Trueline

Insight

Where every hour went, and what it cost.

Trueline turns the record of every car into a time ledger, an itemised carrying cost, a report card against the store’s own targets, alerts, forecasts and a morning briefing. Every figure opens to the cars behind it.

01 · Where the time went

Every car that reached the line, hour by hour.

The time ledger splits each car’s time from landing to the line into stages, with who held it and whether the car was waiting or being worked on. It is computed from the record, so nobody is asked to explain a delay.

  • Ink is work.
  • Pale is waiting.
  • Blue is the line.
Stock 45212022 CR-V EX-L · trade-in
4 d 6 htime to line
$151carrying cost
81%waiting

Longest wait: parts on order, 1 d 15 h, held by parts. 19 h worked, 83 h waiting.

Specimen · illustrative figures, not a real store. The 74 cars that reached the line in the last 30 days, shortest at the top, on one time axis. Hover, tap or use the arrow keys to read a car.

Time to line, taken apart

median and 90th percentile for every stage · bars to one scale · computed from the strips above
Intake & photoslot attendantmedian 3 h 27 m90th 4 h 44 m
Inspectiontechnicianmedian 9 h 10 m90th 22 h 41 m
Estimateservice advisormedian 2 h 10 m90th 2 h 49 m
Approvalused-car managermedian 14 h 41 m90th 1 d 11 htarget 4 h
Partsparts · 36 carsmedian 2 d 7 h90th 4 d 2 h
Repairtechnicianmedian 13 h 03 m90th 1 d 3 h
Detaildetailermedian 16 h 13 m90th 1 d 17 h
Photos & listingmerchandisingmedian 9 h 07 m90th 1 d 1 h

02 · Where the money goes

$11,420 carried to the line. $9,020 of it while cars waited.

Carrying cost is itemised per car: cost of money, depreciation and overhead, or a flat daily rate if the store prefers. Money on the table is what cars cost above the store’s own stage targets.

Money on the table · last 30 days

$3,870

carried above the stage targets the store set for itself, by stage.

$1,420Estimate approvals37%
$1,130Parts29%
$760Detail20%
$560Photos & listing14%

Specimen · illustrative figures, not a real store · last 30 days · 74 cars

How it’s counted · one car, one stage

4521 waited 1 d 2 h for its estimate approval against a 4 h target. The 22 hours over target carried $33 of that stage’s $39. That $33 is money on the table, one part of the $1,420 for approvals.

One car’s bill · the time ledger

Stock 4521

2022 CR-V EX-L · trade-in
landed Mon 08:40 · on the line Fri 14:40

$1514 d 6 h to the line
Intake & photosLot attendant · 3 h 00 m
cost $4
InspectionTechnician · 2 h 10 m
cost $3
EstimateService advisor · 1 h 50 m
cost $3
Waiting for approvalUsed-car manager · 1 d 2 h · target 4 h
cost $39
Parts on orderParts · 1 d 15 h 30 m
cost $59
RepairTechnician · 5 h 00 m
cost $7
DetailDetailer · 17 h 30 m queued, 3 h worked
cost $30
Photos & listingMerchandising · 4 h 00 m
cost $6
$124 · 83 hwaiting · 81%
$27 · 19 hworked · 19%
$24 + $68 + $59money + depreciation + overhead
Specimen · illustrative, not a real store

Carrying cost to the line, by who held the car

Specimen · illustrative figures, not a real store · 74 cars · last 30 days · summed from the strips on the wall above

03 · Closed doesn’t stop the clock

The meter runs all night, and all of Sunday.

00:0006:0012:0018:0024:00CLOSED · $MonMon 00:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesMon 01:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesMon 02:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesMon 03:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesMon 04:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesMon 05:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesMon 06:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesMon 07:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesMon 08:00 · open · carrying cost accruesMon 09:00 · open · carrying cost accruesMon 10:00 · open · carrying cost accruesMon 11:00 · open · carrying cost accruesMon 12:00 · open · carrying cost accruesMon 13:00 · open · carrying cost accruesMon 14:00 · open · carrying cost accruesMon 15:00 · open · carrying cost accruesMon 16:00 · open · carrying cost accruesMon 17:00 · open · carrying cost accruesMon 18:00 · open · carrying cost accruesMon 19:00 · open · carrying cost accruesMon 20:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesMon 21:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesMon 22:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesMon 23:00 · closed · carrying cost accrues$810TueTue 00:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesTue 01:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesTue 02:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesTue 03:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesTue 04:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesTue 05:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesTue 06:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesTue 07:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesTue 08:00 · open · carrying cost accruesTue 09:00 · open · carrying cost accruesTue 10:00 · open · carrying cost accruesTue 11:00 · open · carrying cost accruesTue 12:00 · open · carrying cost accruesTue 13:00 · open · carrying cost accruesTue 14:00 · open · carrying cost accruesTue 15:00 · open · carrying cost accruesTue 16:00 · open · carrying cost accruesTue 17:00 · open · carrying cost accruesTue 18:00 · open · carrying cost accruesTue 19:00 · open · carrying cost accruesTue 20:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesTue 21:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesTue 22:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesTue 23:00 · closed · carrying cost accrues$815WedWed 00:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesWed 01:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesWed 02:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesWed 03:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesWed 04:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesWed 05:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesWed 06:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesWed 07:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesWed 08:00 · open · carrying cost accruesWed 09:00 · open · carrying cost accruesWed 10:00 · open · carrying cost accruesWed 11:00 · open · carrying cost accruesWed 12:00 · open · carrying cost accruesWed 13:00 · open · carrying cost accruesWed 14:00 · open · carrying cost accruesWed 15:00 · open · carrying cost accruesWed 16:00 · open · carrying cost accruesWed 17:00 · open · carrying cost accruesWed 18:00 · open · carrying cost accruesWed 19:00 · open · carrying cost accruesWed 20:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesWed 21:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesWed 22:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesWed 23:00 · closed · carrying cost accrues$810ThuThu 00:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesThu 01:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesThu 02:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesThu 03:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesThu 04:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesThu 05:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesThu 06:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesThu 07:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesThu 08:00 · open · carrying cost accruesThu 09:00 · open · carrying cost accruesThu 10:00 · open · carrying cost accruesThu 11:00 · open · carrying cost accruesThu 12:00 · open · carrying cost accruesThu 13:00 · open · carrying cost accruesThu 14:00 · open · carrying cost accruesThu 15:00 · open · carrying cost accruesThu 16:00 · open · carrying cost accruesThu 17:00 · open · carrying cost accruesThu 18:00 · open · carrying cost accruesThu 19:00 · open · carrying cost accruesThu 20:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesThu 21:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesThu 22:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesThu 23:00 · closed · carrying cost accrues$805FriFri 00:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesFri 01:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesFri 02:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesFri 03:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesFri 04:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesFri 05:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesFri 06:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesFri 07:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesFri 08:00 · open · carrying cost accruesFri 09:00 · open · carrying cost accruesFri 10:00 · open · carrying cost accruesFri 11:00 · open · carrying cost accruesFri 12:00 · open · carrying cost accruesFri 13:00 · open · carrying cost accruesFri 14:00 · open · carrying cost accruesFri 15:00 · open · carrying cost accruesFri 16:00 · open · carrying cost accruesFri 17:00 · open · carrying cost accruesFri 18:00 · open · carrying cost accruesFri 19:00 · open · carrying cost accruesFri 20:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesFri 21:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesFri 22:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesFri 23:00 · closed · carrying cost accrues$805SatSat 00:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSat 01:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSat 02:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSat 03:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSat 04:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSat 05:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSat 06:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSat 07:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSat 08:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSat 09:00 · open · carrying cost accruesSat 10:00 · open · carrying cost accruesSat 11:00 · open · carrying cost accruesSat 12:00 · open · carrying cost accruesSat 13:00 · open · carrying cost accruesSat 14:00 · open · carrying cost accruesSat 15:00 · open · carrying cost accruesSat 16:00 · open · carrying cost accruesSat 17:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSat 18:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSat 19:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSat 20:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSat 21:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSat 22:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSat 23:00 · closed · carrying cost accrues$1,075SunSun 00:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSun 01:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSun 02:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSun 03:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSun 04:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSun 05:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSun 06:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSun 07:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSun 08:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSun 09:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSun 10:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSun 11:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSun 12:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSun 13:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSun 14:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSun 15:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSun 16:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSun 17:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSun 18:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSun 19:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSun 20:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSun 21:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSun 22:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSun 23:00 · closed · carrying cost accrues$1,61000:0006:0012:0018:0024:00CLOSEDMonMon 00:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesMon 01:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesMon 02:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesMon 03:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesMon 04:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesMon 05:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesMon 06:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesMon 07:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesMon 08:00 · open · carrying cost accruesMon 09:00 · open · carrying cost accruesMon 10:00 · open · carrying cost accruesMon 11:00 · open · carrying cost accruesMon 12:00 · open · carrying cost accruesMon 13:00 · open · carrying cost accruesMon 14:00 · open · carrying cost accruesMon 15:00 · open · carrying cost accruesMon 16:00 · open · carrying cost accruesMon 17:00 · open · carrying cost accruesMon 18:00 · open · carrying cost accruesMon 19:00 · open · carrying cost accruesMon 20:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesMon 21:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesMon 22:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesMon 23:00 · closed · carrying cost accrues$810TueTue 00:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesTue 01:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesTue 02:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesTue 03:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesTue 04:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesTue 05:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesTue 06:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesTue 07:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesTue 08:00 · open · carrying cost accruesTue 09:00 · open · carrying cost accruesTue 10:00 · open · carrying cost accruesTue 11:00 · open · carrying cost accruesTue 12:00 · open · carrying cost accruesTue 13:00 · open · carrying cost accruesTue 14:00 · open · carrying cost accruesTue 15:00 · open · carrying cost accruesTue 16:00 · open · carrying cost accruesTue 17:00 · open · carrying cost accruesTue 18:00 · open · carrying cost accruesTue 19:00 · open · carrying cost accruesTue 20:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesTue 21:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesTue 22:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesTue 23:00 · closed · carrying cost accrues$815WedWed 00:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesWed 01:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesWed 02:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesWed 03:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesWed 04:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesWed 05:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesWed 06:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesWed 07:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesWed 08:00 · open · carrying cost accruesWed 09:00 · open · carrying cost accruesWed 10:00 · open · carrying cost accruesWed 11:00 · open · carrying cost accruesWed 12:00 · open · carrying cost accruesWed 13:00 · open · carrying cost accruesWed 14:00 · open · carrying cost accruesWed 15:00 · open · carrying cost accruesWed 16:00 · open · carrying cost accruesWed 17:00 · open · carrying cost accruesWed 18:00 · open · carrying cost accruesWed 19:00 · open · carrying cost accruesWed 20:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesWed 21:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesWed 22:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesWed 23:00 · closed · carrying cost accrues$810ThuThu 00:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesThu 01:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesThu 02:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesThu 03:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesThu 04:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesThu 05:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesThu 06:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesThu 07:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesThu 08:00 · open · carrying cost accruesThu 09:00 · open · carrying cost accruesThu 10:00 · open · carrying cost accruesThu 11:00 · open · carrying cost accruesThu 12:00 · open · carrying cost accruesThu 13:00 · open · carrying cost accruesThu 14:00 · open · carrying cost accruesThu 15:00 · open · carrying cost accruesThu 16:00 · open · carrying cost accruesThu 17:00 · open · carrying cost accruesThu 18:00 · open · carrying cost accruesThu 19:00 · open · carrying cost accruesThu 20:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesThu 21:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesThu 22:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesThu 23:00 · closed · carrying cost accrues$805FriFri 00:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesFri 01:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesFri 02:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesFri 03:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesFri 04:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesFri 05:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesFri 06:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesFri 07:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesFri 08:00 · open · carrying cost accruesFri 09:00 · open · carrying cost accruesFri 10:00 · open · carrying cost accruesFri 11:00 · open · carrying cost accruesFri 12:00 · open · carrying cost accruesFri 13:00 · open · carrying cost accruesFri 14:00 · open · carrying cost accruesFri 15:00 · open · carrying cost accruesFri 16:00 · open · carrying cost accruesFri 17:00 · open · carrying cost accruesFri 18:00 · open · carrying cost accruesFri 19:00 · open · carrying cost accruesFri 20:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesFri 21:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesFri 22:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesFri 23:00 · closed · carrying cost accrues$805SatSat 00:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSat 01:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSat 02:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSat 03:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSat 04:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSat 05:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSat 06:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSat 07:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSat 08:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSat 09:00 · open · carrying cost accruesSat 10:00 · open · carrying cost accruesSat 11:00 · open · carrying cost accruesSat 12:00 · open · carrying cost accruesSat 13:00 · open · carrying cost accruesSat 14:00 · open · carrying cost accruesSat 15:00 · open · carrying cost accruesSat 16:00 · open · carrying cost accruesSat 17:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSat 18:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSat 19:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSat 20:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSat 21:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSat 22:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSat 23:00 · closed · carrying cost accrues$1,075SunSun 00:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSun 01:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSun 02:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSun 03:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSun 04:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSun 05:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSun 06:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSun 07:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSun 08:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSun 09:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSun 10:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSun 11:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSun 12:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSun 13:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSun 14:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSun 15:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSun 16:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSun 17:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSun 18:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSun 19:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSun 20:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSun 21:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSun 22:00 · closed · carrying cost accruesSun 23:00 · closed · carrying cost accrues$1,610
closed · cost accruesopen · cost accrues · Mon–Fri 08:00–20:00 · Sat 09:00–17:00

Accrued while the store was closed

59%

Trueline shows how much carrying cost accrued while the store was closed, by site and weekday. In the specimen store it was $6,730 of the $11,420 it took to bring 74 cars to the line. The bays were dark and the cost kept counting.

$1,610Sundays alone

Specimen · illustrative figures, not a real store · last 30 days

04 · How the store is doing

Graded A to D against the store’s own targets.

Seven areas. The store sets its targets, and Trueline suggests one from the store’s own best recent quarter. An area isn’t graded until the store has a target and enough cars.

Time to line

B

4.3 d

target 4.0 d

7.5% over target

Carrying cost

B

$142 a car

target $130

9.2% over target

Throughput

B

17.3 cars a week

target 18

3.9% short

Flow

C

21% hands-on

target 25%

16% short

Quality

A

4% needed rework

target 5% or less

better than target

Delivery promises

B

96% kept

88% ready 2 h before · target 95%

7.4% short on ready

Compliance

A

100% disclosures

before signing · 0 safety certificates lapsed

on target

A on target or betterB within 10%C within 25%D further off— not graded yetSpecimen · illustrative figures, not a real store · true as of Thu 09:12

Department cards

Each opens to its cars and each car’s ledger
Reconditioning & servicedetail $760 over target
Parts$1,130 over target
Vendorssublet work, in their own portal
Merchandisingphotos & listing $560 over
Lotintake photos and moves
Delivery96% of promises kept
Sales desk & F&I— not graded yet
Licensing— not graded yet
Appraisal— not graded yet
Quality & compliance4% rework · 0 lapsed

05 · What needs attention, and what happens next

Before it costs more.

Alerts are off until the store turns them on. Each one goes to the roles that can act, and the store chooses who. Record checks, for entries that can’t be right, go to the general manager only.

Alerts on now · 7

Specimen · illustrative figures, not a real store · true as of Thu 09:12
CriticalDetail running long45309 h so far · the store’s usual is 6 hto the service manager
WarningEstimate waiting for a decision45412 h 40 m · target 1 hto the used-car manager
WarningParts overdue4533ETA was Tuesdayto parts and the service manager
WarningDelivery promise at risk4519customer Sat 10:00 · still in detailto the sales manager
WarningCar aging on the lot450252 daysto the used-car manager
WarningTime to line at risk45273 d 20 h so far · target 4 dto the used-car manager
WarningThe detail queue is growing5 carsoldest waiting 1 d 4 hto the service manager

Forecast · 4533 · 2021 RAV4 XLE · needs parts

On the line Thu 15:00

Likely between Wed 17:00 and Fri 12:00, from the store’s own recent cars that needed parts. Scored when it lands.

TueWedThuFriestimate approved Tue 11:20now Thu 09:12Thu 15:00likely Wed 17:00 – Fri 12:00TueWedThuFriestimate approved Tue 11:20now Thu 09:12Thu 15:00likely Wed 17:00 – Fri 12:00

Last one scored · 4521 · forecast Fri 15:00 · on the line Fri 14:40, 20 min early · specimen, illustrative

The constraint · who holds the cars in recon now

Detail is holding up everything else.

Detailer6
Technician3
Used-car manager2
Parts2
Service advisor1
Merchandising0

5 waiting for detail, the oldest for 1 d 4 h · 14 cars in reconditioning · Specimen · illustrative figures, not a real store · true as of Thu 09:12

06 · Told, not dug for

Told every morning. Checked before it’s sent.

Daily, weekly and monthly briefings for the store’s managers, written by the embedded AI from the store’s own figures. Every figure is checked against the record before a briefing is published. One that fails the check is replaced by a plain template.

General manager · weekly briefingwritten 06:00 Mon 12 Oct · week of 5 Oct

16 cars reached the line, two fewer than the week before. The median time to line rose to 4.3 days, against your target of 4.0. Estimates waited 0.6 days longer than target for approval, most of it on Monday. Detail is the constraint this week: 5 cars waiting, the oldest for 1 day 4 hours. Carrying cost to the line was $2,640, $480 of it above the stage targets.

Recommended · the manager decides and presses the button

Approve the 3 estimates waiting since Friday3 cars ▸
4502 has been on the lot 52 daysopen car ▸

Every figure was checked against the store’s record before this briefing was sent.
9 figures · 9 checked · 0 replaced by the template

Specimen · illustrative figures, not a real store

Ask Trueline · answers come with their receipt

Q

Why isn’t 4521 on the line yet?

A

4521 has been with the store 3 d 1 h. It waited 1 d 2 h for estimate approval and 1 d 15 h for parts; the front brake rotors arrived at 09:10. It is in repair now. The forecast puts it on the line Friday at 15:00.

true as of Thu 8 Oct 09:32 · from the car’s ledger and the parts order

Q

What did waiting cost us in the last 30 days?

A

Cars spent 79% of their time to line waiting. That waiting carried $9,020 of the $11,420 carrying cost to the line. The biggest waits were estimate approvals and parts.

true as of Thu 09:12 · carrying cost to the line, 74 cars

Q

Who’s our slowest technician?

A

A person’s figures are on their report card, never in chat. Report cards are seen only by the person, their manager and the general manager.

declined · questions about individual people

Answers come from the store’s measures, with the asker’s own permissions · Specimen · illustrative figures, not a real store

Every number opens to the cars behind it.

From any figure to the list of cars, and from there to each car’s ledger.

Figures say when they were true.

Every figure carries its time: true as of 09:12

Targets are the store’s own.

Set by the store. Trueline suggests one from the best recent quarter.

Checked numbers.

Each measure is defined once in plain language. An independent checker re-derives the figures before any change ships.

Exports and schedules.

CSV, Excel and PDF. A shareable link for any report and period. Reports e-mailed on a schedule.