Job Board Status and Ownership Worksheet
A one-page worksheet that defines every lane on the shop's job board: what the car is waiting on, who moves the card in and out, whether the customer gets a text, and how long a car may sit before someone is flagged.
Reviewed for 2026, updated September 8, 2026.
The single most common reason a job board goes stale is that everyone assumes someone else will move the card. The fix is boring and it works: write down, for every lane, what the car is waiting on, which role moves the card into that lane, which role moves it out, and how long a car may sit there before the afternoon check flags it. This worksheet is that page. The rows are the lane set our guide recommends for most independent shops, with Waiting on Sublet included for shops that send work out. The example cells show the ownership pattern described in the guide, where the advisor owns check-in and approvals, the tech owns diagnosis, bay work, and quality check, and whoever receives parts owns the parts lane.
Fill in the two right-hand columns for your own shop. The customer text column should stay short at first; the guide suggests starting with check-in, approval, and ready, and adding more only once the team trusts the tool. The sitting-time limits are yours to set, and the article on moving cars from waiting to ready without losing track explains how to pick them. Post the finished sheet next to the board and next to the desk, and revisit it after the first month, when the lanes that stay empty and the lanes that pile up will tell you what to merge or split.
| Lane | What the car is waiting on | Who moves the card in | Who moves the card out | Customer text when the car enters | Flag if it sits longer than |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Checked In | A technician to start the diagnosis | Advisor, at drop-off | Tech, when diagnosis starts | Yes: vehicle, what was requested, when to expect the next update | Your limit |
| Diagnosing | Findings written up by the tech | Tech, when the inspection starts | Tech, when findings are documented | No | Your limit |
| Waiting on Approval | A yes or no from the customer | Advisor, after sending the findings | Advisor, the moment the customer answers | Yes: findings in plain words, price per item, one clear question | Your limit |
| Waiting on Parts | Parts to arrive from the supplier | Advisor, when the order is placed | Whoever receives and checks in the parts | Optional: parts ordered and the expected date | Your limit |
| Waiting on Sublet | Work at an outside shop (machine, glass, alignment) | Advisor, when the car leaves the shop | Whoever brings the car back | Optional: car sent out and the expected return | Your limit |
| In Bay | Technician time on the lift | Tech, when work starts | Tech, when work is complete | Optional: work in progress and a realistic finish estimate | Your limit |
| Quality Check | A final check and road test | Tech, when work is complete | Lead tech or advisor, after the check passes | No | Your limit |
| Ready for Pickup | The customer to come in | Advisor, once the invoice is closed | Front desk, when the keys are handed over | Yes: ready, total, pickup hours, how to pay | Your limit |
| Picked Up | Nothing, the job is complete | Front desk, at key handover | Archived at the end of the day | Optional: a thank-you and a review request a day later | Not applicable |
https://garagetrackr.com/templates/job-board-status-ownership-worksheet/Use it in your business, share it with your team, or link to it from your own site.
Also from GarageTrackr
- Job Board Rollout Checklist: A step-by-step checklist for setting up or replacing an auto repair job board, from choosing lanes and assigning card owners to the first month of huddles, customer texts, and measurements.
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