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.

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.

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.

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.

The Auda Guide Number is now retained for parts ordered through the Parts Gateway, providing a consistent identifier between both systems.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

An additional tick box has been added to the Handover screen allowing the user to mark VAT as paid, mirroring the functionality seen for Excess.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Additional Views have been added to the database pulling data from various tables to be imported into PowerBI, providing more powerful data manipulation.

Users are now able to upload images directly to Audatex BMS from Document Manager, removing the need to upload to multiple systems manually.

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.

Error reporting has been improved when a connection cannot be made, to be more informative to the user.

Report documents imported from Audatex are now automatically marked as containing PI to save the user from having to manually mark them.

Mails can now be sent from AutoFlow to active employees via Loading and WorkM8 to enhance communication between departments.

A new element has been added within Parameters in which Financial Budgets can be recorded to allow better forecasting of future profitability.

The Devices screen has now been improved to incorporate both WorkM8 & BigScreens options, providing an all in one solution for device control.

The Selected Screen drop down is now displayed in alphabetical order on the Devices page to improve legibility.

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.

Users are no longer able to hide mandatory fields when configuring their SEARCH RESULTS page for added clarity.

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.

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.

Users’ Grid settings are now remembered and are reusable across the Invoice Work Queues.

This mirrors the grid functionality of the Job Status and Job Work Queues.

It includes filtering, grouping, sorting and conditional formatting settings that are applied to the grid view.

Job Order Work Queues are now available to use on the systems main data grid.

This means that Costing information can be easily viewed for all jobs without the need to open the main Costing Screen. Default Work queues are provided, and custom work queues can also be created from the Parameters module Status & Queues screen. 

Conditional Formatting options are also available for the new work queues.

Double Clicking an Order record in a Job Order Work Queue will automatically open the Costing screen for the related Job and the Cost that was clicked on will be highlighted.

A new column is available to add to the main grid for Job Views. The Oldest Part Due column shows the Oldest “Ordered” status part due date

A new column is available to add to the main grid for Job Views. The Total Parts Net Value column shows the total cost of parts for each job.

A new Dashboard Item is available which displays the number of Courtesy cars which are within 14 days of their MOT being due or are already overdue.

The System now warns users if they attempt to book out a Courtesy Car if it’s MOT has expired or its service is due.

Users with the System Administrator role can now set a Mileage cap for Courtesy Vehicles. This will prevent Courtesy Cars from being booked out once the Milage Cap has been reached.

When creating a Purchase Invoice, the ‘Post PI on Creation’ option is enabled/disabled for users based on a new user parameter.

When emailing Reports from the system, search functionality has been added to the email address selection box.

This makes it easier to find the required email address if a lot of addresses are available from the list.

When adding a new Document, the Users’ last used Document Type is prepopulated in the drop-down box. This will assist User’s who regulary add the same type of document.

Users can now easily navigate to a different Job inside the Document Manager without closing the module and reselecting a job.

The Job History Audit can now be easily filtered to search for a specific search term. This will be useful for finding specific history items such as Parts Gateway updates.

If a Cost has been placed on Backorder and there is no due date set, this will now be recorded in the Job History Audit.

The Job History Audit now shows which AutoFlow user has backordered Costs.

The Job audit history screen now records which user downloaded job images that have been received from REACT.

If a Quoted estimate is returned from the Supplier with a different quantity value for an item, than was in the original estimate then the difference in the Quantity is highlighted in the Costing screen.

When an Arcus user updates the Order Status of Items that have been ordered, the Status of the Costs and Order History will be updated in 4:G.

This information is also recorded in the Job Audit log and System Notifications can be received by Users.

When a SHIPPING notification is received from the Supplier via the Arcus Software, the Supplier’s Purchase Invoice Number is recorded in 4:G.

When marking these costs as RECEIVED in the Costing module, the Supplier’s Supplier Invoice Number and Date will be prepopulated in the Receive Costs screen.

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.

Greater keyboard control is now provided to users which will speed up and simplify the process of receiving parts on to a job.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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..

The Vehicle Manufacturer list has now been expanded to include many previously missing manufacturers.

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.

Both WorkM8 and BigScreens devices can now be configured in a single improved management screen.

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.

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’.

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.

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.

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.

 

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.

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.

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.

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.

The fuel capture information has been expanded to include all modern standard options for vehicles and courtesy vehicles.

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

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.

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.

The ability to switch to a different job whilst in Job Control has been added to match the functionality found in other modules.

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 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.

The way documents are previewed within Document Manager has been streamlined and improved to better utilize screen space as well as provide additional functionality.

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.

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A new importer has been developed to allow importing and exporting to the estimating system CABAS.

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.

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.

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.

The maximum character count for Additional Reference fields has now been increased from 30 to 50 characters.

Jobs that have become locked by a user will be reset when the user logs back in.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Sub Statuses can now be enforced, preventing a user from proceeding without having selected a relevant sub status for the job being worked on.

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.

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.

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 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.

Users can now configure Import Rules to streamline the process of importing an estimate from Glassmatix.

To learn how to efficiently set up import rules which can decide how data is imported from estimating systems please contact support@autoflow.ltd.uk and we will be happy to help.

Users can now take advantage of the improved functionality and performance of data retrieval from the database that Crystal 2016 offers as well as improved security.

Our core database has been updated to the latest version ensuring we keep up to date with the latest enhancements in database technology available to us whilst improving performance and data security throughout the system.

An updated Client Installer will be prompted to run when trying to access AutoFlow post-update, making the process of getting users back up and running much smoother.

When emailing a report, users can now right click to select a template to email out with the report

Claimed Hours Mode offers repairers an alternative way of calculating and managing bonus, with new reports

Users can now map AutoFlow tax codes to the sales and expense tax codes in Xero

When posting an invoice, AutoFlow will match up the invoice address to a contact in Xero using a Sales Ledger Code, without overwriting the address details in Xero

AutoFlow will now send the Invoice ID to Xero as well as an Invoice status, which can be Authorised, Submitted or Draft.

New page in Job Control has been added to show users the QC audit of a Job

New indicators will show users whether QC has been carried out on required tasks, allowing users to update the records

Autoload will now display all estimated Parts, regardless of whether they have been ordered or not

Workmate will now display all estimated Parts, regardless of whether they have been ordered or not

Users can now change the order of QC questions on a workshop task

Integration with Euro Car Parts will now allow users to send Estimate Part Lists to Euro Car Parts for a quote and check on availability, this process can either be manual or automatic.

Where Euro Car Parts have provided a quote on Estimate Parts, users can send an order directly to Euro Car Parts to supply the parts quoted.

Users can now send Part Orders off quickly and easily without having to view the Order form before emailing.

When Receiving parts, users can now change the receive date on all costs on the delivery in batch.

Users can search for Sales Ledger Codes already stored against the system, or those used in the last 90 days

Built for users processing multiple invoices at a time, entering a Job ID will switch to that job, without closing the invoicing module.

A new posting method for Sage Line 50 with the extended AutoFlow functionality, enabling users to post sales invoices creating 1 line per invoice Payer and using journal debits and credits to distribute the invoice totals across the correct nominals.

Employees can now be assigned to multiple Teams with enhanced functionality.

Users can now record Qualifications for employees and whether those qualifications mean the employee is a Current Competent Person for sign off of workshop tasks

Workshop Equipment can now be catalogued inside AutoFlow 4G, recording when calibrations/services are due and whether the equipment is VM approved.

Users can now create a list of dynamic QC Questions that can be asked to a productive on completion of a task, such as what equipment was used, were methods followed correctly etc.,.

Users can now specify a number of images required before a productive can complete a task, ensuring in repair images are captured correctly.

AutoLoad will now display a Job Card view, as well as parts status and Job information, ensuring QC questions are answered and checks if the completing employee is CCP or has been supervised by a CCP (if applicable)

WorkM8 will now display a Job Card view, as well as parts status and Job information, ensuring QC questions are answered and checks if the completing employee is CCP or has been supervised by a CCP (if applicable)

Job Offers deployed via Repex can now be merged with an existing job already created with the same registration. This is to avoid duplication of work when job offers arrive after you have already created the job on the system.

When creating an Employee Absence event in the diary, users can now specify if the absence is classed as a ‘sickness’.

A new Accounts link enabling posting of invoices from AutoFlow to Sys-Pro.

A new Costing user interface designed to improve user experience.

Simply type in a JOB ID and press Enter to jump to another job without closing Costing. Saving users time when processing multiple orders/deliveries.

A new tab will display any items on the estimate that haven’t yet been ordered. Enabling a much quicker and easy was of generating part orders.

A new Receive screen designed to make the receiving of Parts fast, fluid and efficient, enabling users to create (and post) their Purchase Invoice at the same time as receiving the items in. The new receive screen also allows users to add extra parts that weren’t on the original order.

AutoFlow will now display the Audatex Guide No on part lines imported from Audatex estimates, allowing for an easier way to identify and update parts prices when matching the costings of a job.

Users can now specify whether a part is Genuine, Aftermarket, Replacement, Reconditioned or Salvaged (green).

Users can now change the supplier for a singe cost/part without affecting the rest of the order.

Users no longer need to add internal costs onto the system manually, these internal costs can be set to be Auto-Ordered at the point the job goes IN PROGRESS and is managed through the import rules.

Where a part has been bought but not used and cannot be returned, users can issue these to stock from within Costing. The next time a user requires that part, AutoFlow will inform the user that it is already in stock.

An Employee ID can now be chosen and changed at will. For existing employees in the system this can be done by users with the ‘Employee Administrator’ role using a new window in the employee maintenance module marked ‘Reassign ID’. An Employee Id can also be chosen on the creation of a new ID in the system. New Employee IDs cannot be the same as existing ID’s in the system.

The Capacity Plan Manager has had a slight redesign. The Expected Completion Date, Requested Completion Date, Workshop Expected Completion Date and parts percentage can now be seen on the grids across the module.

The PDF report that is downloaded when importing to AudaConnect. This can be changed by clicking the ‘Configure’ button in the Estimate Import module and then by navigating to the AudaConnect Tab. At the bottom of this screen there is a new drop-down selection tool which allows for one of eight reports to be chosen.

Users with the System Administrator role now have the ability to modify and change the order of the searchable field list which is used on the main grid for both Site and Group users. This can be done by selecting the new ‘Configure Searchable Fields’ option which has been added to the toolbar with the search options. The new screen allows for the reordering of Search items as well as the ability to add new available items and remove existing ones.

The Purchase Order is now shown on the Invoice/Credit Grid views. These grids are also now configurable.

Quick Estimate templates can now be loaded straight into a job’s estimate using QuickCodes. QuickCodes can now be assigned to Quick Estimate Templates. These templates can be created via the ‘Qest’ button on the ‘Estimate’ tab in the Job Edit Module. The QuickCode for the Quick Estimate Template can then be entered into the estimate tab to automatically load the template into a job’s estimate.

New filtering options have been added to the Workshop Controller module. These filters are ‘Tasks not started’ and ‘Tasks not completed’. Tasks not started will display only Jobs which have tasks that have not been started yet, whilst ‘Tasks not complete’ will show only jobs that still have tasks that have not been completed. Additionally, a new feature has been added which highlights the tasks that have been worked on when the ‘Last Worked on’ filter has been enabled.

Costs that are on Internal Supply can now be cancelled when the job is cancelled.

A new field has been added to the Costing and Invoicing modules which allows for the tax rate on an item to be altered. The tax on an item can be increased by 2p at a time using the new fields. This feature is enabled by selecting ‘Tax Settings’ from the options menu. The enabling of this setting is remembered for both modules for each user.

A new screen has been added to the Shift Control window in the Employee Maintenance module. The Wall planner view shows an employee’s shift setup across a year at a time. This is accessed by right clicking an employee on the ‘Shift Pattern View’ tab and selecting ‘View on Wall Chart’. The shift data is now calculated by a background service which means that the shift pattern module has greatly improved in speed.

Images stored against on Offer on jobs from Repex can now be viewed from the Offer Deploy screen. These images can be viewed in full using a new picture viewer which is built into the screen. Once the offer has been accepted, the images from Repex can be viewed in the Images screen along with the option to download them to the job’s file directory.

The Estimator and the Assigned user are now highlighted on the user list on the Create Mail screen in the Loading module.

The Estimator and the Assigned user are now highlighted on the user list when creating a new mail from WorkM8.

A copy of a communication can now be sent as a system mail to Group Users as well as site users. A new tick box has been added to the communications form which will show a list of available group users when selected.

When creating an employee diary event such as a Holiday, Absence or Training event, the employees’ working hours will now be based on their shift pattern settings if set. If an employee has not be allocated a shift pattern, then their hours will be based on their Employee Hours settings.

The Diary now records the filter settings set by a Computer User. This means that settings will remain the same the next time the Diary is used.

User Access to a report can be granted at the same time the report is created. This can be done using a new button on the report creation from which allows for users to be selected and added to the report.

Estimates from BDQ can now be imported into AutoFlow. This new option is available from the list of estimating systems that the user can choose from when using the Importer module.

Importing new Addresses using the Estimate Importer module has now been made easier in that new addresses are automatically imported into a job rather than the user having to select each one.

The to Do List screen has had a visual upgrade. If a task has been sent from an employee from Loading module or WorkM8 then the employee name is shown in the sender field. The time that a to-do task is sent is now shown as well as the task due time. By Default, To-do tasks are now ordered by their due time followed by Sent time followed by their priority.

Employees can now be set to cover each other’s shifts. From the ‘Shift Maintenance’ window in the ‘Employee Maintenance’ module an employee can be set to cover other employees shift. This can be done by right clicking a shift for an employee. The option will then give a list of available employees that could cover the shift. The Capacity plan does not change based on these settings. However, employees who are covering a shift will be able to access the tasks allocated to the employee who they are covering for.

The System can now automatically clock employees on and off ‘BREAK’ as well as clocking off at the end of a shift. From the Shift Maintenance window, the user can set up shift patterns and assign employees to shifts. There are also extra settings which will enable auto-clocking. When this is enabled, employees on the enabled shift patterns will be automatically clocked to BREAK during the break times specified on the shift. At the end of the break time, the employee will be returned to the task they were working on before their breaktime or their default work category. Employees can also be clocked in and out of the system automatically for the specified lunch break (Finish #1 and Start #2) and at the end of their shift.

The order that vehicles are displayed on the Availability screen in the Courtesy Vehicle module can now be changed. There is a new dropdown box at the top of the screen which allows users the choice to sort vehicles by their registration number or by their make and model.

AFL-1300 | WorkM8| Added ability to change the image quality from the workM8 app in response to users asking to be able to save better quality images

A new option has been added which allows for Users who can access personnel information to be able to view the information inside grids across the system. This option can be enabled from the Access tab of the User Properties window in Parameters > Users. When enabled, the user will be able to configure their main grid to display contact information. Users will also be able to see contact details in full inside modules such as Job Edit. The system still records an audit of what data has been accessed. This option has no effect if the user does not have the ‘Access Personnel Information’ role.

System Administrators can now choose to hide Purge/Delete Jobs warning screen for 30 days. The warning screen displays when a system administrator logs into the system if there are jobs that need purging/deletion based on the chosen data protection settings in the system.

Insurance Types can now be manually added for vehicle bookings in the Courtesy Car module. This can be done when creating a new vehicle booking. On the window that appears there is a drop-down menu which allows you to select an insurance type for the vehicle booking which shows all the insurance types currently in the system. A new button has been added here which allows you to enter the name of an Insurance Type that is not already in the system. The entered text will be added to the list of types in the system and will be available for future bookings.

Images on the WorkM8 App can now be scrolled through. Previously each image had to be viewed one by one. Arrows on the left and right indicate if there are more images that can be viewed.

Multiple images can now be uploaded to a job from WorkM8 at the same time. Previously only one image could be uploaded at a time.

A changes screen has been added that appears for the user the first time that they log in after an application update. This page will inform the user of what has changed in the update including new features that have been added.

Changes made to the settings of Users in the Parameters module are now logged by the system.

Images on the app can now be drawn on by the user. This is useful in that it is easy to highlight damage. This is done in a similar way to the CHECKmate application.

The new ‘Employee Administrator’ user role gives a user access to employee details including the ability to create and manage them. Users who do not have this role allocated but still have program access to the Employee Administration module can manage Holidays, Absences, Training, shifts but cannot amend employee data nor view any sensitive information.

The Ability to easily Delete Jobs entirely from the system once a specified time since the Jobs Creation has passed has been added. When a job is deleted from the system, it will not be visible from any part of the system at all. Users with the ‘System Administrator’ role can set the timeframes for keeping jobs in the system. These settings can be found in the Data Protection Screen in Parameters. Here the user can select the time that jobs should be removed. For example, if ‘Delete Job Data’ is set to ‘5 Years’ then a job will be deleted 5 years after its notification date in the system. There are also options to select which Job Status’ should be affected by these settings along with a list of jobs that are ready to be deleted along with the option to carry out the action. When jobs fall inside the chosen timeframe for deleting, a warning will be shown to System Administrators when logging in to the system to make them aware how many jobs require deletion. All Actions taken, and settings changed are audited by the system.

The Ability to protect certain types of addresses has been added. These settings can be found in the new Data Protection window in Parameters. Each address type has a checkbox which can be selected to protect all personal data set to that address type for all jobs in the system. For example, if the Insurer address type is protected then all Insurer details across jobs in AutoFlow will be hidden from unauthorised Users. Users who have the ‘Access Personal Information’ role can view these protected personal details. The system records what details have been accessed by which user in order to provide a complete audit trail. Users without access to view personal details can still add address information but cannot view it once it has been protected.

A System Administrator can now manage what data from AutoFlow 4:G gets sent to external systems such as REPEX and CAPS. These settings are available in the new Data Protection screen in Parameters. Users can choose their settings for each work provider. There are 3 options: ‘LOW’, ‘HIGH’ and ‘OFF’. The ‘LOW’ settings will limit the amount of data sent whilst the ‘HIGH’ Choosing ‘OFF’ will stop any data from being sent for that work provider.

The process of uploading data to REPEX And CAPS has been updated into order to provide higher security.

System Administrators now have access to some new Capacity Plan settings which can be found on the ‘Priority Adjustment’ tab of the Capacity Manager. ‘Plan being worked on’ prevents the Capacity Plan from being recalculated. ‘IN-PROGRESS’ Jobs only forces the Capacity Plan to only include jobs that are ‘IN-PROGRESS’.

The time of a job being marked on site is now considered along with the date when the priority of jobs is calculated for the capacity plan.

The system is now set up to handle different currencies. This is for sites overseas.

The Ability to easily purge Personal data from the system once a specified time since the Jobs Creation has passed has been added. When a job is purged, all personal information will be removed from the job. Users with the ‘System Administrator’ role can set the timeframes for keeping personnel data on jobs in the system. These settings can be found in the Data Protection Screen in Parameters. Here the user can select the time that jobs should be removed. For example, if ‘Purge PI Data’ is set to ‘2 Years’ then a job will be purged 2 years after its notification date in the system. There are also options to select which Job Status’ should be affected by these settings along with a list of jobs that are ready to be purged along with the option to carry out the action. When jobs fall inside the chosen timeframe for purging, a warning will be shown to System Administrators when logging in to the system to make them aware how many jobs require purging. All Actions taken, and settings changed are audited by the system.

A new filter has been added to the Workshop Controller and Tcards modules. This filter allows you to filter the in-progress jobs by the Vehicle Location if set. For example, if you have the vehicle location of several jobs set as ‘In Yard’ then you can select this to display all the vehicles currently in the yard. As the number of filters and options in these modules is growing, we have added the ability to customise the modules so that they only display the desired options. The visibility of the options and filters can be toggled from the menu at the top of the screen. By Default, only the core filters are displayed. The customized setup is also remembered for each computer user so that the layout remains the same the next time the module is used.

Documents attached to Jobs can be deleted when a job is purged from the Data Protection settings screen. System Administrator users can select which file types should be affected by this document purge. For example, if ‘Estimate’ is selected then all estimate documents will be deleted permanently from jobs that are purged. Documents will be deleted from their file location from the location that they have been linked to from the AutoFlow system. If the document cannot be found in the file location stored in the system, then there will be no document to delete and the user will be notified that the document could not be found.

Multiple Jobs can now be exported into the system from a Kerridge Import file. This is done using a new option in the ‘Create Notification’ module named ‘Preload from Kerridge CSV Notification’.

Added the ability to capture a hire vehicles registration when booking a courtesy car to a job. Previously on the system you would have to use dummy hire cars set up as normal courtesy cars but with registrations such as HIRE1, HIRE2 for example.

Hot keys that were already present on the main grid for Job Documents, Job History and Job Mail are now available across the other compatible modules included Job Edit, Job Control and Costing.

When a communication is created in the system, there is a new option to send a copy of the communication as a mail message to selected Users. This option is available of the right-hand side of the window used to create communications. You can select which Users to send a copy of the communication. There is also an option to select all users in the system in one go.

The Postcodes covered by a site are now displayed in a drop-down box on the grid in the Offer Deploy module. This allows for easy reading when selecting a site to deploy an offer to.

The Number of Estimate appointments scheduled is now visible per site. This information is now shown as two values. These are the number of On-site appointments which are Estimate Apps/Due In events where the Job Status is Appointment and the location is ‘Repairer and the number of off-site appointments which are collections/recoveries/Estimate Apps where the Job Status is appointments and the location does not equal ‘Repairer’.

A new set of values is shown on the Site Status grid in the Offer Deploy screen. ‘Notifications today’ shows the number of new notifications that have been created on the current date for each site. ‘Undriveable Vehicles’ shows the number of notifications created on the current date that have been marked as ‘undriveable’. Both counters can be found in a new section of the grid named ‘Notifications’.

When creating a diary event for a job, there is now the option to send a communication and/or create a job note at the same time. These options can be found at the bottom of the screen that is used to create job events. When ‘Send Comms’ is selected the user will be prompted to create a new communication and when ‘Create Note’ is selected the user will then be able to set a new note on the job. The created comms and note will also be pre-populated with information about the diary event that has just been created such as the event type, date and time. However, this message can be changed.

Mail messages can now be sent from the Loading module and WorkM8. When an employee is clocked on to a job, they will have a new option for each job they are working on which will allow them to send a mail message regarding the job. This functionality has also been added to the WorkM8 Application.

The Department code has been added to the Purchase Invoicing Post module.

Costing items that have been received and have had a Purchase Invoice raised against them can not be cancelled. Only Ordered Items can be cancelled.

When an employee is assigned to a job task in the Workshop Controller module, the task assigned to remains at the top of the screen to allow for more tasks to be assigned to easily.

When making a Pre-Booked Courtesy car hire active on a job, there is a new screen which will allow for extra information to be inputted or changed.

On the Workshop Controller screen an ‘OFF TRACK’ warning is displayed on a job if the job’s system Expected completion date is later than the requested completion date. This calculation now does not take the Workshop Expected Completion date into account.

The AutoFlow diary can now be filtered by jobs that are assigned to a specific user. This is accessible via a new drop-down menu alongside the existing filters. Users will only appear on this list if they have been assigned to a job in the system.

Restrictions have been implemented to the way that the system connects to the underlying database. This is to increase the security of the software and the Database.

All Items on the Dashboards have been reviewed and reconfigured to improve the overall performance of the dashboards.

Tasks Notes can now be viewed, created, edited and removed from the Workshop Controller and TCards Modules. If a job task has a task note pinned to it, then this is indicated by an Orange ‘N’ on both modules. By right clicking a job task you can then view, Create, Edit or remove a task note. This works hand-in-hand with the functionality that already existed in the Job Control module.

Values that display a date (for example the Expected Completion Date of a job) now show the day of the week that a date is on.

Productives can now view data about the hours that they have booked from a Loading Terminal. This new feature has to be enabled by an Admin in Parameters > Main > Time Loading. The new information is then available for an employee in the Weekly Breakdown tab.

Job Tasks can now be assigned to employees through the Workshop Controller and the new TCards module. This functionality works in the same way that the Job Control module previously did. This option is available from the menu that appears when right clicking a specific task on the screen. The window will then display a list of available employees to assign to the task.

A new option has been added to the Export Job module for CHECKmate exports which allows for the user to choose which CHECKmate user the appraisal will be sent to.

The Labour rate for a job is now displayed on the Job Viewer module in the Claim Details section.

The Requested-Completion-Date of a job can now be set/changed from within the Job Control module. The RCD of a job can also be changed from within the Job Edit, Workshop Controller and TCards modules. Changing RCD in Job Control, Workshop Controller and Tcards needs to first be enabled in Parameters > Job Edit > Additional Params.

We have updated the technology that we are using to develop the AutoFlow software. This change will enhance the performance of our applications and allow for us to develop exciting new features in the future.

Letters are now created and edited using a new word document tools which allows users to easily create professional looking letters.

The Shift Pattern screen inside Employee Maintenance now shows when an employee is down as Absent (A), on Holiday (H) or on Training (T). This information can also be seen inside the Loading module. This will make it easier to view which employees are available per day.

Diary Items can now be filtered by Work Providers and Job Type. Selecting a Work Provider will show only Diary Events from Jobs with the selected Work Provider. Meanwhile selecting a job type, for example ‘Insurance jobs’ will show only diary events from Insurance Jobs. These new filters expand the flexibility of the AutoFlow Diary.

WorkM8 now allows for employees to clock on to Jobs that are On Site even if they are not in the IN-PROGRESS Job Category. This mirrors the behaviour of the Loading module.

The Job History module is now easily openable from the main grid via the F11 hotkey. The Mail module has also been added as a quick access key using F12. This will allow for a mail to quickly be sent about a specific job in the system.

New Task Notes can now be applied to all tasks in a job in one go. This can be easily done by creating a task note in the normal way and then ticking the new checkbox which says ‘Apply to ALL tasks’. This will apply the note to all uncompleted tasks on the job. Additionally, if any of the other remaining tasks already have a different note attached, the user will be asked if they want to overwrite the older notes.

Job Pop Up notes now appear when a user opens the Job History Window.

A new field has been added to employee records which enables for employee emails addresses to be stored. This field will display a warning if the email addresses entered is invalid.

A new option is available which allows for the recorded vehicle location of a job to be automatically cleared when the job is handed over in the system. This option can be enabled in Parameters > Job Edit > Additional Params.

A Help Button has been added next to the Productivity Factor entry box on the editing employee record form in the Employee Maintenance module. Clicking this button will open a help box which explains how the Productivity Factor works.

You can now exclude certain tasks from being complete when a job gets put into INPROGRESS and has no time. Previously you had to put time on tasks you wanted to keep open such as QC and Valet for example. But now in the workshop category setting of parameters you can enforce that certain tasks remain open even if no time has been set on them. In Parameters > Workshop Categories, for each category there is a new checkbox flag called ‘Auto complete task if it has no allocated time’.

A New option has been added to allow for selected workshop categories to have time booked to them before the job is IN-PROGRESS. This option can be enabled per work category from Parameters > WShop Categories > Edit.

Estimates can now be imported into the AutoFlow system from AudaConnect. This import option is available as an option in the Importer module. This up-to-date option replaces the AXFormat from the AudaGold Product.

A new Flag has been added to the Job Edit module to indicate if a vehicle is Roadworthy. This flag works as an enhancement to the existing ‘Vehicle Driveable’ flag in that a vehicle can still be driveable but may not be legally roadworthy. The new option is under the ‘Vehicle Driveable’ option in the vehicle details tab in Job Edit.

We have added the ability for employees to use a Loading Terminal to easily view the images and documents that are attached to the job that they are working on. When an employee is already clocked onto a job, they can then re-enter the Loading module at any time. They will then see the tasks that they are currently working on with the options to complete a task or take a break. We have added new options to this where the employee can view information about the tasks that they are currently working on including the time that has already been booked to the task and any images or documents that have been attached.

The Offer Deploy screen in the Group Manager system is now available even if there are no offers currently available. When using the module this way, you can view the availability of your sites as well as other details about them. You can also directly Create Notifications for sites.

Previously only a user who receives a mail knows if it has been actioned. Now if a mail sent from a user is actioned by the recipient, the sender of a mail will receive a notification.

A New Dashboard View has been implemented for the Group Manager system. This new dashboard displays the sites that a Group User has access to side by side which allows for easy comparison.

Paint Data from a paint export file can now be imported to multiple sites from one import process.

The “Menu Items” list is now ordered by Schedule Order.
Added a legend for Planned and Previous tasks.
You can now differentiate between planned and previous tasks.
In keyboard mode the STOP button is now the default one selected.

Communicated can now be sent automatically from the system when a diary event has taken place such as a job being booked in or handed over.

Sets of reports can now be created from within the Reports Module. These sets of reports can then be printed in one go from various modules in the system.

When an employee views the tasks that they are working on in the Loading Module, the Hours Remaining on the task is now displayed. If there is no time remaining on a task, then the value will be displayed in red. This includes when a task has become overbooked.

The ability to search for an invoice using the Invoice Id has been added to the Purchase Manager module. This will make it easier to find invoices.

Newly created Costing lines can now be linked to an estimate via the Job Edit Module.

When multiple parts are booked in using the Costing module, the holding location is now applied to each part booked in. The holding location however can also be changed for each part is necessary.

A new field has been included in the Search System Grid which shows the location of a vehicle based on the diary events that have already been set on the job.

The Grid settings for a user can now easy be copied to other users. This can be done from the Users screen in the Parameters module. Grid settings can be copied by right clicking on a user and selecting ‘Copy settings from user’. The settings can then be pasted to selected users.

A version of the AutoFlow Diary is now available on the Group Manager system. This version of the diary combines the diary events of all sites that a user has access to. The Diary retains its full functionality with the ability to create events for specific sites. The Diary can also be filtered by each site.

The List of stored reasons in the system can now be controlled by Group Manager. Reasons created in Group Manager cannot be edited by a Site user. The group user also has the option to lock and unlock reasons down to sites. A new option has also been added to synchronise users across sites.

The assigned and estimator users have been added to the available recipients in the system module. This allows users to receive system mails on jobs they have been assigned to or estimated rather than against every job.

The name of the version of AutoFlow is now visible across the system along with the build number and the package number of the system. This information is now shown on the AutoFlow Login screen, the main screen and the help screen on both the Main system and the Group Manager system. This information will help the AutoFlow Support team troubleshoot any issues.

A new filter has been added to the AutoFlow diary which allows for a user to select the dates that they would like to see diary events between. This allows for users to see diary events in the past without slowing down the performance of the diary

A New System Mail has been introduced which is sent to an estimator who has been assigned to estimate a specific job when a new image is added to the job from the WorkM8 companion application.

The Work Provider for a job is now visible when job related tasks pop up on a User’s to do this. This makes it easy for to-do tasks be sorted by the Work Provider.

When a costing line is marked as non-invoiceable then this is including in the audit trail for the job Including which user marked it.

The Pool Number of a job in the workshop has now been added to the Production Control screen in the Workshop Controller module.

The Number of Days that a job has been On Site has now been added to the IN-PROGRESS Jobs View and the Production Control View in the Workshop Controller module. This will help users identify how long a job has been around.

The Workshop Expected Completion date and time(WEC) of a job is now displayed in the Job Viewer module.

The Vehicle Registration of a job is now shown to an employee on their task list when they go to clock on to a job In the Loading module.

A new option has been added to the Create Notification module which allows for jobs from the Kerridge system to be imported into AutoFlow. This can be done by selecting a CSV file that has been exported by the Kerridge system.

If an Automatic vehicle has been set as required for a job, then only automatic courtesy cars will display in the courtesy car module.

The Workshop Controller module can now be filtered to show only jobs that have had time booked to them. This new filter is available at the top of the workshop controller screen.

The ECD and WEC dates can now be set based on each other when one of the times is set. For example if the user is prompted to change the ECD date then the user will then be prompted to update the WEC date based on the new ECD date that is being set.

We have added the ability for Productive staff to clock time to multiple tasks at the same time. Previously an employee could only be working on one task at once and we recognised that this was not very flexible. This setting can be enabled for an employee from the Employee Maintenance module by navigating to the ‘employment details’ tab on the ‘edit employee record’ screen and selecting ‘Allow Booking to Multiple Tasks’.

Users can be linked from the ‘User Properties’ window in the Users section of the Parameters module. The Mapped employee is also displayed for each user in the grid of the Users screen if set. This enables the system to automatically select the estimator at the estimating stage based on the AutoFlow user completing the process. Previously there was no link between the users of the system and the employee profiles set up in the employee administration section

We have made it easier to quickly get in touch with our support team by adding a link on the main grid which can be used to quickly send in an enquiry to the support team.

Any Changes made to Excess or VAT Values in the system are now recorded by the system.

Any Changes made to the Work Provider set against a job in the system are now recorded by the system.

Any Changes made to Times allocated to a job are now recorded by the system.

When the View Setting is changed in the Diary Module, this will be recorded and remains the same the next time the user launches the Diary. This new feature gives an element of customization and flexibility to your diary event tracking.

The Main or Contribution payers can now be selected from the addresses grid in the Invoicing module before the invoice is created.

Jobs can now easily be uploaded to the Repex System. This can be done by right clicking a selected job from the main grid in the software and selecting the ‘Force Update to REPEX’ Option from the Menu.