>> 5.9 Shop Management Updates Here

[dusylube]

Is there a new scheduler coming down the pipe I'm running shopkey mgmt 5.9.5.77 if so what will it look like?

[timbre4]

We are investigating several vendors for a replacement scheduler.

The goal is to shift the focus from total RO hrs to job level details, provide users with more information when scheduling in terms of vehicle detail, labor asset mgmt, equipment & assets, carry over days, etc.

Once a final selection is a made, we can provide a more accurate description.

[steven kiser]

now i know that everyone knows that i'm not real program orientated. sometimes rebooting is a major event for me. now having said that and hoping to reduce the "are you an idiot" thoughts, tina, i would love to be able to click on a tab in the scheduler window and have it open a window that allows me to see orders completed, by tech, and the part ordering trail. while we're on this is there a way to see, simply, we have to remember my limitations here. my memory maxed out in the 80's. i can remember all the spechs from back then but anything new i have a huge issue retaining in memory. another issue i have is getting off point. gettin back to the question, i would like to be able to, at the push of a button, see what parts have been added manually to an order and if something was ordered and then deleted. let's say for example tech A is working on a vehicle and has a special arrangement with the owner. the tech has a lap top and orders the parts for the vehicle. let's sat he's doing a tune up and orders all the parts on line then deletes certain items from the order. is there a way that i can easily compare on line orders to work orders? i guess just being able to key up orders that have been altered would work to.

[fortknoxx]

here is what I would like to see in the new scheduler.

1.customer/company/new buttons. when you are adding to the day click customer button just like you are entering an estimate/ro. this would greatly reduce the dup customer enrties.

2.option to view 5,6. or 7 day work week

3.option to X a day for closed, O a day for 1/2 day.

4.option to X a tech for off that day, O for 1/2 day.

5. month view= grid style like it is. header s/m/t/w/t/f/s. each block total jobs, total hrs, total techs 1/2/3/4.

6. week view= grid style. header s/m/t/w/t/f/s. side bar techs & total tech hr for the week. each box= total jobs, total hrs hrs. option to x/o tech.

7. daily view= grid (not lines). header =techs & total day hrs, side bar= time slots( 7:30 just like the paper scheduler) each box= name, catagory, hrs, inv#, est job cost, phone number ( so i can call each customer the day before and remind them of the appt)


I also agree with steve on the line item. I would love to pw protect any line item parts/labor that has a $ amount entered. pw deleting and editing. this way once i enter a part and price, the gremlin can not delete the item or change the price. He would have to make a new ticket (because i pw deleting the invoice).

[asample]

Tina,
You have quite a Christmas list. Hope you have been "nice".

[steven kiser]

well, there's a deal breaker.

[fortknoxx]

if they are looking at a new one, i figures they need to know what WE want

[Dia6den]

I have never been impressed with the Scheduler. We used to use BayMaster and their scheduler was fantastic and USABLE. If you could give us something like that, boy, what an improvement. We have been waiting years for a good scheduler.
dJensen

[timbre4]

Welcome to the forum.

Browsing the forum you'll come across a number of previous discussions about this topoic. We're about to begin the evaluation of 3rd party schedule modules for upgrading within the Manager SE 6.x platform.

In the meantime, here's a helpful document for the current Scheduler: http://m1faqs.com/userdocs/ExpertsUsingSchedule.pdf

[Dia6den]

Thanks Tim, I have gone to that link and studied it and am going to give a try to some of the points made there. I do like the "APPOINTMENT X/XX" and that sort method, that may help. djensen

[chadmac1113]

I think that another good option is being able to seperate each technician for the scheduled day. Basically meaning each employee would be grouped in their own section with timing. My old system was set up to where you could make this happen and it made life scheduling faster. Overall by doing this the efficiency of repair by tech is improved and you have significant loss of lag time.

[steven kiser]

i read more and more about scheduling and i feel some are looking for perfection. it's just my opinion. i use a scheduler as a daily outline, only. i have specific techs i want on specific jobs. that always doesn't happen and it's just a daily happening. i'll set aside time on all major jobs but on occasion i'll pull that tech off for a brake job that rolls in off the street. nothing is etched in stone. i don't know about other shops but if a brake job pulls in i'll jack it up on the lot to get it done. the profit is just to much to pass up. i'll look at the schedule as a daily sheet and make my decisions then. i'll not look at steve, scott, chris, ryan. it's kiser auto and i conceivably have 32 man hours and that leads to 50-60 billable. does it always happen? rarely to be honest. there are times where a tech will have slack time while others are slammed. on occasion i'm under a truck and my lead tech is handling the phone. it just works out that way on occasion , . i've never found the perfect balance. i accept about 70% accuracy. the other 30 can really throw a wrench into the gears but that's just the way it is. some weeks i'll be slammed for 4 days. all techs working late and cutting lunch to just a grab and go. the 5th day we're all cleaning the shop. it's just the way it goes. i stopped looking for an easy formula a long time ago. it's just an outline i use to give me the best look at the day. if scott gets jammed up on a job i can look at the next days work load and move things around or at least give me a battle plan. i can look at the scheduler and start making phone calls to fill the days. i keep a note book that contains all the vehicles that i've told the customer that the work can and (on occasion should be) postponed.

[ricmorin]

I think that another good option is being able to seperate each technician for the scheduled day. Basically meaning each employee would be grouped in their own section with timing. My old system was set up to where you could make this happen and it made life scheduling faster. Overall by doing this the efficiency of repair by tech is improved and you have significant loss of lag time.

Absolutely!! We do this now by using the notes field and adding the techs initials. Then it's a quick glance as to who has what. But incorporating such an option into the Scheduler would be a nice addition. If the Scheduler 'knew' how many hours were available for each tech, that would help also. We do this manually as well. Labor asset management is key today.

[nessauto]

To me it's almost a necessity to be able to schedule each techs day seperatly. If you have a A tech and a C Tech that's 16 hours a day. It doesn't do much good if your scheduler takes 14 hrs work for the A tech and the C tech has nothing to do? Here's what I'd like to see.

1) Schedule each tech seperatly is a must.
2) Some sort of page you can view your week. So if a customer calls you can view whos open each day without flipping between a bunch of screens.Even if you could view all techs schedules by day.
3) Be able to globally cross of time for days closed and a way to block a tech if they're going to be off.
4) Simply be able to create a RO and schedule it. So when you go to print it ...it's already made, and be able to work on that RO at any time.

That's just my 2 cents.