Auto repair shop bookkeeping: parts, repair data, bay rent and insurance against card and fleet deposits
An independent shop is paid by card through Square and by fleet accounts; the costs are parts, a repair-data subscription, bay rent, waste-oil pickup, garage insurance and certifications. The bank statement holds both.
Worked example: one October
The tool ships a synthetic statement for a small shop (fixtures/autorepair-checking.csv): three deposits and ten outgoing lines. Every line gets a suggested account with no rules taught; check each one.
| October 2026 | Amount |
|---|---|
| Square card deposits | $5,595.50 |
| Fleet account payment | $1,250.00 |
| Money in | $6,845.50 |
| Parts and tool-truck payment | −$896.20 |
| Used-oil pickup (repairs and maintenance) | −$96.00 |
| Repair-data software | −$169.00 |
| Bay rent | −$1,400.00 |
| ASE test fee | −$93.00 |
| Garage liability insurance | −$241.00 |
| City licence | −$120.00 |
| Google Ads | −$150.00 |
| Costs | −$3,165.20 |
| Profit before draw | $3,680.30 |
The $800.00 Zelle to the owner is suggested as an owner draw (equity), not a cost. Parts that go into a customer's car are cost of goods for some shops; the tool files them as supplies and does not split them. Tools bought to last years, and sales tax on parts, are separate questions: ask an accountant.
Questions
Are parts supplies or cost of goods?
The tool suggests supplies and materials. Whether to track parts as inventory or cost of goods is your choice.
Is a transfer to myself a cost?
No. A transfer to the owner is suggested as an owner draw (equity), so it does not reduce profit.
Open AI Bookkeeper and import your bank statement. Rules are written from company names; no real shop's statement has been tried.