1) Logging In & Viewing Work Orders
Important:
The Dashboard will appear blank by default.
To view assignments, navigate to the “Work Orders” tab.
Required Setup (One-Time Action):
In the Work Orders tab, change the view from “Recently Viewed”
Select “My Work Orders”
Click the pin icon to make “My Work Orders” your default view
If you stay in “Recently Viewed,” you will only see items you’ve already opened.
2) New Work Order Assignment
When a new work order is assigned:
You will receive:
1) An email notification with a link to the work order
2) A bell icon notification in the portal
The initial status will be Waiting Confirmation
You will be able to accept or reject the work order (Step 4) after the review (Step 3).
3) Reviewing the Work Order
Each Work Order contains:
Customer name & contact info - you can hover over or click on the contact record for the customer's phone number & email.
Scope of work listed in the Work Order Line Items section. You might see more than one line item if there are a few things we need you to do. You will need to complete all items to close the work order.
Link to the OEM Monitoring portal
We will assign you the viewer access, but it might take a few days to complete
LightReach portal link for your own installs
Files - layouts, optimization maps, etc.
Always check the Files section before for any relevant information.
4) Accepting or Rejecting a Work Order
If Rejecting:
Select Reject
Provide a reason
If Accepting:
Click Accept
Enter a Project Estimate Amount
Use the best estimate based on the scope, location, etc.
If you cover the cost under the partner workmanship or roof leak warranty → enter $0
The estimate should reflect the expected cost, even if the scope may change on-site
After accepting:
Status automatically changes to Pending Palmetto
5) “Pending Palmetto” Status – DO NOT SCHEDULE
When status is Pending Palmetto:
This means:
Palmetto Service Team is reviewing your estimate. In case of the customer's billable work, we will present the quote to the customer, and when accepted, collect their signature and the initial payment. At no point, discuss the pricing with the customer - leave it to Palmetto.
The job is not cleared for scheduling
Do NOT contact the customer to schedule. You will receive another notification when the status changes.
6) Ready for Scheduling
When LightReach/Palmetto moves to the status Ready for Scheduling, you will get an email notification & a bell notification in the Portal.
You may now:
Contact the customer
Schedule the service appointment
7) Confirming the Scheduled Date
Once the customer confirms:
Update Service Appointment (not the work order)
Change:
Status from Unscheduled → Scheduled
Enter:
Start Date
End Date (usually same day)
Time (if known; otherwise best estimate)
Don't worry about the "in progress", or "en route" status, that is for internal use only.
You can also ignore the "Earliest Start Permitted & Due Date" on the left hand side. That is also for internal use only
Update Work Order Status
Go back to the Work Order (parent record) and update the work order status Ready for Scheduling → In Progress. This confirms to both parties that the job is officially scheduled.
8) Job Completion & Reporting
Upon completing the job, you must:
a. Upon arrival and upon departure, photos of the equipment, roof (if applicable), and site conditions
b. Clear commissioning photos showing that the issue was resolved and the system was left fully operational.
c. Serial numbers, make and model of the replaced equipment, both old and new.
d. For a roof leak investigation, separately for each leak, you must show:
e. i. Interior damage
ii. Conditions in the attic space above the leak - drywall, roof decking, and rafters
iii. Conditions on the roof above the leak. Lift panels and shingles, remove attachments if needed.
iv. If multiple leaks are present, all photos related to an individual leak must be easily identifiable
v. Any roof damage or site conditions that might contribute to the leak
vi. For non-solar-related roof leaks, show clear evidence of the source of the leak
Note: Do not share the results of the roof leak investigation with the customer; leave it to Palmetto.
Update Work Order and Service Appointment records
Work Order → Complete
Service Appointment → Complete
9) What Qualifies as “Complete”?
A Work Order can be marked complete after a successful site visit, even if:
The issue was diagnosed
An RMA was initiated
A follow-up visit is required
If additional work is needed:
A new Work Order will be issued
10) If rescheduling is necessary due to weather or unavoidable conditions:
Change status from:
In Progress → Ready for Scheduling
Then repeat the scheduling steps. Update the Service Appointment record with the new date.
11) Using the Chatter Feature
All communication should stay inside the Work Order using Chatter (at the bottom of the page)
Use Chatter to:
Tag the assigned Project Coordinator
Request missing information
Provide site visit summaries
Ask clarifying questions
Notifications will be sent via:
Email
Bell icon in the portal
Avoid email chains — keep all communication within the Work Order record.
To tag Palmetto's Service Coordinator, use @ and then the Project Coordinator's name. You should see in the feed (Mark Macasaet in the example below).
12) Work Order Lifecycle Summary
Awaiting Confirmation - the job has been sent to the partner, but has yet to be accepted or rejected.
Pending Palmetto - partner has accepted, but pending LightReach/Palmetto approval.
Ready for Scheduling - Palmetto has approved the partner to proceed with scheduling.
In Progress - site visit date has been confirmed with the customer.
Complete - site visit is complete, report is uploaded, and both the Work Order & Service Appointment are in the "complete" status.
Pending RMA - this can be used by both parties. This status means the Work Order has been accepted by the partner and approved by Palmetto/LightrReach, but before scheduling can be confirmed, the equipment has to be delivered. If you receive the equipment, you can change the status to "Ready for Scheduling" or "In Progress".
13) Common Mistakes to Avoid
Staying in “Recently Viewed”
Scheduling while status is “Pending Palmetto”
Forgetting to change the Service Appointment status
Completing Work Order without uploading documentation
Communicating outside of Chatter