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Creating Watermark Images for GA3
Watch how easy it is to create a great looking watermark image which can be used in GA3 for printing on documents. For the purpose of this demonstration, we used a free image manipulation programme.
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Appointments made easy in GA3
See how easy it is to create appointments in GA3. You can also create documents from an appointment, passing over the details to save double entry of your customers details.
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Exporting your data to Sage
See how easy it is to export your data to Sage. This step by step video uses Sage 50 Accounts 2010 V16, however the data files are compatible with earlier versions, including Instant Accounts and even TAS Books.
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Using the labour manager to save time
See how easy it is to populate your database with predefined / menu jobs for faster data entry. You can use it for single line descriptions or complete jobs including labour, parts, advisories and fixed prices.
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Fast and Powerful Searching
Take a look at the quick search facilities in GA3, allowing you to use a
single search box to find data from many sections of GA3, including
documents, appointments, customers and vehicles.
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Figures don't add up - they're a penny out.
GA3 performs its calculations on an invoice line level and not on the overall invoice totals.We chose this method as almost every accounting package on the market also uses this method, such as Sage Line of products, Quickbooks and more.
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Creating and managing appointments in GA3
GA3 allows you to schedule appointments throughout a series of work bays with colour coded job types for ease of viewing.
Simply click and drag between the required start and end time to add a new appointment.
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Transfer Data from Unipart Kis / Unipart Direct
In GA3 Version 3.006 onwards, we provide a migration tool so you can transfer your data from one of the above unipart systems at your convenience. The entire process is extremely simple, with only a few clicks required and absolutely no technical experience.
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What currencies does GA3 support ?
Garage Assistant GA2/GA3 does not incorporate any currency markings on documents
This means it can be used in any desired currency such as Euro, USD or GBP
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Software Refund Policy
We highly recommend that everyone take advantage of the free trial before purchasing. Because of the nature of the purchase, such as the fact that you receive activation details that cannot be returned, we do not normally offer a refund.
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Can I use Garage Assistant from home
If you want to use Garage Assistant at home on your own PC, but with all your data from the work PC, you can use the Backup and Restore Feature within Garage Assistant.
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Can I network GA3 over the internet ?
Garage Assistant can be networked over the internet, or more precisely from outside of your local network.
For this to work you would need to either set up a Virtual Private Network, the links below may help with this..
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Dealing with Private Number Plates
Garage Assistant can handle private number plates retaining history, however since there can be two different scenarios, there is also two ways of dealing with it..
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GA3 Invoice Layout Information
Step 3 of the setup wizard gives you the opportunity to select from different style and layout invoices, we currently have a selection of portrait layouts and a landscape layout with further options for each.
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Various ways of adding parts to documents / stock
The Parts section allows you to either enter parts in manually, or you can choose a part from the stock control system, there are a variety of options and interactions for parts which we will also briefly explain..
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How to create policy excess documents in GA3
If you are carrying out an insurance relating job for a customer, the chances are you may need to issue the customer with an invoice for their insurance policy excess, whilst showing this on the original invoice to the insurance company.
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Set up wizard - Software Activation
When you first run Garage Assistant it will be in Demonstration Mode, you will be presented with the following box on the welcome screen allowing you to start in Demo Mode or Enter your Licence information.
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Setup Wizard - Company details
This page will allow you to enter your company details, this information will be printed on your documents created within Garage Assistant.
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Setup Wizard - Invoice Layout
Set up wizard - Step 3 gives you the opportunity to select from different style and layout invoices, we currently have a selection of portrait layouts and a landscape layout with further options for each.
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Setup Wizard - Worksheet Layout
Set up Wizard - Step 4 gives you the opportunity to select from different style and layout for your worksheets, Style 3 is the most flexible allowing more items to be listed, whereas Style 2 is a fixed size.
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Setup Wizard - Estimate Layout
Setup Wizard - Step 5 gives you the opportunity to select from different layout for Estimates, we currently have a portrait layout and landscape layout.
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Setup Wizard - Stock Control Settings
If you intend on using stock control and tracking item quantities, GA3 includes an easy to use order management system which generates supplier orders as you create invoices, this helps you keep track of what items you have ordered and what items you are waiting for.
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Setup Wizard - Advanced Settings
Because of the way GA3 now resizes to fit any screen width, we have put a limit on the labour and parts description fields to prevent you entering more information than can be printed per line.
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Work Description Templates
Work description templates allow you to quickly select from your own templates to save time typing and keep consistency
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Terms and Conditions Templates
Some invoices may require you to add special terms and conditions such as changing a vehicles engine with one supplied by the customer.
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Mailshot Letter Templates
In Garage Assistant you can edit and create new letters for use with mail shots, and emails, you can also add font styles & colours to make your letters stand out, however using such features may take a while to get used to as they do not follow the conventional method as most word processors.
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SMS Message Templates
If you wish to send your customers SMS messages for reminders, or just to let them know their vehicle is ready for collection, you can edit the message which is sent to suit your needs.
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Setting up Technicians
If you intend on recording technicians against labour items on your documents for reporting purposes, you will need to set them up first.
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Setting up Referrals
If you intend on keeping track of how your customers came to find you you can use this function.
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Setting up Departments
If you intend on categorising invoices against particular departments, for instance you could categorise by :
Mechanical
Recovery
Internal
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Makes and Models Database
Depending on your needs, GA3 allows you to edit the vehicle makes & model database and also allows you to import using 3 pre-set options
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Email Server Settings
Using the inbuilt email system in GA3 does not require any setting up, other than perhaps configuring your firewall to allow Garage Assistant accesss to the internet.
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Required Fields
Garage Assistant allows you to force a number of fields to be required before an invoice is allowed to be issued.
This helps to keep your database consistent and ensure you don't miss any important details.
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Appointment Bays
You can alter various elements of the Calendar, this section allows you to add as many appointment bays as you require, or rename those pre-set when installing Garage Assistant
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Sage export options and configuration
If you are going to be using the sage exporting facilities in GA3 you will first need to set up some of the options to match those set in sage, such as Nominal Codes and how you want the data to be exported.
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Finding Records using QuickSearch
Garage Assistant contains a single field (google style) search allowing you to find any documents, customers, vehicles or appointments quickly with little effort.
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Scheduling Appointments
GA3 allows you to schedule appointments throughout a series of work bays with colour coded job types for ease of viewing.
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Backing up and Restoring
Performing a backup is the single most important task you should ever do in Garage Assistant, for this purpose we have designed Garage Assistant to prompt you after daily after 4pm to do a backup if you have not yet done so.
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Restoring your data
If you ever needed to restore a backup you can select Restore from Custom or Restore from Last Backup.
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Performing Updates
We regularly release updates for Garage Assistant, these are available as downloads.
Updating is quite straight forward but essential that you follow these steps.
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Adding a new document
In GA3 you have the ability to create Estimates, Job sheets or Invoices and later convert from these types for instance, converting an estimate to an invoice.
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Customers & Vehicles
Whilst each document type has its own purpose, for consistency the general layout applies to all types with small differences which will be outlined below.
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Adding Labour to Documents
The labour section as shown below allows you to enter in the items manually, or by choosing select you can automatically populate the information from the Pre Defined Labour Manager section, as long as you have set some items up in the labour manager.
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Adding Parts to Documents
The Parts section as shown below allows you to either enter parts in manually, or you can choose a part from the stock control system, there are a variety of options and interactions for parts which we will also briefly explain..
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Adding MOT Tests to Documents
For ease of use GA3 contains a quick select MOT options area, you can pre-configure the MOT pricing in the setup wizard along with options for outsourced MOTS and up to 3 classes of vehicle.
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Setting Reminders
On the document screens you will also be able to view and set reminders as long as a vehicle registration is entered first.
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Raising Credit Notes
There are two ways to raise credit notes in GA3, both have their differences which will be outlined below.
It is recommended to always raise a credit note from the existing document, since this will cross link any information and adjust figures accordingly. The credit note will also display which invoice it has been linked with.
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Policy Excess Invoices
If you are carrying out an insurance relating job for a customer, the chances are you may need to issue the customer with an invoice for their insurance policy excess, whilst showing this on the original invoice to the insurance company.
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Creating new customers
You are not required to add customers into the database prior to creating a document unless the customer is to hold an account with you
If you want to add customers you can do so by clicking either Add New Customer or Add Account Customer buttons
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Performing Mailshots
When vehicles in your database are approaching the date of a reminder you will be able to perform the mailshot.
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Custom Mailshots
The Custom mailings feature is designed for sending promotional material, address changes or similar and unlike the reminder mail shots, is specific to the customer and not the vehicle, although you can include vehicle information, if the customer owns more than one vehicle only the first one will be used.
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Printing Statements
To view print account statements you will need to go to
1. Admin
2. Manage Account Customers
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Generating Charts
GA3 has a number of charts available to view / print and more are being added within updates over time
To view charts you would need to go to
1. Admin
2. Performance Charts
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How can I change an invoice number
Garage Assistant allows you to change invoice numbers to fill in any blanks or if an error has been made.
To do this, you must first create an invoice or edit and existing one.
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VRM Lookup information & credits
Using the VRM (Vehicle Registration Mark) lookup will automatically fill in most of the vehicle information shown in the vehicle section on your documents.
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Troi Plugin Errors
Troi plugin errors occur when the server on a networked version of GA3 has been updated with out updating the GA3 client computers.
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