Complete guide to setting up and using the Vollstart Repair Desk WordPress plugin.
Getting Started
- Configure your business — name, email, phone, address (Options tab)
- Create repair types — e.g. “Bike Service”, “Screen Repair” (Repair Types tab)
- Add work step templates — reusable checklists per repair type (Step Lists tab)
- Start creating repairs — each gets a unique repair number and QR code
The plugin creates a status page at
/repair-status/. Change the slug in Settings.
Repairs
Creating a Repair
- Go to the Repairs tab
- Click New Repair
- Fill in device info, defect description, and select a repair type
- Optionally assign to a customer and device
Each repair gets a unique
repair number (configurable format) and an
access code for the customer status page.
Status Flow
| Status |
Meaning |
| Received |
Device accepted at workshop |
| Diagnosis |
Inspecting the problem |
| Quote |
Cost estimate sent to customer |
| Waiting for Parts |
Parts ordered, waiting for delivery |
| In Progress |
Repair work is ongoing |
| Quality Check |
Final inspection before handout |
| Done |
Ready for pickup |
| Handed Out |
Customer picked up the device |
| Cancelled |
Repair cancelled |
With Pro you can define
custom statuses with your own names, colors, and icons.
Repair Numbers
| Format |
Example |
| Number only |
REP-0001 |
| Year + Number |
REP-26-0001 |
| Year+Month + Number |
REP-2604-0001 |
Configure prefix, format, and number of digits in Settings.
Customers
Customer records are created automatically when you assign a customer to a repair, or manually in the Customers tab.
- Name, email, phone, address
- Customer number (auto-generated, configurable prefix)
- Full repair history
- Linked devices
- Change history with revert
Free: 50 customers. Pro: Unlimited.
Devices
Track devices (products, vehicles, equipment) linked to customers.
| Field |
Description |
| Name / Type |
Device type (dropdown if configured in Settings, free text otherwise) |
| Brand |
Manufacturer |
| Model |
Model name or number |
| Serial Number |
Unique identifier |
| Photos |
Intake photos, condition documentation |
When creating a repair, select an existing device — brand, model, and serial auto-fill.
Repair Types
Define your most common repair jobs with estimated duration, default price, and icon.
- Favorites — mark types as favorites for quick-start buttons on the repair form
- Work Step Templates — attach a checklist template to auto-create steps when the type is selected
- Estimated Duration — auto-calculates the estimated completion date (skips weekends)
Free: 3 repair types. Pro: Unlimited.
Work Steps
Checklists attached to repairs. Each step can be checked off, timed, and tracked.
- Create from template (linked to repair type) or add manually
- Progress bar shows completion percentage
- Time Tracker — start/stop timer per step (enable in Settings)
- Auto-status — optionally advance repair status when steps are completed
Step Lists (Templates)
Reusable step templates in the Step Lists tab. Each item can have:
| Field |
Description |
| Title |
Step name |
| Duration |
Estimated minutes |
| Price |
Flat price or hourly rate |
| Instructions |
Notes for the technician |
| Pricing Mode |
Flat (fixed price) or Tracked (time-based billing) |
Photo Uploads
Upload photos for repairs and devices via webcam, mobile camera, or file picker.
- Lightbox preview
- Thumbnail generation
- Camera button on mobile
Free: 2 photos per repair. Pro: Unlimited.
QR Code & Status Page
Each repair gets a unique QR code linking to the public status page.
- Print QR labels — attach to the device
- Status page — customer sees status, timeline, messages, and billing (if enabled)
- Shortcode —
[repair-status] embeds the status lookup form on any page
- Direct link —
/repair-status/{number}/{code}/ auto-loads the repair
Customer Portal
Progressive web app for customers. Access via secure token URL — no login needed.
- All repairs and devices for the customer
- Status updates and timeline
- Messages with the workshop
- Installable as app on phone (PWA)
Messaging
Communication between workshop and customer per repair.
| Setting |
Description |
| Enable messages |
Master switch |
| Show on status page |
Customer sees messages |
| Allow reply |
Customer can reply |
Messages are blocked when the repair reaches a final status (handed out / cancelled).
Email Notifications
| Email |
To |
Trigger |
| Status Update |
Customer |
Status changes (configurable which statuses) |
| New Repair |
Admin |
Repair created |
| Customer Message |
Admin |
Customer sends a message |
| Message to Customer |
Customer |
Workshop sends a message |
| Pickup Reminder |
Customer |
Configurable days after status “Done” |
| Rating Request |
Customer |
After repair completion |
Email History — full log per repair with body preview and resend button.
Custom templates Pro — full HTML control with placeholders.
Staff Management Pro
- Add team members with roles (Workshop / Reception)
- Auth tokens — staff accesses the intake app without WordPress login
- Hourly rates per staff member for billing
- Assign staff to repairs
Free: 1 staff member. Pro: Unlimited.
Intake App Pro
Staff creates repairs from their phone — no WordPress admin needed.
- Customer search and creation
- Device selection or creation
- Camera for intake photos
- QR code generation
- Repair type quick-start buttons
Access via auth token URL. Managed in Options → Staff Management.
Billing & Cost Tracking Pro
Track costs per repair: materials, work steps, and labor.
| Cost Type |
Description |
| Materials |
Parts and materials from catalog or ad-hoc |
| Steps (flat) |
Fixed-price work steps |
| Labor (tracked) |
Time-based billing from step timer |
| Estimated Price |
Optional base price from repair creation |
Rate priority: Step price > Staff hourly rate > Default rate.
Time rounding: Configurable (e.g. round up to nearest 15 minutes).
PDF Documents Pro
- Invoice — line items, tax, total, business header
- Repair Receipt — intake confirmation with QR code for customer
- Device Report — normal (last 5 repairs) or full (all + change history)
- Customer Report — normal (last 10 repairs) or full (all + devices + history)
PDFs open in a new tab via direct URL — on-the-fly generation, no download needed.
Configure paper size, font, margins, and text direction (LTR/RTL) in Settings.
Item Catalog Pro
Global catalog of parts and labor items.
- Name, SKU, category, unit price
- Price history and usage statistics
- Assign to work steps or directly to repairs
- Stock management with low-stock email alerts
WooCommerce Integration Pro
Create a WooCommerce order from the billing summary. Line items are transferred automatically.
Warranty & Maintenance Pro
- Warranty — set warranty date per repair, automatic expiry reminders via email
- Maintenance — recurring service intervals per device, email reminders when due
Rating System
- Internal staff ratings — rate customers from the admin
- Customer ratings — 1-5 stars via email link or status page
- Average ratings displayed on customer and repair cards
GDPR
- Export — download all customer data as JSON
- Anonymize — erase personal data, keep repair records
- Delete — remove customer and all associated data
Bulk Actions
- Change status for multiple repairs
- Print QR labels
- Delete multiple repairs
Settings
| Section |
Key Settings |
| General |
Business name, email, phone, address, currency, tax |
| Repair Numbers |
Prefix, format, digits |
| Communication |
Enable messages, allow replies |
| Email |
Status emails, notification emails, subjects |
| Pickup Reminder |
Days after completion, reminder email subject |
| Work Steps |
Enable time tracking, allow manual steps, auto-advance |
| Cost Tracking Pro |
Default hourly rate, time rounding, include estimated price |
| Billing Pro |
Show on status page, invoice note |
| PDF Pro |
Paper size, font, margins, RTL, show staff/timeline |
| Status Page |
Enable, slug, show photos/files/messages |
| Staff Pro |
Enable staff management, intake app |
| Ratings |
Enable ratings, allow updates |
| Maintenance Pro |
Reminder days before due date |
| Customer Portal |
Enable, messaging, file visibility |
| Branding Pro |
Remove branding from public pages |
All options have change history with one-click revert. Export/Import settings as JSON.
Premium Features
Pro
- Unlimited repairs, customers, photos, repair types, staff
- Billing with labor + parts pricing
- PDF invoices, receipts, device and customer reports
- WooCommerce integration
- Item catalog and inventory
- Custom status definitions
- Warranty and maintenance tracking
- Custom email templates
- Staff management with intake app
- Remove branding
Download FreeGet Pro
