FIELD GUIDE FOR O&M TEAMS

Preventative maintenance (PM) in SolarGrade refers to the scheduled, recurring fieldwork your team performs to keep a solar site operating reliably. SolarGrade supports the full PM lifecycle: building standardized checklists with Templates, creating and scheduling visits via Site Visits and the Planner, executing checklists in the field via the mobile app, documenting findings as Issues, and delivering automated reports to clients and asset managers. 

The foundation of a good PM program is consistency. SolarGrade achieves this through Templates, which standardize every field visit so every technician examines the same items in the same order, regardless of which crew is on site. 

 

Step 1 — Build Your PM Template 

Every SolarGrade account includes default templates built to NREL guidelines. These are ready-made foundations for your PM checklists. We recommend starting from a default template rather than building from scratch. 

Starting from a Default Template 

• Navigate to the Templates tab in the top menu. 
• Toggle to Default Templates using the button of the same name. 
• Select the default template that best matches your PM scope (e.g., a standard PV O&M checklist). 
• Click Use as a pattern for a new template. This copies the full template into your account. 
• Name the new template and click Confirm. 

The copied template now appears in My Templates where you can customize it fully. 

Customizing Your PM Template 

Once copied into your account, the template is fully editable: 

• Delete sections or categories that do not apply to your PM scope. It is always faster to delete than to build. 
• Drag and drop sections, categories, and items to match the physical order you inspect on-site. 
• Edit issue descriptions to match your internal standards. Each issue description should state: what the issue is, why it is significant, and the recommended action. 
• Set severity levels on issue items so technicians know which findings are safety-critical versus minor. 
• Mark certain issues as required to enforce that technicians must address them before completing the visit. 

Best Practices — Keep Templates Broad

Keep your PM template general across sections and categories. It is easier for a technician to skip or delete an item on-site than to create a new one. A broad template also allows one template to serve a portfolio of similar sites, reducing the number of templates you need to manage. 

Adding PM-Specific Informational Items 

Informational items capture data that is not a pass/fail check — for example, site access conditions, temperature on site, met station readings, or technician sign-off. To add one: 

• In the template, click Add new informational + at the relevant location. 
• Type the name of the informational item. 
• Select the item type from the dropdown. Common types for PM include: 
  • Text — for free-form notes (e.g., Point of Contact on site) 
  • Photo — to require a photo (e.g., Take a photo of the site gate) 
  • Table — for data entry like string voltages or IV curve traces (interoperable with Excel and Google Sheets) 
  • Signature — for technician sign-off or JHA confirmation 
  • Timestamp — to automatically capture arrival and departure times 
  • Number / Range — to record measurements like breaker ratings or temperature 
  • Progress Bar — to track quantities completed (e.g., modules cleaned) 

 

Merging Templates for Specialized PM Scopes 

If your PM scope requires combining checklists — for example, a base PM template plus an inverter-specific checklist — use the Merge feature: 

• Navigate to the Templates tab. 
• Find the template you wish to merge into another. 
• Click the Merge icon (to the left of the copy icon). 
• Select the template you wish to merge it with. 
• Click Merge. Sections and categories with the same name are automatically combined. 

 

Step 2 — Set Up the Project 

Before creating a site visit, confirm the project is set up correctly in SolarGrade. Each project stores system information, georeferenced drawings, team members, and all historical site visit data. 

Verifying Project Setup 

• Navigate to the Projects tab and open the relevant project. 
• Under the Project Details tab, confirm system information is filled in (system type, DC/AC size, module and inverter details). This data populates your reports automatically. 
• Confirm that the technicians assigned to this PM are listed under the Team Members tab. Note: inspectors must be assigned to both the project and the individual site visit to access drawings and the site visit form. 
• Under the Drawing Set tab, confirm a georeferenced layout drawing is uploaded. This allows technicians to drop location pins on the actual site drawing when documenting issues in the field. 

 

Step 3 — Schedule the PM Visit 

Create a site visit for the PM visit. This can be done from the desktop app (recommended for pre-visit setup) or from the mobile app in the field. 

Creating a Site Visit — Desktop 

• Navigate to the relevant project. 
• Click the Site Visits tab. 
• Click Create Site Visit in the top right corner. 
• Select the PM template from your template library. 
• Assign the inspectors who will perform this visit. Important: each inspector must be assigned to both the project and this specific site visit. 
• Set the date range for the visit. 
• Set the scope (e.g., Annual PM, Quarterly PM). 
• Click Save Site Visit. 

Linking a Site Visit to a Work Order

If you are using the Planner to manage PM contracts (recommended), you can link this site visit to a Work Order Task. See Article 5: Work Order Management for step-by-step instructions. 

 

Step 4 — Execute the PM Visit in the Field 

Technicians access the site visit using the SolarGrade mobile app. Before arriving on site, technicians should complete the pre-site visit checklist: 

Pre-Site Visit Checklist (Mobile App) 

• Open the SolarGrade mobile app and navigate to the project. Use the Sort by Next Site Visit filter to locate it quickly. 
• Tap the Download button on the project page to save the georeferenced drawings offline. 
• Toggle to the Site Visits tab and find the upcoming site visit. 
• Tap the download icon (blue downward arrow) to sync the site visit to the device. This ensures you have access offline. 
• Confirm that location services, camera, and photo access are enabled for the SolarGrade app on the device. 

 

Working Through the PM Checklist 

Once on site, open the site visit and navigate to the Site Visit Form tab. Work through each section and category: 

• Progress is tracked via the color-coded progress bar: Gray/Blue = not started, Yellow = in progress, Green = completed. 
• For each check, mark items as Pass, Fail, or N/A. 
• For any item marked Fail, the issue form opens automatically with a pre-written description. The technician can modify the description as needed. 
• Add photos by tapping the photo icon. Photos can be annotated with text, shapes, and drawings using the in-app editor. 
• Tap the Location button to georeference the issue. Drop a pin on the satellite map or on the site drawing. Multiple pins can be added to one issue. 
• Set the criticality level and occurrence count for each issue. 
• Set the prevalence to indicate how widespread the issue is: Isolated, Prevalent, Endemic, or Systemic. 
• If the issue was remediated on the spot, mark it Closed and attach before and after photos. 

 

Adding Photos to Pass Items

For PM deliverables that require evidence of completed work, you can add photos to items marked as Pass.  After marking an item as Pass, tap Add Photo and attach the relevant image. These photos appear in the report under the "Issues Marked as Pass" header.

 

Progress Tracking for High-Volume PM Tasks 

For PM tasks that involve counting completed units (e.g., modules cleaned, combiner boxes inspected), use Progress Trackers: 

• On the desktop, navigate to the project's Project Details tab. 
• Scroll to the Progress Tracking section and click Add Project Tracker. 
• Name the tracker (e.g., Modules Cleaned) and enter the target quantity. 
• In the field, open the site visit, scroll to the Progress Tracking section above the Generate Report button, and enter the quantity completed during this visit. 
• The value is added to the cumulative total for the project and appears as a line graph in the report. 

 

Syncing After the Visit 

After completing the site visit, sync all data to the SolarGrade server before leaving the site: 

• Pull down on the screen from within the site visit to trigger a manual sync. 
• Return to the Site Visit Details page and tap the Sync button to upload photos. 
• Confirm that the site visit shows all items synced and all photos synced (two checkmarks). 
• If issues remain unsynced, navigate to Menu (three horizontal lines) > Cloud Sync to view and resolve pending uploads. 

Auto Sync vs. Manual Sync

Auto Sync can be enabled in the mobile app under Menu > Settings > Auto Sync. When enabled, issue data syncs automatically when a connection is available. However, photos must still be syncedmanually using the Sync button on the Site Visit Details page.

 

Step 5 — Generate and Deliver the PM Report 

After the visit is complete and the technician has written an executive summary, generate the report: 

• Open the site visit on the desktop. 
• Scroll to the top of the site visit and click Generate Report. 
• The report is automatically organized by the template's sections (headings) and categories (subheadings), with all issues, photos, geolocations, and informational data included. 
• Any open issues found during the PM visit automatically populate the project's Issue Summary table, making them available for corrective maintenance follow-up. 

 

Corrective maintenance (CM) in SolarGrade is the process of remediating defects or failures that have been identified during a PM visit, a troubleshooting investigation, or an external report. SolarGrade manages corrective maintenance through the Issues system and Punchlists — allowing your team to assign, track, and close out open issues with full before-and-after documentation. 

How Issues Drive Corrective Maintenance 

Every item marked as Fail during a site visit creates an open issue in SolarGrade. Each issue includes the issue name, description, photos, geolocation pins on the site drawing, severity level, occurrence count, and prevalence. Issues have a status — Open or Closed — that tracks whether the remediation has been completed. 

All open issues for a project are visible in the Issue Summary tab at the bottom of the project page. This table is filterable by severity, category, issue name, status, date, and team member — giving managers a real-time view of all outstanding corrective work on a site. 

Closing Issues in the Field

If a technician can remediate an issue on the spot during a PM visit, they can mark it Closed directly in the site visit. Best practice is to include one photo labeled "before" and one labeled "after" as documentation. This constitutes completed corrective work without requiring a separate punchlist visit.

Creating a Corrective Maintenance Punchlist 

When remediation requires a dedicated follow-up visit, create a Punchlist — a targeted site visit scoped to the specific open issues that need correction. SolarGrade offers two types of punchlists. 

Option A: Remediation-Only Punchlist 

Best for: sending a crew back to correct findings from a single previous site visit. 

• Navigate to the relevant project and click the Site Visits tab. 
• Locate the original site visit that contains the open issues. 
• Without opening the site visit, click the three vertical dots on the right side of the site visit row. 
• Select Create Punchlist. 
• Assign inspectors, set the date range, and select the scope. 
• Scroll to the bottom of the page and click Save Site Visit. 
•  

The punchlist is now available in the assigned technician's mobile app as a site visit pre-loaded with only the open issues from the original visit. The technician works through each issue, documents the remediation work, and marks each issue as Closed. 

Including Informational Items in Punchlists 

If there are informational items (notes, measurements) from the original site visit that are relevant to the corrective work, you can include them in the punchlist. On the desktop, open the original site visit, expand the relevant informational item, and toggle on Use in punchlist at the bottom-left of the item. It will then be available when you create the remediation-only punchlist.

Option B: Custom Punchlist 

Best for: remediating issues from multiple previous site visits, or combining corrective work with a new template-based checklist. 

• Navigate to the relevant project and click the Issue Summary tab. 
• Use the column filters (severity, category, date range, status) to select the issues you want to include. You can include issues from multiple site visits. 
• Click Create Custom Punchlist. 
• Assign inspectors, set the date range, and select the scope. 
• Optional: Use the Add Template Data dropdown to merge a template alongside the punchlist issues. This creates a full template-based site visit that carries the open issues into the relevant issue items. 
• Click Create Custom Punchlist to confirm. 

 

Executing Corrective Work in the Field 

The punchlist appears in the assigned technician's mobile app as a site visit. The technician works through each open issue: 

• Open the site visit on the mobile app. 
• Navigate to each issue using either the notebook view (swipe through checklist) or the map view (tap the issue pin on the site drawing). 
• Perform the corrective work on site. 
• Attach a photo labeled before (this can be the photo from the original PM visit) and a photo labeled after showing the remediated state. 
• Update the issue description with any relevant details: parts replaced, work performed, part serial numbers (use the barcode scanner to capture these). 
• Change the issue status from Open to Closed. 
• Sync the site visit after completing all work (see Article 1, Step 4 for sync instructions). 

Using Map View for Punchlists  

The map view is especially useful for punchlists. Tap the compass icon in the bottom-left corner of the site visit to open the layout view. All open issue pins are displayed on the site drawing. Tap a pin to navigate directly to that issue in the checklist, eliminating the need to scroll through all items.

Generating the Corrective Maintenance Report 

Once all corrective issues are closed, generate the punchlist report from the desktop: 

• Open the punchlist site visit on the desktop. 
• Write an executive summary documenting the corrective scope completed. 
• Click Generate Report. 

The report includes all closed issues with their before-and-after photo documentation, geolocations, and remediation notes — ready to deliver to the asset manager or client as proof of corrective completion. 

Linking Corrective Work to a Work Order 

For corrective maintenance that is part of a contracted scope, link the punchlist to a Work Order in the Planner using a Punchlist Task. This allows management to track corrective work completion, hours, and budget alongside the broader contract. 

• Navigate to the Planner tab. 
• Open the relevant Work Order and expand the Tasks section. 
• Click the small arrow (^) to the right of the + Add Task button. 
• Select + Punchlist & Task. 
• Use the filters to select the open issues you want to include in this punchlist task. 
• Click Continue, then assign inspectors, set the date range, and optionally select a template to merge. 
• Click Save & Add Task. 

 

Tracking Corrective Trends Over Time 

Use the Analytics dashboard (available on Business and Enterprise accounts) to identify recurring corrective issues across your portfolio. This is valuable for understanding whether failures are isolated or systemic, and for making data-driven decisions about fleet-wide corrective actions. 

To export issue data for external analysis: 

• At the portfolio level: go to Projects > click Export > select Export Issues. 
• At the project level: open the project > click the Issue Summary tab > click Export Issues. 
• At the site visit level: open the project > Site Visits tab > click the three vertical dots on the site visit row > select Download Issues. 

Data Quality Requirement

All failures and non-conformities must be logged as Issue items — not as informational items — for them to appear in the Analytics dashboard and in issue exports. Informational items are excluded from issue tracking and analytics by design.

Troubleshooting in SolarGrade is used when a specific failure or underperformance event needs systematic investigation — triggered by a monitoring alarm, a client report, or anomalies observed during a PM visit. SolarGrade supports troubleshooting as a distinct site visit scope with dedicated issue documentation tools, map-based issue tracking, and fleet-level analytics to identify root causes. 

Setting Up a Troubleshooting Site Visit 

Treat troubleshooting as its own site visit scope, separate from routine PM. This keeps the investigation documentation clean and allows the troubleshooting report to stand alone as a deliverable. 

Creating the Troubleshooting Site Visit 

• Navigate to the relevant project and click the Site Visits tab. 
• Click Create Site Visit. 
• Select a troubleshooting template from your library. SolarGrade's default templates include inspection checklists that can be adapted for troubleshooting; alternatively, build a dedicated template focused on the system components most likely to be involved in the failure (strings, combiners, inverters, communications). 
• Assign the technician(s) and set the date range. 
• Set the scope to Troubleshooting or a relevant scope label from your account. 
• Add a note at the top of the site visit describing the reason for the visit: the alarm triggered, the monitoring data anomaly, or the client report. Use the Notes field (accessible on the Site Visit Details page on both desktop and mobile). 
• Click Save Site Visit. 

Documenting Findings During Troubleshooting 

As the technician identifies the source of a failure, every finding is documented using the standard issue form. The following fields and features are particularly useful during troubleshooting: 

Geolocation and Multi-Pin Mapping 

When a fault has spread across multiple locations (e.g., multiple strings in a combiner box, multiple modules in a row), add multiple location pins to a single issue: 

• After marking an item as Fail, tap or click the Location button. 
• Drop the first pin on the map or site drawing. 
• To add additional pins, tap the arrow/caret icon in the bottom right of the map view, then tap the + sign and tap each additionallocation. 
• The occurrence value defaults to the number of pins added, but can be manually overridden if the actual count is higher. 

 

Setting Prevalence for Systemic Faults 

Rather than logging every individual instance of a systemic failure, use the Prevalence field to indicate the scale: 

• Isolated — a single occurrence in an otherwise healthy system. 
• Prevalent — appearing in multiple locations but not widespread. 
• Endemic — widespread across the site but not universal. 
• Systemic — affecting the entire system or a major portion of it. 

For systemic issues, set the occurrence count to reflect the total estimated count rather than logging each one separately. Note in the description that the issue is systemic and document representative samples with photos and locations. 

Using Observation Status for Unconfirmed Findings 

If a technician spots an anomaly during troubleshooting but cannot confirm whether it constitutes a code violation or defect, use the Observation status rather than Fail: 

• Observation status flags the item internally for the engineering team to review. 
• Observations do not appear as actionable tasks in the client-facing report. 
• Observations remain accessible in the site visit and can be upgraded to Fail status later if confirmed. 

 

Capturing Test Data with Table Informational Items 

For electrical measurements taken during troubleshooting (string voltages, combiner readings, IV curve traces), use Table informational items in the site visit: 

• In the template, add a Table informational item at the relevant point in the checklist. 
• Label the rows and columns to match the measurements being recorded. 
• In the field, the technician fills in the table directly in the app. 
• Table data is interoperable with Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets — data can be copied out of SolarGrade into a spreadsheet, orpasted from a spreadsheet into the table field. 

 

Merging Duplicate Issues 

During a troubleshooting visit, the same defect type may be logged separately multiple times before it becomes clear it is a single systemic issue. Use the Merge feature to consolidate them: 

• Navigate to the issue you want to keep as the primary record. 
• Click the three vertical dots near the issue title. 
• Select Merge. 
• Choose the duplicate issue to merge into this one. 
• Select which description and severity level to keep. 
• Click Merge. All photos and geolocation pins from both issues are combined into the primary issue. Occurrence values are added together. 

 

Using Analytics to Identify Root Causes Across the Fleet 

If troubleshooting at one site suggests a failure pattern that may exist elsewhere in your fleet, use the Analytics dashboard to search for the same issue type across your portfolio. Navigate to the Analytics tab and use the filter controls to: 

• Filter by issue name to find all sites where the same issue type has been logged. 
• Filter by project attributes (client, system type, module/inverter make and model) to identify whether the pattern correlates with specific equipment. 
• Review the issue count over time to determine whether the failure is a new trend or has been occurring gradually. 

 

Analytics use cases for troubleshooting investigations include: 

• Identifying batch defects across a specific module or inverter model fleet-wide. 
• Flagging a recurring installation error across sites built by the same EPC for warranty or insurance claims. 
• Quantifying the total scope of a systemic issue to build a business case for a fleet-wide corrective action. 

 

Transitioning from Troubleshooting to Corrective Action 

Once the root cause is confirmed and documented in the troubleshooting site visit, the open issues automatically populate the project's Issue Summary table. From there: 

• Review the Issue Summary table to confirm all relevant issues are open and correctly categorized. 
• Create a corrective maintenance punchlist (see Article 2) to dispatch the remediation crew. 
• The troubleshooting site visit and report serve as the source record for the defect. The subsequent punchlist and report document the remediation. 

Exporting Troubleshooting Data for Engineering Review 

Export the issue data from the troubleshooting site visit to CSV for use in root cause analysis reports or warranty submissions. From the project page > Site Visits tab > three vertical dots on the site visit row > Download Issues.

SolarGrade is used across the full spectrum of solar O&M — from single-inverter residential rooftop systems to multi-hundred-megawatt utility-scale plants. While the core SolarGrade workflow is the same, the way you configure templates, structure work orders, manage teams, and use reports differs significantly depending on project type. 

This article provides configuration guidance for each project type. The comparison table below summarizes the key differences. 

 

Consideration	Utility-Scale	Commercial / C&I	Residential
Template complexity	High — separate sections for inverters, combiners, strings, trackers, met stations	Medium — inverter and rooftop/racking focused	Low — simplified single-inverter checklist
Site drawings	Essential — georeferenced single-line and layout drawings required	Recommended — especially for carport and multi-rooftop systems	Optional — simple roof layout if needed
Team structure	Multiple inspectors with Manager oversight; crews may work simultaneously	1–2 inspectors per visit	Single technician
Work order scope	Multi-month, multi-visit WOs with full budget and hours tracking	Per-visit or quarterly WOs	Per-visit or annual WOs
Reporting	Full technical report with executive summary to asset manager	Client-facing report; often abbreviated	Simple homeowner summary
Issue tracking	Critical — systemic issues tracked at fleet level in Analytics	Important — per-site issue history maintained	Basic — open/closed status per visit
SG Lite use	For subcontractor CM work or specialized contractor forms	For subcontractors completing corrective work	For homeowner pre/post-visit forms

 

Utility-Scale O&M 

Utility-scale projects are the most complex SolarGrade deployments, typically involving large crews, extensive equipment lists, and multi-year O&M contracts with asset managers. The following guidance applies to ground-mount utility-scale PV systems. 

Templates for Utility-Scale PM 

Build a detailed template with sections for each major system component. Recommended section structure for utility-scale PM: 

• Site Access & Safety — access gate, signage, security, JHA 
• Meteorological Station — sensors, datalogger, communications 
• AC Collection — switchgear, transformers, MV cabling 
• Inverter Pads — one category per inverter pad, duplicated as needed 
• Combiner Boxes — one category per combiner or grouped by zone 
• String-Level Checks — spot checks, thermal anomalies, IV curve data 
• Module Inspection — soiling, physical damage, delamination, bypass diodes 
• Racking & Mounting — structural integrity, tracker alignment, grounding 
• O&M Infrastructure — roads, fencing, drainage, CCTV 

Use the duplicate category function within a site visit to quickly scale from one inverter category to many. Add Table informational items for combiner box string voltage data, and Signature informational items for safety sign-offs. 

Georeferenced Drawings for Utility Sites 

Georeferenced drawings are essential for utility-scale projects. To upload and georeference a drawing: 

• Navigate to the project and click the Drawing Set tab. 
• Click Edit/Add Drawings and upload your site layout PDFs. 
• Select the drawing to georeference. Crop to include only the site layout. 
• Move the red and yellow pins to matching corners in both the drawing view and the Google Maps satellite view (e.g., red pin to the top-right corner of the site in both views). 
• For large sites under construction not yet visible in satellite imagery, enter the exact GPS coordinates of the pin locations in the coordinate fields below the map. 
• Click Match, make any adjustments, then click Ready. Name the layout and click Done. 

In the field, technicians drop issue pins directly on the georeferenced drawing — providing precise equipment locations without radio calls or manual GPS coordinate entry. 

Team Management for Utility Sites 

Use the Manager role to oversee multiple Inspector crews working simultaneously across a large site. Assign all technicians to the project first, then assign them individually to the specific site visit. Managers can monitor site visit progress in real time from the desktop app. 

Important: Inspectors must be assigned to both the project and the individual site visit to access the drawing set and site visit form in the mobile app. 

Progress Tracking for High-Volume Activities 

Set up Progress Trackers on the project to count high-volume activities across multiple PM visits: 

• Go to Project Details tab > scroll to Progress Tracking > click Add Project Tracker. 
• Name the tracker (e.g., Modules Cleaned, Tracker Resets, Combiner Boxes Inspected) and set the target quantity. 
• In each site visit, the technician enters the quantity completed during that visit. Values accumulate across visits and appear as a line graph in the report.

Commercial / C&I O&M 

Commercial and industrial projects — rooftop commercial, ground-mount behind-the-meter, and carport systems — sit in the middle of the complexity range. Systems are typically smaller than utility-scale but may involve multiple roof sections, mixed inverter types, or unusual structural configurations. 

Templates for C&I PM 

Use a moderately detailed template covering: 

• Site access and safety checks 
• String inverters or central inverter (one category per inverter) 
• AC combiner / switchgear 
• Module inspection (by roof section or array zone) 
• Racking and mounting 
• Monitoring and communications 

For carport systems, add a Carport Structure section covering structural members, fasteners, lighting, and drainage. For systems with both string and central inverters, merge a string inverter template with a central inverter template using the Merge feature. 

Site Drawings for C&I 

Uploading a site drawing is recommended for any C&I system with multiple roof sections, multiple arrays, or a carport layout. A simple annotated aerial photo or as-built drawing is sufficient — it does not need to be a full engineering drawing. Georeferencing allows technicians to pin issues to the exact location, which speeds up corrective dispatch. 

Reporting for C&I Clients 

C&I clients often want a concise, client-facing report rather than a full technical document. Use report customization options in SolarGradeto tailor the output: 

• Write a clear executive summary in the site visit before generating the report. 
• Use report customization to hide internal fields (e.g., Observation status issues) from the client-facing version. 
• The report can be shared directly from SolarGrade via the share icon on the Reports tab, generating a link the client can access without a SolarGrade account. 
• Using SG Lite for C&I Subcontractors 

If corrective maintenance is dispatched to a subcontractor who is not on your SolarGrade account, convert the punchlist site visit to an SG Lite form. The subcontractor completes the form without needing a SolarGrade login. Their data flows back into your SolarGrade project automatically. 

Residential O&M 

Residential projects involve a single technician, a simple system, and a homeowner audience. SolarGrade can be used efficiently for residential O&M at scale with the right configuration. 

Templates for Residential PM 

Keep the residential PM template simple — a full utility-scale template is inappropriate and will slow technicians down. A minimal residential template might include: 

• Site Access — gate code, site contact, pet on premises 
• Roof & Mounting — visual inspection of racking, flashings, penetrations 
• Modules — soiling, physical damage, shading changes 
• Inverter — fault codes, indicator lights, physical condition 
• AC / Electrical — disconnect condition, meter reading 
• Monitoring — connectivity check, data gap review 

Managing a Residential Portfolio with Work Orders 

If you manage a large portfolio of residential systems, use Work Orders in the Planner to group home visits geographically or by crew: 

• Create one Work Order per geographic batch (e.g., North County Q2 PM). 
• Add one Site Visit Task per home within the Work Order. 
• Use Custom Tasks within the Work Order for non-site-visit activities (e.g., travel coordination, permit renewal). 

This approach allows a technician to plan a full day of residential visits as a single scheduled work block, with clear status tracking for each stop. 

Reporting for Homeowners 

Use report customization to produce a simplified homeowner-facing summary. Focus the report on system status, any findings, and recommended actions in plain language. The report can be shared via a SolarGrade link — the homeowner does not need an account to view it. 

 

SolarGrade's Planner is a built-in work order management system purpose-built for solar O&M teams. Unlike a general-purpose CMMS, the Planner is integrated directly with SolarGrade's site visits, templates, and issue tracking — meaning your field documentation, corrective punchlists, and contract management all live in one place. 

The Planner is organized around two levels: Work Orders (contracts or scopes of work) and Tasks (the individual field activities within each contract). 

 

Understanding Work Orders and Tasks 

A Work Order (WO) is a group of tasks performed for a client as part of a contract or specific scope of work. Each WO has its own status, date range, budget, projected hours, assigned team members, and contact. 

Within each Work Order are Tasks, which are the individual line items of work. There are three task types: 

 

Task Type	Description	Best Used For
Site Visit Task	Links an existing site visit or creates a new one using a template	Scheduled PM visits, inspections, commissioning
Punchlist Task	Creates a punchlist from selected open issues in the project	Corrective maintenance, remediation visits
Custom Task	Free-text entry for non-site-visit items	Travel bookings, permit filings, training, coordination

 

How to Structure Work Orders for O&M Contracts 

The Planner is flexible — there is no single required structure. Here are the three approaches O&M teams use most commonly: 

 

Approach	When to Use	Structure
One WO per contract year	Long-term O&M contracts with recurring PM and corrective work	One WO containing quarterly PM tasks, punchlist tasks as corrective needs arise, and custom tasks for admin
One WO per visit or invoice	Time-and-materials billing, short-term engagements, individual site visits billed separately	One WO per field visit, one task per activity
One WO per scope type	Contracts where PM and corrective billing are tracked separately for the same project	Separate WOs for PM scope and corrective scope, both linked to the same project

 

Creating a Work Order — Step by Step 

• Navigate to the Planner tab in the top menu. 
• Click + Add Work Order in the top right corner. A new WO tile appears. 
• Click the default title (Work Order #) and replace it with your WO name (e.g., Sunrise Solar Farm — 2026 Annual O&M). 
• Set the Status from the dropdown. Choose the status that reflects where this WO currently stands: 
  • Created — drafted, not yet under contract 
  • Contracted — contract signed, field work not yet scheduled 
  • Scheduled — field visits planned and assigned 
  • Completed — all field work finished 
  • Delivered — reports delivered to the client 
  • Invoiced — invoice has been submitted to the client 
  • Archived — WO is closed; selecting this status automatically archives the WO 
• Set the Date Range for the WO (the full contract period). 
• Enter the Budget (contracted value) and Projected Hours. 
• Select the Scope from the dropdown. To add a new scope, click + Add Scope at the bottom of the dropdown and enter the scope name and abbreviation. 
• Select the Contact (the client or asset manager). To add a new contact, click + Add Contact. 
• Select the Project from the dropdown. 
• Select the team members assigned to this WO. Only team members already assigned to the linked project will appear. 
• Add any relevant notes in the Notes field. 

 

Adding Tasks to a Work Order 

Adding a Site Visit Task 

• Expand the Work Order tile and click the Tasks toggle. 
• Click + Add Task. A new task tile appears. 
• Replace the default title with your task name (e.g., Q1 Annual PM Visit — Sunrise Farm). 
• Set the task Status and Date Range. 
• To link an existing site visit: click the site visit dropdown and select Link existing site visit. Choose from the available site visits for that project. 
• To create a new site visit from within the task: click Create new site visit and select the template to use. 
• Assign the team members for this task. 
• Add any scope description in the Description field. 

 

Adding a Punchlist Task 

• Expand the Work Order tile and click the Tasks toggle. 
• Click the small arrow (^) to the right of the + Add Task button. 
• Select + Punchlist & Task. 
• Use the filters on the issue table to select the open issues to include in this punchlist (filter by severity, category, date, or site visit). 
• Click Continue. 
• Name the task, assign team members, and set the date range. 
• Optional: select a template to merge the issues into (creates a full template-based site visit carrying the open issues). 
• Click Save & Add Task. 

 

Adding a Custom Task 

• Expand the Work Order tile and click the Tasks toggle. 
• Click + Add Task. 
• Enter a title for the custom task (e.g., Book travel and accommodations for Q1 visit). 
• Set the Status and Date Range. 
• Do not link a site visit in the site visit dropdown — this is what distinguishes a Custom Task. 
• Assign team members and add a description. 

 

Task Status Workflow 

Update task status as work progresses. Task statuses are independent of the WO status and provide granular tracking within each WO: 

 

Task Status	Meaning
Created	Task has been created, no work started
Scheduled	Task is assigned and dated, crew confirmed
In progress	Field work is underway
Under review	Field work complete, report or data under internal review
Approved	Work and documentation reviewed and approved internally
Delivered	Report or deliverable delivered to client
Invoiced	Task has been invoiced
Closed	Task fully complete and closed
Stuck/delayed	Task cannot progress due to a blocker (weather, access, parts)

 

Budget and Hours Tracking 

Each WO has two sets of financial and time fields: 

• Budget and Projected Hours — manually entered when creating the WO. These reflect the contracted values based on your scope of work. 
• Actual Budget and Actual Hours — automatically calculated as the sum of completed task budget and hours fields within the WO. 

The difference between these two figures gives managers real-time insight into whether the WO is tracking within scope before the final invoice is issued. The Percentage Completion figure displays WO progress based on completed tasks only — a WO is not shown as complete until all its tasks are marked Closed. 

 

Table View vs. Gantt View 

Toggle between views using the button at the top left of the Planner page: 

• Table View: displays all WOs and tasks as a list with status, dates, budget, hours, and completion percentage. Best for day-to-day task management and status updates. 
• Gantt View: displays WOs and tasks as a horizontal timeline. Drag the date bars directly on the Gantt to reschedule tasks without editing the task form. Best for planning field schedules and visualizing the full contract period. 

 

Duplicating a Work Order 

For recurring PM contracts with the same structure year over year, duplicate an existing WO to use as a starting framework: 

• Click the three vertical dots in the top right corner of the WO card. 
• Select Duplicate. 
• The WO structure and tasks are copied. Contact information is retained; all other fields (dates, budget, team, status) are cleared by design. 
• Update the dates, budget, and team assignments for the new period. 
• New site visits within the tasks will need to be created manually. 

 

Viewing Work Order History 

Every WO maintains a full activity log showing all changes made to the WO and its tasks over time. To view: 

• Click the three vertical dots on the WO card. 
• Select History. 

The history log is useful for contract audits, client disputes, understanding scope changes, and tracking team activity over the life of a contract. 

 

Exporting Work Orders 

To export all WO and task data to CSV: 

• Navigate to the Planner tab. 
• Click the Export Work Orders button. 
• SolarGrade generates and downloads a CSV file containing all WOs, their associated tasks, task statuses, dates, budgets, and hours. 

The export is useful for contract reporting, billing reconciliation, or importing WO data into external project management, financial, or ERP systems. 

 

Project-Level WO View 

You can also view and manage all Work Orders for a specific project without navigating to the Planner. Open any project and click the Work Orders tab. The table functions identically to the Planner — you can update statuses, change dates, scopes, and team members directly from the project page.