What Should Every Auto Service Form Have?

If you run and operate an auto service shop, you know how detailed the work can get. When you need to purchase Auto Service Forms or design your own to run your business properly and efficiently there are elements every service invoice should have. Below you will find a list of what you need to look for and include when you are picking out or designing your form.

Auto Shop’s Information

Whether you are designing your own auto service form or purchasing customizable forms from a company, it is very important that your company is properly represented on these documents. Make sure that your shop’s name and necessary contact information is printed on the form. Your shop’s information should be located somewhere near the top; it should be one of the first things that your customer sees when they look at the form. Your customer may need to have your information readily available if they need to seek future service from your auto shop. Consider including the following information:

Auto Shop Name
Logo
Address
Telephone & Fax Number
Website Address
Hours

Vehicle Owner’s Information

Near the top of your form should be a section dedicated to documenting the vehicle’s owner. Have ample room to write down their name and other contact information. Keep your customer’s address on file so that you can mail out any specials or reminders of service needed to their vehicle. You will want to have important information such as phone numbers where your customer can be contacted; you may need to let them know the results of your diagnosis or to let them know that their vehicle is finished being serviced. Your form may include room for the following owner’s information:

Vehicle Owner’s Name
Address
Home Phone Number &  Business/Cell Number
Checkbox to Indicate if Customer Should Be Called When Vehicle is Ready

Vehicle Information

Most auto shop forms should have an area for you to list specifics about the vehicle being serviced. It is one way to keep track of which vehicle belongs to each customer. Knowing information about the vehicle and having it documented will allow you to correctly order necessary parts for the job. The form should have room to document most of the following vehicle information:

Year
Make
Model
Color
V.I.N. Number
License Plate Number
Current Mileage on Odometer
Time When Vehicle Should Be Ready

Vehicle Parts & Materials

When you are servicing a vehicle, it is highly likely that you will need parts to complete the job. You will want to document which parts may be needed for an estimate or keep track of the parts that were actually used when you invoice the customer. On any auto service form, there should be columns dedicated to listing the parts needed and the costs involved. Information that you may want to write down regarding the parts:

Quantity
Part Number
Description
Price

Labor / Repair Instructions

Allow room with several lines to detail what needs to be done or what service was actually performed on the vehicle. Be sure to have a column to the right for listing the price of each specific task.

Estimated Costs

If you intend on using your form for both estimates and invoices, the form can be designed to include sections for both. You can have a totally separate section to write down the estimate for the service that needs to be done to the vehicle or it can be built into the same area where you list your labor. If you have a separate section to write down an estimate for your customer, you can see to it that the form includes:

Estimated Cost for Parts
Estimated Cost for Labor
Total for Parts and Labor

Guarantee of Service

Give your customers a little peace of mind by indicating a guarantee on the service that you completed on their vehicle. Indicate how long you guarantee your work for, whether it is for a certain amount of days or mileage.

Warranty on Parts

Protect your business by disclaiming any warranties on the parts used. Let your customers know that the parts are warranted by the manufacturer.

Customer Authorization

Make sure that there is a section indicating that your customer authorizes work to be performed on their vehicle. The verbiage should indicate that the customer is aware that your business will not be responsible for loss or damage to items left in the vehicle. Your customer will also need to authorize the operation of their vehicle on the streets or highways for the purpose of testing before and after service have been done.

Total Charges

Below your Labor / Repair Instructions, your form should include areas to indicate totals. You may also want to include separate boxes for additional fees that may be set by your shop or by the state in which you perform the labor. Specific totals that can be included in your form:

Total for Labor
Total for Parts
Total for Gas, Oil or Grease
Environmental Charges
Hazardous Waste Disposal Charge
Tax
Grand Total

Categorised in: Business Forms 101

This post was written by Progressive Printing Team

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