# AI for auto repair shops: check approval before extra work begins A car is on the lift, a part is expected this afternoon and the customer approved an earlier estimate. Before the team continues, someone needs to check whether the extra work was included in that approval. Areinum Assistant can help organise the information you provide into a repair summary and prepare the questions your service adviser needs to answer. Your technician diagnoses the vehicle, and your shop agrees the work with the customer. Canonical: https://areinum.com/ai-for-auto-repair-shops/ Language: en Updated: 2026-11-04 ## Illustrative example (fictional) The owner's request: Can we proceed with everything on the latest estimate for repair R-28? Information provided: - Fictional estimate R-28 version 1 lists a repair at 330 in the shop's currency and is marked approved by the customer. - Version 2 adds a part, bringing the total to 390. The technician has confirmed the part is needed, but the customer decision on version 2 is blank. Example result: The recorded approval covers version 1. Version 2 adds 60 and has no recorded customer decision. The next step: The adviser reviews the change with the customer and records their decision before the additional work begins. ## Start the repair order with the right facts Keep the vehicle identifier, mileage and the customer's description together. If the mileage or contact details are missing, prepare a targeted question before the shop creates or updates its work order. Preserve the customer's own description of the problem alongside the technician's findings. They serve different purposes, and neither should be replaced with a diagnosis invented from a short message. ## Separate an estimate, an approval and a part on hand A good estimate comparison shows the approved labour and parts, the current version and the customer's recorded decision. If a new item has been added, your adviser can discuss that change before it becomes part of the job. For parts, distinguish a supplier's availability or estimated arrival from confirmation that the correct item was physically received. That distinction matters when the customer asks when the car will be ready. ## Close the repair with a complete handoff Before preparing the final invoice, compare the authorised work with the work the technician says was completed. An extra charge, unfinished item or missing payment confirmation is a question for the shop to resolve. An update for the customer can use the confirmed reason for a delay and the latest agreed estimate of completion. When the timing is still uncertain, say what is known and ask the adviser to follow up. ## Work you can get help with Illustrative scenario using sample information. ### Complete the vehicle intake Organise the vehicle and customer-reported problem into an intake note and prepare a question for a missing detail. What you provide: Vehicle identifier, mileage, customer's description and the contact channel they supplied. The useful result: An intake summary with missing or conflicting details identified. When the task is complete: The shop confirms the required vehicle and contact details. Any missing or conflicting entry stays open with staff. What still needs checking: The customer's description is not a technician's diagnosis; staff resolve an unclear recipient or data conflict. ### Prepare an estimate for customer approval Bring the technician's stated findings, approved labour and parts, and the shop's price together in a version the adviser can check with the customer. What you provide: Customer concern, technician's findings, relevant photos, approved parts and labour details, price, estimate version and any customer decision recorded for that version. The useful result: An estimate summary and any customer decision recorded for that version; otherwise the decision status remains unknown. When the task is complete: The approval step is complete when the shop records the customer's decision on the current estimate; additional work waits for that decision. What still needs checking: The technician and adviser confirm the diagnosis and price; the customer decides on the proposed work. ### Track a part from supplier answer to receipt Keep a supplier's availability and expected delivery separate from confirmation that the part was received for a particular repair order. What you provide: Repair order, part identifier, supplier response, expected delivery and physical receipt confirmation. The useful result: A dated status for each part and the missing confirmation, if any. When the task is complete: The correct part is received and recorded against the repair. A missing or incorrect part stays with the buyer for follow-up. What still needs checking: A substitute, new cost or unconfirmed delivery needs review by an authorised buyer. ### Prepare a repair delay update Use the shop's confirmed reason and revised completion estimate to prepare a customer update for the adviser. What you provide: Repair order, confirmed reason for delay, source and date of the revised timing, approved wording and contact status. The useful result: A draft update or a specific question when the reason or timing is missing. When the task is complete: The update is complete when the shop confirms the customer received the agreed information and records any further question. What still needs checking: The adviser confirms the timing and handles the customer communication. ### Check the final repair handoff Compare approved work with the technician's completed items, final invoice and payment status before preparing the handoff. What you provide: Repair order, customer approval, completed work, final invoice and confirmed payment status. The useful result: A handoff summary and any unfinished work, new charge or missing payment confirmation. When the task is complete: The shop closes the order after it confirms completed work, resolves the invoice and records payment according to its process. What still needs checking: A disputed or unapproved charge stays with the adviser; a draft invoice does not close the repair order. ## Questions you may have ### Can it diagnose the vehicle from a customer's message? The customer description can be organised for the technician. The technician inspects the vehicle and supplies the findings used in an estimate. ### What if the supplier says a part is on the way? Record that as the supplier's update and keep the expected arrival separate from physical receipt. The shop confirms the item when it arrives. ### Can it send the updated estimate to the customer? The examples prepare a version for the service adviser. The shop reviews it and handles the customer contact and approval through its chosen process. ### Does the demo contain my shop's repair orders? The demo uses sample company data. Ask about access and whether a specific repair workflow is available before bringing your own records. ## Sources and further reading - [RO Workflow Cheatsheet](https://support.tekmetric.com/hc/en-us/article_attachments/360058558633): Tekmetric outlines repair orders, estimates, approvals, parts statuses and payment in a shop workflow. - [Auto Repair Estimate Software](https://www.tekmetric.com/feature/estimate-building): Tekmetric describes estimates containing labour and parts and the recording of customer approval. - [What software do small shops actually use? Trying to learn the space.](https://www.reddit.com/r/mechanics/comments/1p06aps/what-software-do-small-shops-actually-use-trying/): A participant describes keeping customer details, vehicle photos and estimates in separate places. ## Related reading - [The repair estimate is ready, but is it approved?](https://areinum.com/examples/auto-repair-estimate-awaiting-approval/) - [One conversation for the work behind your business](https://areinum.com/product/assistant/) - [Find the details behind a business question](https://areinum.com/product/company-knowledge/) - [Review the next step before it affects someone else](https://areinum.com/product/decisions-and-control/) - [How to hand work over without losing the details](https://areinum.com/guides/hand-work-over-without-losing-details/) Explore the demo: https://platform.areinum.com/ Explore the sample company in the demo. Access may need to be arranged.