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Property management glossary
Maintenance & operations

Work order

Plain-English definition

A trackable record that converts a maintenance need into assigned work with status, evidence, cost, and completion details.

What work order means in practice

A useful work order connects the original request to triage, access permission, assignee, communications, invoice, completion evidence, and resident confirmation. Closing the loop matters as much as dispatching the vendor.

Example

A resident’s leaking-faucet report becomes a work order with photos, priority, vendor appointment, invoice, completion note, and confirmation message.

Learn the full workflow

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This glossary is educational and not legal, tax, lending, or accounting advice. Rules and terminology can vary by jurisdiction and professional context.