What is Dispatch Bros? A tour of the dashboard
Last updated: Aug 24, 2026
Dispatch Bros is an all-in-one dispatch platform for US home-service businesses — locksmiths, garage door companies, plumbers, and similar trades. From one dashboard you take calls and texts on your own business numbers, create and dispatch jobs, send estimates and invoices, collect payments, and automate follow-ups like review requests. Everything is reached from the left sidebar, and what you see there depends on your role — owners and admins see everything, dispatchers and technicians see the parts their role can use.
The left sidebar, area by area
The sidebar is your map of the product. It is grouped into three areas:
Daily operations
| Menu item | What it's for |
|---|---|
| Dashboard | Your home screen — today's activity, setup progress, and the live map |
| Jobs | Create, dispatch, track, and close service jobs |
| Projects | Multi-phase work with milestones and milestone invoicing |
| Calendar | Every scheduled job on a day/week grid |
People and classification
| Menu item | What it's for |
|---|---|
| Team | Your staff — expands into Admins, Dispatchers, Technicians, Referral Co., and Subcontractors |
| Customers | Your customer directory with full job and payment history |
| Job Types | The services you offer (lockout, spring replacement, ...) |
| Job Source | Where jobs come from — each source can have its own sender number and review link |
| Ad Source | The ad campaigns behind those sources |
| Job Status | Your custom job status list |
Money, messaging, and growth
| Menu item | What it's for |
|---|---|
| Invoices | Expands into Invoices, Estimates, Items (your price catalog), and Contracts. Change orders live inside contracts and projects |
| Finance | The job-close ledger — revenue, commissions, and payouts per closed job |
| Payments | Card payments, Quick Collect, payouts, and refunds |
| Payroll | Technician time clock and payroll runs |
| Reports | Business reports and analytics |
| Messages | The unified SMS inbox for customer texting and team chat |
| DB Connect | Chat with partner companies that also use Dispatch Bros |
| Phone System | Numbers, call flows, calls, and everything voice |
| Automations | Review requests, appointment reminders, missed-call textbacks |
| Review QR | A printable QR card that routes customers to your review link |
| Leads | The AI Lead Agent's inbox of incoming leads |
Your profile menu
Click your name at the bottom of the sidebar to open the profile menu:
- My Account — your personal profile, plan overview, and the desktop app download.
- Billing — your subscription, payment method, and usage.
- Settings — company-wide configuration: time zone, logo, booking rules, roles, and more.
- Support and Live Chat — reach the Dispatch Bros team.
- Log out — signs out this browser only; your other devices stay signed in.
The Dashboard page
Dashboard is your home base. When your account is new, two setup helpers sit at the top:
- The Activation Center tracks setup across three sections — Business Setup, Communications, and Automations — with a percent bar and a suggested next step. Click Details to expand every item.
- The "Get Started with Dispatch Bros" checklist walks the four first-day basics: first customer, first job, first technician, first invoice. It disappears on its own once all four are done.
Below them you'll find today's jobs, the live map, and recent activity.
What you see depends on your role
Dispatch Bros has owners, admins, dispatchers, and technicians, plus custom permissions per person. The sidebar only shows pages your role can open — so a dispatcher will not see Payroll or company Settings unless they've been granted access. If a teammate is missing a page they need, an owner or admin can adjust it under Roles & Permissions.
Where to go next
- Work through the setup checklist.
- Set your time zone, business hours, and logo.
- Buy a phone number and build a call flow.
- Install the mobile app and the desktop app.
FAQ
Who is Dispatch Bros for?
US home-service businesses — locksmiths, garage door companies, plumbers, and similar trades — and the owners, dispatchers, and technicians who run them.
Why don't I see every menu item shown in this article?
The sidebar filters by your role and permissions. Owners and admins see everything; dispatchers and technicians see the subset their role can use.
Do I need separate software for calls and texts?
No. Dispatch Bros includes a business phone system — you can buy or port numbers, build call flows, and text customers from the Messages inbox.
Is there a mobile or desktop app?
Yes. There is an iOS app for phones and a Windows desktop dialer for answering calls at your computer. Both use your regular Dispatch Bros login.