Recording Repair Warranty Claims in Automan
A warranty is a promise — and a claim is that promise being called in. A shop that records claims correctly answers three hard questions in seconds: what was this unit repaired for, until when does the warranty run, and how many times has it come back. A shop that doesn’t record them relies on memory — and memory always loses an argument with a customer.
Before you start
- Familiar with the basic repair flow (the Repair Flow tutorial).
Steps
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Confirm it's a warranty claim, not a return
A warranty claim = the unit is back with the same complaint while the warranty still runs, and gets reworked. A repair return = the transaction is cancelled/corrected and value flows back. The two paths differ in the system — the wrong path makes reports dishonest.
Warranty claim ≠ return — two different paths. -
Check the original job's warranty first
Find the source repair in the history (by receipt number, customer name, or repair tracking) and confirm the warranty is still valid. This is also your footing with the customer if the warranty turns out expired.
Check the original job's warranty first. -
Record the claim via Repairs > List > Add New
Fill the form like a normal intake: same customer, the unit, and the complaint. A warranty claim enters as a new repair job — not an edit of the old one — so both histories stay whole.
Record it via Repairs > List > Add New. -
Enable the Warranty Claim option on the form
In the Warranty Claim field, switch it on. This is what distinguishes a claim job from a regular one in records and reports.
Switch on the Warranty Claim field. -
Pick the Old Data: the original job being claimed
Enter the old data of the repair item being claimed. This link is what makes the claim traceable: the system knows this new job continues the warranty of which piece of work.
Old Data links the claim to its original job. -
Save — the claim joins the queue and runs as usual
Once saved, the item appears in the queue and follows the normal repair flow: worked by a technician, tested, through handover. What gets billed (fully free or only certain parts) follows your shop's warranty agreement.
The claim follows the normal repair flow. -
Set the claim warranty-period policy in the Repair Settings
Automan has a "claim warranty follows the old warranty" setting: on, the warranty continues the original's remainder; off, a fresh warranty starts. Example: a 30-day battery warranty failing on day 10 → the old option gives the remaining 20 days, the new option a full 30 again. Choose once, apply consistently to every claim.
Warranty policy: continue the remainder or count fresh.
What you end up with
Every warranty claim recorded as a new job linked to its original, worked through the normal flow, with a continuation warranty following shop policy — the unit's history whole and the customer certain of where they stand.
If something goes wrong
The customer's warranty turns out expired
Deliver it with data: the original repair date and warranty period are in the history. Work it as a regular (paid) job if the customer agrees — never force it through the claim path.
The damage differs from the original complaint
A warranty claim covers the guaranteed complaint/work. Unrelated new damage is entered as a regular job, not a claim.
Torn on the continuation warranty: remainder or fresh count?
Check the claim-warranty setting in the Repair Settings. Both are valid — what matters is one policy, communicated to customers from the start.