A jobcard is the central work order in Pistonlog. Every repair, service, or inspection starts with one. This guide walks you through creating a jobcard from scratch.
Opening a New Jobcard
Navigate to Jobcards
From the sidebar, click Jobcards to open the jobcard list.
Click New Jobcard
Click the New Jobcard button in the top-right corner. This opens the jobcard creation form.
Adding a Title
Every jobcard has a title that appears in your jobcard list and on printed documents. You have two options:
Manual title
Type a title directly into the Title field. Use something descriptive that helps your team identify the work at a glance — for example, "Full service and brake pad replacement" or "Pre-MOT inspection".
Auto-title
If you leave the title field blank, Pistonlog automatically generates one based on the customer name and vehicle registration. For example, a jobcard for John Smith's vehicle with registration AB12 CDE would be titled:
John Smith — AB12 CDE
When to use auto-title
Auto-title works well when your workshop processes high volumes and you need a quick way to identify jobcards. If your team prefers more descriptive titles, enter one manually — you can always edit it later.
Adding a Customer
Linking a customer to a jobcard lets you track work history, send invoices, and keep contact details on file.
Search for an existing customer
Start typing in the Customer field. Pistonlog searches your existing customers by name, email, or phone number. If the customer already exists, select them from the dropdown.
Or create a new customer
If the customer doesn't exist yet, click Add New Customer. Enter their name, phone number, and email. You only need to do this once — their details are saved to your customer database automatically.
Customers are saved for reuse
When you add a new customer through a jobcard, they're saved to your garage's customer list. Next time they visit, just search for their name — all their details, vehicle history, and past jobcards are already there.
Adding a Vehicle
Each jobcard is linked to a specific vehicle. Like customers, vehicles are stored centrally so you only need to enter the details once.
Search by registration
Start typing in the Vehicle field. Pistonlog searches your existing vehicles by registration, make, or model. Select the correct vehicle from the results.
Or add a new vehicle
If the vehicle isn't in your system, click Add New Vehicle. Enter the registration, make, model, and current mileage. The vehicle is saved to your database and linked to the customer automatically.
Vehicles are saved for reuse
Once a vehicle is in your system, it's linked to its owner. When that customer returns, their vehicles appear automatically — no need to re-enter registration or model details.
Multiple vehicles per customer
Customers can have more than one vehicle on file. When you select a customer, all of their registered vehicles are available to choose from.
Setting an Appointment Date
The appointment date tells your team when the vehicle is expected in the workshop. It appears on the dashboard calendar and helps with scheduling.
Pick a date
Click the Appointment Date field and select a date from the calendar picker.
Optional: leave it blank
If the customer hasn't confirmed a date yet, you can leave this blank and update it later. The jobcard will still be created and appear in your list.
What's Next
Once your jobcard is created, you can:
- Add jobs — individual line items describing the work to be done
- Add parts and labour — track costs and pricing for each job
- Assign a technician — allocate the work to a team member
- Print or share — generate a customer-facing document or internal work order