Service advisor to technician
Capture the customer’s words and operating conditions without turning the initial complaint into an unverified diagnosis.
For independent repair shops
Keep the diagnostic path intact across technicians, shifts, and repeat visits
STEP is building a guided diagnostic workspace for independent repair shops. It keeps the vehicle context, customer concern, service information, completed tests, actual results, working hypotheses, repair, and verification connected in one traceable case—so the next authorized technician can see what is known, why the direction changed, and what should be checked next.
STEP is a working prototype preparing for staged early access. It is not yet a generally available production diagnostic service.
Shared diagnostic path
The next technician sees the reasoning
- 01Confirmed vehicle and concern
- 02Evidence already collected
- 03Working hypothesis
- 04Next evidence-based check
- 05Repair and verification
Case continuity
A difficult diagnosis rarely stays with one person from beginning to end
The customer concern may be written at the front counter. Initial scan results may be captured by one technician. Electrical testing may continue with another. The vehicle may return days later with the same intermittent condition.
At every handoff, the next person needs more than a short repair-order note.
- the exact vehicle and configuration
- what the customer reported and under which conditions
- which symptoms and DTCs were actually observed
- recent repairs, modifications, or battery events
- tests performed and their actual results
- possibilities rejected and the evidence behind that decision
- the current working hypothesis and next check
- the repair and verification of the original concern
When that trail is incomplete, a shop may repeat work, miss an earlier result, or begin again without knowing why the previous direction changed.
One working case
Carry the evidence from intake to a verified repair
STEP is being designed around a single diagnostic case rather than a series of disconnected conversations and documents.
- 01
Capture the concern and vehicle context
Record the best available vehicle details, customer complaint, symptoms, DTCs, operating conditions, recent work, available tools, and tests already completed.
- 02
Review what is confirmed
Separate customer-reported information, technician observations, measurements, and unresolved questions before selecting a diagnostic direction.
- 03
Define the next relevant check
Use the evidence already recorded to form or revise a working hypothesis, then present one testable step with its purpose, required conditions, expected result, and requested evidence.
- 04
Record the actual result
Keep measurements, observations, scan data, images, and completed checks attached to the case. An unperformed test is not treated as a failed test.
- 05
Hand off without losing the reasoning
An authorized team member should be able to review the case history, see the current diagnostic question, and continue from the evidence already recorded.
- 06
Repair and verify the original concern
Record the repair and keep the case open until the repaired condition and the customer’s original complaint have been checked.
Protect completed diagnostic work
Protect the diagnostic work your shop has already performed
The goal is not merely to store more notes. It is to preserve what has been established, show why the diagnostic direction changed, and make the next evidence-based step clear.
- avoid rebuilding a case after a shift change or repeat visit
- preserve measurements and reasoning that would otherwise remain in personal notes
- give a lead technician a clear view of where the case stands
- help another technician continue without repeating the entire diagnostic process
- retain a readable record of what supported the repair decision
Shared understanding
A handoff should explain the case, not just name the suspected part
A useful diagnostic handoff shows the path from the original concern to the current conclusion: what is known, what remains uncertain, and which result caused the direction to change.
Technician to lead technician
Show what has been tested, the actual results, the current hypothesis, and the question that still needs an answer.
Shift-to-shift continuation
Let another authorized technician understand why the direction changed before continuing the diagnostic path.
Repeat and intermittent visits
Reopen the earlier evidence, repair, and verification history instead of rebuilding the case from memory.
Preserve more than the final repair line
A durable record should preserve the evidence that justified each decision.
- customer concern and symptom conditions
- vehicle identity and applicable configuration
- DTCs and scan observations
- measurements and physical test results
- applicable service information when available and authorized
- working hypotheses and the evidence that supported or rejected them
- repair performed and post-repair verification
New evidence adds to the case history instead of erasing the reasoning that came before it.
Shop information stays inside the organization account
Shop cases are designed to remain available across sessions, handoffs, and repeat visits while access stays tied to the organization account.
The planned experience uses individual staff accounts instead of shared employee credentials. The current role model includes owner, admin, technician, and viewer access, with exact permissions and the complete shop experience still being developed.
Protected case access is designed to be controlled through the organization account rather than browser-only filters.
Use service information inside a traceable diagnostic process
ALLDATA, Mitchell 1, and manufacturer resources provide essential procedures, DTC information, technical service bulletins, wiring diagrams, connector views, specifications, component locations, and service instructions.
STEP does not replace these sources. It connects applicable information to the active case, preserves the result of each check, and maintains a clear trail as the evidence changes.
Vehicle-specific information should remain linked to the applicable source when it is available and authorized.
Read the Diagnostic MethodologyThe technician remains in control of the final decision
STEP can organize the evidence, retrieve applicable service information, form and revise working hypotheses, recommend the next diagnostic check, and identify when the available results support a repair.
The technician performs or supervises the physical tests, confirms that the required conditions were met, evaluates the vehicle in the actual working environment, and makes the final diagnostic and repair decision.
STEP does not replace professional training, current manufacturer procedures, equipment instructions, or required safety practices.
Preparing for shop early access
Help shape the repair-shop workflow before launch
STEP is currently a working prototype supported by an evolving production foundation. It already supports structured diagnostic intake, reviewed case summaries and handoffs, persistent case records, protected organization accounts, recovery across sessions, and the foundation for controlled MOTOR service-information integration.
Development is continuing on the one-step-at-a-time guided diagnostic procedure, broader validated vehicle coverage, production operating evidence, and the multi-user workflow needed by repair shops.
An interactive repair-shop trial is targeted for October 2026, subject to product-readiness approval. Access will open in stages based on workflow readiness, supported vehicle coverage, and participating shops’ diagnostic work.
Frequently asked questions
Questions from independent repair shops
Is STEP available to repair shops now?
STEP is preparing for staged early access and is not yet a generally available production diagnostic service. Shop access will depend on workflow readiness, supported vehicle coverage, and the needs of participating repair businesses.
Is STEP designed only for large repair businesses?
No. This page is focused on small independent repair shops that need to preserve diagnostic reasoning across technicians, shifts, and repeat visits. Larger teams, shop networks, fleets, and training programs will have a separate enterprise path.
Can multiple employees work in the same shop account?
Individual staff accounts, role-based access, shared shop cases, case assignment, and controlled handoffs are planned for the repair-shop workflow. The complete team experience is still in development.
Which staff roles are planned?
The current product foundation defines owner, admin, technician, and viewer roles within an organization. Exact permissions and the user experience for the repair-shop trial will be confirmed before access opens.
Can a technician continue a case started by someone else?
That is a primary goal of the planned shop workflow. An authorized technician should be able to review the confirmed context, completed checks, actual results, current diagnostic question, and earlier reasoning before continuing the case.
Does STEP replace our repair-information subscription?
No. STEP is not being built to replace ALLDATA, Mitchell 1, or manufacturer service information. Its role is to organize the diagnostic workflow around the active vehicle, applicable information, and evidence recorded by the technician.
Does STEP make the diagnosis for the technician?
STEP guides the diagnostic process, develops evidence-based working hypotheses, recommends relevant checks, and may identify when recorded results support a particular repair. It cannot physically inspect the vehicle or independently verify that a test was performed under the correct conditions. The technician evaluates the physical evidence and confirms the final diagnosis and repair decision.
Which vehicles will the shop trial support?
Coverage is still being expanded and validated. The published diagnostic library shows the vehicle-specific guides currently available on the STEP website. Trial coverage may differ and will be explained during onboarding.
How much will repair-shop access cost?
Repair-shop pricing and account limits are still being finalized. Approved pricing will be shared before a shop joins a paid plan or a trial that requires payment.
What happens after we request early access?
STEP collects your contact details and optional information about your shop and diagnostic work. As testing opens, repair shops whose needs match the available workflow and vehicle coverage may be contacted to discuss participation.
Help shape STEP Diagnostics
Give every authorized technician the context to continue the case
Request early access for your repair shop and help test a guided diagnostic workflow built to preserve evidence from the first complaint to the verified repair.