Monthly, Quarterly, or Yearly
    • Start date: When the schedule begins (first ticket will be created on this date if it's today or earlier)
    • Description: What work will be performed (e.g., "HVAC Tune-Up", "Filter Change")
  5. Click "Save"

From an Approved Estimate

When you approve an estimate with a property, BlueClerk shows a prompt:

"Set up recurring PM schedule for this estimate?"

  1. Click "Yes, Set Up PM" to open the PM schedule form
  2. The customer and property are pre-filled from the estimate
  3. Choose your frequency (Weekly, Monthly, Quarterly, etc.)
  4. Set the start date - when the first PM ticket should be created
  5. Review the description - pre-filled from the estimate title
  6. Click "Save"

The PM schedule is now linked to the estimate - when tickets are created, they'll reference the original estimate for pricing and scope.

Linking PM Schedules to Estimates

Why Link an Estimate?

When you link a PM schedule to an estimate:

  • Pricing is locked in - Each ticket references the approved estimate for consistent billing
  • Scope is documented - The estimate shows exactly what work should be performed
  • Easy invoicing - Convert the PM ticket to an invoice using the estimate's line items
  • Customer approval on file - The estimate serves as pre-approved pricing for recurring work

How Linking Works

  1. Approve an estimate with a property assigned
  2. BlueClerk prompts you to create a PM schedule
  3. If you accept, the PM schedule is created with linkedEstimateId pointing to the estimate
  4. Every ticket created by this schedule includes a reference to the original estimate

Viewing Linked Estimates

On the PM schedule detail page:

  • Linked estimate appears in the schedule details
  • Click the estimate number to view the original approved estimate
  • All created tickets will show the linked estimate reference

Managing PM Schedules

Viewing Your Schedules

  1. Go to Finance > PM Schedules
  2. See all active and inactive schedules
  3. Filter by customer or property using the search box
  4. Click any schedule to view details or edit

Editing a Schedule

  1. Open the schedule you want to change
  2. Click "Edit"
  3. Update frequency, description, or property
  4. Click "Save"

Changes apply to future tickets only - existing tickets are not modified.

Pausing a Schedule

If a customer cancels their service agreement temporarily:

  1. Open the schedule
  2. Toggle "Active" to OFF
  3. No more tickets will be created until you reactivate it

Deleting a Schedule

  1. Open the schedule
  2. Click "Delete"
  3. Confirm deletion
  4. Past tickets remain - only the schedule is removed

Notifications

Who Gets Notified?

When a PM ticket is created:

  • Admins receive notifications - "PM Due: HVAC at 628 Arabian Colt"
  • Homeowners do NOT receive notifications automatically
  • You control customer communication - send reminders manually or via email campaigns

Customer Communication

Best practices for PM customer communication:

  • Send reminder emails 1-2 weeks before the PM is due
  • Use email campaigns to batch notify all PM customers monthly
  • Call customers to schedule the visit before creating a ticket
  • Let them know the PM schedule is in place and when to expect service

Tips

  • Set start dates carefully - If you set the start date to today and frequency to Monthly, the first ticket is created today
  • Use descriptive names - "HVAC Tune-Up - Spring" is better than just "HVAC"
  • Link to estimates when possible - Pre-approved pricing makes billing easier
  • Review schedules quarterly - Make sure frequency and pricing are still accurate
  • Pause schedules for inactive customers - Don't delete them in case the customer returns

Questions

Q: What happens if I miss a scheduled date? A: The next time the cron runs (10am UTC), it creates the ticket. BlueClerk doesn't create "overdue" tickets retroactively - it just creates the next one due.

Q: Can I create a PM schedule without a linked estimate? A: Yes - you can create PM schedules manually without linking to an estimate. The estimate link is optional and just helps with pricing consistency.

Q: Do PM tickets auto-convert to invoices? A: No - PM tickets are just tickets. You still need to convert them to invoices manually or via your normal billing workflow.

Q: Can I edit a PM schedule after tickets have been created? A: Yes - editing a schedule only affects future tickets. Past tickets are not changed.

Q: How do I know which tickets came from a PM schedule? A: PM tickets have a [PM] prefix in their description and include a reference to the PM schedule in the ticket details.

Q: What if I snooze a virtual assistant reminder for a PM ticket? A: Snoozed reminders

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