A tick means the feature is clearly present in ValetFlow or confirmed on an official competitor page. A half-circle means the system can do something similar, but it is not the same purpose-built workflow. A dash means it was not confirmed publicly.
| Feature | ValetFlowDealership valeting and workshop workflow | Garage HiveGarage and workshop management | TechManGarage management system | Workshop SoftwareWorkshop management software | ServiceM8General job management | AutoLeapAuto repair shop management | ShopmonkeyAuto repair and detail shop management | Keyloop DMSFull dealer management system |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dealership valeting and vehicle-prep workflowA purpose-built queue for valet and preparation work. | ✓Included | ◐Partial or adaptable | ◐Partial or adaptable | ◐Partial or adaptable | ◐Partial or adaptable | ◐Partial or adaptable | ◐Partial or adaptable | ◐Partial or adaptable |
| MOT, service, recall and repair jobsWorkshop work can be booked and tracked. | ✓Included | ✓Included | ✓Included | ✓Included | ◐Partial or adaptable | ✓Included | ✓Included | ✓Included |
| Accepted workshop-to-valet custody handoverWorkshop can transfer vehicle/key custody and require the receiving valeter to accept or return it before work starts. | ✓Included | ◐Partial or adaptable | ◐Partial or adaptable | ◐Partial or adaptable | —Not confirmed on public pages | ◐Partial or adaptable | ◐Partial or adaptable | ✓Included |
| Itemised Workshop estimates and private approvalCustomers can approve or decline individual labour, parts and fee items. | ✓Included | ✓Included | ✓Included | ✓Included | ◐Partial or adaptable | ✓Included | ✓Included | ✓Included |
| Live board or visual scheduleManagers can see work move through stages. | ✓Included | ✓Included | ✓Included | ✓Included | ✓Included | ✓Included | ✓Included | ✓Included |
| Digital job sheetsVehicle and work details are kept on a digital job record. | ✓Included | ✓Included | ✓Included | ✓Included | ✓Included | ✓Included | ✓Included | ✓Included |
| Guided and one-page booking formsNormal and Workshop bookings can use different interfaces. | ✓Included | ◐Partial or adaptable | ◐Partial or adaptable | ◐Partial or adaptable | ◐Partial or adaptable | ◐Partial or adaptable | ◐Partial or adaptable | ◐Partial or adaptable |
| Dealership-specific custom booking fieldsLocal questions can be added without changing another dealership. | ✓Included | ◐Partial or adaptable | ◐Partial or adaptable | ◐Partial or adaptable | ✓Included | ◐Partial or adaptable | ◐Partial or adaptable | ◐Partial or adaptable |
| Photos, video or inspection evidenceStaff can attach proof or inspection media. | ✓Included | ✓Included | ✓Included | ✓Included | ✓Included | ✓Included | ✓Included | ◐Partial or adaptable |
| Visual vehicle damage mapDamage can be marked directly on a vehicle diagram. | ✓Included | ◐Partial or adaptable | ◐Partial or adaptable | ◐Partial or adaptable | ◐Partial or adaptable | ◐Partial or adaptable | ◐Partial or adaptable | —Not confirmed on public pages |
| Reclean or rework historyRepeat work stays linked to the first job. | ✓Included | ◐Partial or adaptable | ◐Partial or adaptable | ◐Partial or adaptable | ◐Partial or adaptable | ◐Partial or adaptable | ◐Partial or adaptable | ◐Partial or adaptable |
| Customer progress page or portalCustomers can see progress, approvals or job information online. | ✓Included | ✓Included | ✓Included | ✓Included | ◐Partial or adaptable | ◐Partial or adaptable | ✓Included | ✓Included |
| Registration, MOT or vehicle lookupVehicle details and available MOT/history information can be found from a registration or connected vehicle record. | ◇Testing or dependent on external access | ✓Included | ◐Partial or adaptable | ◐Partial or adaptable | —Not confirmed on public pages | ✓Included | ✓Included | ◐Partial or adaptable |
| Mobile staff accessStaff can update jobs from a phone or tablet. | ✓Included | ✓Included | ✓Included | ✓Included | ✓Included | ✓Included | ✓Included | ◐Partial or adaptable |
| Staff or technician time trackingTime on jobs can be recorded. | ✓Included | ✓Included | ✓Included | ✓Included | ✓Included | ✓Included | ◐Partial or adaptable | ✓Included |
| Invoicing or paymentsThe system can create invoices or take/track payments. | ◐Partial or adaptable | ✓Included | ✓Included | ✓Included | ✓Included | ✓Included | ✓Included | ✓Included |
| Parts, stock or supplier controlParts and supplier stock can be managed. | —Not confirmed on public pages | ✓Included | ✓Included | ✓Included | ◐Partial or adaptable | ✓Included | ✓Included | ✓Included |
| Multi-location supportMore than one location can be managed. | ✓Included | ✓Included | ◐Partial or adaptable | ✓Included | ◐Partial or adaptable | ✓Included | ✓Included | ✓Included |
| Per-dealership feature settingsPackage-included tools can be switched on or off for each site. | ✓Included | ◐Partial or adaptable | ◐Partial or adaptable | ◐Partial or adaptable | ◐Partial or adaptable | ◐Partial or adaptable | ◐Partial or adaptable | ◐Partial or adaptable |
| Operational reportingManagers can review performance and work data. | ✓Included | ✓Included | ✓Included | ✓Included | ✓Included | ✓Included | ✓Included | ✓Included |
| Weather planningForecasts are used to help plan suitable work. | ✓Included | —Not confirmed on public pages | —Not confirmed on public pages | —Not confirmed on public pages | —Not confirmed on public pages | —Not confirmed on public pages | —Not confirmed on public pages | —Not confirmed on public pages |
| Auto Trader stock importAdvertised stock can feed the booking workflow. | ◇Testing or dependent on external access | —Not confirmed on public pages | —Not confirmed on public pages | —Not confirmed on public pages | —Not confirmed on public pages | —Not confirmed on public pages | —Not confirmed on public pages | —Not confirmed on public pages |
| API and custom integration optionsThe system can exchange data with existing dealer, accounting, stock or customer systems. | ✓Included | ◐Partial or adaptable | ◐Partial or adaptable | ✓Included | ✓Included | ◐Partial or adaptable | ✓Included | ✓Included |
| Self-hosted optionA customer can run a licensed copy on their own hosting. | ✓Included | —Not confirmed on public pages | —Not confirmed on public pages | —Not confirmed on public pages | —Not confirmed on public pages | —Not confirmed on public pages | —Not confirmed on public pages | —Not confirmed on public pages |
Important: “Not confirmed” does not prove a feature is missing. It means the feature was not clearly found on the public pages reviewed. Some features also depend on plan level, add-ons, country or setup.
ValetFlow now brings together a wider dealership-specific chain: guided intake, Workshop estimates and approval, a separate technician board, linked valeter handover, damage and photo proof, recleans, parking, customer progress and dealership-level feature settings.
Garage Hive, TechMan, Workshop Software, AutoLeap and Shopmonkey have stronger public evidence for parts, supplier ordering, labour data, detailed estimates, customer approvals, payment collection and stock control.
