This guide walks you through setting up your account and getting familiar with Pistonlog. You'll be up and running in about five minutes.
Creating your account
Sign up
Head to the sign-up page and enter your company name, email address, and a password. You can also sign up with Google.
Verify your email
Check your inbox for a verification email and click the link. You'll be taken straight into the app.
Complete the onboarding wizard
The wizard walks you through your profile, choosing a plan, setting up your company, and optionally inviting team members.
The dashboard
When you log in, you'll land on the dashboard. This is your workshop at a glance:
- Kanban board — all jobcards organised by status, drag between columns to update
- Calendar — upcoming appointments across the garage
- Sidebar — quick access to Jobcards, Customers, Vehicles, and Settings
Creating your first jobcard
A jobcard is a work order — every repair, service, or inspection starts with one.
Click New Jobcard
From the sidebar, click Jobcards, then New Jobcard in the top-right corner.
Add a customer
Start typing in the Customer field. Select an existing customer or click Add New Customer to create one.
Add a vehicle
Start typing in the Vehicle field to search by registration. If it's new, click Add New Vehicle.
Set an appointment date
Pick the date the vehicle is expected in. This shows on the calendar for the whole team.
Auto-title
Leave the title blank and Pistonlog generates one from the customer name and vehicle registration.
Inviting your team
If you're on a paid plan, invite your team from Settings → Team Management.
Enter their email and choose a role:
- Manager — full access to everything
- Reception — manages jobcards, customers, vehicles, and appointments
- Technician — sees assigned work and vehicle details
Team members receive an email invite to set up their account and join your garage.
Next steps
- Creating a Jobcard — the full walkthrough
- Managing Customers — customer records and history
- Managing Vehicles — vehicle records and service history
- The Inspector Panel — quick-view any jobcard without leaving the page