Equipment records and data-plate scanning

Overview#

Each piece of equipment at a location has a record: make, model, serial, age, size, refrigerant and charge, electrical, condition, warranty dates, readings, findings and every job it's been on. Technicians build records fast by photographing the data plate: AI reads the plate, the serial is decoded into a manufacture date, and the technician checks everything before it's saved.

Before you start#

• Adding and editing equipment needs equipment.write (Owner, Admin, Dispatcher, Customer service, Technician on their jobs). Accounting and Viewer read only.

• Plate reading uses AI. If AI is off, the technician enters the details by hand and the serial still decodes the age.

Steps#

Scan a data plate (Field app)#

1. On the appointment, in Equipment ({count}), tap Scan data plate.

2. Photograph the data plate: straight on, the whole plate in frame, no glare. Tap Take photo or Choose from library.

3. "Reading the plate…" The form opens pre-filled with a Read confidence of high, medium or low.

4. Check every field against the plate (especially model and serial when confidence is low) and save.

5. Without signal, the photo is saved on the phone ("Photo saved") and read when you're back online. It then shows under Equipment with Confirm for you to check and save.

6. No plate? Tap No plate? Enter it by hand.

Add equipment by hand#

• Field app: Add by hand, pick the type (Furnace, Air conditioner, Heat pump, Air handler, Water heater, Tankless water heater, Boiler, Mini-split) or type one, and fill Manufacturer, Model, Serial, Manufacture date (from the plate), Tons, Refrigerant, Charge (oz), Electrical, Condition, Installed, Parts warranty to, Labor warranty to and Notes.

• Office: on the customer page, use Add equipment (Location, Type, Manufacturer, Model, Serial, Installed, Warranty ends, Notes).

Read the unit record (office)#

1. Click the equipment's name on the customer or job page.

2. The unit: age, manufacture date and where it came from, installed date, capacity, refrigerant and factory charge, electrical, condition, last serviced and membership.

3. Replacement score, Findings, Warranty (Covered, Expired or Unknown, with parts and labor dates and registration), Home passport and Service history.

Log findings and readings#

• Field app: Add a reading (superheat, subcooling, temperature split, suction and head pressure, static pressure, amp draw, CO), Add finding (severity Low, Medium, High or Safety), and Mark serviced today with today's condition.

• Office: Log a finding. On a finding, Create estimate (price and job) turns it into a one-line estimate; Add to follow-up board, Mark fixed or Customer declined.

• High and Safety findings go on the follow-up board automatically.

How age is worked out#

Age counts from the earlier of the manufacture date and the install date. A date printed on the plate wins, then a date typed by hand, then the serial decode. Serial decoding covers Carrier/Bryant/Payne, Trane/American Standard, Lennox, Goodman/Amana, Daikin, Rheem/Ruud, York/Coleman/Luxaire, A.O. Smith and Bradford White; some formats are marked "estimated".

Settings that change this#

• Settings › AI › AI Assistants & Data Preferences: plate reading needs AI on.

• Settings › Operations › Equipment: home passports.

Tips#

• Scan every unit on the first visit. Age, refrigerant and charge drive replacement scores, warranty checks and refrigerant compliance.

• Confirm the decoded date against the plate when it says "estimated".

Troubleshooting#

• "That photo doesn't show a readable data plate." → retake it straight on, with the whole plate in frame.

• "Some characters were hard to read. Check the model and serial against the plate." → check before saving.

• "That photo is too large to read. Take it again a little further away."

• "No serial decoder for X yet. Enter the date from the plate." → type the manufacture date.

• "That serial doesn't match the {brand} formats we know." → enter the date from the plate.

• "This finding isn't on a job. Book a visit first, then quote it from that job."

FAQ#

Is the AI reading saved automatically? No. Nothing is saved until the technician confirms.

Can customers see their equipment? Yes, on the home passport and in the customer portal (no internal notes or costs).

Coming from ServiceTitan#

• Same: equipment under locations with make, model, serial, install date and warranty.

• Different: AI plate scanning with serial decoding, readings, findings and a replacement score on every unit.

• Where it lived: ServiceTitan's location Equipment tab; the equipment record (/equipment/<id>) in TradesWork.