Most guitar repair shops run on paper tickets, Excel, or a notebook. It works — until a job gets lost, a customer calls for the fourth time, or you try to figure out how much you actually made last quarter. Here's what changes when you switch to purpose-built shop software.
| Feature | Paper / Spreadsheet | FretWork |
|---|---|---|
| Ticket intake with customer signature | Manual, no record | ✓ Digital, searchable |
| Customer notification when job is ready | Phone call or text message | ✓ Automatic email |
| Customer can check repair status online | No | ✓ Shareable status URL per ticket |
| Invoice and online payment collection | Manual invoice, cash only or Square | ✓ Stripe invoice link, card reader, cash |
| Technician assignment per job | Sticky note or memory | ✓ Per instrument, tracked |
| Job lookup by customer or instrument | Scroll through rows | ✓ Instant search |
| Revenue report by date range | Build it yourself | ✓ Built in, CSV export |
| Works on iPad at the counter | Sort of | ✓ Any browser, any device |
| Monthly cost | $0 (but hours of your time) | From $4.99/mo |
A spreadsheet looks free but it has real costs. Every customer who calls to ask if their guitar is ready costs you 3-5 minutes. Multiply that by 20 jobs a month and you're spending a couple hours a month answering questions a status page would eliminate entirely.
Manual invoicing means chasing payments. Lost tickets mean disputes. No reporting means you're guessing about revenue. The $4.99 entry plan for FretWork costs less than two strings.
Do I have to migrate my existing customer data?
No. You can start fresh. If you want to bring over existing customers, there's a CSV import. Either way you can be taking tickets the same day you sign up.
What if my shop only does 5-8 repairs a month?
The Starter plan at $4.99/mo covers up to 10 instruments. If you do fewer, you're paying $4.99 for professional intake, customer emails, invoicing, and reporting. That's hard to argue with.
Does it work for violin and brass repair, not just guitar?
Yes. Instrument types are fully customizable. Violin, cello, trumpet, saxophone, banjo — whatever you work on, you set up the types that match your shop.
Is my data safe if I cancel?
Your data is available for export at any time via the reports section. If you cancel, you have 30 days to export before deletion.