The Workshop parameters drive and push different aspects of the entire Workshop module. You are able to find the Workshop parameters by navigating from the side menu to:
Workshop > Parameters
Please note: What you are able to see and amend will be dependent on your access levels - please speak to your site admin if you need your access levels amended.
Here you will be introduced to a drop-down menu - you can drill into each individual section and amend the parameters for that respective area of the workshop module.
Parameters - Parameters
Within Workshop > Parameters > Parameters - you will welcomed with a row of different columns which include:
- Job Types
- General 1
- General 2
- Messages
- Scripts
- Repeat Visits
- Fixed Price
- Diary Counts
- Loan Car Diary
- Email Reports
- Permissions
- Admin
Each tab includes its own screen where you are able to view/amend parameters.
Parameters - Parameters
To view the Workshop Job Types Parameters go to:
Workshop > Parameters > Parameters and by default the screen will display the Job Types tab as shown below:
The 'Department Details' are split into three sections:
Labour Jobs
MOT Jobs
Non-Labour Jobs
Labour Jobs
Job types are used to post labour sales and cost of sales values into the nominal. Each 'Job Type' requires a nominal code for every heading.
To create a job type, select the 'Add' button which will display the following pop-up:
Within this screen enter a name for the job type then select the search icon next to the 'Tax' field to display the 'Select a Tax Type' window:
Choose the correct tax type by double-clicking on it.
Select the search icon next to the Product Group field to search for the applicable Product Group.
Select the applicable Product Group required for the new Job Type.
When all the fields are completed select 'Accept' and the new job type will be visible in the 'Department Details' screen.
MOT Jobs
When an MOT is invoiced in the Workshop the value is posted in the nominal codes entered in this section.
To enter or amend the MOT nominal codes double click on the MOT line. The 'Name' field will already be populated and the 'Product Group' field is not used:
Select the search icon located next to the 'Tax' field which will open the 'Select a Tax Type' window:
Select the correct tax type by double-clicking it and populate the nominal code fields using the method described previously.
Non-Labour Jobs
The Non-Labour Job section is used to create additional charge fields that are utilized during the invoice process.
To create a Non-Labour charge select the 'Add' button, to open the 'Edit Job Type' window:
Enter a name for the non-labour item and select the search icon located next to the 'Tax' field to open the 'Select a Tax Type' window (as shown above).
Select the correct tax type by double-clicking on it and populate the nominal code fields as mentioned above.
If 'Purchase Ordering' is being utilised a 'Product Group' is required. Select the search icon located next to the 'Product Group' field to open the 'Departmental Product Group' window:
Double-click on the required 'Product Group' to select it.
For this Non-Labour type to be available when creating a Purchase Order, select the Purchase Order tick box.
You can also select the print option located at the bottom of the 'Department Details' screen to print a paper copy of the Parameters screen.
Parameters - Parameters - General 1
The ‘General 1’ tab contains two areas ‘User Information’ and ‘User Defined Fields to Print’ this allows certain decisions to be made on the operation of the Workshop module.
User Information section:
Enter Hours after Invoice: Once enabled the ‘Award Hours’ screen is available after an invoice has been produced allowing the technician hours to be posted/reviewed.
Print Hours on Invoice: Displays the sold hours on the invoice.
Vehicle Notes on Warranty Invoice: Provides details of the vehicle i.e. chassis number/registration number on the sales ledger as narrative.
Loan Car by Department: When selected loan vehicles can be linked directly to a specific department rather than holding a pool of vehicles.
Print Service History on Job Card: Three lines of service history always print on the job card irrespective of the parameter setting.
Raise Purchase Orders: When selected purchase orders can be raised directly from the booking confirmation screen.
Use Receive Date: Generates the next service reminder from the date that the job was received into the Workshop rather than the date that the invoice is produced.
Service Teams: Enables the Service Teams functionality and diary. Once this option has been activated, the ability to select the Service Teams heading from the side menu within parameters will be available. This is a Pinewood only parameter, to discuss enabling please contact Support.
Enable Advice Notes: With this parameter enabled an Advice Note button is added to the invoice screen where a print of all work carried out can be produced without costs. This could be given to a driver to detail the work that was carried out when a Fleet Company or contact is paying for the work.
Show All Operations on Invoice: With it parameter selected and where a job contains more than one account number, the system will display the description of other work attached to the job when invoiced.
Show Watermark on Advice Notes and Proforma: With this parameter selected a watermark of “Proforma” or “Advice Note” will be printed across the appropriate pages.
MOT as Labour Operation: If enabled, this will show the MOT value as a Labour Operation, however this parameter is not applicable to the UK.
User Defined Fields to Print Section: Place a tick in one of the six fields to print one user defined field contained within the CRM module on the job card. A maximum of six fields can be selected.
Workshop Document Categories:
Categories are utilised when uploading documents against a booking or a job.
To create a category for uploaded workshop documents click on the field below the Workshop Documents Categories heading to open the document category window. Select the “Add New” button create the new category and select ok to save the changes.
Workshop Company Structure Levels:
Service Advisors are able to be selected as Greeted By or Handover users at all company structure levels.
If a Service Advisor was tasked with aftersales follow up using the Aftersales Diary their user would have needed to be created at Branch rather than Department access level, preventing them from being selected as Greeted By or Handover users. An additional set of options have been added to remove this restriction, available via Workshop > Parameters > General 1.
This information will appear in the Repair Order Register and certain manufacturer transmissions, improving the accuracy of reporting.
When the required parameters are chosen, select ‘Accept’ to confirm the changes.
Parameters - Parameters - General 2
Further Workshop control information is set within this section.
Next Invoice Number: The invoice number is set.
Next Job Number: The job number is set.
Parts Location for Flagging: Select a parts department from the drop down menu to receive internal requests from the workshop.
Default Cash Account: A default cash account is required for the department, search for the account by selecting the search icon next to the parameter field. Enter the account number or name into the respective field and select search.
Double click on the returned result to select the account.
CCC Code Sets: This field is no longer in use.
Insurance Excess Tax Type: From the drop down menu select the correct tax type applicable when producing an insurance excess invoice.
Time in House Training Reasons: An allowed idle reason can be mapped into the parameter so time spent by a technician clocked on to this reason will not be calculated as idle time in time analysis
Default Recall Account to Use: This field is Manufacturer specific
Force Job Type on Operations: A job type is required i.e. Service, MOT, Other etc during the booking/job creation process
Show Labour Discount Percentage on Invoices: Where the labour rate is reduced during the invoice, process a line of text will be entered onto the invoice stating ‘% Discount against standard labour rate’.
Payroll Control: This parameter is active in conjunction with the ‘Cost of Sale Analysis’ function. This field contains an accrual nominal.
Cost of Sale Analysis: Select this field to open the ‘Code Detail’ window.
Search for the applicable ‘Payroll Control’ nominal code and double click to select it.
With ‘Payroll Control’, ‘Cost of Sale Analysis’, ‘Cost of Sale per labour type’ and ‘Average Cost Per Hour’ in technician details configured the system will make automatic postings of Technician’s costs when producing an invoice.
The average cost per hour from the technician is used to make cost of sale postings between the workshop labour type nominal code and the payroll accrual code. The value posted is the time clocked to invoiced operations, multiplied by the average cost per hour for the technician. These transactions have the technicians name applied to each posting enabling this to be analysed within the accounts system. If technicians are clocking by operation, this takes place as each operation is invoiced. If clocking by job, the posting takes place when the final invoice on the job is produced.
Allow Cash on Delivery: Once this option has been activated, the ability to select the cash on delivery heading from the side menu within parameters will be available.Decline Email Address: With this field populated every time a lost sale / decline is recorded an email will be sent to this recipient.
Diary Warning Percentage: Setting a percentage within this filed enables the diary to appear in colour, three colours are available.
• Green: Resource is available • Amber: Hours and counts are available for the day but are within the percentage threshold entered in parameters. • Red: The hours or counts booked is equal to or has exceeded the total number available.
Time in / Time Out Mandatory: With this parameter selected the time in / out fields within the New Booking / New Job screens become mandatory.
Service Advisor Mandatory: With this parameter selected the service advisor fields within the New Booking / New Job screens become mandatory.
Workshop Invoice Style: Four Invoice styles are available for the drop down menu.
Style 1
Style 2
Style 3
Style 4
The main difference between the styles of invoice are invoice the display of a sub total per operation and display of a sub total per requirement
Default Job Type: From the drop down menu a default job type can be selected if required, this will populate the job screen automatically. If vehicle job types are mapped these will override the default mapping.
Default Job Progress Level: This Parameter will dictate which default view will display within Job Progress, between Job or Operation Level.
Auto Award Hours: Will automatically award the Technician's hours based on the invoiced hours or charge information entered at the point of a workshop invoice being raised.
If the parameter is not set, at the point of invoice the system will only populate the hours sold information.
Service Advisor Diary: When selected the ‘Service Advisor Diary’ tab becomes active within the ‘Diary’ section. Further setup will also be required prior to using the ‘Service Advisor Diary’. (See ‘Service Advisors’ later in the parameters section)
Display Account Balances on Jobs: With the parameter enabled a window will be displayed during workshop processing containing the balance left on the selected sales ledger account.
Enable Inter Account Type: When selected the INTER sales ledger account can be chosen during the setup of a contract maintenance schedule.
Commercial Diary: Enables shift patterns to be created and works in conjunction with the ‘Contract Maintenance’ section within the ‘Service Details’ tab located in the customers CRM record. With the ‘Commercial Diary’ enabled the generic diary is switched off.
Default Printer: When selected an invoice produced in the Service department is sent to the default printer on the local PC where the invoice is generated.
Prevent Clocking for Invoiced Jobs/Operations: When selected technicians are prevented from clocking onto jobs/operations that have a status of invoice.
SMS Booking Reminder Message: When selected a booking reminder via SMS will be sent to the customer. The content of the message is taken from the ‘SMS Booking Reminder Message’ field within the ‘Messages’ tab.
SMS Booking Reminder Lead Time: The number placed in this field determines how many days prior to the booking the message is sent.
Service Advisor Contact: This field is for future development.
Job Status Warning Lead Time (Mins): The time entered into this field is used to determine at what point the warning colors change on the Job Progress as the job progresses through the department.
Category Discount From: This category discount can be linked to either the account or category.
These parameters can also be printed.
Parameters - Parameters - Messages
Two of the fields within the Messages tab provide the ability to add messages to both invoices and job cards. The remaining fields are utilised to provide structured SMS messages to be sent from the system.
Invoice and Job Card Messages:
Text entered into the ‘Invoice Message’ and ‘Job Card Message’ fields will be printed onto the said documents.
Data Privacy Message:
Text entered into this field will be present on the job card when style five is selected within the General 2 parameter screen.
SMS Booking Confirmation Message:
When a booking has been completed a window is presented where the user can select to send the confirmation via SMS or email.
When creating a message the following characters can be used in place of a registration number and date.
• $V represents the registration number.
• $D represents the date.
As the SMS message is compiled these characters will be replaced with the relevant registration number and date. The dealership name will also be entered into the message; this information is selected from the ‘Company Structure’.
SMS Job Finish Message:
The facility exists to send an SMS message to the customer when the Technician selects a valid finish reason. This facility is active when the field contains text and the selected finish reason has been flagged to send an SMS message.
SMS Proforma Message:
Selecting the ‘Profoma’ option within the invoice process will send an SMS message to the customer notifying them that their vehicle is ready for collection. Again this facility is only active if the field contains text.
SMS Booking Reminder Message:
The booking reminder message is sent to the customer via SMS on and a daily scheduled task at a given time.
With the reminder message created two further parameters are also required. These parameters are located within the ‘General 2’ tab.
Parameters - Parameters - Scripts
Scripts can be used as a prompt during the booking and receive job processes providing consistency throughout the dealership.
The ‘Guide Scripts’ screen contains two text fields, Opening Script and Closing Script.
Beneath each field is a character used count indicating how many characters have been inputted, a maximum of one thousand characters is permissible.
Utilising scripts
With an opening and closing script created a popup is presented containing the script details once the customer and vehicle detail has been selected.
The ‘Closing Script’ is displayed when the booking has been completed and the ‘Booking Confirmation’ message window has been closed.
Parameters - Parameters - Repeat Visits
Workshop jobs can be flagged as being a return visit following on from a previous workshop visit through the booking, amend job and invoicing processes.
A maximum number of months and a minimum value can be added to fine tune the repeat visit process, for example if brake pads were replaced on a vehicle and it returned two years later the repeat visit prompt would not be presented if the maximum number of months was set to eighteen.
Up to six questions can be added to this section. Any questions added will be asked during the invoice process, select ‘Amend’ to enable the ‘Add’ button.
Selecting the ‘Add’ button will open the ‘Questions Details’ window.
Enter the required question and select the correct answer. The ‘Yes Requires’ and ‘No Requires’ tick boxes determine whether a technician, service advisor or both should be recorded against a re-work operation.
For example if the question states ‘Was the original work carried out correctly?’ and the answer was yes there would be no need to record a technician or advisor against this question. However, if the answer was No, then the likely requirement would be to record the technician who completed the original work.
If a question requires deleting or amending double click the question to open the ‘Question Details’ window make any changes required or alternatively delete the question.
Note: If a question is deleted from the list any recorded data for that question will be removed from the reporting section.
With all of the questions completed select the ‘Repeat Visits Enabled’ field to activate the process. Select the ‘Accept’ option to save any changes.
Parameters - Parameters - Fixed Price
Fixed pricing provides the ability to create a fixed price per operation. Any Parts or Labour gain / loss will be written to nominal codes set in these parameters.
A number of fields are available within this section.
Enable Fixed Price at Invoice: Place a tick in the section to enable the remaining fields.
Exclude Display of Non Labour: Does not display any Non Labour value.
Fixed Price Access Level: The availability of Fixed Pricing can be restricted to certain individuals by entering a user access level. E.g. if a value of 50 is entered into this field any service personnel with an access level below 50 will find that the Fixed Pricing function will not be accessible.
Labour Information:
• Nominal code: A nominal is required for any labour write off / uplift during the fixed price process.
• Percentage: The value entered into this field will determine what percentage of the write off / uplift will be written back to the labour nominal code.
Parts Information:
• Nominal code: A nominal is required for any parts write off / uplift during the fixed price process.
• Percentage: The value entered into this field will determine what percentage of the write off / uplift will be written back to the parts nominal code.
You can set the Nominals to be per customer type if you wish or enter the same nominal in each field.
Note: Although the percentage split has been set in parameters, the system will not write the entire parts split to the set nominal if this will cause the parts write off to be greater than the parts profit margin. In this case the profit margin will be written off to the parts nominal and any remaining cost will be written to the labour nominal.
With the ‘Fixed Pricing’ parameters complete select the ‘Accept’ option to save any changes.
Parameters - Parameters - Diary Counts
The ‘Diary Counts’ screen is broken down into three sections:
Sublet MOT Counts: Values entered into these fields will increase the number of MOTs available within the ‘Diary’ screens
Collect Counts: Values entered into these fields will increase the number of collections available within the ‘Diary’ screens
WUW Counts: Values entered into these fields will increase the number of ‘While you Wait’ slots available within the ‘Diary’ screens
With the ‘Diary Counts’ complete select the ‘Accept’ option to save any changes. You can also print off the 'Diary Counts'.
Parameters - Parameters - Loan Car Diary
Please note: To see the Loan Car Diary tab you will need to ensure that is has been enabled. This can be done by going to:
Workshop > Parameters > Parameters - General 2 (tab)
On this screen, you will see the Loan Car Diary tick box, enabling this will turn on the option and also make the Loan Car Diary tab visible.
Here you have the following things to setup;
Unavailable Reasons: Here you can set up different reasons that will be available to select when marking a loan car as unavailable. For example, we have here 'Service' and 'Technician Training'.
Loan Car Turn Around Time: Here you can set the time in minutes that will be added on to the end of each booking to give enough time for the vehicle to be valeted and made ready for the next booking.
Working Hours: Here you have the option to set the times between that the vehicle will be available to be booked each day of the week. It is important that these are set as no vehicle will appear on the diary unless these are, if you are running a 24hr workshop and would like to make bookings available throughout then start time should be 00:00 and end time should be 23:55.
Parameters - Parameters - Email Reports
In Workshop > Parameters > Parameters the Email Reports tab contains an email address field. The addresses entered into the field will receive a copy of the Day Book report (as a PDF file attachment) when the end of day process is completed once this is set as Active.
The Work In Progress report can also be set up to be received via email for specified contacts.
You will need to contact Support who will arrange the task for this to be ran. Once this has been completed, you will need to add the recipients in the email address field and select the Active box.
Note: Multiple addresses can be entered and separated by a semi colon (;).
Select the ‘Save' button to save any changes made to this screen.
Parameters - Parameters - Permissions
Within Workshop > Parameters > Parameters - Permissions (tab), here you are able to amend the access levels for the following:
- Invoicing Access Level
- Labour Rate Access Level
- Original Reference Access Level
- Post Hours Access Level
You set the access levels via a numerical vale which will use the access levels used within Administration > User Admin to determine whether that specific user can have access or not.
Parameters - Parameters - Admin
Within Workshop > Parameters > Parameter > Admin - here you able to set Divisional and Departmental parameters for the Workshop module.
Including:
- Advanced History Search
- New Internal Charges Popup
- Include Unissued Parts on Proforma
- Loan Car Diary by Marketing vehicle
- Produce Documents in Account Currency
- Invoicing Pilot
- Generate Invoice Number