Getting Started
Create your account
Head to /signup and enter your organization name, your name, email, and a strong password. After submitting, check your inbox for a confirmation email and click the link to activate your account.
Invite your team
Once logged in, navigate to Settings → Team and click "Invite Member." Enter the email address of your technician or admin. They'll receive an invite link and can set their own password.
Add your first customer
Go to Customers → New Customer and fill in the customer's name, contact info, and service address. You can add multiple service locations per customer (e.g., a residential pool and a commercial pool at another address).
Routes
Create a route
Navigate to Routes → New Route and give it a name like "Monday AM — West Side." Select the day of week and assign a lead technician.
Add stops
Search and select customer service locations to add as stops on the route. You can drag and drop to reorder stops manually, or use the AI Optimize button to automatically sequence them by shortest drive time.
Optimize with AI
Click Optimize Route on any route to have Ernie's AI calculate the most efficient stop order based on geographic proximity. This typically saves 15–30 minutes per route per day.
Service Visits
Complete a stop
Technicians open the Ernie app on their phone and tap their assigned route. At each stop, they tap "Start Visit" to check in, then complete a service checklist (vacuuming, brushing, skimming, etc.).
Log chemical readings
After testing the water, techs enter readings for free chlorine, combined chlorine, pH, alkalinity, calcium hardness, and stabilizer. Ernie automatically calculates the LSI (Langelier Saturation Index) and flags any values out of range.
Complete the visit
Techs tap "Complete Visit" to mark the stop done. Any chemical alerts are saved and visible to the office. A service record and optional customer-facing summary is generated automatically.
Invoicing
Create an invoice
After a visit is completed, navigate to Billing → New Invoice or click "Create Invoice" directly from a service visit. Ernie pre-fills the customer name, service date, and line items from your default service rate.
Send via email
Review the invoice and click Send Invoice. Ernie sends a branded email to the customer with a PDF attachment and a secure online payment link. You can preview the email before sending.
Collect payment
Customers click the payment link in their email and pay via credit card or ACH bank transfer (powered by Stripe). Payments are automatically recorded and invoices are marked paid in Ernie.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many technicians can I have on one account?
The Starter plan supports up to 2 active technicians. The Pro plan supports unlimited technicians. You can upgrade at any time from Settings → Billing.
Can customers see their service history?
Yes. Each invoice emailed to a customer includes a link to their secure customer portal where they can view all past service records, chemical readings, and invoices.
Is my data backed up?
Yes. Ernie runs on Supabase with continuous automated backups. Your data is replicated across multiple availability zones and retained for 30 days of point-in-time recovery.
Can I import my existing customer list?
Yes. Go to Customers → Import and upload a CSV file. Ernie supports standard fields including name, email, phone, address, and notes. A sample template is available on the import page.
How does Stripe payment processing work?
Ernie integrates with Stripe to process customer payments. You'll need to connect a Stripe account in Settings → Billing. Ernie never stores card numbers — all payment data is handled securely by Stripe.
How do I contact support?
Email us at support@ernie.app. Pro plan subscribers receive priority support with a 4-hour response time during business hours. All plans include access to this help guide.