Orders
- One record per job: Draft → Awaiting Approval → Approved → Invoiced → Paid
- Status tabs with live counts and a search box
- Progress bar on each RO shows the date of every stage
- Balance due and total on every row
In the appOrders
Auto repair shop software · Built in California
Shop software that speaks fluent shop.
ShopBayDesk runs estimates, approvals, inspections, booking and the bay schedule for small independent shops. BAR-ready approvals and optional estimate sections come standard, and nothing makes you click six times to add an oil filter.
No credit card. No sales call. Plans from $99/month.
✓Created✓Sent3Approved4Invoiced5Paid
Approvals that hold up to a BAR inspection
California requires a written estimate and the customer's authorization before work starts. ShopBayDesk builds that into every estimate link you text or email. Your future self, mid-inspection, says thanks.
- Your shop name and ARD number on every estimate
- Customer types their name, confirms email and phone, and checks a certification box
- Approve or decline in one tap; both are recorded
- Approvals Log report lists every decision with date and time
- Customer can download a PDF copy of what they approved
ShopBayDesk helps you keep the paperwork right. Your shop is still responsible for following BAR rules.
Let customers say yes to the extra work
Group the must-do work in required sections and put recommendations like rear shocks or an air filter in optional ones. The customer picks Yes or No on each, and the total only counts what they chose. Turns out people say yes more when you ask nicely and show the price.
- Sections carry their own labor, parts and subtotal
- Accepted sections are flagged on the RO so nothing is missed
- Declined work stays on record for the next visit
Build a work order in seconds
Sections, canned jobs, optional work and live totals on one screen. Watch an estimate come together faster than a customer can say "ballpark?"
Every approval has a paper trail
California's Bureau of Automotive Repair requires a written estimate, the customer's authorization before work starts, and records you can show an inspector. ShopBayDesk records each step with a time stamp as it happens. All the paper trail, none of the paper.
Approval record · RO-00132017 BMW 340i · Jenna Walsh · Nov 1, 2026
● Logged automatically10:02 AMEstimate createdRO-0013 · $182.10 · parts marked NEW
10:05 AMSent by textto (555) 318-2290
10:14 AMOptional section acceptedEngine Air Filter · +$89.00
10:14 AMOptional section declinedCabin Air Filter · kept on file
10:15 AMApproved electronicallyby “Jenna Walsh” · certified ✓ · from (555) 318-2290
10:15 AMCustomer copysigned estimate PDF available to customer
2:48 PMInvoicedINV-0013 · $277.62 · ARD #000000
Reports → Approvals Log keeps every record by RO number.
What BAR asks for, and how ShopBayDesk handles it
Written estimate before work
Every estimate prices labor and parts line by line, with section subtotals.
Authorization recorded
Electronic approvals save the date, time, name and the phone or email the link went to.
Customer gets a copy
The customer can download a PDF of exactly what they signed.
Parts identified
Parts show as NEW unless you mark them used, rebuilt or reconditioned.
ARD number on documents
Your ARD number prints on estimates and invoices.
Records kept 3 years, linked
Everything ties to the RO number, and you can export it any time.
New approval for added work
[Confirm: how the app records added work as its own approval]
Original estimate kept unchanged
[Confirm: the app keeps an unchangeable copy of the first estimate]
BAR does not approve or endorse any software. ShopBayDesk is built around these rules, and your shop is still responsible for following them. Rule summaries from BAR's "Write It Right" guide; dashed items need confirming in the app before launch.
Show the customer what the tech saw
Techs work through exterior, under-hood and under-car checklists and mark each item OK, needs attention, or urgent. Photos compress automatically, and techs circle and label the problem right on the photo. The customer gets a report they can actually read on their phone, because "trust me, it's bad" isn't much of a sales pitch.
- Three-level rating with notes on every item
- Take or upload photos from a phone or tablet
- Mark up photos and attach them to the estimate
- Customer sees urgent items first, with the photo and the tech's note
Customers book. You confirm.
Share your booking page and customers choose a service, date and open time, then add their vehicle and contact info. New requests show on your dashboard to confirm or decline. Yes, even the ones sent at 11 p.m. on a Sunday, which is apparently when brakes start squeaking.
- Uses your hours, with Saturday by appointment
- Block time for parts days or short staff
- Calendar syncs with Google Calendar
- Appointment and service reminders
Open it and know what needs doing
The dashboard is the first screen the front counter sees, ideally before the coffee kicks in. Here's a tour.
Today at a glance
The whole shop on one screen
Put it on the TV in the shop. Jobs move across the board as they're approved, worked and finished, and every card shows its tech, hours, parts status and whether the work is authorized. Fewer "is the F-150 done yet?" shouts across the bays.
Techs get their own login
Each tech signs in on a phone or tablet and sees only what they need: the clock, their jobs for the day, and the inspection checklist. Nobody has to track down a service writer to ask what's next.
- Clock in and out; hours feed payroll and efficiency reports
- Today's jobs from the calendar, with authorization status
- Move a job on the shop board from the bay
- Run inspections and add photos right from the car
See it with your own jobs
Join the betaFeatures
Write estimates, get approvals in writing, inspect with photos, book and schedule the bays, run the shop floor, and see what every job actually made. Here's what each part does.
Repair orders & estimates
Every job lives on one repair order (RO) that moves from draft to paid. Estimates, approvals and invoices are stages of the same record, not separate documents.
Line-item estimates
- Group work into numbered sections (Front Brakes, Oil Service…)
- Labor lines: description, hours, rate and assigned tech
- Parts lines: description, quantity, price, marked taxable
- Section subtotals; reorder, collapse or delete sections
In the appOrders → Line items
Optional sections
- Check Optional on any section to make it a recommendation
- Customer accepts or declines each one on the estimate link
- Order totals count required plus accepted sections only
- Declined work stays on the record for the next visit
In the appOrders → Line items → Optional
Canned jobs
- Save common jobs with their labor and parts
- Add a canned job to any section in one click
- Edit prices on the RO without changing the template
In the appCanned Jobs
Labor rates & techs
- Labor rates by job type
- Default technician per RO, override per line
- Tech pay rates feed labor-cost and payroll reports
In the appLabor Rates · Technicians
Vehicle & job details
- Customer and vehicle picker; VIN, plate, color, trim, engine
- Mileage in and out
- Linked calendar appointment and job notes
- Photos and documents the customer can see from their link
In the appOrders → RO header
Totals & fees
- Labor, parts and shop supplies totals
- Sales tax on taxable parts
- Optional credit card surcharge (3% by default)
In the appOrders → Order totals
Customer approvals & BAR records
Estimates go to the customer by text or email link. What they approve, decline and sign is recorded with a time stamp for California BAR requirements.
Estimate link
- Sent by text or email; opens on any phone
- Itemized labor and parts per section, parts labeled NEW
- Yes / No buttons on each optional section; total updates live
- Shop name, address and ARD number on the page
In the appOrders → Send for approval
Authorization
- Full name, email and phone, with optional comments
- Certification checkbox before approving
- Approve or decline; both are recorded
- Customer can download a PDF of what they approved
In the appCustomer estimate page
Approvals log
- Every approval and decline with date and time
- Name and contact the authorization came from
- Exportable with the rest of your records
In the appTax & Reports → Approvals Log
Digital inspections
A checklist the tech fills in on a phone or tablet. The customer gets a version they can read on their phone, with photos.
Checklist
- Exterior: hood, roof, windshield, bumpers, doors, trunk, mirrors, lights, wipers, tires
- Under hood: oil, coolant, brake, power steering and transmission fluid, battery, belts, hoses, air and cabin filters
- Under car: brakes front and rear, and more
- Customer, vehicle, technician and mileage on every inspection
In the appInspections → New inspection
Ratings & notes
- Three levels: OK, needs attention soon, urgent
- Notes on every item
- Urgent and attention items listed first for the customer
In the appInspections
Photos & markup
- Take a photo or upload from the device
- Photos are compressed automatically and saved online
- Draw circles and labels on a photo to point out the problem
- Photos and notes go with the estimate
In the appInspections → Photos
Scheduling
The calendar, the online booking page and reminders all work from the same appointments.
Calendar
- Month and week views with a Today button
- Upcoming appointments: date, time, customer, vehicle, service, tech, duration, status
- Statuses: Scheduled, In Progress, Awaiting Confirmation
- Sync with Google Calendar
In the appCalendar
Online booking
- Four steps: date and time, vehicle, contact info, confirm
- Customer picks a service and an open time
- Shows your open hours, including by-appointment Saturdays
- Requests wait on the dashboard for you to confirm or decline
In the appCalendar → Booking page
Hours & blocked time
- Set open hours by day
- Block off days or times so they can't be booked
In the appCalendar → Hours · Block Time
Reminders
- Appointment reminders before the visit
- Service-due reminders to bring customers back
In the appAppt Reminders · Service Reminders
Shop floor
Tools for the people working on the cars: a portal for each tech and a board for the shop TV.
Tech portal
- Clock in and out; hours feed payroll and efficiency
- Today's jobs from the calendar with authorization status
- Run inspections and add photos from the car
- Move a job to a new column on the shop board
In the appTech login
Shop TV board
- Columns: To Do, In Progress, Waiting on Parts, Done
- Cards show vehicle, customer, job, parts needed and notes
- Authorized / Not authorized tag on every card
- Estimated and actual hours; assigned tech
- Customize which fields show; hide completed jobs; add jobs from the board
- Marking a job Done flags the RO as ready to invoice
In the appShop Board
Technicians
- Tech list with pay rates
- Assignments per RO and per labor line
- View techs from the board
In the appTechnicians
Parts
Keep track of what's on the shelf and what's on order for each job.
Parts inventory
- Parts on hand with quantity and cost
- Pull parts onto an RO from inventory
In the appParts Inventory
Order parts
- Track parts ordered for each job
- Waiting-on-parts status shows on the shop board
In the appOrder Parts
Money & reports
Invoicing, the daily dashboard, expenses and reports that subtract real costs.
Dashboard
- Alerts for booking requests and approved estimates ready to invoice
- Revenue this month, outstanding balance, today's appointments, open orders
- Quick buttons: new customer, estimate, invoice, appointment
- Today's schedule, open orders, recent and unpaid invoices
In the appDashboard
Invoices & payments
- Invoice an approved RO in one click
- Paid, partial and unpaid balances
- Optional card surcharge line
In the appOrders → Invoice
Business dashboard
- Date ranges: today, week, month, year, last period or custom
- Labor, parts and sublet sales, cost, gross profit and margin
- Shop supplies, discounts and card surcharge collected
- Operating expenses and estimated operating profit
- Technician performance: worked hours, flag hours, efficiency, labor sales, cost and profit
In the appBiz Dashboard
Reports
- Overview, CDTFA sales tax, P&L, profit margin
- Approvals log, tech payroll, by customer
- True Bottom Line: collected minus tax owed, parts, labor and overhead
- Pick a year and period for any report
In the appTax & Reports
Expenses
- Log rent, insurance and other overhead by category
- Parts and payroll categories are excluded from overhead so costs aren't counted twice
In the appExpenses
Exports
- Export CSV
- Export QuickBooks (IIF)
In the appTax & Reports → Export
Customers, data & setup
Customer records, search, backups and the settings behind everything else.
Customers & vehicles
- Contact info and every vehicle they own
- Full service history per vehicle
In the appCustomers
Global search
- Search customers, vehicles and invoices from any screen
In the appTop bar
Backup & sync
- Cloud sync across devices
- Download a backup and restore from it
In the appTop bar → Backup · Restore · Sync
Install as an app
- Runs in any modern browser
- Installs on phones, tablets and desktops
In the appTop bar → Install
Settings
- Shop name, address, phone and ARD number
- Tax rate, labor rates and card surcharge
In the appSettings
Every feature is included in the 14-day free trial.
Pricing
Simple monthly plans. Free for 14 days.
No credit card to start, no demo call, no setup fee. Cancel any time, no hostage negotiation.
Starter
For a one- or two-tech shop getting off paper.
$99 / month
Billed monthly
- Up to 2 technicians
- Estimates, ROs and invoices
- BAR-ready digital approvals
- Optional estimate sections
- Digital inspections with photo markup
- Online booking and calendar
Most shops
Pro
For a busy shop that wants to run on numbers.
$199 / month
Billed monthly
- Up to 6 technicians
- Everything in Starter
- Dispatch board and TV view
- Per-tech profit and True Bottom Line
- Canned jobs, labor rates, parts inventory
- Service reminders
- QuickBooks and CDTFA tax exports
Shop
For larger teams and owners who want help switching.
$299 / month
Billed monthly
- Unlimited technicians
- Everything in Pro
- We move your data from Shopmonkey or Tekmetric
- Priority phone and text support
- Setup call with a service-writer walkthrough
Tier limits are a draft · confirm before launch
Tech counts and which features sit in each plan are a starting proposal based on the site review's $99 / $199 / $299 range.
Founding member program
First 25 shops lock in a lower price
Join during the beta and keep your founding rate for as long as you stay. In return we ask for an honest review and one 30-minute call about how it's working.
Apply as a founding memberSet the discount
Founding rate: [##]% off any plan, locked in.
[Spots left counter: ## of 25]
FAQ
Questions shop owners ask
Short, straight answers. No "it depends" unless it really does. Don't see yours? Ask it on the beta form.
The basics
What is ShopBayDesk?
ShopBayDesk is auto repair shop management software. It handles estimates, repair orders, digital approvals, inspections, online booking, a dispatch board, invoicing and profit reports in one web app.
Who is it for?
Independent shops with roughly 1–10 bays: general repair, performance and tuning, European, and anything in between.
Who's behind ShopBayDesk?
A small California team that thinks shop software should be simple, fairly priced and upfront about what it costs. [Add founder name if you want one here.]
California & BAR
Is it BAR compliant?
It's built around California's estimate, authorization and record rules. Every estimate shows your ARD number. Electronic approvals save the date, time, the customer's name and the phone or email the link went to, and everything is tied to the RO number in the Approvals Log. Your shop is still responsible for following BAR rules.
Is ShopBayDesk approved by BAR?
No software is. BAR doesn't approve or endorse any software. It expects shops to make sure their tools produce the records the law requires, and ShopBayDesk is built to do that.
Can I pull up approval records for an inspection?
Yes. The Approvals Log in Reports lists every approval and decline with date, time and the customer's details, and each estimate keeps a copy the customer can download.
Do I have to be in California?
No. It works for any US shop. California shops get the BAR approval wording and CDTFA sales tax report; other shops set their own tax rate and approval text.
Features
Does it do digital inspections?
Yes. Techs rate each item OK, needs attention or urgent, add notes, take photos, and draw on the photos to circle and label problems. Photos attach to the estimate the customer sees.
How do optional estimate sections work?
You put recommended work in its own section. On the estimate link, the customer taps "Yes, include" or "No thanks" for each one, and the total only counts what they choose. Accepted sections are flagged on the RO.
What is the True Bottom Line report?
It's one number for what the shop kept: revenue collected, minus sales tax owed, real parts cost, real tech labor cost and your logged overhead. It also shows your true margin.
How are per-tech reports calculated?
Worked hours come from tech clock-in and clock-out. Flag hours come from the labor on each tech's ROs. The report shows efficiency, labor sales, labor cost and labor profit for each tech.
Can customers book online?
Yes. You get a booking page where customers pick a service, date and open time and enter their vehicle and contact info. Requests appear on your dashboard to confirm or decline.
Do techs get their own login?
Yes. The tech portal lets each tech clock in and out, see their jobs for the day, run inspections with photos, and move jobs on the shop board.
What is the dispatch board?
A full-screen board for the shop TV with To Do, In Progress, Waiting on Parts and Done columns. Each card shows the vehicle, tech, hours, parts needed and whether the work is authorized.
Price & switching
What does it cost?
$99, $199 or $299 a month depending on team size and features. Yearly billing gets two months free. See the Pricing page for what's in each plan.
Is there a free trial?
Yes, 14 days with no credit card. Your trial starts with sample data so you can click through a full job right away.
Do I need to sit through a demo?
No. Sign up and start. If you'd like a walkthrough, you can book a call.
Can I import from Shopmonkey or Tekmetric?
During the beta, we move your customers, vehicles and service history for free. Export from your current system and send us the files.
Data & devices
Does it work on phones and tablets?
Yes. It runs in any modern browser and can be installed on a phone, tablet or desktop like an app. Techs use it on tablets in the bay.
Does it connect to QuickBooks or Google Calendar?
It exports to QuickBooks (IIF) and CSV, and the calendar syncs with Google Calendar.
Where is my data, and can I take it with me?
Your data is stored in a managed cloud database, separated by shop, with regular backups. You can export it as CSV at any time. [Confirm security details and link a Security page before launch.]
About
Shop software without the runaround.
ShopBayDesk started with a simple complaint: shop software was expensive, sold through demo calls, and made easy things take too many clicks. So we built the version we wished existed. Prices on the page, a free trial you can start yourself, and screens a service writer understands on day one.
What we believe
How we build it
Made for the people using it
Service writers and techs shouldn't need a training course to write an estimate.
Prices in public
You shouldn't need a sales call to find out what software costs.
Records you can stand behind
Every approval, decline and invoice is time-stamped and tied to the RO.
Beta shop · case study
[Beta shop name]
[Bays, techs, specialties, what they used before, and what changed. Use real numbers from a beta shop that agrees to be named.]
Team
[Who's behind ShopBayDesk]
[Founder name, role and a photo, if you want them. Keep it short and real.]
Help shape what we build next
Join the beta
Beta signup
Join the ShopBayDesk beta
We're adding a small number of independent shops before launch. Beta shops get the founding-member rate, a free data move, and a direct line to the people building it.
- 14 days free, no card
- Founding-member price locked in
- We move your data from Shopmonkey or Tekmetric
- Your feedback goes straight into the next release
We'll reply within one business day. [Set real response time]
Request received
Thanks, . In the live version this sends to your inbox and starts the onboarding emails. In this mockup nothing was sent, but we appreciate the enthusiasm.