--- title: "Snow Season Readiness Checklist" slug: "snow-season-readiness-checklist" updated: 2026-11-13T19:44:04Z published: 2026-11-13T19:44:04Z canonical: "guide.youraspire.com/snow-season-readiness-checklist" --- > ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://guide.youraspire.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Snow Season Readiness Checklist ## Overview Use this checklist to get Aspire ready before your first storm. Each item links to the article that walks you through it. Work through the sections in order: most items in later sections depend on the setup in earlier ones. Review the checklist at the start of every season, even if nothing changed last year. Contract dates, routes, subcontractors, and pay rates usually do. > [!NOTE] > **Note:** Many items in this checklist, such as divisions, item categories, Snow Mode, and the settings in **Administration > Configuration**, need the *System Admin* permission. ## 1. System and admin setup - **Division named "Snow."** The division must be named exactly *"Snow"*, not *"Winter"* or *"Snow Removal."* Snow Mode and other snow features depend on this name. For more information, visit [Snow Administration and Configuration](/docs/snow-administration). - **Snow item categories built.** Create the catalog item categories you want to report on, such as *"Snow Res," "Snow Comm," "Snow Plow,"* and *"Snow Walks."* Every snow category name must contain the word *"snow,"* or its items won't display in Snow Mode. - **Snow service types chosen.** Decide how much detail you want in season-end reporting, then create service types in the Snow division, such as *"Snow," "Snow Res," "Snow Comm," "Snow Plowing,"* or *"Snow Walks."* For more information, visit [Setting Up Snow Services](/docs/snow-season-setup). - **Labor items set up.** Set the cost to your average labor cost. - **Equipment items set up.** Set the purchase unit cost to $0 and turn on **Allocate from Mobile**. - **Material items set up.** Set up bag salt, bulk salt, sand, and other materials with **Inventory Item** and **Available to bid** turned on, so crews can allocate them in Aspire Mobile. Turn on **Allocate from Mobile** only for materials your subcontractors supply. - **Bulk materials purchased into inventory.** Buy bulk salt and other stocked materials into an inventory location before the season, so crews have something to allocate during the first storm. For more information, visit [Snow Purchasing and Material Allocation](/docs/snow-purchasing-and-material-allocation). - **Kits built for standard depth ranges.** Build one kit for each depth range you sell, such as 0–2.99 inches, 3–5.99 inches, and 6–8.99 inches, and reuse them across properties. - **Services set up for each invoice type.** Create services for seasonal (Fixed Payment), Per Service (including range billing), and T&M or overage work. Mark range billing services **Requires Approval**, so completed tickets wait in **Pending Approval** until you confirm the depth. For more information, visit [Setting Up Snow Services](/docs/snow-season-setup) and [Understanding Multi-Visit Snow Services](/docs/understanding-multi-visit-snow-services). - **Snow pay codes set up.** Choose Fixed Rate, Premium Dollars, or Premium Percent for each snow pay code, and add override pay codes for employees who earn their own snow rate. Keep snow pay codes separate from your green season pay codes. For more information, visit [Setting Up Snow Pay Codes](/docs/setting-up-snow-pay-codes). ## 2. Contracts and billing - **Snow work on contracts.** Sell snow work on a contract opportunity, never a work order. One contract can include every invoice type the customer needs. For more information, visit [Structuring Snow Opportunities](/docs/structuring-snow-opportunities) and [Choosing a Snow Contract Invoice Type](/docs/choosing-a-snow-contract-invoice-type). - **Contract services set up correctly.** Per Service and T&M services are **As Needed**. Fixed Payment services get one Multi-visit work ticket for each occurrence: one occurrence for the whole season, or one for each snow month. - **Contract start and end dates accurate.** Aspire uses these dates for scheduling. Services don't display on the Schedule an Event screen until the opportunity's start date. - **Contract dates kept wide.** Use a wide date range, such as September 1 to June 1, instead of only the months you expect snow. That way you can set routes and schedule early storms without changing the contract. - **Require Contract End Date (optional).** Turn this on in **Administration > Configuration > Application** if you want every contract to have an end date. - **Limits on seasonal services (if you use them).** Turn on **Enable Limiting Fixed Price Services** in **Administration > Configuration > Application** if you sell seasonal (Fixed Payment) contracts with a visit cap or end date. Link each limited service to a T&M overage service. For more information, visit [Estimating Snow Contracts](/docs/snow-estimating-fixed-payment-contract-estimating). - **T&M billed through equipment.** Bill T&M snow work through equipment items rather than payroll hours, and don't set minimums. > [!CAUTION] > **Caution:** Once you save **Enable Limiting Fixed Price Services**, you can't turn it off. Turn it on only if your company plans to use service limits. ## 3. Routes and dispatch - **Dispatch method chosen.** Decide whether you'll use the Routes Method, the Events Method, or a mix of both. For more information, visit [Routes Method or Events Method for Snow Management](/docs/routes-method-or-events-method-for-snow-management). - **Snow manager and routes set up.** Create a snow-only manager contact, such as *"Snow Manager North,"* and set it as the manager on each snow route, so your snow routes have their own view on the Schedule Board. Put every snow route in the Snow division. For more information, visit [Setting Up Snow Routes](/docs/set-up-for-the-routes-method-of-snow-management). - **Equipment time reporting turned on (if needed).** Turn on **Allow Equipment Time Reporting** on routes where you bill or pay by piece of equipment. - **Show New Ticket Button in Aspire Mobile decided.** Turn it on if crews should be able to search for and pull work at any property. Turn it off if crews should only see the properties on their route. - **Default routes and sequence numbers assigned (Events Method).** On the Schedule an Event screen, give every snow service you'll schedule a default route and a sequence number with **Set Route and Sequence #**. Start sequence numbers at 10. You can't set default routes until the contract's start date. For more information, visit [Scheduling a Snow Event](/docs/video-snow-scheduling-scheduling-an-event). - **Snow property tags built.** Create property tags for the service levels you filter by during a storm, such as *"Zero Tolerance," "1-Inch Trigger," "2-Inch Trigger,"* and *"VIP."* Property tags stay with the property from season to season. - **Snow Mode turned on.** Turn on **Enable Snow Mode** in the **Mobile** section of the **Application** tab in **Administration > Configuration**. Only System Administrators can turn it on. Then have crew leaders turn it on in Aspire Mobile during a storm. When it's on, crews see only Snow division routes and services, and items whose category name contains *"snow."* When it's off, they see everything. For more information, visit [Turning On Snow Mode](/docs/aspire-snow-mode). - **Test run completed.** Do one full run-through of the Schedule an Event screen, or of crews pulling work by route, before the first storm. For more information, visit [Scheduling a Snow Event](/docs/video-snow-scheduling-scheduling-an-event) or [Making Snow Work Available by Route](/docs/video-snow-scheduling-assigning-properties-to-routes). ## 4. Labor and subcontractors - **Subcontractor contacts set up.** Each subcontractor contact uses the **Sub** contact type and belongs to the subcontractor's company. For more information, visit [Setting Up Snow Subcontractors](/docs/snow-subcontractor-setup). - **Subcontractor routes on the Schedule Board.** Every subcontractor needs a route, whether they use Aspire Mobile or the Subcontractor Portal. - **Subcontractor access set up.** We recommend Aspire Mobile for subcontractors, even in your first snow season. Select **Enable Sub Access to Aspire Mobile** so subcontractor contacts can log in, or create a user record if you want them to have a PIN and a role. For subcontractors who prefer the Subcontractor Portal, turn on **Enable Sub Contractor Portal** and send them an invite. Portal users choose their own password. - **Subcontractor auto expenses set up.** After you estimate and win each snow contract, add an auto expense for each subcontractor's company on the services they'll work. Subs can only pull tickets, allocate materials and equipment, and get paid for services that have an auto expense for their company. Fixed Payment services must be **Multi-visit** before you can add an auto expense. For more information, visit [Subcontractor Auto Expenses Overview](/docs/subcontractor-auto-expenses-overview). - **Subcontractor certifications collected.** Subcontractors add certifications and documents in the Subcontractor Portal, and you can view them in Aspire. ## 5. Field tools - **Aspire Mobile and Subcontractor Portal tested.** Turn on the tools your crews and subcontractors use, and test them with your crew leaders before the season. - **Partial occurrence settings decided (Per Service only).** In **Administration > Configuration > Time Reporting**: - **Enable Partial Occurrence to be Specified From Aspire Mobile** lets crews and subcontractors enter a partial percentage in Aspire Mobile. Crews also need the *Partial Occurrence* mobile permission. - **Enable Partial Occurrence to be Specified From Sub Portal** lets subcontractors enter one in the portal. - What crews and subcontractors enter is a guide only. It doesn't change the price to your customer. The office sets the actual partial occurrence on the ticket, which needs the *Partial Occur* permission. - **Ticket creation settings decided.** Turn on **Enable Tickets to be Created From Sub Portal** or **Enable Sub tickets to be created from Aspire Mobile** if subcontractors pull their own work. Subcontractors still need an auto expense on each service. ## 6. Invoicing and post-storm process - **Snow invoice layout requested.** Before the season, request a snow invoice layout that prints weather event details. Layout requests go through AspireCare. For more information, visit [Logging Weather Events](/docs/logging-weather-events-for-invoicing). - **Snow reports set up.** Decide which reports you'll run during and after each storm, such as the As Needed Exceptions report, and save the filters you'll reuse. For more information, visit [Recommended Reports for Snow](/docs/recommended-reports-for-snow). - **As Needed Exceptions report in your workflow.** Run it after every storm to find services that weren't worked. - **Snow lists built.** Save the work ticket lists you'll review all season, such as T&M, Per Service, and all-event lists, and share them with your team. For more information, visit [Building Snow Lists](/docs/building-snow-lists). - **Work ticket review schedule set.** For more information, visit [Reviewing Snow Work Tickets Pending Approval](/docs/reviewing-snow-work-tickets-pending-approval). - Review **Pending Approval** daily during the season, and other work ticket lists at least weekly. - Review your T&M, Per Service, and all-event lists before you bill. - After each event and monthly, review a list built on the Work Ticket Visit Report to track visits used on capped seasonal services. The report doesn't show the cap, so compare it with the visit limit on the estimate. > [!TIP] > **Tip:** When the season ends, work through [Closing Out the Snow Season](/docs/closing-out-the-snow-season). ## Related articles - [Snow Season Overview](/docs/snow) - [Snow Administration and Configuration](/docs/snow-administration) - [Setting Up Snow Services](/docs/snow-season-setup) - [Setting Up Snow Routes](/docs/set-up-for-the-routes-method-of-snow-management) - [Snow Troubleshooting](/docs/snow-troubleshooting)