Vehicle check-in form and digital signature: records that protect your business
Most workshop disputes start at handover: “that scratch wasn't there”, “nobody said I'd pay for leaving it here”, “it was under warranty”. In Baktam the car's condition at check-in (mileage, fuel, photos, existing damage and belongings left in the car) and your terms go onto one record, and the customer reads and signs it. Free storage days, the daily storage fee and the labor warranty are set once and written into every document with their numbers.
Check-in
Mileage and photos
Terms and signature
Handover record
Example scenario
Example: on a Friday evening a Corolla is dropped off at Hassan's workshop. At check-in a photo of the front bumper is taken, the fuel level is a quarter and the mileage is noted; the customer reads the terms on the counter tablet and signs. The car is ready on Thursday, but the customer does not come for two weeks. Hassan opens the check-in form: the “3 days free, daily storage fee after that” clause, the customer's signature and the date are all there.
What is it for?
In the workshop
At handover the customer says “that scratch wasn't there”: nobody walked around the car at check-in and nothing was written down.
With Baktam
Mileage, fuel level, photos, damage notes and belongings left in the car go on the form at check-in. In a body shop, existing damage is marked on the body diagram and the customer signs the diagram.
In the workshop
A finished car sits in the yard for weeks, and when you ask for a storage fee the customer says nobody told them.
With Baktam
Enter the free storage days and the daily storage fee in Settings > Terms. The clause appears with its numbers on the check-in form and in the approval terms, and the customer signs it.
In the workshop
Every technician explains the labor warranty differently.
With Baktam
Enter the warranty period in months once; it appears in the terms as “Labor is guaranteed for … months”. Clauses on belongings, extra work outside the quote and no handover before payment are ready too.
How does it work?
- 1
Write your terms once
In Settings > Terms, edit the check-in clauses and work order terms and fill in free storage days, daily storage fee and labor warranty (months). You can start from the ready-made clauses.
- 2
Check the car in
Enter mileage, fuel level, complaint, photos and damage notes on the work order. With QR check-in the customer enters them on their own phone.
- 3
Get the signature
The customer reads the terms and signs with a finger, on their own phone with QR check-in or on the counter tablet; in a body shop they also sign the damage diagram. You can also print the form and take a wet signature.
- 4
Print the check-in form
The vehicle check-in form prints on A4: customer and vehicle details, mileage, fuel, complaint, photos, the clauses, the signature and a QR code to the car's service history. You can also save it as PDF from the browser.
- 5
The last record at handover
At handover the work order printout lists the work done, the parts and the amounts, with signature fields for the workshop and the customer; if there is a balance due, your bank details are printed at the bottom. A separate receipt is printed for the payment.
Who uses it?
Front desk / cashier
Fills in the form at check-in, gets the signature and has the printout signed at handover.
Workshop owner
Sets the terms, the storage fee and the warranty period; has a signed record when there is a dispute.
Body & paint technician
Marks existing damage on the body diagram and has the customer sign it.
Vehicle owner (customer)
Reads what they are agreeing to before signing; the car's condition at check-in is on record.
This feature is part of Baktam, the garage management software that keeps the whole workshop in one place.
Frequently asked questions
Is a digital signature legally binding?
Baktam stores the signature, the signer's name, the time and the accepted text as a record, which gives you a document and evidence if there is a dispute. It is not a qualified electronic signature. Have a lawyer check your terms before you use them.
What do the ready-made clauses cover?
On the check-in form: the car was received with the mileage, fuel and condition shown in the photos, belongings left in the car, separate approval for extra work, storage fees, no handover before payment and the labor warranty. The work order terms add clauses such as diagnostic labor, customer-supplied parts and old parts. You can change all of them.
How is the storage fee written on the form?
If you enter both the free days and the daily fee, the clause carries the numbers: if the car is not collected within the free days after the customer is told it is ready, the daily fee applies. Enter only one and the clause adjusts; leave both empty and a general clause is used.
Can I check a car in without a signature?
Yes; a signature is not required on a work order opened at the counter. With QR check-in, though, the customer cannot submit without signing the terms.
How do I give the customer the check-in form?
Print it, or save it as PDF from the browser and send it. The form also carries a QR code to the car's service history.
Related features
Customer quote approval
The quote goes to the customer's phone as a link; they accept your terms and sign, and the approval record can be checked by QR.
QR check-in
The customer scans the QR at the counter, checks the car in and signs your terms; you open the work order in one click.
Insurance claims & damage
Insurer, claim number, assessor and excess on the work order; insurer payments are tracked apart from the customer's balance.
One click is all it takes to try everything.
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