Tech Notes

How to Write Proper Technician Notes

It is crucial to maintain precise technical notes for a variety of reasons. 

• Document what your time was spent doing. 

• Anyone following your work in your absence should be able to understand what work was performed. 

• A solid record of the work performed is kept for future reference. 

• Any issues that arise during the repair process can be documented. 

Please ensure that your tech notes include details of the work performed and any issues encountered during the repair. Your notes should not just indicate that you are clocking out (e.g., “going on break” or “pulled from task”). Rather, they should provide a recap of the time spent on the truck. Your notes should be detailed, imagining that someone else will be using them to continue the task. If you are working on a lengthy task that is not completed entirely, be specific about what was accomplished during that time.

Ensure that the final tech notes are thorough and comprehensive when completing a task for the last time. These notes will be included in the final invoice for the customer to review. Include:

• Diagnosis and any issues encountered during the diag process 

• Repair process and any roadblocks that might have occurred or anything that caused extra time to be taken on the repair. 

• Final test and QC. Include what was done to retest the repair, including test drives. 

Example of an excellent final tech note 

I discovered that the upper radiator hose was damaged because the engine's clamping bracket was putting pressure on the piping. I replaced the hose and adjusted the bracket to prevent it from putting pressure on the hose and pipe. Then, I refilled the system with coolant and checked for leaks. Everything is now working as designed.

Be sure to use proper grammar and punctuation. Use Grammarly if needed.