Parts are where garages bleed money quietly. Overstocked brake pads for models that don't come in anymore. Stock-outs of the oil filter that moves every day. A ₹5,000 invoice delayed because the part had to be fetched.
Good inventory management is not about spreadsheets — it is about knowing, at any moment, what you have, what is moving, and what to re-order.
The 80/20 of garage inventory
In most garages, 20% of the parts cause 80% of the revenue. Your real job is not tracking 500 SKUs — it is tracking the 30-50 fast movers:
- Engine oils (different viscosities)
- Oil, air and fuel filters
- Brake pads (top 10 models)
- Wiper blades, bulbs, fuses
- Coolant, grease, cleaners
- Spark plugs (top variants)
If you nail these, you cover 90% of walk-ins without delay.
The minimum fields per part
- Part name + brand + variant
- SKU or part number
- Current stock quantity
- Minimum stock level (trigger to reorder)
- Purchase price + selling price
- Default supplier
- HSN code (for GST invoicing)
Link parts to job cards
This is the single most valuable habit. When a mechanic marks a part as used in a job card, stock should drop automatically. No end-of-day reconciliation. No "who took the last filter?" arguments.
Low-stock alerts, not inventory audits
You don't have time for weekly stock-taking. Set a minimum quantity on each part and let the system nudge you when it's time to reorder. Check actual counts once a month for the fast movers only.
A garage owner we spoke to reduced dead stock by 35% in three months just by switching from a notebook to an app with low-stock alerts.
Seasonal stock adjustments
- Monsoon: wiper blades, brake cleaners, rust protection
- Summer: AC gas, coolant, cabin filters
- Winter: battery tests, antifreeze, wiper fluid
Reorder a week ahead of the season, not during.
Supplier hygiene
Keep two suppliers for every fast-moving part. Compare prices quarterly. Don't negotiate with one supplier for years — the market moves.
Inventory that talks to your job cards
Mechanic Mate links parts to job cards automatically and alerts you on low stock.
Get it on Google Play