Printing Tickets to PDF
Quotes, estimates, and repair orders can be printed to PDF by clicking the print button in the ticket toolbar at any time. In addition, repair orders can be printed to PDF when prompted to print during finalize.
When the Printing window appears, select the PDF option.
You cannot print to PDF (i.e., that PDF option does NOT appear on the Printing window) for
- Parts-only tickets
- Work orders
Configuring Print to PDF
Printing to PDF is built into R.O. Writer. No configuration is needed within the R.O. Writer application.
- You do not need to select a PDF printer in Configuration (File menu > Printer Locations).
- You do not need to install a PDF printer on your machine.
The PDF option appears on the printing window automatically.
Default Application to Open PDFs
When you open the PDF of the ticket from Windows Explorer, the PDF opens in the application you have set as the default application for PDF files on your computer.
- If you have a PDF reader application installed, that application is usually set at the default application for PDFs automatically. The PDF should open in that application.
- If you do not have a PDF reader application installed, the PDF will most likely open in your default Internet browser.
If your computer does not have a default application for PDFs, a prompt appears asking you to select the application from your installed programs.
To Configure the Default Application to Open PDFs
Check your Windows configuration to see which application is currently assigned to open PDFs by default.
For instructions in Windows 10, see https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4028161/windows-10-change-default-programs
Printing Tickets to PDF
Complete these steps:
- Open the quote, estimate, or repair order.
- Click the Print button for the quote or estimate , or repair order . The Printing window opens.
- Check the PDF option.
- Click OK.
- The ticket prints to PDF and is saved to the Reference tab as an Invoice.
- The PDF is stored on the local hard drive.
- The PDF opens in the default application that opens PDFs on your workstation:
- If you have a PDF reader installed, the PDF opens in that application.
- If one of your Internet browsers is set at the default application for PDFs, the PDF opens in that browser window.
The title of the PDF that appears is in the following format: “[RO or EST]_[ID#]_[Customer’s Last Name]”.
If your computer does not have a default application for PDFs, a prompt appears asking you to select the application from your installed programs.
- While the PDF is open, you can save it to another location. However, R.O. Writer saves the PDF to two locations automatically.
- Close the PDF. The ticket window remains open.
- Click the Reference tab of the ticket.
- The PDF of the ticket appears as an attachment on the Reference tab In the Invoice section.
The PDF is
- Named “[Repair Order or Estimate] [ID#] [Date the PDF was created]” in the Invoices section.
- Stored in the C:\ROWriterData\Images folder automatically.
PDFs Stored on the Reference Tab
A ticket that has been printed to PDF is added to the Reference tab in the Invoices section of the Reference tab automatically. When you open the ticket PDF in the Invoices area, that PDF opens in the standard R.O. Writer image viewer.
To Access Ticket PDFs on the Reference Tab
Complete these steps:
- Open a ticket that has been printed to PDF.
- Click the Reference tab.
- Click the Invoice button on the left. The PDFs saved to the ticket appear in the Invoice Images/Files section.
- Double-click on the PDF file. The R.O. Writer viewer opens displaying the PDF.
Using the toolbar buttons, you can exit the window, print the document, save the document to another location, or delete it.
Where PDFs of Tickets are Saved on the Local Hard Drive
When PDFs are created, R.O. Writer stores a copy of the PDF in two different places on the local hard drive automatically:
C:\ROWriterData\Images
The PDFs stored here are the PDFs you see on the Reference tab.
R.O. Writer assigns the PDF file a name that is different from the name you see on the Reference tab.
The entire Images folder is zipped and included in the Local File Backup in R.O. Tray.
C:\ROWriterData\PDF
The PDFs stored here are the PDFs created when the PDF file is first printed and appears on the window.
The name is descriptive in the following format: “[RO or EST]_[ID#]_[Customer’s Last Name]”.
WARNING! The C:\ROWriterData\PDF folder is NOT included in the Local File Backup in R.O. Tray.