Work Order Management for Construction Companies
Manage the complete lifecycle of labour work orders — from creation and multi-level approval, through stage-based billing with advance recovery, to automatic posting into Zoho Books.
The problem with how work orders are managed today
We've seen this pattern at every construction company we've worked with.
- Work orders drafted in Word, shared on WhatsApp, signed on printouts
- Approval is a thumbs-up in a chat — no trail, no timestamp, no accountability
- Finance manually types every bill into Zoho Books — TDS section wrong half the time
- Retention tracked in a shared Excel that nobody trusts
- Advance recovery tracked mentally — or not at all
- Disputes at project closure over what was actually paid vs what was approved
- Work orders created in a wizard, approved digitally with full audit trail
- CPE, MD, and CFO each have defined roles — no ambiguity over who approved what
- CFO approval triggers automatic Zoho Books bill — correct GL, TDS section, GST treatment
- Retention computed automatically, held at WO level, released as a single journal
- System enforces advance recovery per stage — you cannot underpay advance
- Every action is logged — who did what, when, with before/after values
Everything the system handles for you
Six core capabilities, each eliminating a specific manual process.
Work Order Creation Wizard
A guided 4-step wizard walks you through project, vendor, stage configuration, and review. Auto-generates sequential WO numbers (WO-2026-0001). Supports unlimited line items and custom stage percentages.
Multi-Level Approval Chain
Work orders flow through Chief Project Engineer (L1) → Managing Director (L2) before going active. CPE can self-approve WOs under ₹1 lakh. Every approval is timestamped and auditable — no more WhatsApp approvals.
Stage-Based Payment Milestones
Define Foundation, Structure, and Finishing stages — or any structure that fits your project. Each stage has Start / Interim / Completion payment slots calculated automatically from the stage amount minus retention.
Zoho Books Auto-Integration
When the CFO approves a payment recommendation, a Zoho Books vendor bill is created automatically — with the correct vendor, GL accounts, GST amounts, and TDS section. Payment status syncs back via webhook.
GST + TDS Compliance Built-In
Intra-state (CGST + SGST) or inter-state (IGST) based on site location. TDS under Section 194C at 1% (individual) or 2% (company). Advance recovery handled correctly in TDS calculation. Zero manual computation.
Retention & Advance Management
3% retention is withheld automatically from every stage. The system prevents closing a stage with unrecovered advance. At project closure, aggregate retention is released as a single Zoho Books journal entry.
How a work order moves through the system
From creation to closure — every step has a defined owner and an automatic next action.
Create the Work Order
Select project, vendor, and contract type. Define payment stages and percentages. Add advance details and GL accounts. WO number auto-generated.
Approval Chain
CPE reviews and approves (L1). MD activates the WO (L2). High-value WOs require both levels. Self-approval rules apply based on role and amount.
Site Work Begins
Contractor works against the active WO. All stages are visible with their payment status. Advance and retention amounts are shown per stage.
Raise Payment Recommendations
CPE raises a payment recommendation for a completed sub-payment slot. Flows through CPE → MD → CFO for approval. Invoice number and date entered at this stage.
Zoho Books Bill Created
CFO approval triggers automatic bill creation in Zoho Books. GST and TDS calculated and posted. Advance credit applied. Webhook updates payment status in real time.
Project Closure
Once all stage sub-payments are paid, WO moves to Work Done. Finance releases retention as a single Zoho journal. WO is closed and becomes read-only.
Built for every role in your company
Each team member gets exactly the access and visibility they need — nothing more, nothing less.
Full financial visibility without asking anyone
- See all active WOs, total value under management, and payment status on one dashboard
- Know exactly how much retention is held across all projects
- Approve or reject WOs from anywhere — no paperwork needed
Manage billing without chasing accounts
- Create work orders against vendors with exact stage breakdowns
- Raise payment recommendations when work is certified
- Track which sub-payment slots are pending, billed, or paid
Zoho Books entries without manual data entry
- Review and approve payment recommendations with full context
- Bills are created in Zoho Books automatically on your approval
- TDS, GST, and advance recovery are calculated correctly every time
Flat pricing — no per-seat fees
Unlimited users from day one. Pricing is flat and discussed based on your company size and requirements.
Get a pricing quote
We offer both a one-time licence and an annual subscription model. Pricing is based on your organisation size and onboarding requirements. Get in touch and we'll put together the right package for you.
- ✓Unlimited users, no per-seat fees
- ✓Full Zoho Books integration
- ✓GST + TDS compliance engine
- ✓Stage billing & retention management
- ✓Multi-level approval workflow
- ✓Audit trail & reports
- ✓2-week onboarding & training
- ✓Support & updates included
You don't own the code. Aptly owns and maintains the platform. You get access as long as you're a customer.
Your data is yours. You can export all your work order data at any time in CSV format, no questions asked.
Infrastructure is included. Hosting, database, and deployment are covered — no separate cloud bills.