Highlights in Version 9.1

New Major Features in Version 9.1

Version 9.0 includes an interface with TireConnect, as well as some new features, including a new report.

TireConnect

The TireConnect integration allows you to see all your tire suppliers’ inventory in one place, giving your sales staff the ability to quote tires from 26 US Wholesales (14 Canadian Wholesalers) in seconds not minutes. It helps you improve customer satisfaction and simplifies counter staff training.

You are able to search by Tire Size, Year/Make/Model, Raw Size (like the Size/Item Field in Inventory) or by Part #, saving time when providing tire quotes and providing great customer experience. All of this promotes transparency and trust with your customers.

Tire Connect provides tire images, specs, features and reviews within the interface so your sales staff can quickly answer customer questions. They are able to immediately check supplier stock quantities across multiple suppliers. The interface gives the customer price based on the markups you set within Tire Connect. Your Tire Connect security PIN code limits access to ordering and helps eliminate mistakes.

There are two options when signing up with TireConnect. The first option includes all of the above, and the second includes these things and takes it a step further. With it, you sell or promote tires from your own website. Your website will be able to include the tires you stock, as well as the tires from distributors that you purchase from.

Contact a TABS Support Technician for pricing, or visit their website at TireConnect.ca.

Bin Value Report

This new report gives you the quantity and value of you inventory in each of your bins. This is useful for warehouses and shops who track their inventory quantities in each bin.

Enhanced Reports

• You can now export inventory from specific item groups to Excel.
• When generating a Daily Report, the Daily Deposit window will show you the profit percentage for the day, if the employee has the rights to see costs.
• You can now run the Inventory Sales Report with year-to-date totals for all stores, rather than just one store at a time.
• The Sales Rep Sales Report by Invoice Line now shows labor hours sold.

Item Groups

Use Markups or Margins Only
In the Item Group window, there is a new price override checkbox. If you select a group and check the box called ALWAYS use these Markups (or Margins) , pricing will be different for that group. The prices entered in Inventory Entry will be ignored for all parts and tires in that group, and the group’s specified margins or markups will be used instead. Note that this checkbox is not available for Labor Groups.

Labor Pricing Matrix
In the Inventory tab of System Settings, you can choose to Use pricing matrix for labor items. If this is checked, you can use pricing matrix in the Item Group window to specify a variable hourly rate. For example, you can specify that jobs that are 2 hours are less are priced at one rate, and price jobs that last between 2 and 5 hours at another rate. It is recommended that if you use this feature, you also check the box beneath it in the Inventory tab, called Don’t use matrix after the W/O is saved or printed. With this box checked the price won’t change automatically when the hours change later, in case the customer had already approved the previous hourly rate.

Recommended Services

• When editing a recommended service, you can now see the details of the corresponding vehicle.
• When recommending a service in the vehicle summary in Sales Entry, a prompt to send an email appears.
• For Recommended Services, shop supplies are not included by default, until they are pulled into a Workorder.
• When working with Recommended Services from within a Workorder, you can now email a Recommended Service directly without needing to mark it as accepted or declined.
• Added the ability to search Email Mailings if services are performed before a reminder email is due to be sent

Miscellaneous

• When setting up employees, you can specify whether they can delete vehicles.
• When you delete a line in a Purchase Order after that item has been received, a new line is created in the Inventory History window. Now that new line will have the date of the Purchase Order rather than the current date.
• You can now enter a deposit on an Workorder with a negative amount. This is useful for correcting mistakes, etc.
• There is a new option to hide outside parts when showing only in stock items in the Inventory Search window. This option is in the Inventory tab of System Settings.
• Mechanic notes can now optionally print on all Workorders. This is set in the Workorder tab of System Settings.
• When adding or editing manufacturer names in the Manufacturer window (from the Utility Menu), you can see how many inventory items are linked to each manufacturer in the list.
• When using the Merchant Partners credit card interface, the approval information can now print at the bottom of the page.