Device Intake Form Checklist: What to Include and Why

The full checklist

1. 1Your shop details: name, phone, address — so the customer knows who to come back to.
2. 2Customer details: name and phone number. That’s the minimum, and it’s enough.
3. 3Device identity: type, brand and model, and IMEI or serial number. This is the line that prevents two identical devices from getting swapped.
4. 4The issue as reported: in the customer’s words. If the screen won’t turn on, write "won’t turn on" — don’t diagnose on the form.
5. 5What was received: charger? case? SIM? Anything not written down, the customer can later claim was handed over.
6. 6Device condition at intake: scratches, cracks, a chipped corner. Two lines that prevent an entire argument.
7. 7Price and payment status: the agreed price, what’s been paid, and what’s left.
8. 8Warranty terms: how long, what it covers — and what it doesn’t (liquid damage, new drops).
9. 9Data-backup disclaimer: backing up before handover is the customer’s responsibility, and the shop is not liable for data loss.
10. 10Signatures: the customer’s and the shop’s. Without them, everything above is worth much less.

Two lines everyone forgets

First: what happens to unclaimed devices. A line like "devices not collected within 90 days may be…" saves you shelves of abandoned phones and awkward calls.

Second: authorization to open the device. Diagnosis sometimes requires opening the device and swapping components. One sentence authorizing inspection prevents a later "you opened it without permission."

What this form is not

Say it explicitly, on the form itself: this is an internal document between the shop and the customer. It is not a tax invoice and not an official receipt — those are issued separately through your accounting or POS tool, per your local rules.

Handwritten or printed from the system?

A handwritten form works, but it has two weaknesses: it isn’t connected to the job ticket (and gets lost), and it gets filled in hastily exactly when the shop is busiest — which is when lines get skipped. A form generated from the repair ticket already contains everything that was typed in, comes out identical every time, and stays linked to the repair.