Solar installation software for South African solar companies
Multi-tech install crews, SSEG documentation, compliance photos per installation, and invoicing on completion — all in one app. Built for the solar installation industry that load shedding created.
The operational challenges SA solar companies face
South Africa's solar installation market has grown faster than most businesses can manage. Load shedding drove demand to record levels — residential, commercial, and industrial sites all needed backup power solutions, and the installations followed. But the operational complexity grew with the volume. An install job is not a single technician for two hours. It is a two- or three-person crew for a full day, with equipment worth tens of thousands of rand on the van, compliance requirements that carry legal liability, and documentation that must satisfy the municipality for SSEG feed-in registration. Managing this on WhatsApp and Excel is no longer viable.
Problem: PV GreenCard certification records scattered and untracked
Technician profiles store certification details and notes. When assigning a solar installation job, you know which technicians hold their PV GreenCard before you dispatch. Sending a non-certified technician to a solar installation job is a liability risk — the system makes it visible who is qualified and who is not.
Problem: SSEG application paperwork lost or never documented per installation
The Readings/Compliance photo stage captures SSEG application documentation — installed system configuration, metering photos, DB board modifications, and single-line diagram evidence — linked permanently to the job card and customer account. When the municipality requests supporting documentation, you find the complete record by searching the customer name or job site address.
Problem: Multi-tech install crews with no shared job record
Assign a lead technician and support technicians to a single job card. Each receives the full job brief on their phone. Each clocks in and out independently. Photos from every technician are captured under the same job. Labour from the full crew rolls up into one invoice. The job does not close until every assigned technician has completed their work.
Problem: Equipment serial numbers captured in WhatsApp messages and paper forms
Equipment registry — coming in the fast-follow release on Professional and Enterprise plans — will register each panel, inverter, and battery bank with serial number, make, model, install date, and warranty expiry. Until then, serial numbers and equipment details are captured in the Readings/Compliance photo stage and job card notes, linked permanently to the installation job and customer.
Problem: No compliance photo record per installation
Six photo stages document every solar installation from the pre-work site condition through to the commissioned system. The arrival stage captures the roof structure and DB board before any work starts. The Readings/Compliance stage documents the commissioned system, inverter commissioning screen, and metering configuration. All photos are GPS-tagged and timestamped at capture — verifiable evidence for CoC and SSEG documentation.
Problem: Eskom and municipal feed-in documentation done manually after each install
The full compliance photo record from the installation job — system configuration, metering, DB board, and commissioning evidence — is permanently linked to the job card. Pull up any installation by customer, address, or job number. The documentation is already organised and searchable. No manual assembly from scattered photos and WhatsApp threads after the fact.
How a solar installation job flows in WorkOrderPro
Solar installations use the Quote Path. A customer enquiry comes in, you schedule a site assessment, the technician builds the quote on-site, the customer approves, the installation date is set, and the crew completes the work. The entire job — assessment through to commissioning — is managed in one job card.
The customer-initiated callout flow — where customers submit installation enquiries directly via the customer portal — is coming in a fast-follow release.
The dispatcher creates the job card. Customer details, property address, system size, and any pre-survey notes are captured. The job is assigned to the lead technician. For large commercial installs, the full crew is assigned at scheduling.
The install crew receives a push notification with the full job brief — address, contact, installation notes, and any site access instructions. The lead technician has the complete picture before leaving the depot.
Arrival photos document the roof structure, mounting surface, and existing DB board configuration before any work begins. GPS-tagged and timestamped. Pre-existing issues — damaged roofing, non-compliant DB boards, sub-standard cabling — are captured in the arrival stage before the crew touches anything.
Work-in-progress photos capture panel placement, cable runs, mounting hardware, and DB board modifications as they happen. If a site assessment is required before quoting, the technician builds the itemised quote on their phone — inverter supply, battery, panels, labour, mounting hardware — and the customer approves by signing on the phone screen before any equipment is installed.
The Readings/Compliance stage captures the commissioned system: inverter commissioning screen readings, battery state of charge, metering configuration, and DB board final state. Completion photos show the full installed system. Customer sign-off is captured on the phone. The invoice is auto-generated with full labour and materials from the service catalogue.
The invoice — correctly itemised with inverter, battery, panels, mounting hardware, and labour — is delivered. The full compliance photo record from commissioning is permanently attached to the job card. The SSEG documentation is in the system, searchable by customer or address.
Section 26(1) CoC and SSEG compliance documentation
Every solar installation in South Africa that involves an electrical connection — which is effectively every grid-tied and hybrid system — requires a Certificate of Compliance under Section 26(1) of the Electrical Machinery Regulations. The electrician who signs the CoC carries personal liability for the installation. This is not administrative overhead — it is a legal requirement with real consequences.
For SSEG (Small-Scale Embedded Generation) registration, the municipality requires documentation of the installed system configuration, the metering arrangement, and evidence that the installation meets the relevant SANS standards. This documentation needs to be per-installation, organised, and retrievable. A folder of WhatsApp photos and PDF certificates on a laptop does not serve this requirement reliably.
The Readings/Compliance photo stage in WorkOrderPro is the correct place to capture all of this. Photos are GPS-tagged at the point of capture and become immutable once the job moves past in-progress status. The coordinates confirm the technician was at the correct installation address. The timestamp confirms when each photo was taken. If the municipality or a future owner of the property queries the SSEG registration years later, the job card is the record.
Related: Electrical contractor software — if your solar company also handles general electrical contracting, the same job card system manages both.
CoC documentation stage
DB board modifications, earth leakage test values, final installation photographs, and CoC reference notes — all captured in the Readings/Compliance stage and linked permanently to the job card. Available on all plans.
SSEG application evidence
System configuration photos, metering arrangement, single-line diagram evidence, and commissioning readings — captured at the same compliance stage. Search by customer or address to retrieve per-installation documentation for any SSEG query.
Tamper-proof from upload
SHA-256 hash verification on every photo upload. Originals stored unedited. Photos become immutable once the job leaves in-progress status. The documentation record cannot be altered after the fact — which is what makes it useful as compliance evidence.
Features built for solar installation companies
Solar installation is operationally more demanding than most field service work. Multi-tech crews, expensive equipment, compliance obligations, and multi-day jobs all require software that handles more than a simple callout-and-invoice workflow.
Compliance photos for every installation stage
Six photo stages document the full installation — from roof condition before mounting through to commissioned system. The Readings/Compliance stage captures SSEG and CoC evidence. GPS-tagged, timestamped, and tamper-proof from the moment of upload. All plans included.
Dispatch board for managing installs and service callouts
Manage scheduled installations and emergency service callouts from the same dispatch board. When a customer's inverter fails during load shedding, that service callout goes onto the board alongside your scheduled install jobs. The nearest available certified tech is assigned immediately. Professional and Enterprise plans include the full calendar with drag-and-drop scheduling.
Multi-technician time tracking for install crews
Every technician assigned to a solar job clocks in and out independently. A three-person crew — panel team plus electrician — each track their own hours. The invoice reflects combined labour, correctly itemised. Works offline during load shedding. Available on all plans.
Equipment registry for panels, inverters, and batteriesComing soon
Register each installed panel array, inverter, and battery bank with make, model, serial number, install date, and warranty expiry. Service history builds automatically with every subsequent visit. Professional and Enterprise plans — coming in the fast-follow release.
Van stock for panels, inverters, and batteriesComing soon
Track panels, inverters, batteries, cables, and mounting hardware per installation crew vehicle. Know what stock is on each van before dispatching to a job. Parts issued per job feed directly into invoice line items. Low-stock alerts prevent arriving on-site without the right equipment. Professional and Enterprise plans — coming in the fast-follow release.
On-site quote builder for full system quotes
Build the full system quote on-site during the assessment visit. Inverter, battery bank, panels, mounting hardware, cable, DB board modifications, and labour — all itemised from the service catalogue. The customer approves by signing directly on the technician's phone. No verbal misunderstandings about what is included in the quoted price.
Load shedding built the solar market — and created the operational challenge
Load shedding moved from an occasional inconvenience to a daily operational reality for South African homes and businesses. The result was a solar installation demand surge that few companies were operationally prepared for. Companies that were doing 20 installs a month found themselves fielding enquiries for 80 or 100. The coordination complexity — crews, equipment, documentation, invoicing — multiplied accordingly.
Managing install backlog and service callouts together
As your installed base grows, service callouts grow with it. Inverter faults, battery replacements, and system expansions sit alongside new installation jobs on the same dispatch board. You do not need two separate systems.
Offline-first for sites with no signal
Industrial sites, commercial rooftops, and buildings in active load shedding all have connectivity gaps. The mobile app stores all data locally. Photos, readings, and customer sign-off happen with no internet. Data syncs when connectivity returns.
Emergency service callouts during load shedding
When customers call during load shedding because their system is not performing, those callouts need the same dispatch and documentation workflow as any other job. Priority flags, nearest-tech assignment, and the full photo record — all handled the same way as a standard callout.
ZAR pricing for South African solar companies
From R999/mo base + R349/technician (up to 5 installers). No USD exposure, no setup fees. PayFast billing.
Professional from R1 999/mo base + R499/technician adds equipment registry (coming soon), van stock (coming soon), full dispatch board, and team performance insights for growing solar companies. Enterprise from R4 999/mo base + R699/technician for large install operations.
Solar installation company questions
Can I track PV GreenCard certification per technician?
Technician qualification tracking is managed in the technician profile. You can record each technician's PV GreenCard certification details and expiry dates in their profile notes. When assigning solar jobs, you know which techs are GreenCard-certified before you dispatch. Formal certification expiry alerts are on the roadmap — for now the record lives in the technician's profile.
How does the app handle SSEG application documentation?
The Readings/Compliance photo stage is the right place to capture SSEG application documentation. Photographs of the installed system, metering configuration, DB board modifications, and the single-line diagram evidence are all captured here and linked permanently to the job card and customer. When the municipality requests supporting documentation for the SSEG registration, you have the complete photo record per installation.
Can multiple technicians be assigned to a single solar installation job?
Yes. A residential solar install typically uses two technicians — one on the roof for panel placement and one handling the DB board and electrical connections. Both are assigned to the same job card. Each receives the full job brief on their phone. Each clocks in and out independently. Labour from both technicians rolls up into a single invoice. For large commercial installs that run over multiple days, the job stays open until the whole team has completed their work.
Does the mobile app work on rooftop installations with no signal?
Yes. The mobile app is offline-first. All job data is stored locally on the technician's phone. Photos, readings, notes, quotes, and customer signatures all work with no signal at all. This matters particularly on large industrial or commercial rooftop installations where cellular signal is weak or absent. When connectivity returns, everything syncs automatically in the background.
Can I track panels, inverters, and batteries by serial number?
Equipment registry — on Professional and Enterprise plans — is coming in the fast-follow release after launch. It will allow you to register each installed panel, inverter, and battery with make, model, serial number, install date, and warranty expiry. Service history builds automatically with every subsequent visit. For now, serial numbers and equipment notes can be captured in the job card notes and in compliance photo documentation.
How do I handle van stock for panels and inverters across multiple install crews?
Van stock management — on Professional and Enterprise plans — is coming in the fast-follow release. It will track panels, inverters, batteries, cables, and mounting hardware per technician's vehicle. Until then, equipment issued per job is captured in job card notes and quote line items. Low-stock alerts and per-vehicle inventory tracking follow in the fast-follow release.
Does load shedding affect how I manage solar installation jobs?
Load shedding is both the reason the solar market is booming and a practical challenge for running the business. The dispatch board handles inbound install enquiries and emergency service callouts simultaneously. When a customer's inverter trips during a load shedding event and calls for a service visit, that callout is managed on the same dispatch board as your scheduled installs. The mobile app works fully offline during load shedding — technicians do not lose job data if power goes out mid-documentation.
Related: Electrical contractor software — the CoC documentation features work equally well for general electrical contracting and solar.
Solar installation software by city
Built for South African solar installation companies
14-day free trial. No credit card required. ZAR pricing from R999/mo base + R349/technician. Offline-first for load shedding sites.
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