What is field service management software, and what should it do for you?
A plain-English guide for HVAC, plumbing and electrical owners: what FSM software is, the features that matter at each size, and how to choose one that makes you money.
Field service management, in one sentence
Field service management (FSM) software runs everything between a customer’s call and the money in your bank: booking, dispatch, the technician’s day, quotes, invoices, payments, memberships and the numbers that tell you what’s working.
Without it, most service companies run on a whiteboard, a shared calendar, a spreadsheet, a texting app and a lot of phone calls. That works until the phones get busy, and then jobs fall through the cracks, techs drive across town twice, and invoices sit in the truck.
The core features of field service management software
Call booking
Take the call, find the customer, pick the job type and book the right tech and window in under two minutes.
Dispatch board
See every tech and every job by window, drag to reassign, and let auto dispatch place jobs by skill, zone and route.
Board filling (BoardPilot)
Only in ProCall Field: open and priority slots get filled with the right work and the right people, automatically.
Technician app
The day’s jobs, customer history, checklists, photos, offer sheets and payment on a tablet or phone, even offline.
Quotes, invoices and payments
Good / better / best options, financing, card and ACH on site, and accounting sync.
Memberships
Maintenance agreements that renew, bill and book their own visits.
Reporting
Revenue, profit, booking and close rates by tech, branch, department and marketing source.
Payroll and commissions
Hours, overtime, commissions and bonuses calculated from the jobs and sent to payroll.
Integrations
Phones, texting, payments, accounting, and an API for everything else.
What matters at each size
| Company size | Biggest problem | What to look for |
|---|---|---|
| 1–5 techs | Running the business from a phone and a spreadsheet | Fast booking, a real dispatch board, payment on site and no per-user fees |
| 6–25 techs | Keeping the board full and the ticket high | BoardPilot, a price book, offer sheets, memberships and team scorecards |
| 26–50 techs | Utilization across branches | Auto dispatch, route optimization, branch dashboards, inventory and fleet |
| 51+ techs | Standardizing many regions | Unlimited branches and regions, roles and permissions, API and executive roll-ups |
Software by trade: HVAC · plumbing · electrical. Common problems: missed calls, empty boards, technician shortages and more.
BoardPilot fills your board for you
Other field service apps show you the open slots. BoardPilot fills them: it finds every open and priority slot in every branch, picks the right area, service and customers for each one, and puts the right reps, dispatchers and techs on it until the day is at goal.
- Priority slots first, matched to skills, zones and call type
- Call lists go to the right reps, then dispatch, then managers, until it’s filled
- Tech moves lined up for a one-tap yes when a zone runs short
- Every person gets their own to-do list each morning
- Included on every plan
Simple pricing by team size
Every office login, dispatcher and CSR is included; you only count technicians. No per-user fees and no long contract.
| Plan | Technicians | Price | Branches |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small | 1–5 | $149/mo | 1 |
| Growing | 6–15 | $299/mo | 2 |
| Medium | 16–25 | $599/mo | 3 |
| Large | 26–50 | $899/mo | 10 |
| Enterprise | 51+ | $1,599/mo, 75 techs included | Unlimited |
Frequently asked questions
What is field service management (FSM) software?
Field service management software runs the work a service company does at customers’ homes and businesses: taking calls and booking jobs, dispatching technicians, the tech’s mobile app, quotes, invoices and payments, memberships, and the reports that show what made money.
Who uses field service management software?
HVAC, plumbing and electrical contractors, and other trades such as roofing, garage doors, pest control and appliance repair. Owners, CSRs, dispatchers, technicians, sales advisors and the office all work in it.
What features should FSM software have?
At a minimum: booking, a dispatch board, a technician app that works offline, quotes and invoices, on-site payments, customer history and reporting. Growing companies also need memberships, a price book, commissions, payroll export, inventory and multi-branch reporting.
How much does field service management software cost?
Prices vary widely. Many products charge per user, including office staff. ProCall Field charges by number of technicians, from $149 a month for up to 5 techs, with every office login included.
What makes ProCall Field different?
BoardPilot. Other apps show you the open slots on the board; BoardPilot fills them by finding every gap, picking the right work for it and putting the right people on it until the day is at goal.
Try ProCall Field free for 14 days
Your own account with every feature, a guided setup, and BoardPilot filling your board from day one. No credit card.