Chapter
Three: Making Changes
Changing
the program: Temporarily or Permanently
The main feature of Quick Quote is that it is completely changeable. It is ready to use "out of the box", yet it can be customized to the shop's own specifications. There are two kinds of changes within the program: temporary and permanent.
Temporary changes are used when you'd like to make a change on a specific vehicle's estimate. For example, a car with major rust damage comes in and you need to boost a job up by .5 to make up for the extra work. Another example is for overlapping repairs, where you can change the time on the combination job, but not make it permanent.
Permanent changes come into play when you decide you need to add or reduce the time on a job every time. The program will ask you if you make a permanent change:
Changing
the Flat Rate Times
In Quick Quote, the flat rate times can be changed, after
bringing up a repair, by clicking on the time or labor field.
Make the change by typing in the flat rate time you desire.
Be sure to use decimal points for tenths.
A pop-up box will appear and ask if the change is permanent.
If so, click Yes. If
temporary, click No for this time only. To
make a global change of all the flat rate times by a percentage, go to Settings.
Any time you make a permanent time change in Quick Quote, the numbers will show in blue on the screen. They do not not show blue on the print out. This will indicate which prices and times you have changed for your shop. These marked items will not be changed by future upgrades, so the program will, in a short amount of time, be your shop's prices.
Changing
the Parts Prices
You can also change the parts prices in Quick Quote. The parts prices can be changed in either of two ways. First, you can change them on an individual basis, by changing the dollars and cents. Second, you can change all of the parts prices in the program in one action, a global or mass parts price reduction or increase. This is done on a percentage basis.
An individual parts price change can be done on a temporary or a permanent basis. After bringing up a repair, click in the amount field. You then have the option of calculating a price based on your cost. Click on Calculate. Enter the cost amount. You will be shown a list price based on a percentage markup and also using a profit margin. The percentage markup price is the cost of the item plus the markup percentage (cost plus 30%). The profit margin price calculates a price to reflect a profit margin of that percentage (30% profit). The default 30% can be changed. Select the parts price you desire in the estimate. Be sure to use decimal points for cents. A pop-up box will appear and ask if the change is permanent. If you answer No the change will remain for this estimate only, and will return to it's original price for the next estimate.
Making a permanent parts price change displays the price in blue. Parts prices marked will not be changed by future upgrades, but they WILL be adjusted for inflation, so that your parts database does not become obsolete over time.
To change all of the parts prices, a mass parts price reduction or increase can be done in the program. To do this, go to Settings. The parts prices may be reduced or increased by up to 99%. Experiment to see what is right for your area.
Adding
Additional Repairs to a Quote
To add an additional item to an estimate, simply bring up the next Repair Category and select additional items to add to the estimate. A total of 200 lines fit onto an estimate.
Deleting
a Repair from a Quote
To delete a repair from an estimate, click the "+" button. Then click the "Delete" button and the "X" button. If you clicked the "<--Delete-->" button on the Labor side, the entire line will be removed. Otherwise just the labor or part will be removed. The repair totals will automatically be recalculated. (Note: if you would like to make the item a recommendation change the labor quantity to 0 (zero). You can also delete any line on the RO by clicking on Edit - Delete Line.
INSERTING A LINE ON A QUOTE
To insert a line click on Edit - Insert Line. A line will be added below the item you select and the next item added will go on that line.
Changing
the Repair Categories
The repair categories in Quick Quote are one of the few things in the program that can not be changed. There are 20 categories of basic mechanical repair needs, and all repairs can be placed into one of these categories. (For more detail on categories, see Chap. 5.)
SHOP SUPPLIES
A shop supply charge can be automatically calculated and
added to every estimate. Use Settings. A 0% won't add shop supplies and a 0 limit won't limit the
charge. To add a set amount to every estimate, put 99 as the percentage and the
dollar amount you want as the limit.
Changing
the Message/Description Lines
The message or description lines in Quick Quote are the sentences or phrases that appear underneath the repair on the screen. These message lines can be added or changed within Quick Quote on a permanent or temporary basis. A select group of repairs already have standard messages in the program. These are there to show what's included in the repair. They also can be edited on permanent or temporary basis. The permanent (saved) message lines will come up any time that repair is selected on any vehicle. Temporary changes are for the estimate currently on the screen, and will not be saved. To make or change a message click on the "+" button on the labor side. Click "Save Comment" to make permanent.
TECHNICAL
SERVICE NOTES
Click "Vehicle Notes" for TSN. A window will
open showing information about this vehicle and allow you to enter notes. These
can be flat rate tips, specifications or estimate assistance notes. Anything you
want! This information is stored permanently for this vehicle and it's sister
cars.
Dynamic
Kits
A kit is a grouping of items. Any regular repair item can be made into a kit, even ones you've added. You have a choice of your kit being for the current vehicle only, for every vehicle of that Make or for the entire program. A kit by Make still uses the times and parts for each individual vehicle for everything grouped in the kit. Kits also store quantities. Making one Dynamic Kit can replace hundreds of canned jobs in other programs.
Building
Dynamic Kits
Dynamic kits store groups of items to be recalled in one selection. Quantities and overwritten times and parts can be stored as well. Here is an example in building a dynamic kit. In the Quick Quote program, bring up a '88 Honda Accord for a timing belt. Click the "+" button on the Labor side. Go to Cooling System and then Water Pump. Overwrite the Water Pump Labor time by clicking in the time box. Make it .9 or 1.0, your choice. Leaving the box empty will tell the program to use the current price. This is the power of a Dynamic Kit. Items are grouped but the time and part can still come from the data base for the specific vehicle. Save the Kit for this specific vehicle, all vehicles of this Make or for all vehicles in the program. Quick Quote will now adjust to your kit specifications. The Timing Belt time and part price and the Water Pump part price will be for the '88 Honda Accord. The Water Pump labor will be .9 or what ever you made it. If you delete the Water Pump from this estimate the Timing Belt will remain. If you delete the Timing Belt, the Water Pump will also be deleted.
SKILL LEVEL RATINGS
Click in any Skill Level box to change it.
NON-TAXABLE ITEMS
Click on the plus (+) button after the Part Description. Put a check in the Non-Taxable check box
NON-TAXABLE
ESTIMATES
A whole estimate can be made non-taxable, in Quick Quote, by selecting "Settings" "Non-Taxable" after at least one item is on the estimate. You can select "Taxable" to change it back.