The auto repair vehicle intake checklist (free template)
Most disputes in a repair shop start before the car reaches a bay: at the front counter, during a rushed check-in. This checklist is a consistent intake process that protects your shop and sets clear expectations for the customer.
Why intake matters more than most shops think
A good intake does three jobs. It documents the vehicle's condition before you touch it, captures the customer's concern in their own words, and sets expectations for how and when you'll communicate. Skip any of them and you'll pay for it later in comebacks, disputed damage or a one-star review that says "they never called me back."
The vehicle intake checklist
1. Vehicle identification
- VIN: scan the door-jamb barcode rather than typing 17 characters by hand. A decoded VIN confirms the year, make and model.
- Odometer reading: record it at drop-off. You'll need it for warranty work and service intervals.
- Licence plate and paint colour, so the porter grabs the right car.
2. Customer details and consent
- Full name, mobile number and email. Let the customer type these on a tablet so you don't have to read your own handwriting later.
- How they want to be contacted (call, text or email) and explicit consent to text.
- Who is authorised to approve work, if it's not the person dropping off.
3. Condition photos (the four-corner walk-around)
- Front-left, front-right, rear-left and rear-right, taken from the same angles every time.
- Close-ups of any existing damage: scratches, dents, curb rash and windscreen chips.
- Dashboard with the ignition on to record warning lights and fuel level.
Tip: Consistency matters more than photo quality. If every car gets the same four shots, a missing photo is obvious and any dispute takes 30 seconds to settle.
4. The customer's concern
- Record the complaint in the customer's words: when it happens, how often, and what it sounds or feels like.
- Ask the follow-ups: hot or cold engine? At what speed? Since when?
- A short voice note is often faster and more accurate than typing. Turn it into a written work order afterwards.
5. Expectations and next steps
- Diagnostic fee and approval threshold ("We'll call before doing anything over $X").
- When the customer will hear from you next, and by which channel.
- Estimated completion window, if you can give one.
6. Paperwork and attachments
- Prior invoices or service records the customer brings in.
- Parts invoices and receipts as the job progresses. File them with the vehicle, not in a shoebox.
Printable summary
| Step | Capture | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Identify | VIN, odometer, plate | Correct parts and accurate records |
| Contact | Name, phone, email, consent | Fast, compliant updates |
| Photograph | 4 corners, damage, dash | Protection against damage disputes |
| Listen | Concern in customer's words | Accurate diagnosis, fewer comebacks |
| Set expectations | Fees, approval limit, next update | Trust and fewer "any news?" calls |
| File | Prior records, invoices, receipts | Everything in one place later |
Doing it in under two minutes
The checklist only works if your team actually follows it on a busy Monday. That's why we built Flyintake: it scans the VIN, guides the four-corner photos, hands the tablet to the customer for their details and turns a voice note into a work-order draft, all from one screen on a phone.
Want to try it? We're onboarding a small group of independent shops. Request early access →