Pistonlog can automatically notify your customers when an MOT is due, a service is approaching, or an appointment is coming up. Reminders are sent by email or SMS based on templates you configure.
Where to find reminders
Go to Settings → Reminders. You'll see all reminder templates listed with their type, timing, and active status.
Reminder types
Each template is tied to a specific type of event:
- MOT Expiry — triggers based on the vehicle's MOT expiry date
- Service Due — triggers based on the vehicle's next service date
- Timing Belt Due — triggers based on the timing belt replacement date
- Appointment Schedule — triggers based on a jobcard's appointment date
Creating a reminder
Open reminders
Go to Settings → Reminders.
Click Add Reminder
Click the Add Reminder button.
Choose the type
Select the reminder type — MOT Expiry, Service Due, Timing Belt Due, or Appointment Schedule.
Set the timing
Enter how many days before the event the reminder should be sent. For example, setting 14 on an MOT Expiry reminder sends the message 14 days before the MOT runs out.
Choose notification type
Select Email or SMS. If you choose email, you'll also need to enter a subject line.
Write the message
Compose the message body. Use placeholder tags to personalise each message — they're replaced with real data when the reminder is sent.
Placeholder tags
Insert these into your message to pull in customer and vehicle details automatically:
| Tag | Replaced with |
|---|---|
[Customer Name] | The customer's full name |
[Registration] | The vehicle registration |
[Vehicle Make Model] | The vehicle make and model |
[Date] | The relevant date (MOT expiry, service due, etc.) |
[Garage Name] | Your garage's name |
[Garage Phone] | Your garage's phone number |
For Appointment Schedule reminders, these additional tags are available:
| Tag | Replaced with |
|---|---|
[Appointment Date] | The appointment date |
[Appointment Title] | The appointment title |
[Jobcard Title] | The jobcard title |
Use the live preview
As you type your message, a live preview shows exactly what the customer will receive — with the placeholder tags replaced by sample data. Check it before saving.
Testing a reminder
Click the Test Emails button to send a test version of a specific reminder to yourself. This lets you verify the formatting and wording before it goes out to customers.
Processing reminders
Reminders are processed automatically every day at 9am. Pistonlog checks all vehicles and appointments, matches them against your active templates, and sends any reminders that are due.
If you need to trigger the scheduler manually — for example, after creating a batch of new reminders — click the Process Now button.
Active toggle
Each reminder has an active toggle. Turn it off to pause a reminder without deleting it. Only active reminders are sent during the daily run.
Access
Only managers and owners can create, edit, or delete reminders.