Frequently Asked Questions

www.hvacxref.com is an internal Watsco website that helps you find out more about HVAC parts and equipment, primarily focusing on parts cross-reference, substitutes, supersedes, etc. This is an ever-evolving piece of software that strives to be a one-stop guide highlighting inventory and availability across all Watsco subsidiaries.

HVAC xRef is an internal tool for employees within any Watsco Business Unit. You must be on a Watsco Network or VPN to access the software. The tool will be most helpful for in-store staff and sales reps to quickly help customers in real time. Other departments or personnel might also find the software helpful for their regular tasks or on an as-needed basis.

The software is continuously improving. We strive to provide cross-reference data for all HVAC parts, as well as visibility to inventory availability across all Watsco subsidiaries. With this information, we can best, and quickly, serve our customers. Right now, there is a limited number of categories available for lookup, but we are continuously working to increase that number and add new features.

This is the FIRST tool that has been created to establish visibility across all Watsco business units. While you might be part of one Business Unit (i.e. Baker, Gemaire, Homans, etc.), we are all a part of Watsco, and we can use that advantage to provide the best service to solve our customers’ needs.

If you do not have a part that a customer is seeking, this software will easily show you what replacement parts are compatible – across all brands – without you having to check different manufacturer portals. Additionally, it will show you inventory availability in your branch, business unit and Watsco-wide. The goal is to help the customer quickly and easily, and ultimately keep the customer in the Watsco family, rather than sending them to a competitor to get what they need.

• SEARCH – Enter a part number in the search bar to quickly navigate to a product detail page.
• BROWSE – Without a specific part number, browse through categories and filter by attributes to find the needed product.
• SPECIFICATIONS – Access detailed specifications for each part.
• AVAILABILITY – Check the availability of parts across all Watsco entities.
• REPLACEMENTS – Identify known replacement parts, including substitutes and superseded parts.
• COMPARE – Compare up to three products side by side, reviewing specifications to ensure a replacement product meets the customer's needs.
• PARTS LIST LOOKUP – Look up equipment to see parts lists, specifications, documents, and inventory.
• AL (Artificial Intelligence) – Ask AL questions about equipment without having to search through pages of product documentation to find an answer.

Today, there are three easy ways to find the FEEDBACK option:

• Blue FEEDBACK button located on the product pages.
• On the Bottom, left side of any screen, click the “thumbs up, thumbs down” icon.
• Or type “FEEDBACK” in the top search bar.

With any of these methods, you will be able to access the feedback form. More accessible FEEDBACK button options will be added throughout the site in the future.

Your business unit’s iNet should have a link to it on their homepage. However, if you're unsure, you can directly visit www.hvacxref.com.

Remember, you must be on a Watsco Network or VPN to use the software.

Also, please remember that this is an internal tool for employees only.

We offer several options – browse, search, or parts list lookup.

• BROWSE – Navigate through categories and filter by attributes to narrow your search. Once you find a product, you can check its availability at your branch or elsewhere within Watsco, as well as any possible replacement parts and their availability across Watsco.

• SEARCH – Enter a full or partial part number in the search box. On the product page, you can see its availability at your branch or elsewhere within Watsco, and any possible replacement parts and their availability across Watsco. This method helps you quickly find all available options to serve your customers.

• PARTS LIST LOOKUP – Enter the model number of a piece of equipment to access a full bill of materials (BOM) and relevant documents. For instance, if you need a capacitor for a Rheem condenser but don't know the size or part number, you can enter the model number of the condenser to find the necessary capacitor part number, then check for availability and replacement parts.

The information we provide is always being checked and updated.

In addition to making improvements based on valuable feedback that we receive, we strive to get every product category added to the system, including all brands available in the market. Changes, big and small, are taking place weekly so you can trust that you are getting the latest info and should check back often.

Yes, you can!

When you land on a product page for the potential item you were looking for, scroll down towards the bottom of the page, and you will see a list of possible replacement products. You can select up to two additional products to compare to the main product. When you click on the COMPARE button, on the next screen, you will see the products side-by-side.

All “differences” between the product attributes are highlighted with a blue box so you can easily identify anything that is not an exact match to verify with your customer. If you need to compare more than 2 products, you will have to toggle back to the product page and select up to 2 other products to compare again.

No, that is not a function in this software now.

We are continuously working to build out all the data and are constantly adding more replacements, attributes, and categories. As of right now, we are a little at the mercy of the suppliers for what information they will provide, so getting your help from you, our experts in the field, can help us to see how quickly we are able to expand the total capability of the tool.

If you have a suggestion specifically of what you would like our team to prioritize, please fill out the feedback form with that information. Currently, these are the categories we are focusing on: TXV’s, Gas Valves, Filter driers, Heat Kits, Coils/Compressors, and Inducer Motors.

This function is available within our Parts List Lookup feature. On the left-side navigation, click the menu icon for Parts List Lookup. Then enter the model number for a piece of equipment and you will land on a product details page for that unit. From there, toggle to the “Documents” tab to see available documentation for that product. When you see the document you need, you can view or download it.

YES! With our Parts List Lookup feature, you can put in the model number of a piece of equipment, then view all the parts associated with that equipment, inventory availability, and replacement parts (where we have that data available).

No, that is not a function in this software now, but it is on our roadmap.

That is the end-goal – Ideally, this will eventually act as a one-stop shop for all brands, categories, and parts within the full Watsco network.

The tool shows a general “stock status” at each branch or business unit. Showing actual quantities available at each location is on our “wish list” as a feature built into the tool but that is not a feature that is available at this time.

Today, creating a transfer is not a feature set up in this tool. That plan is part of our roadmap, and we look to expedite the transfer process specifically through the HVAC xRef tool which will increase efficiency and effectiveness for the counter staff as they are providing more products directly to the customers.

Right now, you can see inventory stock status, and we encourage you to contact a store or branch that might have the product you need to confirm availability. Then please follow your current business practices to initiate a transfer.

If you have a part number for a control board, you can type it into the Search bar and find the product page. Control boards are not currently available as part of the “Browse” experience because the data we have on control boards is very minimal. As we continue to build it out, we would love feedback from you all on the front lines to fill in holes and make this faster.

You are more than welcome (and encouraged) to use the Parts List Lookup on your company’s ecommerce website. We added the feature within xRef as an additional resource to have in your tool belt. The main benefit of having this access would be looking up products that are not available within your business unit, but are available within the Watsco network.

For example, if a Baker customer needs information about a piece of Carrier equipment, now a Baker employee can assist them with questions and maybe locate and sell a part they need.

CE-Canada branches are built into the system today – when looking at a CE-Canada location, note the 2-letter province code preceding the city and branch number, like this example: “BC Victoria #8530”

Most of the CPR branches are loaded into the xRef tool and we are working to get them all added.

At this time, the CIAC locations are not loaded into the HVAC xRef tool. We hear this feedback and are looking to add this to the roadmap. Stay Tuned.

AL is our own internally built AI (Artificial Intelligence) tool that is specific to HVAC equipment data sold within the Watsco network. We have programmed AL to read equipment documentation that we have available. This includes sales brochures, spec sheets, owner’s manuals, installation manuals, wiring diagrams, etc. The purpose of the tool is to easily be able to know and answer any product question your customer might have without having to look up documentation and search for an answer.

AL is built to answer equipment-based questions. Anything that you would want to look up or can be found in a product document is fair game for AL. Here are some examples to try:

• What is the maximum line set length for this unit?
• What are the physical dimensions of this equipment?
• What is the minimum circuit ampacity?
• What is the required breaker size?
• What type of refrigerant does this unit use?

AL is constantly learning, the more you use it, the more it learns so you can ask anything, just know that some questions might not produce good or accurate results today (but might in the future). AL will always provide the source of the answer it found, so you can reference back, or fact check.

With that said, there are some things that are outside the current scope of AL’s capabilities. Here are some examples that AL might have trouble answering right now:

• What is the cost of this unit?
• What are the top recommended accessories for the equipment?
• Is there a newer version or model of this product available?

Several instructional and walkthrough videos and SOPs have been created and can be found within the xRef knowledgebase (at the bottom). Additionally, training modules are available in each employee’s ADP portal. Additions to this FAQ page will continue as new features are added to the software. Webinars can be made available as needed, and you can always fill out the “feedback” form with any other questions or suggestions.

If you cannot find what you are looking for, do not worry!

Remember that we continue to build out this software, but your feedback is important. Press the feedback button and send in any questions or suggestions you may have. Feedback and suggestions help us to prioritize the projects we work on next.

• If you find a suggested match that you know is no good
• To suggest a match that you know is good, but is not listed
• When you notice specifications that are incorrect
• When you have the knowledge to fill in a missing specification
• When you notice a product-image that is incorrect
• To request information on specific parts that are not found in the system
• To request certain categories to be added based on customer need
• When you have an idea of a feature you would like to see added to the software
• Ask any questions about the software

YES! We are actively updating the FAQ page within the tool. Additionally, we will continue to provide SOPs and Video walkthroughs for each feature. Check back often.

This does happen on occasion, and we apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. If you experience the “BLOCKED” screen but have confirmed that you are actively connected to the business VPN, please send an email to hvacxref@watsco.com - Please include a screenshot of the error screen, including the bottom part which will include your IP address and your Cloudflare ID. We would also need to know if you’re in a branch, or elsewhere and what browser you’re working in.

We will work with our Technology team to get that issue resolved for you. This typically takes up to 48 hours (about 2 business days).

The feedback button can be your best friend, but outside of that, please send an email to hvacxref@watsco.com - Our team is actively working to increase the number or products and categories available in the tool, in addition to creating more features and functions to try to make your life easier. We love to hear your ideas and welcome them.