With the posting of ASW 9.34.31, we have turned on the World Pac / Dial interface in Workorders.

If you are a Worldpac client and you use the Dial system, you can save some time with this feature.

SETUP

First, in Dial, go to the top menu bar and select View > Preferences.  Then select the Shop Software button.  Make sure you check the box for Enabled.  Then, in the middle section, select Export and Order.  Save this.

Second, in Auto Shop Writer, go to Tools, Setup, select WorldPac, and answer Yes to turn on the interface.

Your setup is now all done.

To use the interface, you should start Dial at the beginning of the day, and leave it running.  It must be running on each computer where you wish to order the parts.  

Using the Interface

In a workorder, click on the Services Tab.  To order parts, select the first menu option ( click the arrow to the right of the Dial icon ).  The Dial window will come up with the vehicle already selected.  Process your order as you would normally.  Then checkout.

When you are done, DO NOT shut Dial.  Minimize it ( the _ icon in the upper right corner of the window ).  Now you can select the Edit option and you will see a list of the parts you ordered.  You should click on Apply for those you want to now place on the workorder, and Delete if you won’t be using it.  You can also modify the partnumber, the price, the description … just click on the item you wish to change.

To move parts from the list to the workorder, simply select the third entry in the drop down menu next to the Worldpac icon.  Items will be then added to the list.

Finally, be sure to enter the invoice for the parts into Accounts Payable !

PO System / Stock Input

We have not activated this section yet … but its next.  With this option you will start a PO, select Worldpac as the Vendor, and then you will build your order.  When you finish, you will have all the parts you ordered on the PO.  You can assign them to Workorders or inventory.  When the parts arrive, call it up in Stock Input and process as normal … which means it will post everything to accounting.  Look for this soon.

Whenever we provide a major update, there will always be issues that arise.  People wonder if we tested a version before it is released, and the answer is YES.  In fact, this release was tested in a real shop, and has been running there for over a month, updated almost daily addressing issues.  It also works perfectly in our development machines, and we have tested it against some very large shop databases provided to us for that purpose.

We had several issues come up.  Some can be resolved in this post.  Others relate only to a couple of locations, and to say the least, they are bizarre and defy all common sense.  That’s the nature of computers.  Sometimes there will be local issues that haunt a system, but ultimately we always get rid of them.

So here are a few notes that may help you get beyond some problems you may have encountered.  Each of these were found today:

1)  Some people noted that emails were not working.  Re-check your setup.  For example, the port setting must be correct.  If you use a SSL system, and have the port set to 25, its not going to work.  The port setting is provided by your email service company for their servers.  Once the settings were corrected, the email worked fine.

2)  Some people went to check the Version Notes and they were missing.  The file is mlsnws.txt and it is automatically downloaded every time your system runs an autoupdate cycle.  For some people it works, and for others it doesn’t.  That’s one of those ghost things … still trying to figure out why.

3)  If you went to print an Invoice, you were asked if you want to include the Inspection Checklist.  In a future update ( soon ) that will only appear if you have added a checklist to that workorder.  At least now you know it exists ( and it’s a great feature ).

4)  An annoying issue is when you go to edit a value, if you click over the existing numbers the whole value is highlighted, and when you type a new value, it won’t over write.  Yeah, I said annoying.  For now, single click on the left side of the box, then type in the value you want.  It will work fine.  This bug has been fixed and will be in the next update.

5)  Some fields are Read Only, and are not to be changed.  Right now they are in a lighter shade of grey.  Yes, the will get dark again in a near future update.  However, it did bring questions because some people thought they needed to edit those fields.  Nope … the editing is done elsewhere and those are for display only.  No problems in the software … but we do understand you need it darker in the shop environment, and that will be handled.

6)  If some of your workstations did not update its because the shortcuts are pointing at the wrong place.  In the ASW9c folder, the desktop shortcut MUST point to ASWRun.exe, not the ASW92.exe program.  If you change this ( or some person in your shop changes it ), then you will NOT be updating, and this may result in incorrect data in your files.

7)  Some people today had a problem, and decided to run the Windows Revert utility.  BAD MOVE !!!!!!   That utility will return every single program on the computer ( not the data ) to an earlier version.  Consequently, any updates, changes, or enhancements to ALL programs will be lost !  To be of any value, that feature needs to be turned on and run regularly.  Why ?  Because the restore set may be as old as the computer.  Thus, it reverts it way back … maybe only a month, but possibly a year …

8)  A quick reminder, when in doubt, please call in !  It is so much safer for us to go online and help you than to have you “try” things and end up with a more complicated problem.  Computers are a real balancing act.

For those who can’t see the news bulletin, here is what was posted for this update:

ASW 9.34.20
+ Updated database structure to add new tables and features
+ Updated SI integration
+ Added structure for integration of WorldPac, CarQuest, Demand Force
+ New Functionality:  Added integration for Demand Force
+ New Functionality:  Added lookup for email address when sending a printed document
+ Added MAPi (Outlook) option for email service
+ New Functionality:  Enhanced print preview
+ New Functionality:  Added the ability to create / save a PDF of any printed document
+ New Functionality:  Added the ability to save any document into a Word file
+ New Functionality:  Added Post Service Inspection Checklist system: user defined lists, checkoff in workorder, print with Invoice
+ Workorder buttons condensed for groups with popup menus added
+ Enhanced print preview to include thumbnail views
+ Enhanced print preview to add Save to PDF, Save to Word Document ( without opening )
+ Added SI Validation Report in Setup
+ Added new report to show range for Date of Last Service on all vehcles by quarter for the past year
+ Updated core engine
+ Update manual to include all new and revised features
+ Updated links from ASW to the manual for using the F1, context sensitive, help key.

ASW 9.33.32
+ Revisions to Service Intelligence Interface
+ Internal updates to Appointment Scheduler
+ Core upgrade
+ Add Needs button to Service History
+ New Estimate to Recommendations option displays only if Estimate items exist

ASW 9.33.23
+ Core upgrade
+ Re-ordered drawer report for all detail items to match totals order.
+ Corrected error in appointment scheduler for SI integration
+ Automatic carry forward of Tech name ( if used ) in Parts
+ Activated Job Costing screen in Estimate mode
+ Added miscellaneous supplies, hazardous waste fee, and tax to job costing screen
+ Add estimate items not performed to Recommendations in Convert utility ( inside workorder ).
+ Fixed refresh issue after making changes on a scheduled appointment

ASW 9.33.11
+ Core upgrade
+ Report refinesments
+ Added Vendor name on Workorder Parts  Detail Screen
+ Other feature modifications per user requests