ServiceDesk 4.8.27 Update 05/26/17

For the longest time, ServiceDesk has offered a plethora of automated and semi-automated email-based methods by which to accomplish needed communications with your customers.  A few years back, we added RoboCalling as an optional method for the appointment-reminder/confirmation-request context.    About sixteen months ago, we added SMS text-messaging as a third option for that context. 

All the above was good, but, in the interim, we've received many requests to have RoboCalling and/or text-messaging added as options in other contexts.  That's what we introduce now. 

1. Text-messaging Replies.  If you've been using text-messaging in the appointment-reminder/confirmation-request context, you know that occasionally (even though the text in itself  asks your SMS-correspondent to click on a link so as to confirm the appointment) the recipient texts back with a verbal confirmation or other message.  You further know we've configured for this text-reply to be handled via creation of a SD-Mail, which shows you the text from the customer's reply:

1. The problem is, there has been no convenient way for you to respond back via text.  Now there is.  Specifically, if you are looking at one of these SD-Mails, just click to Reply.  Automatically, the system will recognize the context, and configure to send your reply back as a text:

1. On-Demand, Self-Initiated, Direct Texting.  So, you simply want to initiate a text to a customer (or perhaps to an employee or other associate), and you want to do it from your desktop rather than from your smartphone.  You have a telephone number that you know belongs to the intended recipient's smartphone.  For this situation, simply use a new variation we have added to auto-dialing.  The general command to auto-dial (from almost any context where a telephone number is listed) is to right-click on the number.  If you wish to text instead, simply make it a Shift/Right-click.  This will open the SD-Mail compose window, pre-configured in mode to text to the number you initiated from:

1. This variation is currently functional in Callsheets, Current- and Archived-JobRecords, and in the Rolodex.  Another way to initiate an on-demand text is: (a) go directly to the SD-Mail interface; (b) choose "New Mail"; and (c) pick "TextTo" as recipient from the dropdown list (then type in the number), or simply type (or copy-and-paste) the target number into the "To:" box to start out with.   

2. Request to Schedule After Parts Arrive.  Whenever you check-in a special-order part, the system automatically checks to see if more parts are still on order for the underlying job.  If not, it invokes a dialog.  In particular, if it finds that you have an email address for the customer, it offers to send the customer an email, informing you have the needed parts in, and requesting that the customer schedule their completion visit.  Now the dialog offers a more expansive set of options:Old Dialog:New Dialog:

1. Please note that each method category (i.e., email, SMS and RoboCall) will be enabled only if the underlying JobRecord has a "target" that is appropriate to that category.  For example, if there is no suitable email target in the underlying JobRecord, the email category will not be enabled in the above dialog.  Please further note that, when interpreting which strings of text as present in a JobRecord are suitable as targets for each category, the system will follow precisely the strategy you have setup and defined for use in the appointment-reminder/confirmation-request context. 

2. POS-Context, Request to P/U After Parts Arrive.  This is a close parallel to the above, except the involved communications are asking the customer simply to pickup their parts, as opposed to asking them to schedule.  The dialog looks like this:Old Dialog:New Dialog:

1. Other Requests to Schedule.  You get a request from a home-warranty-company client to contact a consumer to schedule your visit and perform a repair.  Or, you get a request from a landlord to do similarly in regard to a tenant's location.  Or, you are seeking to try again with a customer that's not responded, asking again for them to schedule for completion after parts have arrived.  In any such case, it's long been true that you could right-click on JobRecord's "Scheduling" button to receive some emailing options in this regard.  Now the resulting dialog is more expansive.  Old Dialog:New Dialog:

Please bear in mind both RoboCalls and SMSs carry a small fee (going forward it will be nine cents and three cents each, respectively . . . reduced from the former price of a dime and nickel a piece; we thought it best to avoid any claim about "nickel and diming" our clients).  

Instant Link to SalesJournal and A/R Searches:

Imagine yourself in a JobRecord when, for whatever reason, you wish to know what SalesJournal entries have been made in its connection.  Or, you wish to know what A/Rs (if any) are pending.  Certainly, it's easy to go to the SalesRead form (Shift-F3) to conduct a search, or go to the A/R form (F3) to conduct search. 

However, it's not easy enough. 

We already had, within the two JobRecord forms (Current and Archived), a hotlink to the FundsJournal form (Ctrl-F9), used so as to instantly see what funds have been collected in connection with a job.  It's accessed by right-clicking on a JobRecord form's "enter Funds received" button.  Now the ToolTip for that button (obtained by floating your mousepointer over it) indicates further functionality:

And now, when you indeed right-click on the button, you get a set of options as follows:

Pick the option desired, and you'll get instant information accordingly. 

Earlier this month we added a function in SD-Mobile whereby a tech can directly indicate that a second-man/helper is needed on his return visit (he simply checks a box to so indicate).  When he has so checked, the system will create an informing AttentionNote in the JobRecord (this is in parallel to what it does when the tech indicates that his return appointment should involve any JobCount value above the default of 1). 

While an AttentionNote is nice if look at it, there is (of course) always the chance it will not be noticed.  Thus, as another parallel to how above-1 JobCount requests are handled, ServiceDesk will now look, when you are scheduling from a JobRecord, to see if there is a second-man-required AttentionNote.  If so, it will remind you of the circumstance, and even offer to prep entry of the second appointment for you.  Likewise, once you have created the second-man "Hlpng . . ." appointment, it will delete the AttentionNote.   

On-its-Face Indication from JobRecord of S/O Parts Involvement:

If you want to know at-a-glance if a JobRecord has special-order parts involved, there is now on-its-face, visual indication:

The trick (as illustrated above) is any job that has s/o parts involved will have its "Order Parts" button rendered in green. 

Until now, if you wanted to edit a FundsJournal entry in any display mode aside from viewing current entries and in a non-search context, the system would not permit you to do so.  Now you are permitted to edit from any display context, including past entries and search contexts.  If editing past entries, an extra layer of password protection is invoked. 

When you search in the SalesJournal for entries  connected to a Job, whether your search is initiated directly from within the SalesRead form (old-fashioned way) or via the new HotLink (described above), there is a new connected feature.  Specifically, the system will provide you with a net summary of values involved:

You don't need to do anything special to make this summary appear.  It should just happen, on its own.  

We'd thought this had been taken care of ever since 2010.  Turns out our belief was mistaken.  The SB-DispatchLink functionality that was designed to automatically cancel zero-sale referred dispatches (so you don't have to pay a referral fee) was indeed doing what we'd been told needed to be done for the purpose.  It turns out, however, that what we'd been told needed to be done was not actually sufficient.  Upon so learning, we determined what would be sufficient, and released a new copy of the SB-DispatchLink utility (Ver. 4.8.7) that now succeeds in this important purpose.  If you've formerly been doing these cancellations manually, you should find that, going forward (so long you update to the above-indicated version or later), there is no longer a need.