In Breeze, work orders are called maintenance requests. They come from two sources: property managers, who enter them directly in Breeze, or tenants, who enter them via RentCafe. This article describes the first case -- entering a maintenance request in Breeze.
To enter a maintenance request
Navigate to Maintenance > Maintenance Requests > click the + Add New button.
A maintenance request can be for the property as a whole -- for example, resurfacing the parking lot -- or it can be tied to a specific unit, for example, repairing the carpeting. Complete the screen as you see fit. The only required fields are Property, Description, Category, and Priority.
In the Description field, start with a brief summary of the issue and follow it with a longer description if needed. Only the first 35 characters appear on reports and lists.
If you select a vendor, you can create a payable directly from the maintenance request. You can also charge a tenant for a repair, if needed.
The Access Notes field is typically used for information about getting to the location of the repair -- for example, "Dog in the front yard, use caution."
You can also assign the request to a Breeze User and enter a Due By day and time.
Note: The selection lists for Category and Priority can be modified by navigating to Admin > Toolbox > Custom Lists.
When you select a tenant, Breeze automatically completes the field for the tenant's phone number (the Caller's Phone field). Breeze takes the first phone number listed on the Tenant screen.
After Saving a Maintenance Request
After saving, there is additional functionality.
Email: You can email the maintenance request to a vendor or the tenant, including an option to attach a PDF version of the maintenance request. Click Email at the top of the screen.
Payables: If you select a vendor, you can add a payable. Click Add Payable at the top of the screen.
Charges: If you need to charge the tenant for the repair, click the Add Charge button at the top of the screen.
Recent Requests: At the bottom of the screen, there is a list of recent requests made for the same unit.
Photos and Videos: On the left, there are tabs where you can upload photos and videos related to the request.
After saving the maintenance request, you can select the edit pencil in the top right corner on the Maintenance Request Information screen to make updates to the status, description, vendor, etc. You can also assign the maintenance request to a user using the User field.
How Tenants Enter Maintenance Requests
Tenants can log into the RentCafe Portal and enter a maintenance request on their own. The maintenance request then appears in Breeze so the property manager can view it and respond to it.
Note(s):
You can review work orders and run reports via Reporting > Property > Maintenance Requests.
You can update the email for Maintenance Request notifications via Properties > Properties > select the Property > RentCafe Tab > update the Maintenance Email Field.
If you want to review who is receiving emails with work orders or maintenance requests, review the Maintenance Email Field on the RentCafe Tab for the Property.