Workshop software: jobs, vehicle history, parts
A reception notebook and “car ready” texts do not scale past the third bay. Workshop software holds the job from check-in to invoice, VIN history and parts stock — the mechanic knows what to do and the customer stops calling every hour.
A workshop earns on bay hours and parts, not on hunting a slip for “what we did at the last service”. Garage software collects check-in, quote, status, stock and invoice. The customer gets an SMS instead of calling “can I pick it up yet” in the middle of a diagnosis.
The usual mess that eats margin
- Check-in on paper, quote in email, parts in a text to the wholesaler, invoice in another programme.
- No VIN history — the same seal leak “surprises” you every season.
- The mechanic does not know which car is priority and which is waiting on a part.
- The customer never approved the estimate, but parts are already on order.
- Stock bought “just in case”, and you still lack a filter on Friday.
How a job flows through the system
- Check-in: vehicle data (VIN, mileage, plate), fault description, photos, contact.
- Quote: labour + parts, customer approval by email/SMS or in a portal.
- Bay and mechanic: a shop-floor board “to do / in progress / waiting for part”.
- Stock: reserve parts, order from the wholesaler, returns.
- Handover: “car ready” SMS, payment, invoice, advice and the next service date.
History that sells the next visit
On the next check-in you see what was done, which parts went in, which advice the customer postponed. That is the base for a periodic service and a “pads will last 5k km, discs will not” conversation. Without a vehicle card you are guessing.
When off-the-shelf, when custom
There are mature garage packages. A custom system makes sense with an unusual process (fleets, multi-brand, seasonal tyres + body shop), several sites, a driver app for “car status”, or stock a package cannot handle. Sometimes we only add appointment booking and SMS on top of what you already run.
Describe bay count and whether check-in, parts or customer comms hurt more. You get a quote from a job board — not from “automotive ERP”.
Frequently asked questions
- Can a customer book an oil change online?
- Yes — for services with a predictable time. Diagnostics and bodywork usually go through check-in and a quote.
- Will it manage a tyre hotel?
- It can: season, wheels, rack location, linked to VIN. That is a common second phase after jobs.
- What about parts wholesalers?
- A manual order from the job card at the start. A wholesaler integration if they have an API and the volume justifies it.
- How long to go live?
- Check-in + statuses + SMS is weeks. Stock, fleets and a second branch — the next phase.
Describe your project