How do I Track Mechanic Labor on an Invoice?
You track mechanic labor on an invoice by recording labor type and hours (or rate) on the job card, then pulling that labor—along with parts used—onto the invoice when you convert the job to an invoice. One job card drives one invoice so labor and parts stay in sync and nothing is missed.
In this article
- Why labor and parts should both come from the job card
- How to add labor types and hours to a job card
- Handling subcontractors and outside labor
- One job card → one accurate invoice
Why should labor and parts both come from the job card?
If labor is written on a scrap of paper and parts are in another system, you get re-entry errors and missed line items. When both labor and parts are on the job card, the invoice is just a one-click conversion: the same labor lines and parts lines become invoice lines. That's how you get accurate, consistent invoices and no revenue leakage.
| On the job card | On the invoice |
|---|---|
| Labor type (e.g. mechanical, electrical, diagnostic) | Labor line item(s) |
| Hours (or flat rate) | Quantity and rate |
| Rate per hour (optional) | Price |
| Parts issued to job | Parts line items (auto-added) |
| Subcontractor / outwork | Pass-through line item |
How do I add labor types and hours to a job card?
Your job card should have a labor section: labor type (e.g. mechanical, electrical, diagnostic), hours (or flat rate), and optionally rate per hour. When the job is done, those lines are complete. At invoice time, the system copies them to the invoice. For automotive and construction businesses, this is usually built into the job card module so technicians and office staff work from one screen.
What if I use subcontractors or outside labor?
Treat outside labor as a cost on the job card (e.g. "Subcontractor – exhaust") and pass it through to the invoice as a line item. That way the full cost of the job is on the card and the customer is billed correctly. For more on making sure every cost hits the invoice, see automating parts-to-invoice workflows.
Tracking mechanic labor on the invoice starts with tracking it on the job card. Once that's standard, your invoices will reflect the real work and parts every time.