Microcat Land Rover parts quick start guide

Disclaimer
Infomedia Ltd 2003 This document is the copyright of Infomedia Ltd, October 2003. All rights reserved worldwide. Infomedia, Microcat and the graphical representation of Microcat 1-2-3 are registered trademarks, and Microcat 1-2-3, Microcat Fresh, and Microcat Live are trademarks of Infomedia Ltd. All other brand names or trademarks are the properties of their respective holders. No warranty of any kind is given regarding the information contained herein, which is provided on an as is basis. Any warranties as to merchantability and fitness for a specific purpose are, to the fullest extent, excluded. Infomedia Ltd shall in no way be liable to the reader of this document for any direct, consequential, indirect, incidental, punitive, special or other damages whatsoever arising from the readers reliance on the contents provided herein. The receipt of this document shall not be construed as conferring any rights to the recipient in the information provided, nor in the patents, trademarks or copyrights of Infomedia Ltd or any of its subsidiaries.

Table of contents
Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 3 About the Guide .................................................................................................................. 3 Log on to Microcat.......................................................................................................................... 4 Initial Launch and Log on ................................................................................................... 4 About passwords and user names........................................................................................ 7 Identify a vehicle............................................................................................................................. 8 Open the Vehicle Identification dialog box......................................................................... 8 ID by VIN............................................................................................................................ 9 ID by licence number .......................................................................................................... 9 Enter model, date and details............................................................................................... 9 Which method should I use? ............................................................................................. 10 Selecting Parts ............................................................................................................................... 11 Graphic Index .................................................................................................................... 11 Alpha Index ....................................................................................................................... 13 Microcat Search................................................................................................................. 14 Reduce Choices ................................................................................................................. 15 SuperWindow .................................................................................................................... 16 Finalize an Order List.................................................................................................................... 17 What is the difference between the WorkBench and the Order List? ............................... 17 Edit a line........................................................................................................................... 18 Delete a line....................................................................................................................... 18 Print an order list ............................................................................................................... 18 Delete an entire Order List ................................................................................................ 19 Part Option Resolver ......................................................................................................... 19 Transfer an Order List to the DMS.................................................................................... 20 More help ...................................................................................................................................... 21 Help files ........................................................................................................................... 21 Application Shortcuts ........................................................................................................ 21

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Introduction

Introduction
Welcome to Microcat! Microcat is an electronic parts and service selling system. Some of its advantages are: Fast and accurate parts interpretation Electronic transfer of parts to your DMS Reduction of costly errors.

This guide is for Microcat users. If you would like further information, please see the final section of this guide, More Help.

About the Guide

This manual is divided into six sections: an introduction four sections on using Microcat one section on getting more help.

Each section about using Microcat contains: learning outcomes information about functionality steps for completing various tasks notes of additional information where required.

This is an example note that is used to display additional information throughout this guide.

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Identify a vehicle

Log on to Microcat
In this section you will learn how to: Open the Microcat application Set up your user name and password Enter your user name and password

You will also learn why you should use separate passwords for each Microcat user.

Initial Launch and Log on

This procedure is completed once only at the time of the first log-on to Microcat. 1. Double click the Microcat shortcut on the desktop.

Or, select the Windows Start menu > Programs > Microcat for Windows > Microcat. 2. Click the Start button. The Log-On to Microcat dialog box opens.

3. Click the Administration button to set up a user name, password and dealer details. The User Administration dialog box opens.

The initial log on settings only need to be completed the first time you log on and will be retained for subsequent installations of Microcat.

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Identify a vehicle

4. Click the New User button.

5. Enter the User Name, Password and a Sales ID (eg. your first name or initials). 6. Click OK. This returns the user to the User Administration dialog box.

7. Click the Dealer Details tab to set up the dealership information.

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8. Enter the dealer name and address.

9. Click OK. This opens the Log-On to Microcat dialog box. 10. Enter the assigned user name and password. At the beginning of each work session with Microcat, you will need to log on using your assigned log on information.

11. Click the Log-On button.

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12. The vehicle index is displayed.

About passwords and user names

Usernames and passwords have two main functions: to store your user preferences to identify you on printed orders.

It works like this: Lets say Joe is color-blind. He wants to change the highlight colors used in Microcat to blue and yellow, because they are easier for him to see. He makes these changes under his own username. Microcat will automatically save his color preferences, and when he comes back to the PC, he can log on under his own name and the catalog will appear the way he likes it. In the meantime, if Linda wants to use the same PC, she can log on with her own name, and she will not see Joes color settings. In addition, your username appears on order lists you print out. (see Finalize an Order List for more information) Make sure your user name makes sense when it follows the words Printed by.

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Identify a vehicle

Identify a vehicle
In this section you will learn how to: Access the Vehicle Identification dialog box Identify or describe the vehicle to Microcat in three ways.

You will also learn about the advantages of each method of identifying the vehicle.

Open the Vehicle Identification dialog box

In order to choose parts accurately, Microcat needs to know about the vehicle you are working on. The first step is to open the Vehicle Identification dialog box. 1. Access the Vehicle Identification dialog box by selecting Go to Catalog from the Catalog menu, or by using the keyboard shortcut, Ctrl C.

After loading a vehicle, you can also change vehicles by clicking on the button in the toolbar, or by pressing Ctrl R. Once you have opened the Vehicle Identification dialog box, you can identify a vehicle in three different ways: Enter the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). Enter the licence number. Enter the model line, date of manufacture, and as many details as possible.

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Identify a vehicle

ID by VIN
To identify a vehicle by VIN: 1. Type the complete VIN into the VIN No. field of the Vehicle Identification dialog box.

2. Click the Search button to retrieve the vehicle attributes. 3. Click the Load button to load the vehicle catalog.

ID by licence number
In some locations, Microcat can identify a vehicle by its licence number. To use a licence number: 1. Type the complete licence number into the Lic field of the Vehicle Identification dialog box. 2. Click the Search button. 3. Click the Load button.

Enter model, date and details

To describe a vehicle by its vehicle line, build date, and major attributes: 1. Select a vehicle line from the Vehicle drop-down menu.

2. Enter the build date of the vehicle in the Build Date field. 3. Click on the Details button.

A drop-down menu presents a list of options when you select the drop-down arrow with the mouse. Click on an option from the list.

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4. Enter all known details by selecting them from the drop-down menus.

5. Click the Load button.

Which method should I use?

Generally, entering a VIN is the most reliable and effective way of identifying a vehicle. Microcat has a large store of information about vehicles and their VIN numbers. When you identify a vehicle by VIN, Microcat knows which individual vehicle you are working on. It will know the engine, transmission, interior color and hundreds of other details about the vehicle. Entering a licence number is also a good way to identify a vehicle. Microcat matches the VIN to the licence number reported by the dealer who sold the car. So, as long as the licence number of the vehicle has not changed, the licence number is a more convenient way to load the VIN. If VIN and licence are unknown, enter vehicle line, build date, and details. In this case, Microcat will ask you to make choices based on details of the vehicle that have not been entered.

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Selecting Parts
In this section you will learn how to: Use the Graphic Index to add parts to an Order List Use the Alpha Index to add parts to an Order List Use Microcat Search and the Reduce Choices function to add parts to an Order List Use the SuperWindow.

Graphic Index
One method to locate and select the required part is the Graphic Index. The Graphic Index is a pictorial index of sections of a vehicle. The Graphic Index divides the vehicle into major and minor areas. The major areas contain items such as the engine, body, etc. Once you have selected a minor section, Microcat will display illustrations relevant to that area. 1. Click the Graphic Index icon on the toolbar 2. Click on the required major graphical section. Use the blue arrows at the top of the window to scroll between pages of the index until the required section is found. , or press Ctrl G.

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3. Click on the minor Graphic section.

4. Double click the item in the Databar to view an image of the associated parts.

5. Select the required Callout on the illustration by clicking on it once. When the mouse pointer rolls over the Callout, a description of the part is displayed. Once the required Callout has been selected, the key part information appears in the Databar. If more than one item appears in the Databar, double click on the item.

6. Press the plus (+) key to add the part to the WorkBench. 7. To display the order on the WorkBench, select the toolbar icon or press Ctrl W.

The Databar is the area at the bottom of the screen where search results and other data are presented.

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Alpha Index
Another method to locate and select the required part is the Alpha Index. The Alpha Index is a text index of vehicle sections. It divides the vehicle into major and minor sections. The major sections are the same as in the Graphic Index. Once you have selected a minor section, Microcat will display illustrations relevant to that area. 1. Click the Alpha Index icon on the toolbar , or press Ctrl A.

2. Double click on the required major alpha section. Press the spacebar to view more of the list. (You will need to hit the spacebar again after you have selected the image.)

3. Double click on a minor alpha section in the Databar to view an image of the associated parts. Press the spacebar if necessary to view the illustration.

4. Select the required Callout on the illustration by clicking on it once. When the mouse pointer rolls over the Callout, a description of the part is displayed. If more than one item appears in the Databar, double click on the required item. 5. Press the plus (+) key to add the part to the WorkBench. 6. To display the order on the WorkBench, select the toolbar icon or press Ctrl W.

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Microcat Search
Another way to locate parts is to use Microcat Search. Follow these steps: 1. Click the Part Searching icon on the toolbar Or, select Find from the Navigation menu. , or press Ctrl F.

2. Enter what you will search for in the Search For field eg part number or part description. 3. Select the corresponding search type in the Search By frame: a. Part Number b. Description c. New Part 4. Once you have selected the search criteria, click the Search button. Microcat will return the correct parts for the vehicle loaded. 5. Double click on the required part in the Databar to view the image. 6. Once you have found the image, you can add it to the Order List, as outlined in the Alpha Index, above.

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The drop-down menu on the Search For field lists a history of your successful searches.

Reduce Choices
Reduce Choices allows you to reduce the number of items returned to the Databar list after the original search has been carried out. So, if there are several parts in the Databar, use the Reduce Choices function to filter your results. 1. Select Reduce Choices from the Navigation menu or press Shift Delete. 2. Enter a key word in the Filter Results By field.

3. Click the Filter button. Microcat will return only the entries that contain the keyword you have entered. 4. Double click on a part from the reduced list. 5. The section image will appear, with the callout of the selected part highlighted in light green.

The Reduce Choices feature can be applied as many times as necessary to filter your results.

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SuperWindow
The SuperWindow allows you to access additional information about parts in a text format. The SuperWindow may be displayed in the full screen, or to the left or right of the parts illustration. Selecting a part in the illustration simultaneously selects it in the SuperWindow and vice versa. or, press 1. To display the SuperWindow, click the SuperWindow icon on the toolbar the Delete key. If you have a vehicle specified each line item in the SuperWindow will be interpreted as to its applicability to that vehicle. Different color text shows applicability: GREEN text means the item is applicable. BLUE text means that the item is a selective or optional fit and must be reviewed by the user for actual compatibility. RED text means it is not applicable. If you do not want to see non-applicable parts, click in the box next to the words Show All Parts to deselect.

2. To set the SuperWindow position, select the Views menu > SuperWindow Preferences > Full screen/ Left Side/ Right Side. Alternatively use the shortcut keys: Ctrl Up Arrow to set the SuperWindow to full screen, Ctrl Left Arrow to split screen with left side SuperWindow and Ctrl Right Arrow to split screen with right side SuperWindow

3. To order a part within the SuperWindow, select either the illustration callout or the text line in the grid and press the plus + key. 4. To hide the SuperWindow, select the Views menu > SuperWindow Preferences > SuperWindow or press the Delete key. Infomedia Ltd 2003 Commercial-in-confidence

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Finalize an Order List

In this section you will learn how to: Edit or delete a line of an Order List Delete an entire Order List Respond to the Option Resolver Print out an Order List Electronically transfer the Order List to the DMS using the Terminal Emulator.

You will also learn more about the WorkBench and Order Lists.

What is the difference between the WorkBench and the Order List?
The WorkBench is the screen where the Order List is displayed. The WorkBench is where you can view, edit, print or transfer your Order List. The WorkBench includes the search tabs in the lower left of the screen, the customer information fields at the top of the screen, and the Edit and Delete buttons. The Order List is just the information displayed in the white area of the WorkBenchthe list of parts, their part numbers and prices.

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Edit a line
To edit a line of the Order List on the WorkBench: 1. Click on the text in the line you wish to edit. 2. Click on the Edit Line button.

3. Make the required changes in the Edit Part dialog box. If you edit a price on the WorkBench, the change will not be passed to your dealer business system. Part numbers, labour codes and quantities are transferred, not the prices. 4. Click OK in the Microcat Message.

Delete a line
Deleting a line from an Order List in Microcat is simple. 1. Click on the text in the line you wish to delete. 2. Click on the Clear Line button.

3. Click on the OK button to confirm.

Print an order list

Printing an Order List is a good way to provide a quote to a customer. 1. Print the Order List by Selecting Print Order List from the Catalog menu, clicking the Print button on the toolbar , or using the keyboard shortcut, Ctrl P.

2. Click the Print button in the Print Selection dialog box (WorkBench selected).

3. Click the OK button on the Page Setup dialog box.

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Delete an entire Order List

To delete an entire Order List from the WorkBench: 1. Click on the Clear List button.

2. Click OK to confirm.

Part Option Resolver

When you display the WorkBench, you may be presented with the Part Option Resolver. This happens when the item requires a choice.

1. Click on the line you wish to select. 2. Click the OK button. 3. If you do not wish to include any of the available choices, click the Skip button.

The Part Option Resolver is a dialog box that appears when you are required to make a choice.

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Transfer an Order List to the DMS

There are two ways to electronically transfer an Order List to your Dealer Management System (DMS): Assisted Transfer Mode (ATM) and Microcat Messaging Protocol (MMP). The System Administrator is usually required to set up the electronic transfer. In this section you will learn how to use ATM via the Terminal Emulator. 1. Once you have completed your Order List, display the Terminal Emulator, either by selecting it from the Order List menu, or by using the keyboard shortcut, Ctrl T.

2. Make sure that the Online button in the Terminal Emulator window is activated. 3. Click once on each line of the parts list on the right. An asterisk will appear next to the ones you have transferred.

offline

online

4. To close the Terminal Emulator, first deactivate the Online button. Then select Close from the Terminal menu, or click the button in the upper left of the window.

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More help
The following resources are available to provide more assistance with Microcat:

Help files
To access Microcats extensive help files, open the Help menu and select Help Topics.

Application Shortcuts
To access Microcats Application Shortcuts Card press the F10 key on the keyboard.

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