Raising a Job's Priority without Breaking the Queue

An Automan screen related to this article.

The problem

VIP customers and urgent cases genuinely need to go first — but if the method is randomly shuffling statuses, technicians get confused, the queue breaks, and other customers feel skipped for no reason.

The tip

Use the priority flag on the repair unit and write the reason in its notes. The queue keeps its rules; only that unit’s weight changes — the order isn’t manually torn apart.

Practical steps

1. Open the repair unit in question.
2. Turn on the priority marker.
3. Write the reason in the notes (“shop warranty”, “regular customer, needs it today”).
4. Watch the work order in the workflow — the priority unit rises on its own.

When to use it

Urgent repairs, priority customers, special deadlines. If everything is priority, nothing is — use it sparingly and always with a written reason.