ServiceDesk 4.5.1 Update 02/13/11

Last Tuesday in San Diego, we had a fantastic set of three classes at the United Servicer's Association annual convention (aka the Appliance Service Training Institute, or ASTI).  In my own class (and as is now tradition), discussion brought out the need for a number of improvements.  Michael Basich (of Michaelson's Appliance Repair of Tampa) kindly tallied 16 such requests, and emailed me the list.  Though I only got back on Friday afternoon, I've already mostly killed the list.  Here is my general report:

Out of 16 items tallied, 4 involved supplementary products rather than ServiceDesk (and I still must get to those).  One involves a very large project I intend to conquer soon.  Two were for fixes that, upon going to address, I found ServiceDesk was already behaving exactly in the manner requested (read near bottom of this entry for details on those).  This leaves nine items, total, that I was able to conquer this weekend, as now available in this (Monday morning's) release:

1.    DTR-Viewer Now Functional Even for TimeCards Not Done via SD-Mobile:

In the class, I always show-off new features as added since the prior class a year earlier.  When I showed the new DTR-Viewer (see entry as pertaining to Rel. 4.4.68), someone pointed out that the Viewer works only for TimeCards as compiled by a tech working in SD-Mobile, and not for someone that does his TimeCard punches via ServiceDesk itself.  I'd not intended such a limitation when I created the feature, and was surprised by the report.  On review, I found the Viewer's disability in regard to within-ServiceDesk created TimeCards was the unintended consequence of a coding variation, which has now been addressed. 

2.    Auto-Add to JobRecord Historical Narratives When User Changes Tech Assigned to Appointment:

Suppose you're in the DispatchMap and change the tech assigned to an appointment.  I've never thought this kind of event should be automatically documented to the JobRecord's history, because to me it's not particularly significant as concerns performance on the job.  But many have asked for it, and in the class I was persuaded to at least make it an option.  So now, if you go to your Settings form (Ctrl-F11), you'll see a new checkbox where you can set to activate this new offering:

Applicable section as prior offeredNow with new option

Obviously, if you go to your Settings form and check that new option, you should see these new historical narratives added, any time someone changes the tech as assigned to an appointment. 

3.    DispatchMap Auto-Popups Moved to Right:

We also discussed the DispatchMap's auto-popup feature, as added with Rel. 4.4.53.  During discussion it was agreed the popup would be better if moved to the right of the underlying text:

Showing popup as traditionally prior locatedAs now moved to the right

4.    Add Password-Protection Security for Edits in the MasterPartsPlan:

I was surprised to learn that, somehow, I'd evidently neglected add an option to enable the above-indicated protection.  It's there now.  Just open your Security-Actions form (Shift-F11), and click on the Actions radio button.  If you sort on the Action/Process column, you'll see there already were, in fact, several categories of optional protection as applicable to the MasterPartsPlan, but only now (with addition of the highlighted item below) is there one to optionally protect against editing, there, in general. 

You'll need to toggle the password protection on this item to True, if you want it to take effect (default is False). 

5.    Prevent ServiceDesk from Emailing an Appointment Confirmation Reminder When the Underlying Item is Designated as a ShopJob:

The above pretty much speaks for itself. 

6.    Allow for Deletion of Daughter Bands as Added to Archived-PartsProcess Records:

Ditto.

7.    Make a More Simple QuickKey Access for the SD-Rolodex:

For obvious reasons, I'm always reluctant to change QuickKey or Mouse action users have become accustomed to.  However, since adding the SD-Rolodex feature about a year ago, I've often felt it deserves its own direct F-Key access (i.e., without combination with a modifier key).  For a form that a user wants to so frequently bring up, Shift-F3 (the action to-date) seemed way too difficult.  At the same time, I did not think the SalesViewer form needed access all that often, and so did not think it really deserved F4 sweet spot it's always (until this date) enjoyed.  Given the above, I put it to the class, asking how they'd feel if I swapped the two.  They voted in favor, so now it's a reality.  F4 gives you the SD-Rolodex.  Shift-F3 gives you the SalesViewer form.   

8.      Flag JobRecords in ServiceDesk if/when Connected to an SDRB Account:

SDRB stands for SD-RevenueBuilder.  If you do not know, it's a supplemental program designed to assist you in managing your own service contracts and/or maintenance agreements, and to integrate with ServiceDesk while doing so.  More than a year ago, someone mentioned that a tech in the SD-Mobile should have a visual indicator if the property that he's working at is subject to an SDRB account.  We added a visual indicator there, but for some reason did not think of doing the same within ServiceDesk itself.  That oversight has now been corrected.  Specifically, any current JobRecord that's subject to a pending SDRB contract at the address in question will show with a visual indicator as follows:

This indicator will appear next to whichever section (Paying-Party or Go-To) as has the matching address.  As another benefit, you can simply click on the reference to immediately link to the SDRB account in question. 

9.    Archived-JobRecords Now Packed More Loosely:

In the interest of using data space efficiently, ServiceDesk packs JobRecords somewhat tightly when moving them to the Archive.  Specifically, for the last two or three years, its been leaving just 250 spaces between each record -- 250 spaces where characters can be added, if, after the record is archived, you find yourself wanting to add new text (in any context aside from AfterNotes, which don't count because they are stored separately).  In the class we talked about how sometimes this is less room than needed for some purposes.  Since storage space is so much more liberally available today, we decided it was time to be less stingy.  Now, JobRecords will be packed to the archive with 500 extra spaces allotted for each. 

As mentioned, there were two items in the list that, upon going to address, I found ServiceDesk was already doing precisely as requested.  At least, it sure did so far as my testing is concerned.  It's possible users have found contexts where it's otherwise, and I describe the items here so that, if so, hopefully such users can tell me how to replicate whatever failure they are experiencing:

10.    Exclude POS Transactions from the Profitability Report:

With release of Ver. 4.4.72 we added a new Profitability Report.  Someone in the class said the report was including values of parts sales as conducted across-the-counter -- which would not make good sense, since the report is intended to analyze profitability of service operations.  On reviewing, though, I found my program code was already very deliberately written to exclude POS transactions.  If anyone truly encounters any experience to suggest otherwise, please let me know.

11.    When Scheduling a ShopJob, There Should be No Dialog Complaining about Absence of Grid Coordinates:

Someone said they got this dialog.  I found my program code specifically designed to prevent its occurrence in the ShopJob situation, and my tests show it working.  Again, if you can find a scenario where it's otherwise, please let me know. 

To remind, there were 16 items from the class total.  Another four (work still pending) involve programs other than ServiceDesk.  The remaining one is a big project, one which I happen to have actually been working toward for three years now.  I'm hoping to have it out soon.