How Parts Are Added to a Work Order & What Happens Next
There are several ways a part can be added to a work order in ShopView, and each method determines what needs to happen for the part to move through the parts lifecycle. This article explains every scenario for adding a part, what information is required, and how the system determines the next steps.
This article focuses only on adding parts and the parts workflow — not returns, credits, or vendor order management.
1. Inventory Parts vs. Special Order Parts
There are two main types of parts in ShopView:
A. Inventory Parts
Parts that already exist in the shop’s inventory.
B. Special Order (Vendor) Parts
Parts that are not stocked and must be ordered from a vendor.
Each type has its own workflow depending on how much information is entered at the time the part is added.
2. Adding an Inventory Part
When the user selects a part directly from inventory:
Information already known:
Part number
Description
Vendor
Category
Cost (weighted average)
Sell price (pricing matrix)
Inventory quantity
Bin location
Resulting Workflow:
The part is added to the work order with full information.
No quoting is required.
No ordering is required.
The parts team only needs to pick the part.
Inventory quantity reduces once the part is picked/used.
Icon Behavior:
A blue icon appears only if the part needs to be picked.
Once picked, the icon disappears.
Inventory parts follow the simplest workflow because all pricing and vendor details already exist.
3. Adding a Special Order Part (Vendor Part)
Special order parts can be added with varying levels of detail. What happens next depends entirely on how complete the information is when the part is added.
Below are the scenarios.
Scenario 1 – Description Only
Example:
“U joint”
“Hydraulic hose”
No part number
No vendor
No cost
No category
System Behavior:
Part enters Requested status
Blue parts icon appears
The part cannot be ordered
The parts team must complete the missing information
What must be completed next:
Vendor
Cost
Category (for pricing matrix)
Then save
Once cost + vendor + category are added, the part advances to Quoted.
Scenario 2 – Part Number + Description Only
Example:
Part # 12345, “Spin-on Filter”
No vendor
No cost
No category
System Behavior:
Still Requested (missing required info)
Blue parts icon appears
Next Steps Needed:
Vendor must be added
Cost must be added
Category must be selected
When complete → status changes to Quoted.
Scenario 3 – Description, Part Number, Vendor, Category, and Cost Entered
This is the most complete scenario for special order parts.
System Behavior:
Part enters Quoted status immediately
Pricing automatically calculated via price matrix
Blue icon clears on the quoting side
What happens next:
If the work order line is not approved → the part sits in Quoted
If the line is approved → the part moves to Ready to Order
This is the cleanest special order flow because all required data is entered upfront.
Scenario 4 – Fully Entered Special Order Part Added Before Line Approval
This is a common advisor workflow.
Example:
Advisor enters full vendor info, cost, part number, category
But the line has not been authorized yet
System Behavior:
Part = Quoted
Cannot be ordered until the line is approved
After Line Approval:
Part automatically becomes Ready to Order
Blue icon returns to signal “order this part”
This allows quoting to be finished before approval, but ordering waits until customer authorization.
Scenario 5 – Any Incomplete Special Order Part Added (Regardless of Who Enters It)
Incomplete part = missing any of the following:
Vendor
Cost
Category
System Behavior:
Always starts in Requested status
Blue parts icon appears
Cannot be ordered or staged
Next Required Steps:
Parts team completes the missing information
Once complete → becomes Quoted
This scenario covers:
Tech-added parts
Advisor-added parts
Part number only
Description only
Regardless of who adds it, incomplete = Requested.
4. How Line Approval Affects Parts Workflow
Line approval does not change quoting behavior but it directly controls when parts can be ordered.
If the line is NOT approved:
Part may be Requested or Quoted
Part cannot move to “Ready to Order”
Blue icon only represents quoting tasks
Red service icon remains for approval
If the line IS approved:
Any Quoted part becomes Ready to Order
Blue icon shifts to represent ordering tasks
Parts team can now place the order
Transcript logic summarized:
When a line is authorized, any quoted part “needs to be ordered,” and the blue icon reappears to prompt this step.
5. Complete Parts Lifecycle Based on Entry Type
Inventory Part
Added from inventory
Pick required
Installed
Done
Special Order Part (Incomplete)
Requested
Quoted (after vendor + cost + category added)
Approved → Ready to Order
Ordered
Received
Staged
Special Order Part (Complete)
Quoted immediately
Approved → Ready to Order
Ordered
Received
Staged
6. Summary
Entry Type | Starting Status | Needs Quoting? | Needs Approval? | Needs Ordering? |
Inventory Part | In Stock | No | Yes (for billing) | No |
Special Order – Description Only | Requested | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Special Order – Part # + Description | Requested | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Special Order – Full Details | Quoted | No | Yes | Yes |
Special Order – Full Details Before Approval | Quoted | No | Yes | Yes (after approval) |
This ensures the parts team always knows:
What needs to be quoted
What needs to be ordered
What is ready for receiving
And the service team always knows:
Which lines need authorization
Which parts flows depend on approval