The Overdrive Event Sequence is simply a help file created to provide an overall picture of how the Overdrive process works in totality by bringing together all of the disparate processes.
This file may be accessed from all help files associated with the Overdrive process.
The Overdrive Merchant Import form is accessed via Maintenance Control / Miscellaneous Options / Import/Export Routines / Import Merchant File.
Before the Overdrive interface can be used the system must have a valid set of merchant records so that repairs can be authorised; merchants are simply repair outlets that accept an Overdrive card.
The Overdrive Card Import form is accessed via Maintenance Control / Miscellaneous Options / Import/Export Routines / Import Card File.
Before the Overdrive interface can be used the system must have a valid card number for each vehicle that is going to be maintained.
The files are created using uploads designed for the purpose
The Card File form is accessed via Maintenance Control / Miscellaneous Options / Overdrive Interface / Direct Card File Maintenance and is used to manually edit an existing card file.
Note: The Card File records are initially created via the Overdrive Card Import detailed above but may be edited within this table.
With Maintenance type contracts then drivers are issued with a physical card with which to present to the repairer; however, for non-maintenance type contracts vehicles are still issued with a card number (but no card) which enables recharges of costs by Overdrive to the customer where applicable.
Maintenance Approval Process
Once the above data has been successfully established, the creation of maintenance approvals/authorisations remains largely unchanged from the standard operation. The only differences are described below:
On selection of the Issue option from the Approval menu the Overdrive Card Details form is displayed prior to allowing an approval to be created. This displays the Overdrive card details associated with the currently selected vehicle registration number. The Authority Limit displayed within this form details the value of purchases that may be made by the driver above which the Overdrive merchant/repairer must seek authority from Overdrive.
- Merchant Search form
After the Overdrive Card Details form is displayed then the issuing of an approval continues as normal. However, when the Repairer ellipsis button is selected instead of the system displaying the standard repairer search form a Merchant search form is displayed allowing only selection from only those merchants/repairers that have been established via the Import Merchant File process.
- Overdrive Merchant Number form
Immediately following selection of the required merchant to carry out the repair the system displays the Overdrive Merchant Number form which displays the merchant number details to simply enable verification that the details are correct prior to continuing with the approval.
Once the approval is completed the record is saved to the approval file. The SUBMIT field is set to a value of U to signify the approval is currently unsent. This then identifies the approval as needing to be included in the approval export routine. If an approval has been edited then the SUBMIT field is set to a value of R to signify the approval is to be Resent.
The APPROTOODRIVE Export form is accessed via Maintenance Control / Miscellaneous Options / Import/Export Routines / Export Authorisations.
This process is used to export all of the maintenance approvals created by maintenance controllers which have not yet been sent or have been modified. This process may be generated manually but is more typically incorporated within the Timed Operations process to run overnight.
The file needs to be manually FTP'd to a folder on the local server and compressed for transfer to Overdrive. The file is then imported onto Overdrive's own internal systems. Overdrive then carry out their processing routines e.g. cross-referencing invoices received from repairers to the original maintenance approvals, investigating tolerance level discrepancies, queries, etc.
The Overdrive Billing Import form is accessed via Maintenance Control / Miscellaneous Options / Import/Export Routines / Import Billing File.
Following the above processing routines (e.g. cross-referencing invoices received from repairers to the original maintenance approvals, investigating tolerance level discrepancies, queries, etc) being carried out on Overdrive's own internal systems then Overdrive send what may potentially be three files back to be imported into the Kestrel system. The imported file initiates payment of the outstanding approvals within the Kestrel system (although these invoices have actually already been paid by Overdrive)
Overdrive submit the billing file(s) on a monthly basis. This holds details of all invoices paid by overdrive since the last file(s) was produced and each payment should match to an existing approval.
This import, like other imports and exports will make use of the directory structure already created. Overdrive supply the data in a fixed format ASCII file. The user is responsible for unzipping the file(s) and transferring it/them to the Overdrive import/billing directory in Unix.
The file name(s) are in the following format ???ddmmx.txt. and are as follows:
UE1ddmmx.txt The majority of transactions. Raised, married-up and validated as OK. UE2ddmmx.txt Invoice queried against approval. Limited manual intervention but ultimately reconciled. UE3ddmmx.txt Distressed purchases (tyres, glass, etc); unauthorised work; queried more than once; sundry credits.
The ddmmx portion of the file name is made up from today's date with the x as an incremental submission number within a given date. This must be a unique file name. In order to allow for user interaction the upload process allows selection of the required file to be uploaded.
Edit Overdrive Billing Details
Following the import routine one or more files have now been read into the billing file (FA.odimp).
However, once the records are contained within the Billing File (FA.odimp) then they may be edited manually if required.
In addition, Overdrive have no means of alerting the Kestrel user of any recharge requirements. This is something that needs to be checked and verified before the payments are processed. At this stage it may be advisable to run some additional validation reports which match the billing records to existing approvals and warn of any discrepancies or recharges that need to be generated prior to further processing. Approvals that contain a recharge element can be edited within this process so that the correct recharge value and text is shown.
Note:Any approval that is edited will automatically be saved back with the FA.appro.SUBMIT field set to a value of R to show that it needs to be re-sent. Provided the editing and payment of the record is done on the same day then the record need not be included in the approval submission file.
At this stage the approval/authorisation is still at an Open status in the Kestrel system.
Selection of the Process Billing File option from the Overdrive Interface Menu opens the Post Overdrive Records form.
Note: This option is available through the menu process but may also be placed within Timed Operations as an timed event.
Once the overdrive file is uploaded it needs to be processed. The processing of an item involves matching it against an existing approval, agreeing the value and then posting it both into accounts and also the maintenance history.
Before this process is run (and it may be run at any time and many times in a single day), the billing file will already have been uploaded and examined using report generator. Recharges can be identified and approvals may be amended to show correct recharge values. The viewing and amending of approvals is detailed in the Edit Overdrive Billing Details option. This process prompts that all unprocessed items are now to be examined and posted.
This process reads the billing file and read all records that do not have a status of X. Processing is attempted on all of the records. An approval, if it is found to be acceptable, is posted and marked as paid. An ipend record is created; the approval is marked as posted and a maintenance history record is created. If a recharge is found on the approval record this is also raised and posted with the values showing on the recharge fields, and the existing text in the recharge text. If there is no recharge text the repair description is used.
The records read from the billing file will be checked as follows:
Assuming that the basic checks are done and prove to be OK then the approval is processed. It is doubtful that the imported value is exactly the same in value as the approval. This may be due to VAT rounding errors for example, or perhaps parts or labour prices have varied slightly.
The billing file does not hold a breakdown of the prices paid for each line of the approval. Therefore a balance has to be written to the approval record prior to processing it. The balance is written off by creating a new approval line, using the code held in the system parameters which is designed for this purpose to populate the reason code.
Once the approval value and the billing record value are matched up the approval processing is carried out in the following way:
- All invoices are posted to the Purchase Ledger account via the invoice buffer.
- The billing record is given a status of X to show that it is processed.
- The approval record and maintenance history record are created and updated in exactly the same way as normal.
- The billing record log number is written into the notes field of the maintenance record.
- The normal process of creating an ipend record is followed.
- If a recharge value is found on any approval line then a recharge invoice is created using the value and text associated with the approval line item. This is also posted to the ipend file.
Purge Overdrive Authorisations
Selection of the Purge Overdrive Authorisations option from the Overdrive Interface Menu opens the Purge Overdrive Authorisations form.
The billing file will continually be filled up by importing repair records. It is therefore necessary to purge old records from time to time. This housekeeping routine therefore has been written to purge the billing file of old records. The Days To Hold Imports field within the Overdrive Tab in Maintenance Control / System Maintenance / System Parameters holds a value showing the number of days to hold a posted billing record before it is deleted.