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."

Rajiv was skeptical. "This looks like homework. How does this help me?"

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."

| 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 |

Finally: Supplier: Ganesh Auto Parts, Ph: 98765xxxxx . And a date: 15-May-2026 .

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."

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."