Includes database changes. You will need to log all terminals out after upgrading

• View orders. Relocated view supplier button so it does not cover over search string
• Select any part . Make Add part button hotkeyable (Alt+a and InsertKey)
• Bugfix with view/edit franchise. Could not access archived franchises
• Bugfixes/improvements to receive order to better cope with recently added flexibility of receiving with accessory suppliers where accessory suppliers can be alternative suppliers for parts tracked under a franchise
  • Electronic import can now cope with importing on accessory supplier where parts may not be accessory parts
  • Receive backorder on accessory would not work for parts on backorder that were franchise parts.
  • Display franchise: would display a franchise of one of the parts on the receive list as opposed to the actual supplier.
• Workshop timesheet : allow user to indicate reporting period. Also compress report output a bit to fit more into a single page.
• Workshop estimate : collect and print order number and odo
• Customer reminders : include ability to limit reminders to specific logged in users. By creating a 'unitsales' user for example, you can set things up so only these users receive reminders tagged for unitsales
• Messenger : include ability to disable auto-start of messenger on a terminal, to cope with dodgy terminals auto-starting messenger
• Include new feature : monitor/notifications.  you can configure c9 to now nag you about various things, parts not yet ordered, open spares quotes, parts on order for more than a week, parts on back order for more than a couple of months, etc etc. I will write up a separate post on this shortly.

Unless you've been living under a rock avoiding the news, you've probably heard about shellshock by now.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-09-26/shellshock-bug-leaves-up-to-500-million-computers-at-risk/5770952

The shellshock threat did impact c9 servers, they have now been patched.

The threat to c9 servers and websites hosted on c9 is virtually non-existent though.  It is difficult for me to explain the nature of shellshock to a non technical audience, but I'll try to explain the risks by analogy.

The analogy is this: with a bank. You have the main doors, guards, alarms, security cameras and the vault.  Now someone has figured out how to easily pick the lock on the vault : this is shellshock.  But as long as you have systems in place to ensure no-one gets near the vault you are okay. The risk though is that people forget about the vault, assume it is rock solid, so they design their bank such that they don't mind people walking past it.  Suddenly, it is now a problem.

To the best that I can tell, and the best of my knowledge, shellshock could not be exploited with the systems and services c9 has setup; but there is still a risk that something deep in our website design would do something that would potentially open up a path to shellshock.  So to be sure I've updated our systems anyway, because I'd rather have a solid vault than a vault that can be easily picked, even if it is cordoned off.

The wider implications of this for the IT industry will be interesting to see as it develops.  Shellshock is not straightforward to exploit : you don't just download a magic hacker tool, point it at a heap of websites and hope for the tool to discover an opening. It requires skill, patience and care for a hacker to discover a vulnerability that allows them to get 'close enough to the vault', so to speak.  We may hear over the next few weeks or months news of high profile IT companies and websites being exploited, or maybe the whole thing will blow over and nothing at all happens.

Update: since writing this post, I've been thinking about this more. I generally don't go for sensationalist news stuff, but Shellshock is indeed a very serious security problem and it is actually fairly straightforward for hackers to search for and find systems that are compromised by it.  C9's systems should be secure though, and I am fairly confident that during the time c9 wasn't patched, our systems weren't actually vulnerable anyway.

C9 allows you to record comments against customers.

In view customer, you can click comments and add comments.  These comments can be dated with a reminder. Example:

Now when the reminder date rolls around, you will see in the top right of c9 a reminder notification.

You can review/modify and clear reminders here:

Bugfix with version 4.453 : complete job window had the new 'set ok' checklist toggle button on all tabs, not just checklist tab, so it covered over the total field in costs/tallys tab.

Now fixed, also tidied up tab order a bit in checklist tabs on key windows. (modify/complete/pickup).

C9 now allows you to print statements that contain discounts if bills are paid on time or penalties for non payment on time.  The discount/penalty is applied automatically by c9.

An example bill with this on it:

How to configure

Read more...

Requires database changes. You need to log all terminals out during upgrade

• Added ability to automatically define discounts and penalties on early/late paying statements. Will include a separate post on how this works shortly.
• Workshop checklists: include an easy option to toggle individual/all check options.  On most checklist screens is a button which will allow you to toggle status of checklist from not set/set/not ok/Not applicable.  If selected on top of checklist structure, it will toggle all options to OK.  Works on enter key or Double click

Includes database changes. You will need to log all terminals out during upgrade

• Bugfix with fiche diagram import for Triumph.  Buggy HTML on Triumph website was breaking c9 import
• New workshop job : provide option to print a deposit receipt
• Units : new web publishing option to publish units on transmoto website
• Customer reminders : c9 will now automatically alert when customer reminders are due.  Will appear as a alert notification in top right of c9
• Automated SMS based workshop recall reminders
  • C9 will now send SMS recall reminders automatically
  • You can now configure default recall date in months. Complete a job and recall date will default to today + configure # of months
  • Above config can be set on a per unit type basis. i.e. so you can recall road bikes every 12 months and offroad bikes every 6 months, for example.
  • Recall date can be manually modified

Configuration options for above found in Setup -> Main Setup Screen. New table 'Workshop notifications

'

Includes database changes. You need to log all terminals out during upgrade

• colour code workshop jobs which are completed and paid for with deposit
• bugfix with rendering related invoices on view invoice
• Nag user is ecordqty does not match maxqty/minqty
• do not ask for deposit for account unit sales
• bugfix with finalise layby, would pop up an alarming developer error message (the message was actually harmless)
• Sell unit on consignment, put agreed purchase price as deposit on the original owner, make sure reflected in cash reconciliation report
• new customer flag : customer prefers cash.  For account customers with this flag set, c9 will not nag when you try to do a cash sale to them and when you pickup jobs for them, c9 will default to cash sale.
• a4 footer. Replace 2 lines of text with a freeform box of text to allow more info to be keyed into the footer
• workshop checklists : smartened up how checklists are laid out on printouts so they look alot neater

Bugfix with recent changes to SMS/email notification. If system sends two notifications in quick succession it could in some circumstances break the c9 terminal with database errors, requiring c9 on the terminal to be exited to sort out.  Now fixed.

Point of sale ordering involving parts with $0 retail price.  System would not allow you to add deposit. Now fixed. Typically $0 is put in because actual retail price is not yet known.  A deposit is still to be taken as a deposit of the approximate figure.

Spares - > Deposits. Only show invoices where deposit makes sense. i.e. where there is a deposit already or if the invoice involves ordered or set-aside parts.

Consider the scenario : you are not a Honda or Yamaha dealer and you purchase Honda/Yamaha parts from the nearest Honda/Yamaha dealer.

There are two ways to do this in c9. One way is you add the other dealership as a franchise in c9 and add parts as you require. This is the older method of handling this in c9, but a much better method now exists.

The approach recommended is as follows:

•  Add honda and yamaha as franchises into c9. So franchises track manufacturers. Get prices files as required, e.g. via the 'import from other c9 dealers' option in import price file.
• Add the the other dealership as a accessory supplier.
• Configure them so when you order honda or yamaha parts they actually go onto an order directed to the other dealership

This method has a number of advantages:

• You have full price lists for manufacturers. No need to add parts manually on a as needed basis
• Orders for Honda and Yamaha are merged together, no need to send 2 orders to the supplier.
• You can tweak parts individually and source them from elsewhere. Maybe the local shop doesn't have the clutch cover you need? But an interstate dealership has it?

How to configure this

Firstly, goto Spares -> Utilities -> Edit Suppliers. Add your supplier.

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