A job marked “waiting for parts” still needs an owner and a next action. Which item is missing? Has the supplier confirmed the order? When will someone chase it again? Keep those answers with the job so a parked vehicle does not become a forgotten booking.
This checklist is for independent workshops and mobile mechanics managing an interruption between approved work and completion. It complements the garage job card template; it is not a stock-control system or a guide to choosing a replacement component.
Name the actual blocker before moving the job
Separate “part needed” from “part ordered”. A quote request, an unconfirmed basket and an accepted supplier order are different things. Record the evidence you have, rather than advancing the status because an order was intended.
- Awaiting a decision: the customer has not agreed to the proposed work or revised price.
- Waiting for supply: the authorised work is blocked by a specific item, quantity or delivery.
- Ready to restart: the required items have arrived and been checked, but workshop time still needs allocating.
A job can have more than one dependency. Keep the main blocker visible and describe the rest in the notes. If a different part changes the proposal or price, use a fresh customer approval record before proceeding.
Keep one parts chase record with the job
Use these fields in your existing job notes or the free worksheet below. They are an operational checklist, not a claim that every field is a separate HoodHero control.
- Job and item
- Job reference, vehicle, part description, verified part reference and quantity still required.
- Supplier evidence
- Supplier, order reference, order date and the latest confirmation or message.
- Expected arrival
- The supplier's current estimate, when it was checked and any uncertainty. Write “not confirmed” when there is no reliable date.
- Owner and next chase
- One person responsible, the next contact time and the question they need answered.
- Workshop impact
- What is blocked, vehicle location, any practical constraints and a provisional restart plan.
- Customer update
- What was actually communicated, when, by which route and when the next update is due.
Download the editable parts chase record
No account or email address is needed. Keep supplier pricing and private sourcing notes separate from customer-facing messages. Store completed records under your existing privacy and retention process.
A short daily review: three different next actions
Fictional workshop example · Monday morning
Job HH-2101: the supplier has confirmed an order but gives only a provisional delivery date. Alex will request an updated estimate at 11:00 and contact the customer by 12:00, even if the date is still uncertain.
Job HH-2102: two of three required items have arrived. Keep the job blocked by the missing item; a delivery on the shelf does not mean the full repair can start.
Job HH-2103: all required items have arrived and been checked. The next action is to allocate technician time, then confirm a realistic completion plan.
Review the outstanding items at the start of the day and when a delivery or supplier update changes the plan. Chase the oldest uncertainty or the next due action, rather than simply reading every card again. For a mobile mechanic, include travel and the return appointment in the restart plan.
Distinguish a delivery estimate from a collection promise
A supplier's expected arrival is not the vehicle's completion time. Allow for receiving checks, fitting, testing and available workshop capacity before promising collection.
Adaptable customer-update wording
“Your [vehicle/job reference] is waiting for [item]. Our supplier currently expects [date/time, or no confirmed date]. This is an estimate, not a confirmed collection time. We will update you by [time/date]. Once the item arrives and is checked, we will confirm the next workshop slot and expected completion.”
Replace every bracketed field and check the facts before sending. If an agreed completion date is affected, contact the customer promptly and record the discussion. Do not overwrite the earlier promise as though it never existed.
Business Companion's motor repair guidance explains the importance of agreed service information and completion timing, and of obtaining agreement for unexpected extra costs. Its guidance covers England, Scotland and Wales. This checklist does not change your customer terms or legal obligations.
Arrival is a handover, not automatic completion
Check the delivery against the order, the vehicle specification and the approved work. Record shortages, damage or incorrect items and keep the job blocked where appropriate. An alternative component still needs the technician's suitability checks; a tracking note cannot establish compatibility.
Once the required items are ready, assign the work and review the job brief. Keep arrived and fitted states distinct. Record the work actually completed and the appropriate post-repair checks before handover and invoicing. A part arriving does not certify a vehicle as safe to drive.
Make the blocker visible in Mechanic Desk
HoodHero's parts and technician tools support needed, ordered, arrived and fitted states. Part records include supplier and part details, quantity, and ordered, expected and arrived dates. Use the job's notes for the chase owner, the next action and the actual customer update.
The workshop board separates waiting for parts from awaiting approval and in-progress work. Parts and delayed-parts attention views help surface records for review. These are workshop records maintained by your team; they do not independently confirm a supplier's stock or delivery promise.
For the surrounding process, see the booking-to-invoice workflow and Mechanic Desk user guide.
Source checked 2 November 2026: Business Companion motor vehicle servicing and repairs. The checklist, fictional jobs and message wording are original operational examples, not legal advice or a guaranteed delivery process.
Put it into practice
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