Service Types

This Help File Page was last Modified on 10/15/2022

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Service Types

This Help File Page was last Modified on 10/15/2022

The Service Types Form provides these special features and functions:

The Service Type represents a general classification of a type of Work Order.

Each Service Type record may identify the Technician Skills that would normally be required to successfully complete any Work Order which has been assigned that Service Type.

When a Work Order is assigned a Service Type which has one or more required Technician Skills identified, those Technician Skills are automatically inserted in the Required Technician Skills tab of that Service Request Form.

When a Service Type is assigned to a Work Order, the preset Priority Level of that Service Type is automatically inserted into the Priority field of that Service Request Form.

The Schedule Color assigned to a Service Type determines the background color of a Work Order assigned that Service Type when it is displayed on the Technicians Scheduling Form.

 

Sub-categories may be defined for each Service Type (any number of which may be added for each Service Type) and are named Service Categories (see the "Defining Service Categories" section below).

 

In its most basic function, the Service Types Form is used to define a general classification of a type of Work Order, but other important information may also be associated with a Service Type Code:

Service Types - A general description of the various types of Installation and Service Call Tasks on a Work Order.

These Service Types might include such things as:

Annual Inspection,

Fire Alarm Inspection,

Existing System Add On,

New Installation,

Return Call for Re-Repair,

Warranty Call,

etc.

One of these Service Types must be assigned when:

Entering a Work Order using the standard full length Work Order Form

Entering a Work Order using the Quick Work Order Form

Making an entry in the New Appointment Editor accessed through the Technicians Scheduling Form

Using the Recurring Service Setup Form to define the automatic creation of Work Orders for those Recurring Service Requirements

Service Categories - Each Service Type may also be sub-categorized (see the "Defining Service Categories" section below).

One of these Service Categories defined below may also be entered when a Work Order is created and/or completed using the standard full length Work Order Form, or when created using the Quick Work Order Form.

Technician Skills - The Technician Skills that are generally required to properly complete each Service Type, should also be identified  (see the "Defining Technician Skills" section below).

This is because:

a)Each Service Request has a Service Type assigned to it.

b)The Technician Skills identified for each Service Type are required because when this Service Type is assigned to a Work Order, its Technician Skills tab is populated based on this Technician Skills information.

c)The Technician Skills tab information is used to confirm that the Technician who is assigned to a Work Order is qualified to properly complete that assigned Work.

Therefore, when scheduling a Technician for a Service Request (Work Order) in the Technicians Scheduling Form, the Work Orders to be scheduled for the selected Technician may be limited (filtered) to include only a Technician Skill which the currently selected Technician possesses.

Priority - The preset Priority Level for a Work Order assigned this Service Type.

Schedule Color - Set the background color of a Work Order when listed on the Technician Schedules section of the Technicians Scheduling Form

 

Once you have determined what Service Types will be defined, use this Service Types Form to define these and assign each of them a Description and a Code.

To open a Service Types Form:

a)From the Backstage Menu System Select Maintenance and Choose General Maintenance then Select the Service sub-menu, or

b)From the Quick Access Menu, Select Maintenance and Choose General Maintenance then Select the Service sub-menu

From within the Service sub-menu, Choose the Service Types option to view the From shown below.

 

HelpFilesServiceTypesForm

Service Types Form

 

This Service Types Form may be Re-sized by Dragging the Top and/or Bottom up or down, and/or the Right side in or out.

Navigation Menu - The Navigation Menu is located at the top of the Service Types Form.

 

HelpFilesNavigationMenuGrid-PrintIconWithOptions

Navigation Menu shown with the Grid Icon & Grid Options for Export and Print

 

This Navigation Menu provides the normal Record Movement, New, Delete, Cancel, Save, and List Icons (with the List option providing an Export and Print option, if selected).

 

Record Editing section - The details of the currently selected Service Type record are displayed below the Navigation Menu at the center (Main Body) of the Service Types Form.

 

HelpFilesServiceTypesFormRecordEditingSection

Service Types Form - Record Editing section

 

To define Service Types which are a general description of the various types of Installation and Service Call Tasks that are performed by your Company on Work Orders:

Click the Insert HelpFilesNavigationMenuNewIcon to start the Service Type entry in the Record Editing View.

Service Type - Enter up to 4 alphanumeric characters (0-9, a-z or A-Z and normal punctuation) as the Service Type

Priority - Enter the usual Priority Level for this Service Type.

This will become the default Priority Level on a Service Request when this Service Type is assigned to that Work Order.

Schedule Color - You may select - using the Drop-Down Color Selection List  - the color that this Service Type will be displayed in on the Technician Scheduling Form.

Description - Enter a general Description (up to 140 characters including upper & lower case letters, numbers and standard punctuation) of this type of service.

Inactive - From time to time, as the Company's business direction and market emphasis changes, certain previously defined Service Types may no longer be required.  

Because these Service Type Codes have previously been used as part of a Work Order record's history, they cannot be deleted.

However, a Service Type may be identified as Inactive, when it is no longer needed.

Check the Inactive box to retire a Service Type.

Inactive Service Types will not be included in the Drop-Down Selection List when a Service Type is required for data entry purposes.

Click the Save HelpFilesNavigationMenuSaveIcon to record this Service Type.

Any number of additional Service Types may be created.

 

Defining Service Categories:

Each Service Type record may have any number of Service Categories identified.

One Service Category may be assigned to a Work Order after the Service Type Code has been selected and assigned.

Only a Service Category associated with the assigned Service Type Code may then be selected.

 

To identify the Service Categories for a specific Service Type:

Use the Search Icon to locate and Select the Service Type record for which a new Service Category is to be defined.

Locate the Service Categories Section in the middle of the Service Types Form.

 

HelpFilesServiceTypesServiceCategories

Service Type Form - Service Categories section

 

Select the Click here to add a new row bar within the Service Categories section of the Service Type Form.

Description - Enter a Description of this service sub-category for the current Service Type.

Press the Down Arrow on your keyboard to record this entry.

Click the Description Header Name to resort the Service Categories list.

Repeat as needed.

 

To remove a Service Category assigned to this Service Type:

Select that Service Category line item

 

HelpFilesServiceTypesServiceCategory-Delete

Click the Delete button.

 

HelpFilesDeleteServiceCategory

 

Confirm the deletion request.

 

Defining Technician Skills:

Technician Skills are initially predefined in the Technician Skills Form and subsequently one or more of these are assigned to each Technician in the Skills tab of the Employees Form.

Each Service Type record may have any number of required Technician Skills identified.

These Technician Skill requirement(s) will be automatically inserted into the Technician Skills tab of the Work Order Form when that Work Order is assigned a Service Type having one or more Technician Skills identified.

 

To identify the Technician Skills that would generally be required for a specific Service Type:

Use the Search Icon to locate and Select the Service Type record for which a new Technician Skill is to be defined.

Locate the Technician Skills section at the bottom of the Service Types Form.

 

HelpFilesServiceTypesTechnicianSkills

Service Type Form - Technician Skills section

 

Select the Click here to add a new row bar within the Technician Skills section of the Service Type Form.

Description - Enter a Description for this Technician Skill.

Press the Down Arrow on your keyboard to record this entry.

Click the Description Header Name to resort the Technician Skills list.

Repeat as needed.

 

To remove a Technician Skill assigned to this Service Type:

Select that Technician Skill line item

 

HelpFilesServiceTypesTechnicianSkills-Delete

 

Click the Delete button.

 

HelpFilesDeleteTechncianSkill

Confirm the deletion request.

 

HelpFilesNavigationMenuGrid-PrintIconList Icon - The Navigation Menu also has a List option which provides a tabular view of these Service Type records.

 

HelpFilesServiceTypesGridView

Service Type Form - List View

 

Click the List Icon to display the associated Grid Data.

The columns of Grid Data may be rearranged, filtered, sorted, and exported as a PDF file and/or an Excel formatted file.

 

HelpFilesGridFind&ClearOptions

 

Find - Enter text to search for a specific record, then Click the Find option.

Clear - To remove the text to search for entry, Click the Clear option

 

HelpFilesNavigationMenuGrid-PrintIconWithOptions

Navigation Menu shown with the List Options for Export & Print

 

Click the List Icon again to Close the List View and return to the Record Editing View.

See the Grids - Print Preview - Export Data chapter for complete information on using the List View, including its Export & Print options.