01 / THE WRITE-UP
Open the repair order at intake
Give the visit a unique repair-order number and record the date, service advisor, customer name, and best callback method. Note who may approve changes if the customer designates another person.
Identify the vehicle and arrival condition
- Record year, make, model, VIN, license plate and issuing state, and odometer reading. Add trim or other identifiers when useful.
- Note the fuel level, keys and accessories received, visible damage, warning lights, and other arrival-condition observations relevant to the visit.
- Describe the reported concern in the customer’s words, including when it happens and any conditions they mention. Keep this separate from a diagnosis.
Confirm what the customer asked the shop to do
- List the requested inspection, diagnostic task, or service. Record requested timing and any customer-supplied information that affects the visit.
- Mark diagnostic work as requested or authorized only to the extent the customer has agreed to it; do not imply that a symptom report approves a repair.
02 / THE FINDING
Record what the inspection found
Keep technician observations distinct from the customer’s report. Identify the inspection or test performed, the result, and any limits on what the shop could confirm. This gives the proposed operation a clear connection to the concern.
Describe each proposed operation
- Use a separate line for each repair, maintenance task, or additional diagnostic step. State what the technician will do in terms the customer can understand.
- Identify relevant parts by description and part number when available. Record quantity, labor hours or a clearly named flat-rate operation, and any other charge.
- Separate included work, assumptions, exclusions, and work that depends on a later inspection or customer decision.
03 / THE ESTIMATE
Make the estimated cost easy to follow
Show parts and labor by operation where practical. Include the estimate for each line, applicable fees and taxes, and a total estimate. State the expected timing and any known condition that could change the scope, cost, or completion window.
Keep sample or preliminary figures clearly identified. An estimate is tied to its described scope; if the scope or price needs to change, prepare and communicate the change before proceeding, subject to the rules where the shop operates.
04 / THE DECISION
Record the customer’s decision and its scope
Mark each proposed operation as approved, declined, or pending so the technician and service advisor can see what may proceed. Record the approved scope and estimate, the date and time, who approved it, and the method used. Keep the authorization connected to the repair-order number and give the customer a copy of documents as applicable.
Treat approval as specific to the work described. Follow the applicable state and local rules for how an authorization must be obtained and recorded; this guide does not establish a universal signature or form requirement.
05 / SCOPE CHANGES
Keep added and declined work visible
When inspection reveals another issue or the customer changes the plan, show the added operation, parts, labor, revised estimate, and updated total. Record the customer’s decision and link the communication or revised estimate to the same repair order before the additional work begins, as required where the shop operates.
For declined work, record the specific item and the customer’s decision. Keep it separate from approved work, and note a recommended follow-up only when the technician has actually made one.
06 / THE REPAIR
Close the loop on work performed
At completion, record the operations actually performed, technician, parts supplied or installed, labor, and the result of relevant post-repair checks. Identify any approved work not completed and explain the status. The final record should distinguish completed work from the original proposal and from declined items.
07 / THE HANDOFF
Prepare the invoice and vehicle handoff
Reconcile the final invoice to the completed work and show the applicable parts, labor, fees, taxes, payments, and balance. Record the completion time and odometer out, return keys and customer property, and give the customer the final paperwork and a plain-language summary of work completed and any open item.
Include warranty or follow-up information only when it applies to the work and the shop can state its terms accurately. Keep the final invoice, approvals, revised estimates, and related communications together under the repair-order number.
JURISDICTION-SPECIFIC EXAMPLE
California: estimates and additional authorization
California’s Bureau of Automotive Repair says automotive repair dealers must obtain and record customer authorization before repairs begin. Before additional repairs or charges beyond the original estimate, BAR’s Write It Right guide says to prepare a revised work order describing the added parts and labor and revised total, obtain the customer’s authorization, and document that authorization on the work order and invoice. These are California-specific requirements; do not apply them as a rule for every state.
For other locations, check the relevant state automotive-repair regulator and applicable local authorities for current requirements. The California example is not legal advice and does not establish requirements outside California.