Service Level Agreements (SLAs) help organizations define and track expected response and completion times for work orders. Once configured, SLA rules automatically apply deadlines based on criteria such as priority, category, or asset type, helping teams maintain consistent service standards across their portfolio.
This article explains how SLAs work, how to enable them, create SLA rules, configure escalations, and understand how SLA rules are applied to work orders.
What are SLAs?
Service Level Agreements (SLAs) are performance targets that define how quickly work orders should be accepted and completed. SLA rules automatically apply response and completion deadlines based on conditions such as priority, category, or asset type.
SLAs are different from due dates. A due date is a fixed deadline for a specific task. It doesn't measure performance or account for working hours. A work order can have either an SLA or a due date, but not both. If an SLA rule starts applying to a work order that already has a manually set due date, the SLA replaces it with its own calculated date.
Before you begin
You must be a Global Admin.
SLAs are configured at the account level.
Verify working hours, time zones, and holidays are configured.
If you currently use the Time to Handle Work Order automation, note that enabling SLAs disables overlapping automation options to prevent conflicts.
Turn on SLAs
Enable the SLA feature before creating rules or escalations.
Navigate to Global Settings → Work Orders → SLAs.
Enable the Work Order SLA toggle.
Verify that the Rules and Escalations tabs appear.
💡Note: Turning off Work Order SLA deactivates all SLA rules and escalations, but does not delete them. They are reactivated automatically if SLAs are enabled again.
Add an SLA rule
SLA rules determine how much time staff have to accept and complete specific types of work orders.
Open the Rules tab: In Settings → Work Orders → SLAs, select Rules.
Click Create SLA Rule: This opens a new rule.
After you create the first SLA rule, the button then shows as 'Add Rule' on the right hand side.
Choose which work orders it applies to: Leave it open to apply to all work orders, or narrow it with one or more conditions (see below).
Choose the mode: Select Business hours or 24 hours.
Set your targets: Set an Acceptance target, a Completion target, or both, in minutes, hours, or days.
Click Create: The rule applies automatically to new work orders that match it.
When you edit an existing rule, the button says Save.
Conditions
Leave the rule open to cover all work orders, or narrow it by any combination of the below:
Option | Description |
Priority | Applies the rule based on Low, Medium, High, or Critical priority. |
Category/Sub-category | Applies the rule to specific work order categories. |
Property Asset Type | Applies the rule to work orders associated with a specific asset type. |
Mode
Select how SLA time should be measured for matching work orders.
Mode | Description |
Business Hours | SLA time is calculated only during each property's configured business hours. Holidays are excluded, and the SLA clock pauses outside working hours. If a work order is created outside business hours, timing begins when the next working period starts. |
24 Hours | SLA time is calculated continuously, including evenings, weekends, and holidays. |
The selected mode applies to both Acceptance and Completion targets, as well as any associated escalations.
Targets
Targets define how long staff have to respond to and complete work orders.
Target | Description |
Acceptance Target | Defines how long staff have to accept a work order after it is created. Work orders that automatically move from Awaiting Acceptance to In Progress are considered accepted. |
Completion Target | Defines how long staff have to complete a work order after it is created. This target determines the work order's SLA-based due date. |
💡Configure at least one target when creating a rule. If both targets are used, the Acceptance target must be shorter than the Completion target.
Set up escalations
Escalations automatically notify designated users or roles when SLA targets are missed.
Open the Escalations tab: In Settings → Work Orders → SLAs, select Escalations.
Set level 1: Level 1 fires at the moment of breach and is on by default. Choose the position or role to notify.
Add levels 2 and 3 (optional): Set a delay for each, counted from the moment of breach, and choose who to notify.
Escalations follow the rule's mode and don't fire while an SLA is paused, for example while a work order is On Hold.
Understand How SLA Rules Apply
Reminders and notifications
At 75% of the allowed time, a one-time reminder goes to the work order's assignees or acceptor.
At breach, a one-time notification goes to everyone subscribed to the work order.
After breach, repeat reminders can be sent on a schedule, up to a set number of times. These are off by default.
Reminders are separate from escalations.
Which rule applies
A work order can have only one active SLA rule at a time. When more than one rule matches, the most specific one wins:
Sub-category rule
Category rule
Priority rule
Default rule (all work orders)
Within the same level, a rule that also sets a property asset type is more specific and wins. If rules are still tied, a property- or company-specific rule wins over an account-wide one. To avoid unexpected results, do not create multiple rules with identical conditions.
When a work order's details change
If a priority or category change means a work order now matches a different rule, the SLA is recalculated using the new rule. If it no longer matches any rule, the SLA is removed, but an Acceptance target that was already met is kept so that history isn't lost.
Editing a rule
Rule changes apply going forward: to new work orders, and to existing work orders whose priority or category later changes. Deadlines on work orders that are already open aren't recalculated.
SLAs and due dates
While an SLA with a Completion target is active, the due date field is locked, because the SLA sets it. The due date shown in work order lists comes from the Completion target. An Admin can remove an SLA from a work order manually.
On Hold
Putting a work order On Hold pauses the SLA clock. When the work order is active again, the clock resumes and the deadline moves out by the time it was paused. The activity log records both the pause and the resume.
Tracking performance
The SLA report under Reports → Work Orders shows how early or late work orders were completed. For work orders with an SLA, the timing comes from the SLA rule, so the report reflects SLA performance.
Common scenarios
Accept Critical work orders within 1 hour
On the Rules tab, click Add Rule, narrow it to Priority → Critical, choose a mode, set the Acceptance target to 1 hour, and click Create. The rule applies to every new Critical work order.
Set a category-specific rule for Retail work orders
Your team handles Retail work orders differently. Add a rule narrowed to Category → Retail. Category rules are more specific than priority rules, so this rule applies to Retail work orders even when a priority rule also matches.
Notify a supervisor when a work order isn't completed on time
On the Escalations tab, set level 1 for the Completion target to notify your supervisor role. To escalate further, add level 2 with a delay, for example 2 hours after breach, to notify a manager role.
FAQ
Where do I set up SLAs?
In Global Settings → Work Orders → SLAs. Property-level SLA setup isn't available yet, so SLAs are set up once for the whole account.
Who can manage SLA rules?
Global Admins and Super Admins. Property Admins can't see the SLAs page, and can't view or edit account-wide rules.
What happens if I turn SLAs off?
All rules and escalations are deactivated, not deleted. When you turn Work order SLA back on, they're reactivated.
Can a rule have more than one condition?
Yes. You can combine priority, category or sub-category, and property asset type, or leave the rule open to all work orders.
Can I apply an SLA manually to a work order?
No. SLAs apply only through rule matching. An Admin can remove an SLA from a work order manually.
What happens if a work order matches more than one rule?
The most specific rule wins: sub-category, then category, then priority, then the default rule.
What happens to existing work orders if I edit a rule?
Nothing changes on open work orders unless their priority or category later changes. Edits apply going forward.
Can a work order have both an SLA and a due date?
No. When an SLA applies, it sets the due date and replaces any manually set one.
Does auto-accept count toward the Acceptance target?
Yes. When a work order moves automatically from Awaiting Acceptance to In Progress, the Acceptance target is met.
I already use an SLA automation. Do I need to change anything?
No action is needed. Once you turn on SLAs, the overlapping automation options are disabled so they don't conflict. They aren't deleted.
SLAs provide a consistent way to track response and completion expectations while helping teams stay accountable to service standards.
Thanks for reading! If you need additional assistance, our team is here to help.