# Services & contracting desk: step-by-step handbook

Updated 22 October 2026.

Public documentation: /docs/specialist-operations#services-contracting
POS route: /pos/desks/services-contracting
Business workspace: /dashboard/specialist-operations

## Access and setup

Administrator: select the compatible trades or professional-services foundation, its parent modules and the optional service-visits block. Select Services front desk · site dispatch in counter workflow setup. Keep existing counters and assign Operations View for reading or Edit for operational changes.

## Step by step

1. Administrator: select the compatible trades or professional-services foundation, its parent modules and the optional service-visits block. Select Services front desk · site dispatch in counter workflow setup. Keep existing counters and assign Operations View for reading or Edit for operational changes.
2. Open /pos-login, choose Services front desk · site dispatch in Workflow, then sign in with the account for this business. Business administration uses a separate login; a copied desk URL cannot change your signed workflow. On a phone use the same online browser route; use your device keyboard for form entry.
3. Choose the appropriate queue (All visits, Scheduled, Dispatched, On site, Completed). Use Schedule site visit to create a record, or open History & next action on an existing one.
4. Select an open job or service engagement, active staff member, site and visit window. The corresponding parent module must be selected.
5. Schedule the visit; active visits cannot overlap for the same staff member. Record dispatch and arrival with evidence.
6. Complete the visit with actual site evidence. Complete/review the authoritative job or engagement and issue eligible billing separately.
7. A visit completion does not complete the parent job or engagement. Record delivery checks and approved work in the Business portal, then use eligible commercial billing separately. Scheduling cannot overlap for the same staff member.
8. Before changing desks or sales tabs, save the form or deliberately discard it. Switching is blocked while saving. If a record changed, refresh and review its latest version before retrying.

## Demo practice

Services demo: 3 site visits linked to an existing open job: Scheduled, Dispatched and Completed. Schedules are fixed examples from the seed date; check the actual date before demonstrating dispatch.

Use the existing package-specific demo owner or staff credentials supplied privately by your administrator. Never place passwords in a public handbook. Demo authorizations and recipient evidence are synthetic. Seed reruns do not refresh dates, reset used records or reactivate revoked access.

## Review and shared handoff

A visit completion does not complete the parent job or engagement. Record delivery checks and approved work in the Business portal, then use eligible commercial billing separately. Scheduling cannot overlap for the same staff member.
Business source: /dashboard/industry-operations

## Current limits

Site-visit scheduling and evidence only. No travel optimization, variations, retention/progress billing, native reception checkout or automatic parent completion. This operational desk has no new payment engine.

## When blocked

- Missing desk: verify the selected workflow, optional block, parent foundation and staff Operations access.
- Authorization blocked: use an eligible owner or manager; operator access alone does not grant review powers.
- Source not ready: complete the required original kitchen, sales or job action in the Business portal and refresh.
- Stale version: refresh the record and review its history before retrying; do not repeat a sale or stock action.
- No network: these browser desks require the ERP server; do not treat an unsaved form as a completed transaction.

## Visual instructions

The matching industry handbook includes flow/sequence diagrams and Diagram view → Step by Step. New desk screenshots remain pending; no synthetic screenshot is presented as captured evidence. Use your browser Print / Save PDF to export these instructions.


## Offline purchase and activation

Desktop supports its installed packages; native Android permanent activation requires 1.3.0-preview and currently supports Retail and Water Refilling. This does not make cloud browser pages available offline.

1. Open the existing local business and its License & local package page. Expired trial records are retained; do not reinstall or create another business.
2. Copy the activation request and send it privately to support using any available device. Confirm the platform, exact installed version, supported package and agreed payment.
3. Super Admin opens Offline licenses, verifies the request, ownership and payment, then generates a signed permanent key without requiring a cloud tenant.
4. Transfer the key to the original device, paste/import it, verify the preview and apply the local package. Existing business records remain.
5. Permanent use covers the purchased version; updates/support and Cloud are separate. Keep local backups. Device replacement, rebinding or package changes require support review.

Full customer and administrator instructions: /docs/offline-activation.