On-Line Manual
Client Vehicle Invoice Accounts Ledger Parts Orders Utilities Docket Workshop
New Reminder is used to set a service reminder for any vehicle in the system. A reminder can be set in various ways and from various places throughout the software. (Load Vehicle and finalising a work order). The reminder need not only be used as a service reminder, it can be set to advise you of anything you require, eg; Time before a vehicle's brake pads require replacing, first engine service is due, send pink slips held to the RTA, buy flowers for your Mother in Law etc. (See the Tip at the bottom of the page). The Reminders function has ties with the Letter function to easily generate letters for reminders when they are presented.
To set a reminder for a vehicle, select Vehicle from the Main Menu. Select New Reminder from the drop down menu. G-E presents the Vehicle List containing all vehicles in the system. Locate and select the vehicle you wish to set the reminder for.
G-E presents the New Reminder dialogue. The title bar of the dialogue shows the client and vehicle the reminder is being set for.
Enter the date you would like the reminder to alert you in the Date (d/m/y) field. Enter a description of the reminder so you will know what it is for when it is presented in the Description field. Alternatively, select the Options control on the New Reminder Dialogue and choose a service reminder from the drop down list. If the vehicle has fewer than two "service invoices", the distance options will be unavailable.
Example:
You
inspect a vehicle for a pink slip and it fails. You know the rub,
if the vehicle doesn't return for re-inspection within 14 days you
have to send the pink slip to the RTA. How easy is that to forget?
Call
the New Reminder function and select the vehicle from the list.
The New
Reminder dialogue is
presented. Enter the date the pink slip needs to be sent to
the RTA. Enter a description like "Pink slip AB12345 to
RTA". Click Ok to set the reminder. When the date arrives,
G-E will present this reminder along with any others due on the
day.
Fixed
Date:
G-E can also set reminders for fixed dates,
3, 6, 9 and 12 months. To set a reminder using the fixed dates,
select New Reminder and then the vehicle the reminder is to be set
for. Click on the Options control on the New
Reminder dialogue. G-E presents a drop
down list of fixed date options and distance options. Click on the
option for the number of months required before the reminder alerts
you. G-E automatically inserts the date for the number of months
selected from the list. G-E also inserts the reminder text as "x
month service due" where x is the number of months selected.
Select the Description field and change the text if required. Click
Ok on the New Reminder dialogue to set the reminder.
Estimated
Distance:
G-E
can also estimate the date at which a selected vehicle has
traveled a selected distance. This function is for setting service
reminders only. The date estimation is based on the selected vehicle's
history.
Before G-E can estimate the date, the selected
vehicle must have at least two invoices for which a service was
charged. If the vehicle has less than two invoices on which a service
was charged, the function will be unavailable.
So how does
G-E know when a service has been charged? This is covered in detail
under the Invoice option, however, briefly the function works like
this. When an invoice is created, a dialogue we call the "Header"
is presented to gather information like odometer reading, date,
order number etc. The Header also has a field "Invoice Description".
In this field you enter a small description of the work performed
on the invoice eg; "Brakes, Service, Tyres". G-E determines
a service invoice by checking this field for the word "Service".
If the field contains the word "Service", G-E collects
the odometer reading and date recorded for that invoice then
searches for the next service invoice, then the next etc. collecting
the information. G-E then performs the maths on the information
collected to determine averages of distance over time between services
for the vehicle. G-E can then estimate the date at which the vehicle
will have traveled a certain distance.
To set a Service Reminder using the Estimated Distance, select New Reminder from the Vehicle Menu. Select the vehicle you wish to set the reminder for from the presented Vehicle List. Select the Options control on the New Reminder dialogue. G-E presents a drop down menu of fixed date and distance options. The distance options available are 2,500 klms to 20,000 klms in 2,500 klm increments.
If the selected vehicle has less than two service invoices, the distance options will be unavailable as obviously at least two are required to determine an average.
Select the distance you require for the service reminder. G-E estimates and automatically inserts the date at which the vehicle is estimated to have traveled the selected distance. G-E inserts the description, "Estimated x km service due" where x is the distance you selected. Select the Description field and change the text if you require. Click Ok on the New Reminder dialogue to set the reminder.
Note:
To
obtain the most accurate result from the Estimated Distance function,
ensure you enter the word "Service" in the invoice (work
order) headers when a vehicle has been serviced.
Ensure the word
"Service" is correctly spelt! The character case for the
word is irrelevant.
Ensure the odometer readings are entered
in the invoice (work order) headers.
Ensure the word "Service"
is used in the invoice (work order) header only if the vehicle was
actually serviced. G-E will see the invoice description, "Service
radiator" as a service invoice.
G-E searches for the "string"
of characters which make the word "service". Words like
"disservice", "unserviceable", "reservice"
will all be construed as "service invoices".
If
the above criteria is adhered to, you will be surprised at the accuracy
with which G-E can estimate the dates.
Be aware of the limitations
when working with averages. If your client has a "normal"
service history and then drives from Sydney to Perth and back in
two weeks, the average distance over time will obviously be effected.
The
more service invoices the selected vehicle has, the more accurately
G-E can estimate the date.
Tip:
Add
a fictitious client to your system named "ZZZZZZ". No
other information is required in the client file. Save the new "client".
Now add a new vehicle to this client using the rego number "ZZZZZZ".
No other information is required in the vehicle file. Save the new
"vehicle".
Using a series of "Z's"
ensures the client and vehicle is listed at the end of the
client and vehicle search lists. When either of these lists are
presented, simply pressing the End key will take the search directly
to these entries at the end of the lists.
Now that your
system contains this fictitious vehicle, you can set reminders for
it. These reminders could be things like reminding you to pay the
phone, rent or power accounts, a dental appointment. You can even
set a reminder so you don't forget to send your Mother in Law flowers
for her birthday.
New Vehicle
Load
Vehicle
Change Vehicle Rego
Change
Vehicle Owner
Vehicle History
History
by Date
New
Reminder
Load all Reminders
Load
Reminders Due