How to Migrate from RepairShopr to Bench

Switching repair shop software feels risky. You have years of customer data, open repair tickets, and a team that knows the current system. The fear of lost data or downtime keeps shops on software they have outgrown for months longer than they should stay. This guide walks you through the migration from RepairShopr to Bench — step by step, with a timeline and a plan for zero downtime.

Why Shops Leave RepairShopr

Before diving into the how, it helps to understand the common triggers. If any of these sound familiar, you are in the right place:

• SMS costs. RepairShopr charges per message. At 50+ repairs a month, texting customers status updates gets expensive. Bench includes SMS in every plan.
• Dated interface. RepairShopr's UI has not changed meaningfully in years. New staff take longer to learn, and daily tasks take more clicks than they should.
• Missing features. Text-to-pay, automated Google Review requests, a modern customer portal — features that are standard in Bench but either missing or add-on in RepairShopr.
• Pricing complexity. RepairShopr's plan tiers, add-ons, and per-message fees make your monthly bill unpredictable.

Migration Timeline

Most shops complete the migration in one weekend. Here is a realistic schedule:

Total active time: 5-6 hours spread across a weekend.

Step 1: Export Your Data from RepairShopr

RepairShopr allows you to export customer data as CSV files. Here is what to pull:

Customer List

Go to Customers → Export in RepairShopr. Download the full customer list. This typically includes name, email, phone, address, and any custom fields you have set up.

Repair History (Optional)

RepairShopr's ticket export gives you a record of past repairs. You do not need to import this into Bench — it is for your records. Save it as a CSV and archive it.

Parts Inventory

If you track parts in RepairShopr, export your parts list with quantities, costs, and prices. Bench supports CSV import for parts inventory.

What You Cannot Export

RepairShopr does not let you export photos, signatures, or invoice PDFs in bulk. If you need specific records, download them individually before canceling your RepairShopr account.

Step 2: Set Up Your Bench Account

Sign up at toolbench.shop/register. The 14-day free trial gives you time to set everything up before committing.

Onboarding Wizard

Bench's onboarding walks you through the basics:

1. Shop info. Name, address, phone, logo.
2. Shop type. Select your primary repair categories (power tools, electronics, outdoor equipment, etc.). This pre-loads common tool types and labor pricing.
3. Team setup. Invite your technicians and counter staff. Each person gets their own login with role-based permissions.

Configure Your Settings

Match your Bench settings to how you ran your shop in RepairShopr:

• Labor rates. Set your hourly rate and/or flat-rate pricing per tool type.
• Tax rates. Configure state and local sales tax.
• SMS templates. Customize the automated messages Bench sends for repair updates, pickup reminders, and review requests.
• Payment integration. Connect Stripe for text-to-pay invoices and card payments.

Step 3: Import Your Customers

Go to Customers → Import in Bench and upload the CSV you exported from RepairShopr.

Bench maps common column headers automatically (Name, Email, Phone, Address). Review the mapping, confirm, and import. For most shops, this takes under five minutes.

Tips for a Clean Import

• Deduplicate first. If your RepairShopr customer list has duplicates, clean them up in the CSV before importing.
• Standardize phone numbers. Bench uses phone numbers for SMS. Make sure they are in a consistent format (10-digit US numbers work best).
• B2B vs. B2C. If you have contractor accounts, mark them as Business type in Bench after import. This enables credit limits and Net-30 terms.

Step 4: Set Up Your Team

Invite each team member by email from Settings → Team. Bench has three roles:

• Owner: Full access to everything including billing and settings.
• Admin: Can manage repairs, customers, invoices, and team members. Cannot change billing.
• Technician: Sees assigned repairs, can update statuses and add photos. Cannot see pricing or customer financials.

Each person sets their own password. No shared logins.

Step 5: Enter Open Repairs

This is the only manual step. Any repairs that are currently in progress need to be created in Bench.

For most shops, this is 10-30 open tickets. For each one:

1. Create a new repair in Bench
2. Assign the customer (they are already imported)
3. Add the tool type, description, and current status
4. Assign to the right technician

Do not try to backfill your entire repair history. It is not worth the time. Your RepairShopr export serves as your historical archive.

Step 6: Train Your Team

Block two hours on Sunday for hands-on training. Walk through the daily workflow:

Front Counter Staff

• Creating a new repair (intake)
• Looking up a customer
• Creating and sending an invoice
• Processing a payment
• Marking a repair as picked up

Technicians

• Viewing assigned repairs
• Updating repair status
• Adding photos and notes
• Starting and stopping the repair timer

Everyone

• Using the search bar to find repairs and customers
• Understanding the repair status flow (Received → In Progress → Complete → Picked Up)
• Where to find help (Settings → Help in Bench)

Most teams are comfortable within the first day of actual use. Bench's interface is designed to be learned in hours, not weeks.

Step 7: Go Live

Monday morning, start using Bench for all new repairs. Keep your RepairShopr account active for one more billing cycle so you can reference old data if needed, then cancel.

Go-Live Checklist

• All customers imported and verified
• Team members invited and logged in
• Open repairs entered in Bench
• Payment processing connected (Stripe)
• SMS templates reviewed
• Label printer configured (if applicable)
• Test a full repair cycle: intake → status update → invoice → payment → pickup

What About Ongoing RepairShopr Costs?

Cancel your RepairShopr subscription after your final billing cycle. There is no long-term contract — you can cancel anytime. Download any remaining data you need before the account closes, as RepairShopr may not retain your data after cancellation.

Common Concerns

"What if my team resists the change?" Involve them in the decision. Show them the features that make their daily work easier (faster intake, automated texts, mobile-friendly interface). Resistance usually fades within the first week.

"What if I lose data?" You will not. Your RepairShopr CSV exports are your backup. Your Bench account is a fresh start with clean data.

"Can I run both systems in parallel?" You can, but do not. Parallel systems create confusion about which system is the source of truth. Pick a go-live date and commit.

How Bench Makes the Switch Easy

• CSV customer import brings your customer list over in minutes.
• 5-minute onboarding gets your shop configured without a lengthy setup process.
• 14-day free trial lets you set everything up risk-free before committing.
• Role-based access means your team only sees what they need to see.
• Included SMS means no more per-message billing surprises.

The hardest part of switching software is deciding to do it. The actual migration is a weekend project. Shops that make the move consistently say they wish they had done it sooner.