Custom parts lead time software for collision repair
Appfront builds software that lets bodyshop businesses see, for each case, which parts have been ordered, from whom, with what lead time, and what that means for the workshop schedule and the date the car will be ready. With the status shared with the customer and the insurer, the replacement car that keeps running, and a backorder that doesn't surface only when the car is on the lift.
What is parts lead time software for bodyshop repair?
Parts lead time software tracks every ordered part on each damage case: which supplier, when it was ordered, what lead time was promised, whether it is in transit or on backorder, and when it was received. The workshop schedule can then tell which cars can start and which must wait, the customer gets a date that holds up, and the replacement car is extended before the customer calls.
Without such a system, the planner orders based on the estimate, notes the lead time in the file or in his head, and the workshop discovers during dismantling that a bumper is on backorder. The car goes back to the car park, the customer gets a new date, the insurer asks why the replacement car is running longer, and the week's schedule is overturned. With five suppliers and thirty cases at once, that is not an incident but a pattern.
We build custom software because ordering works differently for every business. You order from manufacturer dealers, universal suppliers and sometimes a scrapyard, each with its own portal and its own way of reporting lead times. The estimate comes from your estimating system and the schedule from your workshop system. The software's job is to track parts between those systems, not to replace them.
Parts per case
From the estimate, the parts list, and for each part the supplier, the order, the promised lead time, the status and the receipt. All kept with the case.
Schedule that waits
A car only enters the workshop schedule once all parts have arrived or the job can start without them. Backorders are shown at the top, with the job they affect.
Customer and insurer
The expected date per job, updated with every change in delivery time, sent to the customer and the insurer, with the replacement car shown alongside.
How we build your parts lead time software for bodywork repairs
We start with the ordering process as it runs today and with the jobs where it went wrong over the past few months. The shape follows from that.
Who you order from, how each supplier reports lead times and backorders, how the costing and workshop scheduling connect today, and where the customer and insurer get their status from.
The parts list from the costing, the order per supplier, the lead time and status per part, with receipt by scan in the warehouse.
The workshop schedule that waits on parts, backorders at the top, and the notification to planner, customer and insurer with every change to the expected date.
Lead times and reliability per supplier, the replacement car linked to the date, and integrations with supplier portals where they exist. After that, we take over maintenance of the software.
What parts lead time software for bodywork repairs actually does
The components below come up at almost every bodywork repair business. Which ones you need depends on the number of suppliers and on how your scheduling works now.
Parts list from the costing
Per job, the parts from the costing system, with the supplier and order status for each part.
Lead time and backorders
Promised and actual lead time per part, backorders flagged, and the expected date per job that follows from them.
Receipt by scan
Parts scanned or ticked off on arrival, linked to the job and the location in the warehouse.
Schedule that waits
The workshop schedule sees which jobs are complete and which are waiting, and only schedules once the parts are there.
Status to customer and insurer
The expected date per job, updated and shared automatically, with the replacement car shown alongside.
Supplier overview
Per supplier, the promised against the actual lead time and the share of backorders, as the basis for choosing the next order.
Who we build parts lead time software for bodywork repairs
The software is intended for businesses where parts determine the schedule and where a backorder only comes to light at dismantling.
Bodywork repair businesses
Dozens of jobs at once, several suppliers, insurers who want a date. The parts per job and the waiting schedule are the core.
Bodywork shops and commercial vehicles
Parts with long lead times and vehicles that cannot be off the road. The expected date per job is what the customer wants to know.
Garages with bodywork repair
Bodywork repair alongside servicing, in the same workshop. A schedule waiting on parts keeps the bays busy with work that can go ahead.
Multi-location chains
Parts moved between branches and suppliers who deliver differently per branch. One overview per job, regardless of the branch.
Test your idea first: a working prototype in 1 day
With OneDayBuild, we turn your idea into something tangible in one day for €1,150, so you can see whether further development is worth the investment. Decide to go ahead with the full build? Then we credit the full cost.
Explore OneDayBuild →Technology and integrations
This page covers the parts between estimating and the workshop. For planning the workshop itself, see our page on workshop planning for garages, and for parts management as a whole, our page on service parts software. You can read about our approach at building software.
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Why choose Appfront for parts lead time software for collision repair?
A parts management system is only as good as its status per part. That is where our work lies, not on the screen.
Status from the source
Where a supplier has a portal or integration, we read the status from there. Where not, the warehouse confirms it in one click. Without a status per part, every date is a guess.
Scheduling that waits sensibly
A car that cannot start does not belong on the schedule. That may seem like less work, but it means less wasted work.
Your systems remain the source
Estimating and workshop scheduling stay where they are. The software tracks the parts in between and writes the date back.
Security and privacy in parts lead time software for collision repair
Damage files contain customer data, registration numbers and insurer details. Access is controlled by role: the warehouse sees parts, reception sees status, the planner sees everything. Only the expected date and status go to the customer and the insurer, not the file itself.
Orders, receipts and date changes are logged with user and timestamp, so if the insurer asks about turnaround time, you can see which part was where and when.
Frequently asked questions about parts lead time software for collision repair
Questions collision repair businesses ask before getting started.
For each damage file it tracks every ordered part with every supplier: ordered, lead time, in transit, backorder, received. The workshop schedule only books once the parts have arrived, the customer and insurer receive an expected date that updates with every change, and the courtesy car is tracked alongside.
Suppliers with a portal or integration are read directly; suppliers who report by email or phone are confirmed by the warehouse in one click. Both sit side by side in the same job file.
From your estimating system: the parts from the estimate become the order list, per part with supplier and status. If the estimate changes after dismantling, the list changes with it and the planner sees what extra needs ordering.
The part is flagged, the file moves to the top of the planner's list, the expected date shifts, and the customer and insurer receive a notification. The planner decides whether to wait, try another supplier or repair the car in two stages; the software shows the consequences.
Yes, the expected date per file, updated with every change in lead time, by text or email. The insurer or leasing company receives the same status if you wish. The customer sees the date and status, not the file.
Yes. The courtesy car is linked to the file and the expected date; if the date moves, reception sees that the hire needs extending before the customer or hire company calls.
Yes, if it has an integration interface; otherwise we read an export and write the expected date back. The schedule stays in your workshop system; the software tells it which files are complete.
Your parts per file at a glance?
Tell us how many suppliers you order from, which estimating and workshop system you use, and how often a backorder currently upsets the planning. We'll show you what the file looks like and what it means for turnaround time.