If you were to build one today, your headers should look like this:
Bolts were in biscuit tins. Brake pads sat next to spark plugs. When a customer needed a specific water pump for a 2018 Hyundai i20, Rajiv would spend twenty minutes rummaging through shelves, mumbling to himself. Often, he'd order a part he already had, or worse, promise a repair he couldn't complete.
And it all started with a blank Excel grid, a curious niece, and a simple list of spare parts. "The best inventory system isn't the most expensive one," Rajiv now tells young mechanics. "It's the one you actually use. For me, that's Excel."
Rajiv pulled an old box from the shelf. Printed on it was 58101-BYA11 . Priya entered it. "This is the manufacturer's code. Even if you forget the name, this number finds the part anywhere." automobile spare parts list in excel
Priya built a spreadsheet with seven critical columns. She explained each one as Rajiv watched over her shoulder.
She opened Microsoft Excel. "This," she said, "is your new brain."
Now, when a customer walks in and asks, "Can you fix my car by Friday?" Rajiv doesn't run to the shelf. He opens Excel. He checks the list. He gives an answer in ten seconds. If you were to build one today, your
She counted the pads on the shelf. "Six sets." She typed 6 . Then she added a column for Minimum Stock Level . She set it to 4 . "If you hit 4," she explained, "Excel can turn the cell red. You'll know to reorder before you run out."
She added: Brake Pad Set – Front Axle . Then a note: Fits i20 1.2L Petrol (2015–2020). "Details matter," she said. "A millimeter difference, and it won't fit."
One rainy Tuesday, his niece, Priya, a business student, walked in. "Kaka," she said, holding a laptop. "Your garage is leaking money. Let me show you something." Often, he'd order a part he already had,
| Part ID | Part Name | Vehicle Model(s) | OEM Number | Category | Current Stock | Min Stock | Location | Buy Price | Sell Price | Supplier | Last Updated | |---------|-----------|------------------|------------|-----------|---------------|-----------|----------|-----------|------------|----------|--------------| | BRK-CRV-2019 | Brake Pad Set | Honda CR-V 2019+ | 45022-T7A-000 | Brakes | 8 | 4 | Shelf B2 | ₹2,200 | ₹3,500 | ABC Auto | 20-May-2026 | | FLT-303 | Oil Filter | Maruti Suzuki 800 | 16510M68K01 | Engine | 2 | 5 | Bin D4 | ₹180 | ₹350 | XYZ Parts | 18-May-2026 |
"Where do you keep i20 brake pads?" Rajiv pointed: "Top shelf, third row, blue bin." Priya typed: A-12 / Blue Bin . No more rummaging.
She entered: Buy: ₹1,200 | Sell: ₹1,800 . "Now you know your profit per part," she said. "That brake job you did yesterday? You actually made ₹600, not the ₹300 you thought."
She typed: BRK-i20-F for "Brake pad, i20, Front." "Every part needs a unique ID," she said. "No more confusion between Santro and i20 pads."
Finally: Supplier: Ganesh Auto Parts, Ph: 98765xxxxx . And a date: 15-May-2026 .