Free auto repair work order template

An auto repair work order is the record a workshop keeps of what a vehicle came in for, what was actually found, and what was replaced or repaired, tied to that specific vehicle by its VIN and odometer reading at the time.

Why the vehicle details matter

A repair shop sees the same customer's car more than once, and sometimes sees a different car with the same fault. Recording the vehicle identification number (VIN) and the odometer reading on every work order means there is never any doubt, months or years later, about which vehicle a repair applies to, or how many miles or kilometres it had covered at the time. That record also matters if a part fails under warranty and needs tracing back to the original job.

What an auto repair work order should show

Beyond the vehicle (year, make and model, VIN and odometer reading), a complete work order shows the customer's details, the date the vehicle was booked in, who authorised the work, and a clear split between parts (with part numbers if you use them) and labour hours. Where a job involves diagnostics before any repair is agreed, note that as its own labour line so the customer can see it was charged for separately.

Customer sign-off matters more here

Vehicle repair is one of the few trades where a customer regularly disputes what was authorised after the fact. A signed work order, with the vehicle identified and the parts and labour itemised before the customer drives away, is the clearest protection either side has if that happens.

From work order to invoice

Once the repair is complete and signed off, use "Turn this into an invoice" to carry the customer, your business and every parts and labour line straight into Papertern's invoice maker, with tax worked out the same way it was on the work order.

Work order makers by country

Each country edition uses the same tax name and business ID field as that country's invoice maker, with this preset selected.

Other work order presets

• General maintenance work order template
• HVAC work order template
• Property maintenance work order template