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alex
Team Skimmer
alexTeam Skimmer
NEW Skimmer features and improvements that you need to be using

We’ve rolled out a lot over the past ~13 months, so we figured it was about time to do a little recap.In the post below, you’ll find a list of all the new features and significant improvements that we made to the Skimmer mobile and web app throughout 2024 and the start of 2025. We’ve tried to include help center links and how-to videos whenever possible. If you haven’t had a chance to really dive into these features yet, take a moment and see how they could help your business! This post is long (as we said, Skimmer released A LOT in the past year) so we’ve clustered features into the following categories:Billing & invoicing features and improvements Quotes improvements Work order improvements Customer communication & management improvements Mobile app improvements Non-product updates  Billing & invoicing features and improvements: Better billing = healthier cash flow AND happier customers QBO Integration + Payout SyncThe seamless integration with QuickBooks Online (QBO) aut

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Justine
The Pool Deck Community Team
J
New Member
JoeNew Member
asked in Ideas & inspiration for business owners
Marketing by Pool Monopoly

Considering using Pool Monopoly.  Does anyone here use them?  What’s been your experience?

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Carter.n.Ash
New Member
jdpinson
Conversation Starter
jdpinsonConversation Starter
posted in Skimmer training, tips & tricks
Skimmer Hack

Just wanted to let everyone know about a work around to text quotes and invoices. We use this all the time and it works great. Open any invoice or quote and go to the preview tab.Next go to the url and copy everything but “preview=true” at the end of the address This link will take the user to a mobile friendly preview of the invoice with a payment link or link to accept the quote.   

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Carter.n.Ash
New Member
FlaviaSwims
Team Skimmer
FlaviaSwimsTeam Skimmer
published in Ideas & inspiration for business owners
How do you collect from someone who has passed on?

I hosted our first collections workshop this week with ​@BriannaL, and we had an intriguing question: How do you collect from someone who has passed on?I did a little research, and we've learned this. Reminder: we are NOT lawyers.Context: Estates are handled by the probate process, which is handled at the county level.Contact the Probate Court/Clerk of Court:Reach out to the Probate Court or the Clerk of the Circuit Court in that county. You can request information about the probate case associated with the deceased. Many counties offer online case lookup tools that allow you to search for probate records using the deceased person's name. The case file should list the executor or personal representative in charge of the estate. Example: Here is a link to Lee County's case lookup Review Public Probate Records:Once you locate the probate case, review the publicly available documents. These records typically include the name and contact information (or at least the registered attorney's c

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FlaviaSwims
Team Skimmer
O
Rookie Member
ohanapoolsofflRookie Member
posted in Ideas & inspiration for business owners
Pool Tech Time Keeping

Hi All!Curious what time keeping apps or programs other Pros are using? While we pay our techs well and their full weekly salary even if they work less than 40 hours, we do not offer overtime currently. And as our company grows, we want to have best practices in place as well as verified protection so there is no question or confusion should there ever be a situation arise down the road. You always hope that people are good and honest but it is not always going to be the case. I do not want to use the same time keeping program as my payroll (ADP) so that it does not mess with the payroll. 

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KerryS
Skimmer Verified Partner
Justine
The Pool Deck Community Team
JustineThe Pool Deck Community Team
published in Ideas & inspiration for business owners
On-demand access: A deep dive into The State of Pool Service 2025 findings

Tune in for an in-depth discussion with our friends at AQUA Magazine about The State of Pool Service 2025 industry report. This live discussion covers key insights, priorities, and challenges from the report findings that can help you thrive in 2025, including:How pool professionals are navigating economic challenges such as inflation and labor shortages Strategic pricing tactics to remain competitive in 2025 Insights into the growing influence of private equity in the industry Changes in marketing strategies over the past year The gradual adoption of the "plus chems" pricing model This is an excellent opportunity to stay ahead of the curve and enhance your knowledge in the pool service industry. Whether you are a seasoned professional or just starting out, there will be valuable takeaways for everyone 🍿  

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Justine
The Pool Deck Community Team
Skimmer Support
Skimmer Support Hero
Skimmer SupportSkimmer Support Hero
published in Quickbooks Online
QuickBooks Online FAQ - Skimmer Help CenterF.A.Q.

Frequently Asked Questions about Skimmer's integration with QuickBooks Online . . . Does the integration work with Inventory products in QBO?Yes. When an invoice is sent to QBO, the corresponding inventory count is automatically deducted. Do changes in QBO update items in Skimmer?No. Our integration is one-way, meaning data flows only from Skimmer to QBO. How does customer matching work?When a customer is created in Skimmer, the system follows these steps to match it with QBO: Initial Sync: The customer is sent from Skimmer to QBO. Name Matching: If the customer’s first and last names in Skimmer match QBO’s Display Name field, a match is flagged. If the customer is set to “Display as Company” in Skimmer, QBO uses the company name for matching. Address and Email Verification: Skimmer compares the street address in QBO. A match will link the records. If the street addresses do not match, Skimmer checks the email address. A matching email will link the customer records

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Skimmer Support
Skimmer Support Hero
nikiacosta
Team Skimmer
nikiacostaTeam Skimmer
published in News, trends & training
Earn $150 for Every Referral – Join the Skimmer Affiliate Program!

😍 Love Skimmer? Now you can get rewarded for sharing it! As a Skimmer customer, your referrals can get 30 days of Skimmer for free, while you earn $150 for every new customer who remains a customer for 90+ days. Our top affiliates have earned thousands in referral payouts, and you can, too!  👉🏻 Help your friends improve how they operate their business and get rewarded in the process. Sign up for the affiliate program here.

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nikiacosta
Team Skimmer
nikiacosta
Team Skimmer
nikiacostaTeam Skimmer
published in Ideas & inspiration for business owners
Between Two Stops Episode 5 is out! Check out "Cool Pool Tools: Cyclone Filter Cleaners with Jordan and Maria Thiessen"

In this episode, we speak to Jordan and Maria Thiessen, makers of the Cyclone Filter Cleaner, an innovative product designed to make cleaning filters faster, easier, and with less mess. The best pros use the best tools, and this is one you'll definitely want on your truck! Learn more about the Cyclone Filter Cleaner at cyclonefiltercleaner.com and use code POOLPRO to get 10% off your order! Like and subscribe on your favorite podcasting platform! Audio Podcast: www.betweentwostops.comYoutube Video/Podcast: https://youtu.be/uzL4gjD5_TQ Want to be a guest on our podcast? Email us at podcast@getskimmer.com and tell us what you’d like to discuss!

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nikiacosta
Team Skimmer
Chlorine King
Skimmer Verified Partner
Chlorine KingSkimmer Verified Partner
published in Ideas & inspiration for business owners
Pool season is ramping up! What do you do for hiring and training employees???

It’s that time of year again… the start of POOL SEASON! Along with that usually comes hiring and training new staff to prep for the season ahead. My question to you is what do you do for hiring and training employees?? The video above is a cliff notes version of my successes and failures with hiring new staff. There’s been a lot of growing pains with this topic to figure out what we are looking for as a company and how to find them. The team I have now is the best I’ve ever had. Some luck is involved, some is “knowing” someone and the rest is just sifting through hundreds of applications to find the right fit. I’ve hired a lot of bad eggs along the way before I found the solid team I have now. So it’s not all unicorns and rainbows when wanting to grow. Believe me on that one! Hiring: We’re to the point now where we keep an Indeed listing open 24/7 to keep applications coming in to build up a list of applicants you'd like to hire when the time comes. Hopefully, this will create a quick

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Chlorine King
Skimmer Verified Partner
Ryan.BrosPool
Rookie Member
Ryan.BrosPoolRookie Member
posted in Ideas & inspiration for business owners
Pool Guy Wisdom

What is some of the best knowledge or wisdom that you have learned related to the pool business? I would particularly love to hear from some folks who have been in the industry for a while.

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Chlorine King
Skimmer Verified Partner
Skimmer Support
Skimmer Support Hero
Skimmer SupportSkimmer Support Hero
published in Create and manage quotes
Quotes – Create Related Work Orders (Web) - SKimmer Help Center

Quotes – Create Related Work Orders Access Tiers: Scaling Up, Owning the Market Watch the video or scroll down for step-by-step instructionsTo learn how to create work orders and associate them with a specific Quote, see the video below.Or, if you prefer, scroll past the video to view our step-by-step text instructions.  Step-by-step instructions . . . Go to Billing, then Quotes, then click into the Quote you need. Look to the right and you’ll see Related Work Orders. Make sure the Quote has a current expiration date and that it’s been approved. Once you have customer approval, you can’t edit the main Quote details, but you can add related work orders and invoices. When all of that’s ready, in the Related Work Orders box, click Add.Find Related Work Orders If you have a work order type as a line item, you’ll get this pop-up asking if you want to create the work order based on it, or if you want to create something new. If you choose the line item, the Add Work Order screen will pre-sel

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Skimmer Support
Skimmer Support Hero
C
Rookie Member
coltrane5000Rookie Member
asked in Skimmer training, tips & tricks
What's your work order list? - Weekly Techs...

Would you all mind sharing the list of work order types you let your weekly techs add?I need to cleanup my list!!!

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C
Rookie Member
Skimmer Support
Skimmer Support Hero
Skimmer SupportSkimmer Support Hero
published in Quickbooks Online
Key Things to Know Before You Integrate With QuickBooks Online - Skimmer Help Center

Before you start to integrate Skimmer and Quickbooks Online (QBO), here are some IMPORTANT tips to ensure the data sync runs smoothly:Most importantly - DO NOT import customers and products if they are already in Skimmer.If your customers are already in QBO and Skimmer, we recommend making sure first name, last name, email, and billing address match in both systems. If you aren’t sure about your data, we recommend contacting Skimmer support before taking action: support@getskimmer.com.If products are already in both systems, ensure the product name and category in Skimmer match the product name and category in QBO.Follow these mapping guidelines: Product and Service income account > map to your main income account  Skimmer Payments > map to undeposited funds or ‘payments to deposit’ (Skimmer and QBO recommended) Skimmer Payouts > map to the bank account you set up with your Stripe account Skimmer Payment Fees > map to your charges and/or fees account in QBO  

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Skimmer Support
Skimmer Support Hero
Skimmer Support
Skimmer Support Hero
Skimmer SupportSkimmer Support Hero
published in Getting started
How to Prepare to Connect Stripe - Skimmer Help Center

Before you start to connect Stripe to enable payments, here is a list of all the information you’ll need to input for a smooth and easy setup process:Tax ID/EIN and legal business name To find your EIN, check your most recent tax return or call the IRS at 800-829-4933 Owner details: Name, SSN, DOB, address, and phone number (for anyone with 25% or more ownership) Business bank account credentials or your bank account & routing number Business website URL or Social Media link If you don’t have a website, that's no problem — you can move forward with the setup without it.

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Skimmer Support
Skimmer Support Hero
alex
Team Skimmer
alexTeam Skimmer
New features: AutoPay for work orders, failed payment notifications and next day payouts

We’re rolling out some enhancements to Skimmer Billing to help you get paid faster, reduce admin work, and improve cash flow. See what’s new below:Introducing AutoPay for work orders: Say goodbye to late payments and better cash flow What is AutoPay?AutoPay automatically charges your customer’s stored payment method for invoices, making payments seamless and reliable.What’s new?Now, AutoPay extends to work orders, so invoices tied to work order types determined by you can be paid automatically—just like regular routine service.How does this work?With AutoPay for work orders, you can now specify which work order types are eligible for automatic payment. Simply visit the settings page and edit your work order types.How does AutoPay for work orders help you?This feature is a win-win for your business and your customers as it:✅ Improves cash flow: Automatically collect payments for work orders, reducing the risk of late or missed payments.✅ Prevents service disruptions: Keep your services

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alex
Team Skimmer
Skimmer Support
Skimmer Support Hero
Skimmer SupportSkimmer Support Hero
published in Add and manage payments
Failed Payment Notifications (Web) - Skimmer Help Center

Watch the video or scroll down for step-by-step instructions. Tiers: All   Step-by-step instructions . . . This feature is always enabled for your customers. When any payment fails, they'll receive an email with the amount due, due date, and a link to submit payment again. This applies to both payments you process on their behalf and failed AutoPay transactions.Email notification to your customer If customers submit payment manually for an invoice and that payment fails, they won't receive an email notification since they've already seen the failure message on the payment screen. Manual failed payment notification For pool professionals, here's how to get payment failure notifications: On the website, go to Settings and then Payments. You'll find a toggle option to email your office daily reports of failed customer payments. These reports will be sent to your alert email address (configured in General Settings). When payments fail, you'll receive an email the next day with a summary. C

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Skimmer Support
Skimmer Support Hero
Justine
The Pool Deck Community Team
JustineThe Pool Deck Community Team
published in Life on the road
Say hello & share how you got into the pool service business

Hello and a warm welcome to The Pool Deck 🤗 My name is Justine, and I am your go-to for all things community 🙌  I am super pumped to get to know more members and see the co-creation, sharing of knowledge, and learning from one another take root across all our forums, groups, and events!This Life on the road forum is about getting to know each other better and sharing stories from our day. Plus, we’ll have some contests and other posts to make you smile 😀I started building communities working in the beer business and knew I had found my calling. I love bringing together people and watching the magic unfold—whether it’s new ideas, learning, or even just a bit of fun and laughter to brighten each others’ day! I have worked in software for a while now, and when @Travis  told me about Skimmer’s mission, and I learned more about the pool service industry, it was an easy YES to join this team!Meeting with Skimmer customers over the past few months has only reinforced my decision -- we have

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C
Rookie Member
Justine
The Pool Deck Community Team
JustineThe Pool Deck Community Team
published in Ideas & inspiration for business owners
Virtual Owner Meet-Ups — Don't Miss Out On These Discussions

​We launched Groups in The Pool Deck to connect members with other entrepreneurs in their surrounding community to discuss topics related to owning a pool service business specific to their region. So, it's time to gather our group members, make introductions, and start having discussions to share learnings, collaborate on new ideas, and solve some challenges. If you have already joined your regional group, respond to the meet-up post in your group forum to save your seat and join this industry brain trust's initial gathering. If you haven’t joined your regional group yet, connect now so you don’t miss this opportunity to expand your local network – click here to check out the current groups. Virtual Meet-Up Dates Arizona on Monday, February 3rd @ 2 - 3:15 PM MST Northeast on Tuesday, February 4th @ 2 - 3:15 EST Florida on Wednesday, February 5th @ 3 - 4:15 EST Nevada on Thursday, February 6th @ @ - 3:15 PST Midwest on Friday, February 7th @ 2 - 3:15 CST Northern California o

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Chlorine King
Skimmer Verified Partner
Justine
The Pool Deck Community Team
JustineThe Pool Deck Community Team
published in POP-UP events
REGISTER NOW — Advertising That Converts: Pool Business Growth Strategies

Pool marketing season is coming in hot 🔥 The 2025 State of Pool Service report indicates that pool service companies plan to increase their marketing spend this year and are adopting more advanced techniques. So, to help you plan and refine your strategy, we’re hosting a LIVE workshop you don’t want to miss with our resident marketing expert and Pool Deck contributor ​@Ryan from Pool Monopoly on Thursday, February 20.The trends show that in today’s competitive market, simply running basic ads isn’t enough—you need the right strategy to turn clicks into real pool accounts. Whether you’re using Facebook Ads, Google Ads, or Google Local Services Ads (LSAs) for your pool service business, understanding how to optimize these platforms can make all the difference in how many new pool accounts you acquire in 2025.What You’ll Learn: Facebook Ads – How to create campaigns that drive actual customer inquiries, not just engagement.  Google Ads – Best practices for targeting, bidding, and keyword

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Justine
The Pool Deck Community Team
J
New Member
Jachin80New Member
posted in Ideas & inspiration for business owners
Commercial Pool and how to do it well?

Hey guys,  I’m very new to the business with 40 pools and just finished my pool operater license.  I am wondering if you could share with me the best ways and examples of documents to get bids for large commercial pools.  Its a small town and want to do this well.  Thanks.  

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ThePOOLButler
New Member
Justine
The Pool Deck Community Team
JustineThe Pool Deck Community Team
published in News, trends & training
Poolwerx USA Selects Skimmer as Official Pool Service Software Partner

We are extremely proud to announce that Skimmer has been selected as the software vendor of choice for Poolwerx, the world’s largest pool service and retail brand. This partnership marks a significant step forward in pool service technology and cements Skimmer as the premier choice for large and enterprise-level businesses.“Ensuring we select the best possible technology for our network is a key part of our success. We assessed all of the leading software vendors globally to find the best solution. Skimmer was the clear winner as their platform is the easiest to use and incredibly robust, providing everything we need in one seamless solution. Beyond the technology, the Skimmer team is a group of professional individuals who truly understand our business needs,” said Shannon O’Brien, Chief Innovation & Technology Officer at Poolwerx of the partnership.Read  more about this exciting new partnership here: https://www.getskimmer.com/blog/poolwerx-usa-selects-skimmer-as-official-pool-se

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Justine
The Pool Deck Community Team
code3pools_ops
Conversation Starter
code3pools_opsConversation Starter
asked in Life on the road
Grand Pools

Our area is starting to have more lavish pool designs and I was wondering what are some tips and best practices to keep them clean - especially when you cannot reach all sides. The picture below is of a pool we were recently asked to quote for cleaning services.Is it normal to get in the pool to clean it - walk on the lounge shelf? Main Pool 7’ Deep EndOverflow 15 people Spa Equipment 

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T
Conversation Starter
Poolmanpros
New Member
PoolmanprosNew Member
posted in Life on the road
industry shift

In the beginning of my career, I was told to give the least amount of info to the customer, now I find myself giving too much to where the customer is a bit confused. (Thanks Google! ) I think there is a happy medium, giving enough then texting or emailing the full explanation with both sides (if there are both sides) and then having the customer decide. What's your experience or take? 

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NJPR
New Member
P
Rookie Member
Pooldude2023Rookie Member
posted in Ideas & inspiration for business owners
Racing to the bottom

I have been involved as an owner in many service companies over the years but I have never seen an industry race so fast to be the cheapest service. This race to the bottom is a deadly approach to doing business and will only invite pool customer service while damaging the reputation of the industry.  Instead we should all be thinking about how we can stand out, being honest with customers, educating them so that they can make the best decisions on there own behalf. I have a very good friend that said this industry is very different from most and I challenged him and his thought process on how false that statement was. While there are differing issues that arise, the fact remains the same, We are all in the service business! There are many things  that can set a company apart from the rest that do not involve money. Small things that customers really will appreciate. Small things like honesty, integrity, dependability and good communication. You can start there and discover what is dif

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NJPR
New Member

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