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Creating Work Orders ​

This guide covers everything you need to know about creating work orders in Wenmar Pro.

Time to complete: 5-10 minutes per work order

What Is a Work Order? ​

A work order in Wenmar Pro is a digital record that tracks a repair job from start to finish. It contains:

  • Customer and vehicle information
  • Services requested and performed
  • Parts needed and used
  • Labor hours and rates
  • Status updates and notes
  • Customer communications
  • Payment details

Starting a New Work Order ​

Method 1: From the Dashboard ​

  1. Click the + New Work Order button in the top navigation bar
  2. The work order creation form opens

Method 2: From the Job Board ​

  1. Navigate to the Job Board
  2. Click + Add in any column
  3. Select "New Work Order"

Method 3: From a Customer Record ​

  1. Open a customer's profile
  2. Click + New Work Order
  3. Customer information auto-fills

Step-by-Step Guide ​

Step 1: Customer Information ​

When you create a new work order, you'll first need to identify the customer.

Searching for Existing Customers ​

  1. Start typing in the Customer field
  2. The system searches by:
    • First name
    • Last name
    • Phone number
    • Email address
  3. Select the customer from the dropdown

💡 Pro Tip

Enter just the last 4 digits of a phone number to quickly find a customer.

Creating a New Customer ​

If the customer isn't in your database:

  1. Click + New Customer
  2. Fill in the required information:
    • First Name and Last Name (required)
    • Phone Number (required)
    • Email Address (optional but recommended)
  3. Click Save Customer

Step 2: Vehicle Information ​

Once you've selected or created a customer, it's time to add the vehicle.

Using VIN Lookup ​

The fastest way to add vehicle details:

  1. Enter the VIN (Vehicle Identification Number)
  2. Click Lookup
  3. The system automatically fills in:
    • Year
    • Make
    • Model
    • Engine details (if available)

💡 Pro Tip

The VIN lookup is a huge time-saver and reduces data entry errors. It's available for most vehicles from 1996 onwards.

Manual Vehicle Entry ​

If VIN lookup isn't available or you prefer manual entry:

  1. Click + Add Vehicle
  2. Enter the following:
    • Year (e.g., 2020)
    • Make (e.g., Honda)
    • Model (e.g., Civic)
    • Trim (optional, e.g., LX)
    • Engine (optional)
    • License Plate (optional but helpful)
    • Current Odometer reading
    • VIN (if you have it)

Selecting an Existing Vehicle ​

If the customer has been to your shop before:

  1. The Vehicle dropdown shows their vehicle history
  2. Select the appropriate vehicle
  3. Update the odometer reading if needed

Step 3: Customer Concerns ​

Document why the customer brought their vehicle in:

  1. Enter a clear description of the concern in the Customer Concerns field
  2. Be specific: "Noise when braking at low speeds" is better than "brakes noisy"
  3. Add multiple concerns if needed by clicking + Add Concern

Examples of good concern descriptions:

  • "Check engine light is on"
  • "Squeaking noise from front right when turning left"
  • "AC not blowing cold air"
  • "Vibration in steering wheel at highway speeds"

Step 4: Adding Services ​

Now it's time to build the estimate by adding services.

Using Canned Jobs ​

Canned jobs are pre-built service packages that save time:

  1. Click + Add Service
  2. Select From Canned Jobs
  3. Search or browse the canned job library
  4. Click a canned job to add it

When you add a canned job:

  • Service description auto-fills
  • Standard parts are added
  • Labor hours are set
  • Prices are calculated

💡 Pro Tip

Create your own canned jobs for services you perform frequently. This speeds up estimate creation significantly.

Creating Custom Services ​

For services not in your canned jobs:

  1. Click + Add Service
  2. Select Custom Service
  3. Enter:
    • Service Description (what you're doing)
    • Labor Hours (estimated time)
    • Labor Rate (per hour, defaults to shop rate)
  4. Click Save

Editing Services ​

After adding a service, you can:

  • Edit the description, hours, or rate
  • Add parts to the service
  • Remove the service if not needed
  • Reorder services by dragging

Step 5: Adding Parts ​

Add parts to any service line:

  1. Click + Add Part on the service you want to add parts to
  2. Search for parts by:
    • Part number
    • Description
  3. Or enter parts manually:
    • Part Number
    • Description
    • Quantity
    • Unit Cost (what you pay)
    • Unit Price (what customer pays)

💡 Pro Tip

Use the cost/price fields to track your markup. The system can calculate common markup percentages automatically.

Step 6: Review and Adjust ​

Before sending the estimate:

  1. Review the line items - Make sure everything is included
  2. Check quantities - Ensure parts quantities are correct
  3. Verify prices - Confirm labor rates and part prices
  4. Add notes - Internal notes for your team
  5. Set priority - Mark as urgent if needed

The estimate summary shows:

  • Subtotal (parts + labor)
  • Tax calculation (GST/HST based on your location)
  • Total amount

Step 7: Send for Approval ​

Once the estimate is ready:

  1. Click Send Estimate
  2. Choose delivery method:
    • Text Message - Sends SMS with link to estimate
    • Email - Sends email with link to estimate
    • Both - Sends both text and email
  3. Add a personal message (optional but recommended)
  4. Review the preview
  5. Click Send

⚠️ Important

The work order status changes to "Estimate Sent" and you'll be notified when the customer approves or declines. Don't start work until you have approval.

What Happens Next? ​

After sending the estimate:

  1. Customer receives notification - Link to view detailed estimate
  2. Customer reviews and decides - They can approve or decline
  3. You get notified - Via email and in-app notification
  4. If approved - Status changes to "Approved", ready to start work
  5. If declined - Status shows "Declined", contact customer to discuss

Best Practices ​

For Service Advisors ​

  • Always confirm customer info - Verify phone number before sending estimates
  • Be specific in descriptions - Customers appreciate knowing exactly what they're paying for
  • Take photos - Add photos of issues to help customers understand needed repairs
  • Follow up - If you don't hear back within 24 hours, give the customer a call

For Technicians ​

  • Read the full concern - Make sure you understand what to look for
  • Update status promptly - Keeps service advisors informed
  • Add detailed notes - Helps with billing and future reference

For Shop Owners ​

  • Monitor approval rates - Track how often customers approve estimates
  • Review declined estimates - Look for patterns in pricing or communication
  • Train your team - Ensure everyone follows the same process

Troubleshooting ​

Customer not receiving estimates? ​

  • Verify email address or phone number is correct
  • Check spam/junk folders
  • Ask customer to add your domain to safe senders
  • Try sending via alternative method (email vs. SMS)
  • Verify part numbers are correct
  • Add parts manually if not in database
  • Contact your parts supplier integration support

Estimate total seems wrong? ​

  • Check that all services have prices
  • Verify tax rates are set correctly in Location Settings
  • Ensure quantities are correct
  • Check for duplicate line items

Can't find the + New Work Order button? ​

  • Ensure you're logged in with appropriate permissions
  • Check that you're on the Dashboard or Job Board
  • Contact your shop administrator if permissions issue

Questions? Contact us at help@wenmarpro.com