Process to sync service calls between two dealers' eAutomate systems
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Overview|Samples|Variables|Related Alerts
Alert Functionality: Checklist Code SetUp Record SetUp Meters Other Info
Best Practices & Tips | FAQs | TroubleShooting Errors
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Overview
Overview
This process syncs service calls between two dealers using eAutomate AND CEOJuice, real time updates on service calls are pushed between both databases. It creates the call in the system, updates call status', puts call on hold, syncs over meters and adds notes on any parts that were consumed as the call is closed.
Your customer places a service call with you and you create the service call in your eAutomate. This process identifies that this equipment is linked to a 3rd party servicing dealer, and will automatically create the service call in the Servicing Dealers eAutomate. When the Servicing Dealer dispatchers the call, your call is automatically updated as 'dispatched' status in EA. When the Servicing Dealer closes the call in their EA, the call in your database is closed, and will include meters that the dealer entered, and add a 'note' listing any parts used.
The process allows for various scenarios, equipment sold by you but serviced by another dealer (Ship Out) and equipment serviced by you and sold by another dealer (Ship In). As well as customers who always contact the Selling dealer for service calls as well as customers who contact the Servicing dealer direct, the service calls will sync. We also allow for the possibility that serial #s may not be unique.
Run Schedule: every 10 minutes
Type of Output: Email & Data Push
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Sample
Sample
Summary shows statistics of meter readings and service calls synced today. Provides detail of the dealer name and equipment info for those synced calls
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Variables
Variables
Variable X(REQUIRED): Activity Code you want to use on these synced calls see code section for setup
Variable W(REQUIRED):List dealers CEOJuice Customer #s you want to sync with
Variable 3(REQUIRED): Custom Property set up with Dealers CEOJuice client #, see Custom Prop section for setup
Variable H2(REQUIRED): Custom Property set up with servicing start date, see Custom Prop section for setup
Variable 4: Custom Property set to list Dealers EQ # (only used if serial # is NOT unique in your system), see Custom Prop section for setup
Variable 7(REQUIRED):Identifies call type to be used on calls that are serviced by you, default is ITT ShipIn see code section for setup
Variable 1(REQUIRED): Identifies call type to be used on calls that you SOLD (other dealer services for you), default is ITT ShipOut see code section for setup
Variable 11: Default Cancel Code, if call is canceled see code section for setup
Variable 5(REQUIRED): Meter Source used when servicing dealer pushes meters to selling dealer see code section for setup
Variable Y(REQUIRED): Inbound note type to communicate with other dealer see code section for setup
Variable Z: An optional second note type can be synced over, add that note type name to variable if you want that enabled
Variable 10(REQUIRED): Identifies the on hold code to be used on the call see code section for setup
Variable 12(REQUIRED): Identify how meter should be pushed over, Billable (1), Not Billable (0), or use EAs validation process (2)
Variable 6(REQUIRED): Identify what you want to sync over in this process, (0)service calls AND meters, or (1)service calls only or (2)meters only
Variable 2(REQUIRED): Call priority code to be assigned to calls. When call created by Selling dealer we will use their equipment priority code, otherwise will default to this variable see code section for setup
Variable 8(REQUIRED): Inbound notification - List emails to be notified when a call cannot be created (i.e bad serial #), or if call was created but contract could not be assigned
Variable 9(REQUIRED): Outbound notification - List emails to be contacted when call not created on other end
Variable H3: Call type 'Category' calls allowed to be synced from Dealer into your system
Variable H4: Stop meter readings from being pushed in if there is an 'valid meter reading' within # of days (must be a negative)
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Alert Functionality
Alert Functionality
This process requires records in eAutomate to be setup and configured correctly in both eAutomate Databases. First step is to complete our required checklist
For Equipment SOLD by YOU and Serviced by other dealer, its referred to as a ShipOut
For Equipment SERVICED by YOU and Sold by other Dealer ShipIn
Checklist Instructions
Section 1 - Checklist to be Completed
Certain codes need to be identified and created in eAutomate. These codes will be used to identify the service calls and equipment designated for this process.
This checklist should be completed by an eAuto user familiar with your service call, contracting and billing processes as well as with permissions to add Lists & Codes to eAuto. Once you complete the checklist, CEO Juice will validate that the attributes you provided are set up in eAuto and/or will create them if needed.
- Access checklist via your ID890 subscription at www.ceojuice.com. Click on "Checklist" in top right corner.
- Company name, your name and email should auto populate based on the information associated with your login. If it does not, enter manually.
- Below is a sample of typical coding used:
ShipOut Equipment is equipment you have shipped to the dealer who will service it on your behalf
ShipIn Equipment is equipment you are servicing for another dealer.
Call Type: Is Call Type assigned to the call that ID890/CEOJuice will create . Use a dedicated call type so your dispatch team will recognize this as an ITT service call.
Meter Source - we recommend an ITT specific Meter Source code to make it easier for you to identify meter entries created by this sync process. Meter entries sync from the servicing dealer only.
Cancel Code and OnHold Code - both are used to identify (and notify you) when the other dealer cancels or places the call on hold.
Call Priority and Activity Code - use these to set specified Call Priority and Activity Code just for these ITT calls.
Inbound Note Type - we will send notes listed here to the other dealer. You can list Note Type(s) to exclude from sending/syncing to the other dealer too. (see screen shots below)
-Select the dealer/s you want to sync with by adding them here
Green Text indicates dealer is actively using process with other dealer/s
Grey Text indicates dealer is subscribed, but not actively running process
Red Text indicates dealer is not subscribed to ID890
Once this is all completed, CEO Juice will review your checklist against your eAuto Set up.
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Custom Properties
Section 2 - Creating Custom Properties / Codes
The below eAuto codes, custom properties, tech and dealer customer records needed for ID890.
Attributes and Configurations (Custom Properties) are built in EA under Tools / Lists & Codes
CEOJuice will build the following Attributes / Configurations per our default variable settings if you have not at time of checklist being submitted
a) ZCJ_DealerNumber (per Variable 3) - enter a description, Data Type is set to 'Text Box'
b) ZCJ_ITTEquipmentNumber (per Variable 4) - enter a description, Data Type set to 'Text Box'
c) Add above attributes to Configurations (Custom Properties) found under Tools / Lists & Codes
ZCJ_DealerNumber add to the Customer Configuration AND Employee configuration
ZCJ_ITTEquipmentNumber add to the Equipment Configuration
*This Attribute only needs to be assigned to equipment records when the Serial Number is not unique on the ITT Dealer's end of the sync. It still needs to be created now, in case there is a situation where the SN is not unique
additional codes
a) Activity Code (per Variable X) - defaults to 'SL' which is standard labor activity code in eAuto.
If you wish to have specified labor activity code for these calls, create and add it in VariableX
If you are Servicing Dealer, the activity code on the call will be your default. If you are Selling Dealer, then call sync data will populate with activity code listed in Variable X
b) Note Type (per Variable Y) - Under Tools / Lists & Codes / Note Types.
Exchanges notes between dealers service calls. List specified note type(s) in variable Y to only sync contents of those notes. If you leave variable blank, then all note types will sync between calls
c) Call Priority (per Variable 2) if you for these service calls to have specific priority create it here, otherwise it will default to M-Medium
d) Meter Source (per Variable 5), this is the meter source that will be used on the meters to sync
e) Call Type (per Variable 7)
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Customer Tech and EQ Records
Section 3 - Set Up Customer, Technician and Equipment Records
For every dealer you want to sync with, will need to have a unique Customer Record, Technician Employee Record created. You will also need a dedicated Equipment Record that will be used to sync the calls
Customer and Technician records will need the Custom Property zcj_DealerNumber set with the dealers CEOJuice Customer Number and the start date zcj_DealerInitDate set.
Ship In equipment (EQ you service), the Equipment Record MUST have BillTo of the Other Dealer
Ship Out equipment (EQ you do not service), the Equipment Record MUST have Technician assignment of the Other Dealer
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Customer Record
Customer Record
Add Dealer Number to CustomProperties tab zcj_DealerNumber and start date to zcj_DealerInitDate (this is date for calls to start syncing with this dealer)
Obtain the dealers CEOJuice # from our CheckList or email help@ceojuice.com to confirm for you
Technician Employee Record
CustomProperties tab
For ShipOuts you must create a technician for each dealer who will service your equipment. The Custom Property on this Technicians Employee record must have zcj_DealerNumber set with the dealers CEOJuice # AND zcj_DealerInitDate set with the start date to sync calls
1) Set Employee Number on record so first few digits can be the same for all ITT Tech Employee Records you will need to set up (i.e. ZITTDealerName). This will enable you to have these tech records outside range of employee number for easy exclusion when creating reports, eViews, etc.
Positions tab
2) Select the Technician box
3) Set Burden Rate to $0.00 (otherwise call labor entries will hit as labor expense)
4) Set Warehouse/Bin to the Main/Defaults
5) Qualifications tab - Set as Qualified for ALL equipment
6) Service Hours Code MUST reflect 24 hours, 7 days per week to allow for time zone differences in syncing between dealers.
equipment record
Every piece of equipment that is to sync between the two databases will need identifiers set on each Record.
a) For the Selling Dealer, you need to assign the dealers Technician Record the the EQ record
If you are the Servicing Dealer, then your Equipment Record Technician assignment will be your actual tech
b) For the Servicing Dealer, you need to assign the BillTo on EquipmentRecord to the Selling Dealer
**DO NOT have both set on one Equipment Record, this will cause syncing issues **
For Equipment SOLD by YOU and Serviced by other dealer ShipOut
Required: One eAuto technician for each servicing dealer you work with
Recommended: Create a specific eAuto Territory assigned to equipment not serviced by your techs, perhaps ITT or Ship Out
Set Equipment Condition to ShipOut (you can force a condition change on certain status changes)
For Equipment SERVICED by YOU and Sold by other Dealer ShipIn
Required: The Bill To on eAuto Equipment Record must be the Selling Dealer if all sales through that dealer, otherwise the Bill To on the Contract
Recommended: Set Equipment Condition to ShipIn
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Meter Reading SetUp and Syncing
Meter Reading SetUp and Syncing
Meter Readings sync from the Servicing Dealer to the Selling Dealer only, it's a one-way sync.
Variable 6 of your subscription must be set to either 0 or 2 for meters to sync.
Meters from service calls are sync'd as well as any meter recorded by the servicing dealer.
0 = BOTH Service Calls and Meter Readings will sync
1 = ONLY Service Calls will sync (no meter readings)
2 = ONLY Meter Readings will sync (no service calls)
Note, this will be the setup for EVERY dealer you sync with, there is no option to handle each dealer you sync with differently.
Meter readings between both dealers MUST have the same Meter Type "Category" in order for them to sync
Meter Type is a user-defined list, as such, we can’t rely on one Dealer’s values matching the values on the other end of the sync. Each Meter Type corresponds to a Meter Type Category, which is a globally defined list. As long as an Equipment has only one Meter per Meter Type Category, we can sync them. For Equipment that has more than one Meter defined for a single Meter Type Category (Canon Equipment, Color Meters), we will just create a new Note for the Equipment with Meter Reading values.
Variable 12 indicates how meters will be entered into eAuto
0 = Meter automatically entered as NOT billable
1 = Meter automatically entered as billable
2 = Meter will go through you standard meter validation procedures in eAuto
Those validation procedures are set in eAuto under Tools / Options / Contracts
Variable 5 Meters only sync from servicing to selling dealer, not the other direction. When you are the selling dealer, that meter reading will go into your eAuto with the Meter Source listed in your Variable 5
Variable Hidden4 New Meter Readings will only be entered bytes process IF there is not already a Valid AND Billable Meter Reading within the last 7 days, per Variable Hidden4 setting.
Note - meters are pushed into your eAuto as valid and billable as long as the dealer they came from also indicate them as valid and billable
Other Info
Other Info
SQL User Rights Needed before the sync can work
Our CEO Juice user login REQUIRES the following permissions in order for ID890 to update service call information in eAutobetween two dealers.
The CEOJuice SQL User typically has READ rights to the entire eAuto database and full rights to the CEOJuice database, then we will need to have INSERT/UPDATE rights to these tables in the eAuto DB:
Note: this is for the SQL user and permissions, not eAuto’s internal user login/module rights.
SCWorkOrders
SCWorkOrderNotes
SCWorkOrderNoteDetails
Begin TESTING with one dealer / one equipment to start:
We highly recommend you test on one call with one dealer, so you can review and understand the flow and changes that will populate between the two eAutomate systems. This can be a test call only, so both dealers can interact with the call.
- Select a dealer to work with
- Both parties agree on a serial number/Equipment record to test in the system.
- Complete all setup needed as instructed in section 3 above, click here to review again
- ShipOut Dealer enters the test service call on that test equipment
- ShipIn Dealer will see call created, and then mark call dispatched, enter a note for the ShipOut Dealer, mark call completed, enter meters etc.
- ShipOut Dealer can view call changes in real time.
Once you are satisfied with testing, you can begin entering equipment that you want monitored by this process
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Best Practices & Tips
Best Practices & Tips
We suggest a few Best Practices in eAuto to identify:
1. Use Equipment Condition of ShipOut and another Condition of ShipIn
2. Set Customer Records who are another dealer with Customer Type of Dealer
3. Set Vendor Records who are another dealer with Custom Property identifying as Dealer Vendor (Some dealers may want to have additional types to identify their preferred choice, perhaps Preferred Dealer or CDA Dealer as well as Dealer.)
eAuto Equipment Record:
Set equipment shipped to your company with Condition Code: ITT ShipIn
Set equipment serviced by another dealer for your company with Condition code: ITT ShipOut
eAutomate Customer Record for Dealer:
Dealers customer type to: Dealer
eAutomate Vendor Record for Dealer:
Custom Properties
Customer Number: Set to the customer number for the dealer
Vendor Customer Type: Set to Dealer
Dealers have many different ways they identify ShipIns and ShipOuts and we have to allow for all. Hence there are A LOT of variables. However you only need to use the variables that apply to you. We also give you a date range so you can see who serviced what, for any time period. If you update the variables on the alert we will auto populate those fields on the app.
[For ShipOuts this report looks at all vendor vouchers linked to a contract (with or without a machine linked). Also, you have the option to filter these vendor invoices (ShipOuts) to only those where the equipmentid was not left blank AND where the equipment condition / territory / status / billcode matches the selected parameters (which would mean that it would ignore any vendor invoices linked to the contract but not a specific machine. If you apply the filter then the report would be returning only dealers/vendors where the equipment records were configured to your standards.]
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Handling concurrency issues.
The Selling Dealer's values for the initial outbound push are always right. After that, the Servicing Dealer always wins anytime there's a discrepancy between Seller and Servicing Dealer. We require the best practice of never reopen an ITT call, always create a callback call.
Once the call is invoiced on either side, it stops syncing any changes. Each dealer can void/edit their side as they see fit but it will not sync to matching dealer. The alert will sync the invoiced transaction, so ONLY invoice on one side, not both, typically the servicing dealer will invoice.
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How secure is the data being synced?
We are occasionally asked by clients "what data leaves our server to go to the dealer we sync with and how secure is that data"?
Communication is never from one Dealer to the other. All Dealers communicate through a central CEOJuice server. Communication is via web services. All communication is encrypted using TLS 1.2.
Once data is on the CEOJuice server, the primary payload is encrypted using a 256 bit asymmetric encryption algorithm. There is some data that we store unencrypted, but it’s nothing useful to anyone other than CEO Juice, sending/receiving Dealer #, serial number (but nothing more about the EQ), Call # (but nothing else about the Call), received timestamp.
Data on the CEO Juice sync server is transient, nothing is stored long-term. Once a payload is picked up by the receiving Dealer, it is deleted from the CEO Juice sync Server within 10 minutes. Any payload that is never picked up by a receiving Dealer is deleted after 3 days.
For both Caller and Description, the data transmitted is whatever was entered in the Call by Dispatch. Most Dealers enter a Name and Phone # or email address. We are not syncing the Contact info from the eAuto Contact module, it’s just whatever was typed in the free-form text field in Dispatch.
These payloads are encrypted (TLS 1.2) during transmission to/from CEOJuice. While they are on the CEO Juice sync server, they are encrypted and stored in a MS SQL Database.
Service Call sample payload:
{"SenderIs":"Servicer","ceoJuiceCustomerNumber":"038","Caller":"John Crumpton - 205-585-0287","CallID":86636,"CallNumber":"SC87634","Description":"SAYS CHECK STATUS AND CALL FOR SERVICE SPOKE TO John 205-585-0287","CancelDescription":"","CustomerName":"CUSTOMER NAME GOES HERE","CustomerNumber":"013940","BillToCustomerName":"DEALER NAME GOES HERE","BillToCustomerNumber":"013440","EquipmentNumber":"C1008","SerialNumber":"GNW55500","CallType":"SC","Category":"CM ","Model":"C5035C","ModelCategory":"Can Copier Clr","Make":"CANON","LastUpdate":"2018-06-05T14:22:07.003","Status":"H ","Date":"2018-06-05T16:46:00","ReqDate":"2018-06-05T17:37:00","EstStartDate":"2018-06-05T20:46:00","Notes":"","AddressStreet":"22240 CHESHIRE BRIDGE RD NE","AddressCity":"ATLANTA","AddressState":"GA","AddressZip":"30324","CloseDate":null,"Territory":"Default","WorkOrderId":72714,"RescheduledCallID":86566,"SellerEquipmentNumber":null}
Meter Reading sample payload:
{"ReferenceID":86594,"SubReference":"","MeterReadingID":1654002,"ReadingDate":"2018-06-05T00:00:00","MeterReadingGroupID":1300888,"MeterType":"B\\W","MeterTypeCategory":"B\\W","SerialNumber":"GNW55888","Display":251833.0,"Actual":251833.0,"CreateDate":"2018-06-05T14:20:15.207","IsEstimate":false,"IsValid":true,"IsValidForBilling":false,"Remarks":"","ceoJuiceCustomerNumber":"038","SellerEquipmentNumber":null,"MeterID":675,"EquipmentID":3620}
In addition to this payload, we also store a few unencrypted items:
CEO Juice Customer # and Name for the Sending and Receiving Dealers, ID of the record (SCCalls.CallID, MTMeterReadings.MeterReadingID), for Calls, the Call #, email addresses at the Dealers for exception notification (from the ID890 Subscription).
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Have a new hire that needs to be trained on what changes are needed to the various records in order to set up a new piece of equipment to sync. Have them review this section
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Ensure Variable W on the ID890 subscription contains the dealer number you want to sync with, the syncing will NOT work until this variable is set
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Troubleshooting Errors
Troubleshooting Errors
Meter Type Not Found
Meter Type Not Found
Transaction from Unauthorized Sender
Transaction from Unauthorized Sender
The process was unable to complete because the receiver of transaction does not have sender's CEOJuice customer number listed in ID890 VariableW or Custom Property ZCJ_DealerNumber is missing from a record.
Correction:
1) Make sure sender's CEOJuice customer number (help@ceojuice.com can provide if you don't have) in Variable W of your ID890 subscription:
2) Make sure ZCJ_DealerNumber populated with other dealers customer number on BOTH Customer and Employee Record:
See here on Customer Record Setup
See here on Technician Record Setup
Equipment Not Found
Equipment Not Found
The process was unable to complete because it could not find the equipment.
ID890 uses the serial number to identify the equipment. If it cannot find a match it will trigger this error. Please confirm that this serial number exists. Likely issues are:
1) Equipment doesn't exist on one end (maybe a new ShipIn that hasn't been setup yet)
2) Equipment record is inactive, check that the 'active' box is set.
2) Equipment exists, but has a different serial number. We see cases where some dealers always leave off the last two digits, or modify the serial #.
A dealer may have multiple machines with the same serial number. In those cases use the ZCJ_ITTEquipmentNumber custom property on your Equipment Record to record the dealers EQ #. You must also have the other dealer set up that custom property and record it with your EQ #, this will resolve these issues.
See here for equipment record setup
Equipment Not Configured
Equipment Not Configured
The process was unable to complete because it could not find the equipment.
For ShipIns we need a BillTo of the selling dealer.
For ShipOuts we need the tech on the equipment to be the servicing dealer.
Please check the serial number in question, determine if it is a ShipIn or ShipOut for you and that it is configured as above.
See here for equipment record setup
Reminder:
If you service the machine, you MUST have Bill To on Customer Record be the other dealer. That Bill To MUST have Custom Property of zcj_DealerNumber set with the other dealer’s number.
If you do not service the machine, you MUST have Tech Assignment be the other dealer and the Tech Employee Record MUST have Custom Property of zcj_DealerNumber set with the other dealer’s number.
Exception email
Call Type Categories
At the Sending and Receiving Dealer: Check the Call Type Categories specified in your ID890 Variable Hidden3 Subscription. Is the service call being filtered out because either you (or the other dealer, you would need to check with them) preventing the Call Type Category from syncing?
Call Already Invoiced
This notification means that the receiver has already invoiced the service call. The recent change made to sender's service call will not update the receiver's service call. ID890 cannot post updates once the receiver invoices their service call. Please contact the receiver to address discrepancies.
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FAQs
Frequently Asked Question - FAQs
1. How are service calls handled?
The ID890 ITT Sync Process sends Service Call information from your server to ours, we then send that along to the other dealers eAutomate and create a service call.
The dealer creating the service call will need to have already configured the Equipment Record to sync with the other dealer. This is done by setting needed Custom Property zcj_DealerNumber with that dealers CEOJuice Customer Number. In turn, the receiving dealer of the service call must have the Custom Property zcj_DealerNumber set with the other dealers CEOJuice Customer Number. The serial numbers in each dealers eAuto must be exactly the same. (There is workaround by using Custom Property zcj_ITTEquipmentNumber.)
The service call created by ID890 will retain all the information from your Equipment Record. The Call Type will be set with either ITT ShipOut or ITT ShipIn (or if different, what you have listed in Variable1 and Variable7 respectively). You can change this Call Type after service call is created and it will not have any effect on the ability to sync.
Once the call syncs, you will see the Service Call will update the Problem Description with the other dealers service call number.
Parts do not sync. The parts information from servicing dealer will come through to installing/selling dealers service call via Remarks.
2. Service Call can't invoice as missing Labor Record/Labor Information.
This typically happens if you invoice the service call before the servicing dealer invoices the call. eAuto doesn’t record the labor entry for ID890 service calls until invoiced. Once invoiced by the servicing dealer, then your side will sync with needed labor entry.
If you use eAgent to auto invoice service calls, best if can set these ITT service calls to invoice late in the day, once per day. That should help reduce these error occurrences.
3. How do I know if the call has sync'd?
When the call syncs from sending to receiving dealer, the receiving dealer's service call will have the sending dealer's service call # listed in the problem description.
Once the receiving dealer does something to the service call (dispatches, puts on hold open and hits "OK"), then ID890 will move the call's Last Update value will trigger a send back to the sending dealer along with this receiving dealer's service call#.
4. How to Turn Off the Sync on your end for any reason
If you need to stop the sync immediately, there is a single Windows Service that needs to be stopped - Core Sync Agent:
You’ll need to change the Startup Type to “Disabled”. CEO Juice Core has a watchdog that checks this service and will restart it if you just shut the service down, but disabled will ensure that it’s off:
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Related Alerts
Related Alerts
ID945 - Tracking ShipOut & ShipIn (ITT) Dealer relationships, to understand who you work with
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