This is a historical release guide covering the ServiceM8 11 update, released in September 2022 under the theme “Easier than Ever”. ServiceM8 11 is no longer the current version — most businesses have since moved on to ServiceM8 12, 13, 14 and 15. This article is preserved as a reference for what changed at the time and what it meant for Australian trade and service businesses. If you're using ServiceM8 today, make sure you're running the current app version.
1. Executive Summary & Official Launch Resources
ServiceM8 11 was all about making it easier than ever to manage jobs, staff and customers. Released in September 2022, it was rolled out as an opt-in update (via an activate link on the launch page) before being gradually applied to remaining accounts. The update touched both the Online Dashboard and the mobile app, with improvements aimed at reducing admin time, streamlining quoting and invoicing, and giving field staff better tools on site.
Official launch resources: ServiceM8 September 2022 Update launch page
2. Desktop and Online Dashboard Improvements
The Online Dashboard received a broad set of upgrades designed to speed up quoting, scheduling and invoicing from the office.
Key improvements:
- Maximised job card view — expand the job card for more space to work in the Diary or prepare quotes and invoices, with attachments visible side-by-side.
- Section lines for quotes and invoices — insert description lines between items to break large quotes into readable sections with subheadings.
- Client-level automation controls — turn off a specific automation for a specific client, instead of deactivating it for everyone.
- Review reminder automation — the Customer Feedback Add-on directs clients straight to Google Reviews to help win more reviews and build trust.
- Separate job, billing and property-manager contacts — including a new Property Manager contact for businesses doing work orders for real estate and letting clients.
- Queue ordering — customise the order of queues on the Dispatch Board to match your actual workflow (no more alpha/numeric prefix hacks).
- Staff ordering — customise staff order top-to-bottom in the Staff Schedules tab, so pairing an apprentice with a tradesperson no longer fights alphabetical defaults.
- Better calendar and schedule visibility — out-of-hours bookings automatically extend visible hours, allocated jobs show on the Staff Schedule, and you can drag out a time to create a job directly from the schedule.
- Faster invoice approval — approve job invoices and payment details to Xero, MYOB and QuickBooks more quickly, plus change invoice dates and see awaiting-payment notes.
3. Mobile App Improvements
The mobile app gained several field-focused features that helped technicians capture more accurate information on site with less manual typing.
Key improvements:
- Room Scan — scan and save an interactive 3D model of a room straight to the job diary, with instant floor area, wall linear length and wall surface area measurements (requires iOS 16 and a LiDAR-compatible device).
- Improved calendar view for iPhone — swipe to change days or weeks, tap-and-hold to schedule or reschedule bookings.
- Image text recognition — interact with text in photos saved to the Diary, such as copying serial numbers, calling written phone numbers, or searching a model number online.
- AI time tracking — a new time-tracking engine that automatically clocks staff on and off shifts and checks them in and out of jobs, with undo and roll-back options.
- Trip suggestions on checkout — tracked trips to suppliers are presented at check-out so staff can choose to bill them (and skip the lunch run).
- GPS-off visibility — administrators see when a staff member's GPS is being throttled by their device settings.
- Job diary filters — filter the Diary to files, images, job notes or correspondence, in the app and online.
- Save photos at checkout — import photos taken outside ServiceM8 while checked in, so site photos aren't forgotten.
4. What This Meant for Trade Businesses
For Australian trade and service businesses, ServiceM8 11 was about cutting down the admin that eats into a tradesperson's day. The practical benefits depended on the trade, but the themes were consistent: less admin, clearer scheduling, better quoting, cleaner job records and faster invoicing.
Plumbers
Section lines made it easier to present options like repair versus replace in a way clients could actually read, while faster invoice approval to Xero meant plumbers could get paid sooner without re-keying data. Room Scan helped with measuring bathrooms and laundries during renovation quoting.
Electricians
The new Property Manager contact made working with real estate agents cleaner, and queue ordering let electrical businesses arrange the Dispatch Board the way they actually ran it. Image text recognition helped capture serial numbers and switchboard labels on site without typing.
HVAC businesses
AI time tracking meant technicians no longer had to remember to clock on and off, and trip suggestions at checkout meant parts runs could be billed (and lunch stops skipped). Review reminder automation helped HVAC businesses build a stronger online reputation.
Field-service teams
Better schedule visibility — including out-of-hours bookings and allocated jobs on the Staff Schedule — gave dispatchers a clearer view of the day, while staff ordering made it easier to pair an apprentice with a tradesperson without fighting alphabetical defaults.
5. How to Access Historical ServiceM8 11 Resources
ServiceM8 11 is an older release. If you're a current ServiceM8 user, the most important step is making sure you're running the current ServiceM8 app and account version — later releases (ServiceM8 12, 13, 14 and 15) build on everything introduced here and add significantly more. For help using the current version of ServiceM8, visit our ServiceM8 hub
You can also explore our ServiceM8 Forms, ServiceM8 Add-ons, Support
6. Frequently Asked Questions
What was included in ServiceM8 11?
ServiceM8 11 included Bundles for systemised pricing, an expandable job card, section lines for quotes and invoices, client-level automation controls, review reminder automation, separate job/billing/property-manager contacts, queue and staff ordering, better schedule visibility, faster invoice approval for Xero/MYOB/QuickBooks, and mobile improvements like Room Scan, image text recognition and AI time tracking.
Did ServiceM8 11 improve quoting and invoicing?
Yes. Bundles let you roll labour, materials and services into preset packages with a single client-facing description, section lines let you break quotes into readable parts, and invoice approval to Xero, MYOB and QuickBooks was made faster.
What mobile app improvements were introduced?
The mobile app gained Room Scan for measuring rooms in 3D, an improved calendar view for iPhone, image text recognition, AI-powered time tracking with trip suggestions at checkout, GPS-off visibility for administrators, job diary filters, and photo import at checkout.
Where can I get help using the current version of ServiceM8?
As a certified ServiceM8 Gold Partner, Get In The Cloud helps Australian trade and service businesses set up, optimise and support ServiceM8. Visit our ServiceM8 hub
7. Watch the Launch Videos
For more ServiceM8 release breakdowns, visit our blog archives covering ServiceM8 13, ServiceM8 14, ServiceM8 15
