Jobs don't always go as planned. Change orders let you adjust the price after a job is approved and in progress.
When to use change orders
Common reasons to add charges:
- Additional work discovered on-site
- Extra chemicals or materials needed
- Equipment repairs while you're there
- Customer requests add-on services
Common reasons to give credits:
- Discount for a returning customer
- Service took less time than expected
- Goodwill adjustment for an issue
- Partial refund for scope reduction
Creating a change order
- Open the job (must be in "In Progress" status)
- Click "Add Change Order"
- Enter the amount (positive to charge more, negative to credit)
- Add a description explaining the adjustment
- Optionally attach a photo
- Submit the change order
Approval process
Not all change orders need customer approval. Here's how it works:
Auto-approved changes
These go through immediately:
- Credits — Any negative amount (you're giving money back)
- Small charges — Below your auto-approve threshold
Customer approval required
For larger charges:
1. Customer receives an email explaining the change
2. They click to approve or decline
3. Job stays in "Awaiting Change Order Approval" until resolved
4. Once approved, the adjusted amount will be captured at completion
Setting your threshold
Go to Settings → Checkout to set your auto-approve limit.
Example: With a $50 threshold:
- $30 upcharge → Auto-approved
- $75 upcharge → Requires customer approval
- -$25 credit → Auto-approved (always)
Setting a reasonable threshold keeps small adjustments flowing while protecting customers from surprise charges.
Photo documentation
You can attach photos to change orders to show customers why the adjustment is needed.
Good uses for photos:
- Equipment damage requiring repair
- Green pool needing extra chemicals
- Additional debris or cleanup scope
- Before/after of unexpected work
Photos aren't required but help customers understand and approve changes faster.
Multiple change orders
You can add multiple change orders to a single job. Each one follows the same approval rules.
The final charge at completion includes:
- Original service price
- All approved change orders (positive and negative)
- Processing fee (if enabled)
What customers see
When a change order needs approval, customers receive an email with:
- The adjustment amount and description
- Photo (if attached)
- Original job details for reference
- Approve and decline buttons
After approving, they see the updated total in their customer portal.
Completing jobs with change orders
When you click "Complete & Charge":
- PoolFlow calculates the final amount (original + all change orders)
- The customer's card is charged the adjusted total
- Both you and the customer get confirmation emails showing the breakdown
Tips
Communicate proactively
If you know you'll need a change order, text or call the customer before submitting. Getting verbal approval first makes the formal process smoother.
Be specific
Write clear descriptions. "Additional chemicals for green pool treatment" is better than "Extra charge."
Use credits generously
A small credit for inconvenience builds loyalty. It costs you little but means a lot to customers.
Check pending approvals
Change orders waiting on customers block job completion. Follow up if approvals are taking too long.