Job board & repair orders
LiveKanban stages with domain-enforced transitions — not a free-text status field.
Learn more →Shop management · independents
Auto repair shop software that protects margin, not just paperwork
Workshop Wrench is cloud shop management for independent auto repair: service advisor board, technician-friendly flows, digital inspection path, line-level approvals, parts readiness, invoices, and owner dashboards. Built as a workshop operating system — early access with a working multi-tenant demo.
This page targets the US/global phrase “auto repair shop software.” AU buyers may prefer our workshop management hub. Same product; regional language only.
Why this category matters
Profit levers behind the keyword
Category pages should not be synonym stuffing. Here is the operating rationale every serious shop platform must address.
- 01
Car count dies on missed calls, weak booking, and messy intake — the OS must own first contact through check-in.
- 02
ARO dies when findings never become priced, decided lines — DVI and portal approvals are margin features.
- 03
Throughput dies when AWAITING_AUTH and AWAITING_PARTS are invisible — board stages must mean something.
- 04
Cash dies when invoices are re-keyed and AR is a Friday spreadsheet — money path starts on the repair order.
Vehicle lifecycle
Complete vehicle service lifecycle
The Automotive Workshop Operating System (AWOS) maps every customer moment from first contact to retention — so software follows how workshops actually earn margin.
- 01Lead
- 02Customer
- 03Vehicle
- 04Booking
- 05Check-in
- 06Inspect
- 07Estimate
- 08Approve
- 09Parts
- 10Labour
- 11Produce
- 12Invoice
- 13Pay
- 14Release
- 15Retain
Shop day sequence
Six moments that protect cash
The same operational spine as the product board — detailed use cases live under Processes.
- 01
Book or walk in
Public booking or front desk intake with customer + vehicle first-class. Why: car count dies when first contact never becomes a system object.
- 02
Check in & board
Booking becomes a repair order; board shows stage, tech, and blockers. Why: WIP you cannot see is WIP you cannot manage.
- 03
Inspect with evidence
DVI findings with severity convert to estimate lines or deferred work. Why: verbal upsells without structure kill trust and ARO recovery.
- 04
Authorise work
Line-level approve / decline / defer via portal tokens. Why: silent scope expansion creates write-offs and disputes.
- 05
Parts & labour
Reserve stock, raise POs, clock labour on the RO. Why: authorised work without parts is fake progress; unbilled labour is pure waste.
- 06
Invoice & collect
GST invoice from approved lines, payments, AR visibility. Why: revenue is not cash until collected — money path stays on the RO.
Capabilities
What ships — with honest status
Live means in the multi-tenant product/demo. Integrations use Live / Stub / Dry-run / Planned — never Connected for stubs. Roadmap means not production-complete.
Estimates & line approvals
LiveBuild lines, track approval state, recover declined work for follow-up revenue.
Learn more →Customer portal approve
LiveToken portal for customers to accept or decline estimate lines on mobile.
Learn more →Digital vehicle inspection path
PartialFindings on the RO today; rich media templates are an active next slice.
Learn more →Inventory, reserve & purchasing
LiveCatalogue, low stock, PO/receive path, reservation on approved lines.
Learn more →GST invoices & payments
LiveTax invoices from ROs, payment records, pay-link path on issue.
Learn more →Owner KPI dashboard
Live+ARO, car count, efficiency-style metrics with documented formulas. Modular canvas; chart series are live + mock hybrid — never Connected for stubs.
Learn more →Public online booking
Live+Demo-shop booking flow and marketing book surface for independents.
Learn more →OpenAPI REST
LiveLive Swagger at the API. Webhooks and deep accounting adapters staged.
Learn more →Xero export
Dry-runACCREC stage + dry-run push only — staged OAuth shell; not a live App Store push.
Learn more →FAQ
Questions buyers actually ask
Structured for humans and search (FAQ schema). We update when ship status changes.
What should auto repair shop software include in 2026?+
Table stakes: CRM + vehicles, scheduling, repair orders, estimates, DVI, inventory, invoicing, customer messaging/approvals, payments or payment partners, and reporting. Leaders also ship portal approve, text-to-pay, and multi-location.
How does Workshop Wrench compare to Shopmonkey or Tekmetric?+
Those platforms set a high bar on UX, SMS, and packaging. We match core workflow pieces in a live demo, publish transparent tiers, open REST APIs, and focus AU tax/accounting path. See our Compare pages — no fake “#1” claims.
Is there a free trial or demo?+
14-day trial path on published plans, plus a live demo access desk after you request at /demo.