External Services
Overview
External Services lets you track work that is outsourced to third-party vendors -- bodywork specialists, upholsterers, machinists, paint shops, or any subcontractor. For each external service, you can:
- Record the vendor, service type, and description
- Track vendor cost versus customer charge to monitor margins
- Manage multiple supplier invoice versions as quotes are revised
- Upload supporting documents (invoices, photos, receipts)
- Link external work to specific project stages
- Mark services as invoiced when billing the customer
This feature is especially useful for restoration workshops and collision repair centres that regularly subcontract specialised work.
How to Access External Services
- Open any booking from the Bookings page.
- Scroll down on the booking detail page to find the External Services card.
The card displays all external services linked to this booking, along with a summary of total vendor costs, customer charges, and profit margins.
Adding an External Service
- Click the Add External Service button in the card header.
- A dialog opens with the following fields:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Vendor | Select from your vendor list. This field is required. |
| Stage (optional) | If Project Mode is enabled on the booking or at the garage level, you can assign the service to a specific stage. The dropdown shows each stage with its order number and name (e.g., "Stage 2 -- Bodywork"). Select "No stage" to leave it unlinked. |
| Service Type | Choose from Bodywork, Upholstery, Machining, Finishing, Electrical, or Other. |
| Vendor Cost | What the vendor charges you, in your garage's currency. |
| Customer Charge | What you charge the customer for this work. |
| Description | Details about the work being done. This field is required. |
- Click Save.
The margin (customer charge minus vendor cost) is calculated and displayed automatically on each service record.
Managing External Services
Service Record Layout
Each external service record shows:
- Description and status at the top
- Service type displayed alongside the status
- Vendor name and linked stage name (if applicable) below the description
- Vendor cost, customer charge, and margin aligned to the right
Below each record, an actions bar provides all available operations.
Updating Status
Each external service has a status that tracks its progress. Use the status dropdown in the actions bar to change it:
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Quoted | Initial price received from vendor. |
| Approved | Work has been approved to proceed. |
| In Progress | Vendor is actively working. |
| Completed | Work is finished. |
| Invoiced | You have billed the customer for this work. |
| Cancelled | Service was cancelled. |
Editing a Service
Click Edit in the actions bar on any service. The same dialog opens, pre-filled with the current values for vendor, stage, service type, costs, and description. Make your changes and click Save.
Supplier Invoice Versions
Vendors often revise their invoices as work scope changes. To track this:
- Click Invoice Version in the actions bar on the service.
- A dialog opens with the following fields:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Supplier Invoice Number | The vendor's invoice reference number. |
| Invoice Date | The date on the vendor's invoice. |
| Amount | The invoiced amount, in your garage's currency. |
| Notes | Any additional context about this version. |
- Click Add Version.
Each version is numbered automatically (V1, V2, V3...) and recorded with its supplier invoice number and amount. The full version history is displayed beneath the service record, so you can see how quotes have evolved.
Uploading Documents
- Click Upload in the actions bar on the service.
- A dialog opens with the following fields:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Attach to Version | Optionally link the document to a specific invoice version, or select "General attachment" to attach it to the service overall. |
| File | Select your file. Supported formats: PDF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, WebP, GIF, DOC, DOCX. |
| Notes | Optional notes about the document. |
- Click Upload.
Uploaded documents appear beneath the service record alongside the invoice versions. Each attachment shows as a clickable link that opens the file in a new tab.
Marking as Invoiced
When you have billed the customer for this external work, click Mark Invoiced in the actions bar to update the status. This button is only visible when the service is not already in the "Invoiced" status.
Understanding Margins
When there are external services on the booking, the card shows three summary figures at the top in a grid layout:
| Metric | What It Shows |
|---|---|
| Vendor Cost | Total of all vendor costs across all external services on this booking. |
| Customer Charge | Total of all amounts charged to the customer. |
| Margin | The difference (shown in green if positive, red if negative). |
Each individual service record also shows its own vendor cost, customer charge, and margin on the right side, so you can evaluate profitability at both the booking level and the per-service level.
Tips & Best Practices
- Record vendor costs promptly. Enter costs as soon as you receive a quote to keep margin calculations accurate.
- Use invoice versions. When vendors revise quotes, add a new version rather than editing the original. This preserves the audit trail and lets you see price evolution at a glance.
- Link to stages. If using Project Mode, assign external services to stages for better organisation and stage-level invoicing.
- Keep stage-linked costs with the stage. If you generate stage invoices, linking outsourced work to the correct stage makes the invoice builder and margin picture much clearer.
- Upload all documents. Attach vendor invoices and photos of completed work for a complete record. Supported file types include PDF, images, and Word documents.
- Monitor margins per record. Each service record shows its own margin, so you can quickly identify which subcontracted jobs are profitable and which need pricing adjustments.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: I don't see the External Services card on my booking. A: The External Services card appears on all booking detail pages. If you cannot see it, scroll down -- it may be below other cards.
Q: Can I delete an external service? A: Currently, external services can be cancelled (status set to "Cancelled") but not deleted, to preserve the financial audit trail.
Q: How do margins affect my invoices? A: Margins shown on the External Services card are for reference only. The actual customer charge is determined by your invoice line items.
Q: What service types are available? A: The available service types are Bodywork, Upholstery, Machining, Finishing, Electrical, and Other.
Q: Can I attach documents to a specific invoice version? A: Yes. When uploading a document, you can choose to link it to a specific version (V1, V2, etc.) or attach it as a general document to the service overall.
Q: Does the stage dropdown appear for all bookings? A: The stage dropdown only appears when Project Mode is enabled -- either on the booking itself or at the garage level. If neither is enabled, the stage field does not appear in the form.
Quick Reference
| I want to... | Go here | Do this |
|---|---|---|
| Add external service | Booking detail → External Services → Add | Fill form, save |
| Change service status | Service row → Status dropdown | Select new status |
| Edit service details | Service row → Edit | Update fields, save |
| Add invoice version | Service row → Invoice Version | Enter supplier invoice details |
| Upload document | Service row → Upload | Select file, add notes |
| Mark as invoiced | Service row → Mark Invoiced | Updates status |
| View margin | Service row → right side | Shows vendor cost vs charge |
| Link to project stage | Add/Edit form → Stage dropdown | Select stage |
| View total margins | Card header | Shows totals for all services |