Easy support

If you look at the Help Menu, click on it, and select Tech Connect, it will establish a chat connection directly to our computer(s). You can ask your questions and get an immediate conversation started. If it is beneficial for us to connect with your computer to show, or fix, something, we’ll send you a quick connect request … click it and both machines will “get together”. This is so much easier than email, or phone calls, for immediate support issues. Of course, we love emails because we keep track of them until the issue is totally resolved.

Your software is Touch Enabled !

Surprise ! If you have a computer with a touch screen capability, you can now use touch screen activity with Auto Shop Writer. We tested it on our new Samsung All In One with a 22 inch touch screen monitor. It works nicely, allows you to move around using the control buttons, select fields, and even input data using the included on screen keyboard. Of course, you won’t carry that machine around with you, but devices like the Samsung Series 7 Slate give you portability, and using the on screen keyboard, you can do basic work wherever it takes you. A slate can be used on your shop network right now. Its especially great for starting a workorder while interviewing a client at their vehicle, checking stock, or looking at a workorder in the bays when talking to a mechanic. Of course, new laptops and slates are coming October 26th with the release of Windows 8. You can get one now, and update it to Windows 8 for just $ 15 in October if you want to climb aboard the portability group. Check out the Frequently Asked Questions ( www. AutoShopWriter.com or from your Help menu ) for more details on implementing touch.

Merchant ( Credit card ) Processing

For several years, we have offered credit card processing services through Acquirint and now we are adding a second company, Charge It Pro. Both companies offer a service that is integrated into Auto Shop Writer. You can process up to 4 cards per invoice. You can also issue credits, and see full reporting in ASW. The charge detail is provided on the invoice, with a space for a cardholder signature. Both systems use the internet to process the authorizations, which is much faster than your devices using a dialup connection. Its all seamless, the rates should be at, or below, your current provider, and you have a much cleaner procedure. Both companies will have full contact info on our website shortly.

Are you getting your updates ?

We have been posting updates every couple of days, activating the new features in the major update ( 9.23.xx ) and also fixing any problems that people may encounter. Of course, if you did not install the new updater, you are NOT getting these updates. For those who were confused by the instructions, and called in, we did the changes for them online immediately ( takes about 5 minutes ). Others ( hopefully ) followed the step by step instructions and did it themselves. If you did not “update the auto updater”, and need help, you need to call by Friday, the 20th, or wait until Monday the 30th. We’ll be working from a remote location next week, and the connections are too slow to do this operation remotely from there.

Support Services 7/23/2012 to 7/27/2012

Next week we will be based remotely. Please send emails to timstone@mlsdg.onmicrosoft.com if you need any assistance. You will get an immediate response. Online support will be available for emergencies on a limited basis. Phone calls will go to voicemail and be forwarded, but the email address above is the fastest communication you can use ! Responses will usually be sent within minutes, and they will be specific to your problem.

Windows 8 Releases October 26th.

We’ve made it clear Auto Shop Writer works on Windows 8, and with the Windows 2012 server. This is important because you will benefit by using it. We will continue to test through the new release. We are also testing with Office 2013 which has some great improvements. Put together, the new Windows capabilities, coupled with Auto Shop Writer, will make your daily management tasks so much simpler.

More to come …

Soon we will be making another major announcement that will benefit you. Please keep reading these bulletins … they are to keep you on top of your ASW system.

Over the past week, you have received a series of updates. Your system should now be on ASW 9.22.36. A few notes are in order:

Some of the updates corrected problems that arose from the major review we have done of all code, with optimizing, over the past few months.
We did try a new email system for those who had non-functioning email capabilities. It is called CDO, but we quickly found that many people do not have it running on their Windows computers. ( It is a native part of Windows but may not be active ). Since the older SMTP worked fine for them, we added it back in. If your email used to work, and doesn’t now, go to ASW – Tools – Email Setup, and check the box that says SMTP ?, then Save it. It will work immediately. We will still try to find a solution for those of you who have email NOT working. We know the problem is with your ISP ( Internet Service Provider ), but we’ll see if we can find a method that does work for you. It was pleasing to hear from lots of people who said “What happened ? We used the email all the time and it was working great !”

As with every major update, we have people suddenly suggesting lots of new ideas. Please go to the Forum ( you can see it on your Help menu ), and post your thoughts in the proper sections there. Then others can start brainstorming with you !

On your main toolbar in ASW, you will see a chat icon and the word Tech. THIS IS LIVE. Save a dime, and when you need help, click that button. It will start an instant chat, and you can ask your question. From there, if we need to connect to your computer, we send a link in the chat that starts the process, and you don’t have to “go anywhere” or “type in a code”. It will be much easier. Be sure to always put your name/shop at the beginning of the chat. Its important to us to keep that personal connection !

More will be coming soon …

We thought you should know …