> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Send a car to a vendor location

> Record when a vehicle leaves your building for outside body shop, detail, or storage partner work.

Sometimes a stored vehicle leaves your facility for work at a partner shop, an off-site detailer, or another storage location. Your team still needs the car record to show **where the vehicle is now**—even when it is not on your parking map.

Use this guide to mark a car **At vendor** so anyone opening the record knows the vehicle is away.

## What you will accomplish

You will open the parking location dialog, choose a **vendor** instead of a spot or zone, and save so the car header shows **At vendor:** with the partner name.

**Expected outcome:** Staff do not search your floor map for a car that is physically at an outside shop.

## When to send a car to a vendor

* A vehicle goes to a body shop, mechanic, detailer, or consignment partner you track in the system.
* The car left your building but is still under your customer's storage agreement.
* You need the record to match transport or pickup paperwork.

> [!NOTE]
>
> **Vendors are set up in Settings**
>
> If no vendors appear in the location picker, an admin needs to add vendor partners in your facility settings. Ask a manager if the list is empty.

## Before you start

* The car record exists on [Cars](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/cars).
* You know which outside partner has the vehicle.
* You understand whether the car should stay linked to a customer and billing while away (usually yes).

![Parking Location dialog on an Aston Martin DB9 showing Current Location as Vendor Prestige Auto Body and a Send to vendor button](https://mintcdn.com/carstoragesoftware/ggah6moKlxnkQYNH/images/cars/cars-parking-location-dialog-sep17.webp?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=ggah6moKlxnkQYNH\&q=85\&s=778b85b5045da8ebc65825a5bff98c91)

*The **Parking Location** window shows where the car is now. When a vendor is selected, the blue button reads **Send to vendor**.*

## Step 1: Open the parking location dialog

**1. Open the car record**

Go to [Cars](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/cars) and click **View** on the vehicle.

**2. Click the location button**

At the top of the page, click **Assign location**, **Zone:**, **Spot:**, or **At vendor:**—whichever appears today.

**Expected result:** The **Parking Location** dialog opens.

![Parking Location dialog on a car record with Location field and options for zones, spots, or vendors](https://mintcdn.com/carstoragesoftware/ggah6moKlxnkQYNH/images/cars/move-vehicle-dialog.webp?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=ggah6moKlxnkQYNH\&q=85\&s=7483b38645569c1588d3e7cb46885e48)

*The **Parking Location** dialog is the same window you use for everyday spot changes. Vendors appear in the **Location** search list alongside zones and numbered spots.*

## Step 2: Choose the vendor

**1. Open the Location field**

Click **Location** (placeholder "Select zone, spot, or vendor...").

**2. Pick the vendor name**

Scroll or search for the outside partner—not a numbered spot on your map. Vendor names usually include the shop or business name.

**Why this matters:** Picking a vendor instead of a spot tells the whole team the car is not in your building.

**3. Click Send to vendor**

When a vendor is selected, the main button at the bottom reads **Send to vendor**. Click it.

**Expected result:** The dialog closes. The header button shows **At vendor:** with the partner name.

## Step 3: Confirm on the record

**1. Read the header**

Look at the top of the car page for **At vendor:** and the vendor name.

**Expected result:** The location button no longer shows a zone or spot inside your building.

**2. Check Activity Feed (optional)**

The move may appear in **Activity Feed** on the right so future staff see when the car left.

**Expected result:** Your team can answer "where is this car?" without walking the lot.

![Aston Martin DB9 car page with At vendor Prestige Auto Body in the top-right of the photo banner](https://mintcdn.com/carstoragesoftware/YaZhPyY4b9Fq3hyS/images/cars/cars-at-vendor-db9-sep17.webp?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=YaZhPyY4b9Fq3hyS\&q=85\&s=6dd9a30b46ac44021bb4aac2e8a1d813)

*After you save, the banner button shows **At vendor:** plus the shop name. The Activity Feed also notes that the car is at the vendor.*

## When the car returns to your facility

When the vehicle comes back from the shop, update the location the same day so your parking map and customer answers stay accurate.

**1. Open Parking Location again**

Click **At vendor:** on the car header.

**2. Choose a zone or spot**

Select the real parking spot or zone inside your building.

**3. Click Update location**

Save. The button should now show **Zone:** or **Spot:** instead of **At vendor:**.

**Expected result:** [Parking Spots](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/parking-spots) and the car record agree on where the vehicle sits.

For everyday parking moves inside your building, use [Move a car](/docs/cars/move-a-car.md).

## Common mistakes to avoid

* Do not leave the car on a floor spot when it physically left—the map will mislead your team.
* Do not use **Remove** unless the vehicle left your care entirely. Vendor location keeps the record active while the car is away.
* Do not forget to update the location when the car returns from the shop.

## Troubleshooting

> [!WARNING]
>
> **I only see spots and zones, no vendors**
>
> Ask an admin to add vendor locations in facility settings. Until then, add a note on the car record and use [Move a car](/docs/cars/move-a-car.md) documentation for spot-based tracking.

> [!TIP]
>
> **Send to vendor is grayed out**
>
> Make sure you selected a vendor in the **Location** field. An empty field cannot be saved.

## What to do next

* Schedule transport or pickup events with [Start a car session](/docs/cars/start-a-car-session.md) when you need a paper trail.
* Update the customer in [Inbox](/docs/inbox/overview.md) when the vendor reports progress.
* When the car is back, assign a real spot with [Move a car](/docs/cars/move-a-car.md).


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