Managing work on Checkatrade

This guide covers everything you need to manage day-to-day activity on Checkatrade: managing jobs, setting up campaigns, sending quotes, rescheduling appointments and understanding how the Trades App helps you stay organised and responsive.

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Here's all you need to know about managing your work on Checkatrade

Why You Need the Trades App

The Trades App helps you manage your business in one place. You can:

• Upload and renew your Public Liability Insurance (PLI)

• Add and update photos

• Manage your jobs

• Manage your campaigns

• Create quotes and invoices

• Manage appointments and leads

How to Manage Your Jobs

What are the job statuses and what do they do?

Job statuses should be used to keep track of each job. Updating job statuses helps keep the customer informed of progress and keeps your Jobs list tidy.

The statuses are:

Declined, Lost, and Withdrawn jobs are hidden from your Jobs list. You can view them by using the Filters on the My Jobs list.

How to update a job status

1. Tap Jobs

2. Select the job you want to update

3. Tap the current status

4. Select the new status

5. Confirm

Why should I update Job Statuses?

• Keeping customers informed: Updating job statuses helps keep customers informed of progress. Marking a job as Booked gives them confidence the job is going ahead, so they don't need to reach out to other trades. Declining or marking a job as Lost sets the right expectation, so they know not to expect you to be in touch.

• Keeping your Job List tidy: Keeping job statuses updated keeps your jobs list tidy, so you can easily see which jobs are Open, Booked, Completed, and so on.

• Getting more of the leads you like: Showing interest in jobs and updating job statuses helps us prioritise which type of leads to send you in future.

How to Send Quotes Using the Trades App

You can send professional quotes in three different ways:

1. Via Chat

2. Open the customer chat

3. Tap Create Quote

4. Add details → Save

5. Tap Share in chat

Customers receive the quote in-app and via email.

1. Via the Job Card

2. Tap Jobs

3. Select the job

4. Tap Create quote

5. Add details → Save

6. Share the quote (or copy a link if chat isn't enabled)

7. Via My Billing

8. Tap … More

9. Go to Quoting and invoicing

10. Tap +

11. Select a recent job or create a new one

12. Add details → Save

13. Share (or copy the link)

Rescheduling or Cancelling an Appointment

If plans change, you can easily reschedule or cancel:

1. Open the chat with your customer

2. Find the appointment

3. Tap the three dots (…)

4. Select Reschedule appointment or Cancel appointment

We'll notify the customer automatically.

How to Manage Your Campaigns

You can manage your campaigns within the Trades App. Click on the Campaigns section to see a list of your campaigns.

Key things you can manage in the app include:

• Types of work – the job category searches you will appear in on Checkatrade

• Locations – the locations you will appear in searches for

• Pausing your campaign – controls whether your campaign is active, i.e. whether you're visible in searches

• Upgrading your Fixed Plan (Fixed Plan only) – allows you to upgrade your plan to a larger tier to help get more leads

• Updating your PAYG Budget (PAYG plans only) – allows you to control your maximum monthly budget for your PAYG campaign

How to edit your Types of Work & Locations

1. Go to the Campaigns section of the app and click Edit for the campaign you wish to update

2. Choose which types of work you want to advertise

3. Click Continue to go to the postcodes screen, where you can select which postcodes you want to advertise in. You can either select postcode districts (e.g. CV5) via the map, or use the Area Selector to choose Regions (e.g. East Midlands) or Postcode Areas (e.g. CV)

4. Click Continue to reach the Review & Confirm screen, where you can see a summary of the changes

5. If you're happy, click Confirm

Within 10 minutes you'll start appearing in the updated categories and locations on Checkatrade.

How to Pause Leads When You're Too Busy

If you need a break from new enquiries:

1. Open the app or Members Area

2. Tap Campaigns

3. Tap the three dots (…) next to the campaign

4. Tap Pause

5. Select a restart date (up to 14 days ahead)

6. Confirm

While paused:

• You're hidden from search results

• You're still billed

• A few enquiries may still come via name search

• Your annual lead expectation may be impacted

Use pausing for short-term breaks between jobs or during busy periods.

How to Upgrade Your Fixed Plan (Fixed Plans only)

You can upgrade your Fixed Plan to a larger tier to get more leads.

1. Open the app or Members Area

2. Tap Campaigns

3. Tap Grow/Optimise Campaign

4. Tap Upgrade Fixed Plan (if available)

5. Select your desired tier

6. Tick the box to accept the T&Cs and tap Upgrade

Your upgrade will take effect immediately. You'll receive a pro-rated invoice for the remainder of the current billing cycle.

There are some instances where you may not be offered the option to upgrade your Fixed Plan:

How to Update Your PAYG Budget (PAYG plans only)

1. Open the app or Members Area

2. Tap Campaigns

3. Tap Edit next to the campaign you want to modify

4. Tap Continue on the types of work screen

5. Tap Continue on the postcodes screen

6. Use the budget slider to modify your budget amount

7. Click Confirm budget & accept rates

When do budget changes take effect?

• If you increase your budget, it takes effect immediately.

• If you decrease your budget to an amount higher than your current month's spend, it takes effect immediately.

• If you decrease your budget to an amount less than your current month's spend, it takes effect from your next budget cycle. Your current month's budget will be capped at what you have already spent.

Is there a cap to how much I can increase my budget to?

Yes. In some instances you may see the message "Maximum credit limit reached." Please contact us to arrange for your credit limit to be increased — this may involve increasing the amount of PAYG deposit stored on your account.

How to Cancel/Remove Your PAYG Campaign (PAYG plans only)

If you want to cancel or remove your PAYG campaign, you can do this in the app:

1. Open the app or Members Area

2. Tap Campaigns

3. Tap … next to the campaign you want to remove

4. Tap Remove

5. View the confirmation screen and tap Remove

Your plan has now been removed, and you'll be taken out of searches for this campaign within 10 minutes.

If you don't want to permanently remove your campaign, you can pause instead for up to 14 days at a time.

How to Add a New Campaign (PAYG/Fixed Plan)

You can add a new campaign within the app. You can have one active campaign per Trade Category (e.g. Plumber, Builder, Carpenter). To add a new campaign:

1. Open the app or Members Area

2. Tap Campaigns

3. Tap Request New Plan

4. Select your Category (e.g. Plumber, Builder, Carpenter)

5. Select your Types of Work

6. Select your Postcodes

7. Choose your plan type/tier

   • If Fixed Plan – select your plan size

   • If PAYG – select your budget

8. Tick the box to accept the T&Cs

9. Tap Purchase

Your new plan should be live within 10 minutes. Don't forget to upload any necessary accreditations within the app for any newly added categories. You can do this within My Account > My Accreditations.