General Options

Configuration module > File menu > General Options

Main Toolbar

Each item represents an button on the main toolbar. Select an item to make its button appear on the main toolbar.

If you are not licensed for an item, the entry for that item is unchecked and disabled on the General Options window.

NOTE: If you are using the Accounts Payable module, select Post AP Invoice and select Summary or Detail.

Show Toolbar Captions

This option affects the appearance of the main toolbar. When selected, the text describing the button appears below each button. If not selected, only the picture of each button appears. This option is selected by default and it is best to keep it selected.

To Add Custom Toolbar Buttons

You can configure up to three toolbar buttons independently. You need to assign each custom toolbar button a number to keep track of how many you have:

Complete these steps:

1. On the General Options window, click the Custom Toolbar Buttons button.

2. Select 1, 2, or 3 in the Custom Toolbar Button dropdown list.

   

   • Remember which number you assign to each button so that you can select it when you want to edit its attributes.
3. The Edit button activates. Click the Edit button. The fields become active.

   

4. Select the options that apply to the toolbar button you are creating.

   The following table describes the options for creating a toolbar button.

   Option	Do this:
   Show Button	Check to show the button on the main toolbar. The button appears after the Post AP button (if it's visible) or after the Notes button (if Post AP is not visible).
   Program to Run (Required)	Type in the full location and name of the EXE file you want to run when the button is clicked. If you want to open a browser, enter the name of the EXE file that launches that browser. For example, to open Chrome, enter “C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe” in this field. NOTE: You can specify a program that does not exist when you program this setting without a problem. If the file does not exist when you launch R.O. Writer, however, this toolbar button will not display in the main toolbar.
   Arguments	Enter the specific web page you want the toolbar button to open to. This field works only if the Program to Run field contains a browser programs such as Chrome, Firefox, or Edge. For Chrome, enter “--app=https://www.[URL].com” For Firefox, enter “www.[URL].com” For Edge, enter “www.[URL].com” NOTE: Do not include the quotation marks in the field.
   Caption	Type in the text that displays under the custom toolbar button. If no text is entered here, only the button displays.
   Tooltip	Type in the text that displays when the mouse hovers over the custom toolbar button. If no text is entered here, nothing displays when the mouse hovers over the button.
   Window Title	Type in the name of the program the new function should open. When the custom toolbar button is clicked, R.O. Writer searches through the open windows of all running programs. If a program is found with a window title that begins with the text entered here, that window opens. If no text is entered here, when the custom button is clicked, a new, separate copy of the program launches.
   Use Icon From Program	Select to tell R.O. Writer to use the program's button. The Toolbar Image Preview field shows you what the button will look like.
   Use Custom Icon/ Image File	Select to choose the button in the Image File field. The Toolbar Image Preview field shows you what the button will look like.
   Image File	This field appears is Use Custom Icon is selected. Select the image to use as the toolbar button. The image file can be any of the following types: *.ico, *.jpg, or *.bmp. The optimal size is 32 x 32 pixels. If you use a larger graphic, the full size appears in the toolbar. If no image file is selected, The default button for the *.exe (if it exists) displays. If there is no default button for the *.exe, a default image displays.
   Toolbar Image Preview	This area shows you what image will appear on the toolbar button.

5. Click Save to save your settings.
6. Click Close to return to the General Options window.

Toolbar Settings Section

The Toolbar Settings determine which sections

• Are active on the General Options window.
• Appear in the Quick Launch on the left side of the main window.

Show Toolbar Checkbox

Check Show Toolbar to display the Quick Launch on the left side of the main window.

Show Repair Group Checkbox

Check Show Repair Group to

• Activate the Repair section on the General Options window.
• Display the Repair section at the top of the Quick Launch.

Show Catalogs Group Checkbox

Check Show Catalogs Group to

• Activate the Catalogs section on the General Options window.
• Display the Catalogs section in the middle of the Quick Launch.

Show Quick Launch Group Checkbox

Check Quick Launch Group to

• Activate the Quick Launch section on the General Options window.
• Display the Quick Launch at the bottom of the Quick Launch.

NOTE: If you check a box in this section and do not check boxes in its corresponding section that section will appear empty in the Quick Launch.

Repair Section

R.O. Writer has built direct interfaces with repair diagnostic databases.

NOTE: If you are not licensed for an item, the entry for that item is unchecked and disabled on the General Options window.

Each item checked in the Repair section appears in the Repair section of the Quick Launch.

For more information, click one of the following links:

• Configuring ALLDATA
• Configuring Identifix
• Configuring MotoLOGIC

Catalogs Section

R.O. Writer has programmed special interfaces for the catalogs in this section.

NOTE: If you are not licensed for an item, the entry for that item is unchecked and disabled on the General Options window.

Each item checked in the Catalogs section appears in the Catalogs section of the Quick Launch.

• Quick Launch

  

• Smart eCat Catalog toolbar.

  

  If the catalog is not integrated with Smart eCat, its button will not appear on the toolbar.

Quick Launch Section

The Quick Launch section contains all R.O. Writer modules. If you are not licensed for an item, the entry for that item is unchecked and disabled on the General Options window.

When you select a module and click OK to save your selection, a button for that module appears in the Quick Launch.

Estimate Cleanup

Quotes and estimates are created as part of customer intake. Some are converted to repair orders but some are never converted and just sit in the database, remaining open and clogging up the Estimates in Progress Window.

NOTE: This option does not appear if you are running R.O. Writer on the Central Office server.

Scheduling estimate cleanup helps you save and delete quotes and estimates automatically, which removes them from the Estimates in Progress Window.

Automatically Save or Delete Estimates

Select what you want to do with estimates:

• Save - Estimates are saved to History after the Number of Days you enter in the field.
• Delete - Estimates are deleted from the database the Number of Days you enter in the field.

Automatically Delete Phone Quotes (Q)

Select to delete phone quotes after the Number of Days you enter in the field.

Phone quotes are those that don't have customer information and are usually used to give estimates over the phone. The ID of phone quotes begin with a “Q”.

Automatically Delete Tire Comparison Quotes (TQ)

Select to delete phone quotes after the Number of Days you enter in the field.

Tire comparison quotes are quotes that were created from the tire comparison. The ID of tire comparison quotes begin with a “TQ” to distinguish them from regular phone quotes.

Critical Settings

The critical settings enables important functionality in R.O. Writer.

Enable Transaction-Based Data Processing

Check only if you would like to be able to cancel or undo a detailed invoice when posting to Accounts Payable. When posting detailed invoices, the Invoice Details window has an Undo Inv. button.

WARNING! If you turn this option on, DO NOT click Continue on any error messages in R.O. Writer. Always choose to exit R.O. Writer instead. If you choose Continue on an error message, everything you do afterward will be lost.

Allow Central Service Lookup

Check to activate the Central Service Lookup button when searching for customers and vehicles. For details, click the following link: Checking History in Other Stores.

Miscellaneous

The Miscellaneous section contains various checkboxes you can use to customize R.O. Writer.

Automatically Check Out Employees During End of Day

Check to configure the End of Day (EOD) process to verify that all employees are clocked out in when End of Day Processing before running the EOD. If any employees are clocked in, the Employee Time Clock appears where those employees can be clocked out.

Require a Clock Out Reason When Using Time Clock

Check to display more reason buttons on the Employee Time Clock window.

Employees must select one of the reason buttons to clock out; there is no plain Punch Out button.

Use Custom Advertising Line

Check Use Custom Advertising Line to replaces the 5th line in the shop header in your license. The 5th line prints below the shop name and address on estimates, work orders, repair orders, customer invoices, and reports. As a result, this line is often used to market your shop.

When checked, you can type in the text you want. You are limited to 50 alphanumeric characters.

The information in your shop header appears on the Setup Stores window in Data Locations (Configuration > File menu > Data Locations > Setup Stores button).