Plumbing software for a small shop, from call to invoice
When you check plumbing software against last week's carrier call log, dispatch board, and QuickBooks invoice list, how many calls have no job, and how many finished jobs have no invoice?
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Mia's computerChief of staff
Sample dataTaskSewage backing up into the tub
- Gets address and callback number
- Flags sewage, an emergency rule
- Checks area and on-call plumber
Needs your approval
Dispatching the on-call plumber for sewage
No arrival time promised.
Job 1 of 3See this job step by step
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A call can land while you are under a sink. The job goes on a whiteboard or calendar, the visit ends at 8 p.m., and the invoice waits until Friday. Each tool holds its part of the work; the handoff needs a person responsible for the next step.
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Set aside five minutes to start checking seven days of records. Count calls without a matching job, then finished jobs without an invoice. Write your counts as ____ and ____, and your average service call value as $____; check each gap before treating it as lost work.
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We build plumbing workflows with Mia on the outside line, Hank drafting dispatch cards, Cody drafting quote follow-up, and Nora drafting invoices. Each has a computer you can watch, pause, and take over. We connect your QuickBooks account and other tools during setup through a custom implementation on Custom Build or Enterprise.
Sending, booking, signing, spending, and record changes wait for your approval.
A plumber's week, from the first call to the paid invoice
Follow the call, dispatch, the quote, the invoice, and follow-up through your own records. Scheduling and invoicing belong in your software review; check whether moving the phone note onto the board still depends on a whiteboard or someone's memory.
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The call
Mia captures the request using your emergency and routine rules.
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Dispatch
Hank prepares the assignment and arrival window for your review.
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The quote
Cody drafts options after the plumber's visit notes are ready.
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The invoice
Nora prepares the invoice draft from the completed job.
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Follow-up
Cody drafts quote follow-up; Nora drafts unpaid invoice reminders.
What a small plumbing shop needs first
Start your search for plumbing software for small business with the records your shop needs daily. Look for a customer record tied to the call, a dispatch board, quotes, and invoices that reach your books. Ask someone to walk a completed job through those records.
For an owner with a few trucks, put a named person beside each handoff. Who turns the phone note into a job, and who checks the invoice against the visit notes? Postpone extra dashboards and marketing tools until you can trace that path without copying the same details between lists.
Where the phone ends and the dispatch board begins
An emergency can stall between the phone note and the dispatch board. In a custom implementation, we set up Mia to answer your line, match requests to your emergency rules, and prepare the write-up. We set up Hank to check who is on call and prepare a dispatch card.
You confirm the plumber and arrival window before dispatch or a promise to the customer. Read the plumbing phone guide for intake and dispatch and scheduling for the board.
Sample data. Made-up business.
In the Fig Tree Plumbing story, an 11:15 p.m. voicemail leads to Mia's draft text, which waits for approval. Hank picks the on-call plumber; the dispatch also waits for approval. Cody drafts quote options at 8:05 a.m., Nora drafts an invoice at 8:20 a.m., and both drafts wait for the owner at 8:24 a.m.
Plumbing software and QuickBooks
If you type "quickbooks plumbing software" into search, ask the vendor to show the accounting handoff using a sample job. Which records go in each direction, who maps the accounts, and who reviews the entries? Ask what happens when the invoice needs a correction.
For a custom implementation with Omni, we connect your QuickBooks account during setup. We set up Nora to prepare invoice drafts that you approve. Agree on the accounting workflow with us before work starts, and ask to see the review step in the setup scope.
What plumbing software costs, and what the quote leaves out
Fill this worksheet from each written quote. Keep the same billing period and truck count across the plumbing software programs you compare.
- Line 1. Monthly base fee $____.
- Line 2. Monthly fees for trucks or seats $____.
- Line 3. Setup fee divided by 12 months $____.
- Line 4. Monthly phone and text charges $____.
- Line 5. Monthly payment fees, using your own payment records $____.
- Line 6. Monthly extras $____. Add all six lines, then divide by active trucks ____ for a monthly cost per truck of $____.
For dated figures, read the ServiceTitan comparison, Jobber comparison, and Housecall Pro comparison. See Omni pricing for current plans; custom plumbing workflows belong in Custom Build or Enterprise.
Twilio is a phone and text carrier that bills your own account directly for phone numbers and message delivery. Include those charges in Line 4; see the Pricing FAQ "Is anything billed on top of the plan?".
The six things to check before you buy
Ask each vendor to demonstrate these checks with the same sample job.
- Find the customer record from the first call. Check that the request stays attached to the job.
- Ask who is on call and what equipment is on the van. See where the dispatcher checks both.
- Follow the phone note onto the dispatch board. Identify who reviews the assignment and confirms the arrival window.
- Open a quote after the visit, then a follow-up draft. Check who approves its price and message.
- Trace the invoice handoff to QuickBooks. Ask who maps the accounts and which person approves the invoice.
- Request a data export and the full billed scope. Confirm what setup, phone service, payment fees, and extras add to the quote.
What Omni does in this category, and what it does not
Use the same job list when you review Omni's custom implementation scope.
- Phone and dispatch. We set up Mia for the outside line and Hank for dispatch drafts using your rules.
- Quotes and billing. We set up Cody for estimate drafts and follow-up, and Nora for invoice drafts and reminders. See estimate follow-up and invoice reminders.
- Connections. We connect your tools during setup and agree on each plumbing workflow in Custom Build or Enterprise. Custom workflows are not in Pilot.
- People. You confirm arrival promises and prices after the plumber sees the job. Gas and water safety decisions and refunds stay with people.
Start with the Free 14-day workspace, no credit card. It uses sample data; calls, texts, and email are simulated.
Hard limits
- Never promises an arrival window before you confirm it.
- Never gives a repair price before the plumber sees the job.
- Never dispatches the plumber on call without your approval.
- Never provides repair or safety instructions for a gas or water emergency.
- Never sends an estimate, invoice, or refund without your approval.
Frequently asked questions
What software does a small plumbing company need first?
Start with customer records, a dispatch board, quotes, and invoices that reach your books. Walk a finished job through each record before adding extra tools. Give someone responsibility for the handoffs between the phone, the board, and billing.
Is plumbing software the same as field service software?
The categories overlap around scheduling, job records, quotes, and invoices. For a plumbing shop, test your emergency rules and the equipment checks for each van. Use the six buyer checks above to examine each option with the same sample job.
Does plumbing software work with QuickBooks?
Ask the vendor to demonstrate the accounting handoff and name the person who reviews it. For a custom Omni implementation, we connect your QuickBooks account during setup. We set up Nora to prepare invoice drafts that you approve; agree on the workflow before work starts.
What does plumbing software cost for a small shop?
Use the six-line worksheet above to total all fees in each quote with setup and extras included. Divide by active trucks for a comparable monthly figure. See Omni pricing for current plans and custom implementation scope.
Can AI answer the phone for a plumbing company?
Yes. In a custom implementation, we set up Mia to answer your line using your emergency rules and prepare drafts for a person to approve. Hank prepares dispatch drafts. The plumbing phone guide explains the phone side and the decisions you keep.
How do I choose between plumbing software programs?
Run the six buyer checks above on the same sample job with each vendor. Follow the intake record, dispatch checks, phone handoff, quote follow-up, accounting handoff, and export. Compare the written scope and total monthly cost before choosing what fits your shop.
Free 14-day workspace, no credit card