Garage software: from Excel to one system

Many shops still run on Excel lists, Access databases, or a mix of email and paper. It works, until job volume grows, a tech is out sick, or a customer asks: “when is my car ready?”

The problem isn’t “no software”

It’s fragmentation. Intake in one file, inspection in Word, hours on a slip, invoices in another tool. Every manual handoff is an error and a delay. Customers have no status view. Technicians chase the latest work plan. The office retypes the same plate and customer data at invoicing time.

What “one system” means

Real garage software connects the job lifecycle end-to-end:

1. Customer and vehicle (plate, history)
2. Inspection / intake on the floor
3. Work plan and customer approval (print PDF in-shop or secure link with signature + timestamp)
4. Work order, scheduling, and capacity
5. Time tracking (timer or manual) plus parts and consumables
6. Invoice (proforma or final PDF) and customer visibility in the portal

Without that chain, “going digital” is cosmetic: you have tools, but you still retype.

Where Motivox fits

Motivox is garage workshop SaaS from Innovolabs B.V., built for Dutch auto repair shops:

• Dutch-first UI, with English as a second language
• Three web portals, office, technician, and customer, on one source of truth
• Multi-tenant architecture: each shop sees only its own data; a second location starts with its own registration
• Not a separate native iOS/Android app, browser-based for kiosk, tablet, and desktop
• Dutch practice baked in: VAT invoices, office vs technician roles, MFA for staff

Pricing at a glance (excl. VAT)

• 30-day trial after sign-up (no required demo call)
• ZZP €35/month, you plus 1 extra account (office or technician)
• Garage €80/month, 3 back office + 5 technicians, with live shop planning
• Extra seats €4/month per account on Garage; larger garage groups on request

Details: pricing.

Checklist before you switch

1. Where do you retype today? List handoffs (inspection → quote → work order → hours → invoice).
2. Who needs to see what? Office, technician, and customer need different rights; one shared spreadsheet is not a portal.
3. How does the customer approve? In the shop (print) or remotely (link + signature)?
4. Invoicing and payment: PDF only, or online pay via Mollie/Tikkie?
5. Trial: walk your real flow, not a generic feature tour.

Next step

Map where you still retype. Then start a Motivox trial: walk that exact flow, intake to invoice, without Excel islands.

Further reading: Garage software.