Edit Vehicle Information

The two main methods of accessing vehicle records:

• On the main window, open a ticket, and click on the Parts/Labor Tab. Then, click the Edit Vehicle link. The Edit Vehicle window opens to the Vehicle tab.

• In the Configuration module, click Customers/Vehicles menu > Edit Vehicles. You are prompted to search by vehicle information.

  

  The matching vehicles appear in the Vehicle List. (The customer name appears in the last column.)

  

  Double-click on the vehicle to open it. The vehicle record opens to the Vehicle tab.

There are three tabs to each vehicle record:

• Vehicle Tab
• Notes Tab
• Epicor Tab

The main and most important information is on the Vehicle tab.

Vehicle Tab

The vehicle record opens to the Vehicle tab, which contains the most important information about the vehicle. You enter the most important vehicle information on this window.

NOTE: The Configuration module allows you to customize the names of some fields on this window in Configuration menu > Vehicle > Vehicle Field Names.

Year, Make, and Model Information

The main vehicle information fields appear in the left column. When R.O. Writer connects to online catalogs, it passes this vehicle information to those catalogs to search for parts and labor. Therefore, it is critical that this information be both current and correct.

These dropdown lists are populated by the R.O. Writer database.

If you have Epicor, the R.O. Writer database needs to be updated with Epicor information on a regular bases to make sure the content in these dropdown lists remains correct and current.

Dropdown List	Updated by Epicor	Populated by Epicor VIN Decode
Year	Yes	Yes
Make	Yes	Yes
Model	Yes	Yes
Engine	Sometimes	Sometimes
Submodel*	No	No
Tran	No AUTO or STD only	No Can only be selected manually

*Submodel

 The Submodel dropdown list

• Is available only in R.O. Writer Professional.
• Appears only if the following Configuration options are checked:

  • If you have WORLDPAC, the Use AAIA Vehicle Code option in DIAL Configuration (File menu > DIAL Configuration).

    

  • If you do NOT have WORLDPAC, the Prompt for AAIA Submodel with Epicor in Repair Order Options (Configuration menu > Repair Order > R.O. Options > Vehicle Information section).
• Is populated by the R.O. Writer database, but the R.O. Writer database is updated with information from AAIA (not Epicor). However, AAIA has not updated information since 2012.

Entering Vehicle Information

You can enter the information in these fields by selecting each item in the dropdown lists.

You can enter the year, make, and model by

• Decoding the VIN from Epicor.
• Looking up the VIN from CARFAX.

To Enter the Vehicle Information Manually

These dropdown lists are populated by the R.O. Writer database.

Complete these steps:

1. Type in the last two digits of the Year field. This updates the items in the Make dropdown list.

2. Select the Make. This updates the items in the Model dropdown list.

   

3. Select the Model. This updates the items in the Engine dropdown list.
4. Select the Engine.

5. Select the Submodel (optional). Submodel information comes from AAIA, which has not been updated since 2012 (see *Submodel).
   

6. Select the Trans(mission) - AUTO or STD.

To Decode the VIN via Epicor

To use any Epicor functionality you must have Epicor installed and configured in R.O. Writer.

The button - which is active only if you have Epicor - verifies and decodes VIN numbers in the VIN field in the Epicor database. This functionality only works with 17 character VIN codes and not with older vehicles that have a 13-digit VIN codes.

Complete these steps:

1. Enter the VIN number. You can type in the VIN number or scan it in with a bar code reader.

2. When a VIN number is in this field, Epicor immediately begins validating the format of the number. Only 17-digit VIN numbers can be valid.

   means the VIN code is valid.

   means the VIN code is invalid.

3. Click the button. If the VIN is found in the Epicor database, the vehicle information in the left column populates automatically.

   

4. Epicor
   • Returns Year, Make, and Model and often the Engine.
     If the Engine does not return, R.O. Writer recommends selecting the engine.
   • Does NOT return
     • Submodel (because submodel information comes from AAIA). You can select it manually.
     • Transmission (because there are only two options: AUTO or STD). You can select it manually.
     • License plate information.

5. The VIN number is checked against VIN numbers already stored in your database. If a duplicate is found, the following prompt appears.

   

6. Click Yes to use a duplicate VIN (not recommended).
   Click No to enter a new VIN.

To Look up the VIN Number by License Plate (CARFAX)

The VIN Lookup button retrieves the VIN number from the CARFAX QuickVIN database based on license place and state.

NOTE: R.O. Writer ships with this functionality enabled; however, you must establish an agreement with CARFAX to activate it.

Complete these steps:

1. Enter the License number and State and click the VIN Lookup button.
2. R.O. Writer queries the CARFAX database for the VIN number associated with the license plate number.
3. A popup window displays the vehicle information from CARFAX.

4. At this you point, you can
   • Click Yes to add the VIN number.
     • If you do NOT have Epicor:
       • The VIN number appears in the VIN field at the top of the window.
       • The year, make, and model fields are populated with CARFAX information.
         
     • If you DO have Epicor:
       • The VIN number appears in the VIN field at the top of the window.
       • CARFAX passes the VIN to Epicor.
       • Epicor decodes the VIN behind the scenes.

       • The year, make, and model fields are populated with Epicor information.

       NOTE: If you notice a difference between the vehicle information on the popup window and the vehicle information entered into the Edit Vehicle fields, this does not mean something is wrong necessarily. Differences occur because there are differences between the CARFAX and Epicor databases.
       

   • Click No to leave the information in these fields as is.
     • If the fields are blank, they stay blank.
     • If the fields are populated, they information in them stays the same.

Other Vehicle Information

These fields on Edit Vehicle window as well. You can use them to track other vehicle information.

Field	Description
Mileage	You can type in the mileage but you may want to wait until prompted when creating a new estimate or repair order. This is especially important when using the Mileage In/Out feature.
License and State	Enter this information in the fields provided. You can then use .
Inspection	Enter the date of the last inspection.
User Defined	These fields appear with whatever names have been entered in the Vehicle Field Names setting in Configuration. If no names have been entered, these fields appear as follows: These fields appear on the printed repair order and invoice.
Fleet/Unit No	Enter the fleet or unit number if relevant to your business.
Bar Code	You can associate a bar code with the vehicle, which enable you to create loyalty cards and scan them. A repair order for the customer and vehicle opens when you scan the card. See Scanning Loyalty Cards.
Annual Mileage and Mileage/Day	If this is a new vehicle or an existing vehicle without sufficient or regular history, a default of 12000 is automatically entered and the Mileage/Day is calculated as 33. As history is established and mileage in and out is consistently entered, this number becomes more accurate. This number is used when setting up shop codes for Marketing by Mileage in the Marketing/Followup module.

CARFAX Service History Button

Click this button to obtain a service history report for the vehicle. You must first enter either a valid VIN number or License and State on this window; otherwise CARFAX has no information to search. For more information, see Service History Check .

Notes Tab

Enter any information you want to associate with the vehicle record. This information does not appear on estimates or repair orders.

Use the Spell Check button to check the spelling of your notes.

Epicor Tab

This tab appears only when you are using the Epicor catalog interface, Smart eCat, and Smart eJob.

Answers to the Epicor Vehicle Specifications questions that pop up for the vehicle in Smart eCat.