Scheduler - Creating Entry

cbhale · Post by **cbhale** » Fri Jun 24, 2011 9:00 am

Hello all, did some searching and was unable to find anything on this problem.

When using the scheduler say I want to make an entry for one of the techs that will be off of the day (personal or vacation) or maybe coming in late. Or even entering in the schedule for a day the shop will be closed.

Problem, this has just started lately..

I click on the Schedule icon, click on add and enter in the name field something like Robert off at 11:30 am, or simply enter 'Closed' then click on OK. The entry is made and that works like it should, but I find it makes an entry into the customer database for that text I typed into the name field.

So if you have many of those type of entries over the years, even if what you type into it is slighlty different it will make a new entry in the the customer database, seems to me after awhile you are going to have a lot of erroneous information in the database.

If I go into the customer database and delete that customer entry it goes away, but keeps the information on the scheduler.

Either we are doing something wrong or this has changed between on of the updates that we just happened to catch, help please.

We are running 6.4.70 version

Thanks,
Charles

Cory · Post by **Cory** » Sat Jun 25, 2011 8:13 am

I noticed this as well. Found myself deleting a lot of customer files to clear it up...

timbre4 · Post by **timbre4** » Sat Jun 25, 2011 6:57 pm

The answer is to simply start an Estimate in the Start/F6 window where customer names are validated as already existing.

If you simply have to make appointments, click the Find Customer button EVERY time. That puts you in a window similar to F6/Start so that duplicates are avoided.

cbhale · Post by **cbhale** » Sat Jun 25, 2011 9:18 pm

timbre4 wrote:The answer is to simply start an Estimate in the Start/F6 window where customer names are validated as already existing.

If you simply have to make appointments, click the Find Customer button EVERY time. That puts you in a window similar to F6/Start so that duplicates are avoided.

Tim,

Your solution only works when you are trying to schedule an existing customer, but if you are just trying to put in an entry for a certain holiday the shop is closed or maybe a tech is going to be off for the day or on vacation for a week this won't work, especially if you do general house keeping on your customer database on a on-going basis.

Also if you make an appointment for a non-existing customer (NEW) , if you happen to type in the first or last name incorrectly or better yet the new customer makes an appointment but never shows up, you will now have an entry in the customer database of a person that may never come into your shop or a double entry for the same customer but with the wrong spelling.

In my opinion it creates more work for general house keeping than necessary, the solution in my mind would be that when you enter something into the schedule weather or not it is a customer name or another statement like mentioned above that the information stays in the scheduler and not in the customer database unless you use the F6 method that you suggested.

P.S. This didn't seem to be a problem prior to on of the updates at least from what I remember.

Thanks for your response,
Charles

timbre4 · Post by **timbre4** » Sun Jun 26, 2011 1:41 pm

Thank you for the suggestions, we'll keep them in mind.

If you've read a number of threads here about Schedule, you know we want to replace it outright with a more robust and capable version than what is in place today.

Further, it will be a proven thrid party developed and tested model so that we don't have to work through that process and get to enjoy the benefits that much sooner.

ricmorin · Post by **ricmorin** » Mon Jun 27, 2011 3:44 am

Correct me if I'm musunderstanding....You are saying that EVERY manual entry into the Scheduler becomes a new Customer entry? Regardless of whether you attempt to open that entry or not? And there is no 'Save New Customer' dialogue? Is this what is happening?

cbhale · Post by **cbhale** » Mon Jun 27, 2011 2:08 pm

ricmorin wrote:Correct me if I'm musunderstanding....You are saying that EVERY manual entry into the Scheduler becomes a new Customer entry? Regardless of whether you attempt to open that entry or not? And there is no 'Save New Customer' dialogue? Is this what is happening?

Yes that is correct.. This is my process, try it and see if it does it on your side...

1. Click on the 'Schedule' icon at the top of mitchell
2. Click on the 'Add' button at the bottom of the schedule screen
3. In the name field type in 'Chuck off Today!' and click on 'OK' button
4. Exit the scheduler window
5. Hit the 'F6' key on the keyboard and start type 'Chuck off' and you will see an entry pop up in the customer database.

Now I can delete that entry in the customer database and the item stays in the scheduler so that's good, just weird.

Let me know what you'all come up with...

Thanks,
Charles

Pauls Automotive · Post by **Pauls Automotive** » Mon Jun 27, 2011 2:17 pm

Yes it is working just as you say.....definately weird.

ricmorin · Post by **ricmorin** » Tue Jun 28, 2011 8:03 am

That's not right..... I'm using 5.9 officially, so I'm out of the test loop.

Gary R · Post by **Gary R** » Tue Jun 28, 2011 8:27 am

I am using version 5.9.5.107 To my surprise, there are customer files for notes that I have entered into the schedule directly to show the day as a holiday or that a technician would be off that day. I never noticed this before and am cleaning these out now.

Gary

ricmorin · Post by **ricmorin** » Tue Jun 28, 2011 9:16 am

I checked mine and I have none. It used to be that if you clicked on a manual entry in the Scheduler, it would open a customer record and place the data in the name field, then IF you clicked on the Save Customer Info? dialogue it would be added. I just made a test entry in my 5.9 and it DID NOT create a false customer record for me.

Gary R · Post by **Gary R** » Tue Jun 28, 2011 9:43 am

Ric,

You are correct. I tried a manual entry into tomorrow's schedule and it did not add a customer. I did find alot of "customers" created from holidays and tech day's off (presumably from the past) but could not create a new one.

Gary

ricmorin · Post by **ricmorin** » Tue Jun 28, 2011 11:33 am

Sweet. That means 5.9 is ok. Someone may have clicked on that record and made it a customer entry.

Now to handle the problem with SE..... Can someone post some screenshots?

timbre4 · Post by **timbre4** » Wed Jun 29, 2011 5:09 am

Okay, I ran through the drill this morning and I'm reporting this anomaly to the SE team. The 5.9 version doesn't add the entry to the customer list until it becomes an Estimate, SE is adding it at the appointment entry stage.

cbhale · Post by **cbhale** » Thu Jun 30, 2011 8:44 am

timbre4 wrote:Okay, I ran through the drill this morning and I'm reporting this anomaly to the SE team. The 5.9 version doesn't add the entry to the customer list until it becomes an Estimate, SE is adding it at the appointment entry stage.

Thanks Tim, it is something that can be somewhat managed now that I know its happening but that time that can be used for other things if you know what I mean.

I like tidy databases...

Charles

cbhale · Post by **cbhale** » Thu Jun 30, 2011 8:46 am

ricmorin wrote:Sweet. That means 5.9 is ok. Someone may have clicked on that record and made it a customer entry.

Now to handle the problem with SE..... Can someone post some screenshots?

Ric ,

I could provide some screen shots in the future but right now the shop is rockin, get back to ASAP if you still want them...

Charles

ricmorin · Post by **ricmorin** » Thu Jun 30, 2011 9:03 am

No problem. We're swamped too. That's a good thing. In this economy you grab what work you can. Right?

cbhale · Post by **cbhale** » Thu Jun 30, 2011 9:21 am

ricmorin wrote:No problem. We're swamped too. That's a good thing. In this economy you grab what work you can. Right?

Amen to that Brother

timbre4 · Post by **timbre4** » Tue Sep 04, 2012 11:33 am

UPDATE:

The issue was identified and has been fixed. It just came too late to make the recent SE 6.4d release but will certainly be part of the 6.4e release expected in Oct/Nov. timeframe.

Scheduler - Creating Entry

Scheduler - Creating Entry

Re: Scheduler - Creating Entry

Re: Scheduler - Creating Entry

Re: Scheduler - Creating Entry

Re: Scheduler - Creating Entry

Re: Scheduler - Creating Entry

Re: Scheduler - Creating Entry

Re: Scheduler - Creating Entry

Re: Scheduler - Creating Entry

Re: Scheduler - Creating Entry

Re: Scheduler - Creating Entry

Re: Scheduler - Creating Entry

Re: Scheduler - Creating Entry

Re: Scheduler - Creating Entry

Re: Scheduler - Creating Entry

Re: Scheduler - Creating Entry

Re: Scheduler - Creating Entry

Re: Scheduler - Creating Entry

Re: Scheduler - Creating Entry