Configuring & Utilizing The Lot & Bay System

Implementing and Managing the Lot and Bay System on garageflo

The garageflo Lot and Bay system is designed to seamlessly reflect the real-life operations of your shop. Accurate and timely updates in the software will help your team manage jobs efficiently while providing managers with real-time insights into shop activity, no matter where they are.

Follow this guide to set up and configure the Lot and Bay system, ensuring your shop workflow is mirrored in garageflo.

Step 1: Set Up Your Dropoff Lot

1. Navigate to Locations
   • Log in to garageflo and go to the Locations section from the sidebar.
2. Select a Location
   • Click on the location you want to edit. This will open the location’s settings.
3. Assign a Primary Dropoff Lot
   • Locate the Primary Dropoff Lot option in the location settings.
   • Select the lot that corresponds to your shop's physical dropoff area where new vehicles are dropped off.
4. What This Means:The Primary Dropoff Lot serves as the default holding area for newly dropped-off vehicles in garageflo. All jobs without a bay assignment will initially be scheduled into this lot. Ensure the selected dropoff lot matches your shop's actual (out of software) dropoff process.
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Step 2: Navigate to Live Shop Control

1. Go to Jobs → Live Shop Control
   • From the sidebar, navigate to Jobs and select Live Shop Control.
2. Understand the Default View
   • By default, the system displays jobs assigned to the Primary Dropoff Lot, including:
     • Newly dropped-off vehicles.
     • Jobs awaiting further action.
   • You can also select other lots to view jobs not assigned to a bay.
3. Actual Alignment
   • When garageflo shows jobs in a lot, ensure those vehicles are physically in the corresponding area in your shop.
   • Reminder: Changes in garageflo, such as moving jobs between lots or into bays, must be actually reflected to maintain accuracy.

Step 3: Bay Assignment

1. Select a Bay
   • In Live Shop Control, choose a bay to manage jobs.
   • You can drag and drop jobs into a bay or select a job and assign it to a specific bay.
2. Edit Bay Settings
   • To adjust a bay’s settings (e.g., vehicle capacity), go to Locations → Edit Location → Edit Bay.
   • Set the maximum vehicle capacity for the bay, which determines how many vehicles it can hold at one time.
3. Reflect Actual
   • When a job is assigned to a bay in garageflo, physically move the vehicle into the bay in your shop.
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Step 4: Bay Queue and Priority System

1. Queue Mechanics
   • Bays can only accommodate as many jobs as their vehicle capacity allows.
   • If a bay is full, additional jobs will be automatically assigned to the queue for that bay.
2. Jobs in Queue
   • Jobs with the status In-Queue are not yet in the bay. These vehicles should remain in the lot or another designated area in your shop.
   • When space becomes available, the next job in the queue will automatically move into the bay.
3. No Maximum Queue Size
   • There is no limit to how many jobs can be queued for a bay, ensuring flexibility in job management.
4. Dynamic System
   • When a job is completed, cancelled, or marked as finished in garageglo, it is automatically moved out of the bay.
   • If there are jobs in the queue, the next one will automatically take its place, ensuring seamless operation.
     
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Step 5: Job Finished Lot Assignment

1. Configuration
   • Assign the preferred lot for finished jobs to be assigned to. Cancelled, finished, or otherwise in-active jobs, will be automatically assigned to this lot.
   • Be sure this lot reflects the same physical parking lot in which vehicles are moved after service has been completed.

Best Practices for Success

1. Mirror Actual:
   • Always ensure changes in garageflo are reflected physically in your shop. For example:
     • If a job is moved into a bay in the system, move the corresponding vehicle into the actual bay.
     • Jobs in the queue should remain in the lot until they are assigned a bay.
2. Stay Organized:
   • Keep the Primary Dropoff Lot and other lots in the system aligned with your real-world workflow.
   • Use the Live Shop Control view to manage and track jobs efficiently.
3. Monitor and Adjust:
   • Regularly review bay capacities and queue statuses to avoid bottlenecks.
   • Use the system’s flexibility to handle unexpected changes, such as cancellations or rescheduling.

Why garageflo's Lot and Bay System Stands Out

The dynamic and flexible nature of the Lot and Bay system ensures that your shop is never overbooked. It empowers managers to:

• Maintain real-time visibility into shop activity.
• Prevent overloading bays while efficiently managing queued jobs.
• Accurately control shop operations from anywhere in the world.

By reflecting actual shop movements in garageflo, your team can operate seamlessly, reduce confusion, and enhance overall efficiency.

Get started today and make garageflo an integral part of your shop's success! For additional support, contact our help center.

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