---
key: run-a-checklist-on-a-record
title: Run a checklist on a work order or record
audience: staff
section: operations
routes: ["/work-orders/:uid/:tab?/:itemUid?", "/work/projects/:uid/:tab?/:itemUid?", "/work/tasks/:uid/:tab?/:itemUid?", "/service-assets/:assetUid/:tab?/:itemUid?", "/accounts/:accountUid", "/accounts/:accountUid/:tab", "/appointments/:bookingUid", "/intake/inbox/:submissionUid/:tab?"]
permissions: ["checklists.read"]
features: ["operations.checklists"]
since: 0.0.1
updated: 0.0.1
status: published
summary: Start a checklist on a work order, project, task, customer, service asset, booking or intake submission, answer each item, attach proof, and finish or waive it.
keywords: [checklist, inspection, safety check, sign off, QA, punch list, pass fail, closeout, evidence photo]
related: [find-blocked-and-overdue-checklists, create-a-checklist-template, complete-or-cancel-a-work-order, find-your-way-around-a-record]
---

Open the record and press its **Checklists** tab. For example, in the sidebar open **Operations**, then **Work Orders**, open the work order, and press **Checklists**; the page address ends in `/checklists`. On a booking the checklists sit on the page itself under **Booking checklists**.

## Before you start

- Seeing checklists needs permission to read them; answering items needs permission to run them. Completing, approving and waiving each have their own permission.
- Checklist templates are written in Settings ([[create-a-checklist-template]]). A template has to be published before it shows up here.

## Steps

To start a checklist:

1. Pick a template in **Select a template**, then press **Create from template** (on a customer, service asset or booking the button reads **Create checklist** or **Create booking checklist**). Nova says **Checklist created.** and opens it.
2. On a work order, project or task you can also press **Manual checklist** for a one-off: type a **Title**, an optional **Due date** and **Description**, the **First item**, tick **Required** or **Blocks closeout** if it must be done before the work can close, then press **Create manual**.

To work through it:

1. Pick the checklist in the list. Its **Items** appear with their progress.
2. For each item, give the **Response** it asks for: **Yes** or **No**, **Pass** or **Fail**, a number, a date, text, or a choice from a list.
3. Press **Evidence** to attach a photo or document to the item, then **Attach file**.
4. Press **Complete** when the item is done, or **Fail** if it did not pass. **Save** keeps an answer without completing the item.
5. When an item does not apply, press **N/A** and add an optional reason. To let a required item go, press **Waive** and give a **Waiver reason**.
6. When every item is done, press **Complete** at the top of the checklist. A supervisor then presses **Approve**, or **Waive** for the whole checklist.

## What you see

- The summary counts **Total**, **Completed**, **Blocked**, **Failed** and **Overdue** checklists. **Closeout ready** means nothing is holding the work up; **Checklist work remains** means something is.
- A work order's list also includes checklists from its tasks; a task's checklists count toward its work order or project.
- Each checklist keeps an **Activity** list of who answered, failed, waived or approved what.

## If something looks different

- **Complete the required response before marking this item complete.**: answer the item first.
- **No published templates are available for this owner type.**: publish a checklist template for this kind of record.
- **Checklist access is not available.** or the tab is missing: your role cannot see checklists, or checklists are off for this kind of record.
- A work order will not close: when your plan includes checklist gates, items that block closeout must be finished, marked N/A or waived first ([[complete-or-cancel-a-work-order]]).
- To see blocked and overdue checklists across all work, see [[find-blocked-and-overdue-checklists]].