Book the times you don't control first.
The utility gives you a disconnect window. The inspector gives you a morning. Everything else on an electrical calendar fits around those two. Redline books the fixed times exactly as given, puts the right pair on them and slots the service calls into what's left.
Running an electrical crew day
Lock the fixed times
Utility disconnects, inspections and generator startups get booked at the exact time you were given. Tell Redline the time and it books it, no suggestions.
Pair the crew
Group a journeyman and an apprentice into one truck for the day, today only, every week on that day, or until you undo it. They show as one crew on the board.
Fill around them
Service calls and small jobs go in the open gaps. Ask for a time and Redline offers slots next to work you already have in that town.
When the utility moves
One message moves the service change and says who goes where instead. The board, the calendar and both phones update together.
Someone has to meet the inspector
Put the inspection on the calendar with whoever is meeting them. Their app shows it with the job notes: permit number, panel location, access.
The utility moved the cut
Whitfield service change moved to tomorrow 9:00 with Marco and Devin. Devin has the Lowell St outlet call at 1:00 and the Mass Ave breaker call at 2:30, both Arlington, on his phone now.
The Okafor EV charger was on Marco at 1:00. Move it?
Okafor EV charger moved to Thursday 1:00, still on Marco. Want an email drafted to Mr. Okafor about the new day?
The crew board, tech app and assigning by chat are on Team ($129 a month) and Team+. Rescheduling by chat works on every plan.
What the board does for an electrical shop
Journeyman and apprentice as one
Grouping keeps the pair on one route for the day. Split them for an afternoon by assigning the apprentice's calls on their own.
Panel-change notes
Permit posted, utility confirmation number, main off, meter seal, labeling done. Put it in the job notes; the crew taps their status and marks the job done, so you see progress without a call.
Notes that save the trip
Panel in the finished basement behind the shelving, dog in the yard, meter on the left side. Office notes ride with the job to the tech's phone.
No prices on the phone
Electricians and apprentices see the job, the checklist and the notes. Quotes, invoices and job values stay with you and the office.
Why electrical dispatch is different
A plumbing day bends around emergencies. An electrical day bends around other people's calendars: the utility's crew, the town inspector, the generator dealer's startup tech. Miss one of those windows and the job slides a week, not an hour.
That's why the order matters. Book the fixed windows first, put a licensed electrician on each one, and then fill in. Redline won't check who holds which license, so the pairing is your call. What it does is keep the whole crew's day in one place you can change by typing a sentence.
Straight answers on electrical dispatch
Redline does
- Book utility and inspection times exactly as given
- Group an electrician and apprentice for the day
- Move a job and reassign the crew in one message
- Show each tech's tapped status on the board
- Draft the "we have to move your install" email
Redline doesn't
- Check licenses or supervision ratios
- Book the utility or the inspector for you
- Track trucks by GPS
- Track hours for payroll
- Text customers about a schedule change
Questions contractors ask
Does the apprentice need a seat?
Yes, if they use the app. Everyone in the workspace holds a seat, the owner included. Team has 3 seats at $129 a month, Team+ has 10 at $299 with extra seats at $29.
Can I see who's free right now?
The board shows each tech's tapped status (Idle, En route, On job) and what's next on their day. There's no GPS, so it's what they tapped, not where the truck is.
Will suggested times work around a 7am start?
Suggestions assume weekday hours from 8 to 5. For an earlier start or a Saturday cut, give Redline the time yourself and it books it.
More for electricians
Keep reading
- Electrical softwareQuote panel upgrades and EV chargers by the device, and bill the small jobs too.
- Electrical invoicing softwareRough-in, trim-out and final billed by phase, service calls billed on the spot.
- Plumbing dispatch softwareBurst pipe at 10am? Reshuffle the day and send a truck in one message.
- Crew dispatch and tech appA board for every tech's day and a simple app for the crew. Team plan and up.
Run your business by chat.
Redline is free to start. Tell it about the job and it handles the quote, the schedule, the invoice and the follow-up.