CATAMA with an API interface to the Auteon parts catalog: The digital bridge for modern automotive service shops

Manually entering part numbers costs an average auto repair shop up to 90 minutes of work time per day. Multiplied by a service technician’s hourly rate, this adds up to a five-figure sum per year—a cost that isn’t billed to anyone. This is exactly where CATAMA comes in with its interface (API) to the Auteon parts catalog: a direct, automated data connection between Auteon’s modern online parts catalog and CATAMA automotive software. The result: fewer typos, faster order processing, and more accurate calculations.

The following overview explains how the integration works, the specific benefits it offers to repair shops and dealers, and what to keep in mind during setup.

Key Takeaways

• Direct API connection: Parts from the Auteon online catalog are transferred to CATAMA orders via a shopping cart import, without the need for manual data entry.
• Time savings in day-to-day operations: Digital data transfer reduces data entry time per order by up to 70 percent.
• Error rate drops: Original part numbers, descriptions, and purchase prices are carried over exactly as they are—no more transposed digits.
• Clear profit margin: Purchase prices and selling prices can be calculated automatically and carried over into quotes, orders, and invoices.
• Scalable: The interface is suitable for individual workshops as well as for multiple locations with centralized billing.

What is Auteon, and why is it worth connecting to?

Auteon is a modern online platform for purchasing automotive replacement parts, designed for independent repair shops, service centers, and parts retailers. The catalog includes original equipment (OE) parts as well as high-quality aftermarket parts from well-known manufacturers. Through a user-friendly web interface, users can identify vehicles, select the right parts, and add items to their shopping carts.

Auteon's strength lies in its structured database: part numbers, manufacturers, descriptions, and gross and net prices are clearly categorized. It is precisely this data structure that makes an API integration with a workshop management system like CATAMA so efficient.

A workshop employee searches the Auteon catalog for the required brake pads, checks their availability, adds them to the shopping cart—and transfers them to the corresponding CATAMA order with just a few clicks. There is no need to manually enter 12-digit part numbers.

“An API is only as good as the workflow it enables. With CATAMA and Auteon, the two systems integrate so seamlessly that users hardly notice the transition.”

CATAMA with an API interface to the Auteon parts catalog: How the integration works

The technical foundation of the connection is a REST-based API (Application Programming Interface), which enables secure data exchange between Auteon and CATAMA. This technology remains invisible to the user—the focus is on a seamless process.

The daily workflow

1. Create or open a vehicle record in CATAMA – including HSN/TSN, initial registration, and mileage.
2. Switch to Auteon —ideally with pre-filled vehicle data, so you can start searching for parts right away.
3. Search for parts and add them to your cart —all within the familiar Auteon interface.
4. Importing a shopping cart into CATAMA – all items are imported via an interface, including part number, description, quantity, and purchase price.
5. Quotation and Invoicing in CATAMA – Surcharges, hourly labor, and additional services are added, and an invoice or quote is generated.

If you want to understand the entire process from order receipt to invoicing, this article provides an overview of all business processes in the automotive industry.

What data is transferred?

This results in complete location data that can be used for cost estimation, accounting, and subsequent warranty processing alike.

Specific benefits for repair shops and retailers

The economic impact of a clean API connection is often underestimated. Three areas benefit particularly significantly.

1. Time savings at the front desk

The initial intake at the auto service center is the moment where customer expectations and operational efficiency come together. When the service technician looks up parts right at the vehicle, adds them to the shopping cart, and transfers them to the CATAMA order, the quote can often be generated before the customer even leaves the intake area.

2. Higher data quality

Manual data entry is the most common source of errors in workshop administration. A single digit entered incorrectly in a part number means:

• wrong order
• Delay in repairs
• Return shipping costs
• dissatisfied customers

Thanks to the API import, these error chains are virtually eliminated.

3. Improved cost estimation and margins

The purchase price is automatically entered into CATAMA and is available for automatic markup calculations. This allows you to clearly separate hourly rates from parts margins. If you don’t yet know the optimal hourly rate, you can use the free hourly rate calculator for auto repair shops.

Requirements and Setup

To ensure that the interface runs smoothly in practice, certain basic requirements must be met.

Technical Requirements

• Active Auteon account with API access rights
• CATAMA license in an edition that includes an interface module (e.g., CATAMA Professional or CATAMA Enterprise)
• Stable internet connection (the API communicates in real time)
• Current browser version for the Auteon web interface

Organizational Requirements

The following points should be clarified before the go-live:

1. Item groups and the markup matrix are defined in CATAMA.
2. Supplier and manufacturer master data has been created—see the Supplier and Manufacturer Management section for more information.
3. User permissions have been set: Who is allowed to import parts, and who is allowed to change prices?
4. The standard procedure for accepting parts has been communicated to the team.

Step-by-Step Activation

Setup usually takes less than half a workday. If you have any questions, the CATAMA support team is here to help.

Comparison: Auteon Interface and Other CATAMA Integrations

CATAMA has relied on an open interface concept for years. The Auteon integration is the latest in a series of established integrations.

The CATAMA Interfaces page provides a complete overview of all available connections.

Real-world example: From the service appointment to the invoice

A typical service case illustrates how the Auteon integration pays off in everyday use:

Situation: A customer brings in a VW Golf VII with suspected brake failure. Appointment: Wednesday, 9:30 a.m.

1. 9:30 a.m. – Vehicle intake. The vehicle registration certificate is scanned using an OCR scanner, and the vehicle is entered into CATAMA.
2. 9:35 a.m. – Visual inspection on the lift. The front brake pads and rotors need to be replaced.
3. 9:45 a.m. – Search in Auteon using the vehicle data provided. Original-quality floor mats and matching windows are added to the shopping cart.
4. 9:48 a.m. – Shopping cart items imported into the CATAMA order. All items are displayed with cost price, MSRP, and delivery time.
5. 9:50 a.m. – Add hourly rates and labor costs, then print the quote or send it via email.
6. 9:55 a.m. – The customer signs on the tablet; the order is approved.

What used to take 30 to 45 minutes can now be done in under 30 minutes —including proper documentation.

Impact on Accounting and E-Invoicing

Accurate master data is the foundation for all downstream processes. When part numbers and purchase prices are correctly imported into CATAMA via API, the following also benefit:

• Inventory Accounting: Inventory levels are tracked automatically – see Automotive Inventory Management.
• Outgoing invoice: Line items appear exactly as entered on the invoice—ideal for e-invoicing in the automotive industry.
• DATEV Export: Journal entries are assigned correctly – keyword: DATEV interface.
• Analyses: Which parts generate which margins? Which suppliers deliver on time?

As a result, the Auteon integration not only serves an operational purpose but also strengthens the financial management of the business.

Common Concerns – and What's Really Behind Them

“Do we really need an interface if the Auteon catalog runs in the browser anyway?”

Yes—because the main bottleneck isn't finding parts, but transferring data. Without an API, every item has to be entered manually. That takes time and leads to errors.

“What will happen to our existing price lists?”

Existing markup matrices remain unchanged. The Auteon API provides only the basic data (part number, cost price, MSRP). The CATAMA configuration determines how this data is used to calculate the selling price.

“Is the interface GDPR-compliant?”

API communication is encrypted. No personal customer data is transmitted to Auteon; only vehicle and parts data is shared. For more details, please visit the page on data centers and data security.

“Can we go back to working without the API if necessary?”

Of course. The Auteon interface is an optional module. The manual method remains an option at all times—even alongside other supplier integrations.

Tips for rolling out the system in your organization

To ensure that the new way of working is accepted, it is worth having a structured implementation plan:

• Identify pilot users: One or two employees will test the API extensively for two weeks.
• Place a quick-reference card at each workstation listing the five most important steps to follow.
• Brief weekly feedback during the first four weeks to identify any obstacles.
• Defining key performance indicators: How many orders per day, what is the turnaround time, and what is the error rate?
• Repeat the training whenever new employees join the team.

If you're looking for more background information on the software, you can find additional details in " How Auto Repair Shops Save Time and Money with CATAMA Software."

Cost-effectiveness: A brief sample calculation

A medium-sized business with twelve orders per day and an average of five parts per order:

• 60 entries per day × 45 seconds of manual entry time = 45 minutes per day
• Based on 220 working days, that comes to 165 hours a year
• At an internal cost rate of 60 euros: 9,900 euros in annual data entry costs

Even if the API interface saves only 70 percent of that time, the savings still amount to approximately 6,900 euros per year —without even factoring in the costs of errors and damage to the company’s reputation caused by delayed orders.

Conclusion: The Next Step

The integration of CATAMA with the Auteon parts catalog via an API is more than just a technical feature—it is a catalyst for sustainable process improvement. Those who still manually enter part numbers today are wasting time, money, and compromising data quality. Those who adopt the API approach gain efficiency in order processing, margin security in cost estimation, and transparency in accounting.

Next steps:

1. Current status: How many orders are currently being processed each day? Where are the bottlenecks?
2. Check the edition: Which CATAMA edition is right for your business? Do you need the full range of features, or would a more streamlined suite suffice?
3. Set up Auteon access: Request an account and API token from Auteon.
4. Launch the pilot phase: Test with a defined team and clear KPIs.
5. Make optimization a continuous process: Measure success, iteratively improve workflows, and integrate additional interfaces.

If you’re looking to transition to a fully digitized workshop management system, CATAMA Support is the right partner for you—from the initial consultation through to go-live. The next generation of workshop management is networked, data-driven, and paperless. The Auteon integration is a key component of this.