Work order

A work order is an order received by an organization from a customer or client, or an order created internally within the organization. A work order may be for products or services.

In a manufacturing environment, a work order is converted from a sales order to show that work is about to begin on the manufacture, building or engineering of the products requested by the customer. In a service environment, a work order can be equivalent to a service order where the WO records the location, date and time the service is carried out and the nature of work that is done. The type of personnel (e.g. job position) may also be listed on the WO. A rate (e.g. $/hr, $/week) and also the total amount of hours worked and total value is also shown on the work order.

A work order may be a maintenance or repair request from students, faculty or staff in a university.

Orders received from outside an organization are often dispatched (reviewed and scheduled) before being executed.Work orders may be for preventive maintenance