Repair estimate stage conversion worksheet
Use one inquiry cohort and observation date. Pending differences are unresolved stages, not automatically lost repairs.
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Illustrative example inputs
These starting values show how the math works. They are not industry averages, customer results or a quote.
| Input | Example value |
|---|---|
Initial inquiries Distinct inquiries in the selected cohort. | 60 |
Inquiries with inspection completed Subset of the initial inquiry group. | 45 |
Inspected inquiries with written estimate Current written estimate linked to the same inquiry. | 36 |
Estimated inquiries with approved work Approval of the current scope recorded in the shop system. | 24 |
Approved inquiries with completed work Completed work recorded by the common observation date. | 20 |
Example results
| Measure | Result |
|---|---|
Written-estimate share of inspected inquiries | 80% |
Approval share of estimated inquiries | 66.67% |
Completion share of approved inquiries | 83.33% |
Calculation detail
| Measure | Result |
|---|---|
| Inquiries without completed inspection | 15 |
| Inspected inquiries without written estimate | 9 |
| Estimated inquiries without approval | 12 |
| Approved inquiries without completion | 4 |
Model assumptions
- One inquiry is the counting unit, even when multiple repair lines exist.
- Each later stage is a subset of the previous stage.
- Use a common observation date and current source records.
- Stage counts do not establish authorization without the actual approval record.
Read alongside these results
- Read actual reasons before changing follow-up or prices.
- No revenue, lost-job classification or benchmark is assumed.
Download this worked example (CSV). Use the interactive version to export your own inputs and results.
Your phone rings, an advisor discusses a noise, and the driver asks for a price. The shop has an inquiry. No inspection or repair approval exists yet. Counting the call as an estimate muddies the next question: where are customers waiting, and which decision does the shop need to resolve?
Keep the same observation date across every stage of the estimate worksheet. The starting counts are examples. Replace them with distinct inquiry records linked to the relevant vehicle, estimate and repair order. The percentages show transitions between stages, not the quality of a technical recommendation or permission to begin work.
Use with this guide
Assign pending estimate calls
Keep ownership and the current estimate visible across shifts.
Separate customer roles
Verify which person handles repair decisions and payment.
Review the owner workspace
Check the dashboard scope before choosing where service records belong.
Find which repair-shop website calls turn into scheduled work
A tap on the phone button is not a qualified call or a booked repair. Follow one recorded inquiry cohort through the shop’s actual scheduling records.
Browse the complete auto repair guides and worksheets.
Record the inquiry before assigning an estimate stage
Keep the requested work, vehicle reference, contact route and next staff action together. A general price question is different from a vehicle inspected in the shop. Document whether the customer needs a diagnostic appointment, a current estimate or clarification of an existing recommendation. Do not invent a firm repair price from an incomplete description.
Before exporting data, choose a counting unit. Even when one inquiry contains several proposed repairs for the same vehicle, count one inquiry in this worksheet. The same question submitted by phone and website should not become two inquiries. For repair-line conversion, run a separate analysis counting repair lines. Do not switch units midway through the report.
Make the estimate a dated record
Record the inspection outcome in the shop’s service system. Link the resulting written estimate and its current version to the inquiry. The FTC’s consumer guidance describes estimates identifying the condition, needed parts and anticipated labor. It also discusses contacting the customer before exceeding the specified time or amount. Follow the requirements applicable to your shop.
An estimate sent is not an estimate accepted. Keep the approval reference beside the actual scope. A payment receipt does not replace repair authorization. When the customer changes the work, retain the revised estimate and the required decision. Your CRM stage should point to the service record rather than pretending the CRM note is the whole repair file.
Sources for this section: FTC: Auto Repair Basics
Read each rate with its own denominator
The fictional cohort starts with 60 inquiries, 45 inspected inquiries, 36 with a written estimate, 24 with approved work and 20 with completed work. Those inputs produce an 80% written-estimate share among inspected inquiries, a 66.67% approval share among estimated inquiries and an 83.33% completion share among approved inquiries.
These are worked examples, not repair-industry benchmarks or recommended quotas. Approval might be waiting on a customer decision or a revised scope. Completion might be waiting on parts or the booked date. The tool rejects later-stage counts exceeding an earlier stage. Empty denominators remain unavailable, since no observed transition exists to measure.
Open the pending records before changing the script
The same example shows 15 inquiries without inspection, nine inspected inquiries without a written estimate, 12 estimated inquiries without approval and four approved inquiries without completion. Those differences identify records to inspect. They do not classify the records as lost jobs. Some customers still have appointments ahead of the observation date.
Record a reason from the conversation or service file. Waiting for financing, seeking clarification and postponing a vehicle drop-off need different next actions. A silent customer has an unknown reason. Do not label every unanswered estimate too expensive. Check the approved quote, contact preference and last staff action before assigning another call.
Keep one owner for the next decision
For callbacks, track who owns the next action, when the customer was last contacted and which question needs an answer. HubSpot documents task assignees, dates, notes and associated records. Use those fields in your current CRM or spreadsheet. Before the next shift, ask another advisor to locate the current estimate and identify the missing decision from the record.
BlueFinch’s business dashboard is an owner workspace, not a replacement for the system holding repair authorization. No automatic repair-software connection is promised here. Use the worksheet to locate an unresolved stage, then review the underlying file. Keep the approved repair scope and the invoice reference connected when the customer moves from approval to payment.
Sources for this section: HubSpot: Create tasks · BlueFinch: Business dashboard scope
Primary sources
BlueFinch last reviewed these sources on October 3, 2026. Payment rules and state requirements can change.
Use this page for general business information. It is not legal, tax, or accounting advice.