A work order template is a form that tells a technician what to fix, where, on which asset, and by when. It then records the tasks, parts, time, and sign-off. Copy the plain-text version below or download it.
The template comes from the team behind SherpaDesk, a helpdesk and professional services automation (PSA) tool a small IT team can run alone.
What Goes On A Work Order
A work order carries one job from request to sign-off. The template fixes the lines every order uses, so nobody forgets the room or the asset tag. It picks up where an intake form, such as our IT ticket template, stops.
Why A Written Work Order Saves A Trip
A missing line can cost a second visit: the technician arrives without the room number, the ladder, or the part. Here, the request half sends the right person with the right part. The record half feeds the invoice, the asset's repair history, and any follow-up order.
Copy The Work Order Template
Copy the block or download the same text. Paste it into a ticket or an email, or print it; the blank lines are writing space.
WORK ORDER
Work order no.:
Date requested (MM/DD/YYYY):
REQUEST (the office fills this in before the job)
Requested by (name, phone or extension):
Site, building, and room:
Asset tag or equipment name (or "none"):
Job to do, as one action:
Priority (urgent today / this week / scheduled):
Scheduled date (MM/DD/YYYY):
Time window:
Assigned to:
Access and safety notes (keys, site contact):
TASKS (office lists one action per line; technician ticks)
If equipment needs lockout, task 1 = the site's procedure.
[ ] 1.
[ ] 2.
[ ] 3.
[ ] 4.
[ ] 5.
PARTS AND MATERIALS USED (used, not packed)
Qty | Item or part number | Cost (optional)
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
TIME
Arrived: Left: Total hours:
NOTES (what you found)
SIGN-OFF
Completed by (technician):
Signature:
Date (MM/DD/YYYY):
Accepted by (requester or site contact):
Signature:
Date (MM/DD/YYYY):
Assigned work complete? (yes / no):
New work found? (new WO no., or "none"):
How To Fill It In, Field By Field
Each line answers a question the technician would otherwise call back about. The office fills in the request and tasks; the technician records the rest.
| Field | Why it's there |
|---|---|
| Work order no., date requested | Ties paper to the ticket; shows the wait |
| Requested by; site and room | Who to call, and which door |
| Asset tag or equipment | Opens the repair history first |
| Job to do | One action the technician can finish |
| Priority | A fixed choice the scheduler can sort by |
| Scheduled date; assigned to | When the room is free, and one owner |
| Access and safety notes | Keys, site contact, ladder |
| Tasks | One planned action per line, ticked when done |
| Parts and materials used | Feeds the invoice and the cost history |
| Time | Makes total hours checkable |
| Notes; sign-off | Findings, who did and accepted the work, any new order |
To print it on one Letter or A4 page from a text editor, use a 10-point monospace font and 0.6-inch margins.
If the job needs equipment isolated, list the site's lockout procedure as the first task. OSHA's lockout/tagout standard covers servicing and maintenance of machines and equipment where unexpected startup, or a release of stored energy, could injure employees. Before ordering a part, check the warranty; our warranty tracking guide shows how.
How A Work Order Moves From Request To Sign-Off
-
The office prepares the order
Copy who, where, and what from the ticket; set priority, date, and owner; list the tasks. Confirm the visit with the site contact.
-
The technician checks on arrival
Compare the order with the room. If the job is bigger, call the office first.
-
The technician records the work
Tick each task, list parts used, and write arrival and departure times.
-
Review, sign off, and file
The requester or site contact signs the completed order. That signature confirms the assigned work was done; it doesn't approve charges. Unfinished assigned work keeps the order open; newly found work gets its own.
Recurring jobs can start as scheduled orders; see our helpdesk automation guide.
Example: A Classroom Projector Repair
Say the projector in Room 114 shuts off mid-lesson and its lamp is past its rated hours. Here is the finished order.
WORK ORDER
Work order no.: 2417
Date requested (MM/DD/YYYY): 11/16/2026
REQUEST
Requested by: J. Rivera (teacher), ext. 2214
Site, building, and room: Maple Street Elementary, Room 114
Asset tag or equipment name: PRJ-0193, projector
Job to do: Replace the lamp in projector PRJ-0193
Priority: this week
Scheduled date (MM/DD/YYYY): 11/17/2026
Time window: 3:15-4:30 pm
Assigned to: D. Okafor
Access and safety notes: custodian opens the room; ladder
TASKS
[x] 1. Unplug the projector
[x] 2. Let the lamp cool (see the manual)
[x] 3. Replace the lamp
[x] 4. Reset the lamp timer
[x] 5. Run a 15-minute test
PARTS AND MATERIALS USED
1 | Lamp kit LK-114 | $89.00
TIME
Arrived: 3:20 pm Left: 4:05 pm Total hours: 0.75
NOTES
No shutoff in test. Filter cover cracked.
SIGN-OFF
Completed by: D. Okafor
Signature: [signed]
Date (MM/DD/YYYY): 11/17/2026
Accepted by: J. Rivera
Signature: [signed]
Date (MM/DD/YYYY): 11/17/2026
Assigned work complete? yes
New work found? WO 2418, filter coverThe cracked cover was new work, so it got its own order.
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Run Work Orders In SherpaDesk
How this works in SherpaDesk
The work order is a ticket with a schedule
Custom fields such as room and asset can be linked to a ticket class, so they appear only for that request type. Requesters can ask for a service date, and agents are notified as it approaches.
Scheduled maintenance creates and assigns recurring tickets, and a To Do template adds the task list. A linked asset keeps its work history, location, and service costs. Printed tickets can carry a signature block.
A helpdesk and PSA a small IT team can run alone. No implementation project. No dedicated admin. Base Camp is $45 per agent per month ($40 billed annually), and High Camp is $55 per agent per month ($50 billed annually); the first agent is free, forever. 14 days free, no card.
Schools are priced by student enrollment; ask sales for a quote.
Who this isn't for
Running plant or fleet maintenance on parts inventory, meter readings, and failure rates? Choose a dedicated CMMS. Choosing a district facilities system? Start with our school facilities maintenance software guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I fill in this work order form?
Start with the request half: who asked, the room, the asset, the job, the priority, and a date. Assign one technician and list the tasks. After the job, the technician completes the record half with parts, time, and notes, and the requester or site contact signs the order.
What is a simple work order format?
Two halves on one form. The request comes first: requester, location, asset, job, priority, date, owner, and planned tasks. The record follows: tasks ticked, parts used, arrival and departure times, findings, and two signatures. Plain text is enough, and it pastes anywhere.
How do you write a work order properly?
Write the job as something the technician can finish: "Replace the lamp in projector PRJ-0193", not "projector broken". Give one room, one asset, and one owner. Use fixed priority choices, record parts used, and give newly found work its own order.
Can the same template work for IT and facilities jobs?
Yes. The fields describe a place, an asset, and a job, not a trade. For a door repair, name the door and the room, write "none" if it has no asset tag, and list the steps. Shared priority choices let one schedule sort both teams.
How can I create a work order form in Excel?
Use one sheet per order: labels in column A, answers in column B, then rows for tasks, parts, and two signatures. Select the form, then choose Page Layout, Print Area, Set Print Area. A Data Validation list keeps priority to your three choices.
Patrick co-founded SherpaDesk and has led it as CEO since 2013. He has worked with IT service providers since 1998, first on network projects for schools and government offices, then on the helpdesk software their technicians use every day.
