Activities: How to Manage the Operational Service Catalog in Diamond Operations Pro

Main idea of the module

Think of "Activities" as the practical catalog of what the company can do.

While a job represents a specific execution on a date, property, or client, an activity represents the type of task that can be repeated many times within the operation.

Example:

• "Deep Cleaning" is an activity.
• A deep cleaning scheduled for a specific property on Friday at 10:00 a. m. is a job.

This difference is important to keep the system organized and avoid creating improvised services inside each job.

What the activity catalog is used for

The activity catalog helps maintain consistency across the operation.

From this module, you can:

• Create reusable operational services.
• Define clear names for the tasks the company offers.
• Add descriptions that explain what each activity includes.
• Register prices, durations, or other operational data when the form allows it.
• Keep services available for jobs and bookings.
• Avoid duplicates with similar names.
• Prepare consistent information for reports.
• Control which services can be used in other modules.

A well-maintained catalog makes it easier for all users to select the same services and work with consistent information.

Who should manage activities

This module is intended for users who understand the operation and can keep the service catalog updated.

It is usually used by:

• Administrators.
• Supervisors.
• Operations managers.
• Users responsible for configuring services.
• Operational users with permission to maintain the catalog.
• Staff responsible for preparing services for bookings or jobs.

Not every user should be able to create or edit activities. An uncontrolled catalog can become filled with duplicates, confusing names, or services the company no longer offers.

When to use the "Activities" module

Use this module when you need to manage reusable operational services.

Common cases include:

• The company offers a new service.
• An existing service changed its name.
• An activity price needs to be updated.
• The estimated duration of a service changed.
• An activity description needs improvement.
• The booking engine must show services available to the public.
• Jobs need to use consistent services.
• The operation needs to be organized before creating jobs or bookings.
• Reports are prepared based on operational services.

Important concepts

Activity
Service or task configured in the system to be reused in other modules.

Operational catalog
Organized list of activities available for jobs, bookings, properties, and reports.

Visible service
Activity that can be shown or reused in public or internal workflows, depending on the configuration.

Price or value
Amount associated with the service, if the company’s configuration requires it.

Duration
Estimated time it may take to complete an activity, if the form allows it to be registered.

Description
Explanation that helps the team understand what the activity includes, when it applies, and how it should be used.

Job
Specific execution of an activity or service on a date, client, property, or concrete assignment.

Difference between activity and job

One of the most common questions is the difference between an activity and a job.

The activity is the base definition.
The job is the actual execution.

Activity

"Move-out cleaning"

This activity describes a type of service the company offers.

Job

"Move-out cleaning at property 204, assigned to Team A, on May 12"

This job uses an activity, but it already has a date, location, client, team, and specific details.

Keeping this separation helps make reports clearer and keeps services consistent.

Difference between activities and services

In some configurations, "Services" and "Activities" may seem similar.

A practical way to understand them is:

"Service"
Can work as a general category or main grouping.

"Activity"
Represents a more specific operational task that can be selected within jobs, bookings, or other workflows.

Example:

• Service: "Residential Cleaning"
• Activities: "Standard Cleaning", "Deep Cleaning", "Move-out Cleaning"

Depending on the company’s configuration, both modules can work together to keep the catalog organized.

Main Activities screen

The main "Activities" screen shows the activities registered in the system.

From this screen, depending on the user’s permissions, you can:

• Search existing activities.
• Review names and descriptions.
• Create new activities.
• Edit activities.
• Delete activities.
• Confirm which services are available for other modules.
• Validate information before using it in jobs, bookings, or reports.

This screen should be reviewed before configuring jobs or publishing services in the booking engine, especially if changes are being made to the catalog.

Before creating an activity

Before creating a new activity, confirm that it truly needs to be added to the catalog.

Recommended questions:

• Does the company currently offer this service?
• Does the activity already exist under another name?
• Will the name be clear to all users?
• Should it be an activity or a general service category?
• Should it be shown in the booking engine?
• Does it have a defined price, duration, or description?
• Will it be used in jobs, properties, or reports?
• Could it create duplicates with another existing activity?

This review helps keep the catalog clean and easy to use.

After saving, the activity may become available for other system workflows, depending on configuration and permissions.

How to choose a good name for an activity

The name of an activity should be clear, specific, and easy to recognize.

A good name allows the team to select the correct service without confusion.

Recommended examples:

• "Deep Cleaning"
• "Laundry"
• "Property Inspection"
• "Preventive Maintenance"
• "Move-out Cleaning"

Examples that may cause confusion:

• "Cleaning 2"
• "New Service"
• "Special Job"
• "General"
• "Other"

Avoid temporary or unclear names. If the team does not understand what an activity means, they may select the wrong service in jobs or bookings.

How to write a good description

The description should explain what the activity includes and when it should be used.

A good description can include:

• What is performed.
• When it applies.
• What the service includes.
• What it does not include, if clarification is important.
• Whether it requires special conditions.
• Whether it should only be used for certain types of jobs.

Recommended example:

"Deep cleaning service for properties that require additional attention, including high-use areas, bathrooms, kitchen, and main surfaces."

Not recommended example:

"Complete cleaning."

The clearer the description, the easier it is for the team to use the activity correctly.

Price, duration, and operational data

Some activities may include additional information such as price, estimated duration, or other operational data.

This data can help:

• Calculate costs.
• Prepare bookings.
• Estimate job times.
• Compare services.
• Feed reports.
• Standardize the operation.

Before changing price or duration, review whether the change applies to the general catalog or only to a specific case.

If the change applies only to one specific job, it may be better to adjust that job instead of modifying the base activity.

Before editing an activity, verify whether it is already being used in active jobs, bookings, or public configurations.

A change in name, price, or duration may affect how other users interpret the service.

When to be careful before modifying an activity

Be especially careful if the activity:

• Has already been used in historical jobs.
• Is included in active jobs.
• Appears in the booking engine.
• Is related to properties.
• Is used in reports.
• Has associated price or duration.
• Is part of an important operational workflow.

If you are not sure of the impact, check with an administrator before modifying it.

Deleting activities

Deleting an activity may affect historical information or existing configurations.

Before deleting, review:

• Whether the activity has already been used in jobs.
• Whether it appears in bookings.
• Whether it is connected to the booking engine.
• Whether it is used in reports.
• Whether another activity replaces it.
• Whether the company still offers that service.

If the activity has history, it may be better to deactivate it or stop using it, if the system allows that option, instead of deleting it.

Use of activities in other modules

Activities can feed different parts of Diamond Operations Pro.

Jobs

They allow users to select consistent services when creating or managing jobs.

Booking engine

They may appear as available services for bookings or requests, depending on the configuration.

Properties

They can be associated with operational needs related to a property.

Reports

They help analyze which services are performed most often, how long they take, or how they affect costs and income.

Daily operation

They help the team use clear and consistent names for the services it performs.

Best practices for managing activities

To maintain a clear catalog:

• Use short, specific, and easy-to-recognize names.
• Avoid creating duplicate activities.
• Review the catalog before adding new services.
• Keep descriptions focused on the operation.
• Explain what is done, when it applies, and what is included.
• Review price and duration before saving.
• Do not modify the general catalog for a one-time exception.
• Check historical use before deleting activities.
• Review the catalog periodically.
• Delete or deactivate services the company no longer offers, if applicable.

An organized catalog makes scheduling easier, improves reports, and reduces operational errors.

Expected result

By the end, the user should be able to:

• Create reusable operational activities.
• Maintain a clear and consistent catalog.
• Understand that an activity is not a job by itself.
• Use activities as a base for jobs, bookings, properties, and reports.
• Edit names, descriptions, prices, or durations carefully.
• Avoid duplicates in the catalog.
• Review the impact before modifying activities used in other modules.
• Keep the operation organized within Diamond Operations Pro.