Workshop Software

Avantages

We like that the service history on each product is kept for the customer, contractors are able to log in and check what units need servicing and recall invoices they may have misplaced. The recall system is invaluable in maintaining work during the quiet seasons.

Inconvénients

The stock does not sync with Xero or our online webpage
(hard when using Xero first). Credits have to be manually added against invoices in Xero after allocating in W/S.

Avantages

Workshop software is a great one stop auto shop solution. The program is dynamic and always evolving to make workshop application easier and the daily operations smoother. We tried four systems for one month and 2 years ago choose workshop software. Whilst we don't utilize all features the systems we do are reliable and work faultlessly.

Evolving - new features and benefits always getting implemented. Workshop software have improved all areas we have ever had concern with, within one phone call.
Support - the support team are excellent and efficient
Value - the annual fee is minuscule in comparison with other POS systems and the service and product are outstanding.

I am a very happy workshop software user and would recommend to any mechanical workshop

Inconvénients

From time to time the system can run very slowly, namely Friday afternoon between 5 - 6pm when we are at our busiest. It is from workshop software end as all other systems we use run at normal speed.

Otherwise no fault in system.

Avantages

Easy to use and teach new users. We can keep track of open jobs easier, if the job card goes missing it is easily picked up in job centre.

Inconvénients

New features appear to be the priority. Bugs, or getting that new features to work properly come second. For example the app is un useable, although i am sure people buy in on this feature. To start jobs needs a minor overhaul. This is a very slow process. A start all today's jobs and create job cards would be great. The printed job cards also need work, they work but could be allot better.

Avantages

1/ very relevant updates
2/ easy to use
3/ friendly help staff
4/ company listens to the customers wants and updates as needed.
5/ price doesnt change
-can access info anywhere in world(i wish reporting was better with that though)

Inconvénients

1/ reporting features are not good enough(needs to be specific)
2/ inspections should be printed on to one sheet, not multiple sheets.
3/ workshop software servers seem to slow down everyday around 3-5pm
4/ have to constantly clear chrome history when program has problems
5/ cant search for specific customer/ report info.
6/ if internet goes down, no way to use system from desktop
7/ cant customize jobsheets and invoices to suit our own systems, so they almost cant be used efficiently in our workshop.
8/ needs more integrations for nz based parts suppliers.(BNT, PARTMASTER) (repco not a trade orientated store in nz).

Avantages

So much easier to use than our old system! The main search function is helpful, and it's great to be able to record multiple vehicles (or, in our case, bicycles) under individual customers. Being able to email invoices and job notes directly to customers is a huge bonus, too. There have also been several updates and upgrades since we first started using the program, which have been great; WS seem to be consistently striving to improve the platform.

Inconvénients

We have had some set-up difficulties (our issues with Xero still aren't resolved), and some of our support tickets have taken a while to be solved. (Others have been quickly attended to, though; it's usually related to the complexity of each issue.)

The online manual is also a bit limited; for example, it will tell you how to access a report but not how to fully interpret it. That being said, the support staff have always been friendly to deal with, and seem to be doing their best to help us.

On the wish-list front, it would be great to be able to export reports such as follow-ups to Excel as you can't do much with a PDF, and we also need a way to print out barcode labels for our retail shopfront. Hopefully these improvements will be rolled out at some point! We remain optimistic.

Avantages

The look ups and ease of use. Registration lookups. The product entry database is good too especially now it has been modified to include GST

Inconvénients

The save feature where you loose data sometimes if saved in the wrong order. The print feature which seems to use a 3rd part application to print from. Sometimes I have to save the print file first. And lastly having to scroll to the bottom to save and having to scroll to the midsection to print Dont seen to be able to bulk enter products.

Avantages

The software is fairly simple to use. This links with other programs such as Sage, MYOB, repco, xero, quickbooks and many more.

Inconvénients

Too many glitches and not enough support from them to rectify the problems. Have denied problems in the past.
Seems like it was created by amateurs.

Avantages

Workshop Software keeps adding great updates to the program to keep improving its features. It integrates with accounting programs to make life easier and its easy to use and teach to other employees.

Inconvénients

From an accounting/book keeping perspective it has a lot to be desired. You can't make part payments after the invoice has been closed, you can't edit an invoice once its been closed, and you can't add workshop consumables or tools to the system unless you add them as a part. I think that there should be separate jobs you can open on an invoice where you can separate the parts and labour to each job.

Avantages

Easy, intuitive to use.
Clear and precise.

Inconvénients

There are features I have no need for whilst some I do need but cant have with out extra $$
The Inspections feature needs to be able to be generated by the Techs on the mobile app.
When the customer arrives they can use an I-Pad to take details create inspection and begin work.
Customer to technician interaction is key to transparency.

Avantages

Very little. It is cheap (matches its performance)

Inconvénients

There are so many things that I asked to be addressed 10 months ago and I think none have been addressed. There are far too many mouse press actions to get what you need and you need to keep going in and out of sections of the program to achieve the result required. This is a very poor program to use. Not to mention the amount of times it actually goes offline.

Avantages

I love how powerful this product is both from a business process perspective and a management reporting tool to analyse the business. It is very logical, intuitive and easy to use. You can use as many of the features as you need. The software takes a lot of the repetitive tasks out of your business processes and manages them in an elegant solution.

Inconvénients

Haven't found anything I would consider a drawback.

Avantages

That the workshop can use it on their tablets and the information is transferred instanteously for office staff to use.

Inconvénients

It does not integrate with Reckon software. It does not separate stock and non stock items. You can use 2 different payment methods on one invoice.

Avantages

Ease of use. Adding items and customers.

Inconvénients

Would like to see more advanced options in customer notes.
As you can't edit it with starting over again. Color options as well.

Avantages

Cloud base so easy to access , Great Vehicle and stock data bases. Not to hard to use. Automatic updates, sometimes with really great new features. The Phone/ photo app is really great.

Inconvénients

The cost of extra users ( a bit less of a problem now a user can open multiple screens at once). Some sync glitches with Xero,. Sometimes the unintended consequences from an update take some time to iron out

Avantages

Good parts management , easy to setup and input customers etc , costs jobs with all related costs for actual profit per job.

Inconvénients

No decent timesheet feature for my technicians. The app doesn't add hours for each day as they go and the timesheet is a hidden background feature in the system that my techs cant check as they are going. We have to create a pdf report the next morning to find gaps or mistakes in their time entries and spend time repairing their timesheet. All they need is to see each persons current timesheet entries on the system as they go through the day. We find a lag also when typing etc. All reports open in PDF but would be better in spreadshhets so we can manipulate the data.

Avantages

The new vehicle history report and the ability to email and SMS our individual clients easily. the ability to store quotes and easily turn them into invoices

Inconvénients

Waiting for the SMS option or email option to be added so we can send out specials or news letters straight from the software to our full data base.

Avantages

Large, complex and repetitive projects have become easier to quote saving us time and stress. Being able to generate work/stock orders helps us stay up to date with parts supplier pricing, speeds up or parts ordering process.
Being able to involve the customer along the way with running invoices is absolutely awesome and a valuable tool for helping customers understand their projects, control their budgets and stay involved!

Inconvénients

Generating a `work order' would be a nice feature, so descriptive requests could be entered on lines rather than adding items which have to be entered as stock.

A nice feature would also be being able to select and add an already generated job card into the diary.

I haven't yet had time to explore everything, please excuse me if these features exist.

Avantages

web based, easy to use, makes professional looking invoices, links well to MYOB and ZERO
easy to keep track of service history

Inconvénients

cost is excessive for multiple users.
not set up for trucks or plant vehicles very well
cant get repco integration to work properly, support not overly helpful and setting it up

Avantages

quick to find customers and vehicles .

Inconvénients

invoices need a "payment due date" for account customers, the notes section of the invoice cant be edited even though the options are there and would be handy to run a report to show all account customers and their balance for each month is on one report rather then having to go into each account and running separate reports.

Avantages

managing your stock and customer service keeping records and reports it does every thing i m looking for in software

Avantages

How easy it is to use for both admin staff and the mechanics. How much information you can store in each customer or supplier file.

Inconvénients

I find it quite slow to save or process invoices and go from one page to the next. That would be my only issue

Avantages

Simple, effective and right for our needs. Easy to use and follow. still learning all aspects but great.

Avantages

Once I started using this software, I found it became easier and was not afraid to navigate my way through various processes.

Inconvénients

Was unable to locate some help on line however when this occurred a quick phone call also helped.

Avantages

Can access anywhere at any time. No back ups required. User friendly any one can use. Reports are great easy to understand. Sync with MYOB not need to export over. Very simple.

Avantages

It's potential once set up, being able to allocate jobs and manage time more effectively will be a great outcome.

Inconvénients

Working without a checklist of items that need to be customised or a complete procedure to follow before the software is really usable is frustrating. The video tutorials are helpful but miss vital information and the How-to guides should be grouped/ordered.