# Work order

> A work order is the internal or client-issued instruction that authorises and describes a specific piece of work (scope, asset, location, timing, safety requirements) and is the unit against which labour, materials and reports are recorded.

- Source: https://amps.global/glossary/work-order/
- Type: Glossary
- Published: 2026-09-05
- Tags: operations

## Key facts

- Client work orders usually reference a purchase order or contract; internal work orders schedule the crew
- In maintenance systems (SAP PM, Maximo) the work order number is what the client wants quoted on the report and invoice
- A work order maps to a job in most inspection software; recurring inspections generate recurring work orders
- Closing the work order is the trigger for invoicing

Also known as: WO, works order, service order, job card.

## In an inspection company

The work order is where scope creep shows up: additional welds tested, extra hours, standby time. Recording variations against the work order is what makes them invoiceable.

## Work orders in AMPS

In AMPS the job is the work order. Client references such as PO and work order numbers are entered once on the job and filled automatically into the Word report and the Xero invoice. AMPS runs the job pipeline from creation and assignment through execution, reporting, timesheets and closure; a job marked ready for invoicing is visible to administrative staff in real time and the invoice is created in Xero.

## Related pages

- [Purchase order](https://amps.global/glossary/purchase-order/)
- [Job register](https://amps.global/glossary/job-register/)
- [Job costing](https://amps.global/glossary/job-costing/)

## Sources

- [Work order on Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Work_order)