• Workshop
  • Modify sub contract on job: if sale cost = job cost and you modify sale cost then job cost. C9 would modify the job cost but not recalculate gst and +gst job costs creating a subtle and difficult to notice defect with sub contract costings. Now fixed. In a couple of ways:
    • Once job costs are set do not allow changes to job retail pricing to affect this
    • When job retail price is changed make sure gst and +gst job costs are also updated on screen.
•  Spares
  • Barcode.  Allow easy adding of spares barcodes by keying in partnumber into barcode screen and pressing Enter. Also works with STX configured barcode scanners
  • Line item discount. Option to key in discount by $ as well as %
•  Contacts
  • Bugfix with printing countries on spares invoices. Would print country twice under some circumstances. Now fixed
• Email Notifications.
  • Bugfix : recent memorise email address functionality did not work with workshop cash sales. (Account sales are okay). Now fixed
  • System now allows you to set email bodies for emailed documents/reports/invoices. Has a default template. Example screenshots:

Includes database changes, you need to log all terminals out during upgrade

• Spares
  • Bugfix: Complete point of sale, if you select customer and select option to use customer deposit but then back out and then complete again, the screen will not show account deposit allocated resulting in on screen numbers not adding up correctly. Invoice was still okay.  Fixed to refresh these details correctly on re-entry to complete
  • Merge on pickup
    • Bugfix : would not close off order book items if items to be merged are already on the invoice being merged into. Now fixed
    • In database, track original invoice for merged items, to make it easier for us to trace/debug/diagnose any issues
    • Bugfix : would try to merge items on original invoices which were partially supplied, damaging original invoice. Prevent these items from being merged
  • Bugfix: Merge With existing. Would not update parts on order total correctly resulting in erroneous parts still on order notices on the printed out invoice
  • Receive order: do not lock franchise until very end when receive is initiated, allowing multiple receives for a given franchise to be setup by different operators
• Contacts
  • Print Att: on shipping labels for companies
• Workshop
  • Do not 'tab though' on job icons on new or modify job.
  • Bugfix: Job notes, modify. Was not refreshing screen correctly to old copy of notes if user selected No to save changed notes on cancel. (The notes were not being changed)
•  Misc
  • Include Ben's ph# in Help -> About
  • Cash Till report : break down different instruments into incomings and outgoings

Bugfix : reports of error from one client. Would get an error on spares sale when trying to print invoice.  Reprint was generally okay.  Not sure precise root caus. It was connected to changes in last version of c9, with printing of voucher details on invoices.  The way the code was was by design fragile. Rewrote that section of code using a simpler and more reliable approach.

Select Estimate: memorize column widths for standard estimate tab

Includes database changes, you'll need to log all terminals our during upgrade

• Gift cards
  • new gift card type : discount gift cards. These are cards you issue without receiving any money, so giveaways promotions, sponsorship plans etc.  Instead of paying off tax invoices and being treated as a method of payment, they discount the tax invoice : potentially all the way down to a $0 tax invoice, so there is no GST liability to you. Essentially they are limited discount schemes. Currently can only be used for cash spares and cash workshop invoices.  They generally behave and are used the same was as existing gift cards (now renamed to cash gift cards). Differences:
    • No cash is taken when they are created (or accounts billed)
    • Can only be used, at this time, for over the counter spares sales and workshop service sales.
    • Tax invoices issued are discounted, so you do not need to pay GST since you are giving stuff away, not providing goods and services, customers cannot claim input credits since there are no input credits to claim on discount portions of tax invoices.
  • Deleting/undeleting an operation that involves vouchers will now adjust any corresponding vouchers, even if it means the voucher is reopened.
    • Undeleting an operation that was deleted that involves refunded voucher funds subsequently spent elsewhere will not work (since money was already spent!)
•  Units
  • Purchase unit : request payment method if from customer.
  • Track hour as separate from odo. Prints/displays on most relevant screens / reports.
  • Allow flagging of units as archived, for customers with large fleets that get routinely serviced.
    • When selecting a unit for a new workshop job etc, these units will be filtered out by default. C9 will make it obvious that there are filtered results
    • Do not send automated recall reminders for archived units
• Workshop
  • Track hour as separate from odo. Prints/displays on most relevant screens / reports.
  • Make it a bit easier/more intuitive to edit a job that is in completed state. Switching to progress gives option to apply right away and sets up edit session to allow editing of things which are normally disallowed for completed jobs
  • New field : key location. Here you can key in location details like # on a key ring rack, or bay # or similar. Displays in various view edit screens and on the main workshop screen
  • Tweak keyboard shortcuts on New Job
• Spares
  • Relax constraints on deleting bills connected to spares receive. System now permits delete/undelete of these records without regard for inventory impacts. Upto operators to adjust inventory accordingly.
  • F2 lookup part, new option in setup allows you to default parts search to look at stocked items only
  • Min Qty Automatic Re-ordering : include new setup switch to completely disable this feature
  • Receive Stock, option to print barcode labels for invoices as well.   Printed barcodes are smart context sensitive barcodes. i.e. scan a WS barcode and c9 will jump you to the relevant workshop job, no matter where you are in c9
    
  • Spares discount changes
    • Resdesigned Edit Discount screen to easier arrive at various discount goals. $ discount, final suppy price, or $/final price for supply + order items.
    • Goal seeking for discount % will favour 'nice' looking discount values. i.e. will grab 12.50%  instead of 12.47% if they both yield the same goal
• Contacts
  • Shipping label, print customer ph# in a different spot so as to not stuffup AusPOSTs automatic label readers. Print it in same location they print ph# in on their eParcel labels.
  • Send email at key points, like emil invoice.  Offer option to store email address keyed in against customer record if relevant

Includes database changes, you need to log al l terminals out during upgrade.

• Spares
  • F2 Discounting on credited spares was broken, trying to calculate % required to resolve a refunded invoice. Should now be fixed.
  • F6 modify part, bugfix with not being able to save screen after setting an excessively high margin under some circumstances., i.e. discounting dead stock down to 0.01.
  • Print/Email spares order. Default to creditor contact email address if emaill addr on franchise is not set.
  • Import fiche : fix Mercury to import class component of part number correctly
  • Setup: Disallow entry of rounding of 0.00 : can bust web hosting. Force 0.00 to 0.01
•  Workshop
  • Insurance jobs, include separate field for claim no#. Printed on tax invoice and estimate. Inherited from estimates.
  • Typo bugfix on redesigned new job screen
  • Added notion of a final fixed price.  C9 will automatically memorise and discount down to this and also at point of completion pad out any labour line items if fixed price is below current total
  • Estimates : options to suppress printing tech and/or part numbers
  • Allow access to New Job in planner when planner is selected from left hand menu bar (previously could only select this when you access planner via main workshop screen)
  • New Job : ability to start job as received but not to start
• Workshop - Other / Subcontracting
  • Added ability to uninvoice and tweak items flagged as invoiced, no longer have to delete and readd.
  • On invoice, provide facility to automatically pay invoice on the spot
  • Browse Purchase Orders : also allow viewing of non-open purchase orders
  • Provide ability to process invoicing of sub contracted work that covers multiple jobs, giving you ability to assign % cost to each of affected jobs
  • Allow cancellation of invoiced POs on jobs already invoiced so you can easily fix up & tweak sub contract POs well after the fact.
  • New setup option to disable access to 'Received'. Allowing running c9 such that all sub contract work must be invoiced
• Units
  • Fixed a subtle and rare issue with selling units. Some rare and complex database issues could result in blank units in the select unit screen, if you selected a blank entry and tried to sell it, things would get really haywire. (Technical explanation, if cunits mv and units tables were somehow out of sync, force 1:1 join here to help cope with this, long term consider using DB triggers to materialise cunits).

Email notification - c9 now uses a new mechanism for email routed via c9.  It will flag the email as being sent by 'donotreply@c8software.com.au' and set reply to address to email of your business.  This will hopefully result in more reliable email delivery at expense of having an email that looks slightly less professional not coming from yourself. You can achieve having professional looking emails by configuring c9 to use your own SMTP outgoing mail server. (details here: http://c8software.com.au/wp/2015/04/configure-c9-to-use-your-mail-server/)

This new setting is the default setting, on basis that it provides more reliable delivery and that there is a better process above to get your correct email address as the sender. But you can restore prior more unreliable behaviour. In Setup -> Other Settings -> Magician/Email/SMS.  Reason why old method is unreliable is we have situation where c9's server, c8software.com.au, is sending your mail on your behalf. So we have an emai l that says it is from spares@somebikeshop.com.au, but it was sent by c8software.com.au.  This sort of arrangement though generally allowed is one of many techniques used by spammers to send SPAM and other nasties via email.  To help minimise nasties some mail system will refuse to receive and handle such mail making delivery less reliable.  Change this setting at your own risk, is not not a recommended setting.  The new setting also is not necessarily as reliable as using your own outbound mail server, this remains the preferred approach.

One more regression defect with spares notification.  System was sending notifications for workshop/unit sales orders.  Now suppressed.

Recent changes to spares order notifications would send emails when parts initially go on backorder. Although the email stated parts were on backorder it wasn't obvious in the email and it would be easy for customers to incorrectly assume their order was infact ready due to poor layout of the email.  Overhauled email notification so email subject and body content make it clear what is going on. Also modernised emails to look alot nicer with proper tables/styles etc.

• Orders
  • Only send backorder alert the first time parts go on backorder for a particular customer order  invoice. Do not send subsequent alerts whenever the order is updated
  • Bugfix : cancel alert could erroneously be sent to customers who do not have cancelled parts on receive order. Now fixed
• Workshop
  • Create new job : redesigned screen so it is no longer wizard type process, looks more like modify job
  • Tech Clocking : prominently display the current tech at top of the window
  • Tech Clocking : automatically close tech clocking screen after 5 minutes of inactivity
• Workshop schedule
  • Tweak colour scheme and include a color chart/legend
  • Memorise granularity setting (per terminal basis)
• Spares
  • Print customer code on A4 credit notes.
• Business
  • Clerk report : show movement of parts from spares to workshop or unit sales. (Normally clerk report only shows things that generally yield income. Intent of including these is to show staff activity for tasks that do not immediately generate any sort of income type outcomes).

Includes database changes, you'll need to log all terminals out during upgrade

• Spares
  • Stocked parts : ability to set arbitrary attributes on a part. i.e. colour/sizing/weight etc. Imports attributes from price file
  • Added stock export for Harley Davidson.  Spares -> Utilities -> Export Stock / Dead Stock.
  • Import Suzuki price file, tweak import a bit so it works a bit nicer with importing unzipped TXT files individually
  • Fixed 'transaction error' that can sometimes happen when rapidly flipping from fiche diagram (being remotely cached) and other parts of c9
  • Receive order : new option to bulk flag all items on order as 'backorder','cancelled','supplied','still on order' etc. Useful for massive orders where most/all items are on back order
  • Send SMS notification on cancelled or backordered parts.
  • Spares invoice : supress printing of  'Tendered' if no actual tenderable payment method was selected. i.e. suppress on eftpos and suppress on no cash collected
• Orders
  • Miner : allow linking of order item to franchise in a miner query
  • Advanced browse order : allow filtering based on date range.
•  Accounts
  • Add transaction like a payment, system could allow operator to enter a record without a date. Now fixed : if no date default to today
  • Sync to Xero. Transmit GST amount, don't allow Xero to calculate it from tax rates.
• Units
  • Ability to record a sales rep that differs from clerk doing data entry. Sales report will print the rep.
• Workshop
  • New job, set initial deposit. Email deposit receipt did not autopopulate customers email address
  • Tweaks and fixes to staff report
    • Show discounts given
    • Would not correctly print staff activity if staff member also using clocking types (i.e. break/smoko etc)

Includes database changes, you'll need to log all terminals out during upgrade

This version includes a significant new feature : detailed workshop scheduling.  Scheduling provides a proper calander like system for workshop service management tailored specifically for workshop servicing.

Features:

• Track availability, normal hours, public holidays, breaks etc
• Track specific staff availability, i.e. record annual leave and record non full time arrangements, i.e. tech X only works Mon-Thu.
• Jobs seldom run on time with frequent overruns/underruns/cancellations etc.
  • Scheduler is fully adaptive/responsive and it will adjust on the fly. No need to drag jobs around to fill in the gaps created or wrangle overlaps
  • Automatically respond to jobs taking longer or shorter, automatically compressing jobs when things change or jobs overrun
  • Automatically provide visual alerts so that when job X overruns and impacts job Y's promise schedule
  • Ability to flag work as beginning from a certain date and time, i.e because we are waiting on parts, so don't always compress. Allow other jobs to automatically push in to fill any gaps created by waits.
• Integration with workshop
  • Integrates into c9 clocking so tasks will automatically reflect clocking results in realtime
  • Changes to start date/effort on job card reflect on scheduler
• User Interface design
  • Ability to track multiple tasks against a single job, even done by different techs. i.e. Tech A is doing rebuild while apprentice is fitting new brake pads
  • Drag and Drop design
  • calendar search

How to use

Setup - Default business hours

Goto workshop -> utilities -> Schedule Availability.  Here you add rules that define the schedule.  Rules apply from top down.  So lunch break from 12:00 to 13:00 overrides business hours rule before it, so between 12:00 and 13:00 it is non available time.

Setup - Track techs on your calendar

goto Workshop -> utilities -> Staff. Change setting 'Mechanic with regularly scheduled work' to access feature. Also here you can create customised avialability rules for the tech : these overlay ontop of default ones from above.

Action : scheduler

Access scheduler from Workshop -> scheduler. Some tips on how to use:

• Left lists show time and techs and what is assigned to them
  • Double click on tasks to tweak them: change task details (time required) or the underlying workshop job
  • drag and drop tasks to move them around between techs
  • Delete tasks when you finish. Completed jobs will automatically delete tasks
  • Click on a task and click 'Clock' button in order to clock onto a job.
  • Use search at top to search  calendar
• Resolution at top controls granularity of visibility. allowing you to see more but get a more cluttered screen
• Right hand side contains all jobs in the system
  • organised to prioritise jobs that might need your attention (not assigned, or running over their promise date)
  • Drag jobs from this screen onto your calendar to place new tasks
  • Double click jobs to edit the jobs directly