09.13
Release Date: October 2024
ADDRESS BOOK | Hide Inactive Records
A new enhancement has been implemented in the Address Book module to improve usability by automatically hiding inactive records for Work Providers, Suppliers and Customers. Users will no longer see inactive contacts, allowing them to find relevant information more quickly and efficiently.
COMMS | Email Associated Suppliers
A new feature has been added to the Comms module, allowing users to send emails directly to Suppliers associated with a job for tasks such as chasing part orders. This functionality ensures that Work Providers maintain visibility over communication with Suppliers, improving transparency and efficiency whilst improving the workflow by allowing seamless communication.
COSTING | ‘Additional Support’ Column
A new ‘Additional Support’ column has been introduced to the ‘Estimate Items’ grid, providing users with clear visibility on how TLA jobs impact their business through additional discount information. The ‘Additional Support’ column displays the difference between the ‘Standard Term Prices’ and TLA prices for TLA jobs. This enhancement ensures that users can easily access relevant discount information, thereby improving their understanding of the benefits provided by the TLA scheme.
COSTING | Total for ‘Additional Support’ Added to Side Panel
The ‘Additional Support’ column has been enhanced by adding a total section to the side panel, providing users with a view of the savings offered by the TLA scheme. This improvement allows users to easily see the total value of additional support without performing manual calculations. The side panel will continue to display the ‘Estimate vs Invoice’ and ‘Stats’ sections, ensuring all key information remains accessible while enhancing the overall user experience.
COSTING | ‘Special Instruction’ Added to the ‘Create Order’ Form
The ‘Create Order’ form has been updated to include the ‘Special Instruction’ column, allowing users to access all relevant information without needing to change view or exit the module. This enhancement ensures that any special instructions associated with a line item are clearly visible within the ‘Create Order’ form, improving efficiency and streamlining the ordering process.
COSTING | ‘Supplier Comments’ Column Added to the ‘Estimate Items’ Tab
A new ‘Supplier Comments’ column has been introduced to the ‘Estimate Items’ tab, allowing users to view comments made by parts suppliers separately from the ‘Special Instruction’ column. This enhancement ensures that comments added to a line are now clearly visible, improving clarity and organization of information. This separation of comments enhances the user experience by providing a dedicated space for supplier-specific feedback.
COSTING | Splitting the ‘Supplier’ Section to Include Parts Gateway Suppliers
The ‘Supplier’ drop-down list in the ‘Create Order’ form has been enhanced to distinguish between Parts Gateway suppliers and standard suppliers. The drop-down now contains two sections: the PGW supplier section, which appears at the top, followed by the standard supplier list beneath it. This allows users to easily differentiate between supplier types and streamline the selection process when creating orders.
COSTING | Updated ‘Estimated’ Symbol
The warning symbol displayed when adding new costs within the ‘Create Order’ form has been updated. The previous warning symbol, which sometimes caused confusion by suggesting a potential error, has been replaced with a friendlier icon. This change helps clarify that the item is simply not part of the estimate, reducing uncertainty when adding new costs to the order.
COSTING | Automating the ‘Create Order’ Form for Parts Gateway Items
The ‘Create Order’ form has been enhanced to automatically populate items from received quotes when using a Parts Gateway Supplier. If a quote has been received from a Parts Gateway Supplier and that same supplier is selected in the ‘Suppliers’ drop-down list, the quoted items will now automatically appear in the form. Users can still add additional costs either from the estimate or manually and have the option to remove costs if needed.
COSTING | Apply Same ‘Return Reason’ for Multiple Lines
A new improvement has been made to the returns process, simplifying the workflow when returning multiple costs on the same return note. Users are now given the option to apply the same reason across all return lines, improving efficiency and reducing repetitive data entry.
This update mirrors the behaviour used for ‘Location’ and ‘Discount’ failure reasons when receiving costs, streamlining the process of handling multiple returns.
COSTING | Copy Function for ‘Description’ and ‘PartNo’ Fields
A new copy function has been added to the Costing module, allowing users to easily copy values from the ‘Description’ and ‘PartNo’ fields using a right-click action. This enhancement eliminates the need to open the ‘Amend’ function, providing a more efficient workflow, especially when dealing with PGW items where link break warnings are encountered.
COURTESY VEHICLE | CO2 Emission Bracket Registration
A new feature has been added to the Courtesy Car management system, allowing users to register the CO2 emission band of each vehicle. This enhancement helps users better manage their fleet by easily tracking and selecting vehicles based on their CO2 bracket.
DIARY | GROUP MANAGER | Display Site Short Name in Site List
An enhancement has been made to the Diary module for Group users, allowing them to easily identify which site they are viewing without needing to expand the column. The ‘Site List’ now displays site listings using the ‘Short Name’ field, providing a more concise and user-friendly view which streamlines the job booking workflow, allowing users to quickly recognize site details at a glance.
JOB HISTORY | JOB CONTROL | Audit WEC Date Changes
A new update has been added to the Job History module, allowing users to view who set or modified the Workshop Expected Completion Date on a job, providing greater transparency when reviewing the job’s history.
JOB EDIT | Expanded Tyre Depth Recording
An enhancement has been made to the ‘Tyre Depths’ section to accommodate commercial vehicles that require tracking for more than four tyres. The update allows users to record tyre tread depths for up to six tyres, plus a spare, ensuring accurate vehicle records for larger vehicles.
JOB VIEWER | Display Part Location in Parts Tab
A new enhancement has been implemented in the Job Viewer module, allowing users to view the location of parts directly on the grid within the ‘Parts’ tab. The ‘Location’ field has been added making it easier for users to quickly identify where each part is stored without needing to navigate elsewhere.
MAIL | Quick Filter for Recipients List
A Quick Filter feature has been added to the AutoFlow Mail module to help users easily find recipients. Users can now filter records by entering any part of a recipient’s name (first or last).
MAIL | Toggle Sorting by First or Last Name
A new feature has been added to the Mail module, allowing users to switch between ordering recipients by First or Last Name. This provides greater flexibility for users in large organizations when searching for recipients. The system also remembers the preferred sorting order, so the selected option is retained when reopening the module.
PARAMETERS | USERS | ‘Job Title’ Field
A new ‘Job Title’ field has been added to the ‘User Properties’ screen in Parameters, allowing admin users to assign job titles to users. This field is free-text and optional, enabling admins to easily copy settings based on job roles for future users without needing to dig into individual permissions or create new template roles. This enhancement simplifies user management and improves efficiency when configuring user settings.
PARAMETERS | JOB EDIT | Toggle for Vehicle Handover with Unpaid Excess or VAT
A new parameter has been added under ‘Parameters > Job Edit’, allowing users to enable or disable the requirement to mark Excess and/or VAT as paid before handing over a vehicle. This gives organizations the flexibility to bypass mandatory payment flags if needed, ensuring smoother handover processes when Excess or VAT has not been marked as paid.
PARAMETERS | WORK PROVIDERS | Support for Fixed Amount and Referral Percentages
The Work Providers section has been enhanced to allow users to configure both a Fixed Amount and a Referral Percentage for each work provider. This improvement enables users to set specific referral fees tailored to individual providers. When creating invoices, these configured fees will automatically apply, allowing users to invoice with both options simultaneously. This update streamlines the process, ensuring accurate fee calculations and reducing the need for manual adjustments during the invoicing stage.
REPORTS | Edit Scheduled Reports
The ability to edit Scheduled Reports has been introduced, saving users time when making adjustments. Users can now modify existing reports rather than having to delete and re-create them. This includes the ability to add additional email recipients, addressing a common need. This update streamlines the report management process, especially for small changes.
REPORTS | Enhanced Visibility for Custom Reports
Custom Reports are now easier to identify within the ‘All Reports’ view. Following the functionality in the ‘Manage My Reports’ view, Custom Reports are highlighted in red, improving their visibility and making them easier to locate.
REPORTS | Multi Delete Scheduled Reports
A new feature has been added to the reporting module, allowing users to select and delete multiple scheduled reports at once. This enhancement streamlines the management of scheduled reports, saving time when multiple reports need to be removed simultaneously.
SEARCH SYSTEM | Last Communication Date Field
A new field has been added to display the date and time of the last communication sent, similar to the existing ‘First Contacted Date’ field. This field can be added to the Main Grid and shows the last communication time stamp, providing better tracking of recent communications within the system.
SEARCH SYSTEM | Additional On-Site Statuses
An additional status has been introduced to the ‘OnSiteStatus’ field to better track handover events. When a job is completed without a delivery event being booked, the status will now display as ‘No Handover Arranged’ and will update to ‘Handover Arranged’ once a delivery event is scheduled. This enhancement provides greater clarity regarding handover arrangements within the job workflow.
SEARCH SYSTEM | Invoice Work Queues – Expanded Searchable Fields
The Invoice Work Queues search functionality has been enhanced to include additional searchable fields. Users can now search by ‘Payer Name’, in addition to the existing fields: ‘Vehicle Reg’, ‘JobID’, and ‘InvoiceID’. This improvement provides greater flexibility and helps users locate invoices more efficiently.
STOCK MANAGER | Search by Description
The search functionality in the Stock Manager module has been enhanced to allow users to search by ‘Description’, in addition to the existing ‘Stock Code’ search. This improvement enables more flexibility when locating items in the stock system.
SYSTEM MAIL | Notification for Supplementary Images Added
A new System Mail notification has been introduced to alert users when supplementary images are added to a job. Users can now be subscribed to this notification, receiving a System Mail that includes the JobID and the number of images added. This update ensures users are promptly informed of additional job images, improving workflow visibility and communication.
WORKM8 | Individual Comments for Bulk Image Uploads
The image upload process in WorkM8 has been improved to allow users to add separate comments to individual images when uploading in bulk. Previously, any comment entered applied to all images. Now, users can add a default comment that populates all images initially, and subsequently edit or add unique comments for individual images after the original comment has been set. This update enhances flexibility and ensures that each image can be accurately annotated, improving the overall documentation process.
WORKM8 | Change QC Process Order
The QC process within WorkM8 has been updated to mirror the recent improvements made in Job Control and Loading, ensuring consistency across modules. As part of this update, the CCP signoff has been moved to the end of the QC process, streamlining the workflow and provides a more logical and cohesive process for users.
WORKM8 | Access Part Lists Without Clocking to a Task
Workshop staff using WorkM8 can now view parts lists for jobs without needing to be clocked on to a task. This change provides more flexibility, allowing users to quickly access parts-related information for jobs, improving overall efficiency in the workshop.
WORKM8 | LOADING | Total Calculation for ‘Hours Claimed’
The ‘Hours Claimed’ column now includes a total calculation at the bottom, allowing users to quickly access the cumulative hours claimed. This enhancement improves usability by providing immediate visibility of total hours without the need for manual calculations.
09.12
Release Date: August 2024
AUTOLOAD | Current Competent Person Sign Off after Quality Control Questions
The CCP authorized sign off has now been moved to the end of the Complete Task process within Loading, appearing after the QC questions have been answered. This allows the CCP to sign off on both the work carried out and the responses given during Quality Control.
CHECKMATE | JOB NOTES | New Pop-Up Note Type
A new Note Type has been added to AutoFlow, ‘CheckMATE Note’. For any job that has important information that must be conveyed to the engineer carrying out the Damage Check/Estimate, users can add this new note type to a job and be sure that the contents of the note will be displayed to the CheckMATE user whenever they access the job.
CHECKMATE | IMPORTER | Automated CheckMATE Imports
To streamline the process of importing CheckMATE estimates, Automated Importing has now been added. When enabled, estimates uploaded from CheckMATE will be automatically imported, either to a new job or the relevant existing job within AutoFlow, configuration dependant. Users are also able to configure what data is imported from the estimate and default job options for creating new jobs.
CHECKMATE | PARAMETERS | Additional Tab for CheckMATE Automated Import Settings
To accompany the addition of Automated CheckMATE Imports, a new tab has been added to ‘Parameters > Main’ on which admin users can configure what information is imported
CHECKMATE | SYSTEM MAIL | Notification for Automated CheckMATE Imports
To accompany the addition of Automated CheckMATE Imports, a new System Mail category has been added which will notify subscribers whenever an estimate is automatically imported from CheckMATE.
CHECKMATE | EXPORT JOB | Ability to Restrict Users when Sending to ‘Any User’
It is now possible to restrict which CheckMATE users receive an exported job when using the ‘Any User’ option. Where previously this option would send the job to all users in the CheckMATE group, it will now only send to the users specified on the Settings page.
COSTING | Colour Coded Stock Level Indication for ‘In Stock’ Fields
The ‘In Stock’ fields shown on the Estimate Lines tab in Costing are now colour coded to reflect the current stock levels, to provide more context to the user at a glimpse. Healthy stock levels will be displayed in Green whilst low stock levels will be displayed in Red, and this can be configured by the user when they set the Reorder Level of an item in Stock Manager.
COSTING | Order Items from Stock
Where users were previously only able to order items from Temporary Stock within Costing, it is now possible to order all stock items from any site with stock available. Users would previously have to create a Stock Movement within Stock Manger, forcing them to leave the Costing module. This can now be done all within Costing with the help of the recently added visual indicator of available stock on the ‘Estimate Items’ page.
STOCK MANAGER | Pre-Populate Details when Setting Initial Stock Level
Details will now be pre-populated when setting the initial stock level for a stock item, removing the need to double key existing information.
STOCK MANAGER | View Purchase Invoice Documents
To further bolster Stock Manager as an all-in-one solution for managing stock, users are now able to view all Purchase Invoices attached to stock orders created in the module. Users can search for documents based on purchase invoice number or supplier information and view the document by simply double clicking it.
COSTING | ‘Estimate Items’ Grid Layout Stored
On the ‘Estimate Items’ tab within Costing, users are now able to rearrange their grid layout and it will be stored and displayed the same way each time they visit Costing, providing more customisation on a per user basis.
COSTING | TLA Discount Reason Logic
To reduce the amount of user input required when ordering costs on a Total Loss Avoidance job, the Expected Discount Reason will now be automatically be set to ‘TLA’ where applicable.
COSTING | ‘Go to JobID’ when using Group Manager
To provide more functionality to Group users, the ‘Go to JobID’ feature has been made available within Costing. Users are able to search for matching JobIDs across all sites they have access to and a window will be shown to them displaying vehicle and site details for relevant jobs, allowing them to click the job they wish to be navigated to without having to leave the module.
COSTING | Work Provider Referrals shown on Profitability & Invoice Analysis Views
On the Profitability Analysis and Invoice Analysis views within Costing, users will now see a line for Work Provider Referrals on jobs where applicable, providing full context and a better reflection of profitability before invoicing.
DIARY | Display Address on Hover Window for Collection & Delivery Events
To provide more context to users when viewing the Diary, Address details are now shown when users hover over a Collection or Delivery event. If the user has access to view Personal Information it will be added to the hover window, removing the need to exit the module to get this information.
GROUP MANAGER | ‘Site Short Name’ field on Main Grid
To provide more functionality and customisation to users, Site Short Name has been added to the list of available fields that can be added to the main grid. Most users will find that Site Short Name is the easiest way to identify which site a job is linked to and being able to add this to the grid will provide more value to Status Views and Work Queues.
INVOICE POSTING | NETSUITE | Additional Custom Field ‘Policy Holder Name’
A new field has been added to the NetSuite Sales Invoice export, Policy Holder Name, which will be automatically populated in NetSuite when invoices are posted from AutoFlow.
JOB EDIT | Ability to Import .CSV Estimate Files
To mirror functionality that has been previously added to the Costing module, users are now able to import estimate lines directly to a job from a .CSV file. When enabled in Parameters, users will now see a Load File button on the Estimate tab, enabling users to browse to file they wish to import.
PARAMETERS | DEVICES | Site Name Shown on Grid
To provide more information to users and improve legibility of the Devices page, ‘Site’ name is now shown on the grid where previously only ‘SiteCD’ was used.
PARAMETERS | SUPPLIERS | Additional Supplier Type ‘Other’
A new Supplier Type has been added to the system which will allow for more flexibility when configuring Suppliers. The new ‘Other’ option comes accompanied with a text box in which users can enter their own description of the Supplier type, providing more context to the stored Supplier.
PARAMETERS | STATUS MANAGER | Tied to Existing Open Costs Parameter
To provide more consistency throughout the system, the Status Manager page now adheres to the existing parameter that prevents users from closing a job that contains ‘Open Costs’. Users will now be warned when a job with open costs is unable to be closed, also explaining the reason preventing the job from being closed, before moving onto the next job highlighted.
PARAMETERS | STATUS MANAGER | ‘Total Not Invoiced Net’ field shown on Grid
To provide more context to users when using Status Manager, ‘Total Not Invoiced Net’ will now be displayed for each job on the grid, allowing users to make a more informed decision when changing the status of jobs and allows for filtering of the grid for easier selection of jobs.
REPORTS | GROUP MANAGER | Single Site Report Options for Group Manager
Reports produced in Group Manager will now retrieve the header and footer files from the job’s relevant site, where applicable. Users can configure their headers and footers on a per site basis and the relevant site’s information will be displayed automatically when running a job specific report in Group Manager.
SEARCH SYSTEM | GROUP MANAGER | Pin Work Queues to Quick Access Toolbar
Users are now able to pin their most used Work Queues to their Quick Access Toolbar so that they can quickly navigate to them with just a click of a button. Multiple work queues can be pinned at once and users are able to rearrange the pinned Queues by right clicking and dragging them to the desired position.
STOCK MANAGER | Reason Capture for Stock Level Adjustments
To provide more transparency and context to Stock Manager users, a reason is now required when making stock level adjustments.
WORKM8 | View\Capture Images for Other Jobs whilst Clocked to Task
To provide workshop staff with more flexibility when using WorkM8, they will now be able to view documents or capture images for other jobs whilst clocked to a task. Previously users would have to stop booking time to a task to view or capture documents for another job but now will be able utilise the new ‘Images’ tab without interruption, further maximising productivity.
09.10
Release Date: May 2024
AUTOLOAD | WORKM8 | Audit when Task Note is Confirmed
An entry is now added to Job History whenever a task note is read and confirmed by a workshop technician. The entry will only be created once the technician clicks to confirm reading the note to provide a quick and accurate auditing process.
COMMS | REACT | Comm Logged when REACT Case Sent
A communication is now logged against a job whenever a REACT case is sent to the customer, automating a previously manual process which could potentially improve the First Contact KPI.
COSTING | Automatically set ‘Part Quality’ when Receiving Costs
To complement recent changes that have made to Supplier Parts Quality a mandatory selection for Suppliers, ordered costs will have their Quality field automatically pre-populated based on Supplier when the user receives them, removing the need to manually set the quality field individually.
COSTING | Expected Completion Date shown on Create Order Form
To provide more context to the user ordering parts, the job’s Expected Completion Date is now displayed on the Create Order form, allowing the user to make a more informed decision when they are ordering parts.
COSTING | Prompt to Set Default ‘Part Quality’ for Supplier when Ordering Costs
To complement recent changes that have made Supplier Parts Quality a mandatory selection for Suppliers, users will now be presented with a new form whenever ordering parts from a supplier who hasn’t got a default Parts Quality selected. On the new form users will be able to select the Supplier’s default part quality and this will be used to pre-populate going forward, removing the need to set this information within Parameters beforehand.
DOCUMENT MANAGER | Support for JPEG File Types
To limit issues when importing estimates or adding documents, ‘.jpeg’ has now been added as a valid extension by default for Document Manager.
GROUP MANAGER | JOB VIEWER | ‘Go to JobID’
‘Go to JobID’ Searches All Available Sites To provide more functionality to Group users, the ‘Go to JobID’ feature within Job Viewer will now search for matching Job IDs across all sites available to the user. Vehicle and site details will be displayed to the user for the relevant jobs, allowing them to click the job they wish to be navigated to without having to leave the module.
INVOICING | Unpaid Excess Popup Reminder
Users will now see a popup reminder when they come to raise an invoice for a job that has been marked as requiring an Excess payment but is yet to have an excess payment collected, providing more information to the user without having to leave the module.
INVOICING | New Option Preventing Invoicing of Non-Received Costs
An additional option has been added to Parameters which will allow admin users to restrict the ability to raise an invoice for Non-Received Costs. Users will be presented with a warning when they come to raise an invoice including non-received costs and will be asked if they want to continue with the highlighted costs removed, allowing them to raise the invoice with minimal impediment.
JOB CONTROL | WORKM8 | Current Competent Person Sign Off after Quality Control Questions
Within Job Control and WorkM8 the CCP authorized sign off has now been moved to the end of the Complete Task process, appearing after the QC questions have been answered. This allows them to sign off on both the work carried out and the responses given during Quality Control.
DATABASE | Additional Views and changes for PowerBI
Additional Views and changes have been added to the database pulling data from various tables to be imported into Power BI, providing more powerful data manipulation.
JOB EDIT | Switch Allocated Times
The ability to easily switch allocated times between MET, Panel, Paint and Allowance has been added to Estimate Lines within Job Edit. The addition of a drag and drop interface allows users to simply drag the time to the category they want to move it to and the times are swapped, reducing the amount of time and input required to tailor the estimate.
JOB EDIT | Automated Import Rules Creation
Users are now able to create Import Rules automatically from existing Estimate Lines within Job Edit. On the Edit Estimate Item window there is an additional tickbox which when enabled will direct the user to the Import Rules page with a new rule pre-populated based on the estimate line they were viewing. The user has to then simply double check the details and confirm creation of the rule, rather than having to double key the information.
JOB EDIT | Mandatory Excess and VAT Payment Confirmation on Handover
The existing Excess and VAT payment confirmation options have been changed to Paid/Unpaid drop down menus which are now mandatory on the Handover of a vehicle. This ensures accuracy of job information and provides more context which will trigger a warning to Invoicing users when raising an invoice for a job that is yet to have an Excess Payment collected, this in turn will help to avoid missing payments.
OFFER DEPLOY | Hire Vehicle Requirement Information
Hire Vehicle Requirement information is now displayed on the Offer Deploy screen. Users are able to sort or filter using this new field to provide them with more context at a click of a button.
PARAMETERS | EXTERNAL COMMS | Repairer Details included in Embedded Options
To provide more options to users when configuring External Comms, repairer details have been added to the Embedded Options. Users can now include Site Name, Address Line 1, Post Code and Telephone Number in their communication templates.
PARAMETERS | SUPPLIERS| Mandatory ‘Supplier Part Quality’
Supplier Part Quality has now been made a mandatory selection when creating or editing Suppliers to maintain accuracy of information within the system.
PARAMETERS | USERS | Additional User Restrictions for Courtesy Vehicle Module
Admin users are now able to further configure and lock down access to the Courtesy Vehicle module on a per user basis. The new user option will restrict access to elements within the module that allow for the creating, editing or deleting of courtesy vehicles and tariffs within the system, leaving only the required functionality needed for the day to day operation of courtesy vehicles. This can be found within Parameters – Users.
PARAMETERS | USERS | Copy/Paste User Settings To/From Template User Roles
User Settings can now be copied between Users and Template User Roles to allow admin users to configure multiple Users and Roles quickly and easily, helping ensure consistency across users within the system.
SEARCH SYSTEM | Job Pop Up Note Auditing
Job Pop Up notes are now audited against the job when viewed by a user. An entry is added to Job History whenever a popup note is read, logging the date and time as well as the user that read the note for full transparency.
SEARCH SYSTEM | Additional Field ‘Tax Expiry Date’
Tax Expiry Date has been added as an available field to be displayed on the Main Grid to provide more information to users.
STOCK MANAGER | Edit Batch Location
The location of a Batch can now be modified from the View/Amend Stock Item screen within Stock Manager.
SYSTEM MAIL | CCP Qualification / Equipment Expiry Reminder
A new system mail has been added which will inform subscribed users when an CPP Qualification / Equipment is due to expire. A To-Do Task will be sent to users 30 days before expiry providing a reminder to take the appropriate action.
SYSTEM MAIL | REACT Case Received
A new System Mail has been added which will inform subscribed users when a REACT case has been completed by a customer, removing the need to rely on constant monitoring of the Inbox for new cases.
WORKSHOP CONTROLLER | Option to Display More Statuses
A new option has been added to Parameters which will allow more Job Statuses to be displayed within Workshop Controller. As well as In-Progress jobs the new option will display Estimated, Auth-Requested, Authorised and Self-Authorised which will give visibility of all work being carried out in the workshop.
09.09.03
Release Date: March 2024
WorkM8 Service failover.
Bug fixes and quality of life enhancements.
09.09.02
Release Date: February 2024
Bug fixes and quality of life enhancements.
09.09.01
Release Date: January 2024
Bug fixes and quality of life enhancements.
09.09
Release Date : January 2024
SEARCH SYSTEM | SSO | New Analytics Cloud Module
A new cloud module has been added to AutoFlow to provide users an innovative way to view important information in their system. The Analytics module serves as a single solution for monitoring performance across multiple areas of the business with three main sections; Sales Analysis, Work In Progress and Supplier Performance. Vital information is displayed clearly on each page with an additional Overview landing page providing key performance information within one click.
COSTING | Multi User Access to Locked Jobs
When trying to access a job that is currently locked by a different user, users will be given the option to open Costing in Read Only mode. In Read Only mode users will be able to view all information throughout the module without the ability to make changes, allowing multiple users to access Costing safely and removing the need to wait for access to the module to become available.
INTERFACE MANAGER | Additional Opening Criteria for Axalta Paint Link
An additional Opening Criteria has been added to the Axalta Paint Link interface; ‘Requires In-Progress?’. When enabled, paint tasks will only be created when the original Opening Triggers are met AND the job is put into progress.
INTERFACE MANAGER | Additional Closing Trigger for Axalta Paint Link
An additional Closing Trigger has been added to the Axalta Paint Link interface, allowing paint tasks to be closed when the job is marked as a Write Off.
INVOICE POSTING | Additional Field for NetSuite Export
When posting Sales or Purchase Invoices to NetSuite, the job’s Vehicle Location field will now be included in the export.
INVOICING | Visual Indicator for Excess Amount Changes
A visual indicator has been added to the Invoicing module to alert users when an Excess amount has been changed. If the current Excess amount doesn’t match the original set, a warning message will be shown to the user with the original Excess amount noted for comparison. This removes the need to read through the job audit to confirm this information before invoicing.
INVOICING | PARAMETERS | ‘Read-Only Mode’ User Parameter
A new User Parameter has been added allowing users to be configured with Read Only access to the Invoicing module. In Read Only mode users will be able to view and print Invoices and Credits that have been raised against a job without being able to make any changes or raise any new invoices, allowing for better customization of user access.
JOB EDIT | Multi User Access to Locked Jobs
To reflect the changes made in Costing a Read Only mode has been added to Job Edit. When trying to access a job that is currently locked by a different user, users will be given the option to open Job Edit in Read Only mode. In Read Only mode users will be able to view all information throughout the module without the ability to make changes, allowing multiple users to access Job Edit safely and removing the need to wait for access to the module to become available.
PAINT CONSOLE | Additional Fields
Two additional fields have been added to the Paint Console, the Paint System and Actual Volume used will now be displayed for paint tasks opened in Axalta providing more context to the user.
09.08.02
Release Date: December 2023
Bug fixes and quality of life enhancements.
09.08.01
Release Date: December 2023
Bug fixes and quality of life enhancements.
09.08
Release Date : October 2023
INVOICING | INVOICE POSTING | SCHEDULED POSTING | PARAMETERS | NetSuite Integration
Thanks to the new integration, invoice information can now be sent from AutoFlow to NetSuite’s accounting package. With NetSuite set as the accounting package within Parameters, the user will be able to raise invoices with up to 3 payers selected, with additional payers portions being allocated to the correct Excess account within NetSuite.
Sales and Purchase invoices can be manually exported to NetSuite using the Invoice Posting modules. When posted AutoFlow will communicate directly with NetSuite’s API to deliver the selected invoices, removing the requirement of generating posting files to be manually imported. Scheduled posting can also be configured within Parameters and will allow for Sales and/or Purchase invoices to be posted automatically at a set time daily, or on a set day at a set time weekly or monthly, automating the Invoice Posting process.
Additional configuration is available for NetSuite within Parameters to ensure that Cost Categories and Tax Rates within AutoFlow link to the correct categories and rates in NetSuite.
DATABASE | Additional Views and changes for PowerBI
Additional Views and changes have been added to the database pulling data from various tables to be imported into Power BI, providing more powerful data manipulation.
EMPLOYEE ADMIN | Holiday Notes Section
Notes can now be added when creating Employee Holiday Events, providing more context to users.
EMPLOYEE ADMIN | Record changes made to Holiday Events
Changes made to Employee Holiday Events are now logged and displayed within Employee Admin to provide full transparency as to which user created or edited an event and what changes were made.
INTERFACE MANAGER | Safeguard against opening an existing paint job in Axalta
Additional checks have been included to prevent a paint job failing to open in AutoFlow if a job already exists in Axalta, further automating the Paint Link process.
INTERFACE MANAGER | Store Manufacturer & Model lookup data in Database
Manufacturer & Model information is now downloaded and updated weekly to improve performance and reduce demand on the API.
INTERFACE MANAGER | Trade Discount Feature
A Trade Discount percentage can now be applied within Interface Manager and will be applied to all paint lines imported from Axalta, ensuring that an accurate materials cost is reflected within AutoFlow.
JOB EDIT | ‘Repair Preparation’ added to ADAS Section
Users are now able to mark that a repair has been prepared in the ADAS section within Job Edit, meeting BSI requirements. The additional field will be treated as mandatory if the ADAS fields are currently enforced within the system.
JOB EDIT | Hire Information included in Handover Checklist
Hire information is now captured at the point of vehicle handover to ensure the system meets auditing requirements. The mandatory field will automatically select ‘Yes’ if a hire is present on the job and the hire information will be displayed. If no hire is present ‘No’ will be selected but the user can override and manually enter details if a hire was used on the job.
JOB VIEWER | Add Comms from Job Viewer
Users who are viewing job information in Job Viewer are now able to add Comms to the job without having to close the module, streamlining the process. A new side panel can be expanded from the Communications tab providing all the functionality users would see when adding a comm from the Comms module.
PAINT CONSOLE | ID Key Removed
To make the information clearer and easier to read, the ID Key has been removed from the data displayed on the Paint Lines tab.
PARAMETERS | New User Role Templates
Role Templates have been added to improve the process of creating new users. Admin users can create and edit Role Templates within Parameters to match the needs of specific user roles within the business, then when creating a new user profile an existing template can be selected and the new user’s settings will already be configured based on their role. This helps ensure consistency across users within the system as well as greatly reducing the time involved when creating new users.
REPORTS | Paint Usage by User
To compliment the recently introduced Axalta paint link Paint Usage can now be reported on per User, with the ability to display the number of mixes done per productive member of staff.
REPORTS | Detailed Holiday Report
Notes added to Employee Holidays can now be viewed in the Detailed Holiday Report.
The system has been updated with module performance and security improvements as well as updates to improve the user experience.
09.07.02
Release Date : August 2023
INTERFACE MANAGER | New Plugin AXALTA Paint Console Link
A new plugin has been created for Interface Manager that will provide a link between AutoFlow and the Axalta paint system. Paint jobs will automatically be created in AutoFlow when the user-defined opening triggers have been met, this in turn creates a new job within Axalta and opens the link to download job consumption and material cost into AutoFlow at regular intervals. When the user-defined closing trigger is met the paint job is automatically closed in both systems.
A single or multiple Workshop Categories can be set as an opening trigger, when time is then allocated to these categories a new paint job is generated, creating the link between the 2 systems. Closing of the paint job can be triggered by either the task being marked as complete, the job marked as complete or the vehicle being handed over, as configured by the user.
The user can choose what additional vehicle information is sent to Axalta and also how regularly jobs should be updated.
JOB CONTROL | New Button for linked Paint System
A new button has been added to compliment the new Axalta Paint Link which will allow users to view the current status of paint jobs associated with the job. The button is colour coded so will give users a visual indication of the current status, clicking the button will open the Paint Console on the Paint Links tab, displaying information of any paint job created on the job.
PAINT CONSOLE | Paint Links Tab
A new tab has been added to Paint Console to allow users to view and control paint jobs associated with the job. On the Paint Links tab users will see information for when each paint job was opened and closed as well as version number and when the job was last updated.
Users will also be able to manually open a paint job, close an existing paint job and reopen a paint job for applicable systems from the new tab.
CREATE NOTIFICATION | JOB EDIT | Set Relevant Address Type for Retail Jobs
The initial address added to Retail jobs will now default to the type ‘Owner’ removing the need manually select it.
DATABASE | Additional Views and changes for PowerBI
Additional Views and changes have been added to the database pulling data from various tables to be imported into PowerBI, providing more powerful data manipulation.
PARAMETERS | Interface Manager Button
A new button has been added within Parameters to allow the ADMIN user access to the Interface Manager, to assist in the configuration of the new Axalta Paint Link.
SEARCH SYSTEM | Date Created added to Related Jobs Panel
To provide more context to the user, date created has now been added to the Related Jobs panel.
SEARCH SYSTEM | New field for Count of Days since CC Hire Start
A new field has been added to the Main Grid to provide users with a numerical count of days since the start of the courtesy vehicle hire, for jobs with active hires.
09.07.01
Release Date : August 2023
The system has been updated with module performance and security improvements as well as updates to improve the user experience.
09.07
Release Date : May 2023
PARAMETERS | Admin Options – Additional Security and Functionality
Changes have been made to provide additional functionality and customisation of admin user access, resulting in more security over what admin users can see and configure.
To give users admin access previously they would need to be made a member of the System Administrator user role, granting them full admin access to the entire system. Now System Admin users have access to an additional tab when configuring users, Admin Options, in which they can configure all admin access options for non-System Admin users, removing the need to give full access.
On the new tab users can be granted access to any of the options found under the System, General and Modules headers within Parameters. Access can be set to Read & Write to allow users full configurability or to Read Only to allow users to view the information in any option but not edit it. No Access can also be set to prevent access completely. Access to Work Provider, Customer and Supplier configuration has also been updated to allow Read & Write or Read Only access.
The System Maintenance role has been removed and instead access to Reset Locks and Status Manager is now also configured on the Admin Options tab, streamlining User Role Management and taking advantage of the new changes.
Employee Pay Info has been moved to a separate tab within Employee Admin and access to it is now configured by an additional flag on the Admin Options tab, allowing Employee Admin users to create, edit and view employees in the system without seeing sensitive pay information. Access to each separate document type withing Employee Admin can now also be configured within Admin Options to tailor access to documents based on a user’s job role. Access to previous employee’s personal information can also be configured and as a result, the Business Admin role has been removed, further streamlining User Role Management.
A new report has been added to the system to allow the current config of user access, including all new Admin Options, to be exported.
BS CONFIG | DEVICES | Show Devices based on User’s Site Access
Now when configuring devices, users will only see devices that are registered to a site that they have access to, and any unregistered devices will be listed with the ability to grant access to the user’s accessible sites. This will reduce the amount of unnecessary information on screen and prevent users from granting access to a site they shouldn’t have access to.
The ‘Select Site’ prompt no longer shows for Group users, and they can instead configure devices for all the sites that they have access to in one screen, reducing the amount of clicks required and simplifying the process of configuring devices.
COMMS | Complaint Reporting
A new report has been added to provide information about complaints raised in the system. The report provides full context on the reason and resolution of each complaint as well as times taken, resulting in a solution for complaint management.
COST SEARCH | Group Cost Search
The Cost Search module has been updated to allow Group users to search for a cost across the entire group, removing the need to open the module for each site. When the user searches for a cost the results are displayed separated into their relevant sites and if the user has access to the site, they can double click the cost to be taken to the relevant job.
COSTING | Allow users to remove Unquoted Parts from Order Request
When raising an order request for parts through the Parts Gateway, users will now be warned of any unquoted parts that have been highlighted and asked if they want them to be removed from the order. Previously the user would be required to manually deselect the unquoted parts and attempt to raise the order request again, this change streamlines the process allowing the user to raise the order on their first attempt.
COURTESY VEHICLES | Default Availability View
Within the Courtesy Vehicles module, the default view has been extended on the Availability page to show the next 60 days rather than 30, providing more information with less clicks and making better use of screen space.
DATABASE | Additional Views and changes for PowerBI
Additional Views and changes have been added to the database pulling data from various tables to be imported into PowerBI, providing more powerful data manipulation.
DOCUMENT MANAGER | PARAMETERS | New user parameter ‘Choose Document Type for each upload’
A new user parameter has been added to control how a user chooses a Document Type when uploading documents to Document Manager. A User Admin can control, per user, whether the system will predefine the Document Type field with the last type used, or force them to choose a type every time they upload documents.
EMPLOYEE ADMIN | Half Days for Annual Holiday Entitlement
An employee’s Annual Holiday Entitlement can now be set to include half days.
IMPORTER | Duplicate Image Matching
When the user imports an estimate on to a job the system will now check whether any duplicate images are being imported and prevents them from being added to the job. The contents of each image being imported is compared to the contents of each image on the job and any matches found are hidden from the user as an option to import, removing the need for the user to manually deselect the images and preventing duplicated data.
JOB VIEWER | Due Date on Parts Tab
The Delayed Until field has now been replaced with a combined Due Data/Backordered Date field to provide more context for each part at a quick glance.
MAIL | Separate Workshop and AutoFlow Users
Workshop users and AutoFlow users have now been split into separate lists within the Mail module to make it easier for users to find the recipients they need to send a mail to.
MAIL | Read Receipts for ToDo Tasks
The ‘Request a Read Receipt’ option has now been enabled when sending a ToDo Task so that users can confirm that a sent task has been received.
OFFER DEPLOY | New ‘Addresses’ Tab
A new tab has been added to the Offer Deploy screen to display address information for the selected offer. Contact information is displayed for all addresses attached to the offer which would previously only be available to users once the offer had been accepted.
PARAMETERS | Search integration for Suppliers and Customers
Search boxes have been added to the Customer Maintenance and Suppliers screens to improve functionality and make it easier and quicker for users to find what they are looking for.
SEARCH SYSTEM | Allow Multiple Sites for Site Locking Switch
The site locking switch that can be used to lock AutoFlow shortcuts down to display only one site in the site list can now be used to display multiple predefined sites.
WORKM8 | Improved Logging
Logging has been improved to simplify troubleshooting when the WorkM8 service encounters an issue.
09.06
Release Date: March 2023
BUDGET SCREEN | Additional Fields
Additional target fields have been added to the Budget Screen, Target Repairs and Target Referrals, to allow for better forecasting of future profitability.
BUDGET SCREEN | Chronological Order
The Budget Screen is now displayed in chronological order by default, so that the information is displayed in the most logical order without the user having to order it manually.
COSTING | GT Global | External Parts Reference
A new field has been added, External Parts Reference, to allow for easier linking of items when ordering from the estimate. This field will contain the CUPI code from GT Global providing a consistent identifier between both systems.
COSTING | GT Global | Update Part Prices
A new feature has been added allowing the user to update part prices in GT Global based on received parts within AutoFlow. The user can select from parts that have been received in AutoFlow with a price different to that originally estimated and then send an update to GT Global with the new prices removing the need for double keying.
COSTING | Attach Documents when ‘Order & Email’
When raising a purchase order within Costing and choosing ‘Order & Email’ to send to the supplier, the user is now given the option to attach documents from the job to the email removing the need to download the documents and send a separate email.
COSTING | Audatex | Retain Auda Guide Number when ordered through Parts Gateway
The Auda Guide Number is now retained for parts ordered through the Parts Gateway, providing a consistent identifier between both systems.
COSTING | GROUP MANAGER | Display Temporary Stock from across entire Group
From the Estimate Items tab within Costing the user will now be shown any available Temporary Stock from across all sites in the Group. Site information and quantity details will be displayed so that the user can see all the relevant information in one place and order from the desired site.
DATABASE | Additional Views and changes for PowerBI
Additional Views and changes have been added to the database pulling data from various tables to be imported into PowerBI, providing more powerful data manipulation.
DOCUMENT MANAGER | Additional Info for Uploaded Documents
Additional information is now displayed to the user to confirm when documents have been successfully uploaded to estimating systems, removing the need to physically check multiple systems.
EXPORT JOB | Export Job to GT Global
Users are now able to export a job from AutoFlow directly to GT Global, removing the need to double key in multiple systems. General Notes on the job are also exported to GT Global for consistency across the systems.
Once the job has been successfully exported to GT Global the user is then able to upload job documents from AutoFlow straight into GT Global.
GROUP MANAGER | Search Vehicle Registration across Group
Group Users who search for a Vehicle Registration will now be shown a warning if jobs with a matching reg have been found at a site in the group that they do not have access to. Job and Site information will be displayed so that the user can see all relevant jobs and information without having to have access to all the sites in the group.
IMPORTER | Audatex BMS | Import Estimate to Job with Different Reg
To mirror the functionality found in the previous Audatex Importer, users are now able to import an estimate to a job with a different registration number. The user is warned that the regs don’t match and if they choose to continue they will be able to select from the available payloads to import.
IMPORTER | Audatex BMS | Improved Warning Message when Credentials in Use
The warning presented to users has been improved to provide better information to help identify the issue when a user’s credentials are already in use.
IMPORTER | GT Global | Updated Method to Search for Claim
The search function has been updated to help the user find the relevant claim that they want to import. A date range has been added based on Creation Date and the Vehicle Registration can now also be used to search for a claim.
IMPORTER | Option to Update Allocated Times on Import
When importing an estimate in AutoFlow the user is now given the option to automatically update any allocated times that will be changed post import, removing the need to open Job Control and reallocate the times manually.
JOB CONTROL | Allow Expanding Multiple QC Results
The user is now able to expand multiple QC Results at a time within Job Control, allowing them to view a full review of the QC process.
JOB EDIT | Paid Tick Box for VAT when Handing Over
An additional tick box has been added to the Hand Over screen allowing the user to mark VAT has paid, mirroring the functionality seen for Excess.
JOB VIEWER | Search for Job
To mirror the functionality seen in other modules, a search box has been added to allow the user to search for another job directly within Job Viewer, removing the need to close the module and return to the main search screen.
JOB VIEWER | View Job Images
Users are now able to view Job Images directly from Job Viewer to provide more context of the job to the module and removing the need for the user to close the module and open Document Manager.
PARAMETERS | Copy a Work Provider to a Customer
Users are now able to copy the details for a Work Provider and create a new Customer with them, removing the need to double key information.
PARAMETERS | Copy Work Provider/Customer/Supplier from Site to GROUP
The GROUP site code has been added to the Group Copy screens, allowing users to copy a Work Provider, Customer or Supplier from a single site to Group, removing the need to double key information in the system.
PARAMETERS | COSTING | Multiple Email Addresses for Suppliers
Suppliers in the system can now be configured with up to 3 email addresses, so multiple contacts can be added.
The multiple addresses are displayed to the user within Costing and when the user raises an order to be emailed to the supplier, they can select which recipient(s) will receive a copy of the Purchase Order, removing the need to send additional emails outside of AutoFlow.
PARAMETERS | Supplier Type
Additional fields have been added against Suppliers to allow the user to select a Type that best matches the Supplier.
The available types are Genuine, Glass, Non-Genuine, Green, Sub Con. and Paint and this information can be reported on by the user.
09.05
Release Date: February 2023
AUTOLOAD | Improved Error Reporting
Error reporting has been improved when documents fail to load, to be more informative to the user.
COSTING | Parameter to allow amending parts from Parts Gateway
A User parameter has been created to allow parts from a Parts Gateway to be amended.
Previously this functionality would be restricted to System Admin users but now can be selected per user.
COSTING | Estimate Items Count displayed on Open
The number of Estimate Items is displayed on the tab heading when the module opens so that users no longer need to click the tab for the information.
COSTING | Set Document Type based on Invoice Type
When attaching invoice documents in Costing the Document Type is now prepopulated based on the type of invoice raised, so the user doesn’t need to select an option from the drop down.
DATABASE| Additional Views for PowerBI
Additional Views have been added to the database pulling data from various tables to be imported into PowerBI, providing more powerful data manipulation.
DOCUMENT MANAGER | Upload Images to Audatex BMS
Users are now able to upload images directly to Audatex BMS from Document Manager, removing the need to upload to multiple systems manually.
IMPORTER | EXPORT JOB | Audatex BMS Import & Export
Functionality has been added to allow users to Import estimates from Audatex BMS. Users are also available to export from AutoFlow to create a new job within Audatex BMS.
Once the user has authorized the 2 systems to communicate by entering their Audatex login credentials when prompted, they will be able to send a job from Audatex using the Export button. The job payload will then be available for import in AutoFlow and the user will see the same functionality as with our previous importers. Every evening the payloads table will be cleared so that any unimported estimates are removed from the importer, removing the need to manually maintain the payloads available to the user.
Importing from or Exporting to Audatex BMS will enable the option to upload images directly from AutoFlow to Audatex BMX, removing the need to upload to multiple systems manually.
IMPORTER | GT Global | Improved Error Reporting
Error reporting has been improved when a connection cannot be made, to be more informative to the user.
IMPORTER | Audatex | Report Document marked as ‘Contains PI’
Report documents imported from Audatex are now automatically marked as containing PI to save the user from having to manually mark them.
MAIL | Send mail to Active Employees
Mails can now be sent from AutoFlow to active employees via Loading and WorkM8 to enhance communication between departments.
PARAMETERS | New Budget Screen
A new element has been added within Parameters in which Financial Budgets can be recorded to allow better forecasting of future profitability.
PARAMETERS | DEVICES | Devices Screen Updated
The Devices screen has now been improved to incorporate both WorkM8 & BigScreens options, providing an all in one solution for device control.
PARAMETERS | DEVICES | Alphabetical Screens
The Selected Screen drop down is now displayed in alphabetical order on the Devices page to improve legibility.
SEARCH SYSTEM | Combined Warnings when Closing a Job
The On-Site & Open Parts Line warnings have now been combined so that the user is aware of all the required actions they need to take to close a job.
SEARCH SYSTEM | Removed ability to hide Mandatory Fields in SEARCH RESULTS
Users are no longer able to hide mandatory fields when configuring their SEARCH RESULTS page for added clarity.
SEARCH SYSTEM | CAPS Enabled Work Provider Information Window
A new window has been added for System Admin users that displays a list of Work Providers and Customers that are CAPS Enabled and a number of payloads sent in the last 30 days for each.
The window will be displayed at next logon and will then be displayed every 30 days. This is so that users are aware of the data they are sending to CAPS and keeps the configuration of the CAPS connection current.
GROUP MANAGER | Custom KPI Fields
10 custom KPI fields have been added for groups. These fields are fully customisable as seen with the Single Site KPIs and will provide a powerful tool to monitor key areas of performance.
09.04
Release Date: May 2022
Additional Date Period for Reports
An additional Date Period has been added for users when running or scheduling reports. The user can now select ‘Last 12 Months’ for a report which will give them data from the current ‘Rolling Year’.
Prevent Job Transfers for Work Providers
A new parameter has been added against Work Providers to prevent Job Transfers between sites. This can be used to prevent Group Users from being able to transfer jobs between sites for selected Work Providers.
Move Around System with Document Manager Open
Users are now able to open Document Manager whilst continuing to use AutoFlow so they can view documents whilst reviewing other aspects of the same or other jobs.
Default Job Type for Work Providers
The default Job Type used can now be configured for Work Providers inside Parameters. When the user selects the configured Work Provider whilst creating a notification, the preconfigured Job Type is automatically populated saving the user from having to set it. The user is free to choose a different Job Type should they need to.
09.03
Release Date : January 2022
Improved System Stability
Numerous changes have been made to modules within AutoFlow to improve stability and provide better logging. As well as these changes, developer components used throughout the system have been updated to the latest version to take advantage of improvements to UI and Security.
Prasco Parts Gateway
Users are now able to order parts from an additional parts supplier, Prasco UK, via the REPEX Parts Gateway. Once a job has been estimated, the Parts List can be sent directly from AutoFlow to Praco UK and in turn, a quote is received back for the parts that can be fulfilled. Ordering any of the quoted parts will generate an order to Prasco, automating the entire process.
Improved Control for User Receiving Parts
Greater keyboard control is now provided to users which will speed up and simplify the process of receiving parts on to a job.
Job ID and Order Number added to Subject Line
When emailing a Purchase Order from AutoFlow directly to the supplier the Job ID and Order Number will now automatically be added to the Subject line. This should increase visibility to the supplier and prevent the need for additional communication once the order has been emailed.
Restrict User’s ability to set Cost as ‘CREDITED’
A new parameter has been added against users to restrict their ability to manually set a cost’s status to CREDITED. This will force the restricted user to go through the correct process of Returning a cost and raising a Credit Invoice against it before the system automatically marks the cost as CREDITED.
Additional Information for Reopened Tasks
Workshop Controllers can now see more information as to who has reopened a Workshop Task and when, allowing them to further monitor and control the workshop.
Colour Code Invoices in Invoice Work Queue
Users who have the Colour Code field on their Main Grid when viewing Invoice Work Queues will now be able to tag Invoices with a choice of colour. This can be used for internal referencing which will provide more context to users from the Main Grid, without having to click into the job.
Computer Name and IP Address in Help Menu
The Computer Name and IP Address of the user’s machine is now displayed in the Help Menu, allowing the user to provide useful information quickly and easily to our Support agents if required. This should result in the user getting the help they require sooner.
Remove Source Document Option Stored in DB
The Remove Source Document option is now saved in the database per user, so it no longer needs to be set each time users add documents in Document Manager, simplifying the process.
Expanded Vehicle Manufacturers List
The Vehicle Manufacturer list has now been expanded to include many previously missing manufacturers.
Restrict User’s ability to Allocate Manual Time to Tasks
A new parameter has been added against users to restrict their ability to allocate Manual Time to tasks. Restricted users who have access to Allocate Time will only be able to allocate time that is available on the Estimate.
Combined Device Management Screen
Both WorkM8 and BigScreens devices can now be configured in a single improved management screen.
Ability to Set Sub Status from Job Control
Users are now able to set or clear the Sub Status for a job they are currently viewing in Job Control, preventing the need for the user to return to the Main Grid to make this change.
09.02
Release Date : December 2021
Component Update
All developer components used throughout the system have been updated to the latest version to take advantage of improvements to UI and Security.
GT Global Estimate Import
We have added functionality to import job and estimate information from the GT Global estimating system. The GT Global importer has features seen in our other Importers including the ability to configure Import Rules that take effect immediately on import.
AutoFlow receives different events from GT Global in regards to Claims withing their system, generating payloads which are sent across to AutoFlow and are visible to the user when using the Importer.
If there are no claims awaiting import when importing an Estimate via the Importer or Create Notification, the user can retrieve the information by using the claim ID which is displayed in the top right of the GT Global portal and import directly.
An additional System Mail has been created and once an AutoFlow user is subscribed to the mail they will receive a notification when Excess & VAT changes have been made in GT Global, prompting the user to import these changes.
Additional Data Capture when marking On Site
A new section has been added to the On-Site screen in which the user can provide information regarding the collection of the vehicle. If the vehicle was delivered by a recovery company further information can be provided to record why.
Additional Data Capture when Hand Over
A new section has been added to the Hand Over screen in which the user can provide information regarding the collection of the vehicle as well being able to mark whether Excess and/or VAT has been paid.
Stock Manager Improvements
The Stock Manager module has had a general facelift and undergone several changes to provide more consistency with other modules. New functionality has been added including the ability to raise Purchase Invoices and Credits, return items and generate Stock Trolleys not related to Employees.
Updated Fuel Information
The fuel capture information has been expanded to include all modern standard options for vehicles and courtesy vehicles.
Export Additional Information to CHECKmate
Additional Information is now transferred across to CHECKmate when a job is exported from AutoFlow adding more functionality to an already powerful tool. This new information includes:
Diary Event information
Driver Licence information
Fuel In & Out information
Fuel Type & Sub Type information for both the vehicle & courtesy vehicle
Automatically select Cost Rate Profile on reimport from AudaConnect
Previously when reimporting an estimate from AudaConnect the user would be asked to choose from a selection of Cost Profiles to apply to the job. Now the process has been streamlined and the rates found in the import will be automatically applied to the current Cost Profile selected on the job. The user is still free to make any required changes to the cost profile manually at any time.
ADAS System Requirements
An additional section has been added to Job Edit in which the user can record ADAS System requirements for the job, including whether the repairs affect ADAS or whether calibration is required. This section is tied to a new parameter controlling whether it’s mandatory to complete the ADAS section at the Estimated stage.
Switch Job within Job Control
The ability to switch to a different job whilst in Job Control has been added to match the functionality found in other modules.
Refresh System Parameters when module is exited
Certain System Parameters re now refreshed when the Parameters module is closed, negating the need to sign out and back in when changing settings. There is also a timed parameter refresh for when changing settings for another user.
Related Jobs Feature
Related Job functionality has been reintroduced to the Main Grid providing the user with a quick and easy way to find jobs related to the job currently selected.
Previewing Documents in Document Manager
The way documents are previewed within Document Manager has been streamlined and improved to better utilize screen space as well as provide additional functionality.
09.01
Release Date: September 2021
New Feature: Data Insights
AutoFlow Data Insights is a fully dynamic, interactive and repairer centric module that delivers real time data and gives the repairer the tools to customize, analyze and measure their data accurately. This module unleashes the full potential of a Repairer’s data in AutoFlow by providing the ability to create dashboards from a comprehensive suite of data visulisation components inside a user-friendly dashboard designer interface.
Data Insights compliments the tools already available inside AutoFlow 4G to deliver a solution that not only helps repairers plan and manage their repair process, but also their business model.
New Feature: Scheduled Invoice Postings
Repairers who use Sage Line 200 as their accounts package can now take advantage of scheduled invoice postings. The system can be configured to automatically create posting files for Sales and/or Purchase invoices at the repairer’s desired time daily, weekly or monthly.
New Feature: CABAS Importer
A new importer has been developed to allow importing and exporting to the estimating system CABAS.
New Feature: Updated Inter-Est Importer Routine
The Inter-Est Web Importer as been improved to bring it up to standard to provide functionality that is available in our other importers. Repairers can now utilize Import Rules so they can choose how time is allocated and to what category automatically when the estimate is imported.
Additional checks have also been put into place to better identify repair items on import meaning that Labour lines are now more accurately allocated between MET, PANEL & PAINT.
New Feature: REACT Pre-Estimate Image Capture
REACT is a pre-estimation Image capture tool which will allow repairers to request images directly from the customer or vehicle owner, providing an insight into the vehicle damage without having to bring the vehicle on-site or arranging an off-site estimate.
Users can create a REACT case on the desired job which will send a request to the customer either via Email or SMS. No download is required by the customer they can simply follow a link to the REACT case which will be branded to the repairer’s style and colour scheme. The customer will then be presented with clear instructions on what to photograph and will also be provided with some examples, ensuring a worry free process.
REACT will help improve Cycle Times and obviously reduce Key To Key times which will have a positive impact on the Repairer’s overall KPIs.
New Feature: Accessible TeamViewer Icon
A convenient icon has been added to the main window of AutoFlow. This will help users easily and quickly give access to our Helpdesk operative to assist with any issues they may be having.
If you need to speak to our Helpdesk please feel free to call 01625 860 545.
New Feature: Extended Additional Reference Fields
The maximum character count for Additional Reference fields has now been increased from 30 to 50 characters.
New Feature: Clear Locks on Logon
Jobs that have become locked by a user will be reset when the user logs back in.
New Feature: Prevent Closing or Cancelling Job if Open Costs
To help prevent the premature closing or cancelling of jobs within AutoFlow a new check has been put into place. If there are any invoiceable costs on a job or costs that have not been completed correctly the user will be warned and the costs will need to be rectified before the user can continue closing or cancelling, ensuring full transparency and accuracy.
New Feature: Rename Fields Globally
Field names are now set and stored globally so users are able to rename fields to their own preference in one view and the changes will be reflected across all views.
New Feature: Productive Sold Hours in WorkM8
Workshop staff are now able to view their Hours Sold information directly in app at any time, removing the need for a Workshop Controller to print and provide this information whenever required.
09.00
Release Date : July 2021
New Feature: User Options
Each user can now personalize their AutoFlow experience using the new User Options feature. Users are able to make changes at any time whilst logged in options include;
- The fields displayed for each Status View as well as the ability to copy existing settings to other views.
- The Return Email Address and Email Signature Content for emails sent by that user from within AutoFlow.
- Their password, allowing users to reset it whenever they require.
- The initial Status displayed when logging in.
- The module that opens when double clicking on a job.
- The modules that populate the user’s Favourites Ribbon.
New Feature: Ribbon Style Toolbar
Modules are now accessed through the new Ribbon Style toolbar. Related modules are grouped under relevant categories and each module now has its own icon. This makes for a much cleaner appearance and in turn is easier for the user to find the module they need to access.
New Feature: Favorite Modules per user
Users now have their own Favorites category which they can configure to display the modules they most commonly access, streamlining their day-to-day process. This can be configured by each user within the new User Options feature.
New Feature: Double Click Functionality
Double clicking on a job from the main grid of AutoFlow will now open that job in the user’s predefined module. Each user can configure their own preferred module to tailor their experience so for example, a VDA user can double click into Job Edit to access the estimate for their current job whilst a user in the parts department can have it configured to open Costings to access parts ordering.
New Feature: Improved Global Search
Previously when searching within AutoFlow the user was required to select the relevant field they wanted to search. Now searches are global and AutoFlow will automatically search the entered term across the most commonly used fields, negating the need to select a relevant field. This makes the process is much quicker and reduces the number of clicks required by the user.
New Feature: Conditional Formatting
Users now have a powerful tool to help them visually get the most out of the data displayed to them. Conditional formatting will change the appearance of a particular field or an entire row based on rules set by the user so bold text or a bright color can be used to highlight a job or group of jobs that meet the conditions set by the user.
There is no limit to the number of rules that can be created, they are stored and can be later configured in the Conditional Formatting Rules Manager. They remain active until disabled so can become a permanent visual queue tailored to each user’s requirements.
New Feature: Custom KPI Fields
Up to 10 additional custom KPI fields can now be created within AutoFlow and are configurable to the repairer’s requirements to show them the measurements that matter. They simply measure the time between two date fields and can be pinned to the main grid to provide a visual indication as to how well each job is currently performing to that KPI or SLA. Amber and Red warnings are displayed when a certain percentage of time as passed and Work Provider overrides can also be implemented if specific performance indicators are required for particular Work Providers.
New Feature: Quick Filter Bar
A Quick Filter Bar has been added to the top row of AutoFlow to enable users to quickly filter any of the displayed fields. Jobs that match the filter will be displayed so the user will only see jobs pertinent to the task at hand. This filter remains active until the user chooses to remove it so they can switch between different status views or even sign out and back in again and the filter will remain active, removing the need to reapply any commonly used filters.
New Feature: Document Manager
The old Images module has been removed and replaced with the more up to date Document Manager. Visually this module has much more to offer as the user is now presented with a large thumbnail of each image or document linked to the job simply by clicking into the module. This negates the need to highlight each item you want to preview and more efficiently utilizes screen space to create a cleaner, easier experience. Categories are used to help keep things tidy and a handy drag and drop interface has been used to further simplify the user’s experience.
Documents can be downloaded locally through the module so if the user needs access to the files they can do so quickly. If a user doesn’t have the relevant access to a particular document but requires it for the task at hand they can now Request Access, prompting an authorized user to allow or deny the request and logging the fact against the job.
New Feature: Icons
Each module has now been given its own icon to help the user distinguish between them quickly at a glance and to better suit the overall improved styling of v9.
New Feature: Flashing Notification Icons
Users can now choose to take advantage of Flashing Notification Icons on their toolbar. Upon receiving a System Mail or To Do Task, a Job Offer or a message from the Work Provider, the relevant icon on the toolbar will flash, hopefully drawing the users attention straight to it.
New Feature: Improved Login Screen
The AutoFlow login screen has been reworked to simplify the process. Group Users will now see an option for them in the site drop down list, negating the need for a separate application to access Group Manager. The last site and username successfully logged into will be stored locally so users won’t need to retype it every time and if their user session is still active from a previous login, it will be logged out automatically to allow for the new connection.
New Feature: Restrict Export Grid per user
The ability to export or print the main grid in AutoFlow can now be restricted per user, allowing only the users that require the facility to do so. This set to off by default.
New Feature: Additional Reference Fields
5 new reference fields have been added to jobs which the repairer can choose to use for their own desired purpose or internal process. These fields can be shown and edited from the main grid in AutoFlow and any changes made will be logged against the job for future auditing purposes.
New Feature: Enforce Sub Status
Sub Statuses can now be enforced, preventing a user from proceeding without having selected a relevant sub status for the job being worked on.
New Feature: Launch Comms by clicking Email/Phone Number field from Main Grid
Users can now open the Comms modules simply by clicking an email or phone number field on the main grid, further streamlining their AutoFlow experience.
New Feature: Password Policies
To improve security within AutoFlow, repairers can now enable and configure their own Password Policy. When enabled the policy can be configured to require users to change their password after a set number of days as well as the length and advanced complexity required for the new password. The number of previously used passwords the system remembers can also be set to prevent users from reusing passwords, failed logons are recorded and the number of failed logons the system will allow before locking an account can also be configured.
Once expired, users will be prompted to reset their password on next log on or can choose to reset their password at any time using the new User Options feature.
New Feature: Sage 200 Importer
Repairers are now able to transfer accounts data to Sage 200 Accounts Software using the new importer. Previously users of this particular accounts package could not transfer their accounts data from AutoFlow into the accounts software, having to look for alternatives. Now that this importer has been developed it will speed up the process allowing for more fluidity in the business.
New Feature: Create Jobs against Group Site Code
New jobs can be created and job offers accepted from work providers now against the Group Site Code. Once created the jobs can be allocated to a particular site within the group allowing a Central Claims Department greater control over the process and reducing the time between being notified of a job offer and accepting the job.