The Dispatch Console is the Service Dispatch modules control center.
You use this console to manage all aspects of Service Dispatch
Overview | Creating a Service Call | Dispatching A Service Call | Rescheduling A Service Call | Completing A Service Call | Invoicing A Service Call | Other Helpful Info | Related Alerts
Overview
Overview
The Dispatch Console is the Service Dispatch module's control center. You use this console to manage all aspects of service dispatch. The Dispatch Console is divided into three primary sections: the toolbar, the Technicians region, and the Service calls For [Technician(s)] region. To get into the dispatch Console, click the Dispatch icon on the top toolbar in eAutomate.
This will open the Dispatch Console.
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Creating a Service Call
Creating a Service Call
A new service call is any billable or non-billable service that you provide for a customer. You enter a new call whenever there is a request for service.
Click [New] to open the New Service Work Order window.
Note: When the Edit Service Work Order windows opens, an unknown equipment/item automatically populates in the equipment/item list. If it is a known equipment/item on the work order, the unknown equipment/item will be updated.
Process:
A. In the Customer field, use the lookup to select the customer whose equipment needs to be serviced.
B. In the Equipment Number field, use the lookup to select the equipment ID# to be serviced.
C. In the Problem Description field, type in description of the problem with the equipment according to the caller.
D. In the Caller Contact field, use the lookup to select the person who requested the service call, or make no changes to use the caller contact displayed if this field is already populated.
E. In the Call Type field, find the category to describe the nature of the problem. You use the caller’s description and—using the lookup—best classify the problem according to the available call types.
F. In the Technician field, this field is either auto populated with the technician assigned to the equipment record or populated to be the unassigned technician. If neither is correct use the lookup to select the correct technician.
G. The Bill code field is auto populated and is assigned to the call based on the equipment 's contract, if any. If there is no contract, eAutomate will populate this field based on the equipment record's bill code. Usually, Chargeable.
H. Once all information has been placed in the service call click the OK button to save.
*All other fields in the service call are automatically generated as you put in information.
Dispatching A Service Call
Dispatching A Service Call
In today's industry, many technicians dispatch themselves through RemoteTech or DeskTech, but there are still Dealers that use Manual Dispatching. Here is the process:
A. In the Dispatch Console, go to the Technicians region.
B. Click to Highlight the Technician to be dispatched. The calls assigned to that technician are displayed in the Service Call region.
C. In the Service call region, select the call to be dispatched.
D. Click on the Dispatch button to open the Dispatch Service Call window.
E. Or you can right click on the service call.
F. Select Dispatch from the drop-down list to open the Dispatch Service Call window.
A. When the Dispatch Service Call window opens, confirm your service call at the top of the window.
B. You will see the date and time that the service call is being dispatched. This date and time can be adjusted by the Dispatcher.
C. This is where the primary technician is listed for Dispatcher confirmation.
D. When everything is correct, click ok to Dispatch the call.
Rescheduling A Service Call
Rescheduling A Service Call
An incomplete call can occur in e-automate when you have sent a technician to a service call and the technician cannot complete the call. Typically, calls are incomplete because the technician needs assistance on the call or did not have the parts to correct the problem.
To mark a service call incomplete, you identify an incomplete code on the Miscellaneous tab of the Invoice Call Entry window.
Go into the Dispatch Console:
A. Highlight the call that needs to be rescheduled.
B. Select the Invoice button.
C. You can also, right click on the call and select Invoice from the drop-down menu.
The Invoice Call Entry window will open:
Click on the Miscellaneous Tab:
In the Reason for incomplete region, in the Code field, use the lookup to select the reason the call was not completed.
When you use an incomplete code in the Invoice Call Entry window, e-automate either attempts to create a rescheduled call or asks if you want to reschedule the call. Whether e-automate asks or just creates a rescheduled call depends on how the incomplete code you selected is configured.
Incomplete Codes can be configured by going to Tools/Lists and Codes/ Incomplete Codes
If the incomplete code you selected is configured to place the rescheduled call on hold, usually for parts, e-automate displays the Rescheduled Call window.
A. In the Items due by field, check the checkbox and use the drop-down calendar to select the date the specified materials will be required. In the Delivery Method field, use the lookup to select the delivery method. In the Duration - est. field, enter the estimated time for the rescheduled call. In most cases, these fields are not changed, and default settings are used.
B. In the Items field, use the lookup icon to select an item (Technician will give you the item number needed) for this call.
C. In the Status field, use the lookup icon to classify the item selected. Classifications are: Pending (Tech has item for service call), Needed (Tech needs item for service call) and Used (Tech has used item on service call).
Note: Items flagged as Needed are displayed in the Inventory Logistics Console for item ordering and fulfillment.
D. In the Quantity field, enter the quantity of the item for this call.
E. Click [QuickAdd] to add the item to the Materials list.
Note: Repeat Steps B through E to add additional items.
F. Click [OK] to add the items with their associated status to the rescheduled call’s Materials tab.
If the Incomplete code, you selected is configured to display the Attention Required window, usually for assistance calls, and asks if you want to reschedule this call.
Click [Yes]. E-automate creates a second call for this equipment and places it on this work order with the rescheduled stamp. Use the second call as necessary.
Completing A Service Call
Completing A Service Call
Completing a call means marking the call as finished. After you designate a call as Complete, the technician can be assigned to another call. When you complete a call, you do not enter all of the information that you need for invoicing. To enter the information, you must use the Invoice Call window.
You designate a call as Complete instead of invoicing it if you do not have all of the information you need to invoice the call, but you still want to assign the technician who completed the call to a new call.
Open the Dispatch Console
. A. In the Technicians region, select the technician whose call you want to mark as Complete.
B. In the Service calls for region, select the call to be marked Complete.
C. Click [Complete] to open the Complete Call window.
D. Right click on the service call and select Mark Complete in the drop-down menu.
A. If the call status is Dispatched, do the following:
1. In the Dispatch field, verify the dispatched date and time. Modify as necessary.
2. In the Arrival field, enter the date and time the technician arrived on the call.
3. In the Departure field, verify the departure date and time. Modify as necessary.
4. In the Completed field, enter the completed date and time.
5. Click [OK] to change the call status to Complete.
B. If the call status is Pending, do the following:
1. In the Completed field, enter the completed date and time.
2. Click [OK] to change the call status to Complete.
Invoicing A Service Call
Invoicing A Service Call
In e-automate, a service call goes through a series of statuses from the time the call is received to the time it is invoiced. Every call-in e-automate is invoiced regardless of whether or not there is a charge. You use the Invoice Call window to move the call from any status to Ready to Review (cleared), OK to Invoice or Invoiced.
A. In the Dispatch Console, Technicians region, select the technician with the call to be marked as Ready to invoice (cleared), OK to invoice, or invoiced. E-automate displays calls assigned to this technician.
B. In the Service calls for - xx region, select the call to be invoiced.
C. Click [Invoice] to open the Invoice call – Standard entry window.
D. Or right click on the service call and select Invoice from the list.
Invoice Standard Entry Window
A. The first tab you will see is Call Info.
B. Ready to review (cleared): When checked it allows the technician to move on to another call and lets you know it’s ready for review and the invoice process.
C. Contract number: Number of the service contract associated with this equipment/item, if any.
D. Description: Update the description or the reason for the service call, if necessary.
E. Caller contact: Use the lookup to select a different caller contact, if necessary.
F. Call type: Use the lookup icon to select a different call type, if necessary.
G. Priority: Use the lookup icon to select a different priority, if necessary.
H. Technician: Use the lookup icon to select a different Technician, if necessary.
I. Call received at: Date and time the call was received, make adjustments as necessary. Due by: Date the service invoice will be due to be paid once invoiced. Start time – est.: Estimated date and time the technician is to start working on the call, make adjustments as necessary. Duration – est.: Estimate amount of time to complete the call, make adjustments as necessary.
J. PO number: Purchase order number provided for the service call, if any.
K. Bill code: Code designating how the call should be billed.
Note: If the equipment/item is under contract, the bill code from the contract will automatically be entered into this field. If it is not under contract, the bill code from the equipment/item profile will be entered. If the equipment/item does not have a bill code this field will be blank, and you will have to add a bill code. In most cases, if the call is not covered under contract, the bill code should be some derivative of time and materials.
L. Sales Rep: Name of the sales rep to receive credit for the revenue from this service call.
M. Work Order: Work order number to which this service call is assigned. Call number: Number assigned to the service call during call creation. Service calls are automatically assigned the next sequential number in the database, but you may change it if necessary, during call creation. You cannot change the call number during the invoicing process. Date: Date you are invoicing the call.
A. Verify the Labor tab is highlighted.
B. If the technician who performed the labor for the call is displayed on the list, double-click on the technician to open the Edit Labor window.
C. If the technician who performed the labor for the call is not displayed, click [Add] to open the Add Labor window.
Edit Labor Window
A. Edit Labor window.
B. Technician: Use the lookup icon to select the technician who worked on the call.
C. Activity code: Use the lookup to select the appropriate activity performed by the technician for this labor record.
D. Dispatched: Date and time the call was dispatched to the technician. Arrival: Date and time the technician arrived at the service site. Departure: Date and time the technician departed the service site.
E. Tax as: Tax category in which the labor you are adding belongs.
F. Beginning: Number displayed on the technician's vehicle odometer when the technician was dispatched to the call. Ending: Number displayed on technician’s vehicle odometer when the technician arrived at the call. Mileage: Total number of miles the technician traveled to and from the call. This number is calculated from the beginning and ending odometer readings, if any. You can override the mileage as necessary.
G. Regular: Regular rate charged for the technician’s time. Regular and Overtime rates are populated from the bill code assigned to the call. You can override the rates as necessary. Overtime: Overtime rate charged for the technician’s time. You can override this rate as necessary.
H. Labor hours: Number of hours the technician worked on the service call. This number is calculated, but you can override it if necessary. Overtime hours: Number of hours the technician worked overtime. This number is calculated, but you can override it if necessary. Travel hours: Number of hours the technician spent in travel time. This number is calculated, but you can override it if necessary. Billable Mileage: Total number of billable miles the technician traveled to and from the call. This number can come from the difference between the Beginning and Ending odometers or can be pre-populated from the customer record based on the number or miles specified on the customer profile. You can override this field as necessary.
I. If the call was interrupted, do the following:
J. In the Interruptions field, use the lookup to select the reason for the interruption.
K. In the Description field, enter a brief description of the interruption.
L. In the Hours field, enter the number of hours on the call that was interrupted.
Note: You can enter increments of hours if necessary. For example, enter .25 hours for 15 minutes.
M. Click [QuickAdd] to add the information to the Work interruptions region.
N. Click ok to close the window.
Add Labor Window
A. Add Labor Window
B. Technician: Use the lookup icon to select the technician who worked on the call.
C. Assist: When checked, the technician will be recognized as one who helped another technician on this service call rather than the primary technician.
D. Activity code: Use the lookup to select the appropriate activity performed by the technician for this labor record.
E. Dispatched: Date and time the call was dispatched to the technician. Arrival: Date and time the technician arrived at the service site. Departure: Date and time the technician departed the service site.
F. Tax as: Tax category in which the labor you are adding belongs.
G. Beginning: Number displayed on the technician's vehicle odometer when the technician was dispatched to the call. Ending: Number displayed on technician’s vehicle odometer when the technician arrived at the call. Mileage: Total number of miles the technician traveled to and from the call. This number is calculated from the beginning and ending odometer readings, if any. You can override the mileage as necessary.
H. Regular: Regular rate charged for the technician’s time. Regular and Overtime rates are populated from the bill code assigned to the call. You can override the rates as necessary. Overtime: Overtime rate charged for the technician’s time. You can override this rate as necessary.
I. Labor hours: Number of hours the technician worked on the service call. This number is calculated, but you can override it if necessary. Overtime hours: Number of hours the technician worked overtime. This number is calculated, but you can override it if necessary. Travel hours: Number of hours the technician spent in travel time. This number is calculated, but you can override it if necessary. Billable Mileage: Total number of billable miles the technician traveled to and from the call. This number can come from the difference between the Beginning and Ending odometers or can be pre-populated from the customer record based on the number or miles specified on the customer profile. You can override this field as necessary.
J. Click [OK] to save the labor information and return to the Invoice Call – Standard Entry window.
A. Verify the Materials Tab is selected.
B. In this screen you will see all items used, pending or needed to complete the service call.
Note: No asterisk (*) to the left of an item listed in the display indicates the item was used to complete this service call. An asterisk (*) to the left of an item listed in the display indicates the item is needed or is pending to complete the service call.
To QuickAdd an item to the materials list, do the following:
A. In the Items field, use the lookup.
B. Select the item to add from the list.
C. In the Quantity field, enter the quantity used.
D. Click [QuickAdd] to add the item to the Materials tab.
Repeat steps A through C to add additional items used by the technician.
To change the status of an item, do the following:
A. To indicate an item is still needed to complete the service call, right-click the item and select Mark as needed. An asterisk (*) appears to the left of the item in the display.
B. To indicate an item is still pending to complete the service call, right-click the item and select Mark as pending. An asterisk (*) appears to the left of the item in the display.
C. To change an item's status from needed/pending—indicated by an asterisk (*) to the left of the item in the display—to show the part was used to complete the service call, right-click the item and select Mark as used. The system removes the asterisk (*) from the left of the item in the display.
D. Click Ok to save changes.
To add an item to the list, do the following:
A. Click [Add] to open the Add Report Material window.
B. In the Item Number field, use the lookup to select the item you want added to the Materials tab.
C. Description: Description of the item being added to the service call.
Note: This description can be modified, if necessary, but only for this service call invoice.
D. Serial number: If the item is serialized, e-automate activates this field and allow you to select from the serial numbers available in the identified warehouse.
E. Quantity: Quantity of the item to be used on the service call.
Note: You can only add a quantity of one when adding serialized items.
F. Price: Amount you charge for the item based on the unit of measure quantity.
G. Discount: Percentage of price discount.
H. Canceled: The quantity of the item canceled.
I. Amount: Total amount of the items, discounts, and other charges.
J. Unit of measure: Classification of the possible quantities that can be ordered such as each, box, or case.
K. Department: The department associated with the revenue or cost of this item.
L. Tax Flag: Tax category to which the item you are adding belongs.
M. Bill: The billing status of this item. This checkbox is set based on the bill code assigned to the service call.
N. Status: Use the lookup icon to set the status of the item on the call. Select Used if the part was used to complete the call. Select Needed if the part is still needed to complete the service call. Select Pending if the parts may be needed to complete the service call but you are not sure. Flagging an item as Needed activates the Req. Date and the Delivery Method fields.
Note: You can also change the status of the item in the Invoice Call – Standard Entry window by right-clicking on the item and selecting the appropriate status.
O. Req. Date: The date the item is required. Check the checkbox and select the appropriate date.
P. Delivery Method: The method used to get the part to the equipment. Select Pick-up if the technician will pick up the item at the main office. Select Ship to Customer if the item will be shipped directly to the customer. Select Ship to Technician if the item will be shipped to the technician’s address on file.
To edit the settings of an item that is already on the list, do the following:
A. Select the item to edit and click [Edit] to open the Edit Report Material window.
Make the appropriate changes.
B. Click [OK] to save the changes.
To remove an item from the list, do the following:
A. Select the item from the list.
B. Click [Remove].
C. Acknowledge you want to remove the item by clicking [Yes] to remove or [No] to cancel the removal.
D. Click ok to save changes.
A. Click the Problems/Repairs tab to bring it forward.
B. In the Problem codes field, use the lookup icon to select the problem the technician found on the service call.
C. Click [QuickAdd] to add the problem to the Problems region.
Note: You can add multiple problem code fields as necessary.
D. In the Repair codes field, use the lookup to select the repair used to correct the problem.
E. Click [QuickAdd] to add the repair to the Repairs region.
F. Click Ok to save changes.
A. Click the Meters tab to bring it forward.
Note: Complete this section only if the equipment you are servicing is metered equipment. If the meters are not required, you do not have to enter meters. If meters are required, you will be required to enter meters. If an asterisk (*) displays on the Meters tab, this information is required.
B. In the Date field, use the drop-down calendar to select the date the meter was taken.
To identify the meter readings, do the following:
C. In the Meter type field, use the lookup to select the meter type.
Note: You can also select the meter.
D. In the Meter display field, enter the number displayed on the equipment's meter for the selected meter.
E. In the Copy Credits field, enter the number of copies credited to the customer due to copies made by the service technician during the call, if any.
F. Click [Quick Update] to add the meter to the list.
Note: When you click [Quick Update] if the equipment is multiple metered, e-automate automatically move to the next meter.
Repeat steps A through F to record additional meters.
A. Click the Service Report tab to bring it forward.
Complete the following fields as appropriate:
B. Report Number: Leave (Next) in this field to have the system automatically assign the next number or enter a number to identify this report.
C. Opened: Date and time the service call was received, change as necessary.
D. Closed: Date and time the service call was completed, change as necessary.
E. Response hours: Amount of time from when the call was received to when the technician began servicing the equipment. This is calculated in e-automate from call received time until the arrival time.
Note: This could change based on the on-hold codes you use. Some on hold codes can calculate response time from when a call is released from hold instead of call received time. While e-automate calculates response time for all calls, the Service Activity Report by Technician and Service Activity Report by Model reports only list response time for corrective maintenance calls.
F. Repair hours: Amount of time from when the technician arrived at the service call until departure.
G. Down hours: Amount of time that has elapsed since the service call was received and the technician departed. E-automate calculates this from the call received time until the closed time (departure).
Note: This is a measure of how many hours the equipment has been down or not working. E-automate only calculates down hours for corrective maintenance calls. The system does not calculate down hours for other call type categories.
H. Net resolution hours: Amount of Down Hours minus Holds for which the on-hold code is defined with the Exclude from resolution time box checked.
I. Preventive maintenance: When checked, e-automate updates the equipment record to reflect the last time preventive maintenance was performed based on this call date and meters enters on this call date.
To assign the status to Cleared do the following:
A. Check the Ready to review (Cleared) checkbox.
B. Click [Apply] to save the work order with the call flagged as Cleared.
Note: E-automate saves the call and leaves it in the dispatch console with a Cleared status.
To assign the status OK to Invoice without invoicing, do the following:
Note: You may record additional information at this time, but it is not required to assign the status.
C. In the equipment list region, check the box to the left of the Cleared column that corresponds to the piece of equipment.
Note: The status displays OK to Invoice and the Ready to review (cleared) box is automatically checked and grayed out.
D. Click [Apply] to save the work order with the call flagged as OK to Invoice.
A. Click the Miscellaneous tab to bring it forward.
In the Miscellaneous charge region, complete the following fields as appropriate:
B. Use standard customer adjustment: When checked, if this customer has an associated standard invoice adjustment on their customer profile, it is listed here.
C. Charge: If there is a standard invoice charge, it is listed here. If there is not a standard invoice adjustment, you can enter a miscellaneous charge.
D. Description: Brief description of the miscellaneous charge.
In the Travel region, complete the following fields as appropriate:
E. Base rate: Base travel rate from the bill code. You can change if necessary.
F. Hourly rate: Hourly travel rate entered from the bill code. You can change if necessary.
G. Mileage rate: Per mile rate entered from the bill code. You can change if necessary.
In the Reason for incomplete region, complete the following fields as appropriate:
H. Code: Code used to identify this call as incomplete.
I. Remarks: Available when a call is marked incomplete.
A. Click the Hold tab to bring it forward.
B. On-hold code: Code used to explain the reason the service call is on hold.
C. Set Time: The start time for the hold indicated.
D. Release Time: The end time for the hold indicated.
E. Click QuickAdd to add the on-hold code.
F. Update: To edit the code, set time or release time.
G. Delete: To delete the hold from the service call.
A. Click the Remarks tab to bring it forward.
B. Enter any remarks, if any, that you want to print on the invoice for this service call.
A. Click the vertical Billing/Accounting tab to bring it forward.
B. In the Bill to field, use the lookup to select the address to which the invoice will be sent.
Note: Invoices for service calls on this work order are sent to the address on the work order. If you add equipment that does not have the same bill-to address as the work order, e-automate adds the equipment but leaves the bill-to address on the work order the same. E-automate warns you when the bill-to address on the equipment is different. You can also configure e-automate to draw the bill to customer from the contract associated with the equipment. See your system administrator to change this option.
C. To view an expanded list of ship-to addresses, check Show all customers.
D. To make the ship-to address the same as the bill-to address, check Same as bill to.
E. To select a different ship-to address, in the Ship to field use the lookup icon to select the address where the work was performed.
F. In the Terms field use the lookup icon to select the established customer payment terms.
G. In the Terms discount field enter the percentage discount received if paid by the discount date, according to the terms.
H. In the Discount date field use the drop-down menu to select the date by which payment must be received in order to receive the discount.
I. In the Description field enter a brief description of work performed to appear on the service invoice. Anything entered in this field always prints on the service invoice.
J. In the Branch field, use the lookup to select the branch associated with this service invoice.
K. In the Charge method field, you can select On Account or Credit Card/ACH, depending on how the customer's account is set up pay. This field is usually a default field, and it will populate automatically.
L. Tax code: Code designating the sales tax rates for the customer where the service was performed.
Quick tax button: Tax code for the chosen customer; selected bill-to address, or the selected ship-to address.
M. Taxable: When checked, e-automate assesses tax based on the tax code definition. When unchecked, the Exempt code field becomes active.
N. Exempt code: Use the Lookup to select the appropriate exempt code, if applicable.
O. Click the vertical tab Work Order Remarks to bring it forward.
P. Enter any remarks pertaining to this service invoice.
Q. To create the invoice for the service call, check Invoice now.
A. Once Invoice now is checked, e-automate displays the customer’s invoice delivery method as an icon in the lower left corner. Hovering your mouse over the icon will display the customer’s selected method and the associated accounts receivable contact. Your system administrator determines which invoices/memos can be queued for printing, fax or email. Only invoices allowed to be queued can be changed. To change the delivery method for this invoice, click the icon and do one of the following:
B. To cancel sending the invoice, check Do not send invoice and click [Hide] to close the window.
C. To identify a different contact to receive the invoice, in the Contact field, use the lookup to select a different contact.
Note: By default, once you choose a customer, the system filters this list for contacts associated with the Customer and/or Location specified for this call.
D. To change the delivery method, select Print, Email, or Fax.
Note: When Email or Fax is selected you can modify the email address or the fax number.
E. If printing the invoice, you may enter the number of copies you want printed in the Print XX additional copies of this invoice field.
F. After changes have been completed, click [Hide].
G. Click [OK] to invoice the service call.
Note: To prevent a call from being invoiced in error, you can enable a message box to open asking if you are sure you want to invoice the call. To enable this option, go to Tools>Options>Service Calls and check Prompt before saving invoiced service call.
If you selected the Print ticket checkbox, the Print window displays. Click [Yes] to print the service invoice to the default printer.
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Other Helpful Info
Other Helpful Info
Using Time Card entries to account for technicians unavailable time
Using eAgent to Auto Invoice $0 service calls
https://support.ceojuice.com/hc/en-us/articles/360019792451-eAgent-Auto-Invoicing-Service-Calls
How to Stop the response time clock
https://support.ceojuice.com/hc/en-us/articles/205122190-Response-Times-for-Incomplete-Calls-
See this link for additional Service related best practices documentation
https://support.ceojuice.com/hc/en-us/sections/360004684292-Service
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Related Alerts
Related Alerts
ID204 - Technician Activity Report
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