Special order functions on ADP and R&R

[CroweChizek]

I have had clients on both R&R and ADP. The issue is excessive voided Ros and counter invoices. The response we get is that to order a part on the special order system it must be ordered through an RO or an invoice. My understanding was that a manual special order (without an invoice or RO) could not be generated when the fully automated systems are used. Therefore if a repair order was closed and a part needed to be ordered a counter invoice is used to order the part and then voided when the part is put on an RO. Is this wrong information? The other issue is repair orders being closed before the part arrives, what happens when you receipt the order?

[petepuma01]

I'll speak of Reynolds:

It is true that to best use the system (reports, inquiries, tracking, etc), the special order should be created against an invoice or repair order.

Users can go into 2041 and manually type in the customers name in the 'CNAME' field but that does make the tracking/reporting more difficult since that is memo information.

However, the user can enter a customer number in the CNAME field and the special order will then be associated with the customer. This will aid in tracking and inquiries (i.e.; 2028 Special Order Inquiry). There are limitations with this method, though--the counterpeople will not receive any type of alert when recalling a document in 2525, like they would if the special order was created on an invoice or repair order. Additionally, to use this option, the user must know the customer number before going into 2041 since the CNAME field does not allow for searching.


"Therefore if a repair order was closed and a part needed to be ordered a counter invoice is used to order the part and then voided when the part is put on an RO. Is this wrong information? "- Yes, this is true if they wish to use the system fully. However, they could use the 2041 options I described above.

Also, if the part is found to be needed after the RO is closed, they can create an appointment in service (which they should do anyway) and special order the part against the appointment. When the RO is created, the part may then roll from the appointment to the new RO. This seems to be the better solution-- let me know if you need details on this.

"The other issue is repair orders being closed before the part arrives, what happens when you receipt the order? " This is a normal occurrence. If they close the RO, a new RO will be written when the customer returns. When the counterperson recalls the new RO in 2525, they will be informed of the special order and may then roll the special order onto the new RO. This will then close the backorder repair order (the -1 ticket).

"The issue is excessive voided Ros and counter invoices. " Don't take this the wrong way but I don't think this is the real issue. Why are so many documents being voided? It is likely due to customers not returning to get their parts. Perhaps the dealership needs to make customers pre-pay their parts to help insure the return. Or maybe they need to be more aggressive in getting customers to come back. Voiding documents is the least of of your concerns-- the fact is that these parts were ordered and never sold, thereby typing up dollars in what will likely become obsolete parts.

How often do they special order parts after an RO is closed? Again, this seems to speak more of a dealership issue than a computer issue. I would hope the technician would know what parts are needed before the RO is closed-- otherwise, the RO history is incomplete as well. Again, as I mentioned previously, they could special order the parts against an appointment, eliminating the need to void a counter ticket.

Yes, the automated systems do have a process that needs to be followed for them to be effective (what doesn't?). However, I think a lot of the excessive voiding could be reduced if the dealership reeaxamined their special order process and firmed it up. This seems to be a case where the computer is not the problem, it is merely exposing one that was not as apparent with a manual process.

[tom_davis]

Another aspect with R&R:

If the repair order is closed and it is determined that a part needs to be ordered, Service can open an appointment in 3010 and the part can be special ordered via the open appointment.

Also, has Service ever called and asked if you had a part and when you advised you did, they asked you to hold it til 'Friday' for Mr Jones? The appointment process will also work here to charge out the part. This will also roll into the open RO when the customer arrives.

As stated before, I do not think the computer system (any, R&R, ADP, UCS, etc.) is the problem, it is the process and is common to the many dealerships that I have worked with.

I have assisted several of my customers to set up a process but your process will ONLY WORK when you stay with it and follow it.

[CroweChizek]

Thanks for the R&R input.

Any ADP???

[jazdale]

Crowe,

The logic and reasoning behind Pete's post on RR is quite similar to ADP, only the menu codes are different.

Setups - AM OMN SPM
Reports - SRM. Modify setups in JOB option P

Create SOR in I, PRO, SOR

Roll SOR in PO or STK (I prefer PO with 'C' type orders)

Reciept in RA/partscan/ford shipper/gm shipper

Review/fill/mailer/inquire in RRS

Inquire in SPI

Notes.
1a. Create manual SOR for customers that don't have an open RO. Make sure you use the proper customer number/Vehid to tie it to that vehicle next time it comes in.
Tying SORs to CASH doesn't do anyone any favors.
1b. Posting an SOR on an RO then closing the RO is not a problem. The cust/veh detail will roll onto the next RO opened for that vehicle.

2. Similar to Pete's post - Be totally manual or totally automated. The half & half stuff will kill you.

3. Make sure the reports fit your liking. Function RAS (report all special orders can include items like VIN, OH, open date/close date and you can specify sort criteria.
Modify the setups in function Job (jobstack) option P (predefined setups).

4. Closed SORs should drop off the system. Verify that PCPD is running in the jobstack, option D (Display stack) and SCH (display schedule). This is the purge old detail routine.

5. System functionality breakdown is typically 99% user error.
5a. Does the SOR have enough detail to move forward in the process?
5b. Do the reports display accurate detail or a bunch of old junk due to improper maintenance?
5c. Maintenance is key. No different than throwing away the card in the recipe box, We need to make sure the system closes the SOR. When it doesn't - spend the extra minute in finding out why - then adjust your process/keystrokes to fit the automation.

6. Modify your I/PRO display lines to show SOR detail.

Dale

[wholesaleguy]

adp sor sucks for wholesale. We need our driver on the road most days before the shipper/receiver has finished checking off the dds order. This means the sor system wont clear because we we had not received the order in so we didnt have an sor part to sell.

We are a big honda store and in the honda world you cannot assume anything as basic as getting what you ordered undamaged, so pre-receiving is out of the question.

I agree with vidchelle. Sor is great for the workshop, but going negative is better for wholesale.

[Chuck Hartle]

This is a great thread with some great insight into the special order process. As VIDCHELLE, we were determined to use the Automated ADP SOR and after the same difficult learning curve, the ADP SOR worked great for both Wholesale and Shop. Once we found all the problems and understood that the SOR-LINES file is completely different and practically independent of the PART-NO. file, the SOR program not only became a huge productivity enchancement, it became a huge competitive advantage too.

In short, mastering your automated SOR programs and how they work with ERA and ADP are totally necessary for three very important reasons;
1) Accurately track your special order parts.
2) Properly purging SOR parts to return unfulfilled orders to mfg to avoid building up forced stock inventory.
3) Productivity and effort. It is so easy to roll over parts and order them without countless paperwork and paper trails to track them.

Here are two enhancements that we found very useful for the ADP SOR program if you are using automation.

1) Did you know that the bin location in the SOR-LINES file is different from the PART-NO. file? Even though you will open up a specific SOR part record and see the bin location crossed over from the PART-NO. file, if you change it in the SOR file, it will not affect the PART-NO. bin location. This is excellent for tracking true special order parts with it's own bin system for just special orders versus the actual bin location, especially when you have a stocking location for a part that you had to special order for a customer as well.

2) Once you use the automated system for SOR through repair orders, you can give the service writers and service manager access to SPI (Special order inquiry) on their logons. There is no harm in doing this, they can't change any information in SPI, only inquire. When we did this at our store, the phone traffic between the service advisors and the parts advisors for checking special orders went to nothing. We went so far as to give our service advisors a extra port logon to leave it in SPI all day so that they didn't have to wander from the -S to the -I accounts.

Finally, for Wholesaleguy;

When does your DDS deliveries come in? With the automated SOR program, we used to post our cross shipments and backorders in real time right after sending the order to the mfg. They gave us a report of all of them and we posted them right away. Then, when the order came in the next morning, we only had to worry about wrong, damaged, or missing parts to post out. Then we mass reciepted the orders in RA. I ask what time your truck gets there because if the truck is coming in an hour or two before your drivers hit the road, get your shipping and receiving clerk to come in adn meet the truck and work earlier and get off earlier to get the orders processed and organized quicker.

I used to have a saying with our parts crew, "we work while our competition sleeps" and this is a competitive advantage. Hence, we used to be able to deliver in a 200 mile radius before our competition could because we didn't restrict ourselves to that 8 to 5 window. Just a thought for solving your problem.

Long winded....

Chuck Hartle'

[This message has been edited by Chuck Hartle (edited 12-28-2002).]