Step by step · 6 min read

Taking a car in and opening an order: start on your phone

The client, the vehicle from a VIN scan and notes taken by the car; at intake, the mileage, damage and a printable handover protocol. The date, mechanic and parts can follow later.

Nitro Serwis is in Polish. The screenshots show the Polish interface; each label is quoted in bold, with its meaning in brackets.

You can start taking a car in on your phone, standing next to it: pick or add the client, add the vehicle by scanning its VIN with the camera and write down notes for the order. The client and the vehicle are all an order needs to be saved. The date, mechanic, parts and labour can be filled in later on a computer, or still on the phone.

Every step is shown on the phone and in the browser on a computer. It works the same in both.

01Open a new order

On the phone, tap the Pulpicie (Dashboard) orange + button; on a computer, click Nowe zlecenie (New order) in the top right corner. The same button is on the orders list and in the calendar.

The dashboard on a phone with the plus button — The dashboard: a new order is behind “+” or “Nowe zlecenie”.

The dashboard on a computer with the New order button — The dashboard: a new order is behind “+” or “Nowe zlecenie”.

An empty new-order form on a phone — The new-order form. On a computer, in three columns.

An empty new-order form on a computer, in three columns: client and vehicle, schedule, items — The new-order form. On a computer, in three columns.

02Pick or add the client

Start typing in Wyszukaj klienta… (Search for a client). Nitro searches by name, phone number and tax ID. For a new client, tap + Dodaj nowego klienta (Add a new client), enter a name and phone number and save. You come back to the order with that client already picked.

Adding a company with a tax ID is covered in a separate article on adding a client.

An order on a phone with the client picked and the Add vehicle button — The client is picked. Their vehicles are listed below.

An order on a computer with the client picked and the Add vehicle button — The client is picked. Their vehicles are listed below.

03Add the vehicle by scanning the VIN

The client’s vehicles appear below them. If there is only one, it is picked straight away. Add a new car with Dodaj pojazd (Add vehicle).

On the phone, in Wyszukaj po VIN (Search by VIN) tap the camera icon (Skanuj VIN aparatem (Scan the VIN with the camera)) and point the phone at the VIN. Once the app reads it, compare it with the number on the car and choose Użyj tego numeru (Use this number). On a computer, type the number and click Szukaj (Search).

From the VIN, Nitro recognises the make, model and year and offers the possible engines to choose from. Only the make and model are required. Finally, tap Dodaj pojazd (Add vehicle). The vehicle fields are covered in the article on adding a vehicle.

VIN search on a phone with a recognised Volkswagen Passat B8 — The vehicle recognised from its VIN.

The new-vehicle form on a computer with a recognised vehicle and a list of possible engines — The vehicle recognised from its VIN.

An order on a phone with the client and vehicle picked — The new vehicle is picked in the order straight away.

An order on a computer with the client and a vehicle with its number plate — The new vehicle is picked in the order straight away.

04Write down notes for the order

Further down (on a computer, in the “Termin” column), in Uwagi (Notes), write down what the client tells you by the car: the symptoms, what they agree to without being asked, when to call back, where they left the key. Everyone who opens the order sees the notes, including the mechanic assigned to it, on their phone.

If the car stays with you, switch on Auto w warsztacie (Car in the workshop). A mileage field appears.

The Notes field of a new order on a phone, with a note — Notes taken by the car.

The Notes field of a new order on a computer, with a note — Notes taken by the car.

05Save the order

Tap Zapisz zlecenie (Save order) (on a computer, Utwórz zlecenie (Create order)). The order lands on the list with the status Oczekuje (Pending) and gets the next number. Anything you haven’t filled in yet can be added later.

The orders list on a phone with the new order, Pending — The new order at the top of the list.

The orders list on a computer with the new order, Pending — The new order at the top of the list.

06Take the car in and print the intake protocol

When the car drives into the workshop, open the order and, in the Pojazd (Vehicle) card, tap Przyjęcie pojazdu (Vehicle intake). In the dialog, enter Przebieg (km) (Mileage) from the odometer.

The Vehicle card of an order on a phone with the Vehicle intake button — The “Przyjęcie pojazdu” (Vehicle intake) button in the vehicle card.

An order on a computer with the Vehicle intake button in the Vehicle card — The “Przyjęcie pojazdu” (Vehicle intake) button in the vehicle card.

Tap Dodaj raport szkód (Add a damage report) to record the car’s condition at intake. Pick the type of damage (Wgniecenie (W) (dent), Rysa (R) (scratch), Odprysk (O) (chip) or Inne (I) (other)) and tap the car diagram where you see it. You can add photos and notes to the report too. Finally, Zapisz (Save).

A damage report on a phone: the car diagram with a dent W1 and a scratch R1 — The damage report: a dented bumper (W1) and a scratched door (R1).

A damage report on a computer: the car diagram with a dent W1 and a scratch R1 — The damage report: a dented bumper (W1) and a scratched door (R1).

Now tap Pobierz protokół przyjęcia (Download the intake protocol). In the browser a PDF downloads; on the phone a share sheet opens so you can print or send it. Finally, confirm with Przyjęcie pojazdu (Vehicle intake). The order shows the mileage and Auto przyjęte (Car taken in).

The Vehicle intake dialog on a phone with the mileage, damage report and the Download protocol button — Mileage, damage report and protocol: all in one dialog.

The Vehicle intake dialog on a computer with the mileage, damage report and the Download protocol button — Mileage, damage report and protocol: all in one dialog.

The protocol is a single A4 page to sign when the keys are handed over. Nitro fills it in from the order:

the vehicle user: the phone number, and the order number as the case number;
the vehicle: make and model, VIN, number plate;
visible damage: the car diagram with the points from the damage report;
space to fill in by hand: towing, additional notes and the signatures of the vehicle user and the person taking the car in.

The vehicle handover protocol: user and vehicle details, towing, the car diagram with damage W1 and R1, additional notes and signatures — The vehicle handover protocol, ready to print.

The Vehicle card on a phone with the intake mileage and Car taken in — After intake: the mileage is saved and the car is taken in.

An order on a computer with the intake mileage and Car taken in — After intake: the mileage is saved and the car is taken in.

You can print the protocol again at any time: in the order’s ⋮ menu, choose Protokół przekazania pojazdu (Vehicle handover protocol) or click the printer icon next to Raport uszkodzeń (Damage report). The same menu has the printouts Wycena (Quote) and Zlecenie (Work order).

The order menu on a phone with Vehicle handover protocol — The order’s printouts in the “⋮” menu.

The order menu on a computer with Vehicle handover protocol — The order’s printouts in the “⋮” menu.

07Fill in the rest later: on a computer or on the phone

Open the order in the browser on a computer. The client, vehicle and notes are already there; add the rest in the same view:

date and mechanic: the pencil icons next to “Planowana praca” (Planned work) and “Mechanik” (Mechanic);
parts and labour: items by hand or imported from a wholesaler file; the costs add up by themselves;
photos and files: the “Pliki” (Files) section.

Order details on a computer: order data, vehicle, notes, parts and labour — The same order on a computer, ready to be completed.

What comes next (statuses, parts, ordering and the invoice) is covered in the guide on handling an order.

Prefer to stay on the phone? In the order, tap Edytuj (Edit) or switch to the Pozycje (Items) tab. Take a photo straight away with the camera: Pliki (Files) → Zrób zdjęcie (Take a photo).