This template applies the four-block method: THE THINGS, THE LINKS, THE STATES, THE NUMBERS, to running a repair or fabrication workshop. It's filled in for a musical-instrument repair shop: the example shows how to describe the job queue: a workshop's real question: what's in progress, for whom, for when.
To adapt it, replace the tracked object (instrument, bike, device, furniture) and above all the STATES block: the exact stages an order goes through in your shop, in order, including the waiting stage that blocks everything, often "waiting on parts" or "waiting on client approval".
Filled with your own words, this text briefs a developer: or is submitted as-is to Blueprint Maker, which turns it into an application plan you validate, then a generated application: database, screens, job queue and dashboard with demo data.
The template to copy
My business: wind-instrument repair workshop, 3 people, about thirty repairs in progress at any time. THINGS tracked: - Repairs (date received, diagnosis, quote amount, date promised to the client) - Clients (name, phone, e-mail, type private, music school or orchestra) - Instruments (type, brand, serial number) - Ordered parts (description, supplier, order date, expected delivery date) LINKS: - A repair concerns an instrument. - An instrument belongs to a client. - An ordered part is attached to a repair. STATES of a repair: received, diagnosed, quote accepted, waiting on parts, in progress, done, returned. NUMBERS to see every morning: - Repairs in progress by stage - Repairs waiting on parts - Repairs late against the promised date - Repairs completed this month
Adapting this template to your workshop
- Fabrication rather than repair: replace "Repair" with "Work order", the instrument with the fabricated product, and parts with materials: the structure is the same, only the words change.
- Your own stages: the example's state list comes from one specific shop. Use yours: some workshops have "in testing", "finishing" or "ready for pickup"; put them in the real order of your queue.
- Priorities and rush jobs: if urgency structures your days, add a priority field on the repair (or a rule: priority by promised date), it becomes a sort order in the job queue.
- Repair and sales: if the workshop also sells (accessories, second-hand), add Items and Sales entities linked to clients, the same client then carries both repairs and purchases.
- The quote here is an amount and an approval status: compliant invoicing stays in your invoicing tool.