ImpoundDeskTow yard inventory spreadsheet vs an impound app
Updated October 26, 2026 · For towing and impound yards
A lot of towing companies track the impound lot in a spreadsheet: plate, make, stall, the date it came in, and a notes column that grows longer every week. It works because it is quick to add a row when a truck drops a car.
The sheet struggles when people come to collect. Is the car on hold? What does the owner owe today? Did someone already promise a pickup time? Those answers live in different columns, different tabs or different heads. Here is how to run the sheet well, and how it compares with a yard desk app.
Columns every impound sheet needs
- Plate and state, plus make, model and color.
- Stall or row.
- Arrival date and time, and the tow reason (police, private property, repo).
- Daily storage rate.
- Status: on hold, ready, released or to auction.
- Release details: who is claiming it, documents seen, fee due, pickup time.
Where it goes wrong
- A held car gets promised because the hold was in the notes column.
- The fee is worked out by hand from the arrival date, differently by each person.
- Gate codes and pickup times are texted and never written down.
- Searching by plate while the owner is on the phone means scrolling.
Spreadsheet vs ImpoundDesk
- Intake
- Spreadsheet Add a row
- ImpoundDesk Plate, vehicle, stall, tow reason, arrival and daily rate
- Holds
- Spreadsheet A note or a color
- ImpoundDesk Each vehicle is on hold, ready, released or to auction
- “Is my car there?”
- Spreadsheet Scroll or Ctrl+F
- ImpoundDesk Plate lookup while they’re on the phone
- Releases
- Spreadsheet Another tab
- ImpoundDesk Docs pending, scheduled, released or cancelled, with claimant, fee and pickup time
- Taking payment
- Spreadsheet Read out a card number or meet at the gate
- ImpoundDesk Each release has a payment page that opens your own payment link
- Pickup reminder
- Spreadsheet Call them
- ImpoundDesk Optional: the day before, the claimant gets a reminder with the time, and the fee page if unpaid
- Gate codes
- Spreadsheet Texted
- ImpoundDesk Stored on the release, never shown on the claimant’s page
| Spreadsheet | ImpoundDesk | |
|---|---|---|
| Intake | Add a row | Plate, vehicle, stall, tow reason, arrival and daily rate |
| Holds | A note or a color | Each vehicle is on hold, ready, released or to auction |
| “Is my car there?” | Scroll or Ctrl+F | Plate lookup while they’re on the phone |
| Releases | Another tab | Docs pending, scheduled, released or cancelled, with claimant, fee and pickup time |
| Taking payment | Read out a card number or meet at the gate | Each release has a payment page that opens your own payment link |
| Pickup reminder | Call them | Optional: the day before, the claimant gets a reminder with the time, and the fee page if unpaid |
| Gate codes | Texted | Stored on the release, never shown on the claimant’s page |
When the sheet is enough
A small yard with a handful of cars at a time and one person at the desk can manage with a careful spreadsheet. The case for an app grows with the number of calls you take about cars, and the number of people who answer them.
Common questions
- Does ImpoundDesk calculate storage fees?
- Each vehicle records its arrival time and daily rate, and each release records the fee due. Your local rules on fee caps and notice periods still apply, so set the fee on the release yourself.
- Can I import my current lot list?
- Yes. Export the sheet as CSV and import it on the vehicles page. You can export everything back out at any time.