Link to this article: https://support.driveshops.app/en/support/solutions/articles/70000674927-sms-app-add-ro-creating-a-repair-order-
Below is an explanation of the most commonly used screen in the SMS - the RO (Repair Order) screen.
Initiate Adding a Repair Order
You can start the process from top of any screen in the SMS by clicking the + Add button and choosing Repair Order.
Note: All steps in this document are the same for adding an Estimate. An estimate can then be converted to an RO when ready.
Alternatively, you can initiate adding an RO or Estimate from the Sales screen. Clicking the + Add button while on the appropriate tab (Estimates or Open Repair Orders) will have the same outcome.
Select or Add Customer Contact
By default, no customer contact will be selected when adding a new RO.
You have the option to search for an existing contact by name, phone number, or email. As you type, matching contacts will appear in a dropdown list.
Alternatively, you can click the "+" icon directly to add a contact manually. This will open a popup for adding a contact, similar to the Customers tab.
Once a contact is selected or added, their name will appear in the contact section. The preferred phone number and email address may also be shown below the name if available.
Select or Add Customer Vehicle
The selection for the customer vehicle is disabled until a customer contact has been selected.
If the customer has only one vehicle associated with their profile, that vehicle will be selected by default.
If the customer has multiple vehicles, or if no vehicle exists, you will be able to add a new vehicle or select an existing one.
Clicking the "+" icon allows you to add a new vehicle.
Vehicles can be added either by searching using License Plate, VIN, or Year/Make/Model (which utilizes CARFAX and MOTOR APIs) or by adding a vehicle manually.
When searching, the system determines which APIs (CARFAX for VIN by License Plate, MOTOR for vehicle by VIN or YMM) to use based on the entered value. Search results are shown in a list. Selecting a vehicle from the list opens a vehicle detail popup automatically, pre-filled with data from the selected vehicle. Saving this will add the vehicle and link it to the vehicle data in Motor.
Adding manually opens a vehicle edit popup where you must enter the required fields; Year, Make, and Model are required.
If a manually created vehicle has not been linked to a vehicle in Motor, a "Not Linked" button may appear. Clicking this button opens the Vehicle Edit popup. Within the add/edit vehicle popup, a "Link" button appears if the vehicle is not linked, allowing you to link it to Motor to utilize Lookup services.
After selecting or adding a vehicle, its name will be displayed, along with the VIN and License Plate if they are not empty.
Once a vehicle is added, mileage may be entered.
Enter Customer Concerns (Optional)
The Customer Concerns section is a text area where you can enter all the customer's concerns. These concerns will appear on the RO for the tech to see in the DVI.
Review Related Information (Optional)
Once a vehicle has been selected, the Maintenance Schedule may appear. The system attempts to show the closest maintenance services based on the vehicle's mileage or an estimated mileage if Mileage In is not entered.
Recommendations, including both Current Recommendations and Past Recommendations, will appear if vehicle recommendations exist. These recommendations are listed without including tax.
Reminder Items, which are a list of Reminder Intervals added to the vehicle, will also display.
Add Services and Inspections
To add services or inspections to the RO, click the Add Service button.
This opens a popup displaying a list of available services and reminders.
Select the desired services or reminders from the list and close the popup to add them to the Estimate or RO.
Both services and inspections will be displayed on the Services tab.
Add Lines (Parts, Labor, Sublet, Fees)
Within each Service box on the Services tab, you can add different types of lines, including Parts, Labor, Sublet, and Fees.
Click + Add and corresponding button (Add Part, Add Labor, Add Sublet, Add Fee) beneath the service title to add a specific line type.
Clicking one of these buttons will add a new row to the service grid and open a drawer on the right panel where you can enter the details for that line.
Adding parts to a Repair Order affects inventory. Labor lines include fields such as Description, Technician(s), Labor Rate, Hours, and various cost/price fields. Sublet lines include fields for Description, Supplier, Price Level, Qty, and various cost/price fields. Fee lines allow specifying Name, Category, how the fee is calculated (Fixed, Percent of Line Item, Percent of Service), amount/percentage, and whether to save the fee for reuse.
Add Recommendations
Recommendations may be added to the Estimate or RO for customer approval via the Recommendations tab.
Fill in Repair Order Information
The Estimate/RO/Invoice drawer is automatically opened on the right panel when you are adding or editing. This drawer contains key RO information and Totals.
Editable fields relevant to adding/editing an RO include Mileage In (required for a new RO), Service Advisor (defaults to the currently logged-in user if they have the Service Advisor checkbox checked), Technician (editable when adding), Created Date, Promised Date, Appointment Date, Referral Source, Key Tag #, Workflow, and Resource. These fields are generally editable when adding/editing an RO.
The Totals section provides a summary of costs, prices, fees, and the grand total for the entire estimate or repair order.
Additional Information
When a Repair Order is newly added or converted from an estimate, it will appear under the first workflow step by default on the Workflow screen.
Mileage In can be set as required for a new Repair Order in the SMS options.
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