Note: This help system contains standard information, some of which might not apply to your franchise. There might be a help file specific to your Autoline configuration. It could be either in the help system specific to your manufacturer, or displayed when you click the Help button on the relevant form or menu.
See also Frequently Asked Questions for this program in the Manufacturer Systems module.
The labour codes/times administration program provides a facility to upload the manufacturer's labour times files to your Autoline server. That enables users of your Autoline Point-of-Sale to enter labour codes (or find them via a search and browse facility). These create, in WIP records, labour lines containing the correct labour code, description, and time allowed.
There are two distinct kinds of setup required for the labour codes and times administration program:
You must ensure that the Autoline system is set up correctly. This is normally carried out by, or on advice from, an Autoline consultant:
If a mapping file is supplied by the manufacturer, set up the mapping file
Set up the labour code setup parameters
If the manufacturer has different look-up levels for labour codes, you must set up the level look-up file.
If required, you can allocate different slot numbers and allowed times to labour codes. To do this, you must set up the Vehicle Models and the Times file.
Additionally, you must update your system with labour time code files (supplied by the manufacturer).
The labour times data sits at the bottom of a hierarchy of levels. That hierarchy broadly corresponds to the structure of a vehicle.
The top-most level typically represents a high-level assembly, CHASSIS or BRAKES, for example.
Top-most levels each consist of one or more sub-levels, typically representing a sub-assembly, FRONT BRAKES or REAR BRAKES, for example.
Each sub-level consists of one or more components, FRONT BRAKE CALIPER or FRONT BRAKE DISC, for example.
Each component contains one or more labour codes for a specific type of work on that component, BRAKE CALIPER-REPLACE (ONE SIDE) or BRAKE CALIPERS-REPLACE (BOTH SIDES), for example.
Note: The number of levels and their names depend on your system configuration. This help topic describes a typical configuration. A level that contains sub-levels is referred to in this help as the parent level of those sub-levels. For example, FRONT BRAKE CALIPER is the parent of BRAKE CALIPERS-REPLACE (BOTH SIDES).
A labour code applied to a specific vehicle model enables you to look up the labour time for that work.
A labour code is an alpha-numeric string, 3CD2 for example, that identifies a specific labour operation, including an expected amount of time (duration) for the completion of that work. The code itself consists of its parent levels; the top-most level (3 in the example), sub-level (C in the example), component level (D in the example), and the labour operation (2 in the example).
Note: The number of levels depends on your system configuration.
Each level is identified by a level code, which is the initial part of every labour code it contains. Using the labour code example of 3CD2, its parent component has a level code of 3CD. The parent level of that component has a level code of 3C. The parent level of that, in turn, has a level code of 3. That example hierarchy can be illustrated as follows:
Top-most level code = 3
Sub-level code = 3C
Component level code = 3CD
Labour code = 3CD2
Note: The names of levels depend on your system configuration. The levels hierarchy might have names such as Product, Assembly, Component, and Operation. In that example, Operation is the term used instead of Labour code.
The labour operation BRAKE CALIPER-REPLACE (ONE SIDE) might reside in the hierarchy as in this hypothetical example:
Top-most level code = 3, description = BRAKES
Sub-level code = 3C, description = FRONT BRAKES
Component level code = 3CD, description = FRONT BRAKE CALIPER
Labour code = 3CD2, description = BRAKE CALIPER-REPLACE (ONE SIDE)
Note: The exact title of this menu depends on your system configuration. Similarly, the options on this menu in your Autoline system might be worded differently from those shown here.
This menu is displayed when you select the Labour code menu option from the Operations menu. (The Labour code menu option might be differently worded in your system.)
Access permissions, called priorities, determine whether a particular menu option is displayed. Each menu option is assigned a priority when the program is installed. Your administrator assigns each user a priority. Any menu option whose priority is higher than your own is omitted from the menu. If you think you need access to a menu option described in this help but it does not appear in the actual menu, check with your administrator.
Labour times maintenance: Enables you to maintain records in the labour time codes file. This is normally set up as a priority 5 option. (It might be worded differently, Labour code maintenance for example, depending on your Autoline configuration.)
Labour times parameters: Enables you to carry out maintenance of the labour times parameters. This is normally set up as a priority 5 option.
Labour times setup: Enables you to update the Autoline system with labour codes, descriptions, and times supplied by the manufacturer. This is normally set up as a priority 5 option.
Note: Labour times setup is distinct from setting up the labour times administration program as part of Autoline.
Labour codes file: Accesses the labour time codes file. This is normally set up as a priority 8 option.
Mapping file: Enables you to display and maintain records in the mapping file. This option is displayed only if a mapping file is supplied by the manufacturer. It is normally set up as a priority 8 option.
Model file: Enables you to identify the labour code time slot that a model group should use. This is normally set up as a priority 8 option.
Times File: Enables you to allocate time slots and labour times to labour codes. This is normally set up as a priority 9 option.
Level lookup file: Enables you to categorise operations and limit the details displayed to users of Autoline Point-of-Sale when they use the search facility to identify a labour code for a selected model. This is normally set up as a priority 8 option.
Parameters global edit: Accesses the parameters file. This is normally set up as a priority 9 option.
Slot description table: Accesses slot numbers (rank numbers) and descriptions (model families) used when labour codes are selected in Point-of-Sale. This is normally set up as a priority 8 option.
Note: Depending on your Autoline configuration, the Slot description table option might be worded differently, Model families file, for example.
Dealer's own labour codes: Accesses the dealer's own labour codes file.
Note: Depending on your Autoline configuration, the Dealer's own labour codes option might be worded differently, Manual input codes, for example.
Model Groups file: Lets you create groups of models, depending on how the system is set up for your franchise. The models group file it describes (00.MS.ltsmg) combines with a special field (MODELGRP) in the Model [Codes] file to give you an extra selection level over and above the standard level of vehicle models in Point of Sale. This helps you search a big list of model codes.
Model Codes Maintenance: Depends on how the system has been set up for your franchise. Where lts codes data has been converted, you may have an extra selection level in Point of Sale over and above the standard level of vehicle models. To maintain this, the Model codes file must be modified via this option, to identify the applicable model group every time you get information about a new service model.
