Getting Started Guide

Everything in one place.
In 2–3 taps.

Route Desq keeps your clients, visits, and payments organized — right from your phone, at the side of the truck.

Built for solo contractors ✦ Route Optimization ✦ CSV Import ✦ Estimate Tracking ✦ Expense Logging Available in Spanish 🌱
01

Setting Up Your Account

Route Desq runs in your phone's browser — no app store download needed. Add it to your home screen for one-tap access, just like a native app.

Create your account

1
Go to routedesq.com in your phone's browser.
2
Tap Get Started Free and enter your email and a password (at least 8 characters).
3
Your 30-day free trial starts immediately — no credit card required.
4
You'll land on the Add Client screen. Add your first client and you're running.

Add it to your home screen

iPhone: Tap the Share button → scroll down → tap Add to Home Screen → tap Add.

Android: Tap the three-dot menu → tap Add to Home Screen → tap Add.

Once added, Route Desq opens full-screen with no browser chrome — just like a native app.

Pricing

PlanPriceDetails
Monthly$4.99/moBilled monthly. Cancel anytime.
Annual$39.99/yrBilled once a year. Best value.
Launch offer: First 50 sign-ups get 50% off for life. Discount applied automatically — no code needed.
02

Adding Your First Client

Every client gets their own record — contact info, address, rate, visit history, and payment details all in one place. Add a new client in under a minute, right after the handshake.

📱 Add Client Form
Add Client form
1
Contact infoName, phone, email (optional), address, city, state, preferred contact method
2
Job detailsService frequency, rate per visit, first scheduled date, billing frequency
3
Save Client — done in under a minute
FrequencyMeaning
WeeklyEvery 7 days
BiweeklyEvery 14 days
MonthlyOnce a month
SeasonalVariable — shows on Today when manually scheduled
One-offSingle job, won't recur
Already have clients in a spreadsheet? Use CSV Import to bring them all in at once. See Section 11.
03

Today's Job List

The Today screen is your daily dispatch. Every morning it shows exactly who you're visiting — sorted and ready to go.

📱 Today Screen
Today screen with route optimization
1
Summary barJobs today · Active clients
2
Optimize My RouteTap to open today's stops in Google Maps in the best drive order
3
Overdue / Late Pay badgesAmber for overdue service · Red for overdue payment
4
Access notesGate codes, parking, key location — right there before you arrive
5
Flags — quick alerts like 🐾 Pets on property
6
Text · Navigate · Log Visit — one tap each

Route Desq calculates who's due today from their service frequency and last visit date. Clients on Seasonal Hold or Suspended are automatically removed from the list.

Optimize My Route

One tap. Best drive order. Already open in Google Maps.
Tap Optimize My Route at the top of Today and Route Desq passes all of today's client addresses to Google Maps as a multi-stop route — automatically sorted for the shortest drive. Works with 2 stops or 20.
04

Logging a Visit

Log a visit the moment you finish the job — while you're still at the property. Under 30 seconds, keeps your records accurate.

📱 Log Visit Screen
Log Visit screen
1
Visit DateDefaults to today — change if logging retroactively
2
Completed checkboxUncheck if the job was only partially done
3
NotesAccess issues, extra work done, anything worth remembering
4
Follow-up flagSurfaces this client in Dashboard → Needs Attention

What happens after you save

05

Requesting Payment

Route Desq doesn't process payments — it helps you ask for them, fast. One tap sends a pre-written text with the amount and your payment handle already filled in.

📱 Request Payment Screen
Request Payment screen
1
AmountPre-filled from client's rate — edit freely for extras or discounts
2
★ Preferred platformClient's preferred contact highlighted automatically
3
Other platformsOnly platforms you've configured in Settings appear here
4
Check / CashMarks as requested without sending a text
5
Email — opens your mail app with the message pre-written

Tapping a platform button opens Messages (or mail) with the full request already written — client name, amount, your handle, your sign-off. You just hit send.

06

The Dashboard

Your business at a glance — revenue, monthly pulse, expenses, and anything that needs your attention.

📱 Dashboard Screen
Dashboard screen
1
Active — total clients currently being serviced
2
Expected This MonthActive client rates × frequency — your revenue target
3
Late PayClients past their billing cycle — amber when nonzero
4
Monthly PulseClients visited this month vs total active — your momentum
5
Needs AttentionOverdue payments · missed visits · stale estimates · holds expiring

What surfaces in Needs Attention

Email notifications

Route Desq sends a daily email summary when things need your attention — so nothing slips even if you haven't opened the app.

07

Client View

Every client has a full record — contact info, service details, billing, notes, visit history, and payment history all in one scroll.

📱 Client Record
Client Record
1
✏ Edit pencil — opens the full client edit form
2
Quick actionsCall · Maps · Log Visit — directly from the client page
3
Service sectionFrequency, rate, next/last visit · Seasonal Hold / Suspend / Archive
4
Billing sectionRequest payment · log cash received · full payment history below
08

Client Flags

Flags are quick alerts attached to a client — visible on their Today card and client page so you're never caught off guard at the door.

📱 Quick Flags — Edit Form
Client Flags edit form
1
🐾 Pets on propertyShows as a badge on their Today card — know before you open any gate or door
2
🏘 HOA restrictionsReveals an HOA Notes field — log rules like "no blower before 9am"
3
🚪 Gated accessReminder that access notes are critical for this property
FlagWhat it does
🐾 Pets on propertyBadge on Today card. Know before you open the gate — works for any pet-sensitive service.
🏘 HOA restrictionsReveals an HOA Notes field for logging rules and restrictions for that property.
🚪 Gated accessVisual reminder to check access notes before arriving — gate codes, entry instructions.

Setting flags

1
Open the client's page and tap the pencil (edit) icon.
2
Scroll to Quick Flags and toggle any flag on or off.
3
Tap Save Client.
09

Seasonal Holds

Put a client on hold without losing their record. They drop off Today automatically and resurface with a Dashboard reminder before their restart date.

Putting a client on hold

1
Open the client's page and scroll to the Service section.
2
Tap Seasonal Hold.
3
Enter a hold start date and a resume date.
4
Tap Put on Hold.

What happens during a hold

You can also Suspend a client (indefinite pause, no dates) or Archive them (removed from active lists, records preserved).
10

Estimates & Quotes NEW

Send a quick estimate via text before the job starts. The client accepts or declines — you see the status on their record. No chasing, no guessing.

Sending an estimate

1
Open a client's page and scroll to the Estimates section.
2
Tap Send Estimate.
3
Enter the estimate amount and an optional description.
4
Tap the platform button. Your Messages app opens with the estimate pre-written.

Status tracking

StatusMeaning
PendingSent but no response yet — shown in yellow.
AcceptedClient said yes — shown in green.
DeclinedClient said no — shown in red.

Estimates pending for 3+ days with no response automatically surface in Needs Attention on your Dashboard.

11

Importing Clients from CSV NEW

Already have clients in a spreadsheet? Upload them all at once. Name and address are required — everything else is optional.

How to import

1
Scroll to the bottom of the Dashboard and tap Import Clients (CSV).
2
Download the template CSV — it shows the exact column format.
3
Fill in your client data (up to 200 rows per file).
4
Upload the file and tap Import.
5
Review results — successful imports, skipped duplicates, and errors all shown.

Supported columns

ColumnRequired?Notes
nameYesClient full name
addressYesStreet address
cityNo
stateNo2-letter abbreviation
phoneNoAny format
emailNo
rateNoNumber only (e.g. 75)
frequencyNoweekly / biweekly / monthly / seasonal / one_off
notesNoAccess notes, gate codes, etc.
next_visitNoYYYY-MM-DD or MM/DD/YYYY

Duplicate detection: if a client with the same name and address already exists, that row is skipped. The rest still import.

12

Expense Tracking NEW

Log business expenses right from the Dashboard — gas, supplies, equipment, anything you spend on the job. Optionally assign to a specific client.

Logging an expense

1
Scroll to This Month's Expenses on the Dashboard.
2
Tap + Log Expense.
3
Enter a description, amount, and optional date.
4
Optionally assign it to a client (for materials bought for a specific job).
5
Tap Save.

Monthly total updates automatically. All expenses visible in the This Month's Expenses card on your Dashboard.

13

Settings & Payment Handles

Settings is where you set up your profile and payment handles. Access it from the ⚙ gear icon on your Dashboard.

Your name

Enter your display name — it appears at the end of every payment request. "Thanks! — Mike" is more personal than a blank sign-off.

Payment handles

Add your handles for any platforms you use. Only the ones you fill in appear as options when sending a payment request.

PlatformFormat
Venmo@YourHandle
Cash App$YourCashtag
ZelleYour phone number or email
PayPal.MeYour PayPal username

Custom message templates

Personalize the text your clients receive using placeholders that fill in automatically at send time:

PlaceholderReplaced with
{client}Client's name
{amount}Dollar amount
{handle}Your payment handle for the selected platform
{name}Your display name
{month}Month name (summary billing mode only)
{visits}List of visit dates (summary billing mode only)

Leave template fields blank to use the app's built-in defaults. Reset back with the Reset link.

Language

Switch the entire app to Spanish in one tap — every button, every label, every screen. Switch back to English just as easily. Your preference is saved to your account.

14

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Route Desq process payments?
No — and that's intentional. Route Desq sends your clients a pre-written payment request via text, with your Venmo/Zelle/Cash App handle included. The money moves directly through those apps. No fees, no middleman, no waiting for a payout.
Does it work for my trade?
Yes. Route Desq is built for any solo contractor running a recurring client route — pool service, pet grooming, house cleaning, car detailing, landscaping, handyman, and more. If you've got a route, it works.
What if I forget my password?
Tap "Forgot your password?" on the login screen. Enter your email and we'll send a reset link. The link expires in 30 minutes.
Can I use Route Desq on my laptop?
Yes — it works in any browser on any device. It's optimized for your phone but the full experience is available on desktop too.
How do I remove a client?
Open the client's page and scroll to the Service section. Tap Archive. Archived clients are removed from active lists but remain in your records — history is preserved.
What does "Expected This Month" include?
It totals the service rates of all active clients, multiplied by how many times they're expected this month based on their frequency. A revenue target, not a guarantee — but a solid gut-check.
Can my client see my Route Desq account?
No. Clients never interact with Route Desq. They just receive a regular text from you — it looks like any other message.
What happens when my trial ends?
After 30 days, you'll be prompted to subscribe. Monthly is $4.99/mo, annual is $39.99/yr. Your data is preserved either way — nothing gets deleted.
How do I get help?
Email us at support@routedesq.com. We're a small team and we actually read every message.