Adding Labor Operations to Tickets

You can add labor operations directly to an open ticket.

Adding Labor Operations Directly to an Open Ticket

Complete these steps:

1. Click the Labor button in the ticket toolbar .

2. Select the Category and the Operation in the dropdown lists.

   • The most common labor categories and labor operations are loaded when R.O. Writer installs.
   • You can modify or create labor operations in Configuration by clicking the button.
3. The Editing Labor window populates with information from the selected labor operation.

4. Modify the settings on the window as necessary.
5. When all labor operation settings have been entered, you can:
   • Click OK.
     • The labor operation - including any parts kits attached to the labor operation - is added to the ticket.
     • The Edit Labor window closes.
   • Click Next.
     • The labor operation - including any parts kits attached to the labor operation - is added to the ticket.
     • The Edit Labor window stays open but all the fields are cleared so that you can enter another labor operation.

NOTE: The OK and Next buttons remain inactive until you enter an Operation or a Description.

Navigating the Editing Labor Window

Use the TAB key to move between fields.

When entering prices or labor times, the numbers are entered starting with the right end of the field. For example, entering "1" results in ".01" in the field.

• To enter one dollar ($1), you can either type "100" or "1."
• To enter one (1) hour, you can either type "100" or "1."

Editing Labor Window

There are many options and fields on the Edit Labor window. This section describes these options and fields as well as how to use them.

Technician

Select the technician doing the job from the dropdown list. You can assign multiple technicians to one labor operation.

If the desired technician does not appear in the list, you can add it by clicking the button to the right of the dropdown list.

NOTE: It is not necessary to select a technician but desirable to do so to track accountability of services performed.

Category

Select the labor category from the dropdown list.

If the category does not appear in the list, you can add it by clicking the button to the right of the dropdown list.

NOTE: It is not necessary to have labor categories on repair orders, but it is better for reporting. Sales reports are more meaningful and easier to understand when the type of work is listed.

Operation

Select the labor operation from the Operation dropdown list. The Operation dropdown list contains the operations included in the labor category selected in the Category dropdown list.

If the labor operation does not appear in the list, you can add it by clicking the button to the right of the dropdown list.

NOTE: It is not necessary to have labor operations on repair orders, but it is better for reporting. Sales reports are more meaningful and easier to understand when the type of work is listed.

Description

The Description box displays the description of the labor operation. The first line is the description that displays the Operation dropdown list.

The first five lines of the description are visible in the Description box. Scroll down to see the full description. The full description appears on the printed invoice to the customer.

Additional information is often added to the Description when the labor is posted to the open ticket from Smart eCat. The labor option selected on the Posted Parts and Labor tab in Smart eCat determines the additional information.

The contents of the Description print on printed repair orders and customer invoices.

Spell Check

Click the Spell Check button to the right of the Description box to spell-check your text.

Pay Date

The Pay Date is the date

• The Finished box is checked and saved (when OK is clicked).
  • The current date is entered by default and does not change until someone enters a new date.
• The assigned technician receives credit for performing the work on the Labor Summary and Labor Detail by Pay Date reports.
  • The Pay Date appears on these reports only if the Finished box is checked on the job.

Cost

The cost of the job is calculated based on the billed time and the hourly rate of the selected technician or the elapsed time and the hourly rate of the selected technician. The calculation depends on the R.O. Options - Labor settings in Configuration.

• The cost may be overridden, and any figure entered for the cost; however, if the Calc Time function is selected, this figure may be recalculated if the Time is changed.
• The cost is used to calculate the gross profit margin for the labor operation. The sales margin (the labor charge minus the cost) divided by the labor charge is the calculation for gross labor margin.

Item Number

The item number is the internal number that R.O. Writer assigns to each labor operation when it is added to the ticket. The item number assigned is sequential based on the order in which the labor was added.

The item number can be changed to rearrange the order of labor operations in the Jobs section and the printed customer invoice. Be careful not to duplicate item numbers.

Taxable

Check Taxable to make the labor operation taxable.

• R.O. Writer calculates the sales tax based on the percentage entered for labor in Configuration.
• Labor operations marked as taxable appear on sales reports under Taxable Labor.

Sublet

Check Sublet if the labor is a sublet job (labor performed outside your shop by third-party companies). For example, towing services are often considered sublet labor.

• The amount in the Cost field is the amount posted to the invoice.
• If you are charging customers for the sublet labor, the Post AP button is available so that you can post the amount to Accounts Payable.

Sublet labor appears as sublet charges on the following reports:

• Sales Reports
• Sublet Summary Report
• Sublet Detail Report

Post AP

Selecting the Post AP button allows you to enter a summary accounts payable invoice. Select the supplier, date, invoice, payment type, account, etc. Then, click the Post button.

The cost of the sublet labor is automatically be entered for you and the ticket number is entered as the purchase order number.

After an invoice has been posted, you cannot delete the labor operation from the repair order or edit the fields that tie the job to the Accounts Payable invoice.

If you need to delete or edit the sublet labor, you must delete the accounts payable invoice in the Accounts Payable module under Edit Invoice first.

The Invoice # can only be edited if the Edit Inv# on Add Labor option is selected in Configuration.

No Fees

Select No Fees to not calculate supply charges on this labor operation. Supply Charges appear on the Calculations tab.

For more information about how supply charges are calculated, click the following link: Taxes and Fees.

Menu

Select Menu to make this a menu job. This labor operation will appear in Menu sales on the Itemized Sales Report.

PST Tax and GST Tax

PST Tax and GST Tax appear only if the GST/PST Taxes option is selected in the International Options Configuration setting. GST and PST are Canadian taxes.

For more information, click the following link: GST/PST on the Editing Labour Window.

Declined By Customer

Select Declined if the labor operation was recommended to the customer and declined by the customer. The complete operation description appears on the repair order, but no charges are included in the Calculations tab or displayed on the final invoice.

Declined labor and parts are automatically entered into the list of Service Recommendations that open the next time you start a ticket for the customer.

To undecline the labor operation, uncheck the Declined By Customer checkbox.

When a labor operation is declined or undeclined, you are prompted to decline any parts associated with it.

Elapsed Time

Elapsed Time is the time worked by the assigned technician. Elapsed time is recorded by using the Labor Time Clock. You can also type the time in this field.

To bill the customer for Elapsed Time, click the black right arrow button to move this time to Billed Time before finishing the job.

Elapsed time is used in the following sales reports:

• Labor Detail Report
• Labor Summary Report
• Labor Reports by Pay Date

Billed Time

This is the time that can be billed for the labor. This time is credited to the technician.

• If the Calc Time option is selected, this value is calculated as the Charge divided by the Rate.
• If the Calc Charge option is selected, the Charge is calculated as the Billed Time X Rate.

The Billed Time can be manually changed by

• Clicking the black right arrow button to replace the Billed Time with the Elapsed time.
• Typing in a new value.

NOTE: If the Calc Charge option is selected, the Charge is updated.

The Billed Time appears in the following reports:

• Labor Summary Report
• Labor Detail Report

Finished

Check the Finished box to finish the job.

If the Labor Time Clock has been activated for the job, you cannot finalize the repair order until you check Finished.

When you check Finished:

• If the time clock was activated or running, the time clock is stopped. The Elapsed Time field displays the time recorded since the labor time clock was started.
• The current date is entered in the Pay Date field. (Finished must be checked for the Pay Date to appear on reports.)
• The number of hours for the job is subtracted from the Hours column and the title bar on the
  • Work in Progress (WIP) Window
  • Estimates in Progress Window

NOTE: If multiple technicians are assigned to the same job, checking Finished on the top labor line does not check Finished on all sub-labor lines automatically. You must check Finished for each sub-labor job to finish that technician's work on the job.

Rate

This is the hourly rate used to calculate the cost of the job to the customer. The labor rate is usually selected automatically when the labor is added to the ticket based on

• The labor rate in the labor operation in Configuration.
• The labor rate in the Smart eJob in Configuration.
• The labor rate on the Labor tab in Smart eCat when the job was posted to the ticket.

You can change the labor rate manually by selecting one of the four predefined Labor Rates.

Charge

This is how much the customer is charged for this labor operation.

• If the Calc Charge option is selected, the Charge is calculated as the Billed Time X the Rate. If the Billed Time or Rate is changed, the Charge is recalculated.
• If the Calc Time or No Calc option is selected, the Charge is not calculated and remains the same until you type in a new value.

NOTE: The charge can be marked up automatically based on different types of labor using Smart Labor Pricing.

Calc Charge

When Calc Charge is selected, Charge = Billed Time X the Rate. (If the Billed Time or Rate is changed, the Charge is recalculated.)

Calc Charge is selected when the labor operation is first added if the Calculate Charge option is selected in Configuration. When a labor operation is added to a ticket, R.O. Writer checks the calculation on the Charge.

• If the calculation is correct, the Calc Charge option is selected.
• If the calculation is incorrect, No Calc is selected.

If Calc Charge is not selected and you select it, the Charge is recalculated as the Billed Time X the Rate.

Calc Time

When Calc Time is selected, Billed Time = Charge divided by the Rate. (If the Charge or the Rate is changed, the Billed Time is recalculated.)

Calc Time is selected when the labor operation is first added if the Calculate Time option is selected in Configuration. When a labor operation is added to a ticket, R.O. Writer checks the calculation on the Billed Time.

• If the calculation is correct, the Calc Time option is selected.
• If the calculation is incorrect, No Calc is selected.

If Calc Time is not selected and you select it, the Billed Time is recalculated as the Charge divided by Rate.

No Calc

When No Calc is selected, the Charge and Billed Time are not calculated.

Because either Calculate Charge or Calculate Time must be selected in Configuration, R.O. Writer always checks the Charge or the Billed Time when you add a labor operation to a ticket. If the calculation is incorrect, R.O. Writer selects No Calc.

If No Calc is not selected and you select it, the Charge and Billed Time are not recalculated when changes are made.

TIP! No Calc can be useful when splitting labor among Multiple Technicians.

Package Price

This feature only appears when using the Job-Based View.

Package price is another method of having a fixed price for all parts and labor associated with a particular job. It ensures that sales tax is properly calculated for parts sold on a job.

To use package price, select the option, and enter the price to be charged for all parts associated with this labor operation.

The price charged for the labor operation is based on the package price minus the total cost of all associated parts. The billed time is not affected by this calculation.

If the total labor and parts add up to more than the package price, the labor is discounted first. Parts are discounted only if the total of the parts is more than the package price.

Smart Pricing

If Smart Labor Pricing is turned off in Configuration, the Smart Pricing checkbox is grayed out.

If Smart Labor Pricing is turned on and the Smart Pricing box is checked, the charge is calculated (and often marked-up) based on the smart labor matrix.

If no category or operation is selected or if the category and/or operation selected does not have its own matrix and the Smart Pricing box is checked, the charge is calculated using the default smart labor matrix.

If the category and/or labor operation has its own smart labor matrix, the charge is calculated using that matrix. The Smart Pricing box is checked.

If the Smart Pricing checkbox is checked, you can click the button to see how the price was calculated.

If you choose not to use smart pricing, uncheck the Smart Pricing box and the calculated charge is recalculated without the additional mark-up.

To recalculate using the smart labor pricing, select the Smart Pricing box and click the button.

NOTE: If the category and/or operation uses a pricing matrix, that matrix is used to calculate the price.

Override Button

Labor operations can be price-locked in Configuration. If you choose a labor operation that is locked or locked with minimum price,

• Certain fields are grayed-out and disabled
• An Override button appears at the bottom that allows you to override the price lock if you have permission

Labor Guide

The Labor Guide button appears at the bottom of the Edit Labor window if the labor operation is configured with catalog labor from Epicor.

When catalog labor is added to a labor operation, the Labor Guide button appears on the Edit Labor window when you open the labor from the Jobs section of the Parts/Labor tab of an open ticket. As a result, you can add the Epicor specifications - including the recommended labor time - to the job on the ticket.

For full details, click the following link: Using the Labor Guide on a Job Posted to a Ticket.

Saving Changes to the Master Record

By default, R.O. Writer saves any changes you make on the Edit Labor window to the labor operation on the ticket when you click OK. Those changes do not affect the labor operation on other tickets or the labor operation record in Configuration.

If the Allow On-the-Fly Changes to Parts and Labor Filesoption is selected in Configuration, you can save changes to the labor operation record.

When you click OK after making a change, the following prompt appears.

• Click Yes to permanently change the labor operation in Configuration.
• Click No to save the change to the current labor operation only.