Use the job assistant, AI troubleshooting and calculators

Overview#

The Tools section on every appointment holds three helpers. The job assistant answers questions about this job from your company's records ("When was a tech last here?") and shows which records it used. Troubleshoot takes the unit, the symptoms and your readings and returns likely causes, checks in order, safety warnings and parts from your pricebook. Calculators (superheat, subcooling, duct sizing, voltage drop, gas pipe and more) don't use AI and work with no signal. On a unit's page, AI can also look up typical specs for the model.

Before you start#

• AI tools need ai.use and tech_ai.use. Technicians and dispatchers have both; owners and admins hold every permission. Customer service, accounting and viewers don't get the technician AI tools.

• AI must be connected and turned on for your company, and each tool must be switched on in Settings › AI › AI Assistants & Data Preferences under Technician AI tools. All three are on by default.

• The AI tools need signal. Past assistant answers and earlier troubleshooting results stay readable offline.

• There's a limit of 30 AI requests per person per hour, plus a company daily limit.

• Calculators are always on, for everyone who can open an appointment, and need no signal.

Steps#

Ask the job assistant#

1. Open the appointment and scroll to Tools.

2. Tap Ask about this job. The screen title reads Ask about job #10001.

3. With an empty conversation, tap a starter under Try asking:

   • When was a tech last here?

   • What did we replace last time?

   • Is this unit under warranty?

   • What's open on this customer?

4. Or type in Ask about this job and tap Ask. You'll see "Looking through the records…".

5. Each answer has a badge: AI answer, or Not in the records when your records don't say. Under it, source chips name the records used. Tap an equipment chip to open that unit.

6. The conversation is saved on the appointment. Reopen it anytime, even offline.

Troubleshoot a unit#

1. In Tools, tap Troubleshoot. Or, on a unit's page, tap Troubleshoot this unit under AI help.

2. Under Unit, pick the unit (make, type and age), or Not listed.

3. Under What's happening, describe the symptoms, for example "Furnace lights, runs about a minute, shuts off and retries."

4. Optional: under Readings (optional), tap chips such as + Superheat, + Amp draw or + Flame signal and enter the values. Readings already saved on the unit are included automatically.

5. Tap Get troubleshooting steps. You'll see "Thinking it through…".

6. Read the result, marked AI guidance: verify before acting:

   • Safety warnings first.

   • Likely causes, each tagged Most likely, Possible or Less likely, with why.

   • Checks, in order: Step 1: … with what to Expect.

   • Parts commonly involved, matched to your pricebook with code and price, or Not in your pricebook.

   • When to stop, if the job should be escalated.

7. Under What happened?, choose This fixed it, Partly fixed or Didn't fix it, pick the cause (or Something else), add what you did, and tap Save outcome. It's saved to the job notes and the unit's findings.

8. Tap Start over for a new run. Past runs are listed under Earlier on this appointment.

Look up typical specs for a unit#

1. Open a unit from the Equipment section of the appointment.

2. Under AI help, tap Look up typical specs.

3. The card is labelled AI · unverified: "Typical information for this make and model from AI, not read from this unit. The data plate and installation manual win." It lists specs, Common issues and Maintenance.

4. Tap Look up again to refresh it.

Use the calculators#

1. From an appointment, tap Calculators in Tools. Without a job, tap Calculators on Today.

2. Pick one, grouped under Refrigeration, Airflow, Electrical, Gas and Load: Superheat, Subcooling, Target superheat, Duct size from CFM, CFM from duct size, Temperature rise / airflow, Temperature split, Voltage drop, Gas pipe size and Quick BTU estimate.

3. Enter the values. Results appear as you type, with notes and an Approximate badge where it applies.

4. On a job, tap Save to job to add the result to the job notes. For superheat, subcooling and temperature split, you can also pick a unit under Also save as a reading on.

5. Tap All calculators to go back to the list.

Settings that change this#

• Settings › AI › AI Assistants & Data Preferences: the company-wide AI switch and, under Technician AI tools, the Job assistant, Diagnostic troubleshooting and Equipment info switches. The calculators can't be turned off.

• Settings › People › Employees & Role Permissions: roles decide who gets tech_ai.use.

Tips#

• Scan the data plate first. Troubleshooting is better when it knows the model and age.

• Use the outcome card. "This fixed it" teaches the next tech, and the job assistant, what worked on that unit.

• Calculator results are guides. The manufacturer's data and your local code win.

Troubleshooting#

• Tools only shows Calculators and a line "AI tools aren't available: …" → AI is off, your role doesn't include the tools, or the company turned a tool off → the line says which. Ask an owner.

• "No signal. The assistant needs a connection; your earlier answers are still here." → wait for signal.

• "You've used 30 AI requests in the last hour." → wait the minutes it names.

• "Your company has reached today's limit for technician AI requests." → it resets within 24 hours.

• "Enter Superheat as a number." → a reading has letters in it → fix the value.

• "Open a job to save results." → you used Calculators from Today → open the appointment's calculators instead.

FAQ#

Does the assistant see other customers' records? No. It answers only from this job's customer, address and equipment, and leaves out names, phone numbers, emails and street addresses.

Can the AI change the job? No. It only answers. Saving an outcome adds a note and a finding that you chose.

Do calculators need AI or signal? No. They run on the phone and work offline.

Coming from ServiceTitan#

• ServiceTitan offers AI and diagnostic helpers through its own add-ons. In TradesWork the job assistant, troubleshooting and equipment info are built into the field app and turned on per company.

• Different: every answer names its source records, and AI guidance is always labelled.

• The switches live in Settings › AI › AI Assistants & Data Preferences.