Quotes, repair orders, parts, scheduling, invoices, reminders, accounting: what belongs to the essential core, what depends on your business, and how to sort through the offers.
Garage management software centralises everything that happens between a vehicle's arrival and payment: customer and vehicle record, quote, repair order, parts, scheduling, invoice, reminders and accounting export. At a minimum, it must produce compliant documents and avoid re-keying the same information from one step to the next; the rest depends on your business.
Garage management software is judged on its ability to follow this process without a break:
Every break in this chain means re-keying: a quote redone in Word, an order placed by phone with no record, an invoice copied into the accountant's software.
Finding in a few seconds what has been done on a vehicle (mileage, last oil change, parts fitted) avoids oversights and supports your advice to the customer.
The DGCCRF points out that the repair order must state at least the date, the customer's identity, the vehicle type and its mileage, and the exact nature of the repairs to be carried out. The software should fill in these fields by default, not leave them to each person's memory.
In car repair, an invoice is mandatory above €25 and must show the mileage and a detailed breakdown of each service. Numbering must be continuous with no gaps.
The Code de la consommation (article L224-67) requires that customers be allowed to opt for parts from the circular economy for certain categories of parts. A good tool includes this option on the quote.
Accounting entries file (FEC), CSV or a link to the firm's software: what matters is that your chartered accountant has nothing to re-key.
Micro, small and medium-sized garages will have to issue their invoices to business customers in electronic format from 1 September 2027. Software bought today should at least produce a structured format. See our guide to e-invoicing.
Why it matters: in its investigation published on 4 June 2026, the DGCCRF reported corrective or enforcement measures in nearly 40% of the roughly 1,600 establishments inspected in 2024. Among the breaches cited: incomplete price display, insufficiently detailed invoices, discrepancies between quote and invoice, and failure to provide information on reused parts.
| Need | Useful if… |
|---|---|
| Supplier orders and stock | you keep parts in stock or place several orders a day |
| Workshop scheduling | several people work in the workshop or appointments overlap |
| Actual time tracking | you want to compare quoted time and time spent, per mechanic |
| Bodywork and insurance claims | you work with insurers (paint estimating, assignment of claim (cession de créance)) |
| Used vehicle sales | buying and reselling is a significant part of your turnover: VAT on margin, police register (livre de police), vehicle stock |
| Automatic reminders | quotes go unanswered or invoices are paid late |
| Multiple users and permissions | several people use the tool and do not need the same access |
Selling vehicles tips you into another family of tools: DMS. We cover this choice in detail in DMS or workshop management software.
IZZI DEVIS is voice-driven workshop management software, designed for independent mechanical repair, bodywork and motorcycle garages.
Details are on the Features page and on garage management software.
Quote software produces the quote and often the invoice. Garage management software also covers the repair order, parts, stock, scheduling, reminders and accounting export, avoiding re-keying information from one step to the next.
For a few repairs a week, it is possible, but mandatory invoice details, continuous invoice numbering, vehicle history and e-invoicing from September 2027 become hard to manage without a dedicated tool.
A specialist guide published in May 2026 puts workshop management tools at around €15 to €50 per month, DMS at €60 to €150 and ERPs from €200 per month. IZZI DEVIS costs €59 per month (Essentiel) or €79 per month (Pro).
According to the DGCCRF, at least the date, the customer's identity, the vehicle type and its mileage, and the exact nature of the repairs to be carried out.
This article is general information, up to date as of 17 September 2026. It does not replace advice from your accountant or legal adviser.
The IZZI DEVIS team
Designs and builds IZZI DEVIS, the voice-driven workshop management software for independent garages.
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