Following selection of the required vehicle within the Purchase Management screen, the top of the Purchase Management Dialogue Box is populated with a number of fields which contain relatively static information whilst, below, a series of Tabs may now be used to process the vehicle through the various stages of a vehicle order.
When quotations are accepted, and prior to ordering a vehicle, users may wish to ensure that the documentation, quotation, finance and other details are checked. The system offers a number of acceptance stages which optionally require verification before a contract can be considered as ‘Accepted‘.
Tip: The Acceptance Tab may be enabled or disabled for use by selecting the Use Acceptances? checkbox in the Details Tab within System Parameters.
Note: Before outlining the step-by-step process for an order acceptance it should be noted that there are four acceptance rule options with regard to Vehicle Purchasing and these are as follows:
To use Auto-acceptance and disregard the Vehicle Purchasing module completely. Auto-acceptance may be used for customers by selecting the Auto Acceptance Flag checkbox within the appropriate CRM company (select CRM / Company Shortcut / Fleet Details (from the Company Options menu) / Acceptance Tab). Then, when using the Convert Quote option the registration number of the vehicle may be entered and Start Contract may be used without Vehicle Purchasing.
Auto-acceptance and use of Vehicle Purchasing. Auto-acceptance may be used for customers by selecting the Auto Acceptance Flag checkbox within the appropriate CRM company (select CRM / Company Shortcut / Fleet Details (from the Company Options menu) / Acceptance Tab). This automatically creates an Acceptance Stage entry within the Acceptance Tab of Vehicle Purchasing thus enabling the Vehicle Purchasing module.
Nominating an entry within the Auto Acceptance Code field. Selecting a specific acceptance code in the Default Acceptance Code field within the appropriate CRM company (select CRM / Company Shortcut / Fleet Details (from the Company Options menu) / Acceptance Tab). This enables a particular Acceptance Default code to be specified for a selected customer so that the system does not have to prompt for this code on entry to the Acceptance Tab. Thus enabling the Vehicle Purchasing module.
Non Auto-Acceptance and prompting for Acceptance Code. Leaving the Default Acceptance Code field blank within the appropriate CRM company (select CRM / Company Shortcut / Fleet Details (from the Company Options menu) / Acceptance Tab). The result of this criteria is that upon first selecting a vehicle for order processing, the system automatically prompts for a Default Acceptance code and Vehicle Purchasing is enabled. This is the process that is defined below for accessing the order acceptance option.
To access the order acceptance option:
From the Master Menu, select the Vehicle Purchasing option and Company required.
The Vehicle Purchasing menu is displayed.
Select the Purchase Management option.
The Purchase Management form is displayed.
Select the 
icon.
The Contract Search form is displayed.
Enter the appropriate information to locate the required agreement.
If Auto acceptance is off (i.e. the setup for option 4 above is in place) then following selection of a vehicle order the the system displays the Default Acceptance form from which the required acceptance procedure is selected.
If there are more codes than the form can display then the cursor is located in the search field. Key part or all of the required default acceptance code and select the Acceptance command button. Default Acceptance codes matching the entered criteria are displayed and, having selected the required code by highlighting with the mouse, the OK command button is used to confirm this selection.
The Acceptance Tab is displayed and is populated with the appropriate acceptance procedure stages for the selected acceptance procedure.
Dependent on the user id setup in Initials Table the user can place a tick in the Accepted column for each stage they have authorised. The acceptance process may cross several users and/or departments.
The User Id and date of authorisation is stamped against the authorised line within the grid.
Until all acceptance stages are completed the vehicle order cannot be placed.
Subsequent access to this Tab simply displays the Acceptance Grid and does not prompt for selection of a Default Acceptance code.
Note: Default acceptance codes are user definable and are set up within Vehicle Purchasing / Miscellaneous Options / Acceptance Defaults. Default Acceptance codes are comprised of acceptance stages; acceptance stages are also user definable and are set up within Vehicle Purchasing / Miscellaneous Options / Acceptance Stages. Acceptance defaults may contain up to 20 acceptance stages. They are designed to allow differentiation between different types of customer - or contracts. Each acceptance default determines how a particular type of deal is to be considered for acceptance. An existing customer may only need a acceptance default procedure which contains acceptance stages to check the quotation and have the funding agreed. Alternatively, a quotation for a new customer may require a more comprehensive list of acceptance stages before it is accepted. Typical acceptance stages could be as follows:
Customer acceptance of Quote
- Check Credit
- Agree funding
- Customer details set up
- Release for Order
- Confirm Contract detail
- Cheque received for initial rental
Obviously these are examples and each company may wish to define its own acceptance stages.
Only quotations that have been through the Fleet Quotations / Convert Quote procedure may be moved through the acceptance procedure through to an order. Quotations may be brought through the Convert Quote procedure with one of the following statuses:
If the quotation is converted with a status of Quoted then it must go through all of the acceptance, bidding procedures. etc. However, if it is converted with a status of Accepted then the acceptance procedures may be ignored; the system creates a single line entry (with a confirmation tick) of Customer Acceptance of Quote within the Acceptance Tab grid. It may be that agreed manual procedures are to take place prior to converting the quote so that the acceptance procedures are not required.
The Acceptance Tab contains an Acceptance Grid with the following fields being displayed for each acceptance stage:
Acceptance Stage: This is the description of the acceptance stage. It can be, for example, a persons name or a department title that is responsible for accepting that an order for a vehicle can be created. This description is not editable from this screen.
Initials: The initials or departmental ID that checks an order can be created for the vehicle. The system defaults-in the initials that were set when the Acceptance Defaults table was created but they are editable. However the initials must be recognised by the system and therefore must exist in the Initials Table (created within Vehicle Purchasing / Miscellaneous Options / Initials Table. A single left click within this column displays an
button. A single-left-click of the
Passed: The date that acceptance is requested from the person responsible for that area of the business. This field defaults to today's date but a single-left-click in this column permits entry of an alternative date.
Returned: The date of the reply from the person responsible for accepting or rejecting. A single-left-click in this column permits entry of the required date.
Accepted: A checkbox which, if ticked (via a single-left-click), denotes that the relevant acceptance stage has been verified and accepted and places the current system date within the Returned field.
Note: ALL acceptance stages must be accepted (i.e. ticked) for the system to allow an order to be created.
Last Edit: The date on which an edit was made to the associated acceptance stage e.g. Accepted tickbox, date, etc. This field is auto-populated by the system.
Edit User: The user id of the user who last edited the associated acceptance stage e.g. Accepted tickbox, date, etc. This field is auto-populated by the system.
The following icons available within the Acceptance Tab:
: Having completed one or more acceptance stages then this command button is used to update the record. If an edit is made and the Acceptance tab is exited without this icon being selected then the system prompts:
Acceptance Changed! Do you want to save changes?
The Yes or No command button is selected as required.