Yes. Give each restaurant a Next pump out date field in GoHighLevel, update it after every service by adding that restaurant's interval, and let a Custom Date Reminder workflow send the reminder ahead of the date. One workflow then serves 200 restaurants with 200 different schedules. The bottom line: the schedule lives in the date field, not in the workflow, so each restaurant's timing is its own.
Why schedules differ
City rules set a floor and a rule of thumb. Denton, Texas requires grease interceptors to be pumped at least every 90 days, or when grease and solids reach 25 percent of the wetted height, and requires the manifest to be signed and kept on site for at least three years. Santa Clara and San Jose say pump at least every 90 days or when the final chamber is 25 percent full, whichever comes first. Nashville's program says some establishments must pump every month or every two months, and that kitchens preparing fish, chicken, or rice will probably pump every one to two months. Lawrence, Kansas says many municipalities require indoor interceptors to be emptied completely at least monthly. Norfolk's brochure says records must include the date pumped, the volume pumped, and the hauler's identification.
So a 200 restaurant route mixes 30, 60, and 90 day customers, and an inspector can change a restaurant's interval. The interval belongs in a field.
Fields
| Field | Use |
|---|---|
| Interceptor type | Indoor trap or outdoor gravity interceptor |
| Pump interval in days | 30, 60, or 90 |
| Last pump out date | Set after each service |
| Next pump out date | Last date plus interval |
| Percent full at service | The technician's 25 percent rule reading |
| City and program contact | For the reporting rules |
Build it in GoHighLevel
- Create the fields in the table as contact custom fields, with the two dates as date fields.
- Build a workflow with the Custom Date Reminder trigger on Next pump out date, 7 days before, that sends a text and email to the restaurant manager.
- Add a second trigger in the same workflow for the due date that creates a dispatch task, and a third for 3 days after that alerts the office if the service was not logged.
- After each service, use a form or a tag to log the visit and the percent full reading.
- Build a workflow that runs when the visit is logged. Use an Update Contact Field action with a date option to set the Last pump out date, and set the Next pump out date to the last date plus the interval.
- Add an If/Else on the percent full field. If it is above 25 percent, shorten the interval field and note it.
- Add a Send Email action that sends the manifest to the restaurant, so it can keep the record for three years.
GoHighLevel's Custom Date Reminder page says the trigger fires before, on, or after a date, that in contact based workflows you can choose supported contact date fields and supported opportunity date fields, that it does not fire for a contact whose date field is empty, and that a workflow can hold two triggers, one before and one after the date. It also describes a Match on the year option for reminders that repeat every year, so read that setting's description in your account and test it with a real date field.
GoHighLevel has a help article on updating a contact field with a date type field. Confirm that it can set the offset you need, and test it on one restaurant before you roll it out.
What the workload looks like
For example, if 120 restaurants are on 90 day cycles, 60 on 60 day cycles, and 20 on 30 day cycles, that is 480 plus 360 plus 240, or 1,080 pump outs a year, about 21 a week (1,080 divided by 52 is 20.8). Each has a reminder, a task, and a manifest, so about 3,240 messages and tasks a year that the workflow handles.
Mistakes to avoid
- One reminder schedule for everyone. Intervals differ by kitchen.
- Not updating the next date. The next reminder depends on it.
- Skipping the manifest. Restaurants must keep records for inspectors.
- Ignoring the 25 percent rule. A full trap is due regardless of the calendar.
How this was handled before
Pumping companies kept route sheets and calendar pages, and drivers knew which restaurants were due. That works for a small route. At 200 restaurants with different intervals, the schedule needs to live in data, so a date field and a reminder replace the route sheet and the driver's memory.
Check before you switch it on
US text messages sent from a standard 10 digit number need A2P 10DLC registration. The HighLevel support portal says registration is required for texts to US recipients from 10 digit long code numbers and that toll free numbers do not require it. HighLevel's opt in guidelines also say a person cannot be forced to agree to text messages in order to submit a form, so keep the consent box optional. One compliance guide separates informational texts, which need documented consent, from marketing texts, which need prior express written consent. Ask your attorney which category your reminders fall into. Kitchen managers are often on the line during service, so send reminders in the morning. This is general information, not legal advice.
Questions people ask
How often must grease traps be pumped?
City rules vary. Denton, Santa Clara, and San Jose say at least every 90 days or at 25 percent full, and Nashville says some kitchens need monthly or every other month.
Can one workflow handle different schedules?
Yes, because the date field holds each restaurant's own next date and the trigger fires relative to it.
How long must pump records be kept?
Denton and Santa Clara say at least three years on site.
Ready to try it yourself? Start a GoHighLevel account here.
You can also see this in action in our GoHighLevel capabilities demo.