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Financial Reports - User Guide

Welcome to the autoGMS Financial Reports guide. This document walks you through every financial report available in autoGMS, explains what each one shows, why it matters for your garage, and how to get the most out of it.

Premium Feature: Financial Reports is a paid add-on for your autoGMS subscription. If you do not see these reports in your dashboard, contact your account administrator or visit the subscription settings to activate the Financial Reports add-on.

Table of Contents​

  1. Overview
  2. How to Access Financial Reports
  3. Key Features Across All Reports
  4. Reports Guide
  5. Working with Date Ranges and Filters
  6. Exporting and Downloading Reports
  7. Tips & Best Practices
  8. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Overview​

autoGMS Financial Reports give you a clear picture of your garage's financial health -- without needing an accounting degree. Whether you want to check how much profit you made last month, see which customers still owe you money, or prepare figures for your tax filing, there is a report for that.

The eight reports available are:

ReportIn Simple Terms
Profit & Loss"Did we make money or lose money?"
Tax / VAT"How much tax do we owe (or are owed)?"
Aged Receivables"Who owes us money, and for how long?"
Aged Payables"Who do we owe money to, and for how long?"
General Ledger"Show me every single transaction."
Cash Flow"Where is our cash coming from and going to?"
Balance Sheet"What do we own, what do we owe, and what is left over?"
Account Balances"Quick summary of all our revenue and expense accounts."

How to Access Financial Reports​

  1. Log in to your autoGMS dashboard.
  2. From the left-hand sidebar, navigate to Reports (or Financial Reports).
  3. Select the specific report you want to view from the list.

Each report opens on its own page with its own controls for date selection, tabs, and export options.

Good to know: You need to be a garage owner, garage admin, or organization owner to access financial reports. Technician and customer accounts do not have access.

Key Features Across All Reports​

Before we dive into each report, here are the features you will find on most (or all) of them:

Date Range Picker​

Most reports have a date picker at the top of the page. You can select a start date and end date to control the time period the report covers. Some reports (like Aged Receivables and Balance Sheet) use a single "As of" date instead, since they show a snapshot of a specific point in time.

Tabs​

Several reports organize information into tabs so you can switch between a high-level summary and more detailed breakdowns without leaving the page.

Export Button​

Every report has an export button that lets you download the data. See the Exporting and Downloading Reports section below for details.

Data Integrity Checks​

autoGMS automatically verifies that the numbers in each report add up correctly. If something looks off, you will see a warning banner at the top of the report explaining what does not match. This is rare, but it helps you catch issues early.

Currency Display​

All amounts are shown in the currency set for your garage (for example, AED for UAE garages, GBP for UK garages, SAR for KSA garages). The system detects your region automatically.

Reports Guide​

Profit & Loss Statement​

What it shows: Your total income, costs, and expenses over a period of time -- and whether your garage made a profit or a loss.

Why it matters for your garage: This is the most important report for understanding whether your business is actually making money. It answers the question: "After paying for parts, labour, rent, utilities, and everything else, did we come out ahead?"

What You'll See​

When you open the Profit & Loss report, you will see three tabs:

  • Summary -- The big picture. Shows your Total Revenue at the top, then subtracts your Cost of Goods Sold (the parts and materials you used), giving you your Gross Profit. Then it subtracts your Operating Expenses (rent, utilities, salaries, etc.) to give you your Net Profit at the bottom. Positive numbers in green mean profit; negative numbers in red mean a loss.

  • Revenue -- A detailed breakdown of where your money came from. This is split into categories like Service Revenue, Parts Revenue, Labour Revenue, and Other Revenue. Each line shows the amount and what percentage of your total income it represents.

  • Expenses -- A detailed breakdown of where your money went. Each expense category (such as rent, salaries, utilities, equipment, marketing) shows the amount, number of transactions, and what percentage of total expenses it represents.

How to Use It​

  1. Open the Profit & Loss report.
  2. Set your desired date range using the date picker (defaults to the current month).
  3. Review the Summary tab first for the big picture.
  4. Switch to the Revenue tab to see which services bring in the most money.
  5. Switch to the Expenses tab to see where you are spending the most.

Good to know: The report automatically compares your current period to the previous period, so you can see if things are getting better or worse over time.

Key Terms Explained​

  • Revenue -- All the money your garage earned from completed bookings (services, parts, and labour).
  • Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) -- The direct cost of the parts and materials used in the services you provided.
  • Gross Profit -- Revenue minus COGS. This shows how much you make before overhead costs.
  • Operating Expenses -- The ongoing costs of running your garage (rent, utilities, salaries, marketing, etc.).
  • Net Profit -- The final number. Gross Profit minus Operating Expenses. This is your actual profit.
  • Profit Margin -- Net Profit shown as a percentage of Revenue. A higher percentage means your garage is more efficient at turning revenue into profit.

Tax / VAT Report​

What it shows: A summary of all the tax (VAT, sales tax, or GST depending on your region) that your garage collected from customers, paid on purchases, and the net amount you owe to (or are owed by) the tax authority.

Why it matters for your garage: Filing tax returns is a legal requirement. This report gives you the exact numbers you need, organized in a way that makes filing easier. It also helps you set aside the right amount so tax time is never a surprise.

What You'll See​

The Tax / VAT Report has three tabs:

  • Summary -- Shows your Net Tax Base (total sales before tax), the total tax you collected from customers (Output Tax), the total tax you paid on business expenses (Input Tax), your Taxable Turnover, and the Net Tax Due (or refund). The label adapts to your region (VAT for UAE/KSA/UK, Sales Tax for other regions).

  • Tax Collected (by Rate) -- Shows tax grouped by the tax rate applied. For each rate, you see the net amount, tax amount, gross amount, and number of transactions.

  • Tax Paid (by Category) -- Shows the tax you paid on business expenses, grouped by expense category. This is the tax you can potentially recover.

How to Use It​

  1. Open the Tax / VAT Report.
  2. Set the date range to match your tax filing period (for example, a quarter or a full year).
  3. Check the Summary tab to see your Net Tax Due at the bottom -- this is what you owe.
  4. Use the Tax Collected tab to verify tax rates are being applied correctly.
  5. Use the Tax Paid tab to make sure all your input tax is being captured for recovery.
  6. Export the report when you are ready to file.

Good to know: If the Net Tax Due shows a negative number, it means you paid more tax on expenses than you collected from customers during that period. You may be entitled to a refund from the tax authority.

Aged Receivables​

What it shows: All the money that customers owe your garage, organized by how long the payments have been outstanding.

Why it matters for your garage: Cash flow is the lifeblood of any garage. If customers are not paying on time, you can run into trouble even if your bookings are fully loaded. This report helps you spot overdue payments early so you can follow up before they become a problem.

What You'll See​

The Aged Receivables report has four tabs:

  • Summary -- Shows your Total Outstanding amount, split into Invoiced Receivables (from formal invoices) and Uninvoiced Receivables (from completed bookings that have not been invoiced yet). Also shows how much is current (not overdue) versus the critical amount that is over 90 days old.

  • Aging Analysis -- Breaks down what you are owed into time buckets:

    • Current -- Not yet overdue
    • 1-30 Days -- Slightly overdue
    • 31-60 Days -- Getting concerning
    • 61-90 Days -- Needs attention
    • Over 90 Days -- Critical; highest risk of not being paid

  • By Customer -- Shows the same aging breakdown, but grouped by customer. You can quickly see which customers owe the most and which have the oldest unpaid amounts.

  • Details -- A line-by-line list of every outstanding invoice and unpaid booking. Shows the invoice/booking number, customer name, service, dates, amount, and how many days it has been outstanding. Each item is color-coded by its aging status.

How to Use It​

  1. Open the Aged Receivables report.
  2. Choose the "As of" date (defaults to today). This sets the point in time for the snapshot.
  3. Check the Summary tab to get the overall picture.
  4. Go to the Aging Analysis tab. If the Over 90 Days bucket is large, you have a collection problem.
  5. Switch to the By Customer tab to identify which customers need follow-up.
  6. Use the Details tab to get specific invoice numbers for your follow-up calls or messages.

Good to know: You can filter the data on the Aging, Customers, and Details tabs by type -- choose "Invoiced Only" to see just formal invoices, or "Uninvoiced" to see completed work that still needs to be billed. This is a great way to catch revenue that might be falling through the cracks.

Aged Payables​

What it shows: All the money your garage owes to vendors and suppliers, organized by how long the payments have been outstanding.

Why it matters for your garage: Paying suppliers on time protects your relationships and can help you negotiate better terms. This report helps you prioritize which bills to pay first and avoid late fees.

What You'll See​

The Aged Payables report has three tabs:

  • Summary -- Shows your Total Outstanding payables, the current (not overdue) portion, and the critical Over 90 Days amount. Also shows the number of vendors you owe and the average bill age.

  • Aging Analysis -- Breaks down what you owe into the same time buckets as receivables: Current, 1-30 Days, 31-60 Days, 61-90 Days, and Over 90 Days. Each bucket shows the amount, number of bills, and what percentage of total payables it represents.

  • By Vendor -- Shows the aging breakdown grouped by vendor/supplier. You can see which vendors you owe the most to and whose bills are the most overdue.

How to Use It​

  1. Open the Aged Payables report.
  2. Set the date to the current day (or another date you want to review).
  3. Check the Summary tab for your total outstanding payables.
  4. Review the Aging Analysis tab. Focus on the Over 90 Days bucket -- these are your most critical unpaid bills.
  5. Use the By Vendor tab to plan your payment priorities.

Good to know: Compare your Aged Payables with your Aged Receivables. If customers owe you more than you owe vendors, your cash position is generally healthy. If it is the other way around, you may need to accelerate your collections.

General Ledger​

What it shows: A complete, transaction-by-transaction record of every financial entry in your garage -- every payment received, every expense paid, every invoice issued.

Why it matters for your garage: The General Ledger is your most detailed financial record. It is the foundation that all other reports are built on. Use it when you need to find a specific transaction, verify a payment, or investigate a discrepancy.

What You'll See​

At the top of the page, you will see four summary cards:

  • Opening Balance -- Your balance at the start of the selected period.
  • Total Revenue -- All income received during the period.
  • Total Expenses -- All costs incurred during the period.
  • Closing Balance -- Your balance at the end of the period (Opening + Revenue - Expenses).

Below the summary cards, you will see a searchable, filterable table of every transaction. Each row shows:

  • Date -- When the transaction happened.
  • Type -- Whether it is Revenue (shown in green) or an Expense.
  • Description -- What the transaction was for.
  • Account -- Which financial account it belongs to.
  • Vendor/Customer -- Who the transaction was with.
  • Reference -- A reference number (invoice number, booking number, etc.).
  • Debit -- Amount going out (for expenses).
  • Credit -- Amount coming in (for revenue).
  • Running Balance -- The cumulative balance after each transaction.

How to Use It​

  1. Open the General Ledger report.
  2. Set your desired date range.
  3. Use the search bar to find specific transactions by description, reference number, or party name.
  4. Use the category filter to narrow results to a specific type of expense (COGS, Operational, Utilities, Rent, Salary, Equipment, Marketing, or Other).
  5. Scroll through the results or use the page controls at the bottom to navigate through large sets of transactions.

Good to know: The General Ledger supports pagination, so even if you have thousands of transactions, the page will load quickly. You can adjust the number of items shown per page.

Cash Flow Statement​

What it shows: How cash moves in and out of your garage over a period of time. Unlike the Profit & Loss report (which includes non-cash items), the Cash Flow Statement focuses strictly on actual cash received and paid.

Why it matters for your garage: You can be profitable on paper but still run out of cash if customers pay late or you make large equipment purchases. This report shows you exactly how your cash position is changing, so you can plan ahead and avoid shortfalls.

What You'll See​

The Cash Flow Statement has three tabs:

  • Summary -- Shows your Net Cash Flow (the headline number) in a prominent dark card. Below that, you see two category cards:

    • Operating Activities -- Cash from your day-to-day business (customer payments in, supplier and expense payments out).
    • Investing Activities -- Cash spent on long-term assets like equipment purchases.

    The summary also includes a detailed breakdown showing cash received from customers, cash paid to suppliers, and cash paid for operating expenses, with a net operating cash total.

  • Operating -- A table showing each operating cash flow category and its amount. Positive amounts (green) are cash coming in; negative amounts (red) are cash going out.

  • Investing -- A table showing investing activities, such as equipment purchases.

How to Use It​

  1. Open the Cash Flow Statement.
  2. Set your date range (defaults to the current month).
  3. Look at the Net Cash Flow number at the top. Green and positive is good. Red and negative means more cash went out than came in.
  4. Check Operating Activities -- this should ideally be positive. If it is negative, your core business operations are consuming more cash than they generate.
  5. Check Investing Activities -- a negative number here is normal and expected if you bought equipment or made improvements.

Good to know: A negative net cash flow for one month is not necessarily bad -- it could mean you invested in new equipment. But if operating cash flow is consistently negative, that is a signal to investigate.

Balance Sheet​

What it shows: A snapshot of your garage's financial position at a specific point in time. It lists everything your garage owns (assets), everything it owes (liabilities), and the difference (equity -- what belongs to the owners).

Why it matters for your garage: The Balance Sheet tells you the overall financial health of your business. It answers: "If we settled all our debts today, what would be left?" Lenders and investors look at this report to assess your business.

What You'll See​

At the top, you will see three summary cards:

  • Total Assets -- Everything your garage owns that has value.
  • Total Liabilities -- Everything your garage owes to others.
  • Equity -- The difference (Assets minus Liabilities). This represents the owners' stake in the business.

Below the summary cards, the report is organized into three sections:

Assets:

  • Current Assets -- Things that can be converted to cash relatively quickly:
    • Accounts Receivable (money customers owe you)
    • Inventory (parts and materials in stock)
  • Fixed Assets -- Long-term assets like equipment and tools.
  • Total Assets -- The sum of all assets.

Liabilities:

  • Current Liabilities -- Debts due within the near term:
    • Accounts Payable (money you owe vendors)
  • Long-Term Liabilities -- Debts due further in the future (shown if applicable).
  • Total Liabilities -- The sum of all liabilities.

Equity:

  • Shows the calculation formula (Assets - Liabilities = Equity) and the total equity amount.

You can hover over the small info icons next to each line item for a brief explanation of what it includes.

How to Use It​

  1. Open the Balance Sheet report.
  2. Select the "As of" date using the date picker (defaults to today).
  3. Review the three summary cards at the top.
  4. Check that Total Assets is greater than Total Liabilities -- if so, your equity is positive, which is healthy.
  5. Look at Accounts Receivable under Assets -- if this number is very high, it means a lot of cash is tied up in unpaid invoices.
  6. Look at Accounts Payable under Liabilities -- this shows how much you owe suppliers.

Good to know: The Balance Sheet includes a comparison feature that can show you how your financial position has changed over time. The fundamental accounting equation (Assets = Liabilities + Equity) is checked automatically, and a warning will appear if it does not balance.

Account Balances​

What it shows: A quick overview of all your financial accounts -- both revenue accounts and expense accounts -- with their current balances.

Why it matters for your garage: This gives you a fast, at-a-glance view of where your money is sitting across all your accounts. It is simpler than the General Ledger and more focused than the Profit & Loss, making it perfect for a quick daily or weekly check.

What You'll See​

At the top, three summary cards show:

  • Total Revenue -- Sum of all revenue accounts.
  • Total Expenses -- Sum of all expense accounts.
  • Net Income -- Revenue minus Expenses.

Below the summary, two side-by-side tables display:

  • Revenue Accounts -- Each revenue account listed with its account number, name, and balance.
  • Expense Accounts -- Each expense account listed with its account number, name, and balance.

How to Use It​

  1. Open the Account Balances report.
  2. Set your desired date range.
  3. Check the summary cards at the top for a quick health check.
  4. Review the Revenue Accounts table to see which income streams are strongest.
  5. Review the Expense Accounts table to see where costs are concentrated.

Good to know: If no transactions have been recorded for the selected period, you will see an empty state message instead of the tables. This is normal for a brand-new garage or a very narrow date range.

Working with Date Ranges and Filters​

Date Range Reports​

The following reports use a start date and end date to define the period covered:

  • Profit & Loss
  • Tax / VAT Report
  • General Ledger
  • Cash Flow Statement
  • Account Balances

To set the date range: Click the date picker in the header area. Select your start date and end date. The report updates automatically.

Common date ranges to try:

  • This Month -- See how you are tracking so far this month.
  • Last Month -- Review the previous month's completed results.
  • This Quarter -- Useful for quarterly tax filings and business reviews.
  • This Year (Year to Date) -- Get the full picture of the current year so far.

Snapshot Reports​

The following reports use a single "As of" date to show a snapshot at that point in time:

  • Aged Receivables
  • Aged Payables
  • Balance Sheet

To set the date: Click the date picker and select the date you want the snapshot for. The report updates automatically.

Filters (General Ledger)​

The General Ledger report offers additional filtering:

  • Search -- Type any keyword to search across descriptions, references, and party names.
  • Category -- Filter by expense category (COGS, Operational, Utilities, Rent, Salary, Equipment, Marketing, Other).

Filters (Aged Receivables)​

The Aged Receivables report lets you filter by:

  • All -- Show all outstanding items.
  • Invoiced Only -- Show only items with a formal invoice.
  • Uninvoiced -- Show only completed bookings that have not yet been invoiced.

Exporting and Downloading Reports​

Every financial report in autoGMS can be exported for offline use, sharing with your accountant, or record-keeping.

How to Export​

  1. Open the report you want to export.
  2. Set your desired date range or "As of" date.
  3. Apply any filters you want (the export will reflect your current filters).
  4. Click the Export button in the top-right area of the report header.
  5. Your file will download automatically.

Export Formats​

Reports can be exported in the following formats:

  • Excel (.xlsx) -- Best for further analysis in spreadsheet software. This is the default export format when you click the export button.
  • CSV (.csv) -- A simple text format that works with virtually any software.
  • PDF (.pdf) -- Best for printing or sharing a formatted copy.

File Naming​

Exported files are named with the report type and either the date range or the current date. For example:

  • profit-loss-2025-01-15.xlsx
  • aged-receivables-2025-01-15.xlsx
  • general-ledger.xlsx

Good to know: The exported data reflects whatever date range and filters you have applied on screen. If you want a full, unfiltered export, make sure to clear any filters and set a wide date range before exporting.

Tips & Best Practices​

For Daily Operations​

  • Check Account Balances weekly. A quick glance at revenue vs. expenses tells you if you are on track.
  • Review Aged Receivables every week. Follow up on any invoices in the 31-60 day bucket before they slip to 61-90 days. The longer an invoice goes unpaid, the harder it is to collect.

For Monthly Reviews​

  • Run the Profit & Loss report at the end of each month. Compare it to the previous month to spot trends early.
  • Check your Cash Flow Statement monthly. Make sure operating cash flow stays positive.
  • Review Aged Payables monthly. Pay attention to bills approaching 90 days to maintain good supplier relationships.

For Tax Filing​

  • Use the Tax / VAT Report when preparing your tax return. Set the date range to match your filing period (monthly, quarterly, or annually depending on your region).
  • Export the report and share it with your accountant. The export includes all the figures they need.

For Business Planning​

  • Use the Balance Sheet when applying for loans or seeking investment. It gives lenders a clear view of your financial position.
  • Track your Gross Profit Margin on the Profit & Loss report over time. If it is declining, your parts costs may be rising faster than your prices.

General Tips​

  • Use the same date ranges consistently when comparing periods. For example, always compare full months to full months, not partial periods.
  • Export important reports regularly and keep them filed for your records. This is useful for audits and year-end reviews.
  • Pay attention to data integrity warnings. If you see a warning banner on any report, it may indicate a data entry issue that needs to be corrected.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)​

I do not see Financial Reports in my dashboard. How do I get access?​

Financial Reports is a premium add-on feature. Your organization owner or admin needs to activate it from the subscription settings. Once activated, the reports will appear for all authorized users in that organization.

Who in my team can view financial reports?​

Financial reports are available to organization owners, garage owners, and garage admins. Technicians and customers do not have access to financial data. The Account Balances and Balance Sheet reports have additional role-based restrictions and may require specific financial access permissions.

How often is the data updated?​

The reports pull data in real time from your garage's bookings, invoices, and expenses. Whenever you open a report or change the date range, you are seeing the latest data. You may notice a brief "Updating..." indicator while the data loads.

Can I view reports for multiple garages?​

Each report shows data for one garage at a time. If your organization has multiple garages, you will need to switch between garages to view their individual reports. The report header will show which garage you are currently viewing.

What does the data integrity warning mean?​

autoGMS runs automatic checks to make sure the numbers in each report add up correctly. For example, on the Profit & Loss, it verifies that Revenue minus COGS equals Gross Profit. If the numbers do not match (which can happen due to rounding or data timing), a warning banner appears. This does not mean your data is wrong -- it is just a flag to review. If you see warnings frequently, contact support.

What currency are the reports in?​

All reports use the currency configured for your garage. This is set based on your region (AED for UAE, SAR for KSA, QAR for Qatar, GBP for UK, EUR for European garages, USD for international). You do not need to configure this manually.

Can I customise the date presets?​

The system supports common presets such as This Month, Last Month, This Quarter, Last Quarter, This Year, Last Year, Last 30 Days, Last 90 Days, Year to Date, and Quarter to Date. You can also set fully custom date ranges using the date picker.

What is the difference between Aged Receivables and Account Balances?​

Aged Receivables focuses specifically on money owed to you by customers, broken down by how long it has been outstanding. Account Balances gives a broader overview of all your revenue and expense accounts. They serve different purposes: Aged Receivables helps with collections, while Account Balances gives you a quick financial overview.

What is the difference between the Profit & Loss and the Cash Flow Statement?​

The Profit & Loss shows whether your garage is profitable (revenue minus expenses). The Cash Flow Statement shows the actual cash moving in and out. They can tell different stories: for example, you might show a profit but have negative cash flow if customers have not paid their invoices yet. Use both together for a complete picture.

Something does not look right in my report. What should I do?​

First, check that your date range is correct. Then verify that the bookings, invoices, and expenses in your system are up to date. If numbers still seem off, try refreshing the report (each report has a retry/refresh option if it encounters an error). If the issue persists, contact autoGMS support with the specific report name, date range, and a description of what looks incorrect.

This guide covers autoGMS Financial Reports as of the current version. Features and layouts may be updated over time. If you have feedback or questions not covered here, please reach out to autoGMS support.