In this guide, we will cover using the Import functionality in MechanicDesk to create and update Job Types. Job Types are a useful tool to template out common work so that you can reduce the amount of manual entry while using the system.
Export your current Job Types
A good starting point to importing new Job Type information is to export the current Job Types. The exported Job Type workbook has all the column headers used to import the information, and you can also use this to determine the structure of the import and which columns represent which fields. We will also cover those later in the article.
Before you export out your Job Types, ensure you have at least one Check Sheet item on any Job Type, and one Invoice Item on any Job Type.
To export out your Job Types, navigate to Settings > Data Export/Import. Select Job Types in the Export section, then at the bottom of the section, enter your password and select the Export button. Once the export is complete, a link will appear in the top right to download your exported file.
Setting up the Import
Once you have downloaded the export file, open the file. You'll see that the workbook (file) has 3 sheets titled Job Type Summaries, Job Type Checklists and Job Type Invoice Items.
As with all imports, each import file can only contain one sheet, so the next step will be to save each sheet to a separate file. If you're using Excel, the quickest way to do this is to right-click on the sheet name at the bottom and select Move or Copy, then move the sheet to a new workbook.
Editing the import data
Each sheet has the field names in Row 1 of the sheet. A glossary of the field names is presented below.
Job Type Summaries
| Job Type | The title of the job type |
| Category | The job type's category (used in reporting) |
| Description | Any notes that are added to the invoice when the job type is used |
| Add Description On Line Item | (Boolean) Add the notes to an arbitrary invoice line instead of the invoice details section |
| Estimated hour | The amount of hours that will be added to the Estimated hours of the Job when the Job Type is selected |
| Next Service Days | The number of days added to the Next Service Date in the Job Finish dialog when this Job Type is used on a Job |
| Next Service Odometer | The number of units added to the Odometer reading for the Next Service Odometer field in the Job Finish dialog |
| Is COI Service | (Boolean) If true, changes the operation of the Next Service data to adjust the COI/WOF data instead - mutually exclusive with the option below |
| Is Rego Service | (Boolean) If true, changes the operation of the Next Service data to adjust the Registration service data instead - mutually exclusive with the option above |
| Tags | Name list of the tags that are associated with the Job Type, will be applied to the Booking or Job when the Job Type is used |
Job Type Checklists
| Job Type | The Job Type this checksheet line belongs to |
| Work Title | The main title of the checksheet line |
| Work Description | The comment added to the checksheet line |
| Is Header | (Boolean) Defines if this line is a header rather than a checksheet line - if TRUE the option above and below is ignored |
| Required | (Boolean) Defines if this checksheet line is required to have a status selected for the checksheet to be considered complete |
Job Type Invoice Items
| Job Type | The Job Type this invoice line belongs to |
| Description | The label that this invoice line will be given |
| Details | The comment for this invoice line (More details) |
| Unit Price | The rate for one qty of the item in question |
| Included GST | (Boolean) Defines if the line has Inc GST selected |
| Quantity | The number of items that is added to the invoice line |
| Stock Number | The inventory stock number that is attached to this invoice line (optional) |
| Use Stock Price | (Boolean) Use the stock price from the above inventory item, adjusts as the inventory item changes |
Add/edit lines to the sheets as required. Please note that while Job Types themselves will be presented in alphabetical order, the checksheet and invoice item sheets will be processed top to bottom, so ensure your ordering is correct for each set of lines for the relevant Job Type. This is especially import when using the Header setting, as the order will define which header the line is under.
Examples
Add one header labelled Parts above a line titled Oil Filter with a comment. Note the Required TRUE was ignored as headers do not have status selections.