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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
249 views79 pages

ServiceManager - Guide - PDA Add-On User Guide PDF

Uploaded by

caplusinc
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Service Manager for PDA User Guide

Service Manager for PDA User Guide Copyright 2008 Technisoft Pty Ltd
About Technisoft

Technisoft is a senior Sage Accpac Development Partner that has been providing Service Management software
solutions for over twenty years.

Service Manager, Technisoft's flagship product, has been the recipient of multiple "Accpac Product of the Year"
awards.

Contact Information

Geographic Address Technisoft Pty Ltd


Suite 7, 2484 Gold Coast Hwy
Mermaid Beach QLD 4218
AUSTRALIA

Postal Address Technisoft Pty Ltd


PO Box 5069
GCMC QLD 9726
AUSTRALIA

Telephone +61 7 5554 5844

Fax +61 7 5554 5522

Email [email protected]

Website http://www.technisoft.com.au

Copyright 2008 Technisoft Pty Ltd. All rights reserved.

Technisoft Pty Ltd


Publisher

Publication Date: April 30, 2008 (PDA R3)

No part of this documentation may be copied, photocopied, reproduced, translated, microfilmed, or otherwise
duplicated on any medium without the written consent of Technisoft Pty Ltd.

Use of the software programs described herein and this documentation is subject to the Technisoft Pty Ltd
License Agreement enclosed in the Software package.

All product names referenced herein are trademarks of their respective companies.

Service Manager for PDA User Guide Copyright 2008 Technisoft Pty Ltd
Technisoft Pty Ltd
Service Manager License Agreement
Technisoft Pty Ltd ABN 80 010 730 588 End User License Agreement

CAREFULLY READ THE FOLLOWING TERMS AND CONDITIONS BEFORE INSTALLING ANY SOFTWARE PROGRAMS AVAILABLE ON THIS
CD.

THIS AGREEMENT WITH TECHNISOFT PTY LTD OF SUITE 7, 2484 GOLD COAST HIGHWAY, MERMAID BEACH, QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA
("TECHNISOFT") GOVERNS THE TERMS BY WHICH YOU MAY USE SERVICE MANAGER SOFTWARE. THE ACTION OF INSTALLING ANY
SERVICE MANAGER SOFTWARE PROGRAMS WILL INDICATE YOUR ACCEPTANCE OF THIS AGREEMENT. THAT IS YOU ARE CONSENTING
TO BE BOUND BY AND ARE BECOMING A PARTY TO ALL THE TERMS OF THIS AGREEMENT. IF YOU DO NOT AGREE TO ALL OF THE
TERMS OF THIS AGREEMENT, DO NOT OPEN THE PACKAGING, INSTALL OR USE THIS SOFTWARE, AND PROMPTLY RETURN THE
COMPLETE PACKAGE TO THE DEALER FROM WHOM YOU OBTAINED THIS SOFTWARE FOR A FULL REFUND OF THE PRICE YOU PAID FOR
THIS SOFTWARE.

You are responsible for selecting the Software to achieve your intended results and for the installation, use and results obtained from the Software.

1. LICENSE GRANT
This License becomes effective from the time that you open the packaging in which the Software was sold to you.

Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, Technisoft grants to you a personal, non-transferable and non-exclusive license, without the right to grant
sub-licenses, to use the Service Manager for Windows software, any associated data files and any related printed material (collectively "Software"). You are not
granted any rights in and will not receive any source code for the Software as part of this license.

You may:
A. depending upon the number of Sage Accpac ERP LanPaks you are licensed to use, either use this Software on a single standalone Computer or in a Multi-user
environment, in accordance with normal operating procedures as notified by Technisoft and as set out in any related printed material;
B. either: (i) make one copy of the Software solely for backup or archival purposes in support of your permitted use of the Software, or (ii) transfer the Software to
a single hard disk, provided you keep the original solely for backup or archival purposes.

You may only install this Software on the number of processors that you are licensed to install Sage Accpac ERP on in conjunction with Sage Accpac ERP
LanPaks. You may not create more active employees than you are entitled to create in accordance with the Service Manager Employee Pack that you are licensed
to use.

Restrictions

Subject to any law to the contrary, YOU MAY NOT:


(A) INSTALL THIS SOFTWARE ON ANY OTHER PERSON'S OR ENTITY'S COMPUTER, NETWORK, OR ANY OTHER FORM OF ELECTRONIC
DEVICE;

(B) TRANSFER OR RENT THE SOFTWARE OR USE, COPY OR MODIFY THE SOFTWARE, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, EXCEPT AS EXPRESSLY
PERMITTED BY THIS AGREEMENT;

(C) DECOMPILE, REVERSE ASSEMBLE OR OTHERWISE REVERSE ENGINEER OR ATTEMPT TO REVERSE ENGINEER THE SOFTWARE;

(D) REPRODUCE, DISTRIBUTE OR REVISE THE SOFTWARE;

(E) REMOVE OR DESTROY ANY OF OUR PROPRIETARY MARKINGS ON THE SOFTWARE;

(F) USE THE SOFTWARE FOR ILLEGAL PURPOSES; OR

(G) USE THE SOFTWARE TO PROVIDE FACILITY MANAGEMENT, SERVICE BUREAU OR OTHER ACCESS AND USE OF THE PROGRAM TO
THIRD PARTIES.

The Software is not fault tolerant and is not designed or intended for use in hazardous environments or in relation to high risk activities requiring fail-safe
performance, where the failure of the Software could lead directly to death, personal injury or severe physical or property damage. Technisoft expressly excludes
any liability relating to the use of the Software for such purposes.

2. LICENSE FEES
You must pay a license fee for your right to use the Software.

Technisoft may charge additional fees for documentation, technical support and upgrades.

3. TITLE, CONFIDENTIALITY AND RESTRICTIONS


Title, ownership rights and intellectual property rights in and to the Software, whether in its original form or as modified from time to time, are not transferred to
you and remain with Technisoft. You acknowledge and agree that the Software is a trade secret, protected by Technisoft's copyright rights and is proprietary
property of Technisoft. You and your employees must keep the Software strictly confidential and must not remove or destroy any proprietary markings of
Technisoft. You and your employees must not distribute the Software or, except as permitted by this agreement, must not make or permit others to make copies of,
use or reproduce any part of the Software in any form. You agree not to use or provide access to the Software to any person, including as part of a service bureau
or to process third party data. You must not redistribute or store any data files provided to you by Technisoft other than in the usual operation of the Software.
You are responsible for the supervision, management and control of the use of the Software. You must take appropriate action by instruction to ensure that (where
applicable) your employees comply with the terms of this agreement. If you know or have any reason to suspect any breach of this section, you must promptly give
full notice and information of such to Technisoft for possible action to secure and preserve Technisoft's rights. The obligations under this section will survive any
termination of this agreement.

4. SUBMISSIONS

Any materials that you submit to Technisoft whether as feedback, data, questions, comments, ideas, concepts, techniques, suggestions or the like (excluding any
data that you provide to Technisoft on a confidential basis for the purpose of testing or repair), are provided for Technisofts unrestricted use and shall be deemed
non confidential upon submission. Upon submission of material to Technisoft, you grant Technisoft, its officers, employees, agents and related entities, a royalty
free, worldwide, perpetual, irrevocable license to use, copy, transmit, distribute, create derivative works of, commercialize, or display such submissions.

Service Manager for PDA User Guide Copyright 2008 Technisoft Pty Ltd
You acknowledge that any data conversion conducted by Technisoft on your behalf is subject to the likelihood of human and machine errors, omissions, delays and
losses, including inadvertent loss of data or damage to media, that may result in loss or damage to you or your property. Technisoft will not be liable for any such
errors, omissions, delays or losses, unless directly caused by Technisofts gross negligence or wilful misconduct. You are responsible for adopting reasonable
measures to limit the impact of such problems, including backing up of data, adopting procedures to ensure the accuracy of input data, examining and confirming
results prior to use, adopting procedures to correct errors and omissions, replacing lost or damaged media, and reconstructing data.

5. LIMITED WARRANTY AND LIMITATION OF LIABILITY


Technisoft warrants that the media upon which the Software is provided to you will be free from defects in materials and workmanship for a period of ninety (90)
days from the date of delivery of the Software to you.

EXCEPT AS EXPRESSLY PROVIDED TO THE CONTRARY IN THIS AGREEMENT, THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED TO YOU "AS IS". TO THE
EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, ALL WARRANTIES, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, THE IMPLIED
WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, ARE EXCLUDED BY TECHNISOFT. IN NO EVENT WILL
TECHNISOFT OR ITS AUTHORISED DISTRIBUTORS, RE-SELLERS OR ITS AGENTS, EMPLOYEES OR REPRESENTATIVES BE LIABLE TO YOU
OR ANY OTHER PERSON FOR ANY CONSEQUENTIAL OR INDIRECT LOSS, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, TIME, MONEY, GOOD WILL,
LOSS OF CUSTOM, LOSS OF DATA OR LOST PROFITS, WHICH MAY ARISE FROM THE USE, OPERATION, MAINTENANCE, MODIFICATION OR
FAILED USE OF THE SOFTWARE. THIS LIMITATION OF LIABILITY DOES NOT APPLY IN JURISDICTIONS THAT PROHIBIT THE LIMITATION
OF LIABILITY FOR INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES.

Technisoft's liability to you for breach of a condition or warranty included in this Agreement or that cannot be excluded by law is limited in all circumstances to one
of the following options, as selected by Technisoft:
(a) for services supplied by Technisoft, at Technisofts option:
(i) to re-supplying the service; or
(ii) to the cost of re-supplying the service; and
(b) for goods supplied by Technisoft, at Technisofts option:
(i) to replacing the goods or re-supplying equivalent goods;
(ii) to the repair of the goods or acquiring equivalent goods; or
(iii) to paying the cost of having the goods repaired.

Technisoft shall not be bound by or liable for any representations or warranties regarding the Software made by any third party, including any of Technisofts
authorized Resellers, Installers or Consultants, and their agents, employees and representatives.

Technisoft makes no representations, warranties, endorsements or guarantees regarding the skills or qualifications of any authorized Technisoft Reseller, Installer
or Consultant and you are encouraged to independently investigate the skills and qualifications of any authorized Technisoft Reseller, Installer or Consultant with
whom you associate.

Technisoft does not recommend any one Technisoft Reseller, Installer or Consultant over another. Technisoft Resellers, Installers and Consultants are not owned
or controlled in any way by Technisoft.

This Software is subject to change without notice.

6. INDEMNIFICATION
You agree to indemnify Technisoft, its officers, employees, agents and related entities, for all loss, damage and costs (including legal costs) that Technisoft may
suffer or incur arising out of your (or your users) use or misuse of the Software or in respect to any claim made or legal or regulatory action brought against
Technisoft arising out of or relating to your conduct, your use or misuse of the Software.

7. DEFAULT AND TERMINATION


Either party may terminate this agreement immediately in the event of default by the other party. Technisofts right to terminate this agreement upon your breach of
this agreement is in addition to any other legal remedies that may be available to Technisoft.

On termination of this agreement by either party, unless you enter into another agreement with Technisoft allowing you to continue to use the Software, you must
immediately discontinue the use of the Software, and return to Technisoft or destroy within 3 days of the date of termination all copies of the Software in your
possession or control, and delete all copies or partial copies (if any) of the Software from your computers, libraries and storage devices. On termination of this
agreement by Technisoft, you are not entitled to a refund of any license fees paid by you.

8. UPDATES
This license does not grant you any right to enhancements or updates to the Software but Technisoft may, at its sole discretion, make updates or service packs
available to you. Technisoft reserves the right to charge fees for any updates or service packs that it may release from time to time.

9. SUPPORT
The Software is provided without any maintenance or support obligations whatsoever including, without limitation, upgrades, updates or modifications.

10. NO INDEMNIFICATION
Technisoft does not and will not indemnify you for any loss or damage arising from or relating to use of the Software, including any claim of intellectual property
infringement relating to use of the Software.

11. SEVERABILITY
If any provision of this agreement is held to be invalid, unenforceable or illegal for any reason, this agreement will remain otherwise in full force apart from those
provisions, which will be deleted.

12. GOVERNANCE
This agreement will be governed by the internal laws of the State of Queensland, Australia, without regard to the principles of conflicts of laws. Both parties agree
to submit to the jurisdiction of the State Courts of Queensland and Federal Courts in Queensland.

You agree to comply with any trade restrictions or export laws that may be in force from time to time in any jurisdiction in the world in relation to your use of the
Software.

Service Manager for PDA User Guide Copyright 2008 Technisoft Pty Ltd
Contents I

Table of Contents
............................................................................................................................1
Chapter 1: Using Service Manager for PDA
.......................................................................................................................................
1.1 System Overview 1

....................................................................................................................................... 1
1.2 New Features
....................................................................................................................................... 2
1.3 Security
.......................................................................................................................................
1.4 Transaction Log 2

....................................................................................................................................... 2
1.5 PDA Conventions

............................................................................................................................3
Chapter 2: General Operation

2.1 Using.......................................................................................................................................
Service Manager for PDA on a Windows PC 3

.......................................................................................................................................
2.2 Starting Service Manager 5

.......................................................................................................................................
2.3 Logging in to Service Manager 5

.......................................................................................................................................
2.4 Service Manager Main Menu 6

.......................................................................................................................................
2.5 Database Connection Type (Login Mode) 7

.......................................................................................................................................
2.6 Version Information 7

.......................................................................................................................................
2.7 Logging out of Service Manager 8

.......................................................................................................................................
2.8 Exiting Service Manager 8

.......................................................................................................................................
2.9 Minimizing Service Manager 8

.......................................................................................................................................
2.10 Common Functions 8

2.10.1 .............................................................................................................................
Closing Screens 9
2.10.2 .............................................................................................................................
Selecting Dates 9
2.10.3 .............................................................................................................................
Finders 10
2.10.4 .............................................................................................................................
Field Expander 12
............................................................................................................................13
Chapter 3: Functions
....................................................................................................................................... 13
3.1 My Jobs
....................................................................................................................................... 17
3.2 My Equipment
.............................................................................................................................
3.2.1 Equipment Properties 21
.......................................................................................................................................
3.3 Job Details 25

3.3.1 Job .............................................................................................................................


Header Properties 26
3.4 Site.......................................................................................................................................
Details 29

.......................................................................................................................................
3.5 Contact Details 30

....................................................................................................................................... 31
3.6 Notations
....................................................................................................................................... 35
3.7 Signatures
.......................................................................................................................................
3.8 Insert Line 35

.......................................................................................................................................
3.9 Update Status 40

3.10 Job.......................................................................................................................................
Tree 41

.......................................................................................................................................
3.11 Create Job 43

.......................................................................................................................................
3.12 Custom Fields 45

....................................................................................................................................... 45
3.13 Faults
3.13.1 Fault .............................................................................................................................
Finder 46
.......................................................................................................................................
3.14 Tasks and Activities 47

Service Manager for PDA User Guide Copyright 2008 Technisoft Pty Ltd
II Contents

....................................................................................................................................... 55
3.15 Options
.......................................................................................................................................
3.16 Synchronizing Data 58

3.16.1 .............................................................................................................................
Synchronization Steps 59
3.16.2 .............................................................................................................................
Modes of Operation 59
3.16.3 .............................................................................................................................
System Sync 60
3.16.4 .............................................................................................................................
Item Sync 61
3.16.5 .............................................................................................................................
Smart Sync 61
3.16.6 .............................................................................................................................
Stored Actions 63
............................................................................................................................65
Chapter 4: Advanced Topics
.......................................................................................................................................
4.1 Deleting the Database 65

.......................................................................................................................................
4.2 Multicompany Support 65

4.3 PDA.......................................................................................................................................
Reset 65

............................................................................................................................67
Chapter 5: Terminology
Index ................................................................................................................................................69

Service Manager for PDA User Guide Copyright 2008 Technisoft Pty Ltd
Using Service Manager for PDA 1

Chapter 1: Using Service Manager for PDA

This guide explains how to use Service Manager for PDA.


For information on how to install and upgrade Service Manager for PDA, refer to the Service Manager for
PDA Installation Guide.
For information about Service Manager, refer to the Service Manager User Guide.

1.1 System Overview


A complete Service Manager for PDA installation generally consists of the following components:

In most cases Sage Accpac ERP (ACCPAC) with Service Manager and Service Manager for PDA
Service is installed on the same computer.
Note: The Service Manager for PDA client can also run on a Windows PC (typically a notebook computer).
Refer Using Service Manager for PDA on a Windows PC 3 .

1.2 New Features


Tasks can now be added to a Job. When servicing a new piece of Equipment or an existing one that needs
additional work, a new Task may be required. Refer Tasks and Activities Inserting Tasks 47 .
The My Equipment 17 screen allows you to search for Equipment by Serial Number or Equipment Code. If
Equipment matches the search criteria, but is not assigned to a Job, you are able to create a new Job for
that Equipment.
Equipment Location can now be updated. Refer Equipment Properties Location page 24 .
Miscellaneous Equipment 39 can be inserted into a Job. This is useful where Equipment is located on site
that is not in the Site Equipment table.
The following My Jobs 13 search options are now available:
o Time Entry - search for Jobs where the current user has been assigned, with Time Entries for the
current user in the specified date range
o Date Entered - search for Jobs where the current user has been assigned and the Job Date Entered
is in the specified date range
o Expected Start - search for Jobs where the current user has been assigned and the Job Expected
Start Date is in the specified date range.
Smart Sync 61 also uses these options.

Service Manager for PDA User Guide Copyright 2008 Technisoft Pty Ltd
2 Security

1.3 Security
There are currently three basic security features available on the PDA:
Login
Time out
Encryption

Login Security
Login security requires that a valid username and password be authenticated. Usernames and passwords
are set up in a configuration file stored on the PDA Server.
We recommend that access to the PDA Server and associated directories where the PDA Server software is
installed, be limited to administrators only.
It is also recommended that the PDA username be set to a Service Manager Employee Code as doing so
makes it easier to remember usernames.
Timeout Security
Timeout security ensures that if the PDA is accidentally misplaced, lost, or stolen, the PDA will log itself out
based on a specified time frame so that unauthorized access to the company system will not be possible.
Timeout security is set up on each PDA device in the PDA initial "Configuration Wizard" or in Options 55 .
Encryption
The PDA can operate using RSA Encryption. A pass phrase is set up on the PDA Server and on the PDA.
These must match or the PDA Server and PDA will not be able to understand each other. If encryption is
not required, simply leave the pass phrase blank. Technisoft recommends the use of encryption as it
affords another level of security for username and password protection as well as all data transmissions.

1.4 Transaction Log


All PDA transactions that can change the Sage Accpac ERP Company database are stored in an audit table
on the PDA Server and can be accessed by an audit report.
The PDA Transaction Log audit report is available from the Service Manager desktop.


The report is written in HTML and can therefore be printed without the need for a report writer such as
Crystal Reports.
Transactions stored in the audit table include a short description, date and time stamp and user audit stamp.
The report can be used to view and reconcile transactions that have been sent to the PDA Server from a PDA
device.

1.5 PDA Conventions


Tick and flick This is a term used to describe a data entry method for PDA devices. It refers to
the ability to use a pointing device to tap the screen and change or select
information rather than having to type that information in. The Service Manager
for PDA software has been specially designed to use tick and flick functions
wherever possible to speed up data entry.
Tap and hold This is similar to the right-click function of a mouse when using a PC. If a user
taps a record displayed on screen and holds the stylus down, a menu option will
appear. This menu is called the context menu.

Service Manager for PDA User Guide Copyright 2008 Technisoft Pty Ltd
General Operation 3

Chapter 2: General Operation

This section covers the following:


Using Service Manager for PDA on a Windows PC 3
Starting Service Manager 5
Logging in to Service Manager 5
Service Manager Main Menu 6
Connection Type 7
Version Information 7
Logging out of Service Manager 8
Exiting Service Manager 8

2.1 Using Service Manager for PDA on a Windows PC


Even though the Service Manager for PDA client application can run on a PDA or Windows PC, this User
Guide is written with the PDA in mind. Functionality is in fact the same, however there are several user
interface differences to be aware of.
1. On a PDA, the menu bar, toolbar are tabs are located at the bottom of the screen. On a Windows PC,
these appear at the top of the screen.

2. On a PDA, you "tap and hold" to display the context menu 2 . On a Windows PC, you right-click to display
the context menu.

Service Manager for PDA User Guide Copyright 2008 Technisoft Pty Ltd
4 Using Service Manager for PDA on a Windows PC

3. On a Windows PC, you can resize or maximize the screen to view more information with no or minimal
scrolling.

Service Manager for PDA User Guide Copyright 2008 Technisoft Pty Ltd
General Operation 5

2.2 Starting Service Manager


The Service Manager application is started by tapping the
Service Manager icon in Start Programs.
This icon will also activate and display Service Manager if it
has already been started and is currently minimized.

2.3 Logging in to Service Manager


The first screen that is displayed after starting Service
Manager is the Login screen.
Username and Password need to match one of those
specified for the PDA application during PDA Server
configuration. This is covered in further detail in the Service
Manager for PDA Installation Guide Server
Installation PDA Service Configuration users
section topic.
With Login Mode the user can select if the application is
logging in Offline (using the local database) or Online
(using the central Service Manager database). By selecting
Auto, the application will first try to log in online and if not
possible, log in locally (offline).

See Also
Database Connection Type (Login Mode) 7

Logging out of Service Manager 8

Service Manager for PDA User Guide Copyright 2008 Technisoft Pty Ltd
6 Logging in to Service Manager

By selecting File Config, the connection configuration can


be changed. This is covered in further detail in the Service
Manager for PDA Installation Guide PDA Installation
Client Configuration topic.

2.4 Service Manager Main Menu


The Service Manager Main Menu contains icons for activating:
My Jobs 13
Stored Actions 63
Sync Data 58
Insert Line 35
Update Status 40
Options 55
Create Job 43
Equipment 17

The icons are activated by a single tap.


The Service Manager Main Menu also lets you perform the
following:
Control database connection type 7
Display version information 7
Log out 8
Exit application 8

Service Manager for PDA User Guide Copyright 2008 Technisoft Pty Ltd
General Operation 7

2.5 Database Connection Type (Login Mode)


The database connection type (Login Mode 5 ) is controlled using Service Manager Main Menu, File Go
Online and File Go Offline, or tapping the server icon next to the File menu.
The toolbar icon can have these states:

Working online. When working online, all updates are saved directly to the central Service
Manager database.

Tapping this icon will change the connection to Offline.


Working offline. When working offline, all updates are saved to the local database. This requires
data to be synchronized down to the PDA and updates uploaded to the central Service Manager
database. Refer Synchronizing Data 58 .

Tapping this icon will change the connection to Online.

2.6 Version Information


Version information is available by selecting File About on
the Service Manager Main Menu or the Login screen.

Service Manager for PDA User Guide Copyright 2008 Technisoft Pty Ltd
8 Logging out of Service Manager

2.7 Logging out of Service Manager


To return to the Login screen, select File Log Out from the
Service Manager Main Menu.

See Also
Logging in to Service Manager 5

2.8 Exiting Service Manager


To shut down the Service Manager application, tap the Exit icon or select File Exit.

2.9 Minimizing Service Manager


Tap this icon to minimize the application. This will not shut down the application.

2.10 Common Functions


This section covers the following common functions:
Closing Screens 9
Selecting Dates 9
Finders 10
Field Expander 12

Service Manager for PDA User Guide Copyright 2008 Technisoft Pty Ltd
General Operation 9

2.10.1 Closing Screens


Secondary screens can be closed in the following ways.

Tapping the Close icon. The Close icon is used on submenu screens like the Sync
Data screen.

Tapping the OK button located in the top right corner of the screen.

Selecting the File Close menu option.

Depending on the layout of the screen, most screens also have a Close button.

Note: Closing a screen will not save or update information on that screen automatically. Before closing a
screen, use the buttons named Save, Update or Insert to save information on the screen.

2.10.2 Selecting Dates


In screens where dates fields are used, date values can be changed in the following way:
Tapping the down arrow on the date field will display a
calendar where dates can be selected.
Go to the previous and next month by tapping on the browse
buttons in the header of the calendar.
Change month my tapping on the month text.
Change year by tapping on the year.
In the calendar, select today by tapping on the Today line,
or use the N button next to the date field.
The < and > buttons will change the date value to previous
day or next day.

The Date format used on the PDA is set in Start Settings Regional Settings. We recommend that you
use the same Regional Setting for the PDA, and the computer running Service Manager and the PDA Service.

Service Manager for PDA User Guide Copyright 2008 Technisoft Pty Ltd
10 Common Functions

2.10.3 Finders
Finders are used in the application to assist the user in finding records of a particular type, for example,
Equipment, Sites, Locations, Services and Items.

Finders are activated using this button:


Example

Service Manager for PDA User Guide Copyright 2008 Technisoft Pty Ltd
General Operation 11

The Finders share the following common functionality:


Top section used for filtering the list in the lower section. To
enable a filter, tick its check box and fill in the text box.
Tap [Search] to populate the list.
Tap [Clear] to reset the Finder.
Use the left and right browse buttons to navigate to the
previous or next page of listed items.
Highlight the selected item and then tap [Accept] to return
to the previous screen.
Tapping [Close] with an item highlighted is the same as
tapping [Accept]. If no items are highlighted, [Close] will
cancel the current screen.

On some simple Finders, like Job Type and Faults, the top filter section is not available.
Several Finders share the Site filter. When turned on it will be turned on for all Finders.

Service Manager for PDA User Guide Copyright 2008 Technisoft Pty Ltd
12 Common Functions

2.10.4 Field Expander


When a field contains more text than can be displayed, the characters "" are added to the end of the field to
indicate that more text is available. Tapping the text will display a popup window containing the full text.

Tap [OK] to return to the original screen.

Service Manager for PDA User Guide Copyright 2008 Technisoft Pty Ltd
Functions 13

Chapter 3: Functions

This section covers the operational functions of Service Manager for PDA:
My Jobs 13
My Equipment 17
Job Details 25
Site Details 29
Contact Details 30
Notations 31
Signatures 35
Insert Line 35
Update Status 40
Job Tree 41
Create Job 43
Custom Fields 45
Faults 45
Tasks and Activities 47
Options 55
Synchronizing Data 58

3.1 My Jobs

Introduction

The My Jobs and Job Tree 41 screens are two of the most important screens in the application.
The My Jobs screen is used to search for and list Jobs relevant to the current logged in Employee; the Job
Tree screen will show the details of the selected Job.
The My Jobs screen has two tabs - Criteria and Jobs. The search criteria are specified on the Criteria
page; the search results are listed on the Jobs page.

Service Manager for PDA User Guide Copyright 2008 Technisoft Pty Ltd
14 My Jobs

Search Criteria

Specify the search criteria on the Criteria page.


Select the search type:
o Time Entry - search for Jobs where the current user
has been assigned, with Time Entries for the current
user in the specified date range
o Date Entered - search for Jobs where the current user
has been assigned and the Job Date Entered is in the
specified date range
o Expected Start - search for Jobs where the current
user has been assigned and the Job Expected Start
Date is in the specified date range.

Note:
To make use of the Time Entry search, make sure
the Track Response check box is ticked when
creating Jobs and make sure Employees are both
assigned to a Job and have a Time Entry created. In
desktop Service Manager, Company Options
Response tab, tick the Automatically Insert a
Time Entry on Employee Assignment to a Job
check box to automatically create Time Entries when
Employees are assigned to a Job. (Refer to the
Service Manager User Guide: Company Options
Response tab topic.)
If your Company is not using Time Entries,
Document Status codes will generally have to be
used to filter Jobs for the PDA. In this case, use a
special Status code for Jobs ready for use on the
PDA or just use the Active Status code, but make
sure all Jobs are set to Complete when finished.
Jobs created locally on the PDA are always displayed
in the list.

Service Manager for PDA User Guide Copyright 2008 Technisoft Pty Ltd
Functions 15

You can filter the results further by including only Jobs with
particular Document Status codes and/or Job Types.
o Use the Document Status Finder to select the
Document Status code(s) to include as search criteria.
The Default is Active only. If no Document Status
values are selected or the Document Status check
box is cleared, all Document Status codes will be
included as search criteria except for Closed and
Completed.
o Use the Job Types Finder to select the Job Type(s) to
include as search criteria. The Default is all Job Types.

Jobs can be displayed in Normal view or List view. Tick


the Use List View check box to display the Jobs in List
view. The difference is shown in My Jobs list 16 below.
Tap the Go button or select File Go to populate the Job
list.

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16 My Jobs

My Jobs list

The search results are shown on the Jobs page. Jobs will be displayed in either Normal view or List view.
Normal view List view

Note: Tap the Criteria tab to change the search criteria and run a different search.

Columns

The My Jobs list (Normal view) has the following columns:


N: Indicates the status of the line: * (star) for new records and N for Jobs created locally. You must
acknowledge receipt of a Job before processing it. To do this, use the context menu and select
Received. Alternatively, tap [Received]. The star will be removed.
Date: The start date for Jobs listed based on Time Entries.
Time: The start time for Jobs listed based on Time Entries. (If these two fields are empty it indicates
the Job was selected by Status code.)
Status: The Status of the Job.
Priority: The Priority of the Job.
Job Number: The Job Number.
Description: The Job Description.
Site: The Site code for the Job.
Site Name: The Site Name for the Job.

The size of the columns can be changed by dragging the column divider with the stylus.
The list can be sorted by tapping the column headers.
By going into Service Manager Main Menu, Options My Jobs 56 , the user can control which columns to
display.

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Functions 17

File menu shortcuts

On the File menu there are shortcuts to:


Go Online 7
Go Offline 7
Open Stored Actions 63 screen
Open Smart Sync 61 Screen
View My Equipment 17

Context menu and toolbar

By highlighting a Job and using the context menu or the toolbar, it is possible to drill into the Job.

Job Details: Displays the Job Details 25 screen.

Site Info: Displays the Site Details 29 screen.

Contact Info: Displays the Contact Details 30 screen.

Notations: Displays the Notations 31 screen.

Signature: Displays the Signature 31 capture screen.

Insert Line: Displays the Insert Line 35 screen.

Update Status: Displays the Update Status 40 screen.

Job Tree: Displays the Job Tree 41 screen.

3.2 My Equipment
The My Equipment screen allows you to search for Equipment by Serial Number or Equipment Code. When
offline, the local database will be searched. When online, the central Service Manager database will be
searched.

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18 My Equipment

The example below demonstrates a Serial Number Search.

All Jobs that contain "1234" in the Equipment Serial Number will be listed.

Note: If Equipment matches the search criteria, but is not assigned to a Job, a message will be displayed.

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Functions 19

Tap [Yes] to create a Job for that Equipment. Refer Create Job 43 . (If multiple Equipment matches the
search criteria and all of that Equipment is not assigned to a Job, if you create a Job, it will be for the first
Equipment that met the search criteria.)

My Equipment context menu

By highlighting a Job and using the context menu, it is possible to drill into the Job, maintain Equipment
information (in particular, Equipment Location), maintain Notations and Site Contact Information.

Open Job

Displays the selected Job on the Job Tree 41 .

Open Job Partially

Displays the selected Job on the Job Tree 41 , however only the portion of the Job Tree that contains the

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20 My Equipment

selected Equipment is displayed.

Note: To display the entire Job, you must select Open Job rather than Open Job Partially from the
My Equipment screen.
See Also
Job Tree 41

Equipment Info

Displays the Equipment Properties 21 screen.

Notation

Displays the Notations 31 screen.

Contact Info

Displays the Job Header Properties 26 screen.

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Functions 21

3.2.1 Equipment Properties


The Equipment screen is displayed when you select Properties on an Equipment line from the Job Tree 41
or when you select Equipment Info from the My Equipment 17 screen.

The Equipment screen has three pages:


General 22
Problem 23
Location 24

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22 My Equipment

General page

The Equipment Code, Model Code, Description and


Serial Number will be displayed. Warranty information,
if applicable, will also be displayed. Red warranty text
indicates that the Equipment is out of warranty.
Tap [Custom] to view and update Custom Fields for the
selected Equipment.

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Functions 23

Problem page

This page shows the reported Problem and Symptom for


the Equipment. To update the information on this page,
you must select the relevant Equipment line on the Job
Tree 41 and then select Edit from the context menu.
Refer Insert Line Problem page 40 for information
about entering Problem details.
After the line has been inserted, the Fault button takes
you to the Fault 45 screen used for registering Symptoms,
Faults and Solutions.

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24 My Equipment

Location page

This page shows the Equipment Location. Change the


Location details if required and then tap [Update].

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3.3 Job Details


The Job Details screen will show the details of the Job.
Tap [Close] to return to My Jobs.

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26 Job Details

3.3.1 Job Header Properties


The Header screen is displayed when you select Properties on a Job Header line from the Job Tree 41 or
when you select Contact Info from the My Equipment 17 screen.

The Header screen has three pages:


Profile 22
Site 23
Bill To 24

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Profile page

This page shows Site, primary Contact and Job Type,


Description and Reference information.

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28 Job Details

Site page

This page shows the Site address.

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Bill To page

This page shows the Customer Bill To name and address.

3.4 Site Details


The Site Details screen will show the details of the Site that the Job is for.
Tap [Custom] to display Custom Fields for the Site.
Tap [Close] to return to My Jobs.

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30 Site Details

3.5 Contact Details


The Contact Details screen will show the details of the primary Site contact. Tap [Other] to list all the Site
contacts.
When using a PDA with phone, tap the relevant Phone icon on the Contact Details screen to call the contact
without typing the phone number.

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Functions 31

3.6 Notations
The Notations and Signature screens can be accessed from the My Jobs 13 and Job Tree 41 screens. If
Notations or Signature are inserted from My Jobs, they will be inserted at the Job header level. From the Job
Tree 41 , they can be inserted on any line.
If Notations already exist, the Notations list is displayed. With this list it is possible to either select and edit
an existing Notation or create a new one.

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32 Notations

When inserting a Notation for the first time, a blank Notation edit screen is displayed.

Type the required Notation and/or use the Favorites functionality to create the Notation.

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Functions 33

Using Favorites

Favorites are stored text entries used to simplify insertion of standard words or phrases into a Notation.
Favorites are maintained in Service Manager Main Menu, Options Favorites 57 . An example of a
Favorite list is shown below.

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34 Notations

To insert a Favorite text entry into the Notation, tap [Favorites] and then select the required Favorite text
entry. (You can do the same thing using the context menu.)

You can also add text to the Favorites list from the Notation screen. To do this, type the Notation text,
highlight it and then tap [Favorites]. Select Add to Favorites.

Common text can also be synchronized to all PDAs by the system administrator.

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3.7 Signatures
Signatures are typically used when the customer signs off on a completed Job. A Signature is a specialized
Notation with the signature attached as a picture file. Activating Signature will always bring up a blank
Signature screen, but after it has been saved it will appear as a Notation.
The stylus is used to sign in the Please sign here frame.
The name of the person signing should be written in the
Name field, alternatively selected with the Site Contact
Finder.
After Name has been filled out, the Comment section will
get predefined text that the person signing can update. This
predefined text can be set in Service Manager Main Menu,
Options Favorites 56 .

The name of the selected Site Contact and the current date is
added automatically to the end of the Comment section.
Tap [Save] to save the Signature.

3.8 Insert Line


The Insert Line screen is a feature rich screen activated from the Service Manager Main Menu 6 , My Jobs
13 screen or the Job Tree 41 . It handles insertion of new Standard Service, Labor Service, Item and
Equipment (including Miscellaneous Equipment) lines. It is also used for editing these types of line from the
Job Tree.
See Also
Service Manager Main Menu 6

My Jobs Insert Line 17

Job Tree Inserting Lines 42

Tasks and Activities Inserting Tasks 47

Job, Phase and Equipment

The parent Job, Phase and optional Equipment line are selected on the Job page.
Note: When Insert Line is activated from the Job Tree, the fields on the Job page are prepopulated and
the Line page is automatically selected.

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36 Insert Line

In the Job field, type the Job Number or use the Finder to
select the Job from a list.
In the Phase field it is possible to select the First or Last
Phase as a shortcut to bypass specifying the exact Phase.
Use the Select option to specify the exact Phase, which is
populated in the following list box.
In the Equipment field, select the Equipment assigned to
the selected Phase, if relevant. It is not possible to select
an Equipment if First or Last has been selected in the Phase
field.
Equipment can also be selected from the list of Serial
Numbers in the Serial field.
If Equipment has been selected, the Equipment
Description and Warranty information, if applicable, will
be displayed. Red warranty text indicates that the
Equipment is out of warranty.

Tap the Line tab to insert lines.

Line

Details about the line to insert are entered on the Line page. When inserting from the Job Tree, the Line
page is automatically selected.
The fields that are displayed on this screen change depending on the Line Type entered.

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Functions 37

Select the Line Type in the first field. This field is


populated when inserting from the Job Tree. Available
options are:
o Standard Service line
o Labor Service line
o Item line
o Equipment line
o Miscellaneous Equipment line
In the Line field, enter the line code or use the Finder to
look up the line code.

Standard Service Line

The Description field will be populated with default


description text, but can be modified.
Use the Quantity field to enter the line quantity
If Estimates are enabled (Options General Use
Estimates 56 ), the Estimate field will be available. The
minus and plus buttons can be used to decrease and
increase the Quantity or Estimate values. The outer
buttons change the value by 15, the inner by 1.
Tick the Cost Only check box to mark a line as cost
only.
The Unit field will display the default unit used for the
selected Line Type.

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38 Insert Line

Labor Service Line

The Description field will be populated with default


description text, but can be modified.
Labor is a time based Service requiring Start and
Finish Dates and Times.
Initially the Date and Time fields are populated with
current date and time.
By using the minus and plus buttons, the values can be
updated quickly. Inner buttons update with one day or
one minute, the outer with 15 days or 15 minutes.
The difference between Start Date and Time, and Finish
Date and Time makes the Duration, which is shown in
minutes.
Tick the Cost Only check box to mark a line as cost
only.
The Unit field will display the default unit used for the
selected Line Type.

Item Line

The Description field will be populated with default


description text, but can be modified.
Use the Location field to select the location of the
Item.
Use the Quantity field to enter the line quantity
If Estimates are enabled (Options General Use
Estimates 56 ), the Estimate field will be available. The
minus and plus buttons can be used to decrease and
increase the Quantity or Estimate values. The outer
buttons change the value by 15, the inner by 1.
Tick the Cost Only check box to mark a line as cost
only.
The Unit field will display the default unit used for the
selected Line Type.
Stock information for the selected Item will be
displayed. This information is maintained even while
Offline.

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Functions 39

Equipment Line

Description and Warranty information are displayed.


Red warranty text indicates that the Equipment is out of
warranty.
Note:
When inserting Equipment lines, the Equipment
selection on the Job page is not relevant and is
removed.
Tap [Custom] to view and update Custom Fields for
the selected Equipment.

To report/record a problem with the Equipment, tap the


Problem tab. Refer Problem page 40 .

Miscellaneous Equipment Line

The Problem page is automatically activated.


This screen shows that there is no information on the Line
page.
Note:
When inserting Miscellaneous Equipment lines, the
Equipment selection on the Job page is not relevant
and is removed.

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40 Insert Line

The Problem page is only used for Equipment and Miscellaneous Equipment lines. For the other Line
Types, tap [Insert] to insert the line.

Problem page

The Problem page contains fields only relevant for describing problems for Equipment, including
Miscellaneous Equipment.
Use the Reported Problem field to describe the problem.
The same Favorite text functionality as used for Notations
is available in this field. Refer Notations Using Favorites
33 .
Enter or select Reported Symptom.
The line below Reported Symptom will show the
description of the selected Symptom.
Enter a date and time for Response Time Required, if
relevant.
Tap [Insert] to insert the line.
After the line has been inserted, the Fault button takes
you to the Fault 45 screen used for registering Symptoms,
Faults and Solutions.

3.9 Update Status


The Update Status screen can be used to update the Status and Priority of a Job. It can be activated from
the Service Manager Main Menu 6 or from the My Jobs 13 or Job Tree 41 screens. If used from the My
Jobs or Job Tree screens, the Job Number, Status and Priority fields will be pre-populated.

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Functions 41

Enter the Job Number in the Job field, or use the Job Finder.
Use the Load button to load the current Status and Priority.
(Not required if using the Job Finder.)
Update the Status and/or Priority fields as needed
Save changes by tapping [Save].

3.10 Job Tree


The Job Tree screen is similar to the desktop Service Manager Document Entry Job Tree screen, but
simpler in functionality. (Refer to the Service Manager User Guide: Document Entry topic). The Job Tree
displays the structure of the Job in a tree form with lines representing Phases, Billing, Equipment, Service and
Item charges, etc. This screen is only accessible through the My Jobs 13 screen.

Context menu and toolbar

Use the context menu or the toolbar icons to select the operations relevant to the highlighted line. Note:
Not all available functions have toolbar icons.

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42 Job Tree

Refresh: Reloads the tree structure of the Job. Also


available from the File Refresh menu item.

Notations 31 : Insert or edit a Notation for the selected


line. The same red pin is used in the tree structure to indicate
that a line has a Notation.

Signature 31 : Insert a Signature type Notation on the


selected line.

Properties: Displays a read only page with detailed


information for the selected line. On a Task Billing line, this
option is replaced with the Task Properties 50 option.
On the property page for an Equipment line, the
corresponding Custom Fields 45 values can be accessed and
the Equipment Location can be updated. Refer Equipment
Properties 21 .
Update Status 40 : Displays the Update Status screen.

Edit: Edit the selected line.


Delete: Delete the selected line.

Faults 45 : Enables fault registrations for the selected


Equipment line to be inserted or updated.

Task Properties 47 : Enables updating of Task and


Activity information on Task type Billing lines.

Inserting Lines

Inserting lines from the Job Tree can be performed using fewer steps than inserting lines using the Insert
Line 35 screen from My Jobs 17 or the Service Manager Main Menu 6 .
Note:
If you need to insert a line below a specific Billing line, this can only be done from the Job Tree
screen.
Billing lines cannot be inserted directly into the Job Tree, but will be created automatically when
needed.

To insert lines, use the Insert submenu on the context menu or corresponding toolbar buttons. Insert is
disabled if Insert Line is not possible at a selected line.
Refer Insert Line 35 for further information about inserting Lines.
Shortcut keys on the toolbar for inserting lines are:

Insert Standard Service line

Insert Labor Service line

Insert Item line

Insert Equipment line


Insert Miscellaneous Equipment and Insert Task are only available from the context menu.

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Functions 43

Refer Tasks and Activities 47 for further information about inserting Tasks.

3.11 Create Job


Use the Create Job screen to create a new Job from the PDA.
Note: It is not possible to create Phases manually on the PDA. It is a requirement that the Job Type selected
has Phases defined. It is also a requirement to run System Sync 60 before creating Jobs offline.

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44 Create Job

Enter the Site code or use the Finder to set the Site field.
This is a required field.
Enter the Job Type code or use the Finder to set the Job
Type field. This is a required field. By default it is set to the
default Job Type defined in desktop Service Manager,
Company Options. (Refer to the Service Manager User
Guide: Company Options topic.)
Enter the Job Description code or use the Finder to set the
Job Description field.
The text box below the Description field will be populated
with the standard description, which can be modified.
Enter the Job Reference in the Ref field if needed.
Update the Entered date and time as required. This will
default to current date and time.
Update the Shipping date as required. This will default to
the current date.
Tick the Auto Assign Me To The Job check box to assign
the current PDA user to the new Job. It is ticked by default.
Tap the Notation tab to create a Job Header Notation. Refer
Notations 31 .

When a Site is selected in the Site Finder or when tapping [Create Job], the Site warning message, if one
exists, will be displayed for the selected Site.
The new Job is displayed in the Job Tree and the normal Line
insert functionality has to be used to complete creation.
A Job created Offline will be given a temporary Job Number.
This number will be replaced with a proper number when the
Job is uploaded to Service Manager.

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Functions 45

3.12 Custom Fields


Custom Fields are available for Site and Equipment.
For Sites, Custom Fields can be accessed when using My Jobs and the Site Info screen by tapping
[Custom].
For Equipment, Custom Fields can be accessed from the Job Tree 41 screen and Equipment Properties 21
page, or from the Insert Line 35 screen when inserting Equipment.
It is only possible to update values for existing Custom Fields assigned to Sites and Equipment. i.e., it is not
possible to add new Custom Fields or change the Custom Field types.
Select the Custom Field you want to change by tapping a line
in the list.
Update the value for the selected line in the field below the
list.
For Text fields with predefined values, use the Finder button
or activate the context menu to display a menu of possible
values.
Tap [Update] to store the changed value.

3.13 Faults
For Equipment lines, it is possible to register Symptom/Fault/Solution combinations.
Fault registrations are available from the Insert Line 35 screen when inserting or editing an Equipment Line
or from the Job Tree 41 when highlighting Equipment and using the Fault shortcut icon on the toolbar or the
Faults option on the context menu.

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46 Faults

Enter or select from the Finder 46 , values for Symptom,


Fault and Solution. Fault is the only required field.
Insert Duration amount and type, if relevant.
Tap [Insert] to store the new registration.
To view the details or delete an existing registration, select it
in the list and for a delete, tap [Delete].
Tap [New] to reset the screen for a new insert.

3.13.1 Fault Finder


The following screen shows the specialized Finder for Symptoms, Faults and Solutions.
Initially the Finder will display only the entries having a
relationship with the Model of the selected Equipment.
When selecting All, all entries are displayed.
Tapping [Add] will display a simple screen where it is
possible to create a new Symptom, Fault or Solution.
Select an entry from the list and then tap [Accept] to return
to the Fault Registration screen.

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Functions 47

3.14 Tasks and Activities


Tasks are used to define work requirements. There are two types of Task:
Site Tasks are related to general site activities, e.g., cleaning of areas, building inspections,
management assessment, security or surveillance issues, environmental tests, cabling systems, light
globe replacement, rubbish collection, etc. Site Tasks do not relate to specific Equipment.
Equipment Tasks relate specifically to Equipment records. It is not possible to apply a Site Task to an
Equipment record and vice versa.

A number of Activities may be attached to a Task. General workflow would be to complete each Activity and
once all Activities are Complete, Complete the Task.
Refer to the Service Manager User Guide: Tasks topic for further information about Tasks and Activities.

Inserting Tasks

Tasks are maintained on a Job using the Job Tree 42 screen.


A Site Task is inserted on a Phase line. An Equipment Task is inserted on an
Equipment line.

Select Task from the context menu. The Insert Task screen will be displayed.

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48 Tasks and Activities

Use the Task Finder to select the required Task.

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Functions 49

Tap [Create].

Tap OK. The Edit Task screen will be displayed.

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50 Tasks and Activities

The Edit Task screen has the following pages:


Activity (if the selected Task has Activities)
Profile
Assign
Notation (if the selected Task has a Notation)
Safety (Safety & Skills)

These are explained further in the Maintaining Tasks 50 topic below.


Tap OK to return to the Job Tree.
A Task is shown in the Job Tree with the following icons:

The Task has not been Completed.

Completed Task.

Maintaining Tasks

To edit a Task, select the Task in the Job Tree and then
select Task Properties from the context menu.
The Edit Task screen will be displayed.

The following pages are used for updating Task and Activity information.

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Functions 51

Note: Tap [Update] after you have updated information on all the pages. There is no need to tap
[Update] on each page.

Activity page

This page is used for updating Activity information. It is


only displayed if the Task has Activities.
Tap on the Activity in the list and update the value in the
fields below the list.
As soon as the Activity value has been updated, the
Activity will be marked completed in the list.
Activities can also be marked completed by ticking the
relevant check box in the list directly.
All changes are saved when you tap [Update].
If an Activity has a Notation attached, the [Notation]
button becomes available and can be used to view the
Notation.

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52 Tasks and Activities

Profile page

Use the Description field to update the Description of the


Billing line.
The Maint. Task field indicates if a task is created
manually or by using the optional desktop Service
Manager Advanced Maintenance Add-On. (Refer to
the Service Manager User Guide: Advanced
Maintenance Add-On topic.)
The Task Code field show the Task used on this Billing
Line.
The Priority field can be set to Low, Medium or High.
Set the Task Status field as required. If set to Complete,
then the following fields will be available: Completion
State, Date and Time.

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Assign page

The Estimated Task Duration will be displayed. Update


the Actual Task Duration.
Displays the Task Discipline and Maintenance Level.
Indicates if a Shutdown is required and if so, the
Estimated Shutdown Duration will be displayed.
Update the Actual Shutdown Duration.
For Duration fields, the first value is hours; the next is
minutes.

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54 Tasks and Activities

Notation page

The Notation page is used for displaying internal Notation


text and objects for the current Task.

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Safety/Skills page

The Safety page is used for displaying Safety and Skill


information for the current Task.

3.15 Options
From the Service Manager Main Menu 6 , it is possible to set system options by using the Options screen.

General page

This page contains general settings.

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56 Options

The Login Timeout is set during configuration of the PDA


and can be updated on this page.
The Passphrase is set during configuration and can be
updated on this page. The phrase must match the
passphrase on the Server and is used for encrypting the
communication between PDA and the Server.
The Prompt Before Call option indicates if a tap on a
Phone icon next to a phone field should start the phone
call immediately or after a message box is displayed.
Refer Contact Details 30 .
The Use Estimate check box is used to control display of
the Estimate field when inserting Service and Item lines.
Refer Insert Line 35 .

My Jobs page

This page allows you to select which columns to display in the My Jobs list.
Note: Unlike desktop Service Manager, the order of the columns cannot be changed.

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Defaults page

With this page it is possible to set several default values used when inserting Service and Item lines.
Use the Location field to set the default Location used for
inserting new Item lines.
The Line Type field is used to set the default Line Type for
a line created using the Insert Line 35 screen. It is not
used for lines inserted via the Job Tree.
In the fields Standard, Labor and Item, a default code
can be set for each Line Type.
The Duration field is used for setting the default duration
for time based services like Labor.
The Quantity field is used for setting the default quantity
for non time based Services and for Item lines.

Favorites page

With this page it is possible to edit the user defined Favorite entries. The common entries defined
centrally by the system administrator cannot be changed.

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58 Options

To edit a Favorite:
o Select the item in the top list
o Edit the text in the lower text box
o Tap [Update] to save the changed Favorite.
To add a Favorite:
o Tap [New] to clear the text box for the new entry
o Enter the text in the lower text box
o Tap [Add] to add the text as a new Favorite.
To delete a Favorite:
o Select the item in the top list
o Tap [Delete] to delete the Favorite.
To mark a Favorite as a template (i.e., predefined text)
for the text part of a Signature 35 :
o Select the item in the top list
o Tap [Signature].
If not specified, a default template is used.
Note: The name of the selected Site Contact and the
current date is added automatically to the Notation text.
See Also
Notations Using Favorites 33

3.16 Synchronizing Data


The Service Manager for PDA application can be used both Online using the Service Manager Sage Accpac
ERP database, or Offline using the local database. The functionality is the same for Online and Offline modes.
To be able to work Offline, synchronization has to be performed.
To use the Offline features of the application successfully, it is important to establish procedures for how and
when data is synchronized.
All synchronization commands, except Stored Actions, are accessed using the Sync Data submenu on the
Service Manager Main Menu 6 . This submenu is only available when working Online. Stored Actions is
available from the Service Manager Main Menu 6 and can be accessed while working Offline.

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Functions 59

3.16.1 Synchronization Steps

Downloading data to the PDA

1. Go Online (Connect to central Service Manager database.)


2. Perform System Sync (Only required the first time and when system settings have changed.)
3. Perform Item Sync if local Item stock information is required.
4. Perform Smart Sync (Required to get new Jobs.)
5. Go Offline (Use the application against the local database.)

Now the application is ready for offline use. All local changes are saved locally as Stored Actions.

Uploading data to Service Manager

1. Go Online
2. Use Stored Actions to upload data
3. Use Smart Sync to download updated or new data. (This is a very important step. Otherwise the local
data will not be updated with the previous changes made locally.)
4. Go Offline.

Also include System Sync and Item Sync as required.

3.16.2 Modes of Operation


The steps required for synchronization of data gives the following usage scenarios:
Always Online
Only use the application in Online mode. This option avoids the requirement of performing synchronization,
but will make the application unusable when connection is lost.

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60 Synchronizing Data

Always Offline
Only use the application in Offline mode. Online mode is only used for synchronizing data which is
performed regularly. (e.g., download data in the morning and upload data in the afternoon.)
Normally Online Offline when needed
With this mode it is important to be aware of the following:
Before going Offline, data has to be downloaded to the PDA as described above. Often connection is lost
before this is done.
When back Online again, you must remember to use Stored Actions to upload the changed data.

Note: Changes done while Online are not reflected in the local database unless a synchronization has been
performed.

3.16.3 System Sync


System Sync has to be performed the first time data is synchronized to the PDA and when system
information has changed.
Tick the check boxes of items to synchronize. The default is
All (all the check boxes will be ticked). If a check box is
cleared, existing local data is retained.
Tap [Sync] to start the synchronization process.

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Functions 61

3.16.4 Item Sync


Item Sync is used for downloading Items and stock information to the PDA.
Enter the Location code or use the Location Finder to select
the Location.
In the Status field select Active Only or All, as required.
In the Clear field, select Leave Others or Clear Others, as
required. Clear Others will delete Item and stock information
for all Locations before downloading data for the selected
Location.
Include Non Stock Items will include items not kept under
stock control.
Tap [Sync] to start the download of Item and stock
information for the selected Location.

3.16.5 Smart Sync


Smart Sync is the most important synchronization screen and has to be used regularly to keep the local Job
information up to date. System Sync 60 and Item Sync 61 download more statistical lookup information like
details about a Service code, while Smart Sync will download relevant Job information for the current PDA
user.
Equipment and Model information, which can contain many records and can be seen as statistical information,
has been included in Smart Sync for performance reasons. Instead of downloading all this information, only
Equipment and Model records relevant for the selected Jobs are downloaded.
With Smart Sync it is possible to download the following:
Time Entries for selected date range and Employee
Documents (Jobs) for selected Time Entries or having selected Status codes
Sites for selected Jobs
Contacts for selected Sites
Equipment for selected Jobs
Models for selected Equipment
Document Notations for selected Documents
Custom Fields for selected Equipment and Sites
Symptom Fault Solution associations for selected Models
Customer Equipment, which includes all Equipment for all Sites belonging to the Customers for the
selected Jobs.

All these options except Customer Equipment are turned on by default. Normally there is no need to clear
the default items. However if this is done, the above logic for data extraction is performed, but data for
cleared items are not reloaded and existing data are kept.
The Smart Sync screen has two pages: Criteria and Include.

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62 Synchronizing Data

Step 1 - Select the items to download

On the Include page, you must select the record types to


download.

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Functions 63

Step 2 - Select the download criteria

Data is downloaded for the specified Employee. Enter or


use the Employee Finder to select the Employee.
The other selection criteria is the same as that on the My
Jobs 13 screen.
Tap [Sync] to start a full download. This option will
delete all existing records first, and then download all
relevant records again.
Tap [ReSync] to start an update download. This option
will for Equipment and Models only, download changed
and new records since the last download.

3.16.6 Stored Actions


When working Offline, all changes are saved to Stored Actions. To "visualize" the changes made Offline,
temporary updates to local data are also done. Be aware that Smart Sync 61 has to be performed after
submitting Stored Actions to have local information updated properly with the latest changes.
If using Job Tree 41 to update a line that has been inserted or updated Offline, the Stored Action will be
updated.
It is important to upload Stored Actions before using Smart Sync 61 or System Sync 60 . A message will be
displayed to warn about this when the Sync Data submenu is displayed.
The Stored Actions screen can be accessed from the Service Manager Main Menu 6 and from File
Stored Actions on the My Jobs 13 screen. The Stored Actions screen has the following functionality:

Service Manager for PDA User Guide Copyright 2008 Technisoft Pty Ltd
64 Synchronizing Data

Actions performed while Offline are listed chronologically in a


selectable list.
When Online, tap [Submit All] to upload all changes to the
central Service Manager database.
By highlighting one action when Online and then tapping
[Submit], individual lines can be uploaded. This option has
to be used with caution since changes can be chained and
have to be uploaded in the correct order.
By highlighting an action and then tapping [Delete], a Stored
Action can be deleted before it is uploaded.
By highlighting an action and then tapping [Edit], a stored
action can be updated before it is uploaded. This can also be
achieved by editing the corresponding line in the Job Tree 41 .

Service Manager for PDA User Guide Copyright 2008 Technisoft Pty Ltd
Advanced Topics 65

Chapter 4: Advanced Topics

This section covers the following topics:


Deleting the Database 65
Multi company Support 65
PDA Reset 65

4.1 Deleting the Database


When upgrading the PDA application, upgrading to a new version of Service Manager, or if the local database
becomes corrupt, it is a requirement to recreate the database.
This can be done by deleting the file:
\Program Files\Technisoft\Service Manager R3\VMPDA.SDF
A new empty database will be created and the initial configuration has to be redone.

4.2 Multicompany Support


The application does not have functionality for supporting more that one Company, however by renaming the
database, support for more than one company can be achieved.

4.3 PDA Reset


If experiencing serious problems with the PDA or with Service Manager, a soft reset might be required.
Consult the User Guide for your device, but it is normally performed by using the stylus on a reset switch on
the back of the device. This is like rebooting a PC.
Make sure a hard reset is not performed since it will wipe out the device and all applications have to be
reinstalled.

Service Manager for PDA User Guide Copyright 2008 Technisoft Pty Ltd
Terminology 67

Chapter 5: Terminology

Bluetooth Mobile Wireless Networking Technology


A short range, wireless networking technology allowing personal devices such as
a PDA, computer, printer or cell phone to exchange data. Bluetooth data
exchange is generally only expected to work within all devices in the same room
(up to 10 meters). A Bluetooth capable PDA, such as the Palm Tungsten T, can
use a Bluetooth enabled cell phone to access the Internet for email
reception/transmission and web surfing. In addition, the Bluetooth capable PDA
would be able to send a document to a Bluetooth capable printer or synchronize
(backup) data with a Bluetooth capable PC. Wireless Ethernet is one alternative
to Bluetooth. It requires more battery power and has a greater range.

CDMA Code Division Multiple Access is the generic name for the mobile phone
system that is based on this technique.
Code division multiple access is a form of multiple access in which all
transmitters operate on the same frequency at the same time, and are separated
by the use of different spreading codes.

DNS Domain Name System


DNS was created to provide a way to translate domain names to their
corresponding IP addresses.

DSN Data Source Name


Data Source Name provides connectivity to a database through an ODBC driver.
The DSN contains database name, directory, database driver, UserID, password,
and other information. Once you create a DSN for a particular database, you can
use the DSN in an application to call information from the database.

GPRS General Packet Radio Service


Provides high speed data services over cellular networks. GPRS requires a GSM
67 network and subscription. If you want to quickly send and receive email or
surf the web from your PDA, you should consider using a device and service that
supports GPRS. GPRS supports data transfer speeds of 56 to 114 Kbps.

IP Internet Protocol

IP Address Computers on the Internet need to find one another to communicate. Each
computer therefore has a unique identifying number known as an IP address.

GSM Global System for Mobile Communication


A global digital wireless communications standard initially deployed heavily in
Europe. GSM is gaining popularity in the USA and has been deployed in other
countries outside of Europe.
GSM Services include GPRS 67 and SMS.

PDA Personal Digital Assistant


A small, portable and typically handheld electronic device used to manage
information in a mobile environment.
PDAs are typically much smaller and weigh less than a laptop. Many will fit in a
shirt pocket.

Passphrase This value is used to generate an RSA encryption key used to encrypt the
connection to the server.
This value must match the Passphrase used by the server or the PDA and the
server will not be able to understand one another.

USB Universal Serial Bus

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68

USB is a plug-and-play interface between a computer and add-on devices. With


USB, a new device can be added to your computer without having to add an
adapter card or even turn it off. This will replace the conventional connecting
systems like the parallel and serial data interface, or also the special connectors
for keyboard and bus mouse in the medium term.

802.11b WiFi, IEEE 802.11b


A short range (100 to 300 feet) wireless networking protocol used in PDAs to
access fixed (non-mobile) computers and networks. Unlike Bluetooth, wireless
Ethernet is designed to connect a mobile device to an existing computer network
of non-mobile devices.
Wireless Ethernet has a larger range than Bluetooth, uses more battery power
and cannot be used to control a cell-phone.

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Index 69

Index Item lines


Default values 57
Inserting 38
-A- Item Sync 61
Audit Report 2
-J-
-C- Job Details screen 25
Calling Contacts Using the Phone Icon 30 Job Header Properties 26
Closing Screens 9 Job Priority 40
Contact Details screen 30 Job Status 40
Context menu 2 Job Tree screen 41
Create Jobs screen 43
-L-
Custom Fields screen 45
Labor Service lines
Customer Bill To Name and Address 29
Inserting 38
Customer Site Address 28
Location
-D- Updating Equipment Location 24
Data Synchronization 58 Logging in to Service Manager for PDA 5
Database connection type 7 Logging out from Service Manager for PDA 8
Dates Login mode 7
Selecting in Service Manager for PDA 9 Login screen 5
Default values
-M-
Item and Service lines 57
Maintaining Tasks 50
Deleting the PDA Database 65
Maximizing Service Manager for PDA 5
-E- Minimizing Service Manager for PDA 8
Equipment Miscellaneous Equipment lines
Inserting Equipment lines 39 Inserting 39
Inserting Miscellaneous Equipment lines 39 Multicompany support 65
Properties 21 My Equipment screen 17
Reporting a problem with Equipment 23, 40 My Jobs list 16
Updating Equipment Location 24 Selecting display columns 56
Estimates My Jobs screen 13
Using 56
-N-
Exiting Service Manager for PDA 8
Notations 31
-F-
-O-
Fault Finder 46
Options screen 55
Faults screen 45
Favorites 57 -P-
Field Expander 12
PDA Operational Conventions 2
Finders 10, 46
PDA Security 2
-H- Phone Icon 30
Problem
Header Properties 26
Reporting a problem with Equipment 23, 40
-I-
-R-
Insert Line screen 35
Receipting Jobs 16
Inserting
Resetting the PDA 65
Equipment lines 39
Item lines 38 -S-
Labor Service lines 38
Safety information 55
Miscellaneous Equipment lines 39
Searching for Equipment 17
Standard Service lines 37
Searching for Jobs 13
Tasks 47
Selecting Dates 9

Service Manager for PDA User Guide Copyright 2008 Technisoft Pty Ltd
70 Index

Service lines
Default values 57
Inserting Labor Service lines 38
Inserting Standard Service lines 37
Service Manager for PDA
What's New? 1
Service Manager for PDA application icon 5
Service Manager for PDA Main Menu 6
Service Manager for PDA Security
Encryption 2
Login 2
Timeout 2
Signatures 35
Site Address 28
Site Details screen 29
Skills information 55
Smart Sync 61
Standard Service lines
Inserting 37
Starting Service Manager for PDA 5
Stored Actions 63
Synchronization Modes 59
Synchronization Steps 59
System Overview 1
System Sync 60

-T-
Tap and hold 2
Tasks
Inserting 47
Maintaining 50
Tasks and Activities 47
Terminology 67
Tick and flick 2
Transaction Log 2

-U-
Update Status screen 40
Using Service Manager for PDA on a Windows PC 3

-V-
Version information 7

-W-
What's New in Service Manager for PDA? 1
Working offline 7
Working online 7

Service Manager for PDA User Guide Copyright 2008 Technisoft Pty Ltd
Notes

Service Manager for PDA User Guide Copyright 2008 Technisoft Pty Ltd

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