Answers to common questions about Side Wrench. Can’t find yours? Email sidewrenchapp@gmail.com — include your iPhone/iPad model, iOS version, and a short description.
General
What is Side Wrench?
A work order and business management app built for independent mechanics and small repair shops: track jobs, time labor, generate PDF invoices, and monitor your finances.
What devices does it support?
iPhone and iPad running iOS 17 or later. On iPad you get split-view navigation, multiple windows, drag & drop, and keyboard shortcuts. Lock Screen and Dynamic Island timer features work on all supported devices (Dynamic Island requires iPhone 14 Pro or newer).
Does it need an internet connection?
No. Side Wrench works completely offline — your data lives on your device. Internet is only used for VIN lookups and, with Premium, iCloud sync between devices.
Is my data private?
Yes. There are no accounts and no company servers. Your data stays on your device and, if you enable sync, in your private iCloud container. See our Privacy Policy for details.
Free vs. Premium
What’s free?
Everything, for up to 2 work orders — enough to genuinely try the whole app on real jobs.
What does Premium add?
- Unlimited work orders and repairs
- iCloud sync across your devices
- CSV/JSON data export & import (backups)
- Financial & tax export reports
Premium is $9.99/month or $69.99/year. Manage or cancel anytime through your Apple subscriptions.
Work Orders
What do the status colors mean?
| Color | Status | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 🟣 Purple | Estimate | Awaiting customer approval |
| 🔵 Blue | In Progress | Work being done |
| 🔴 Red | Awaiting Parts | Waiting for parts |
| 🟠 Orange | Invoice Sent | Billed to customer |
| 🟢 Green | Payment Received | Complete and paid |
Archive or delete?
Archive hides a finished job from your active list but keeps all its data (and it still counts in reports) — view archived work orders with the archive-box button at the top of the list, and unarchive anytime. Delete is permanent.
Can one work order have multiple repairs?
Yes — add as many repairs as the job needs. Each tracks its own labor, parts, and photos; the work order totals everything.
Timer & Labor
Can I see the timer without opening the app?
Yes — it appears on your Lock Screen as a Live Activity, and in the Dynamic Island on iPhone 14 Pro and later.
What if I forget to stop it?
Side Wrench sends a “Timer Still Running” reminder every hour, and the app icon badge shows how many timers are running.
Can I enter hours manually?
Yes — tap the actual-hours field on any repair and type the time instead.
Invoicing & Payments
How do I create an invoice?
Open the work order and tap Generate Invoice. You can attach repair photos and documents to the PDF, then share it by email, Messages, AirDrop, or save to Files.
Can I record partial payments?
Yes — add any amount (Cash, Check, Card, or Other) and the balance updates automatically. Add payments until the balance hits zero.
Who owes me money?
Open the Dashboard tab — outstanding balances are tracked for every unpaid or partially paid work order.
Data & Sync
How does iCloud sync work?
With Premium, your data syncs through your private iCloud account and appears on every device signed into your Apple ID.
What if I get a new phone?
With Premium sync: sign into iCloud, install Side Wrench, and your data appears. Without it: restore the new phone from a backup of the old one.
Can I back up my data myself?
Yes (Premium): Settings → Data Management → Export All Data saves a complete JSON backup you can re-import anytime.
Troubleshooting
Timer isn’t on my Lock Screen
- iPhone Settings → Side Wrench → enable Live Activities
- Restart the app and start the timer again
My logo isn’t on the invoice
Settings → Company Information → re-add the logo and save, then regenerate the invoice.
Data seems to be missing
- Check the archive (archive-box button at the top of the Work Orders list)
- Check whether a filter is active (red dot on the filter icon) — tap Reset
- Try search — and if you use iCloud sync, make sure you’re online
Contact
Bugs, feature requests, or just want to say hi: sidewrenchapp@gmail.com
Enjoying Side Wrench? A review on the App Store helps other mechanics find it.