Panel Beating Software FAQs
Find answers about setup, day-to-day workflow, approvals, insurance handling, invoicing, customer portal access, support, and pricing.
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Getting Started
Getting Started
Core answers for workshops evaluating PanelDesk for day-to-day operations.
Panel beating software helps workshops manage quotes, job cards, final costing, invoicing, and customer updates in one connected system.
PanelDesk is built for South African panel beaters, including independent and owner-managed workshops that need a modern workflow system.
Most workshops can get started the same day and begin creating quotes and job cards immediately.
No install is required: PanelDesk runs in your browser with no server setup. If you prefer an app, you can optionally install PanelDesk on your desktop or add it to your phone's home screen in seconds, with no app store needed.
Yes. Multiple users can work at the same time, and the current Core Plan includes three users.
Workflow & Operations
Workflow & Operations
How PanelDesk handles the operational flow from accepted work to billing.
Yes. PanelDesk is built to run quote to job card to final costing to invoice in one connected workflow.
Yes. Accepted quotes can be converted into job cards without retyping, so teams start from approved scope.
You can track statuses such as Open, In Progress, Paused, Completed, Invoiced, and Closed.
Yes. Job cards include file and document storage so photos and related records stay linked to the job.
Yes. When sending a quote or invoice from PanelDesk, staff can choose documents and photos that are already saved in the system and include them in the email.
Yes. PanelDesk supports branded work-in-progress PDF generation from the job workflow.
Yes. Each job can carry a promised client-ready date and an internal workshop target date, calculated in business days, with colour-coded warnings on job lists and the production board as deadlines approach or pass.
Yes. The production board shows every active job on a kanban-style view grouped by your own production stages, such as strip & assemble, panel, paint, and polish.
Yes. Staff clock in and out on a shared kiosk device, such as a tablet or phone, with optional NFC tags. Timesheets are available by day, week, or month, overtime is flagged automatically, and data can be exported for payroll.
Quotes & Approvals
Quotes & Approvals
Customer-facing quote actions, tracking, and documentation controls.
Yes. Customers can accept or decline quotes online through secure public links.
Yes. PanelDesk tracks quote open and view events so your team can follow up with better timing.
No. Quote links are token-protected, so customers can view quotes securely without creating accounts.
Yes. You can add custom reference fields, including workshop-specific fields like purchase order numbers.
Yes. PanelDesk generates branded quote PDFs for customer, insurer, and internal documentation needs.
Yes. Reusable message templates fill in customer, vehicle, and document details plus the secure link, then WhatsApp opens with the message pre-filled and ready to send. You can also copy the message to use anywhere else.
Yes. You can define custom customer fields, such as account numbers or fleet references, as text, number, or date fields, and choose per field whether it prints on quotes and invoices.
Costing & Invoicing
Final Costing, Insurance & Invoicing
Answers on splits, excess handling, invoicing flow, and payment tracking.
Yes. Final costing supports insurer-versus-customer splits and excess handling so billing responsibility is clear.
Yes. Final costing workflows support approval and sign-off states before moving forward with invoicing.
Yes. Invoices can be generated from job cards or created as standalone invoices when needed.
Yes. PanelDesk provides invoice status tracking and customer view tracking on secure invoice links.
Yes. You can record payments and maintain clear visibility into what is paid and what is still outstanding.
Invoices are voided rather than deleted, so your numbering and audit history stay clean and traceable while the invoice is taken out of play.
Portal & Documents
Customer Portal & Documents
How customers access documents, complete actions, and sign clearance flows.
No. Customers use secure token-validated links, so login accounts are not required for document access.
Yes. Customers can open invoice links securely and view invoice details directly in the browser.
Yes. Customers can download branded quote and invoice PDFs, and other workflow documents where applicable.
Yes. Customers can complete clearance through digital signature or by uploading a signed PDF when required.
Yes. Document views and workflow actions such as approvals or clearance completion are recorded with timestamps.
Security, Support & Pricing
Security, Support & Pricing
Operational confidence, support expectations, low-risk trial terms, and current pricing basics.
Yes. PanelDesk data is stored securely and backed up so workshop records remain protected.
Yes. PanelDesk supports role-based access control with permission-gated actions and configurable team roles.
Support includes clear response handling with a 24-hour acknowledgement window Monday to Friday, along with onboarding guidance for teams getting started on PanelDesk.
The current offering includes the full workflow features, customer portal, branded document outputs, and onboarding support, with the Core Plan currently including three users.
No. You can begin and use the 30-day PanelDesk trial without entering credit card details.
No. PanelDesk does not charge setup fees or hidden platform costs. Current public pricing is shown on the pricing page, with legally required VAT added only where applicable.
Yes. PanelDesk has no long-term lock-in, and you can cancel your subscription at any time.
Adding a payment method during the trial is optional. If you choose to add one before the trial ends, our payment provider may process a once-off refundable verification charge. That charge is refunded and is not a trial fee.
Apps, Data & Integrations
Apps, Data & Integrations
Installing PanelDesk as an app, running multiple companies, moving data in and out, and integration availability.
Yes. PanelDesk installs straight from your browser: add it to your phone's home screen or install it on your desktop in seconds, with no app store download. It opens in its own window like a native app and always stays up to date automatically.
Yes. You can create more than one company under a single login, each with its own settings, branding, documents, and billing, and switch between them from the sidebar without logging out.
Yes. TMS archive imports are fully built out today: historical quotes, invoices, parts orders, and attachments come across from a TMS ZIP export and stay searchable inside PanelDesk. Using something else? If you can provide an export of your data, we'll help you import it.
Yes. Your Sage Pastel customer list imports free from a CSV export, self-serve with a preview so you can check what comes across before it is saved.
The customer list import is free and self-serve. For TMS archive imports it depends on how much data you bring across: smaller imports may carry no fee at all, while larger archives carry a once-off fee — confirmed upfront before anything is imported.
Yes. Your data stays yours: you can export your records along with photos and documents as a ZIP at any time. There is no lock-in.
A South African Sage accounting integration is currently in development, and QuickBooks is in development too. Sage Business Cloud Accounting sync for quotes and invoices is already available for workshops in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Canada.
BAMS and Lightstone Auto integrations are available where enabled. Audatex is in progress, and AutoMX is in development; neither is generally available yet.
Still need clarity on your workflow?
Start your trial or explore all feature pages to see how PanelDesk runs quote to job card to final costing to invoice in one connected system.