When you set up a Contact, you have the ability to attach a Custom Field (set up by each location) called Work Applicator Notes. This can be used by you to display anywhere you want by using the {shortcode}. See my earlier answer for details. This field is usually used on the work orders for every job to that Customer. If you use it on something that you leave behind, I guess it is visible to the client. It's flexible.
Once that client is set up, you may enter from zero to many Notes about them, and mark them as visible or not. They will not show to the client if they are marked "private". Your account has these marked private by default.
When creating a Proposal or Schedule (invoice) you may enter two types of notes: Customer Notes and Internal Notes. These are system-defined, meaning you can't change the names or usage. You may find this info in the Help docs as you search on Notes.
Customer Notes This is where you may put a note to accompany a Proposal that the client will see. These could be thought of as notes for the client on the Proposal/Invoice.
Internal Notes are private and for office staff and technicians. The client will not see these.
Like notes attached to a Contact, you may also create from 0 to many notes for unique Appointments. They can be displayed to technicians using the shortcode for that on the Appointment Tickets (work orders).
Additional Note on using notes in an appointment for fixed dates
Flash Messages, which display a noticeable orange-and-black message, should work to advise that their may be an appointment note, as well as the Customer Notes field on each appointment. The Customer Notes field should be visible from the calendar view when hovering over an appointment (in the grey hovering box). The Confirmed box on an appointment currently declares the date as firm and prevents it from accidentally being moved to a different day. This could be helpful when treating after a specific event, like a birthday, would miss the point.
Recap of Notes to be assimilated into the above later
Contact Notes: these should be used to track any information about the contact including everytime you have a communication. We even put the text of emails into notes as emails are not kept in the system long term. i.e. after 60 or 90 days an email content is gone. It is recommended these be marked private by default so they are only visible to office staff. If not marked private, they could be viewed by the technicians as well.
Workorder Applicator Notes: These should be short notes that are important for the applicator to know everytime they go to a house. i.e. gate codes, locations of hard to find drains or other trouble spots. Problem neighbors etc.
Proposal or invoice level internal notes: these notes are located on the proposal/invoice and will appear as an internal note for the technician to see on every appointment associated with that invoice or proposal. I find that these are not that useful as this information likely belongs in the workorder applicator notes.
Appointment Internal Notes: these are notes specific to a single appointment. They could be things like ‘Party this weekend, treat accordingly’ or ‘Roofers may be on property’ etc. this is also where a technician can leave their own notes about a property at the finish of an appointment like ‘found drain in left rear of property. Or ‘wheelbarrow full of water with active larvae’ etc. this is information that they captured about that appointment. The office will review these and when needed add to the work order applicator notes or contact the customer to review what was found.
Appointment Customer Notes these are available to the technician to enter notes in at the end of an appointment. If you want to use them, we would need to check to see if you are including them in the completion email to the customer or not. Some locations use them, others do not.
(reviewed for updates 12/24/24)