> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://help.getswimtech.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://help.getswimtech.com/documentation/frequently-asked-questions.md).

# Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to common questions about getting started with SwimTech, managing customers and work, using Templates and AI assistance, communicating with customers, and getting help.

SwimTech includes a broad set of tools for running a pool service business, but you do not need to learn everything at once. This page answers common questions and links you directly to the User Guide page where you can find the complete instructions or additional information.

> **Can't find your question?** Visit Contact Support. The SwimTech team is here to help.

## Getting Started

### Do I need to set up every part of SwimTech before I can start using it?

No. Start small and add more functionality as you become comfortable. A good first step is entering the Contacts you work with today, then adding Water Bodies, Quotes, Work Orders, Scheduling, and other capabilities as you need them.

Learn more: Getting Started Is Easier Than You Think

### Where should a new subscriber start?

Start with your **Contacts**. Contacts form your business directory and can be created without first configuring every other area of SwimTech. For customers, you can then add Water Bodies and begin creating Quotes or Work Orders.

Learn more: Initial Company Setup

### Does SwimTech give me anything to start with, or do I have to build everything from scratch?

SwimTech provides starter Templates to give new subscribers a practical starting point. These can help you begin working with Quotes, Work Orders, Products, Services, Roles and Permissions, and Checklists, and then customize them for your company.

Learn more: Initial Company Setup\
Learn more: The Power of Templates

### Can SwimTech help me move my existing business data into the system?

White-glove onboarding and data importing are available with your subscription. Contact the SwimTech team when you need help getting your existing information into SwimTech.

Learn more: Getting Started Is Easier Than You Think\
Contact SwimTech Support

### Can someone show me how to get started?

Yes. A short **15-minute personal demo** is available to help you get oriented, understand the first steps, and ask questions about how SwimTech can support your company.

Learn more: Getting Started Is Easier Than You Think

### Where do I create my SwimTech subscription?

New subscriptions are created through the SwimTech website, not from within the mobile app. During signup you create your login, enter company information, select a plan, and complete checkout.

Learn more: Subscribe to SwimTech

### Does SwimTech offer a free trial?

The User Guide currently documents a **14-day free trial for the Founding Member offer**. Plan availability, pricing, trial offers, and included features can change, so the options shown during signup are the current offers available to you.

Learn more: Subscribe to SwimTech

### Do I use a different login for the app after subscribing online?

No. Use the same email address and password you created during online signup to sign in to the SwimTech app.

Learn more: Signing In

### What should I do if I cannot sign in?

Verify the email address and password, check for accidental spaces in the email address, confirm that your device has an internet connection, and try again. If you still cannot sign in, contact your SwimTech administrator or SwimTech Support.

Learn more: Signing In\
Contact SwimTech Support

### Where do I find the different areas of SwimTech?

The Home screen provides Quick Actions to the major functional areas. The bottom navigation provides quick access to commonly used areas such as Home, Contacts, Quote, Work Order, and Invoice. The exact Quick Actions available can vary by role, permissions, and company configuration.

Learn more: Navigating SwimTech

## Learning and Navigating SwimTech

### Do all SwimTech screens work differently?

No. Most functional areas intentionally use the same **LIST → READ → EDIT → Save** pattern. Once you learn the pattern in one area, much of the navigation will feel familiar elsewhere. Map, Route, and Settings are exceptions that do not follow the Entity pattern in the same way.

Learn more: The Power of a Consistent UI Experience

### How do I quickly find a record when my LIST gets large?

Use SwimTech's **Search, Filter, and Sort** controls. Search helps locate a specific record, Filter narrows the LIST to records matching selected criteria, and Sort changes the order in which records appear.

Learn more: Find What You Need — Fast

## Contacts and Customers

### Are Contacts only for customers?

No. Contacts are your broader business directory. They can include Customers, Electricians, Plumbers, Mechanics, Builders, Suppliers, vendors, Assistants, and other people or businesses connected with your company.

Learn more: Contacts

### Can one Contact have more than one phone number, email address, or address?

Yes. Contact sections can contain multiple related records, including phone numbers, email addresses, addresses, and other information.

Learn more: Contacts

### Can a customer have more than one Water Body?

Yes. A customer may have one or multiple Water Bodies associated with the Contact record.

Learn more: Contacts

### Why should I create a Quote or Work Order from the Contact?

Creating the Quote or Work Order from the Contact helps carry customer information forward, reducing duplicate entry and helping keep customer and service information consistent.

Learn more: Contacts

## Quotes

### When should I use a Quote instead of a Work Order?

Use a **Quote** when you need to prepare proposed work or pricing for a customer. A typical Quote workflow is **Customer → Quote → Review/Send → Approval → Convert to Work Order**. Use a Work Order when you are ready to create and manage the service work itself.

Learn more: Quotes\
Learn more: Work Orders

### Do I have to create every Quote from scratch?

No. You can create a Quote from a Template. An existing Quote can also be saved as a Template or used to create a similar Quote.

Learn more: Quotes\
Learn more: The Power of Templates

### What information is automatically carried into a Quote created from a Contact?

When you create a Quote from a Contact, SwimTech automatically fills in the **Customer, Service Address, and Water Body** information from that Contact.

Learn more: Quotes

### What is the difference between Internal Notes and Message to Customer on a Quote?

Use **Internal Notes** for information intended for your team. Use **Message to Customer** for information intended to accompany the customer-facing Quote.

Learn more: Quotes

### What happens after a customer approves a Quote?

Review the approved Quote and use **Convert To WorkOrder** to create the Work Order. Information already assembled in the Quote provides the foundation for the Work Order and reduces duplicate data entry.

Learn more: Quotes

## Work Orders, Scheduling, and Calendar

### Can I create a Work Order without first creating a Quote?

Yes. A Work Order can be created directly for a customer or created from an approved Quote. Templates can also provide a starting point for commonly performed work.

Learn more: Work Orders

### What is the difference between a Work Order and an Activity Report?

The Work Order defines the work that needs to be performed. After scheduled service is performed, the Activity Report documents what actually occurred during the individual service visit.

Learn more: Work Orders\
Activity Reports

### How do I put a Work Order on the schedule?

Open the Work Order in READ mode and select **Schedule Work**. Review the underlying Work Order information before completing the schedule.

Learn more: Schedule WorkOrder

### What is the relationship between a Work Order, Schedule Work, and Your Calendar?

The Work Order defines **what** needs to be done. Schedule Work determines **when** it should be performed. Your Calendar provides a visual view of the scheduled activity.

Learn more: Schedule WorkOrder\
Learn more: Your Calendar

### Where can I see upcoming scheduled work?

Use **Your Calendar** from the Home screen to review scheduled work and move between dates to see upcoming service activity.

Learn more: Your Calendar

### Where can I learn about Invoices?

The User Guide includes an **Invoices** section for billing-related functionality. Detailed instructions will continue to be added as that section is completed.

Go to Invoices

## Services, Products, and Checklists

### What is the difference between a Service and a Product?

A **Service** describes work your company performs. A **Product** describes an item or material used or sold while performing that work. Keeping these definitions separate makes Quotes, Work Orders, Activity Reports, and reporting easier to understand.

Learn more: Services\
Go to Products

### Should I replace all of the starter Services immediately?

No. Review the starter information and customize it for the way your company operates. You can begin using SwimTech before every part of the configuration has been fully customized.

Learn more: Services\
Learn more: Initial Company Setup

### What are Checklists used for?

Checklists are reusable sets of tasks that help technicians perform work consistently. They are useful for repeatable procedures, service requirements, inspections, and other work where important steps should not be missed.

Learn more: Checklists

### Can Checklists be different for different customers or Water Bodies?

Yes. Checklists can be customized for individual customers and their Water Bodies. They can also be used at the Activity Report Overview level for requirements that apply to the entire visit rather than a single Water Body.

Learn more: The Power of Checklists

### What is the difference between a Service or Work Order and a Checklist?

A Service or Work Order defines **what work should be performed**. A Checklist helps define **how the work should be performed** by providing the tasks or procedure the technician should follow.

Learn more: Checklists

## Templates

### What is a Template in SwimTech?

A Template is a reusable starting point for recurring business information and activities. Templates can support Quotes, Work Orders, Services, Products, Messages, Checklists, and other repeatable work.

Learn more: The Power of Templates

### Does a Template have to contain every detail?

No. A Template is a **starting point, not a finished transaction**. It can contain as much or as little information as is useful, and the resulting record can be customized for the specific customer or situation.

Learn more: The Power of Templates

### Can our Templates change as our business processes improve?

Yes. Templates are intended to be refined over time as your company develops better procedures, pricing, communications, and workflows.

Learn more: The Power of Templates

## AI Assistance

### Does SwimTech AI make decisions for the technician?

No. SwimTech's AI capabilities provide **suggestions** that the technician or office user can review. The user remains in control of the final result.

[Learn more: AI Assistance in SwimTech](/documentation/working-smarter-with-swimtech/ai-assistance-in-swimtech.md)

### What does the AI Note Assistant do?

The AI Note Assistant can refine a technician's original Note into a clearer, more complete, professional version while preserving the intended meaning. It can also help refine Notes associated with Photos.

Learn more: AI Note Assistant

### Can I edit an AI-refined Note before accepting it?

Yes. The AI-generated Note is a suggested refinement. The technician can review it, modify it when necessary, and decide whether to accept it.

Learn more: AI Note Assistant

### Is there a limit on the number of Notes and Photos I can add?

SwimTech allows **unlimited Notes and unlimited Photos throughout the application**, giving your team flexibility to document the information needed for the service record.

Learn more: AI Note Assistant

### What does AI Route Optimization do?

AI Route Optimization reviews a technician's route for the day and suggests a resequencing of the scheduled stops intended to help organize travel more efficiently.

Learn more: AI Route Optimization

### Does AI Route Optimization automatically change the technician's route?

No. The optimized route is a suggestion. The technician can review it and accept or modify the proposed sequence based on customer timing, access considerations, service priorities, or other real-world circumstances.

Learn more: AI Route Optimization

## Messaging

### Can SwimTech send both email and text messages?

Yes. SwimTech Messaging supports **Email and Text** communication to a single recipient or multiple recipients.

Learn more: Messaging

### Where can I send messages from within SwimTech?

Messaging is documented as available from Contacts, Quotes, Work Orders, Users, Fleet Management, a Technician's Daily Schedule, and a Technician's Route.

Learn more: Messaging

### Can I message all of the customers on a technician's schedule or Route?

Yes. Messaging can be used to communicate with an individual Customer or with the group of Customers associated with a technician's daily schedule or Route. This can be useful for common updates such as weather delays or schedule changes.

Learn more: The Power of Messaging\
Learn more: Messaging

### Do I have to type the same customer messages over and over?

No. Use **Message Templates** for communications your company sends repeatedly. Start with the Template and customize the final message when the situation requires it.

Learn more: Message Templates

### How many Message Templates can I create?

SwimTech supports **unlimited Message Templates**, allowing your reusable communication library to grow with your business.

Learn more: Message Templates

### Where can I review Messaging activity?

Use the **Message Log** to review Messaging activity available in SwimTech. Detailed Message Log controls and views will be documented as that section of the guide is expanded.

Learn more: Message Log

## Routes, Fleet, and Administration

### Where can I learn about the technician Route and Map?

The User Guide includes dedicated **Route** and **Map** pages. These sections currently contain the available UI references and will continue to be expanded with detailed instructions.

Go to Route\
Go to Map

### Where can I learn about company vehicles and Fleet Management?

Use the **Fleet Management** section for the available Fleet UI references. Detailed Fleet instructions will continue to be added as that section is completed.

Go to Fleet Management

### Where do I manage Users and Roles and Permissions?

The Administration section contains dedicated **Users** and **Roles and Permissions** pages. These pages currently contain the available UI references and will be expanded with detailed instructions.

Go to Users\
Go to Roles and Permissions

### Where do I manage my Account, Integrations, or Settings?

Use the corresponding pages in the Administration section. Some of these areas are still being expanded in the User Guide, so contact Support if the documentation does not yet answer your question.

Go to Account\
Go to Integrations\
Go to Settings\
Contact SwimTech Support

## Support

### What should I do if the User Guide does not answer my question?

Contact SwimTech Support. You do not need to provide a technical explanation—tell us what you were trying to accomplish, where you were in the app, what you expected to happen, and what actually happened. Include a screenshot when it helps explain the question or problem.

Learn more: Contact Support

### How do I contact SwimTech Support?

**Email:** <support@getswimtech.com>\
**Phone:** 470-281-8182

Contact Support

> **We're here to help.** Whether you are getting started, learning a feature, configuring your company, or trying to resolve a problem, the SwimTech team wants to help you get SwimTech working for your business.


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