> ## 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.

# Create operations workflows

> Build step-by-step checklists for repeated facility work, such as vehicle intake, pickup, transport, or detailing.

Use this guide when your team follows the same steps for a job over and over.

> [!NOTE]
>
> **Workflows is no longer a section on Operations**
>
> The **Workflows** block used to live on [Settings > Operations](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/settings/operations). That page now covers bays, odometer units, cars for sale, and parking audits. See [Configure operations settings](/docs/settings/configure-operations-settings.md).
>
> To set up the services each checklist step uses, open [Settings > Services & schedule](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/settings/events). To run work on a specific day, open [Schedule](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/schedule).
>
> If your facility already has a workflow, staff can still open it from a vehicle or a scheduled event. New facilities can start with clearly named services instead of a multi-step checklist.

## What you will accomplish

* Plan a named process such as **New Vehicle Intake** or **Vehicle Departure**.
* Link each step to a service from [Settings > Services & schedule](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/settings/events).
* Set durations and optional delays between steps.
* Test the checklist once on [Schedule](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/schedule) before asking the whole team to use it.

A workflow is a saved checklist. It helps staff do the right work in the right order. You might use a workflow for vehicle intake, vehicle departure, transport, detailing, or a special service package.

## When to use a workflow (and when not to)

* **Use a workflow** when the same steps happen in the same order every time (intake, departure, transport handoff).
* **Use a single appointment** when the job is one visit with no checklist—for example a one-hour detail with no follow-up steps.
* **Build services first** in [Settings > Services & schedule](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/settings/events) before you link them in a workflow.

![Services and schedule settings showing service cards such as New Car Intake, Dealer Service, and Vehicle Drop Off](https://mintcdn.com/carstoragesoftware/HrLVUvqKt7UkSq2X/images/settings/settings-services-schedule-sep15.webp?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=HrLVUvqKt7UkSq2X\&q=85\&s=4cd47cf6f3ed09e9f332a2d3ef1fcf9b)

*Create the services a checklist will use on [Settings > Services & schedule](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/settings/events) before you try to chain them together.*

## Before you start

* You should be signed in as a team admin or manager.
* Open [Settings > Services & schedule](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/settings/events) and confirm each step already exists as a service.
* Know the real-world process you want to turn into a checklist.

## Plan the workflow before you build it

Write the steps in plain English first. This keeps the setup simple.

Example: **New Vehicle Intake**

1. Confirm drop off
2. Photo intake and condition check
3. Assign first care task

> [!TIP]
>
> **Keep the first workflow small**
>
> Start with the steps staff must complete every time. You can edit the workflow later after your team uses it.

## Build the same process with services

Until a Workflows settings page returns, create each step as its own service, then book those services in order.

**1. Write the steps in the order staff do them**

Example for **New Vehicle Intake**:

1. Vehicle Drop Off
2. Photo intake and condition check
3. Assign first care task

**2. Create each step as a service**

Open [Settings > Services & schedule](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/settings/events) and add a service for every step that does not already exist.

Use the same names you wrote down. Follow [Configure services and schedule settings](/docs/settings/configure-events-and-schedule-settings.md).

**3. Book the first visit on Schedule**

Open [Schedule](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/schedule) and create the first appointment (for example **Vehicle Drop Off**).

Add the later visits on the same car when they should happen.

**Expected result:** Staff see the same order you planned, one appointment at a time.

> [!TIP]
>
> **Already have a workflow?**
>
> If your facility created a workflow before this settings change, staff can still open it from a scheduled event. Look for **Open Event** on [Schedule](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/schedule). See [Run event workflow from Schedule](/docs/schedule/run-event-workflow-from-schedule.md).

## Test the workflow on Schedule

Before you ask the whole team to use a new checklist, run it once on a sample vehicle or test event.

**1. Create a test appointment**

Open [Schedule](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/schedule) and follow [Create an appointment](/docs/schedule/create-an-appointment.md) for a test vehicle.

Choose an event type that matches the **first step** of your workflow.

**2. Open the event and click Open Event**

Click the calendar block to open the event detail panel on the right.

Look for **Open Event** near **Edit Event** at the top of that panel.

**Expected result:** The floor workflow screen opens with the checklist steps you configured.

**3. Walk through each step**

Complete or skip optional steps the way a technician would on a real visit.

**Why this matters:** Testing catches missing event types, wrong durations, or steps marked optional by mistake.

![Schedule event detail panel showing Open Event button next to Edit Event for running a linked workflow](https://mintcdn.com/carstoragesoftware/G8UHOQQoCr9klzqv/images/schedule/schedule-event-detail-open-event.webp?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=G8UHOQQoCr9klzqv\&q=85\&s=3d0c2a0186613719eb9ee0dfa5cc364e)

***Open Event** on Schedule is how staff run an existing checklist. See [Run event workflow from Schedule](/docs/schedule/run-event-workflow-from-schedule.md).*

## What success looks like

* The workflow name matches how your team talks about the job.
* Each step exists as an active service on [Settings > Services & schedule](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/settings/events).
* Required steps are not marked optional.
* A test event shows **Open Event** and the checklist opens correctly.
* Staff know when to start the workflow from Schedule or a vehicle record.

## Helpful tips

> [!NOTE]
>
> Workflow is another word for a repeatable checklist.
>
> Some teams also say "SOP," which means standard operating procedure. You do not need to use that term with your staff. A simple name like **New Vehicle Intake** is easier to understand.

## Troubleshooting

> [!WARNING]
>
> **I cannot find Add workflow on Operations**
>
> That section is no longer on [Settings > Operations](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/settings/operations). Create each step as a service on [Settings > Services & schedule](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/settings/events) instead.

> [!TIP]
>
> **The step duration does not look right**
>
> Open that service with **Set up** on [Settings > Services & schedule](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/settings/events) and review its duration.

> [!WARNING]
>
> **Staff are skipping important work**
>
> Open the service with **Set up** and confirm staff know which visits are required. Keep names clear so people do not skip a step by accident.

> [!WARNING]
>
> **Open Event does not appear**
>
> Not every service uses a checklist. If your facility has an older workflow, confirm the scheduled event is linked to it and is not a simple **Calendar Block**. See [Run event workflow from Schedule](/docs/schedule/run-event-workflow-from-schedule.md).

## What to do next

After your test run works, train technicians with [Run event workflow from Schedule](/docs/schedule/run-event-workflow-from-schedule.md). If staff also need clearer progress labels, continue with [Manage custom statuses and amenities](/docs/settings/manage-custom-statuses-and-amenities.md).


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