5 steps from intake to invoice.
Every CollisionMatrix job follows the same proven path — fully documented, fully digital, fully traceable. Here's exactly what happens from the moment a customer calls to the moment they pay.
Scan the VIN — vehicle in the system in 2 minutes
The moment a vehicle arrives, your front desk or estimator opens CollisionMatrix on any phone or tablet and points the camera at the VIN plate. The NHTSA vPIC database decodes the full vehicle spec — make, model, trim, engine, body style — in under two seconds. A 5-stage intake wizard pre-fills everything else: customer details, insurance info, initial damage notes, and the assigned estimator. A unique work order number (WO-XXXX) is assigned automatically. The vehicle is in the system before it reaches the bay.
Document the damage — every photo insurer-ready
The estimator walks the vehicle with a phone, capturing multi-shot photos that auto-compress and geotag before storing to your shop's private cloud. Severity-coded pins drop onto a 2D vehicle body map — cosmetic, moderate, or structural — and a Digital Vehicle Inspection (DVI) checklist runs through 7 template types and 9 categories. Each item is passed, flagged for attention, or failed. Annotations draw directly on photos. Everything is timestamped and tied to the work order the moment it's captured. When the estimator finishes, an insurer-ready photo package is already built.
Build and send the estimate — approved the same day
From the documented damage, the estimator opens the estimate builder and adds parts, labour lines, and sublet work. Canadian GST and PST calculate automatically by province. Discounts and deposits are handled inline. A branded PDF is generated — your shop's logo, colour, and contact info — and a secure approval link is emailed or texted to the customer. They open it on their phone, read the estimate, and tap to digitally sign. No printing, no faxing, no follow-up calls. The signed approval is timestamped and permanently stored. Most shops see approval within the same business day.
Manage the repair — every technician knows their queue
Once the estimate is approved, the work order moves to the kanban board. An 8-stage board — intake, estimate, approved, in-progress, QA, complete, invoiced, closed — gives every team member a real-time view of the shop floor. Technicians see exactly what's in their queue. Parts are tracked with ordered/received status. Labour hours log against the work order automatically. The customer follows along on their portal — a live repair timeline showing each status change with a timestamp and optional technician notes. Automated SMS and email notifications fire at key milestones. No one has to call to ask where the car is.
Invoice and get paid — no phone call required
When repair is complete, the approved estimate converts to a final invoice in one tap. Any adjustments to parts or labour are reconciled automatically. A secure Stripe-powered payment link is included in the invoice — the customer pays by card from their phone. Funds hit your account without a call, without a trip to the shop, and without a paper receipt. A before/after repair report generates automatically with audience presets for the customer, insurer, or resale record. The work order closes, analytics update, and the vehicle record is permanently archived.
"We cut our estimate turnaround from two days to two hours. Customers sign off the same afternoon now — the insurer even commented on how clean our documentation is."Jason M. · Owner, Markham Auto Body — Growth plan, 6 bays
One timeline, one record
Every action — photo taken, estimate sent, approval received, payment collected — writes to the same work order timeline. There is one version of the truth for every job, always.
Automated at every milestone
Status changes trigger email and SMS to the customer automatically. Appointment reminders fire 24 hours ahead. No one at the front desk has to remember to send anything.
Full audit trail, always
Every estimate, approval, payment, and signature is timestamped and permanently stored. If an insurer or customer ever disputes a charge, you have the complete paper trail — one click away.
See the full workflow live
Book a 20-minute walkthrough — we'll run a real job from VIN scan to invoice while you watch.