Automotive Distribution Software Suite - SAP® Business One Add-on

Modules:

• Sales Module
• Service Module (Auto Repair Shops)
• Spare Parts Module
• Vehicle Management Module
• Dashboard Module
• Leasing Module

Sales Module

A.D.S.- Automotive Dealership/Distributor Software Solution Sales Module supports all aspects of automotive dealer's sales processes

A.D.S. - a SAP certified Solution, Sales Module supports all aspects of automotive dealer's sales processes, including new and used vehicles, lots and showrooms from the initial pipeline and opportunity management, to the delivery and payment.

New vehicle distribution processes are initiated when vehicles are ordered from the manufacturer, shipped and delivered to the dealership, prepared for delivery (including PDI – Pre Delivery Inspection) to the end-customer and final billing. In addition, the A.D.S. Automotive Software Solution's Trade-In module provides an efficient platform for managing all the details relevent to the Trade-In process.

Together with the SAP Business One CRM Module, processes continue with follow-ups and feedback from the customer. The sales module is part of the holistic CRM view that is provided in this powerful software solution.

Service Module (Auto Repair Shops)

A.D.S. - Automotive Dealership/Distributor Software Solution Service Module supports the standard auto repair shop activities and functionality such as vehicle job card management and utilization of the auto repair shop's resources.

The A.D.S Service Module enables the auto repair shops to manage and log all-around information regarding a vehicle's visit in the repair shop. From the moment the vehicle enters the workshop until the end of the billing cycle process, everything is tracked in the Job Card.

The service module job card consists of several data sections: General Service Information, Spare Parts & Materials, Labor, Outsourcing, Activities and Documents. It is also possible to base a job card on a sales quotation issued for the customer.

Billing

The service module enables the user to debit each line of labor or parts in the job card to a maximum of three debtors with a specified ratio. The job card will be the base of the relevant billing documents for the debtor such as an A/R for the customer, a warranty claim for manufacturer, etc. Only after all items in the job card are billed will it be possible to change it's status to 'Closed'.

Scheduling the A.D.S. Service Module enables the workshop to plan ahead for known service requirements, either by active operations based on the system's data or by receiving service requests from customers.

A service appointment is set using an activity, linked to the customer and the vehicle. It is possible for the repair shop's planner to see an overview of all resources (such as mechanics, car lifts, etc.) and future utilization in order to build an efficient work plan.

Warranty Claims

The service module supports management of warranty claims registered by the dealer's affiliate auto repair shops or claims directed to the manufacturer by the dealer. A warranty claim can be based upon a job card or can be the base document of an A/R invoice, once compensated by the manufacturer. The claim includes the required information, as defined by the manufacturer, in order to ensure approval.

The user can define several warranty claims, for example: Goodwill, Compensation, Standard warranty, etc.

It is also possible to export warranty claims to a file, as usually required by most of the manufacturers.

Campaigns

Campaigns are service situations that are usually initiated by the vehicle manufacturer, e.g. A vehicle recall for repairing a known fault. A campaign can be a public active one or a silent one. The manufacturer provides a list of vehicles that are suspected to include the fault and that should be treated according to its instructions.

Each campaign definition can include a pre-defined kit that indicates all required parts and labor for the execution of the campaign service. Once a vehicle that is assigned to a campaign enters the auto repair shop, a pop-up alert shows the campaign details, enabling the repair shop manager to select the campaign for execution. Doing that, all required parts and labor are automatically added to the job card.

Spare Parts Module

Selling Spare parts falls under the category of after-sales service and is one of the major revenue streams for a dealer.

Selling Spare Parts requires management of logistical processes of stock keeping and ongoing synchronization with technological updates, parts variations and the manufacturer's demands. The main challenge is to keep inventory levels at a minimum while maintaining high levels of service and customer satisfaction.

The A.D.S. Spare Parts Module enables the user to separate the activities of the warehouse stock keeping from the service processes and the job card management.

A job card can be created by a service specialist who then contacts the customer in the frontline and recommends which required parts and labor are needed.

The Stock keeper would then open a thin version of the job card and issue the parts needed for the service. A dealer can also use his warehouse's front desk for direct sales of spare parts. This requires, in addition to the standard inventory processes the dealer must manage (Inventory planning, procurement, etc.), the implementation of sales processes in the warehouse.

These are all core SAP Business One processes, which can be accessed directly from within the Automotive Dealership Solution's menu, such as creating an A/R Invoice for the parts, receiving the payment and issuing a payment document. This way, the warehouse can be measured as a standalone profit center with its own goals and sales targets.

Vehicle Management Module

The A.D.S. Vehicle Management Module deals with the infrastructure of the Vehicle Lifecycle Management (VLM) processes, from the sales cycle via service procedures to used vehicle and trade-in business.

The A.D.S. Vehicle Management Module enables the dealer or service provider to manage a wide range of information regarding a vehicle and to access the history of previous service visits or events.

The vehicle master data includes technical information such as VIN, license No., engine, manufacturer, model, color, etc., as well as, information regarding warranty, service frequency and due license registration.

It is possible to link each vehicle to the customer registered in the license of the vehicle and if they exist, to a sponsor customer.

The A.D.S. Vehicle Management Module enables the user to link activities to the vehicle in order to track events regarding the vehicle itself or to get alerts of upcoming events, such as warranty expiration, etc.

• The vehicle master data card also displays all previous job cards of the vehicle and all parts and labor consumed.
• In addition the module enables distributors or dealers to use the sales processes of the SAP Business One when selling vehicles, leasing vehicles or buying used ones as part of trade-in business.
• A vehicle is created in the system as an item and is processed through the sales process (quotation to invoice). It is possible to then mark the item as 'vehicle' and access its master data directly.
  

Models Management

A.D.S includes a complete infrastructure for managing vehicle models, classifying them and marking them with different codes.

Many reports can be created using the vehicle model as a data filter thereby assisting in analyzing service measurements and decision making.

This module enables the user to link spare parts to a specific model. That way, when selecting parts for service, only the relevant parts for the serviced vehicle will be available.

Dashboard Module

A.D.S. Dashboard Module illustrates all relevant information in the 3S dimensions with a graphical interface designed for managers seeking to receive the most accurate overview of their business.

The Automotive dashboard module consists of pre-configured measurements, showing current levels of achievement compared to a target defined by management.

The manager can further analyze the data, by 'drilling down' into the data and learning what it is founded on.

In addition, a set of best practices and methodologies is displayed, suggesting ways to improve the performance of the analyzed measurement.

Leasing Module

The A.D.S. Leasing Module enables the management of all required leasing process. This module is fully integrated with the other Automotive Dealership Solution modules.

A.D.S. Leasing Module provides the user with the ability to manage and track vehicle leasing contracts, receive alerts regarding the owned vehicle fleet and process the billing to the customer.

Contract Management

The central object of a lease is the contract. It is a serial numbered document, with a status, enabling the leasing manager to log and track all events regarding the contract, e.g. details regarding contract start date, insurance expiry date, traffic tickets, special billing events, etc.

Each contract includes the detailed benefits that the customer is entitled to such as, free service, spare parts, etc. All hardcopy documentation can be scanned and attached as files to the contract for future inspection and for data completeness.

In order to create customer invoices, all billable events are tracked and monitored in the contract as they occur. The billing process creates A/R invoices to the customer according to a set of user-defined parameters.

Travel Distance Limit and Car Pools

One of the many challenges of any leasing company is managing the distance limit on each leased vehicle. Each contract defines a specific annual Mileage limit. Any mile (or KM) traveled that exceeds this limit is charged by a specific fee.

A common practice is to offer a customer with multiple contracts a car pool calculation. That way, the distance limit is not measured for each individual vehicle but is rather set for the group of vehicles.

The A.D.S leasing module enables the user to define multiple car pools and a set of parameters for the limit calculation such as a bonus percentage, a minimum limit and a maximum limit.

All are used as part of the calculation formula and the result is a relative calculation for each vehicle in the pool. Billing is then calculated accordingly.