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: Adding Labour to a WIP When You Know the Labour Code.
The MS labour operation times form enables you to add a labour line to a WIP record by selecting a labour code.
Tip: Depending on how the system is set up for your franchise, you may be able to select multiple operation codes to add to the WIP.
What do you want to do?
Add multiple operation codes to a WIP (if set up for your franchise)
This form is displayed when you set the franchise in the New product group on the Point-of-Sale form to the required manufacturer, you click the New product ellipsis button ![[...]](Ellipsis.gif){kind=small}
, and you select the Labour option from the shortcut menu then displayed. It enables you to select a labour code to add to a WIP record.
If the model code is not known, the Search for Model - [Manufacturer] - form is displayed first. In that case, select the required model and click OK to display the MS labour operation times form.
Selected model: Identifies a vehicle model
Select: Level containing the sub-levels that populate the upper grid
For more information about levels, see Levels and Labour Codes.
Filter labour code:
This group is used for filtering the labour codes displayed in the upper grid when you search by labour code or description. When you select a row at the top-most hierarchy level in the upper grid, the title of this group becomes Filter labour code (Search within level). It switches between that and Filter labour code (Search all) when you click the Search all/Search by level button.
Note: The Search all button is only displayed if the number of levels is two or more. This is set by the software and you cannot change it.
Text box: By entering a word, part of a word, a labour code, or numbers from the start of a code (and pressing TAB), you can filter the list displayed.
OPTION BUTTONS:
Code: Compares the text in the box to codes (not descriptions) in records when populating the list
Text: Compares the text in the box to descriptions (not codes) in records when populating the list
No filter: Retains the text in the box for subsequent use, but does not apply it to filter the list
UPPER GRID:
This grid contains different contents and works differently depending on whether you are searching by labour code or description, or searching by browsing levels.
When searching by labour code or description, it contains labour codes (filtered according to any criteria you enter in the Filter labour code group):
Column 1: Labour code
Column 2: Labour description
Column 3: Labour time
When searching by browsing levels, it contains a list of the sub-levels belonging to the selected parent level:
Column 1: Level identifier (consisting of the first characters common to all labour codes belonging to that level)
Column 2: Level description
LOWER GRID:
This grid contains different contents depending on whether you are searching by labour code or description, or searching by browsing levels.
When searching by labour code or description, it contains the parent hierarchy of the labour code selected in the upper grid. (If no labour code is selected in the upper grid, its second column is blank.)
When searching by browsing levels, it contains a list of the parent levels of the sub-levels in the upper grid. (The row for the same level as the sub-levels in the upper grid is blank but coloured red.) The grid rows are populated one at a time, top-to-bottom, as you select a level (or sub-level) in the upper grid. When you select a labour code in the upper grid, the Labour code row of the lower grid is populated with that labour code and it has a green background.
Note: The number of levels and their names depend on your system configuration.
| Name | |
|---|---|
| [Top-level name]: | Description of the top-most level |
| [Sub-level name]: | Description of the sub-level |
| [Component name]: | Description of the component |
| Labour code: | Description of the labour code (displayed only when searching by browsing levels) |
PUSH BUTTONS:
Back a level <: Refreshes the upper grid with the parent level
Note: When searching by labour code or description, Back a level < also changes the mode of operation of the form to searching by browsing levels.
Select >: Operates in one of two ways:
When searching by labour code or description, it populates the lower grid with the parent hierarchy of the labour code of the selected row in the upper grid. (It also prevents further selection of any other row in the upper grid.)
When searching by browsing levels, it browses to the level of the selected row in the upper grid, refreshing that grid with corresponding sub-levels. It also populates the lower grid with a list of the parent levels of the sub-levels in the upper grid.
Search all/Search by level: Switches the form between the two modes of operation, searching by labour code or description and searching by browsing levels respectively. (The button changes name correspondingly.)
Note: The Search all button is only displayed if the number of levels is two or more. This is set by the software and you cannot change it.
Load: Displays the Labour Details form with the selected labour code in the RTS code box
Cancel: Returns you to the Point-of-Sale form
Help: Displays this help topic in a web browser
If you use this procedure after returning to the Point-of-Sale form from another form, you must again set the franchise in the New product group to the required manufacturer.
Furthermore, if you click Cancel (returning you to the Point-of-Sale form) to restart the process, you must exit the Point-of-Sale form and display it again. Otherwise, the required functionality is not enabled even when you set the franchise to the required manufacturer, in the New product group.
To add labour to a WIP when you DO NOT know the labour code:
Set the franchise in the New product group on the Point-of-Sale form to the required manufacturer and do one of the following:
Click the New product ellipsis button , or
Type a hash # in the left-hand New product box and press TAB.
Either a shortcut menu is displayed, or the Search for Model - [Manufacturer] form is displayed if the model code is not known.
If the shortcut menu is displayed, select the Labour option. If the Search for Model - [Manufacturer] form is displayed instead of the shortcut menu, follow the instructions in the help file for selecting the model code (and model group if set up for your franchise).
One of the following three things happens:
The MS labour operation times form is displayed.
If the model code is not known, the Search for Model - [Manufacturer] form is displayed. In that case, first follow the instructions in the help file for selecting the model code (and model group if applicable for your franchise), then either search by labour code or description or search by browsing levels.
A Select Item From List (Select labour code type) menu is displayed. This shows user-defined, LTS codes. The Select Item From List menu is only displayed if the parameter, Offer manually-input labour codes before manufacturer's in P.O.S.?, has been selected. (If it is selected, these business-defined, Point-of-Sale labour codes, held in a separate file, are offered before those in imported files.) In that case, select a labour code type from the Select Item From List menu, then click OK. You get one of two results:
i. Either the Labour Details form is displayed, and you must click OK to return to the Point-of-Sale form with the selected labour code added as a new WIP line in the grid and skip the rest of this procedure, or:
ii. The Search for Model - [Manufacturer] - form is displayed instead of the Labour Details form if no CRM vehicle is currently loaded on the Service Point-of-Sale form and if a code has not been selected in a previous search. In that case, first follow the instructions in the help file for selecting the model code (and model group if set up for your franchise), then:
Do one of the following:
You are returned to the Point-of-Sale form with the selected labour code added as a new WIP line in the grid.
This procedure is part of Adding Labour to a WIP When You Do Not Know the Labour Code.
To search by labour code or description:
If the button in the top right-hand corner of the MS labour operation times form is Search all, click it to switch the mode of operation of the form. (If it is Search by level, do not click it because the form is already in the required mode.)
Note: The Search all button is only displayed if the number of levels is two or more.
A list of all labour codes is displayed in the upper grid.
Filter the labour codes list, if required, by entering a word, part of a word, a labour code, or the first characters of a code, in the Filter Operation box (and press TAB), then select the Code or Text option button, as appropriate.
The labour codes list, containing only those entries meeting your filter criteria, is re-displayed.
Note: Whatever you type in the Filter Operation box stays there until you either delete it or leave the form. Until then, the labour codes list continues to be filtered according to its content.
Double-click the row in the upper grid representing the labour code you are looking for (or select the row and click Select >).
The lower grid is populated with the parent levels hierarchy of the selected labour code.
Tip: If you select the wrong labour code, click Back a level < and repeat the preceding step. However, you must also click Search all because when you click Back a level <, the form reverts to operating in levels mode.
Depending on how the system is set up for your franchise, you may be able to select multiple operation codes to add to the WIP. Otherwise, click Load.
The Labour Details form is displayed.
Click OK.
You are returned to the Point-of-Sale form with the selected labour code added as a new WIP line in the grid.
This procedure is part of Adding Labour to a WIP When You Do Not Know the Labour Code.
For more information about levels, see Levels and Labour Codes.
To search by browsing levels:
If the button in the top right-hand corner of the MS labour operation times form is Search by level, click it to switch the mode of operation of the form. (If it is Search all, do not click it because the form is already in the required mode.)
Note: The Search all button is only displayed if the number of levels is two or more.
A list of the top-most hierarchy levels is displayed in the upper grid.
Double-click the row in the upper grid representing the level containing the labour code you are looking for (or select the row and click Select >).
The upper grid is populated with sub-levels belonging to the selected level, the top row of the lower grid contains the description of the selected level, and the next row in the lower grid remains blank but it has a red background.
Similarly, double-click the row in the upper grid representing the sub-level containing the labour code you are looking for (or select the row and click Select >).
Tip: If you select the wrong parent level, click Back a level < and repeat the preceding step.
The upper grid is populated with components belonging to the selected sub-level, the second row of the lower grid contains the description of the selected sub-level, and the next row in the lower grid remains blank but it has a red background.
Note: You might need to repeat this step one or more times, depending on the number of levels in your system.
When you reach the component level, double-click the row in the upper grid representing the component containing the labour code you are looking for (or select the row and click Select >).
The upper grid is populated with labour codes belonging to the selected component, the next row of the lower grid contains the description of the selected sub-level, and one of the following happens:
If there is only one labour code for the selected component, the next row in the lower grid is populated with that labour code and it has a green background. In that case, click Load (to display the Labour Details form).
If there is more than one labour code for the selected component, the next row in the lower grid remains blank but it has a red background.
Depending on how the system is set up for your franchise, you may be able to select multiple operation codes at the final selection level. Otherwise, do the following:
Double-click the row in the upper grid representing the labour code you are looking for (or select the row and click Select >).
The next row in the lower grid is populated with that labour code and it has a green background.
Click Load.
The Labour Details form is displayed.
Click OK on the Labour Details form.
You are returned to the Point-of-Sale form with the selected labour code added as a new WIP line in the grid.
This procedure is part of Adding Labour to a WIP When You Do Not Know the Labour Code.
See also: Adding Labour to a WIP When You Know the Labour Code.
Depending on how the system is set up for your franchise, you may be able to select the parameter, Allow Multiple Selection in POS?. It reduces the need to perform multiple searches for operation codes related to the same work area.
You can select multiple operation codes when you either search by browsing levels or search by labour code or description:
To load multiple operation codes onto a WIP when you do not know the labour code:
Ensure that the parameter, Allow Multiple Selection in POS? is selected if available for your franchise, then do one of the following:
Search by browsing levels (The multiple operation codes selection is only available at the final level of selection.)
A special column is displayed in the grid of the MS labour operation times form if the number of operation codes available in the grid for the current model is more than one. If you selected the parameter, Allow Multiple Selection in POS?, but the number of the operation codes in the grid available for the current model group is only one, that row is selected by default and can be added to the current WIP.
The special column that displays your multiple operation codes selection is currently on the far left of the upper grid. You can click the required grid rows to select several codes in the grid.
Tip: You can also use the space bar or press ENTER, on your keyboard, to select, or clear, highlighted operation codes.
The Load button becomes available when you have selected at least one operation code.
Example: With two operation codes selected, click Load.
The Labour Details form is displayed with details of the first code selected.
Tip: if you change your mind after clicking Load, you can click Cancel to each code you do not want.
Click OK.
The Labour Details form is re-displayed with details of the second operation code populated automatically.
Click OK.
The Service Point of Sale form is re-displayed with the selected labour operation codes added to the grid (one labour line for each operation code).
