RO approval

Beginning with version 2019.3, the Shop Planner contains the Repair Order (RO) Approval functionality to create plans for repairs on a unit. The plan begins with an estimate for required repairs and the RO Approval process is used to manage the potential cost of repairs in the plan closely. In addition, RO Approval helps monitor associated overages by creating a set of escalating approval levels.

The RO approval process ensures that approval levels for plans are adhered to and helps to control repair costs more efficiently. After a plan for repairs has begun, it can be linked to a repair order and monitored from start to completion of work.

To enable RO Approval, you must set the applicable global option and approval levels.

Setting up RO Approval

To enable the RO Approval functionality, complete the following steps.

  1. Go to Menu > Setup > Options > Application Options.
    The Application Options window opens.

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  2. In the Category grid, expand Repairs and select Approvals.

  3. In the Options grid, toggle the Require RO Approval Levels option to YES.

  4. To verify that RO Approval has been enabled:

    1. Go to Menu > Activities > Shop Planner.
      The Shop Planner page opens.

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    2. In the top line of command buttons, click New.
      The Add/Update Appointment window opens.

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      Three tabs have been added for RO Approval:

      • Estimates

      • Approvals

      • Repair Orders

If these tabs do not appear, return to the Application Options page to configure the Repairs > Approval option.

Creating a plan for a unit

When a unit requires repairs, you must create a plan or appointment for the unit in Shop Planner. This includes estimates for the cost of the work that is required to complete repairs on the unit.

You cannot create more than one plan per unit.

To set up a plan for a unit:

  1. Go to Menu > Activities > Shop Planner.
    The Shop Planner page opens.

    Plans highlighted in orange indicate that approval is required to proceed. After the plan is approved, the color changes to white.

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  2. In the top line of command buttons, click New.
    The Add/Update Appointment window opens.

    Note: If the Add/Update Appointment window does not display the Estimates, Approvals, and Repair Orders tabs, you must set up RO Approval on the application options page before proceeding with the following steps.

  3. In the Details tab, enter appointment details as required.

    Field definitions

    Required field: *

    Field Definition

    Customer

    Customer ID

    Unit *

    Unit ID

    Unit Location

    Location of the unit

    Options include:

    • At Plant

    • At Vendor

    • Deadline

    • In-Bound

    • In-Service

    • In-Shop

    • Loaned Out

    • Out-Service

    • Ticketed

    • Yard

    Customer PO

    Customer’s purchase order number

    Inspection Report

    Report with details of an inspection

    Driver Name

    Driver of the unit that needs repairs

    Driver Phone

    Phone number of driver

    Date In *

    Date the unit came in for repairs

    Date Out *

    Date the unit left with repairs completed.

    Est Time

    Amount of time estimated for the repairs

    Priority

    Assigned level of priority for a unit

    Component

    Component code that categorizes the repair

    Description *

    Description of what repairs the plan entails

    Shop *

    User defined shop identification number

    The repair shop field may have Shop Restrictions.

    Enter up to 12 alphanumeric characters.

    Bay *

    Location where repair occurs

    Link to Order

    YES or NO to link to a Repair Order

  4. Click Next.
    The Misc tab is displayed.

  5. In the Misc tab, complete the fields as required.

    Field definitions

    Required field: *

    Field Definition

    RO Number

    Repair Order number (unavailable until linked to the Repair Order is created or linked)

    Estimate

    Plan estimate for repairs (not enabled until Estimate is completed)

    Vendor

    Definition

    Status *

    Order status

    Options include:

    • Open

    • Closed

    • Complete

    • Canceled

    Date Opened *

    Date the plan is opened

    Date Closed

    Date the plan is closed

  6. Click Next.
    The Estimates tab is displayed.

  7. In the Estimates tab, complete the fields as required.

    Field definitions

    Required field: *

    Field Definition

    Repair Estimate *

    Estimated cost of the repair

    Unit Repair Limit

    Maximum amount allowed for a unit repair

    Authorized Amount

    Authorized amount for the current user in charge of the plan

    Line/s Total

    Lines total for all repair orders associated a unit’s plan

    Note: You cannot complete a plan without the Repair Estimate. Also, you cannot have more than one plan on a unit at one time.

  8. Click Next.
    The Approvals tab is displayed. The Approvals tab enables you to approve the estimate amount or the Line/s Total amount, whichever is greater.

  9. In the Approvals tab, click +Add Approval to approve the estimate amount or the repair order lines total.
    The Add Approval window opens.

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  10. Enter a comment regarding the approval.

    Note: If you attempt to add approval without adding the comment, the system displays a red highlight around the Comment box and the Approve button is not enabled.

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  11. Click Approve.
    The Approvals grid displays the Estimate Amount, Approved Amount, Approved Date, and Approved By columns for your approval.

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  12. After you have completed the approval, the system generates a note in the Estimate Notes section of the Estimate tab.

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    You can add more notes to this section by clicking +Add Notes.

  13. Click Next to advance to the Repair Order tab.
    After the approval has been completed, all repair orders associated with the plan display in the Repair Orders grid.

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  14. To save all the updates to the tabs in the Add/Update Appointment window, click Save.

Setting up RO Approval levels

You can set up different levels of approval for your repair orders.

Approval levels are graduated. So if you have Approval levels of $250, $500, and $1,000, and the repair comes to $750, the $250 person must approve the repair, and then the $500 person must approve it. Lastly, the $1,000 level approver must approve it. The dollar amount for each level represents the maximum amount of money that person can approve.

To set up RO Approval Levels:

  1. Go to Menu > Setup > Order Setup > Approval Levels.

    Note: For versions earlier than V.2020.2, go to Menu > Setup > Approval Levels.

    The Approval Levels page opens.

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  2. To add an approval level, click +Add New.
    The Add Approval Level window opens.

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  3. Add an Approval Level Name.

  4. In the Repair Order Amount required field, select a specific amount to assign to the previous approval level name.

    Example
    Action User 1 ($250) User 2 ($500) User 3 ($1000)

    After plan created for $300

    Can approve

    Cannot approve

    Cannot approve

    After User 1 approved for $250

    Add approval button deactivated

    Can approve

    Cannot approve

    After User 2 approved for $500

    Add approval button deactivated

    Add approval button deactivated

    Add approval button deactivated

    After RO Total exceeds Approved amount

    Add approval button deactivated

    Add approval button deactivated

    Can approve

    After User 3 approved for $1000

    Add approval button deactivated

    Add approval button deactivated

    Add approval button deactivated

  5. If applicable, add the Purchase Order Amount.

  6. Click Save.

  7. To assign users to approval levels, in the Assign Approval Levels grid, in the Approval Level Name field, click the cell beside the name of the user.
    A drop-down list displays all the approval levels available.

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  8. Select the level you want for each user.

    Note: The User Name grid allows you to sort the list of users, select columns, and filter the users.

  9. If you need to create users to add to your User Name column, see Creating a user account.

Approval Level matrix

You can create a hierarchy of approval levels based on the values you assign to each user. Users cannot provide approval above the amount you have assigned to them.

Action User 1 ($250) User 2 ($500) User 3 ($1000)

After plan created for $300

Can approve

Cannot approve

Cannot approve

After User 1 approved for $250

Add approval button deactivated

Can approve

Cannot approve

After User 2 approved for $500

Add approval button deactivated

Add approval button deactivated

Add approval button deactivated

After RO Total exceeds Approved amount

Add approval button deactivated

Add approval button deactivated

Can approve

After User 3 approved for $1000

Add approval button deactivated

Add approval button deactivated

Add approval button deactivated