Irrigation | Best Practices

This article will guide Admins and Operations Managers through best practices for setting up Time & Material Irrigation Repair Jobs & Tech work in LMN. Note that this article is going to assume that Irrigation materials have already been set-up in the LMN system. 

In this article:

Categorize Materials for Irrigation Repairs/Techs

How to Upload Materials to LMN in Bulk

Build Irrigation Repair Work into your Estimate Terms & Conditions

Create a Job Template to use for Irrigation Repair/Technician Work

Use this Job as a Template for Irrigation Servicing/Repairs
 

Categorize Materials for Irrigation Repairs/Techs

1. Navigate to Price List > Material Categories
2. Set up a material category for all of you ‘Irrigation’ related materials.
   1. Click + Add New
   2. Click the Recommended Categories tab
   3. Select Irrigation from the list and then click Save
   4. Next click on the Irrigation category from the list
      1. Purchasing Tax: Set if you live in a state or province with sales tax on irrigation material purchases
      2. Profit Margin:
         • We recommend setting up these materials to 'Use profit margin from standard default budget'
         • Select ‘Do not update existing materials’
      3. Click Save

How to Upload Materials to LMN in Bulk

1. Navigate to Price List > Materials
2. Click Import
3. Click Download a Sample File
4. Open the downloaded file and delete all sample materials, leaving only the headers.

5. Format your material list to match the sample file format (column structure and header names must match exactly).

   💡 You can use the column header “N” to add items to the ‘Irrigation’ material category.

6. Return to LMN, click Choose File, and upload your updated material list.

7. *Optional* (If materials not imported): 

   Once the material category called “Irrigation” has been added to the system, we’ll need to add all of your materials to this category in bulk.

   1. Navigate to Price List > Materials

   2. Using the checkbox to the left of the Material Name, select the materials you want to add to the ‘Irrigation’ Material Category

      ⚠️ The checkboxes only retain one screen at a time, so you’ll need to select page by page

   3. Once content with selection, click on the Assign Categories button
   4. Assign all requisite items to the ‘Irrigation’ material category

Now, all of you irrigation materials are properly set up and categorized.

Build Irrigation Repair Work into your Estimate Terms & Conditions

While start-ups and shutdowns are typically included in your estimates, irrigation repairs and additional irrigation tech work is often billed on a time and materials (T&M) basis. To help maintain transparency with your customers, include this in your Estimate Terms & Conditions so your customers are aware.

1. Navigate to Settings > Estimates > Terms & Conditions
2. Click on + Add New
3. Create 2 Term & Conditions called:
   • "Irrigation Shutdown"
   • "Irrigation Start-up"
4. Add a Term along the lines of: 
   "Our spring start-up service ensures your irrigation system is properly activated and operating efficiently for the season ahead. We will pressurize the system, inspect each zone, adjust heads for optimal coverage, and confirm that all components are functioning correctly. We’ll also program your controller to align with seasonal watering needs, promoting healthy growth while conserving water.

All materials used during service are billed separately. If any materials are required, we will notify you before proceeding with installation or repair.

Please note: Any repairs identified, or required after the initial visit will be billed at an hourly rate, with materials charged separately. These services are considered ad-hoc and are not included in the contracted pricing."

Create a Job Template to use for Irrigation Repair/Technician Work

Now that you've set a default Term & Condition for Irrigation Start-ups/Shutdowns, any estimates for those services will clearly communicate that repairs are billed per service/hour, with materials charged separately. Next, let's create a Job Template to use for any Irrigation Repair/Technician work:

Create the Job

1. Navigate to Jobs > Job List
2. Click on + New
3. Create a Job under your ‘#SHOP’ CRM contact
   • Job Type: Irrigation
   • Job Name: Irrigation Repair - Job Template 2025
   • Job Short Name: Irrigation Repair - Job Template 2025
   • Division: Maintenance
   • *All other settings are completely up to your choice
4. Click OK to create the Job

Timesheet Tracking

1. Navigate into the Timesheet Tracking tab > Punch-in Tasks
2. Click + Task to add a Task for Time Tracking to the Job
   • Task Name: Irrigation Repair
   • Cost Code: Choose the appropriate Cost Code
   • Check off:
     • ✅ Track hours and rate for billing-by-the-hour (if billing hourly)
       ⚠️ Please Note: If you bill per visit, rather than time on materials you should not check off the ‘Track hours and rate for billing-by-the-hour’
     • ✅ ‘Show general materials on “End Task”
   • Est. Crew Hours: Optional
   • Number of visits: Optional
   • Click Save

If Billed by the Hour:

1. Timesheets Tracking > Hourly Rates
2. Click on + Rates
3. Add hourly rate for Irrigation Technician
4. When finished, click Add Selected

For Both Hourly & Per-Visit Billing:

1. Timesheets Tracking > Services
2. Click + Service
3. Check the box: Service Irrigation - Service/Repair
4. Set billing type:
   • Billed per Visit with a set price or
   • Hourly (if applicable)
5. Click Add Selected

Materials & Equipment

1. Click on the Materials & Equipment tab
2. Click on the '+' button on the bottom right of the page
3. Click on Add from Price List and sort by “Irrigation” Material Category
4. Add all Materials to the Job that would be used for Irrigation Servicing/Repairs

Now you have created an Irrigation Repair Job Template to Import from for all Irrigation jobs moving forward.

Use this Job as a Template for Irrigation Servicing/Repairs

1. Navigate to Jobs > Job List
2. Click into one of your Irrigation jobs
3. Click into the Materials & Equipment tab of that job
4. Click on the '+' at the bottom right of the page
5. Click on ‘Import from other job’

6. Select your Irrigation Repair - Job Template

   💡 You can type Irrigation while this box is selected and it will automatically bring you to the ‘I’ section of the jobs in this list

7. Check the boxes & select the following:
   • ✅ Import Tasks =  Copy Estimated Hours
   • ✅ Import Rates = Copy Rate Prices
   • ✅ Import Services = Copy Services, Materials, and Pricing
8. When finished, click OK

Just like that you have imported all your Tasks/Services/Materials needed into this Job for Irrigation Repair

Need more help?  Contact our Support Team by email at lmn-support@granum.com, through Live Chat, or by phone at (888) 347-9864

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