Focus Newsletter 01-11


 
 
RTM e-Newsletter, January 2011


 

Facebook – If you have not yet become a fan of the RTM Facebook page, please consider joining to get more frequent news and to receive immediate updates on new features and market opportunities.  Use the button above or this direct link to our page.

Tip of the Month – ServicePoint Schedule Only Users can be used to easily schedule CounterPoint order deliveries or setup/installation of items sold in CounterPoint.  A button to access the schedule calendar can be added to the POS screen that will pass user login information directly to ServicePoint, allowing the calendar to be brought up directly from CP ticket entry.

We Do Online Demonstrations! – We will walk you or your prospect through every aspect of our software, with data tailored to fit your particular needs.  Give us a call at 800-672-4806 or contact sales@ccscentral.com  if you are interested in setting up a personalized meeting.

Compatibility News – We’ve recently certified compatibility of our products with some new versions of accounting software.  ServicePoint has been updated to be compatible with the upcoming 8.4 release of CP SQL.  Also – We are currently working on an interface to the SQL version of Passport’s PBS (more about this below).  Focus is compatible with the latest CounterPoint V7 release, 7.5.18.  There is both a Focus and ServicePoint version that interfaces with Passport software, up through the new graphical release, PBS version 12.  Full compatibility information is outlined in a table at the bottom of this newsletter.

Product News

ServicePoint – Our SQL based service management application, ServicePoint, is designed for seamless integration with CounterPoint SQL from Radiant Systems, Great Plains Dynamics from Microsoft Business Solutions, and for Passport Business Solutions.  The latest fully functional ServicePoint demos are available for download
 

Here’s what’s new in ServicePoint …

  • Passport SQL! – We have a copy of the much anticipated version of PBS from Passport Software, and it looks great!  The adaptation to allow ServicePoint to access the new Passport SQL database is in process and expected to be complete in February.
  • Simple reservations– The ability to simply tie a customer to a resource without an order or work order is now available.  This simple scheduling function can reserve a block of time on a specific day for meetings and consultations without having to complete the order entry process.  Meeting schedules can be printed by day or by scheduled resource.
  • Support for prepaid blocks of time – ServicePoint will now track time used in performing services against a prepaid block of time.  Any additional time used during a predetermined time period may then be billed as overage.
  • Industry-specific demo data –  Below is list of the business types for which we already developed demonstration data for ServicePoint.  If you would like to have us create a dataset Please contact us if you have a specific need and we will gladly create a demonstration based on your requirement.
    • Pool & Spa
    • Heating and Air
    • Bicycle shop
    • Computer and POS equipment
    • Lawn and Garden center
    • Vehicle maintenance
    • Commercial kitchen repair and Appliances
Focus – Focus is the leading service management software for use with CounterPoint V7 and Passport.
  • CPScheduler – Focus users on a CP Windows platform can take advantage of our graphic scheduling program.  A calendar is used to allocate time for service items, and/or for CP orders to be delivered or installed.  Any updates made through the graphical scheduler are made directly to the Focus files, and appear in the Focus service database.
  • New Focus features
    • Support for printing of a graphic image in the background of forms.  This will allow the printing of invoices and work orders, integrated with the lines, headings, and graphics onto plain paper.
    • We’ve added attachment of pictures to Focus service calls.  The latest release of Focus will support multiple pictures, able to be viewed and printed, for service calls, customer equipment, and service addresses.
    • Auto-attach customer equipment notes.  If a customer equipment note has an ID matching the "auto-attach" ID set up in Focus, bring the note automatically into a new service call at entry time, or when generated during PM’s due processing.
    • Addition of Route, Truck, and Stop to customer equipment.  This allows printing of a routing report, helpful for routine maintenance to equipment at customer’s sites.
  • Passport Windows printing – There is a patch available for Focus 8.5 that will correct some pagination issues when printing to a Windows printer in the PBS version of Focus.
PartSmart – Our PartSmart interface application creates a seamless interface from this popular electronic parts catalog and lookup program to CP SQL and ServicePoint.  PartSmart allows a user to call up diagrams and parts lists for equipment models.  Inventory levels can be checked for selected components, and parts pick lists can easily be created simply by dragging and dropping from the illustrated diagram.  Our interface program lets PartSmart retrieve inventory information from CounterPoint SQL, including item status information, quantities on hand, bin location, pricing, and more.  With the push of a button, a parts list created in PartSmart can be easily transferred to a CounterPoint order, or to a ServicePoint work order task.

Accounting Platform Compatibility – Want to know what versions of our Software are compatible with various versions of accounting?  Take a look at the chart below.  Effective as of 01/01/11.  The latest compatibility information is always on our web site at http://www.rtmcs.com/support/index.htm.

ServicePoint
CounterPoint SQL 8.2.8 & .9, and 8.3.2 through 8.4.1
Passport Business Solutions, through version 12
Great Plains Dynamics 7.5 through 10.0
Focus
CounterPoint v7.5, up through 7.5.18
Passport Business Solutions, through version 12
Great Plains Classic, 8.0, 8.5, 9.0, and 9.1
PartsSmart Interface
For use with CP SQL up through 8.4.0, and PartSmart v6
 
 
 


 

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