Work Order Not-to-Exceed Controls Playbook

Most service vendor leakage is caused by one failure: work is performed before it is approved.

This playbook installs a beginner-safe work order control system:

• not-to-exceed thresholds
• quote and approval rules
• emergency definitions
• change control triggers
• weekly exception review

What you will install

1. Not-to-exceed thresholds by job type
2. Emergency and after-hours definition
3. Quote requirements and evidence standards
4. Change control trigger rules
5. Weekly exception review cadence

Step-by-step controls

Step 1: Define the work order lifecycle

Minimum stages:

• request
• triage and classify (routine, urgent, emergency)
• quote (if required)
• approval (with not-to-exceed)
• dispatch and execution
• completion evidence
• invoice validation and payment

Step 2: Install not-to-exceed thresholds

Beginner-safe approach:

• set a default not-to-exceed amount per site or region
• require pre-approval above the threshold
• require written change approval if not-to-exceed will be exceeded

Step 3: Define emergency and after-hours rules

Emergency must be explicit. Otherwise everything becomes an emergency.

Define:

• what qualifies
• who can authorize
• documentation required

Step 4: Require quotes above a threshold

Quote must include:

• labor hours by role
• hourly rates (or reference rate card)
• materials estimate
• trip charges and any fees
• assumptions and exclusions

Step 5: Install change control triggers

Trigger a change approval when:

• cost forecast exceeds not-to-exceed
• additional trips are required beyond plan
• materials estimate increases materially
• scope expands beyond original request

Templates

A) Not-to-exceed matrix

B) Quote template (copy/paste)

Copyable template (TEXT)
Copy
Work Order Quote

Vendor:
Site:
Work order ID:
Classification: routine / urgent / emergency

Scope (plain English):
Included:
Excluded:

Labor:
- Role:
- Rate:
- Hours:

Materials:
- Parts list and estimated cost:

Trip charges and fees:
- Trip charge:
- Other fees:

Estimated total:
Not-to-exceed requested:

Assumptions:
Evidence to be provided at completion (photos, inspection form, sign-off):

C) Weekly exceptions review agenda (15 minutes)

Copyable template (TEXT)
Copy
Weekly Work Order Exceptions Review

1) Work orders exceeded not-to-exceed
2) Emergency work performed (was it truly emergency)
3) Repeat trips and repeat failures
4) High materials markup or unusual charges
5) Actions, owners, deadlines

Common pitfalls

• emergency is not defined
• not-to-exceed exists but is not enforced
• invoices arrive with no work order reference
• approvals happen after the work is done