Service Request Options

Configuration menu > Repair Order > Service Request Options

This setting populates two sections on the Service Requests Tab.

The top half of the window populates the Services section:

The bottom half of the window populates the Customer Request dropdown list:

Service Requests

You create service requests in the top half of the window. Service requests are usually complementary system checks or inspections your shop wants to provide.

You enter a description of your choice and then associate the service request with a labor operation. That labor operation may or may not have a charge. If you want the service or inspection to be complementary, select a labor operation that does not have a charge.

• You can create as many services as you want or need. The only limit is the size of your SQL database and the capacity of your computer’s hard drive.
• You can make specific services required.
• Use the up and down arrows to determine the order that services appear on the configuration window as well as the Service Requests Tab.
• Each service must have a service name, labor category, and labor operation; there can be no blank services.
• Each service name must be unique; no duplicate names are allowed.

To Create a Service

Every service you add becomes the bottom row of the table.

Complete these steps:

1. Open the Service Request Options setting (Configuration menu > Repair Order > Service Request Options).



2. Type in a description for the Service.

   You always begin creating a service by typing in the Service field.

3. Select a Category. The Operation dropdown list populates with the labor operations in that category.

4. Select an Operation.
   This is the labor operation that will post to the Parts/Labor tab when the Post Labor button is clicked on the Service Requests tab.

5. If you want to make this service required, check the Required Service box.
6. Click Add.

   

7. The service appears in the table in the last row and the Service, Category, and Operation fields are blank.

   

8. To add another service,
   • Select an existing service.
   • Type in a different name in the Service field. (You cannot have services with the same name.)
   • Click Add. The new service appears in the list.
   • Click on the new service.
   • Select another Category and Operation.
   • Click Update to save the changes.
9. Click the red X to close the window.

To Modify a Service

You can modify any service by selecting it in the list.

Complete these steps:

1. Open the Service Request Options setting (Configuration menu > Repair Order > Service Request Options).
2. Select a service in the table. The details of the service appear in the middle of the window.

   

3. At this point, you can
   • Type in a new description in the Service field.
   • Select another Category and Operation.
   • Select another Operation within a Category.

   • Check the Required Service prompt.

   

4. Click Update to save your changes.

5. The service is updated. The changes appear in the table.

   

6. To modify another service, repeat Steps 1–4.
7. Click the red X to close the window.

TIP: If you need to add a service after modifying a service, select a service, begin making changes, and click Add instead of Update.

To Change the Order of Services in the List

The sequence of services in the list inside the Services section on the Service Request tab is determined by the sequence in the list in Service Request Options.

To change the order, select an item in the list in Service Request Options window, and click the up and down arrows. The order of the list is updated immediately.

To Delete a Service

If the service associated with a labor operation is deleted, it has no effect on the labor operation and therefore no effect on reporting.

Complete these steps:

1. Open the Service Request Options setting (Configuration menu > Repair Order > Service Request Options).
2. Select a service in the table.
3. The details of the service appear in the middle of the window.

4. Click the Delete button.

   

5. The item is deleted and disappears from the table.
6. To delete another service, select it in the table and click Delete.
7. Click the red X to close the window.

Required Services

You can make some services required. This function is ideal for mandatory inspections or checks your state might require or even recommend. You can also use it if you want your shop to perform certain services on every vehicle, such as checking the air conditioner.

When a service request is required, the associated labor operation posts to open tickets automatically

• When tickets are first created.
• When you convert a phone quote to an estimate or repair order.

You can decline or delete these labor operations.

To Make Service Requests Required

Complete these steps:

1. Open the Service Request Options setting (Configuration menu > Repair Order > Service Request Options).
2. Select the service you want to make required. The details of the service appear in the middle of the window.
3. Check the Required Service box.

4. Click Update to save the change. The service is now required.

   When a service is required, the REQ column displays “Y”.

   

Customer Requests

Many repairs begin with customers describing symptoms of what is wrong. Rather than make you type as fast as the customer talks, R.O. Writer includes the most common customer requests in a dropdown list on the Service Requests Tab.

You can select a customer request in the list that matches what the customer is describing to add it to the description. This makes customer intake faster, easier, and more accurate.

Customer requests appear on printed repair orders and customer invoices. If you do not want these descriptions to print, you need to manually delete the text in the Description field.

You can edit the customer requests that install with R.O. Writer or add your own requests as needed.

Customer Request List

Each row represents an entry in the Customer Request dropdown list on the Service Request tab. The order of customer requests in this list determines the order of items in the Customer Request dropdown list.

This list

• Saves edits and new entries when you click outside the field. There is no OK or Save button for this list because they are not needed.
• Appears in alphabetical order according to the Request Title. You cannot customize the sequence of customer requests; it will always be alphabetical.
• Alphabetizes itself automatically as soon as a change is saved to the Request Title.

NOTE: The TAB and ENTER keys do not work as expected. The TAB key does not move you to the next cell. The ENTER key does not save the entry. You need to click your way through the table.

First Column

The first column indicates which customer request is selected or being edited.

• The black right arrow appears when a line is selected.

• The pencil button appears when a line is being edited in either the Request Title or Lines columns.

  

• The asterisk appears for a new line to indicate that you can add new customer requests. The last row of the table is always for brand new customer requests.

Request Title Column

Custom requests are broken into two section divided by a colon in the Customer Request dropdown list. The Request Title content is the first section before the colon.

The list is alphabetized according to the first letter of the Request Title. Customer requests with a blank Request Title appear at the very top of the list.

To edit a Request Title, click in the box on the row and begin typing. When you click out of the box, the change is saved automatically.

Lines Column

Custom requests are broken into two section divided by a colon in the Customer Request dropdown list. The Lines content is the second section after the colon.

To edit a line, click in the box on the row and begin typing. When you click out of the box, the change is saved automatically.

You cannot have a blank entry in the Line box. If you enter a Request Title, you must enter content in the Line box.

If you want the description to have more than one line, click CTRL + ENTER.

To Edit Customer Requests

Complete these steps:

1. Open the Service Request Options setting (Configuration menu > Repair Order > Service Request Options).
2. Scroll through the customer request list.
3. When you find the customer request you want to edit, click once in the Request Title or Line box.
4. Type your changes.
5. Click outside the box to save your changes.
6. When you close and reopen Service Request Options, your edited item will appear in the list by alphabetical order by Request Title. Items with a blank Request Title appear at the very top.

To Add New Customer Requests

Complete these steps:

1. Open the Service Request Options setting (Configuration menu > Repair Order > Service Request Options).
2. Scroll all the way to the bottom.
3. When you see the row with an asterisk, click in the Request Title box and type in the description. The pencil button appears on the line.

The first column of the current row shows that the row is being edited.

The first column of the next row displays an asterisk. This is now the row for new entries.

4. Click in the Line box and type in the description.

   

5. Click outside the box to save your changes. The new customer request appears in the list.

   

6. When you close and reopen Service Request Options, your new item will appear in the list by alphabetical order by Request Title. Items with a blank Request Title appear at the very top.

To Delete Customer Requests

Customer requests cannot be deleted.

TIP: You can make sure customer requests you do not want to see on the Service Request tab are at the bottom of the list by beginning the Request Title with a “Z”.