End-to-end workflow
Handle an expired or declined repair estimate
Use this workflow when the customer declines proposed work or an estimate passes its validity period before approval.
Written by the VMOTEK Product Team · Updated August 14, 2026
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1. Confirm roles and prerequisites
Run this workflow with named users and representative test data before using it with a customer. An owner or manager configures the policy; operational staff execute only the actions their role and shop access permit. Confirm the active shop in the header before creating a transaction because appointments, work orders, inventory movements, purchasing and invoices retain that location.
- Advisor: reviews status, records the customer's decision and creates follow-up or a revised proposal.
- Manager: defines estimate validity and any exception authority.
- Technician: must not start declined or expired scope.
- Confirm estimate validity/document policy and the actual current status.
- Check whether an appointment reservation or work-order line is still linked to the proposal.
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2. Execute the workflow from beginning to end
Follow the sequence below in order. Continue from the record already created instead of recreating the customer, vehicle, estimate, appointment or work order. At every handoff, reopen the destination record and confirm its source relationship, shop, status and amounts before proceeding.
- Open the estimate and verify whether it is Declined or Expired; do not infer approval from a phone call or delivered email.
- For declined work, record line-level decline or defer details and a concise reason when supplied by the customer.
- For expired work, review current labor, part cost, availability, taxes, vehicle condition and shop capacity before presenting it again.
- Release or confirm release of reservations that should not remain committed to the inactive proposal.
- When the customer returns, revise/reissue the estimate, send a new decision link and wait for the new authoritative approval.
- Continue to appointment or work order only from the valid replacement decision.
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3. Test the blocked and exception paths
A workflow is not ready merely because its normal path succeeds. Repeat the test using the conditions below. VMOTEK should explain why an action is unavailable, retain the existing record and prevent duplicate, stale, unauthorized or physically impossible activity. Do not bypass a business control by creating an unrelated replacement record.
- Expired or declined status must block stale approval and execution.
- Repeated clicks or old public links must not create duplicate decisions.
- Do not silently restore an old price or unavailable part.
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4. Verify records, inventory and financial effects
Open the related records after execution and reconcile them. The customer and vehicle remain company-wide identities, while the appointment, estimate, work order, inventory activity, purchase or transfer, invoice and payment retain the responsible shop. Status labels are operational evidence—not substitutes for checking quantities, totals and source links.
- Original decision and validity dates remain in estimate history.
- Deferred recommendations remain connected to the vehicle where applicable.
- No inventory remains stranded solely by an inactive estimate.
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5. Confirm customer communication
Use the customer's permitted contact channel and preserve delivery status. A sent message does not equal approval, payment or receipt. Continue only from the authoritative decision or transaction status. Email and SMS availability depends on the shop's connected providers, customer contact data and consent settings.
- Send a clear replacement proposal when the customer reconsiders; do not send the old decision URL.
- Follow-up communication should state that availability and price may have changed.
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6. Completion checklist
The journey is complete only when the final business outcome and the expected audit trail agree. Record any failed check, correct configuration or source data, and rerun the scenario from a clean test record.
- Inactive scope cannot move into executable work.
- A new approval belongs to the reissued estimate and current total.
- Vehicle history retains both the original outcome and later proposal.
Related product areas
Understand the capability behind the task
Continue to the applicable platform page for workflow behavior, role differences and connected operating consequences.
Ready to move forward?
Need help with your configuration?
Existing customers should use in-product support for account-aware assistance. Evaluation teams can contact us to discuss requirements.