What this checklist covers
The parts department decides how quickly the workshop can finish jobs and how much cash sits on the shelves. Most problems an audit finds are small and repeatable: parts in the wrong bin, stock records that don’t match the shelf, slow-moving stock nobody returns, and counter sales without proper paperwork. This checklist walks the department in the order parts move through it.
The Parts Department Checklist Template is a 15-point scorecard for parts operations, inventory management, and service coordination. Each criterion is scored from 1 to 5 on what the auditor sees on the day, and every gap goes into an action plan with an owner and a close date.
AutoSmart tip: Parts audits are most effective when combined with a system spot-check. Cross-reference physical bin locations against the DMS at the time of the visit. Discrepancies between system and physical stock are one of the most common — and most costly — compliance failures in Parts operations.
The checks
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Inventory and stock management
- Can the Service Advisor check the center and distributor stock availability whenever necessary?
- Are all locations reconciled within one month? Confirm with the inventory controller by reviewing the last month's location sequence report to verify that location maintenance is being done.
- Is the Unsold VOR report confirmed and are location assignments in the system verified for parts not sold?
- Is a cycle count schedule in place, and are cycle counts conducted at the defined frequency with results documented and discrepancies investigated?
- Is a minimum/maximum stock level defined for fast-moving parts, and is the reorder process triggered automatically or reviewed at a defined frequency?
Back order and VOR management
- Does the Parts Department share the Back Order Parts Management sheet with the Service Department (Service Advisors, Production, and Service Managers) on a daily basis?
- Does the Service Advisor respond to customer ETA inquiries based on the latest ETA information shared by the parts staff, especially when there are irregularities (e.g., no ETA, long ETA)?
- Is the VOR order type parts receipt confirmed within 30 minutes of the parts arrival truck, and stock orders within 24 hours? Check the receiving area and randomly pick 5–7 parts to verify proper procedures.
- Are emergency (VOR) orders tracked separately from standard stock orders, with escalation procedures in place when supplier ETA is not available?
Parts storage and organisation
- Are similar parts grouped together, long and thin parts stored vertically, and heavy parts placed at waist level or lower for easier access?
- Are parts clearly labelled with bin/location tags, and does the physical location match the system record at the time of audit?
- Is access to the parts store restricted to authorised personnel only, with a clear entry/exit policy enforced?
Returns and obsolescence
- Are obsolete or slow-moving parts reviewed periodically, with a formal return or write-off process initiated for parts exceeding the defined ageing threshold?
- Are parts returned from the workshop (unused or superseded) processed back into stock or flagged for return within the defined timeframe?
Customer and service coordination
- Does the parts department always confirm that the service department conducts follow-up with no-show customers and receives information regarding delivery appointments or cancellations?
How to run it
How the scoring works
Before the visit, fill in the dealer or centre, the auditor, the date and the audit cycle. Then score each of the 15 checks from 1 to 5 on what you see on the day, not on what the site aims for, and add them up out of 75.
- 1Not in place
- 2Attempted
- 3Defined
- 4Managed
- 5Fully sustained
- Green60–75 · 80–100%Compliant. Keep the standard.
- Amber38–59 · 50–79%Improvement needed: a structured action plan within 30 days.
- Red0–37 · Below 50%Priority intervention, escalated to regional management.
Then close every gap
Each gap goes into the action plan tracker and moves through four stages until the auditor closes it.
- 1PendingOwner and close date set
- 2In progressWork under way, evidence gathered
- 3CompletedEvidence submitted for review
- 4ApprovedVerified and closed by the auditor
Questions about this checklist
What is the most common parts finding?
Parts in the wrong bin or with a quantity that doesn’t match the system, usually from issues not posted to a job.
Is there a guide on parts department audits?
Yes: see our blog guide on running a parts department audit, linked below.
