Job Categories

Job categories in BigChange enable you to group similar types of jobs together. By organising jobs into categories, you can streamline your scheduling process, efficiently allocate resources, and make data-driven decisions to optimise your operations.

Understanding the distinction between job types and job categories is essential for managing workflow in BigChange. Job types refer to the specific nature of work, such as "Boiler Installation" or "Electrical Repair," and help in resource allocation and workflow management by detailing the tasks and required skills. In contrast, job categories are a classification system that groups similar jobs, aiding in organisation and quick identification. They serve as a temporary storage for unscheduled jobs and facilitate efficient scheduling by grouping jobs with common characteristics. The key differences lie in their focus and usage: job types are fixed and detailed, focusing on the specific work, while job categories are flexible, focusing on grouping and prioritising jobs.

Creating a Job Category

To create a Job Category, select "Account Settings", and then "Settings". From the side menu, select "Schedule", followed by "Job categories" and then "Add".

To Edit a Job Category

To edit a job category, select an existing one and then select "Edit".

Enter a name for the Job Category you wish to create.
By selecting the Job and Group tick boxes, determine the visibility of this job category for individual and group jobs.

Visibility

By selecting the visibility for 'Job' only, the job category will appear in unscheduled jobs on the schedule; it will also be visible when creating a new individual job.
By selecting the visibility for 'Group' only, you are able to add a group job category on the Details tab of your group jobs, and will be visible in the Group Jobs list view on the schedule, by enabling the 'Category' column.
By selecting the visibility of both Job and Group, you are able to apply the Job category to all jobs and groups.

Viewing the Job Category

If you now navigate to:

Schedule → Unscheduled Jobs

you will see that our new category, 'Customer Visit', is now visible.

Collapsing Job Category Names

Please note that the 'Hide All' or 'View All' button, which is outlined above, collapses the category name display into headings for easier viewing.

Using Job Categories

You can select a job category on either a single or group job depending on the visability chosen at Job category creation.

Single Job

Group Job

You can also filter your jobs in the Jobs List View by Job Category and Job Group's category.

Conclusion

Creating job categories in BigChange helps you organise and manage unscheduled jobs efficiently. By following the steps outlined above, you can easily create and view job categories, making it simpler to run reports and manage job types. Start categorising your jobs today to streamline your workflow and improve productivity.