MP7 Service

Masterpack
INTEGRATED BUSINESS SOLUTIONS
Service Module
On-Line Training Course

Release 7.3
24/03/2009 MASTERPACK SERVICE TRAINING (06/99) 1

MASTERPACK ACCOUNTING AND DISTRIBUTION SOFTWARE SYSTEM
© Copyright Masterpack Systems Pty Limited.
MASTERPACK ON-LINE TRAINING RELEASE 7.3
© Copyright MP Tech, Inc. dba Masterpack.
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MPK-013 (1194)

TABLE OF CONTENTS
SECTION 1: INTRODUCTION
Getting Around The Course Manual

ABOUT THE MASTERPACK TRAINING MANUAL
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE TRAINING COURSE
HOW TO USE THIS DOCUMENT
company profile
MODEL SERVICE COMPANY
YOUR COMPANY SET UP

2 SERVICE MODULE SET UP
3 CASE STUDIES
SECTION 2: SERVICE MODULE SET UP

SERVICE ACCOUNTING CONTROL SET UP
SERVICE CALL CONTROL REFERENCE FILES SET UP
SERVICE COMPANY CONTROL SET UP
SERVICE PROBLEM ANALYSIS REFERENCE FILES SET UP
SERVICE RESOURCE REFERENCE FILES SET UP
SERVICE CONTRACT REFERENCE FILES SET UP
SERVICE COMPANY TAKE-ON
SERVICE MONITOR AND ANALYSIS SET UP
SECTION 3: CASE STUDIES

DEFINE A SERVICEABLE ITEM
DEFINE A SERVICE COMPONENT
DEFINE A CUSTOMER SITE
DEFINE AN EQUIPMENT LOCATION
PROCESS A CHARGEABLE SERVICE CALL
SELL A SERVICE CONTRACT
PROCESS A CONTRACT SERVICE CALL
DEFINE SERVICE ANALYSIS FILES
DEMONSTRATE SERVICE ANALYSIS AND THE CALL MONITOR

SECTION 1
GETTING AROUND THE COURSE MANUAL
ABOUT THE MASTERPACK TRAINING MANUAL
This Masterpack Training Manual is a comprehensive overview of Masterpack Service release 6.0.
This manual is designed to be used in conjunction with a training session led by a certified
Masterpack Trainer. It is not a self study guide.
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE TRAINING COURSE
This course assumes that you have received training in Masterpack Accounting and Distribution
modules. It requires a Masterpack account in which the Accounting and Distribution modules have
already had their take-on completed, and their current periods are set correctly.
The account must also have the Projects and Service modules installed. The course assumes that
the take-on for these modules has not been completed.
HOW TO USE THIS DOCUMENT
This manual is arranged in three sections:

Section 1 Introduction
Section 2 Details the set up of the service company.
Section 3 Explores the features of Masterpack Service in Case Study format.
The training manual is designed using a column page format as follows:
Action Path Description

Enter IMM Action: This indicates whether you should enter data as described, or
Functions read for assistance in understanding the next section.
General
Service Path: The top line indicates where the session can be found on
standard Masterpack menus, starting from the module selection menu
and following the highlighted or underscored letters. Subsequent lines
show the screens to select within the session.
COMPANY PROFILE

MODEL SERVICE COMPANY
This course models the implementation of a new service business into an existing Masterpack
client. For this implementation, the service business is being treated as a completely separate
branch of the company, complete with its own inventory. It uses an existing company definition to
reduce data entry requirements. The course demonstrates most of the functionality of Masterpack
Service.
This service organisation provides on-site and return to base service for personal computers and
laser printers. The printer contract charges depend on the level of use of the printers.
YOUR COMPANY SET UP
In company control, ensure that projects and service are installed and verify that they are not taken
on. Check that their fiscal periods are set correctly for the current date. Check that the LRC
(labour recovery) identified account is defined. This is the account from which booked labour and
its overheads are consumed.
Determine the cost centre to use for the service business postings, and set this up as required
using the General Ledger module.
Define the general ledger accounts to be posted for contract revenue (both earned and unearned),
service call revenue, cost of contracts (non-chargeable call revenue), cost of service, work in
progress, and service module suspense.
Determine the branch to use for accounting and analysis, and set this up in the Utilities module to
use the service cost centre. Do not enter any service information at this stage.
Using the Inventory module, define a new warehouse to hold the service inventory. This will also be
used for service sales analysis. Set this up for the service cost centre and branch.

SECTION 2
2 SERVICE MODULE SET UP

2.0 OBJECTIVES

Read After completing the set up section the service module will be ready for
the data entry required for the day to day running of an example service
business.
In this section, we define the data required for the service company
control screens, and determine the settings for an example service
implementation. We then complete the data take-on.
You will see warning messages in the form:
No Service Management Control Record for company XXXX
These will disappear when the service company control is set up.
2.1 SERVICE ACCOUNTING CONTROL SET UP

Read This section sets the general ledger accounts which are to be posted by
service contracts and service call work. They must be defined first
because they are used in the default information required by service
company control.
Read Service Job Control:

The objective of service job control is to enable complete analysis of the
costs and revenues for service calls. Sections and cost codes provide
the interface from service into the financial modules. Service uses the
accounting functionality provided by the Masterpack Projects module.
Cost codes are used according to the nature of the charges and
determine the general ledger accounts to be posted.
Sections are used according to the location or function of the service
and determine the general ledger cost centres to be posted.
The job control reference files must be defined in order to be able to set
up the service company control.
Enter VSPCC The cost codes define the accounts for service costs, work in process,
and revenue. The entries need to be distinguished between labour and
other costs, and revenue. Create a code for revenue.
VSPCC Ensure the general ledger allocations are set up. Use your company
GL Alloctn master chart of accounts and the appropriate account numbers.
Specify the service call sales account for both work in progress and
completed revenue. The work in progress revenue account is only used
if invoicing is carried out before the call is closed. We will be invoicing
calls on completion so would not post to this account anyway.

VSPCC Create cost codes for the following:
Materials
Labour
Fees
Enter the revenue cost code as the default revenue. This enable the
service call invoicing process to determine the sales account that applies
for the materials, labour and fees.
On the GL allocation screen, specify the service WIP account for open
jobs, for both work in progress and overheads. This account will be
debited when parts and labour are consumed on a service call.
Specify the service cost of sale account for finished jobs. This account
will be debited on service call invoicing. The open jobs accounts are
credited at this time.
VSJCD Enter the materials cost and recovery codes as defaults for the
company.
VSJSH A job chart must be defined for the job sections. Create a chart for
service with a code of 01.
VSJSS The job cost sections enable engineers to book time against different
operations in the Service environment.
Create a section for workshop work. Enter section 10 on the service job
chart.
Create a section for field service work, as section 20.
VSJSS Ensure that the GL allocations are maintained with the appropriate cost
GL Allocs centre for the location of the service operation.
Read Service Integration with Sales:

Service uses the Masterpack Sales and Receivables modules for
invoicing customers for service calls and contracts. It is also possible to
sell contracts for items during sales order entry, and to create warranty
and service contracts automatically at order despatch. There is also a
function to create service calls for equipment installation after despatch,
if required. The sales return process can be initiated from a service call.
Sales of service contracts may be analysed and posted according to
their order type and warehouse settings. The service sales analysis
warehouse set up is described in the service company control set up
section.
Enter IMI Service invoices are raised using miscellaneous items to charge for
service contracts, labour and fees such as call-out charges. These may
be used for sales analysis. Set up miscellaneous items for each of
these. You should not define any cost of sales for these items, as the
service module calculates the actual cost at invoicing.
SSRT Enter an order type for selling service contracts.

Read Non-chargeable service:
Labour and materials used on service calls are recorded by docket entry,
and these dockets are used for invoicing the customer. Contract and
warranty agreements may cover these costs, so the customer would not
be invoiced. This represents a loss of income to the engineering part of
the service company, and its value could be accounted as a cost of the
service contract. This value is not owed by any external debtor, so it
must not appear on an AR control account.
Masterpack accounting modules use interface codes to ‘divert’ control
postings from the company identified accounts, and the service module
uses this functionality with specified ‘internal’ charge-to customers.
Service call invoices for these customers are not treated as debts in AR.
The non-chargeable sales and cost of sales values can be separated
from the chargeable values in sales analysis by defining a separate
warehouse for them.
You can define multiple interfaces, internal customers and warehouses
for analysing complex service operations in detail.
Enter USCI Create an interface code for diverting these charges from AR control to
an appropriate cost of contract account, and the service cost centre.
You may have to use the GO function to define the account. Use
suspense accounts for all of the other entries.
The service business may not need to account for call revenue lost to
service contracts. In this case, the company would define the AR control
on the interface code to be the call revenue account. This would simply
cancel out any service call revenue postings when they are covered by a
contract.
Note: Ensure that your procedures specify that the service interface
code must never be used for any customers other than service internals,
as this will cause end of day integrity errors. There is a tendency for
unfamiliar users to use the lookup when entering accounts data, so
discourage them by making the interface code unusual (!@!@!, for
example).
RMM An accounts receivable master record must be defined for collecting the
non-chargeable service invoice postings.
Create an internal customer for the service system. Enter company
information on the first screen and minimal data elsewhere.
Note: You should ensure that the customer is set to be exempt from
sales taxes. Failure to do this will cause the non-chargeable service
calls to incur sales tax when they are processed by the invoicing
function.
RMM Use the accounts screen to define the financial information. Enter the
Accounts interface code defined earlier so that the non-chargeable invoices are
posted to the cost of contracts account.
RMM Use the more screen (text mode terminals have to use the F9 Flip key to
(Flip) make this function available) to enter some additional information. Set
More the internal flag to Y to indicate that the customer is only used for the
service module internal invoicing.

Read Service contract revenue:
When an invoice is raised in advance for a service contract, accounting
rules specify that the full amount cannot be recognised as revenue. The
revenue has to be allocated across the financial periods for which the
contract is active. Masterpack accounting modules use unearned
income functionality to control this type of transaction, and the Service
module makes use of this. All postings to the revenue account specify a
date range, and the unearned portion of the posting is sent to the
unearned revenue account. At each period end, a journal is created to
post the next periods proportion of the revenue back from the unearned
to the earned account.
Enter GSAU Enter the service contract revenue account in the first field. This is the
earned revenue. Enter the unearned revenue account number in the
details section.
2.2 SERVICE CALL CONTROL REFERENCE FILES SET UP

Read This section defines additional data used in the default information
required by service company control.
Enter VSCRG Service category is used to group items for servicing. For each branch,
these can have a defined call-out charge which can pay for a defined
amount of travel or work. The category is used for lookups and analysis,
and a default is specified in service company control. It may also be
used for identifying the skills required to resolve problems, and to define
the service contract revenue accounts and cost centres.
Enter categories for monitors, units and peripherals.
We cannot enter any accounting information unless the derivation
method is defined in service company control to use category. This is
described in the service company control set up section.
VSSRP The service priority indicates the importance of a service call to the
service company. Call priority can be maintained manually or by
automatic escalation. It is used in the call monitor for selecting calls to
be shown and determining how they are displayed.
Enter some service priority codes between 90 (low) and 1 (high). These
are used in service call monitoring and escalation. Choose appropriate
colours to be shown in the call monitor.
USRGS Masterpack is delivered with some state information already defined.

Service requires this in order to calculate time differences between the
customers and the computer system’s clock.
Check that the states you intend to use are defined correctly. Note that
there must be a state defined for the computer system’s location.
For countries that have no predefined states, the simplest data entry is
to create a code for each time zone that applies to the country.
USRGS The time differences screen records the difference between the time in
Time the state and that of the computer system’s clock. Check that these are
correct and that the computer system’s state is set to zero difference.

Read Service Labour Activities:
Labour activities define the types of work which may be recorded in the
service environment, and how they are accounted for. Their times are
recorded on service call dockets. Labour activities must be defined to
enable the default service types to be specified in service company
control.
VSSRG Activity groups define the headings to be used on some labour reports.
Create an activity group for external (customer) work.
Enter another group for internal work.
VSSRL The labour activity code is used when recording labour associated with a
docket and should indicate the type of activity performed, and whether
or not it may be charged to the customer. Enter codes for the following:
Field Service
Workshop
Training
Lunch
Set-up. For example, restocking the field service engineer’s inventory,
or changing automatic test equipment. These times would be
considered as set-up and not chargeable.
If a service call is performed for an item under contract, labour is only
charged if the ‘Charge Labour’ indicators on both the Contract Type/
Standard combination and the activity code are set to “Y”. If either
indicator is set to “N”, labour is not chargeable.
VSSRT Service type codes indicate the type of work to be carried out. This is
recorded on the service call and can be used for analysis.
Activity codes are linked to service types for validation purposes and to
determine how the labour costs are allocated and charged. A list of
allowable labour activity codes must be nominated for each service type.
Each activity code may use a different cost code and item code for
recording and charging for labour entered on the service call docket.
Enter service types for the following:
Field Service
Workshop
Telephone Help
Read Call status and interrupt codes:

The service module uses a number of predefined status codes to
indicate the progress of a service call from logging through to
completion. It also uses the concept of interrupt codes to indicate why
calls which have been worked on are not yet completed. These are also
used to determine the responsibility for the next action. For example, an
interrupted call can be available for another engineer to be despatched,
or for another supervisor to become responsible.

Enter VSSRS The call status is used in the call monitor for selecting calls to be shown
and determining how they are displayed. The status code values have
defined meanings, and cannot be changed. Status values in the range
600 to 699 indicate that the call is interrupted.
Check the description for status code 600 and verify that it will be shown
blinking in the call monitor.
VSSRI Enter new interrupt codes, or modify existing ones, for the following
reasons for calls not having been completed:
In progress
Waiting for parts
Credit hold
Customer will call back with more information
2.3 SERVICE COMPANY CONTROL SET UP

Read Service company control determines how the service system will work
for your company.
All of the reference files entered in the previous sections are required in
this stage of the set up. Use the Lookup function to retrieve previously
defined values. Choose values to represent the process flows for your
company.
Enter VSL On page one there are the accounting controls and default codes.
The general ledger cost centre source indicates whether contract
revenue accounts and cost centres should be determined by the location
of the item being serviced or from its service category. Set this to ‘B’.
With this setting, the accounting fields on the service category screen
are not used, they are defined on the service branch screen instead.
The next sections define various defaults for creating jobs for repair
work and for the miscellaneous part numbers used in service invoicing.
The computer state field is used to calculate the time at the customer
sites, for servicing customers in different time zones. Enter the state
defined for the computer system location.
VSL The internal customer for service should be entered on page 2, together
Page Dn with some tax information and the rules for applying fixed rate charges.
This is where you decide whether the cost of contract values should
reflect the costs incurred or the loss of sales revenue.
VSL The contracts screen determines how warranties and contracts can be
Contracts controlled through sales order entry and despatch. It determines the
contract revenue accounts, the miscellaneous item codes that are used,
and the sales order types. It also determines some meter reading and
rate derivation rules. Set the meter rate level to 1 allow default charges
to be set by item. This minimises the data entry requirements for
metered charges.
The rate type field determines whether or not contract surcharges for
zone and hours of coverage are applied automatically.
VSL The service call control screen is used to set defaults and to enable or
Calls disable many automatic features in call transactions.

VSL The interrupt codes screen may be used to set the default interrupt
Calls codes to be applied under specific circumstances.
Interrupt …
VSL The despatch control screen determines the timings used for escalation
Despatch and response measurement, and the functionality available for
controlling field service operations.
District control may be used to associate customer locations with service
branches and personnel. This is determined from a field in the postal
code file, so is appropriate to countries which have complete postal code
information defined in Masterpack.
Set the districts used value to N at this stage.
VSL The docket screen control determines process flow in docket entry. The
Dockets working week hours value is used for time-sheet control.
Enter USRDR In Masterpack Service, the branch indicates the office responsible for
the service work. The company, cost centre and sub cost centre fields
are used for cost collection defaults. Where there are multiple service
offices, the responsible branch is either recorded on the equipment
being serviced, or derived from the postal code of its location.
Verify that the values entered for the service branch are appropriate.
USRDR The Service Warehouse screen is used to define the warehouse, and
Service the revenue accounts and cost centres, for invoicing from the service
branch. The revenue information only applies to contract invoices, the
call invoice postings are determined by the job control set up described
earlier.
Enter the service warehouse for the service branch. The General Ledger
account and cost centre values are used when service company control
indicates that revenue is determined by the service branch, and not by
the item service category.
2.4 SERVICE PROBLEM ANALYSIS REFERENCE FILES SET UP

Read Problems and Resolutions:
Service calls are classified by several codes. These describe the
problem symptoms, resolution and cure. These codes, combined with
the service item information, are used to create descriptions on service
invoices. Service statistical analysis queries can be made on any of
these fields.
Masterpack links the various codes so that they can only be combined in
an appropriate way. These links can be complicated to set up, so
require careful preparation. The choices should be simple enough for
the engineers to be consistent, but should still able to provide useful
information for analysis.

VSSRA The action code is used on the service call to classify what was done to
resolve the problem. This is also used to create a description on service
invoices, where the action forms the first part of the second line of text.
Enter codes for the following actions:
Adjust
Repair
Replace
Upgrade
Advise
VSSRU The cause code is used on the service call to identify the cause of the
problem with the piece of equipment. This is also used to create a
description on service invoices, where the cause forms the second part
of the second line of text. For each cause entered, you must define a
list of its possible actions. Enter codes for the following causes:
Faulty component
Accidental damage
Software error
Unknown cause
Functionality
User knowledge
VSSRF The fault code is used on the service call to identify the reason for the
call, or the symptoms of the problem. This is also used to create a
description on service invoices, where the fault narrative precedes the
service item to create the first line of text. The ‘Equipment Working’ field
is used to categorise the fault severity when determining its priority
escalation rules. For each fault, you must enter a list of its possible
causes. Enter codes for the following faults:
Query
Error message
No boot
No power
Breakage
Unidentified - Set the allow completion field value to No.
Leave the skill level field blank at this stage. Masterpack can suggest
the engineers to assign to a call by comparing their skill levels with those
required for the fault. This would require more detailed definition of
faults than used here.
Allow completion is used to indicate if the call may be completed with
this fault code. When set to No, the fault code must be replaced with a
fault code that represents the true problem before the call can be
closed.

VSSRC Call cancellation codes are used to terminate service calls without
requiring any action from the service company. Enter codes for the
following:
Customer fixed problem
Not supported
VSSRM The machine class is a rating between 0 and 9 to define the relative
response times applying to service items. Zero is the lowest rating, so
would have the largest factor to increase response times. The standard
machine class rating should be set to 100%. Critical items may have
shorter response times with lower percentages, though this would be
unusual as the fastest response time is normally defined on the contract.
The machine class must be set in the inventory master for each service
item.
For example, the company may offer a standard contract with one hour
response time for business critical systems, and a four hour response on
low priority items. This could be set up with class 1 defined as 400%
and class 9 as 100%. The appropriate classes are associated with the
inventory items, and the four hour response is held on the contract.
Enter or verify the machine class for standard response rating.
VMM Priority Escalation is used to increase the priority of a service call based
on the length of time for which it has been open. Interrupted calls may
or may not be escalated, depending on the setting for the interrupt code.
After the elapse time period has passed, a call’s priority is increased by
the specified escalation point value at intervals determined by the
response time.
Define the times and points for both functional and non-functional fault
types. Leave the remaining key fields blank, so that these rules will
apply to all calls logged without contract coverage for all zones and
branches.
2.5 SERVICE RESOURCE REFERENCE FILES SET UP

Read Service Resources:
The service environment is defined as having people available with
defined skills and abilities, working in particular departments with
responsibilities. Some of this information is shared with the projects
module (for job costing).
The skills and abilities are linked to item faults, so that Masterpack can
suggest the best engineer to respond to a service call, and estimate the
time to completion.
Location data is also held so that Masterpack can estimate travel times
to customer sites, suggest engineers, and default the customers’ service
branches.
VSPRR At least one area is required for the job costing master definitions.
Enter an area code for the company head office.

VSPRD Service Departments are required for the Personnel Master. They
enable branches to be sub-divided for job functions. For example;
various grades of technician, field support, help desk and workshop.
These can be used to filter calls displayed on the service call monitor.
Enter codes for the following departments:
Field service
Workshop
VSSRK The skill code is used when estimating the time required to repair a fault.
It can also be used, in conjunction with fault definitions, to compare the
level of skill required to work on a particular fault with the level of skill
that a person has attained. The skill code is a single digit number in the
range 1 to 9. Enter codes for the following levels:
Trainee - set the Time Weight value to 2
Standard - set the Time Weight value to 1
Expert - set the Time Weight value to 1
VSSRR The personnel rate codes define the labour charge and cost rates that
will be applied for both invoicing and job costing in service call docket
entry. These may be overridden by the service contract charges.
It is possible to define these with enough details for activity costing by
employees and tasks, though this would require a lot of involvement
from the company’s cost accountants.
Define a standard rate code for the company.
VSSRR Enter the rate information for each activity code. The selling price and
Enter Effe… internal rates are used to calculate the labour charges on dockets for
customers and the service internal customers. The cost price is used for
margin analysis, whilst the labour cost is used for call project costing.
It is possible to override these rates for specified customers. This is
described in the service customer case study.
VSTFS The trade skills are used to classify engineers’ abilities according to the
types of problems reported. This allows Masterpack to suggest the
appropriate engineer for a service call.
Enter codes for the following skills:
Hardware
Software
VSTFE The repair requirements screen is used to determine the trade skills
necessary to solve identified problems on particular items. The items
can be specified by code, model or service category. This screen also
contains timing information for booking engineers to solve the problem.
Enter the skill required to resolve calls for each fault, for each service
category. Note that multiple skills may be appropriate for some faults.
VMP The personnel master file must be used to define personnel codes for
the service engineers. Enter details for an engineer in field service and
two based in the workshop.

VMP The personnel department screen defines location and rate details. Use
Functions the appropriate branch, department, section and warehouses for each
Departme… engineer. These are used as defaults when creating dockets from
engineers’ time sheets.
VMP The call details screen is used to determine whether or not the engineer
Functions is a supervisor. It may also be used for allocating a district for them if
Call you are using the traveling time functionality in field service. Service
Detail… calls are allocated to supervisors prior to despatch.
Define the field service engineer and one of the workshop engineers as
supervisors.
VMP The trade skill screen allows you to specify the engineers strengths and
Functions weaknesses. The skill level has a time factor which is applied to the
Trade Skills repair requirements time estimate.
Define the field service engineer as being trainee skill for unspecified
trades and categories, standard skill for the hardware trade skill in
unspecified categories, and expert skilled for hardware for units.
Define the workshop supervisor as standard skill for unspecified trades
and categories, and expert skilled for software.
Define the workshop engineer as trainee skill for hardware for
unspecified categories, and standard skill for hardware for monitors.
2.6 SERVICE CONTRACT REFERENCE FILES SET UP

Read Service Contracts
The contracts that are available to the service company are determined
by combinations of standards and types. These may be used to
determine default contract charges.
Enter VSCRA The standard is a single character code to represent the level of service.
For example, a service organisation may offer several standards of
service cover with different features at different rates. Enter a code for
normal level of service.
VSCRT The type is used to describe the coverage of the contract. As some
levels of coverage will only apply to particular standards, this screen is
used to say which standards are available.
Note: Masterpack sales despatch can create warranty contracts
automatically. If you wish to use this functionality, a type code of ‘W’
must be defined for sales warranties. Enter codes for the following:
Sales Warranty
Field Service
Return to Base

VSCRS Types/Standards is used to define the details of the coverage given by
service contracts with particular combinations of these two codes. This
defines whether the contract is a warranty contract, and whether parts or
labour are chargeable for service carried out under these contracts. The
service internal customer is defined for recording charges when these
are covered by the contract, so are not charged to the actual customer.
The invoice text which is to be printed on the service contract renewal
invoices is defined here.
The indicator for ‘Charge Labour’ here only takes effect when the Labour
Activity’s charge indicator is set to Yes. This prevents the customer
from being charged for lunch breaks, for example.
Enter type/standard combinations for covering parts and labour on all of
the service types.
VSCRZ Service zones are used to determine the annual service rates applicable
for service items. The item’s location may then affect the price charged
for the contract. If the service rate option on the service company control
is ‘C’ (Calculated), the percentage entered will be applied to the base
annual service rate for the item when its annual service rate is calculated
for the contract. This reduces contract pricing data maintenance.
If the service rate option on the service company control is ‘A’ (Actual),
the zone percentage charge is not relevant and cannot be entered.
Enter a zone code for the geographic area covered by the service
branch of the company.
VMM Priority escalation rules can be defined differently for differing contract
types and standards. It is possible to specify faster response times for
higher standards of contract, for example.
Enter values for both functional and non-functional fault types for each
of the combinations of contract type and standard defined earlier. Leave
the zone and branch fields blank so that the rules apply to all of these.
VSCRN Cancellation reasons are used if a service contract is terminated before

the contract expires. These codes are also used for contract quotations
that are deleted (lost). Enter cancellation codes for the following
circumstances:
Contract lost to a competitor
Equipment no longer used
VSCRB Billing cycles determine the interval at which customer is to be invoiced

for a service contract. For example, an annual contract could be billed
monthly, quarterly or annually. The cycle days value can be set to a
number of days, months or years. Enter codes for annual and monthly
billing.
VSCRH The hours of coverage code allows contracts to be defined with standard
starting, finishing and response times for service calls. A surcharge
percentage can be set for contracts using these hours. This surcharge
will only be used if the service rate option on the service company
control is ‘A’ (Actual). Enter codes for the following:
Normal working hours, four hour response time
Twenty-four hour cover for Monday to Saturday, one hour response time,
at three times the normal charge.

2.7 SERVICE METER CONTRACT REFERENCE FILES SET UP
Read Service Meter Contracts
Contracts may be billed by equipment usage as well as by period
covered. The usage is measured from meter readings taken from the
equipment under contract, and usage credits may be given for
technicians testing the equipment and other reasons.
Enter USCO There are operator security checks for changing meter and rate
Functions definitions and editing meter readings. For each operator who is setting
Service up or amending service meters, use the operator control, service
function and set the appropriate flags. The meter rate flags must be set
to Y for the operator to be able to complete the tasks described below.
VSSSA Define meter adjustment type codes for technician service and
complimentary usage. Set the adjustment signs to minus, as these are
to be credited by subtracting from the total usage.
Read There are two main types of meters. Input meters have their readings
recorded, whilst virtual meters have their readings calculated from the
readings on the input meters. Input meters may be classified as total
meters, to signify that they are only for use in calculations, not for billing
directly.
An example of virtual meter use is for colour photocopiers, where there
could be two input meters. One counts the number of black and white
copies and the other counts the total copies. The customer is charged
for colour copies at a different rate to black and white, so a virtual meter
would be defined for colour, calculated by subtracting the black and
white copies from the total copies. In Masterpack, a virtual meter
calculation must include one total meter and one or more billing meters.
Enter VSCRMT Define a normal input meter by entering a code and description for a
print counter, and set the total meter field to N. Leave the input meter
section blank as this only applies when defining virtual meters.
VSCRMR Meter reading reasons are used to provide information when reviewing
the meter history for the service equipment. Enter codes for scheduled
readings and for readings taken during service calls.
2.8 SERVICE COMPANY TAKE-ON

Read After defining the service company control record, it is possible to
finalise the take-on process. If you are implementing a company that
has existing service contracts which are to be taken-on, this must only
be done after the contract details have been entered and verified.
It is not practical to take on service call work in progress balances into
the general ledger.
Enter VSF Finalise the service contract take-on. This checks the contracts already
defined for any invalid data, and reports any errors for correction. It
updates the take-on flag for service in company control, preventing the
service period from being maintained manually.
JSTF Finalise the project costing take-on. This loads any take-on data
entered for projects in process. It updates the take-on flag for projects in
company control, preventing the project period from being maintained
manually.

2.9 SERVICE ANALYSIS AND MONITOR SET UP
Read There are some set ups required for the analysis and monitor functions.
Enter VSAV The Company Setup and Volumes screen contains estimates of service
transaction and data volumes. One function of the service periodic
functions is to populate history and analysis files. The files must be set
appropriately for the expected data volumes, for performance reasons.
When a new analysis file is created, its sizing requirements are
estimated from the transaction volumes defined on this screen. These
should be reviewed whenever a new analysis file is to be defined.
Inappropriate setting will affect the time taken for the end of day and end
of period utilities.
Enter some reasonable values.
Enter VSMC The Continuous Display Control screen enables the system
administrator to adjust the call monitor display parameters to balance the
requirements of adequate monitor response against the overall system
performance.
Enter minimum values for these if the system performance is not a
problem.
VSMM The Call Monitor Control screen is used to determine which calls are
displayed by the call monitor, for individual Masterpack users. This can
restrict the display by priority, department, etc. For example, a service
manager may only be interested in high priority or escalated calls, whilst
a service engineer may only need to see their own and unallocated calls.
Accept the defaults for your operator code. These will display all calls.
■■■■

SECTION 3
3 CASE STUDIES
3.0 OBJECTIVES

Read After completing the case study section the service module will be ready
to be used for further investigation of the Masterpack Service module
functionality.
In this section we define the information required to add new items and
customers. We then process service calls, invoice service contracts,
and set up and use service analysis.
3.1 DEFINE A SERVICEABLE ITEM

Read For an item to be available for recording as service equipment, it must
be serialised. This enables Masterpack to distinguish the individual
examples of the same item code, so that it can identify whether they are
covered by service contracts and for recording their locations and
components.
Pricing information must be defined for service contracts.
Enter IMM Define the inventory master data for the following items:
computer monitor
keyboard
base unit
hard disk
laser printer
For each of these, enter data on the appropriate master screens.
IMM On the serial / batch screen, enter S to identify the item as being
Functions serialised in service. This allows you to define serial numbers, otherwise
Serial / B… Masterpack generates them during service call logging.
IMM On the general screen, you may set the item as being repairable. This is
Functions used in the sales return process. If you wish to use the service interface
General to the returns function, the item should be serialised for sales.

IMM The service screen must be completed for all serviceable items. The
Functions model number can be useful for grouping items for service lookups, and
General the service category is required for logging the service calls. Models can
Service only be entered if the service inventory type is set for this to be
mandatory. If required, you can change an existing type or define a new
one using the inventory module, set up, reference file maintenance
screen. The virtual meter flag should be set to N unless the item has
multiple usage counting meters with calculated readings, as described
earlier.
The warranty and service flags, in the contract defaults, determine
whether or not the item can be placed on these types of contracts. For
example, warranty could apply to all serviceable parts, but service
contracts may only be available for top-level assemblies. The contract
defaults are used during sales order entry and despatch for
automatically creating service contracts for items sold.
The multi call setting often depends on the type of service available for
the item. For example, if the company offers telephone support for
queries, it is possible that a PC could have several calls open at the
same time. If the company offers return to base service only, then no
more than one call could be open for an individual piece of equipment.
The machine class indicates whether standard or weighted response
times apply for this equipment.
An item may be defined as being service labour hours. When this is
recorded on a sales order, the despatch automatically creates a service
call for installing the equipment delivered. The call and fault details for
these items may be defined here. Set these to N.
IMM The meters screen should only be completed for items that have meters
Functions fitted as standard. This defines the default meter configuration for the
General individual pieces of equipment. Enter this for the laser printer, choosing
Service the copy count meter. Set the billing flag to Y. The meter rates screen is
Meters displayed for this meter on the item. Leave the customer, contract and
serial number fields blank as this is the default charge for the item. Set
appropriate thresholds and charges. This screen is also available from
the service contract maintenance menu.
The overage flag applies when there are different charge bands
depending on the meter readings. Set this to Y if the rate at the
maximum threshold for the meter reading is multiplied by the total
usage. Set it to N if the rate at each threshold is multiplied by the usage
in each threshold. For example, if the first hundred are free and the rest
are charged, the overage flag would have to be set to N. A setting of Y
would charge for everything unless the usage was below one hundred.
Saving the meter rates for the item returns to the meter screen. Set the
number of digits on the meter, so that the software handles the meter
rolling over to zero. Leave the estimates and tolerances blank.

VSCRRI Define annual service rates for the items, for each combination of
contract type and standard. Use the service zone defined for the
branch. This should apply to all customers from the start of the current
calendar year. Leave the currency code at the default for base currency
invoicing.
The rates menu also offers bulk price update screens for applying
percentage or amount changes to existing contract prices.
3.2 DEFINE A SERVICE COMPONENT

Read Masterpack Service accounts for parts consumed whilst processing a
service call. These items are removed from service inventory and
contribute to the cost of the call. They are charged to the customer as
materials used. In this section, we will define some components that
could be used on service calls for the equipment, and create their stock.
The prices charged for parts used are their standard sales prices.
These will be list or formula based, depending on the company control
setting for pricing. If you wish the sales prices to be different to the
service prices, you can use formula pricing and define separate prices
for the service warehouse.
Enter IMM Define the inventory master data for the following items:
mains lead
cleaning kit
power supply
For each of these, enter data on the appropriate master screens. There
is no requirement to enter any service data for these items.
SMPLLE or Define sales prices, using your company’s pricing method, for the three
SMPFMQ service components.
ITAQ Use the inventory adjustment screen to count some stock of these
components into the service inventory warehouse. You will have to set
your active warehouse to the service stock warehouse if you have not
previously done this.
3.3 DEFINE A CUSTOMER SITE

Read There are no special set ups required for defining customers as service
customers. Their service branch and time zone information can often be
derived from their addresses using postal codes, states or country.
If the service branch or state cannot be determined automatically, they
have to be defined for each customer location or site.
Enter RMM Define customer information for two customers who have items serviced
by the organisation.
RMM Ensure that the service interface code is not used for these customers.
Accounts This code must only be used for the service system’s internal customers.

RMM Check the Priority/Rate screen. You can enter priority data here which
Functions will override the priority defaults held on the service company control
Priority/Rate record.
RMM The special labour rates screen can be used if the company standard
Functions rates do not apply to this customer for some activities.
Priority/Rate
Override r…
VMT The service site master is very useful for customers who have
equipment installed at a number of locations, or for entering end user
information for equipment that may be leased from an agent. If you
cannot use postal code information to derive the service branch for the
customer, you must define sites to specify this instead.
Also, if the customer is located in a country that does not have any state
lookup functionality on the address, you must define a site. This
enables you to enter the state for their location, which is required for the
time difference calculations.
Enter site and contact information for the customers defined above.
Enter the appropriate state and service branch values.
3.4 DEFINE EQUIPMENT AND SERVICE ASSEMBLIES

Read Service equipment information is stored with its location details. The
combination of item code and serial number provide a unique reference
for the equipment within the Masterpack company. Serial numbers may
be duplicated provided that the item codes are different.
Sales order entry and despatch can define this information
automatically, using defaults from the item and customer data.
There are many service applications that require the company to record
information about equipment installed in, or associated with, other items
of equipment. This is similar to the concept of the inventory bill of
materials, but extended to include serial numbers. Masterpack can
record multiple levels of assemblies and their components, and the
structure can be unique for an individual item of equipment. This
structure information is entirely optional and can be ignored if it isn’t
useful.
Enter VMIL Define equipment location information for a monitor, keyboard, base
unit, hard disk and laser printer at each of the two customer sites
entered earlier. The customer reference can be used for service
lookups. Ensure that the state, service branch and priorities are
entered.
VMCM In order to be able to record meter readings for a piece of equipment, its
meter configuration must be defined. Use the contract meters screen to
apply the item default meter types to the individual laser printers defined
above. It is possible to use this screen to record any extra or changed
meters fitted to a piece of equipment.
This screen is also available as a function from the service item location
screen.

Read VMIL You can define contact information for a piece of equipment. This could
Functions be useful if you are not using customer sites or do not have many pieces
Contacts of equipment under support at a location.
The named contact can be used in the service lookup to find the item of
equipment. The numbered contacts are recorded for the customer
master, so can only be used for customer lookups.
Read Recording the structure of service equipment:

The ability to record multiple levels of structure requires some caution
when setting up to avoid making the maintenance too complicated. Its
main use is to reduce data entry when moving an assembly to a new
location by moving all of its components automatically. It can also be
used for large or complex assemblies to assist the service engineer in
locating components due for replacement.
The easiest route through setting up these service equipment structures,
manually, is to start at the top and work down, completing each level
before moving on to the next. The commands are quite capable of
handling data entry in both directions and defining segments of the
structure independently, but this could be confusing.
The information regarding the structure of parents’ and components’
serial numbers may be available electronically, through bar-code readers
or from external systems, either at the time of data take on or at
equipment configuration or despatch. This would be the preferred
method of data entry for most applications, and it is not difficult to
automate the process through customisation to match the company’s
requirements.
Enter VMIAS Using the sub-assemblies screen, enter the item code and serial number
for the base unit defined above. This is the top level of the structure, so
leave the installed on fields blank.
The assembly slot is a code for a function or location to distinguish
different branches of the equipment structure, if required. For example,
a computer system could have one slot defined for components that the
user can replace, and another for those that require an engineer to
replace. If the assembly slot distinction is not useful, just define a single
slot for the components.
VMIAS From the assembly slot field, the drill-down function accesses the
Drill-down component screen. This allows you to define the item codes and serial
numbers for all of the components of the parent item, in this assembly
slot. This screen is also available from the assembly maintenance
menu. Enter the item code and serial number for the hard disk defined
above. You can also enter a description for this component, if required.
For example, you could distinguish the system disk from a data disk on a
computer system, even though they both might have the same item
code.

Read If there is any difference between the location data for the component
and that of its parent, you will be prompted for the action to be taken.
The choices are to back out, continue regardless, change the location of
the component, or change the component and all of the components
below it in the ‘tree’. This last option enables a complete structure to be
moved to a new customer location, automatically.
The options to continue or to change only this component can lead to
different addresses or even customers within the structure. There is an
assembly report which can print the structure for an item of equipment,
and this has an exception option for revealing components with location
information which differ from their assemblies.
Read VMIAS The drill down from the component item lines accesses the sub-
Drill-down assembly screen again, but for the component instead of its parent.
Drill Down This enables the entire multiple level structure to be defined without
leaving the command.
Read VMIAS When the full structure has been saved, it becomes possible to maintain
Parent-As… it from the bottom upwards, using the parent assemblies function from
the sub-assembly screens. This accesses the sub-assembly screen
again, but for the parent instead of the sub-assembly. Again, as you
save each screen, you are returned to the previous one for defining
other parts of the structure.
Read VMIAS The copy function duplicates the assembly slot information from an
Copy existing item of equipment to a new one being defined. It cannot
duplicate the components because their serial numbers would not be
available, so it won’t replicate a multiple level structure.
3.5 PROCESS A BASIC SERVICE CALL

Read The service module can process service calls for any piece of
equipment, regardless of whether or not a contract has been defined.
The only requirement is that the equipment has been defined with its
location details.
In this section you will log and close a basic service call. This procedure
would only apply if there are no charges involved, and no requirements
to account for costs. For example, the service company may offer free
telephone support and have no need to analyse the costs of providing it.

Enter VTL Leave the call number as new, and enter one of the customer numbers
defined earlier. Depending on a service company control setting, you
may be presented with a list of the equipment belonging to the customer.
If not you can use the general service lookup to find the available items
for the customer. Select the base unit.
A billing method screen is displayed. This can show whether the item is
covered by a service contract, or needs a purchase order or letter of
authority to guarantee payment. Enter Y in the letter of authority field.
Enter the site and contact. If these are different to those recorded on
the item’s location, you will be prompted to update the equipment when
you save the call.
Enter the call information for a simple enquiry and save. A screen
displays the call number.
Read There are two distinct stages in processing even the simplest service
call:
The logging stage records the problem as interpreted by the customer,
and results in the operator being able to tell them the call number. Many
companies have administrators for this task.
The next stage records the progress towards call resolution, and is
called docket entry. This stage is likely to be done by a more skilled
person.
It is not possible to raise and close a call from the same screen, which
could be seen as a disadvantage when companies have the same
people doing both tasks. In fact, the two stages can be linked very
closely as illustrated in this example, and a minor customisation could
allow docket processing from within the call screen, after the new call
has been saved.
Enter VTK The docket entry screen displays the call number just entered, so accept
this and leave the docket number as new. There is a warning if the call
has not been despatched, but we can ignore this. Enter some
comments, leave the fault code as reported and look up the valid cause
and action codes.
Set the docket completed flag to Y and save the parts and labour
screens without data entry, if they are displayed.
Set the call completed flag to Y and complete the remaining fields, then
save.

Read The call has now been closed, and it does not require any further input
from the people handling the customer calls. It does, however, need to
be processed by the invoicing mechanism, regardless of whether any
charges are involved. This completes the job costing postings and flags
the call as being ready for input to service analysis. The invoicing
process is shown here for a single call, but would normally be run
periodically for all calls meeting the selection criteria.
The charges that apply to calls may be determined by information held
on the call (fixed or capped prices) or on the dockets (time, materials
and call-out charges). Invoicing can only be done on closed dockets,
and a service company control setting determines whether or not the call
has to be closed as well for its dockets to be invoiced.
Enter VTIS The selections on the dockets to invoice screen include currency code,
service branch and docket date. You can leave these blank for no
restrictions. This would be the normal method of operation, for periodic
creation of invoices.
Enter the number of the call closed above and note the run number
generated.
VTIU The selections on the update invoice screen are for run number and
service branch. These can be left blank, but you should specify the run
number generated above. The date entered will be used on the
invoices. An audit trail is printed, showing the details of the invoices
created.
3.6 SELL A SERVICE CONTRACT

Read A service contract is an agreement to provide cover for specified
serviceable items belonging to an identified customer. We defined some
contract information in the set up sections, and defined their pricing in an
earlier case study. In this section, we sell a contract and invoice it.
Enter VMCC Define a new contract for one of the customers defined earlier. Leave
the bill-to and cons code fields blank.
VMCC Use the equipment on contract screen to enter the item code and serial
Items number for the base unit at the customer site. When you save this
information, the contract item details are shown and you can override
the dates for which the item is covered. Save the information.
VMCC Save the contract. Provided that the service take on has been finalised,
and you are invoicing in advance, you will be asked whether to invoice
the contract now. Say yes, and confirm the invoice details. The invoice
transaction is written to the customer’s account immediately.
VPIP Print the invoice from the renewals printing screen. The format would
normally be customised to suit the company’s requirements.
REA Use the accounts receivable account enquiry to check the customer’s
transactions. You should find the service contract invoice transaction,
and be able to access the full invoice and transaction details from this
screen.
These details can also be accessed from the invoice history screen,
from the contract enquiry or maintenance.

Read The service contract maintenance functionality enables you to add items
to an existing contract. The new item will be covered from its starting
date and the price of the contract will be revised by factoring the item’s
annual rate by the proportion of the year for which it will be covered.
You can also take items off the service contract by changing their ending
dates. This will generate a credit note for any portion of the previous
coverage already invoiced but no longer covered.
Changes that result in an increase or decrease in the invoiced amount
for the contract can generate a new invoice or credit note automatically.
Read VMCF Future amendments are used to make changes to existing contracts to
take effect at renewal time. These amendments will not result in invoice
or credit note generation as they can only affect the value of the next
renewal.
This functionality can also be accessed from the amendments screen,
from the contract maintenance.
Read VPB If you need to make changes that apply to a number of contracts for a
customer, the bulk update functionality can be used to streamline the
task. This can change several features of the contracts, to become
effective on a specified date or at renewal time.
Normal price changes should be entered, with their effective dates, on
the contract rates screens as described earlier. These will be used at
contract renewal time, without any need for specifying the amendment,
on all contract items that do not specify an override price.
Read VMCQQ You can create quotes for new contracts. These can be converted later,
or deleted if lost. The reason codes for lost quotes are the same as for
lost contracts.
Read VPIC There is functionality for automatic contract renewal. This will select the
contracts due for invoice printing and prepare the invoices. These can
be reviewed and any incorrect ones can be deleted from the run.
Finalising the run updates the accounts receivable, and the invoices can
then be printed as described above.
3.7 DESPATCH AN ENGINEER TO A CONTRACT SERVICE CALL

Read The service module will manage the diaries of the engineers, to
determine individuals’ availability and suggest appointments for field
service visits. It can account for travel time between locations and
estimate problem resolution time based on the fault and the engineers’
skills.
In an earlier case study, we closed a call without despatching an
engineer, and with minimal data entry. It is also possible to have calls
which require several engineers to be despatched. In this example, we
will despatch a single engineer and close the call, with full data entry.
Enter VTL Log a call for the customer used in the contract case study above. Use
the contract number to retrieve the equipment information. The
customer has reported a power supply problem, and requires an
engineer to install a replacement on site.

VTL The despatch screen shows the time for the contractual response. Look
Despatch up the engineers’ availability. This shows you the available time slots for
each engineer who has the required skills to resolve the fault. Select
one and enter their expected arrival time at the customer site. If you
have enabled the district functionality, the system is able to estimate this
using the travel time data. Save the call and note its number.
Read VTS The assigned calls screen can be used by supervisors or engineers to
access a list of calls for which they are responsible. They can also
update their diaries with new appointments, and notify the system that
they are waiting for a new assignment.
Enter VTS Use the assigned screen to enter a new docket for the call logged
Dockets earlier. Update it to say that the engineer has replaced the faulty power
supply, and complete the docket.
VTS Enter the amount of labour expended on the call. If this is covered by
Dockets the contract, the charge-to code will default to the service internal
Labour customer for the branch, and the value will be determined by the charge
basis defined in service company control. The section code determines
the cost centres to be used for the service call postings.
VTS Record the use of a power supply, taken from the stock in the service
Dockets inventory warehouse. If the materials are covered by the contract, the
Parts internal customer will be used as the charge-to, and the value will be
Usage determined by the charge basis defined in service company control.
Save this information and complete the call.
VTIS Use the dockets to invoice screen as described earlier, and enter the
number of the call closed above.
VTIU Specify the run number generated above in the update invoice screen.
This completes the processing for the call.
Read VTT The service module uses time sheets to track the hours booked by
engineers against service calls. This information is recorded on
engineers time sheets automatically when they enter labour on dockets.
There are several tools for budgets and exceptions, including a
productivity report writer.
Read VTTE The time sheet entry screen can also be used by engineers to record
labour details for calls directly, without entering the docket screen. The
screen records daily activity with reference to call numbers, and allows
entry of both engineer and invoice comments. The information is not
written to the dockets at this stage, so it can be maintained as required.
Read VTTU Once the time sheet entry is complete, the update process is run to
transfer the information to the service calls. It does this by creating new
dockets automatically. The fields which are not recorded on the time
sheets are defaulted from the engineers’ personnel data.

3.8 SELL A SERVICE METER CONTRACT
Read A service meter contract differs from other service contracts in that the
charge is variable, depending on the usage of the equipment. The
usage is measured from meter readings that can be entered at any time.
We defined some contract information in the set up sections, and
defined their pricing in an earlier case study. In this section, we sell a
contract, enter the readings and generate an invoice.
Enter VMCC Define a new contract for one of the customers defined earlier. Leave
the bill-to and cons code fields blank. Set the contract start date to the
first day of the previous month, and the bill cycle to monthly.
VMCC Use the equipment on contract screen to enter the item code and serial
Items number for the laser printer at the customer site. When you save this
information, the contract item details are shown, save the information.
VMCC Save the contract. This displays the meter parameters screen (this can
also be accessed through the screen functions). Set the bill meters flag
to Y, and leave the other fields at their defaults. The default for the first
reading date is one billing cycle after the contract start date, so should
be the last day of the previous month. Save this screen, answer Y to the
invoice now question, and confirm the invoice details.
Read The customer has now been invoiced for the previous month’s service
on the laser printer. The next step is to record and invoice last months
usage, along with the advance billing for this month.
Enter VTOMR Use the meter reading entry screen to enter the reading on the printer
when the contract started. Enter the serial number of the laser printer
on the contract. The reading number defaults to NEW. Enter the start
date of the contract as the date. The screen displays the customer and
contract and sets the read type to initial. The reading entry screen is
displayed. Enter the initial meter reading and save the screens.
VPIM Use the meter alert report to check that the printer is overdue for its
reading.

VTOMR Enter the first monthly reading for the printer. Enter the serial number of
the laser printer and accept the NEW reading number. Enter the last
day of the previous month as the date. Select customer read type and
enter the contact name of the person providing the reading. You can
also enter a reference. The reading entry screen is displayed, showing
the previous readings and an estimate based on previous usage or
estimated usage on the contract meters screen. Enter the customer’s
meter reading, and any adjustments to the usage value, the screen
shows the gross and net usage. Save the reading screens.
It is possible to validate the readings by assigning a tolerance to the
estimate and disallowing data entry outside the tolerance.
The adjustment may exceed the gross usage, for example if the
customer has been given some free usage for goodwill. In this case, the
net usage is set to zero and the excess is carried over to the next meter
reading.
The meter reading screens are also available from a function in service
call entry or from the labour screen of docket entry. These allow
technicians to update meter readings and record any non-chargeable
usage as adjustments. The readings will only be used for invoicing if
they fall within the read window period, as defined on the contract,
around the next reading date.
VPICC We can now invoice the customer for the usage and the advance
monthly charge. The first step is to create the work file. Include direct
deposits and other customers, and set the effective and invoice dates to
the first day of the current month. On saving and confirming, the
invoicing process is started.
VPICR Use the invoice review screen to verify the details for the laser printer
contract. This should show the charges for the month and the usage.
VPICF Generate the invoices by finalising the renewals.
VPIP Print the invoice.
3.9 DEFINE SERVICE ANALYSIS FILES

Read The analysis functionality within the Masterpack service module is
extremely flexible and powerful. There are two types of data that can be
analysed; statistical which shows times between failures and labour
hours, and financial which shows service revenues, costs and margins.
The statistical data can also show parts usage as recorded on dockets.
In this section, we will design and populate two analysis files.
Read We need to have a reasonable amount of data to demonstrate the

abilities of the service analysis options. You should enter and complete
a number of calls for equipment not covered by service contracts,
recording and invoicing their parts and labour usage. Then create and
invoice service contracts for the items and raise and complete some
more calls.
Twenty closed and invoiced calls would be a good number!

Enter VSAA Define a new file which will be used for financial analysis. Set the
financial analysis flags to Y and the statistical ones to N. The other
fields can be left at their default values.
VSAA The lookup from the key element screen shows all of the data that can
Key.Elem… be used for analysis. Tag contract type and then customer. Save the
screens and note the file number.
This data entry allows Masterpack to create a new file definition with
appropriate keys for fast access for queries. The file is empty at this
stage.
VSAA Define another new file to be used for statistical analysis. The statistical
analysis flags should be set to Y and the financial ones to N
VSAA Tag service category, item, fault, cause and action, in this order. Save
Key.Elem… the screens to generate the file, and note its number.
Read There are two ways to populate the service analysis files.
The inventory day end process looks at the sales module daily
transactions to see if there are unprocessed service invoices. It uses
these to find the calls to update the service analysis files, and then
marks the transactions as processed.
The regenerate statistics process does the same thing for previously
processed service invoices. It does not update the unprocessed ones
as these will be handled by the next inventory end of day. This method
is used to put historical data into a new analysis file, or to rebuild the
data after changing an existing file. Note: this can take a long time to
run when there is a lot of data on the system, and will be badly affected
by inappropriate file sizing.
Enter IPE Perform the inventory day end. Make a note of any errors that are
reported as these can indicate incorrect service set up.
VSAF Run the file generation process for both analysis files defined earlier.
This will create the files and populate them with the calls processed by
the inventory end of day.
3.10 DEMONSTRATE SERVICE ANALYSIS AND THE CALL MONITOR

Read There are two daily management tools that demonstrate the service
module functionality very well; service analysis and call monitor. In the
previous case study we prepared some analysis data, which we will use
in this study. We will also show the call monitor in action.
Enter VEA Use the file defined for financial analysis. The period end defaults to the
current fiscal period, so you may have to set this forward if the previous
period has not been closed. Leave the key data blank unless you want
to restrict the data to be analysed.
VEA The first screen shows the data selected by period. Without using the
Financial detail option, explore the different display options for costs and
revenues. These will show contract revenue, costs for calls covered by
contracts, and revenues and costs for calls not covered.

VEA The detail screen shows you the breakdown for the selected period for
Financial the first key selection. The down level option allows you to select one
Detail key value and drill down to the next key selection. If you have chosen to
record the source information, you can continue down to contracts and
service calls for the cost and revenue data.
Use the exit option to return to the period display, then escape.
VEA Now use the file defined for statistical analysis.
VEA The first screen shows the data selected by period. Select the detail
Statistical option. Drill down to the item level.
VEA The details show average days between failures for the equipment
Statistical included in the statistics, average labour recorded on dockets, and total
Detail labour. If you have chosen to record the source information, you can
Down.Level continue down to the service calls for the faults.
The parts screens show the numbers of calls using the part, the total
number of parts used, and their average and total costs. The drill down
can continue to the dockets recording the part’s usage, if the file is
defined for this.
Read We need to have a reasonable amount of data to demonstrate the

abilities of the service call monitor. You should enter a number of calls
for the equipment, and leave them open with various status settings.
Calls should be left unallocated, allocated, despatched or interrupted.
Use the call escalate function to change some priorities too.
Twenty open calls would be a good number!
Enter VESM The service call monitor is a text screen, showing details of open calls, in
order of priority. The person using this screen can look up call and
docket information using the function keys. The call priorities determine
the text and background colours, and their status defines whether its
description blinks. These are described in the set up section earlier.
VESM There are many selections that can be applied to determine which calls
Set Selec… are shown on the monitor. These were defined in the set up section
earlier, but the operator can change them using this function.
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Masterpack

INTEGRATED BUSINESS SOLUTIONS

On-Line Training Course

24/03/2009 MASTERPACK SERVICE TRAINING (06/99) 1

© Copyright Masterpack Systems Pty Limited.

MASTERPACK ON-LINE TRAINING RELEASE 7.3

© Copyright MP Tech, Inc. dba Masterpack.

This document is copyright of MP Tech, Inc. No part of this document may be

SB+ is a registered trademark of Unidata Uk Limited.

24/03/2009 MASTERPACK SERVICE TRAINING (06/99) 2

Getting Around The Course Manual

HOW TO USE THIS DOCUMENT

YOUR COMPANY SET UP

SECTION 2: SERVICE MODULE SET UP

SECTION 3: CASE STUDIES

24/03/2009 MASTERPACK SERVICE TRAINING (06/99) 3

GETTING AROUND THE COURSE MANUAL

ABOUT THE MASTERPACK TRAINING MANUAL

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE TRAINING COURSE

HOW TO USE THIS DOCUMENT

This manual is arranged in three sections:

The training manual is designed using a column page format as follows:

Action Path Description

24/03/2009 MASTERPACK SERVICE TRAINING (06/99) 4

YOUR COMPANY SET UP

24/03/2009 MASTERPACK SERVICE TRAINING (06/99) 5

2 SERVICE MODULE SET UP

Action Path Description

2.1 SERVICE ACCOUNTING CONTROL SET UP

Read Service Job Control:

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Read Service Integration with Sales:

SSRT Enter an order type for selling service contracts.

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24/03/2009 MASTERPACK SERVICE TRAINING (06/99) 8

2.2 SERVICE CALL CONTROL REFERENCE FILES SET UP

USRGS Masterpack is delivered with some state information already defined.

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Read Call status and interrupt codes:

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2.3 SERVICE COMPANY CONTROL SET UP

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2.4 SERVICE PROBLEM ANALYSIS REFERENCE FILES SET UP

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2.5 SERVICE RESOURCE REFERENCE FILES SET UP

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2.6 SERVICE CONTRACT REFERENCE FILES SET UP

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VSCRN Cancellation reasons are used if a service contract is terminated before

VSCRB Billing cycles determine the interval at which customer is to be invoiced

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2.8 SERVICE COMPANY TAKE-ON

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Action Path Description

3.1 DEFINE A SERVICEABLE ITEM

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3.2 DEFINE A SERVICE COMPONENT

3.3 DEFINE A CUSTOMER SITE

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3.4 DEFINE EQUIPMENT AND SERVICE ASSEMBLIES