New to the desk?Work your first deal free 
The training program for future Sales Managers
Hands on dealership training, realistic deal simulations, lender approvals, trade management and F&I fundamentals, all in one platform
Certification includedFree first deal · No credit card · Cancel anytime
ME
Maya EllisFirst time buyer · 650 score · No trade
BeginnerPayment target$550
Cash down$3,000
Gross goal$1,500
First pencil · 2025 Toyota Camry$713.97/mo$163.97 over her target
Bank callback10.9% buy rate105% max LTV72 months max
Can you make this deal work? HOW IT WORKS
Learn the desk the way managers do
- 1
Learn
Short lessons on deal math, trades, lenders and gross
- 2
Work Deals
Real customers, real inventory, real bank callbacks
- 3
Get Graded
Every pencil scored with coaching on what you missed
- 4
Get Certified
Pass the exam and print your certificate
WHY SALESPEOPLE GET PASSED OVER
Selling cars and running the desk are two different jobs
You know the product, the customers and how to close. What you haven’t had is a chance to work the other side of the desk: vehicle cost, trade values, bank callbacks and what a deal actually makes the store.
So when a management spot opens, the GM hires someone who already has desk experience, even if you’re the better salesperson.
Sales Desk Pro gives you that desk experience before the opening comes, so you walk into the conversation ready.
WHAT THE DESK PAYS
Dealership managers are some of the best-paid people in the building
Average 2024 pay across U.S. dealerships, from NADA’s own workforce study
F&I MANAGER
$189,097National all-dealer average annual compensationSource: 2025 NADA Dealership Workforce Study, 2024 compensation . National averages from participating dealerships. Pay varies by store, market and performance, and training does not guarantee a promotion or income.
CERTIFICATION
Earn the Sales Desk Pro Certification
Pass the quiz for every module, then the timed certification exam. Score 80 percent or higher to earn your Certified Sales Manager certificate, ready to print, with a verification code an employer can check online
- 7Module quizzes with explanations
- 50Question final exam in 60 minutes
- 80%Score to earn your certificate
Included in Pro, Mastery and the Complete Pro and Mastery plans
INSIDE THE PLATFORM
Everything you handle behind the desk, in one workstation
Inventory, invoices, bank callbacks, deal structure, gross and coaching all sit in one place, so you learn how each decision affects the rest of the deal.
LIVE DEAL DESK
The Deal Desk
Work selling price, down payment, trade economics, contract APR and term. See the payment and complete transaction change together.
THE CURRICULUM
A clear path from the basics to the Desk Manager Gauntlet
Each section pairs short written lessons with deals you work yourself, starting with the fundamentals and ending with independent assessments.
82 written lessons8 curriculum categoriesGuided practice Independent assessments
01Desking Foundations10 written lessons · 4 linked exercises
WHAT YOU LEARN
Read a first pencil and separate customer funds, selling price and dealership gross.
WHAT YOU DEMONSTRATE
Explain the complete transaction before presenting a payment.
Available lessons
- From discovery to decisionUnderstanding the Sales Desk
- A repeatable desk processUnderstanding the Sales Desk
- Who is who on the sales floorUnderstanding the Sales Desk
- Reading the four-square worksheetUnderstanding the Sales Desk
- Why the first pencil is built the way it isUnderstanding the Sales Desk
- Reading a vehicle invoice line by lineUnderstanding the Sales Desk
- Reading a bank callbackUnderstanding the Sales Desk
- Working the desk log and daily trafficUnderstanding the Sales Desk
- When to involve the manager and how to present numbersUnderstanding the Sales Desk
- Common desk mistakes and how to avoid themUnderstanding the Sales Desk
Working exercises & difficulty
- The first pencilBeginner
- First-time buyerBeginner
- Read the invoice firstBeginner
- What the used car really costBeginner
02Vehicle Profitability10 written lessons · 4 linked exercises
WHAT YOU LEARN
Read cost basis, carrying costs and incentives without counting rebates as profit.
WHAT YOU DEMONSTRATE
Hold gross using actual cost, not MSRP or the loan balance.
Available lessons
- Gross is not the loan balanceAutomotive Deal Mathematics
- Taxes and roundingAutomotive Deal Mathematics
- Building the amount financed step by stepAutomotive Deal Mathematics
- The payment formula in plain wordsAutomotive Deal Mathematics
- Term and rate sensitivity rules of thumbAutomotive Deal Mathematics
- Holdback, dealer cash, and customer rebatesAutomotive Deal Mathematics
- Finance reserve: contract APR minus buy rateAutomotive Deal Mathematics
- Front-end, back-end, and total deal grossAutomotive Deal Mathematics
- Out-the-door total and why customers compare itAutomotive Deal Mathematics
- Checking your math before you presentAutomotive Deal Mathematics
Working exercises & difficulty
- The aggressive askIntermediate
- 119 days on the lotIntermediate
- The new one or the right oneIntermediate
- The unit that has to goIntermediate
03Trade Management10 written lessons · 4 linked exercises
WHAT YOU LEARN
Distinguish ACV, allowance, payoff, positive equity and overallowance.
WHAT YOU DEMONSTRATE
Account for trade equity and its separate effect on front gross.
Available lessons
- ACV versus allowanceTrade-In Management
- Follow the equityTrade-In Management
- The appraisal walkaround and ACV driversTrade-In Management
- How recon estimates cap what you can payTrade-In Management
- Verifying the payoff before you build the dealTrade-In Management
- Handling negative equity with full transparencyTrade-In Management
- Spreading the deal: allowance versus discountTrade-In Management
- Trade tax credit across fictional tax profilesTrade-In Management
- When to walk away from a tradeTrade-In Management
- Working with the used car manager on tradesTrade-In Management
Working exercises & difficulty
- A trade worth understandingIntermediate
- Upside down, not out of optionsAdvanced
- Allowance is not appraisalAdvanced
- He wants more for his tradeIntermediate
04Lender Intelligence10 written lessons · 5 linked exercises
WHAT YOU LEARN
Interpret buy rate, markup, collateral, advance ceilings and term restrictions.
WHAT YOU DEMONSTRATE
Get the structure within the fictional callback—not just under the payment target.
Available lessons
- Payment and total interestFinancing Fundamentals
- The advance ceilingFinancing Fundamentals
- Credit tiers and what moves a customerFinancing Fundamentals
- Reading a bank callbackFinancing Fundamentals
- Buy rate, contract rate and reserveFinancing Fundamentals
- Choosing the right lender for the dealFinancing Fundamentals
- Payment-to-income and debt-to-income checksFinancing Fundamentals
- Term strategy: 72 versus 84 monthsFinancing Fundamentals
- First-time buyers and subprime dealsFinancing Fundamentals
- Structuring to the callbackFinancing Fundamentals
Working exercises & difficulty
- The advance ceilingAdvanced
- Negative equity & lender comparisonIntermediate
- Two callbacks, two sets of stipsIntermediate
- The bank says yes, with conditionsAdvanced
- Four callbacks, one best dealAdvanced
05Advanced Deal Structure20 written lessons · 4 linked exercises
WHAT YOU LEARN
Compare price, cash, term, lenders and vehicle alternatives when the first pencil falls short.
WHAT YOU DEMONSTRATE
Restructure a transaction without hiding cost or sacrificing feasibility.
Available lessons
- A concession needs a reasonNegotiation & Deal Strategy
- Compare complete structuresNegotiation & Deal Strategy
- The First Pencil and Anchoring HonestlyNegotiation & Deal Strategy
- Reading the Four-Square Without ConfusionNegotiation & Deal Strategy
- Answering ’Cheaper Down the Street’Negotiation & Deal Strategy
- Payment Buyers and Price BuyersNegotiation & Deal Strategy
- Trade Concessions: Give One, Get OneNegotiation & Deal Strategy
- How Much to Move and When to StopNegotiation & Deal Strategy
- The Manager T.O.: Stepping In With TrustNegotiation & Deal Strategy
- When to Decline or Invite Them BackNegotiation & Deal Strategy
- Lease vs Purchase: The Core DifferenceLeasing
- Lease Terms Every Desk Must KnowLeasing
- Fees, Mileage and Excess Mileage ChargesLeasing
- The Lease Payment Formula Step by StepLeasing
- Worked Example: Building the PaymentLeasing
- Drive Offs, Rebates and Lease CashLeasing
- How the Desk Structures a LeaseLeasing
- Consumer Leasing Act and Regulation MLeasing
- Lease End Options, Wear and Tear, and EquityLeasing
- When Leasing Fits and Leasing F&I ProductsLeasing
Working exercises & difficulty
- The $450 conversationIntermediate
- Compare the whole offerAdvanced
- Complex deal restructureAdvanced
- Payment is not the only numberIntermediate
06F&I Profitability12 written lessons · 11 linked exercises
WHAT YOU LEARN
Reconcile reserve and product gross with suitability, optionality and customer consent.
WHAT YOU DEMONSTRATE
Explain the front and back separately and select an eligible financing structure.
Available lessons
- F&I Department FundamentalsF&I Training Academy
- Automotive FinancingF&I Training Academy
- Lender GuidelinesF&I Training Academy
- F&I Product KnowledgeF&I Training Academy
- Menu PresentationsF&I Training Academy
- Backend ProfitabilityF&I Training Academy
- Compliance FundamentalsF&I Training Academy
- Advanced F&I ManagementF&I Training Academy
- Reading CreditF&I Training Academy
- Deal Forms and DocumentsF&I Training Academy
- Federal Finance LawsF&I Training Academy
- LeasingF&I Training Academy
Working exercises & difficulty
- Basic Finance TransactionFoundation
- First F&I Product PresentationFoundation
- Payment ObjectionIntermediate
- GAP SuitabilityIntermediate
- Service Contract ObjectionFoundation
- Lender SelectionIntermediate
- LTV RestrictionIntermediate
- Sophisticated BuyerAdvanced
- Compliance ChallengeIntermediate
- Advanced F&I ManagementAdvanced
- Cash Buyer: Optional ProtectionFoundation
07Management Judgment10 written lessons · 3 linked exercises
WHAT YOU LEARN
Balance customer needs, lender constraints, profitability and a transparent process.
WHAT YOU DEMONSTRATE
Identify a workable alternative—or recognize a deal that should be declined.
Available lessons
- Coach the consultantManagerial Judgment
- Define a quality dealManagerial Judgment
- Managing Aged Inventory Before It Costs YouManagerial Judgment
- Reading the Daily Desk Log and Key MetricsManagerial Judgment
- Running a Morning Sales Meeting That WorksManagerial Judgment
- Handling Customer Escalations CalmlyManagerial Judgment
- Compliance Basics a Desk Manager OwnsManagerial Judgment
- Working as a Team with F&I, Used Cars and the GMManagerial Judgment
- Developing Your Consultants After Every DealManagerial Judgment
- Showing You Are Ready to Run the DeskManagerial Judgment
Working exercises & difficulty
- Find the right way forwardExpert
- Gross recovery: the wrong unitAdvanced
- Upside down, near-prime, and in a hurryExpert
08Desk Manager Gauntlet5 pinned assessments · Mastery
WHAT YOU LEARN
Work a pinned assessment across Sales Management and F&I without solution hints.
WHAT YOU DEMONSTRATE
Complete three Sales and two F&I assessments for a recorded competency report.
Working exercises & difficulty
- The advance ceilingAdvanced
- Compare the whole offerAdvanced
- Find the right way forwardExpert
- Advanced F&I ManagementAdvanced
- Sophisticated BuyerAdvanced
Advanced / Expert assessment path: three Sales Management and two F&I transactions. The server pins the available scenarios to your run. Complete all five for the private readiness summary.
Advanced exercises and assessments are included with paid plans
UNDERSTAND THE FRONT AND BACK
Learn how the whole deal makes money, front and back
Every sales deal shows projected finance reserve next to front-end gross. Headed to the finance office first? Our companion program covers it in depth.
Finance Pro: the training program for future F&I Managers
Most dealers move new managers into F&I before the desk. Finance Pro trains lender programs, menus, products and compliance. Get both with a Complete plan and save.
BUILT FOR
- Salespeople ready to move to the desk
- New desk managers who want more reps on structure and callbacks
- F&I managers preparing to run the sales desk
NOT FOR
- Lot selling or closing technique
- A video library you watch once and forget
PLANS
Pick the level that matches where you are
Start with the free deal, then choose how far you want to go
BASIC
Learn the Desk
$19.95/month
For automotive salespeople developing fundamental desking skills.
- Core Sales Management simulator
- Foundational deal-desking lessons
- Guided beginner training
- Payment and gross calculations
- Basic trade evaluation
- Introductory lender guidelines
- Starter scenario library
- Basic training progress
PRO
Run the Desk
$49/month
For aspiring and newly promoted Sales and F&I Managers.
- Full Sales Management training
- Standard and advanced scenario library
- Lender selection and finance structure exercises
- Detailed performance tracking
- Monthly practice challenges
- Expanded management decision exercises
MASTERY
Prove Your Skills
$99/month
For professionals preparing to demonstrate advanced management proficiency.
- Advanced management simulation challenges
- Desk Manager Gauntlet
- Sales management readiness assessment
- Detailed competency reports
- Personalized development recommendations
- Shareable skills assessment results
WHO BUILT IT
Built by people who have run dealership desks
Sales Desk Pro comes from more than 25 years of dealership leadership, from the sales desk and F&I office to General Manager.
Every scenario is built the way real deals come across the desk: a customer with limits, a bank with rules and a store that needs to make money. The best way to judge it is to work the first deal yourself.
BEFORE YOU TAKE THE DESK
Common questions
I’ve sold cars for years. Why do I need management training?
Selling experience matters, but working the desk adds different responsibilities: vehicle cost, trade economics, lender restrictions and the complete transaction. This is a place to practice those decisions before you own them in a dealership.
Can I learn to desk deals without already being a manager?
Yes. Start with the financial foundations and guided beginner training. The introductory Deal Desk is available without an account or payment. You make the financial decisions; guided explanations help you understand the information, not supply a finished deal.
What exactly happens inside a deal simulation?
Receive a customer brief, search the scenario’s inventory and read the invoice and bank callback PDFs. Enter your structure, see payment and projected gross recalculate, and submit a pencil. A predefined customer response may require rework. Finalize the proposal for practice scoring, mistakes and coaching.
Do I get to work with lender approvals and vehicle costs?
Yes. The three scenario-first Sales exercises include vehicle-specific cost information, invoice or cost-sheet PDFs, and fictional bank callbacks. The introductory exercise has one lender; the intermediate and advanced exercises offer lender comparisons. These are simulated programs, not actual approvals.
What happens if I structure the deal incorrectly?
The desk separates lender eligibility, customer affordability and dealership profitability. Your final practice feedback identifies mistakes and missed opportunities. Try another structure to see what changes. Guest outcomes are not saved or counted toward account progress.
Does Sales Desk Pro include F&I training?
Yes. The Sales desk calculates supported projected reserve, but assumes no protection-product sales. The separate F&I division includes lender comparison, optional products, customer decision paths and financial reconciliation. Guests can explore its calculator; saving and evaluated F&I training require Pro or Mastery access.
Can I show my training results to a prospective employer?
Yes. Pass every module quiz and the 50 question certification exam to earn the Sales Desk Pro Certification. You get a printable certificate with a verification code anyone can check online. The exam is included in Pro, Mastery and the Complete Pro and Mastery plans. Mastery also adds a downloadable readiness summary from the Desk Manager Gauntlet.
What’s included in each subscription?
Basic includes financial foundations, guided beginner training and basic progress. Pro adds expanded Sales and F&I training, challenging transactions, lender selection and detailed analytics. Mastery adds expert challenges, the Desk Manager Gauntlet and its recorded competency report. The full comparison lists the actual plan entitlements. See the pricing page for current subscription availability.
Can I try it before paying?
Yes. Work the first-time-buyer deal free, without signup or payment, including live calculations, pencil responses and final practice feedback. Sign in for eligible saved work and private history. Guest practice is an unsaved editing buffer and is lost when you leave or refresh.
Does completing training guarantee a management job?
No. Sales Desk Pro provides practice and career preparation, not a promise of promotion, employer acceptance or a particular salary. Your dealership, experience, performance and available opportunities determine the next step.
START TODAY
Be ready when the next management opening comes
Work your first deal free and see how you’d do behind the desk
No account or credit card needed