Best Field Service Management Software With GPS in 2024
Samson Kiarie
Last update on:
April 18, 2024 1:49 AM
Published on:
Field service businesses deal with an ever-changing, competitive environment exemplified by fickle customer demands. Today's customers want you to meet service level agreements (SLA) and conduct preventive maintenance based on faster resolution times.
A field service management software (FSM) streamlines job scheduling and dispatch, enabling you to use employees more efficiently. It allows you to deliver customer experiences to spur business growth and cut operational costs.
Keep reading to find FSM tools that can help you schedule and dispatch jobs more efficiently and track each field service team's location, time, mileage, and more.
Learn how Timeero helps field service businesses manage and track their team’s location, time, mileage, and more.
The best field service management software will automate the deployment and tracking of field service teams to meet service contracts or SLA agreements. The tool should also track mileage for reimbursement and taxation purposes. Some of the software options that pack a punch when it comes to field service management include:
Timeero — All-in-one Field service management solution
Apploye — Project Management and Activity Tracking
Lystloc — Best For Location and Mileage Tracking
Kickserv — Best For Job Scheduling and Dispatching
InFlow — Best For Inventory Management
Top 5 Field Service Management With GPS
We'll reveal how the top five field service management software apps give you a leg-up on competitors and steer your business toward improved profitability. Let's take a closer look at the key features of our Top 5 suggested Field Service Management Apps with GPS. details:
Timeero — All-In-One Field Service Management Solution
Timeero is an easy-to-use, all-in-one field service management solution with GPS. Whether you want to create a work order, dispatch technicians, or track them while in the field, Timeero checks all the boxes. Here's how Timeero has helped field service businesses optimize processes for better profitability.
Job Scheduling and Dispatching
Timeero allows you to use color codes to schedule employees for different tasks.
Timeero enables you to schedule and dispatch field service tasks in just a few clicks. Scheduling and assigning plumbing, cleaning, lawn mowing, landscaping, machine repair, product installation, or configuration tasks to an individual or team is easy.
Timeero allows you to schedule unplanned events and ad-hoc service requests. For example, if a customer calls in with a service request or fixes an incident, you can quickly check your schedule and assign the task to the next available technician. This ensures the issue is dealt with in a timely manner, mitigating potential impacts of the break.
The app prevents schedule conflicts at the onset. For example, suppose you schedule employee A a weekly task and try to create an overlapping task. In that case, you get a notification saying, "Employee A has an overlapping shift for this period." Dealing with schedule conflicts early ensures no service request or task slips through the cracks.
Location Tracking
Scheduling and dispatching set the service wheels rolling, but it's not the end-all-be-all of the field service business. The end game is to ensure the field service employee gets to the customer location and completes the assigned task in time. This is where Timeero GPS location tracking comes in handy.
If you assign a plumber a maintenance task, you want them to fix the leaking pipes before the issue jeopardizes the structural integrity of your client's home. To encourage fast and efficient customer service, Timeero lets you track the plumber's whereabouts in real-time.
How does Timeero’s location tracking work? Simply open the "Who's working" tab and see where each technician is in the field. The app tracks and updates their location details in near real-time. You can see how far they are from the customer location and give customers accurate expected arrival times. It's also easier to dispatch a field service team for ad-hoc service requests based on their proximity.
Timeero "Who's working" tab displays the live location of clocked-in employees.
You can also use Timeero as a GPS fleet tracking solution. You only need to ask fleet drivers to install the app on their mobile devices and use it to track the location of your pickup trucks and other vehicles.
Timeero’s route replay feature is perfect for aiding in dispute resolution. If a customer claims a technician arrived an hour late, causing an escalation of the reported issue, open the route replay and select a breadcrumb nearest to the customer location. This will reveal when the technician arrived at the designated area — problem solved.
Time Tracking
Paying technicians and mobile field teams by the hour means you must accurately track their work hours. Timeero automates time tracking so you don't have to invest in fancy or expensive gadgets. You only need to ask employees to download the Android or iOS app.
Clocking in is as easy as selecting the assigned job and clicking "clock in." Similarly, clocking out is a cinch even for the less tech-savvy employee in your workforce. Timeero also offers facial recognition and geofencing functionality to curb time theft.
The Timeero mobile app is easy to use for all field service agents.
Geofencing enables you to erect virtual boundaries around customer sites. For instance, suppose you have a mobile workforce servicing machines at a warehouse. You can put geofences around that industry and set Timeero to prevent employees from punching outside the geofence. This prevents workers from padding their timecards when running late.
Using the same example, you can have all technicians clock in using the Timeero kiosk app at the entry point to leverage facial recognition. The app takes employee photos and compares them to their profile as they clock in. In case of a mismatch, Timeero sends you a notification and flags the employee's timecard for further investigation.
Overtime and Double Time Tracking
Timeero is a great time saver for managers and admins who must track overtime and double time. You only need to set the regular work hours per day, such as 8 hours, and Timeero will compute overtime and double time based on those hours.
Mileage Tracking
Your field service team has to be on the road traveling between customer locations to fulfill requests. Whether they use company vehicles or their own cars, you have to track mileage for accurate reimbursement and tax purposes.
Timeero automates mileage tracking, eliminating the hassle of manually tracking mileage or relying on odometer readings — which aren't always accurate. The field service employee doesn't have to lift a finger to track mileage. As long as they are clocked in, Timeero will track mileage when the car exceeds a predefined speed threshold, say 5 mph.
Segmented Tracking
Timeero segmented tracking makes it easy to monitor the activities of the field service team.
Segmented tracking is more reliable if you require a field sales team or service employee to tend to multiple customers in a day. Think of technicians who must commute throughout the state to repair printing machines across different cities.
In this case, there's a lot you need to know as a manager. Such as the technician's arrival and departure time for every solved case. Are the technicians taking the assigned route? Are they spending the right amount of time at each location based on the issue?
Usually you'd require the technicians to clock in and out at every customer premises so you can get the details above. Luckily, Timeero segmented tracking takes away the hassle, allowing your technicians to focus on their tasks. They only need to clock in one time and clock out once they are done for the day.
Timeero tracks their movement while on the clock and segments their trip based on the stops. You'll still get the technicians' total mileage but have additional details, such as time spent repairing machines at every customer location. You also know when the technicians arrived and left each location.
Suggested Mileage
Timeero offers a suggested mileage feature. It suggests the shortest route to a customer location based on previous trips. Ensuring your field service team takes the shortest route saves you fuel costs and enables your team to arrive on time for each scheduled job. This can significantly improve customer satisfaction and lead to more referrals and repeat business.
Automate Payroll Calculations
Timeero doesn't just track time and mileage; it uses employees' hours and mileage to compute compensation and reimbursement. Come the end of the month, you don't have to crunch the numbers trying to figure out who earned what.
When creating employee profiles, you must add their hourly rate. The app takes the predefined hourly rate and multiplies it with the employee's approved timesheet hours, taking into account overtime and double time, to compute their earnings.
Similarly, you can set the mileage cost per mile for your company. Timeero will help compute the total mileage cost and reimbursement automatically.
Other Key Features:
California break tracker
Signatures
Message blast
Suggested mileage
Time off tracking
Timeero offers a 14-day free trial, which you can use to get a first-hand feel for all the features. Paid plans are also affordable, and there's no base price: the basic plan costs $4 per user per month.
Apploye — Project Management and Activity Tracking
Apploye is another reliable field service management software with GPS. It's a great option for small businesses struggling to track field teams' time and location. Its mobile user interface (UI) isn't as clean and clutter-free as Timeero, but most users won't take long to figure it out.
Scheduling and Dispatching
Apploye helps field teams monitor job statuses directly on mobile devices.
Unlike Timeero, Apploye scheduling is non-existent. In other words, you can't create a shift schedule and assign it to field employees. Instead, the provider allows you to create projects, break them into tasks, and assign them to relevant field service agents.
When creating projects, you can set deadlines and descriptions to clarify what employees are expected to deliver and when. Sadly, you can't set task deadlines, which is a major strike against Apploye, especially when working on projects with task dependencies.
Aside from its minor downfalls, , creating tasks with Apploye is as easy as hitting the + (plus) button under "Tasks," selecting the project, and hitting "Add Task."
When you assign an employee a task, it's displayed on the home UI on the mobile phone. This makes it easier for employees to track tasks and plan their day appropriately. When they finish a task, they only need to click the "circle" icon to mark it complete.
Location Tracking
Apploye location tracking tools are under "Field Services" — a feature only available on the Elite plan. There are two notable tracking features: Route Map and Job Sites.
Apploye web portal's home UI displays all the metrics you need to track your business operations.
The Job Sites feature is more of a time tracking function than a location tracking tool (we'll discuss it briefly).
The Route Map component isn't a route optimization tool; it's only meant to help you track employees' live location and their routes during the day.
The dark circle represents the field employee's start point, the red pins show the locations visited, and the circle is their current location or where they ended the trip.
In addition, you can open Apploye Live Feed to see who's clocked in and which tasks they are currently working on. You also see when each employee clocked in for the current session. This feature is ideal for office-based teams, especially those that spend most of their time in front of the screen
Time Tracking
Regarding time tracking, Apploye offers two options: Timer and GPS Timeclock. The former is a handy attendance tracking tool for on-site or office-based teams.
It's easier to use, and clocking in is as simple as pressing "start tracking." The timer accurately tracks employee attendance and creates automatic timesheets. However, it doesn't stop off-site punching since employees can clock in and out from anywhere.
The GPS time clock will work better for companies with field service teams. However, you'll need to create Job Sites before employees can track time with the geofence clock.
Job Sites are geofenced job locations that work in unison with the geofence time clock. To create a job site, select Field Services → Job Sites → Add Job site. You'll be prompted to add the job site details, select the geofence radius, and assign the job site to relevant employees.
Employees can select a GPS time clock at the bottom of the mobile screen, pick the designated job site, and tap and hold the clock-in button. Provided they are within the job site, Apploye clocks them in without a hitch.
However, if an employee attempts to clock in outside the designated work site, the app won't let them clock in. Instead, it warns them, "You are outside your job site."
Other Relevant Features:
RemoteTrack
Project management and budgeting
Invoicing
Idle Time tracking
Automatic payroll calculations
Apploye integrations: ClickUp, Asana, and Trello
As far as the pricing goes, Apploye offers two plans. On a yearly scale, Standard costs $2.50 per user per month, and Elite costs $3.50 per user per month. Each plan comes with a 10-day free trial. Like Timeero, the pricing is on the lower end of the spectrum. Still, Timeero offers better value for money thanks to its comprehensive features.
Lystloc — Best For Location and Mileage Tracking
Lystloc is a great option for businesses looking for task management and field service team tracking. The mobile app is easy to use, thanks to the well-organized UI. The same can't be said about the web portal. You must tinker with many features to get your organization up and running. Newbies will struggle to find their way around.
Regarding Lystloc’s features, there are three functions that are recommended for use by field service teams: Task management, time tracking, and location tracking.
Task Management With Lystloc
Lystloc lets you create individual tasks and assign them to field service employees.
Like Apploye, Lystloc doesn't offer an accomplished scheduling or project management module. You won’t be able to create a project and break it into tasks that can be assigned to the field service team.
Instead, you can only create individual tasks with start and end dates and times. What sets Lystloc apart is that you create tasks based on customer requests or clients on your list.
Let's say a client needs plumbing and solar water heater repair. You can create plumbing repairs as one task and another for heater repair and assign them to a plumber and technician respectively.
Time Tracking With Lystloc
Timeero and Apploye require employees to pick the assigned tasks when clocking in. This simple act solves wage determination issues and streamlines payroll calculation. Lystloc time tracker works differently, though. Employees don't have to select an assigned task to clock in — just press and hold the "in" button, and you'll easily be clocked in.
Concerning time theft, Lystloc has put measures in place such as fingerprint authentication to curb buddy punching. You can also use geofencing to prevent off-site punching.
The auto-logout feature helps improve timesheet accuracy. When activated, the feature automatically logs out field employees at the end of the day. It relies on the work hours settings configured when creating work locations.
If you set work hours between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm, the tool will auto-logout users at 5:00 pm. But, we recommend using this feature cautiously, especially if you need to track overtime and double time for employees. Instead of logging employees out automatically, it may be better to use check-out reminders.
Location Tracking with Lystloc
Lystloc has reliable location tracking, which can be used for employee and fleet management.
Lystloc doesn't rival Timeero or Apploye when it comes to location tracking since its features are limited to the basics. When you open the "tracking" tab, you will see a list of employees logged in that day and their location on the map.
You can also filter employees by present or absent and also select an employee to track their day-to-day activities. You'll see a green "L" icon on a map representing where an employee logged in, "W" representing waiting time, and read "L" showing where they logged out. Waiting time means the time a field employee spends in one location.
You can see all these pins on the map to track field service employee movement better. Lystloc also shows the total time an employee has worked.
Mileage Tracking with Lystloc
Beyond time tracking, Lystloc also records the miles an employee has covered while clocked in. You don't need to tweak any settings: mileage tracking happens automatically.
In addition, the app provides the route an employee takes with turn-to-turn directions. You can also click the blue "play" button to replay the employee's route during the day.
Beyond time tracking, Lystloc also records the miles an employee has covered while clocked in. You don't need to tweak any settings, mileage tracking happens automatically.
The app provides the route an employee takes with turn-to-turn directions. You can also click the blue "play" button to replay the employee's route during the day.
Lystloc offers a 7-day free trial if you need time to preview the features. There are three paid plans, with monthly and yearly billing. Software breakdown costs are as follows: Basic ($3 per user per month), Standard ($5 per user per month), and Enterprise ($7.50 per user per month).
KickServ — Best for Job Scheduling and Dispatching
Kickserv mobile UI has a steep learning curve, and most newbies and non-tech-savvy users will need time to get used to it. For starters, the clock-in button isn't available on the home UI. Instead, users must navigate to jobs, pick a category, and open the assigned job to find the clock-in button.
Job Scheduling and Dispatching
Kickserv offers multiple ways to schedule and dispatch field service jobs.
You can choose the schedule, calendar, or dispatch option when scheduling jobs, estimates, or time off. With the schedule option, you only need to add event details such as customer details, job, date, and assignee.
The calendar option gives you a calendar view that simplifies scheduling events on specific dates. Lastly, the dispatch mode combines a map and timeline view, making it easier to schedule and assign field service employees jobs based on proximity.
Field employees can view all the assigned and scheduled jobs from their mobile devices. They can even select a job or event to zoom in on details such as location, scope of work, and payment details. This helps them in planning their day and week.
Time Tracking with Kickserv
The clock-in button is tucked away under the assigned jobs, making it difficult for first-time users to find. Thankfully, once you locate the button, starting the time clock is super easy. Select the assigned job, tap the clock-in button, and confirm that you want to clock in.
Kickserv tracks time and creates field service team timesheets automatically. The good thing is that Kickserv is primed to solve wage determination issues and calculate payroll automatically.
Remember that employees must select the assigned job to track time, which means the app attributes employee work hours to their respective jobs.
That said, Kickserv doesn't have features to stop time theft. You can't set geofences around job sites to prevent off-site punching or utilize fingerprint authentication and facial recognition to curb buddy punching.
Location Tracking with Kick Serve
Kickserv helps track the real-time location of field employees but doesn't offer a route replay.
Kickserv lets you see your field service employees' location in real-time. Click "Planner" and select "Map" to monitor employees' whereabouts. You'll see the employee list on the right and can zero in on an individual to see their activity log, such as where they clocked in or out.
Unfortunately, Kickserv doesn't provide a route map or route replay feature — you'll only see the clock in/out locations. As a result, you can't tell which route an employee took during the day.
That might not be a huge miss if employees fulfill the assigned requests on time. However, if you require field teams to follow specific routes, you will need more than Kickserv to enforce the rule.
InFlow — Best for Inventory Management
InFlow differs from other apps on our list because it helps field service businesses manage orders and inventory. It doesn't support GPS tracking but is an indispensable part of a field service team tech stack.
Picture this: you have a huge team of technicians, and your company has warehouses around the country. When field techs are out fulfilling work orders, it's difficult to know where the parts they need are or whether they need to be ordered and then delivered to the job site.
InFlow helps manage your field service company's purchasing, inventory, and sales processes.
We've yet to mention that your sales team needs to restock products, parts, and supplies to ensure technicians have the components they need to fulfill their jobs. This is where InFlow Cloud comes into the picture. The software solution streamlines the inventory process from buying and dispatching to warehouses and tracking them.
Purchasing Order Management
Since InFlow keeps an accurate record of what's in your warehouse, it is easier for the sales team to know what to order. You'll also receive reminders when a part or product is low in stock, further simplifying the buying process.
You can manage all purchase orders from a centralized dashboard and sort them by vendor or status to see what's urgent or important. The good thing is that you can set up a purchasing order approval team to keep everything operating smoothly.
When an order is fulfilled, you'll decide where to receive it. Do you want it in the California or Boston warehouse? You make the call depending on where the part or product is needed the most.
Inventory Management
With InFlow, it's easy for field service teams to track and order the parts they need.
Your field team doesn't have to spend hours locating a needed machine part. Instead, they only need to open the product catalog for the nearest warehouse and search the machine part by name. InFlow serves up a list of the available parts, making it easier for field technicians to order the parts they need.
Other Key Features:
Cost tracking
Stock tracking
Reordering
Order fulfillment
Barcoding
Sales and invoicing
InFlow integrations: QuickBooks Online, Xero, Shopify, Squarespace, Amazon, and WooCommerce.
InFlow offers three pricing plans: Entrepreneur ($89 per month billed annually), Small Business ($219 per month billed annually), and Mid-Size ($439 per month billed annually).
Pick The Field Service Management Software With GPS
The best field service management software for your business helps solve the most pressing needs. If you want to schedule teams and track time, pick a solution with a scheduler and an automatic tracker. On the other hand, if you're going to track technicians’ GPS location and mileage, find an app with a reliable GPS and mileage tracker.
If you're facing multiple issues, pick a solution that combines all the tools mentioned above, such as Timeero. The software solution lets you track time, location, and mileage without investing in other tools. You'll also get employee scheduling, team communication, and time-off tracking tools.
Start a free trial today to get a first-hand feel for these tools, risk-free for 14 days. No credit card is required. Alternatively, schedule a call to learn how Timeero can help you improve the operational efficiency of your field service team.
Field Service Management Software: FAQs
What is Field Service Management Software?
Field service management software is a tech solution that enables companies to track, monitor, and manage field service teams.
What Is the Best Field Service Management Software?
Timeero is the best field service management software, thanks to its impressive feature suite. It enables you to schedule field service teams and track time, location, and mileage.
Discover how Timeero revolutionizes management for field service businesses by tracking team location, time, mileage, and more.
Samson is a mathematician turned content marketer specializing in SaaS and Tech content. He focuses on the practical aspects of software systems while keeping abreast of the industry’s cutting-edge principles to create informative and engaging content. When he’s not writing, Samson spends time playing or watching soccer.
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