How do I assign a work order to a vendor instead of employees?
Set the work order's "Performed by" field to Vendor, pick an approved vendor from the dropdown, optionally attach a purchase order with a budget, and set the expected date range. The vendor manages their own people — no employee assignment is needed.
Updated August 29, 2026 · Verified against VENDORS-DETAILED.md — Work Order Assignment to Vendors
Steps
- 1Open the work order form and set Performed by to Vendor
- 2Select an approved vendor (filter by trade specialty if needed)
- 3Optionally add a purchase order with budget and not-to-exceed amounts
- 4Set the expected start and end dates
- 5Save the work order
Assign a work order to a vendor
- Open the work order form (create or edit) and set Performed by to Vendor.
- Select the vendor from the dropdown. Only approved vendors appear; you can filter by trade specialty to match the work order type, and the list shows approval status and expiry warnings.
- Optionally create a purchase order: enter the PO number, budget amount, not-to-exceed amount, and any notes or terms.
- Set the timeline with expected start and end dates, coordinated with the vendor's availability.
- Save. No employee assignment is needed — the vendor handles their own resources, and internal employees are not assigned.
Vendor vs employee assignment
| Aspect | Employee assignment | Vendor assignment |
|---|---|---|
| Performed by | Employee | Vendor |
| Resource selection | Assign specific employees | Select the vendor from a list |
| People required | Specify count and skills | Not applicable |
| Timeline control | Detailed daily assignments | Expected date range only |
| Cost tracking | Internal labor costs | Purchase order with budget tracking |
| Conflict detection | Full conflict detection | None — the vendor manages their own resources |
Frequently asked questions
Why doesn't my vendor appear in the dropdown?
Only approved vendors are listed. Check the vendor's approval status — the list also flags approvals that are expired or expiring.
Do I need to create a purchase order for vendor work?
No, it's optional — but a PO lets you track the budget and not-to-exceed amount against the vendor's work.
Does WorkSkedge check vendor scheduling conflicts?
No. Conflict detection applies to employee assignments only; vendors manage their own resources.
Can I assign both employees and a vendor to the same work order?
A work order's Performed by field is either Employee or Vendor. Vendor-assigned work orders do not take internal employee assignments.