Overview - Entering vehicle Information
Often people will omit some vehicle information, including the VIN. It is important to obtain all of this data on the first visit. Thereafter, you will only need to obtain the license. If the client does not have a vehicle, ie. counter sale, You will only need to select client information.
On the General tab of the workorder development window you will see the following section:
If you do not already have a vehicle and/or client selected, use the appropriate Edit Vehicle or Edit Client button. From there you will see the screens discussed below. When you press the Exit button from the Vehicle Edit screen your client and vehicle information will automatically be added to the workorder. If it is only a client for whom you are creating an invoice, use the Edit Client button and when you exit the screen, the data will be saved to the workorder.
REMEMBER - Client and vehicle data are entered on the screen displayed with the tab marked General. The information provided on the screen is a summary of what is entered. When starting a new workorder, if the client and service vehicle have been in before, select Edit Vehicle, and find the correct vehicle. Select it ( Left mouse button click ) and then close the window using the Exit button.. The vehicle and client data should then be attached to the workorder. For new vehicles, follow the same process, but select Add from the Vehicle screen and type in all of the information. Save and close the screen.
Edit Vehicle
Complete information on entering data on the vehicle screen will be found in the section titled Vehicle Data
License
When adding a vehicle to a workorder, the system will first prompt for the license. The information should be typed in, without separating spaces. If the license is on file already, all of the vehicle and client data will be displayed on the screen. The license is the primary connector between the specific vehicle, and the workorder. The license is stored in the workorder's master file, and then used to retrieve all of the information about the vehicle at the time of editing, or printing. The Auto Shop Writer system provides space for up to 12 characters for the license field. This exceeds all known state codes, which are usually a maximum of 7 characters. However, in some instances items other than the actual license will be used. For example, some engine rebuilders have vehicles outside of vehicles, and need to track them. It would be best to enter the unique engine number in this field. While some people have thought of using phone numbers, this is not recommended because they change so frequently, and they are not unique (especially in large metropolitan areas serving multiple area codes). Licenses can be looked up by license, or by client.
Detail Decoding
When working with a new entry, once the license has been entered, select the Detail button. Then you can look up the year, make, and model of the vehicle. Highlight and save the exact vehicle description. Many fields will be completed with the proper data from this chart. Be sure to save the record after doing the lookup.
When using the chart, be sure to use the Tab key after the data is displayed in the field in which you are working. This will jump the cursor to the next box and fill it with the correct information.
Edit Client
Complete information on the use of the Client information edit window is found in the Client Data
section.
Client Information
Be sure to obtain, and enter, the name, address, and phone information on the client. If they are a returning client, this will automatically be displayed. If changes are made to client data, and the client exists in Accounts Receivable, the system will ask if you want the A/R record updated, and will do so automatically if you desire.
Name and Address
The name, and address, are straight forward. If the client is an individual, enter a first and last name, and leave the company field blank. The system will write the name in that field, last name first, with the proper spacing. Manual entry may lead to difficulties with finding the client later. However, if the client is a company, enter the name in the company field.
It is far more professional to use upper and lower case letters, rather than all capitals.
Phone Numbers
In our active society, clients have multiple phone numbers. The options provided on the data screen should cover most of your clients. This includes room for their home, business, fax, pager, and cellular numbers.
Be sure to always include the area code when entering thephone numbers. The area code, phone number, and extension fields have been separated for faster data entry.
Resale Number
If your client purchases for resale, be sure to enter the number in this field. This is then available for later reports. Enter the state assigned code, unmodified.
Level
The Level refers to the pricing level assigned to this client. Most businesses use Level 1 for retail, and 2 through 5 for wholesale or discount prices.
Code
You may also wish to assign your client a code. These are defined by the operator in the system setup. Often codes are used to track the source of the client, ie. yellow pages, newspaper advertising, phone solicitation, or flyer. However, your shop may have alternative means of grouping clients, by which they are to be tracked. Some of these may include the type of service, month of initial service, or type of individual (preferred, pays well, very unfriendly, etc.).
The codes may be looked up on the list installed with the Setup program by right clicking with the mouse on the appropriate field.
Memos
You may write memos for the client, and for the vehicle. Each is prompted at the bottom of the data entry screen. This is the place in which to enter information on the vehicle and/or clients.
Client memos should have information about the account. This may include payment history (pays on time, bounces checks, approved for credit terms, etc.), and personal notes (wife is Mabel, loves golf, in Rotary, etc.). The notes will enable you to be more personable with your client. Be sure to jot down notes from your conversations. Your client's will be impressed that you care enough to remember them - and they will be far more likely to return to your shop for future service.
vehicle memos should contain notes about alarm codes, body defects, and special equipment mounted by you, or the client. You always want to note any vehicle damage when it is first brought to your shop so that you cannot be accused of causing the problem when the owner returns. It is good to include dates in this information.
Use your memos freely. They conform to all the word processing standards listed in the Basic Concepts chapter.
The Cash Sale
If no vehicle or client information is specified, the system will assume the workorder is a Cash Sale. In this case, it is not necessary to even enter the vehicle/Client option of the menu. CASH SALE will be printed on the invoice, and handled appropriately in accounting.