Setting Up Service Parameters

  1. Launch the Service Parameters form.
  2. In the Call Center tab, specify this information:
    Incident Prefix
    Specify a default prefix to use for all new incident numbers. The system uses this value, along with the standard expand key logic, to automatically generate the next available incident number.
    Status Code
    Specify the default value to use as the status of any new incident.
    Priority Code
    Specify the default priority code to use for any new incident.
    To Be Scheduled
    Select this check box to indicate that the current incident or SRO is to be included in the scheduling process for partner assignment. If selected, the incident or SRO is displayed on the Service Schedules form when you do select a task and click All To Be Scheduled. If cleared, the incident or SRO can still be manually scheduled but is not automatically displayed on the Calendar Scheduling form.

    Use the Incident/SRO Sync Settings fields on this tab indicate how fields should be synchronized for SROs and Incidents that are cross-referenced.

    For more information, see Using an Incident to Create a Service Order.

  3. In the Service Order (1) tab, specify this information:
    SRO Prefix
    Specify a default prefix to use for all new service order numbers. The system uses this value, along with the standard expand key logic, to automatically generate the next available SRO number.
    SRO Type
    Specify the default type to use for new service orders. The types are defined on the Service Order Types form.
    SRO Product Code
    Specify the default product code to use for new service orders. The product code encompasses all of the general ledger accounts that are used for posting material, labor, and miscellaneous expenses to a SRO. The product code also includes the accounts that are used by SRO invoicing to post Cost of Goods Sold and revenue amounts. Product codes are defined on the Product Codes form.
    Default Operation Status
    Specify whether new operations have a default status of Open, Invoice, or Closed.
    Billing Type
    Specify the default value to use for the billing type, which is used to determine the total price for a service request order:
    • Calculated/Time and Material: Price is calculated as the sum of all material, labor, and miscellaneous items issued.
    • Project/Fixed: Price is based on the manually entered fixed amount.
    Billing Code
    Specify the default billing code to use on service orders. This code determines the amount to billed for SRO material and labor transactions. For more information, see Billing Code.
    Warehouse
    Specify the default warehouse to use for service orders. Warehouses are set up and maintained through the Warehouses form.
    Default SRO Template
    Select the service order template to use by default when users create new service orders.
    Loaner Warehouse and Loaner Location
    Specify the default warehouse and location to use for the material and line material transaction types Loaner Shipment and Loaner Return.
    Material Transaction Type
    Specify a value to use as the default when you add planned or actual material transactions through the Service Order Transactions form.
    Pay SRO Commissions
    Specify when commissions are to be paid for service orders:
    • None: Commission calculations are not performed for service orders.
    • Invoice: Commission due records are created, and the salesperson can be reimbursed during SRO invoicing.
    • Payment: Commission due records are created during SRO invoicing, but the salesperson is not reimbursed until payment is received from the customer for the invoiced amount.
    Partial Billing
    Select this check box if you want the SRO Invoice Print/Post program to bill an SRO or SRO transaction with a status of bill hold. If the check box is selected at the header level, the system ignores the entire SRO. If the check box is selected at the transaction level, only the transaction is ignored and all other transactions not on hold are invoiced.
    Note: A default value for new SROs can be set on the Service Order tab of the Service Parameters form.
    Accumulate WIP
    Specify a default value to use for this field on new service orders. If this field is selected, costs issued to the SRO are stored in WIP accounts. Otherwise, costs are posted directly to cost of goods (COGS) accounts.
    Planned Transaction Required
    Specify a default value to use for this field on new service orders. If this field is selected, then a planned transaction must exist before the line or operation can be invoiced.
    Use Planned Pricing
    Specify a default value to use for this field on new service orders. If this field is selected, the SRO uses planned pricing. Otherwise pricing is based on partner, codes, and customer.
    Use End User Types
    Select this check box to use end user types for service orders.

    If selected, a new field is displayed on the Customer tab of the Service Orders form to hold the end user type. The default value for this field is from the end user type specified on the Codes tab of the Customers form. This value can be changed for each individual service order. As material, labor, and miscellaneous transactions are posted against the service order, the system uses the end user type, if it is not blank, to acquire the sales and cost of goods sold account numbers.

    DC Auto Post Labor
    Select this field if transactions entered through the SRO Labor Data Collection form are added to the service order as posted actual transactions. Otherwise, they are added as unposted actual transactions.
    DC Auto Post Material
    Select this field if transactions entered through the SRO Material Data Collection form are added to the service order as posted actual transactions. Otherwise, they are added as unposted actual transactions.
    Include SROs In On Order Balance

    Select this field to include all SRO activity when the On Order Balance of a customer is calculated. The On Order Balance field is displayed on the Customers form.

    Update Plan During Post
    Select this field to update planned transactions to the actual transactions posted. If the quantity posted is less than the original planned quantity, a back order planned transaction is created. Clear this field to preserve the planned transaction in its original state and simply mark it as posted. This parameter only affects planned material transactions.
    Auto Close SRO After Invoicing
    Use this field to set the default value for the Auto Close SRO After Invoicing field on the Service Orders form. (If the service order is created from a template, then this field value defaults from the template instead of the Service Parameters form.)Select this field if SRO status is to be set to Closed when invoicing is complete, regardless of the close date. If this field is cleared, the Close Date field on the SRO must be manually set in order to close the SRO after invoicing.
  4. In the Service Order (2) tab, specify this information:
    Invoice Text
    Specify the default text that displays at the bottom of every SRO invoice.
    Account Location information:
    In this area, set the default values to use for these fields on new service orders. For each field, specify whether the accounts used are assigned at the operation or transaction level.
    Automatic Scheduling information:
    Select Auto Schedule Resource to enable Automatic Resource Scheduling if you want schedule appointments to automatically be created for an SRO during cross-referencing from an incident or during Auto SRO generation. If this field is selected, define these scheduling defaults:
    • Method: Specify the scheduling method to assign to new appointments.
    • Appointment Status: Specify the appointment status assigned to new appointments.
    • Hours: Specify the default hours to set on the new appointment if the amount cannot be determined from other sources.
    MRP information
    Use these fields to set default values on service orders, to specify the SRO information is included in MRP:
    • Include SRO Demand
    • Include SRO Allocations
    • Consume Forecast
    Parts Fulfillment information

    The setting of the Mode field determines whether the rest of the fields on this tab are enabled.

    Mode

    This field controls how the Awaiting Parts check box behaves throughout the Service module. These are the valid options:

    • Manual: The Awaiting Parts field on Incident, SRO, SRO Line, and SRO Operation is enabled. This allows the user to select and clear the field at each level to signify the service order is awaiting receipt of parts.
    • Automatic: The Awaiting Parts field on Incident, SRO, SRO Line, and SRO Operation is disabled. The system selects and clears the field based on whether or not there is an associated planned SRO material transaction associated to an outstanding purchase order or not. This option also enables the Awaiting Parts and Parts Received Actions functionality.

    Awaiting Parts Actions:

    Parts Received Actions:

  5. In the Partner tab, specify this information:
    Partner Prefix
    Specify a default prefix to use for all new partner ID numbers. The system uses this value, along with the standard expand key logic, to automatically generate the next available partner number.
    Auto Approve Reimbursement
    Select this field if all reimbursable material, labor, and miscellaneous transactions should created as "approved." This lets you skip the Expense Approval form.
    Default Labor Rate and Default Labor Cost
    Specify values that are used to calculate the default rate and cost for an SRO labor transaction. If a rate or cost is not determined from the SRO, customer or partner/work code combination, these fields determine whether the rate and cost are defaulted from the partner or from the work code.
    Partner Reimbursement Accounts
    Specify the Voucher, Credit, and Other accounts where expenses for SRO material, labor and miscellaneous transactions are posted for any transaction that is reimbursed to the partner. The amount is held in these accounts until moved out by reimbursing the partner. The account that is used depends on the method by which the partner is set up to be reimbursed. These accounts are considered control accounts and are locked down accordingly.
  6. In the Other tab, specify this information:
    Use Separate Consumer
    Select this option to maintain consumer records in the consumer database instead of the customer database. If you select this option, users cannot choose whether to bill incidents to customers or consumers; incidents are always billed to the customer.
    Default Customer
    Specify the customer number that is used as the default for new consumer records on the Consumers form.
    Project Xref SRO Template
    If you have defined templates on the Service Order Templates form, select a default template to use when users cross-reference a service order to a project.
    Use Project Cost Code
    When a service order is cross-referenced to a project, this option determines how the cost code is used when transactions are posted to the service order and then transferred into the project. If the check box is cleared, use the cost code from the applicable product, labor, or miscellaneous code. If the check box is selected, use the cost code from the project material resource. In other words, specify whether all the service order costs are to be consolidated on the cost code, or broken out by the items, labor and miscellaneous codes.
    Map Provider
    Select Bing as the web browser to use to display the map.
    Map API Key
    Specify the API key for the map. This is a license key that can be obtained from your Map Provider and permits access to the advanced mapping and route optimization capabilities. If this key is not entered, only turn-by-turn directions are available.
    Installation Information
    These fields display the date and time that the currently running code was generated (that is, a Build date). Click Profiler/Trace Utility to find additional information. This utility is used by support to record database activity during a process that is being debugged.
    Consumable Reason Code
    Select a code defined on the Miscellaneous Issues Reason Codes form to use for the receipt of consumable items after warehouse transfers. Items can be marked as consumable on either the Service Item/Warehouse Planning form or the Service Items form.
    Transit Loc
    Specify a location, defined on the Locations form, to use for warehouse transfers that include service items.
    Business Hours
    Specify the starting and ending time for each day that the Service part of the company is open for business. This information can be used to set incident warning, due date, and follow-up dates.

    For more information, see Setting Up Priority Codes that Establish Response Times for Incidents.

    Service On Holidays
    Use this field to determine whether holidays are included or excluded from the priority date calculation for Business Hours and Contract Coverage Hours (that is, whether "All Hours" means all regardless of holidays).

    For more information, see Setting Up Priority Codes that Establish Response Times for Incidents.

  7. In the Amortization Control tab, specify this information:
    Total Periods
    Specify the number of periods that the amortization amount is divided between. Each month end date designates the end of a period.
    Journal
    Select the accounting journal to use for the amortization. Journals are defined on the Journals form.
    Select Trans Date From
    Specify whether amortizations occur at the start or the end of the period.
    Amortize Contracts
    Select this field if contracts are included in the amortization process.
    Amortization Accounts
    Select the appropriate accounts to use for prepaid expenses and deferred revenue.
  8. In the Contract tab, specify this information:
    Contract Prefix
    Specify a default prefix to use for all new contract numbers. The system uses this value, along with the standard expand key logic, to automatically generate the next available contract number.
    Contract Product Code
    Specify the default value to use for new contracts. The contract product code contains all of the general ledger accounts that are used to post the cost of goods sold and revenue amounts during the Contract Invoicing activity.
    Open Status and Close Status
    Select status codes, defined on the Contract Status Codes form, that will indicate that contracts are open or closed.
    Price Basis
    Specify the default value to use for new contracts. This basis is used in the calculation of charges when the contract line is invoiced.
    Service Type
    Specify the default service type value, from those defined on the Service Types form, to use for new contracts. This code describes the type of contract being sold to a customer.
    Billing Type
    Specify the default billing type value to use for new contracts. Options are:
    • Fixed: The contract price is based on the manually entered total.
    • Calculated: The contract price is based on the rates and time periods set up on the header and lines.
    Billing Frequency
    Specify the default value to use on new contracts or contract lines for the time period between billing cycles.

    For more information, see Contract Billing Frequency.

    Pay Contract Commissions
    Specify when commissions are to be paid for service contracts:
    • None: Commissions are not calculated for service contracts.
    • Invoice: Commission due records are created and the salesperson can be reimbursed at the time the contract is invoiced.
    • Payment: Commission due records are created at time the contract is invoiced, but the salesperson is not reimbursed until payment has been received from the customer for the invoiced amount.
    Billing Max Hrs/Day
    Specify how many hours that a contract can be billed for one day. This is used for calculated contracts with lines that are billed by date.
    Bill For Holidays
    Select this check box to apply calculated contract rates on days that are marked in the system as a holiday.
    Weekly Billing Times
    Use these fields, in conjunction with the Billing Max Hrs/Day field, to define the time basis used to bill time-sensitive calculated contracts. For example, if the Monday open time is 8 a.m. and the close time is 6 p.m., and the Billing Max is set to 6, then the contract only incurs charges for 6 hours even though a 10 hour period is designated.
    Prorate End of Billing
    Set the default value to use on new calculated contracts. If this field is selected, the final time a contract is billed, the system calculates the amount to be invoiced based on the rate type and the amount of time remaining on the contract line.
    Use End User Types
    Select or clear this check box to specify whether to use end user types on new contracts.
    Tax Waivers
    Select this field if waiver charges billed against a contract or contract line are taxed.
    Allow Customer Address Override
    Select this field to allow users to specify a Ship To address that is different from the default customer and Ship To combination for the contract.
    Contract Account
    Specify the contract account.
  9. In the Unit tab, specify this information:
    Auto Build Unit Configuration
    If you select this field, the complete unit configuration is created as the serial-tracked item is shipped on a customer order. The Auto Build process uses the item's job bill of materials to build the unit's configuration. This may add time to the shipping process if the bill of materials is several levels deep. This field is used in conjunction with Auto Create Unit on Shipment.
    Auto Create Unit On Shipment
    If you select this field, the shipment of any serial-tracked item automatically creates a record on the Units form. This prepares the system to handle future maintenance and service calls on the unit.
    Initial Configuration Display
    Specify the number of levels the unit configuration expands by default.
    Configuration Update Method
    Specify how the system updates the unit configuration when an SRO Material Transaction is updated:
    • Auto Synch: The system tries to add and remove configuration components without user intervention.
    • Auto Append: The system tracks any additions or removals in a separate branch of the configuration tree.
    • Prompt: Prompt users to determine whether they want to manually adjust the configuration.
    • Never: The unit configuration is not affected by posted material transactions.

    For more information about this field and the following two fields, see Unit Configuration Automation Control.

    Default Configuration Removal Reason
    Specify a default reason that the system uses when a component is removed through the Auto Sync or Auto Append method. This value is also used as the default reason on the Unit Configurations form when the Remove Date is manually specified for a component.
    Configuration Change History Branch
    If your system uses the Auto Append method for unit configuration updates, the value you specify here is used to determine the name of the branch in the configuration that holds components that are added or removed when SRO material transactions are posted. We recommend that you change this value every year, to track components in a separate node each year.
  10. In the Portal tab, specify this information:
    Default SSR
    Specify the service support representative (SSR) to be used by default for incident records that are submitted from the Customer or Reseller Portal.
    Default Status Code
    Specify the status code to be used by default for incident records that are submitted from the Customer or Reseller Portal.
    Default Owner
    Specify the owner to be used by default for incident records that are submitted from the  Customer or Reseller Portal.
    Allow Portal Users To Set Incident Priority
    If you select this field, the Customer or Reseller Portal user can set the incident priority when entering the incident from the portal.
  11. Save the parameters.
Related topics
Setting up the System for Incidents
Setting Up the System for Service Request Orders (SROs)
Using an Incident to Create a Service Order
About Incident Escalation
Automating Updates to Unit Configurations
Using End User Types