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DetailOAR Field Manual · Vehicle inspection

Complete a Vehicle Inspection and Upload Before-and-After Photos

Open your assigned job, record existing condition, capture consistent private media, get the acknowledgment, work the checklist, and organize finished-work photos.

Beginner12 min readAction: 25 minUpdated July 16, 2026

Written by Marcus Burk · Reviewed by DetailOAR Product Team

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Seeded technician job sheet showing the vehicle, inspection checklist, timer, and workflow statusView full size
Contents
01

Start

Know the outcome.

02

Steps

Do the work in order.

  1. Step 1

    Open the correct job

    1. Open the technician Field access link on the approved device.

    2. Choose the assigned date and job, then check customer, vehicle year/make/model/color, plate or VIN when used, service, location, and scheduled time.

    3. If the vehicle on screen doesn’t match the one in front of you, stop. Call the office and fix the assignment before uploading media or starting time.

  2. Step 2

    Record check-in condition

    1. Choose Start job or the workspace’s check-in action.

    2. Read the existing vehicle/customer notes — but don’t treat an old note as proof of today’s condition.

    3. Walk around the vehicle in stable light. Record dirt, chips, scratches, dents, curb rash, cracked trim/glass, warning lights, loose items, aftermarket parts, and anything the service won’t address.

    4. Choose Add photo and category Damage or Check-in. Shoot wide orientation shots first, then close details with a second angle or reference point.

    5. Add a plain note naming the panel/location and what you can see. Skip conclusions about cause unless the evidence backs them up.

    6. Have the customer look the record over. Capture Acknowledgment or Signature on the current job sheet — acknowledgment records that they saw it, not a waiver of every right.

  3. Step 3

    Use progress media and checklist

    1. Move the job Stage only when that stage genuinely starts or finishes.

    2. Work the configured checklist in order. Never mark a safety, damage, or quality item complete without doing it.

    3. Use Progress photos for hidden condition or approved scope changes, and talk to the customer before adding chargeable work.

    4. Keep the device locked when it’s unattended, and never pull private media into an unapproved personal gallery.

  4. Step 4

    Capture completion

    1. Complete final quality control in consistent light.

      Vehicle inspection media panel showing damage records and timestamped synthetic before-and-after uploadsView full size

    2. Choose Add photo and category After. Match the important before angles when a comparison helps.

    3. Record any remaining limitation or customer-visible note honestly.

    4. Get the supported completion confirmation/handoff, and mark the job Completed only once required tasks, media, and payment/handoff conditions are all met.

    5. Open the job from the office view and check the files sit on the correct appointment and vehicle.

03

Reference

Use the detail when you need it.

Protect the customer and the record

Inspection media can catch plates, addresses, children’s items, documents, faces, garage interiors, and other private details. Capture only what the job needs, keep files in the job’s private media area, and never reuse them for marketing without separate documented permission.

What good looks like
  • Correct vehicle confirmed before work.
  • Wide context plus close detail on every existing issue.
  • Notes give location and observation, not speculation.
  • Acknowledgment is timestamped.
  • After images use useful matching angles.
  • No private media ends up publicly exposed.
Troubleshooting
  • Upload rejected: use a supported image type under the size limit and a stable connection — don’t rename the file extension to sneak past validation.
  • Wrong job received a photo: tell an Owner immediately and use the supported delete/re-upload path, then review access and audit history.
  • Field link expired/revoked: ask the manager to Create / rotate link instead of borrowing another installer’s token.
  • Connection drops: keep the inspection draft in the supported offline queue if there is one; otherwise don’t mark complete until the secure upload lands.
04

Finish

Check the result and close the loop.

Final checklist
  • Customer/vehicle/job matched.
  • Existing damage noted and photographed.
  • Acknowledgment recorded.
  • Checklist and stages accurate.
  • After photos complete.
  • Office view confirms private file organization.
05

More

Continue only where it helps.

Prerequisites

Add Employees, Roles, Schedules, and Permissions12 min read

Learning paths with this guide

Set Up DetailOAR8 guides
Frequently asked questions
Should I photograph every inch of the car?

Capture a consistent overview plus anything relevant to risk, scope, or customer expectations — and skip private details you don’t need.

Can inspection photos be used on social media?

Not automatically. Get separate documented marketing permission first, and remove private identifiers.

What if the customer isn’t present?

Follow the business’s approved remote/drop-off acknowledgment procedure, and note who supplied access and when.

Sources and review

Reviewed by DetailOAR Product Team on July 15, 2026. Verify current labels, interfaces, prices, and local requirements before acting.

  1. DetailOAR seeded application interface

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