Auto service software guide
Guide: how to choose software for your auto service
Auto service software has to answer three questions: what was done on each car, what the job costs, and when the car is due back. Below are the criteria that matter and the questions to ask any vendor, including us.
What it has to do, concretely
- Keep one work order per car, with labour and parts on separate lines and the total calculated from the lines.
- Keep the vehicle history, searchable by registration number or VIN.
- Have a catalogue of operations with default prices, so each order doesn't start from zero.
- Show service reminders for the team, calculated from the last job.
- Give a daily summary: cars scheduled, in progress, ready for pick-up.
Questions to ask any vendor
- How long does it take me to open a work order for a new car?
- Is the total calculated from the lines automatically, or typed by hand?
- What happens to the history when the car changes owner?
- Does the software send messages to my clients? If so, on which channel and who pays?
- Does it invoice, or only prepare the job? What stays outside the product?
- How is old data imported from paper or Excel?
What it should not promise you
- A stock module with reorder alerts, unless it really has one.
- Automatic messages to clients, unless there is a channel that sends them.
- Invoicing, unless the product issues invoices.
- Productivity figures per mechanic, unless it records hours.
Where 4mygarage fits
4mygarage keeps vehicles, work orders with labour and parts lines, the operations catalogue, service reminders and a daily summary. It doesn't keep parts stock, doesn't send messages to clients and doesn't issue invoices. If you need any of these, check them before you decide.