Machine Communities

In TRASER DMS 365 you have the option to work with machine communities. The function is available for the following document types:

Service Order
Service Invoice
Service Credit Memo
Sales Quote
Sales Order
Sales Invoice
Sales Credit Memo
Trade-Ins

This chapter is divided into the following sections:

Activating Machine Community Functionality
Setting up User as Machine Community Administrator
Creating Machine Community Customer
Adding Members to a Machine Community
Using Machine Communities in Sales Processes
Using Machine Communities in Service Processes

Activating Machine Community Functionality

To be able to use the machine community functionality, you first have to activate it. To do so, please proceed as follows:

Use the quick search (ALT+Q) to find the page Sales & Receivables Setup.
Navigate to the Machine Community FastTab.
To activate the machine community functionality, set the Activate toggle switch.
In addition, you can enter a resource in the Consolidation Resource field. This resource will be used for machine community documents when splitting the original document for the respective shareholders.

You have successfully activated the general machine community functionality. The next section describes how to set up a user as a machine community administrator.

Setting up User as Machine Community Administrator

To be able to create customers for machine communities, users must first be registered as machine community administrators. To register a user as an administrator, please proceed as follows:

Use the quick search (ALT+Q) to find the page User Setup.
The page User Setup is displayed.
From the list, select the user account that you would like to register as a machine community administrator.
Click Card in the menu bar.
The user setup card is displayed.
Scroll to the Machine/Service FastTab.
Activate the Machine Community Administrator toggle switch.

You have successfully registered a user as a machine community administrator. The user is now able to create customers for machine communities. The next section describes how to create a machine community customer.

Creating Machine Community Customer

In TRASER DMS 365, a machine community is designed as a separate customer that controls prices, discounts and other conditions. However, no entries are posted to this customer record. This customer functions as the head of the machine community, allowing you to add separate customers (members) to the machine community. To create such a customer, please proceed as follows:

Use the quick search (ALT+Q) to find the page Customers.
The list of Customers is displayed.
Select the customer you would like to turn into a machine community customer.
The customer card is displayed.
In the General FastTab, activate the Machine Community Administrator toggle switch.

You have successfully created a new machine community administrator. This machine community administrator can now be used as the head of a machine community. The next section describes how to add members to a machine community customer.

Adding Members to a Machine Community

To add members to a machine community, please proceed as follows:

Use the quick search (ALT+Q) to find the page Customers.
The list of Customers is displayed.
Select a customer that has been set up as a machine community customer.
The customer card is displayed.
Open the FactBox pane (ALT+F2).
Navigate to the Machine Community FastTab.
Extend the menu.
From the displayed menu select the option Open.
The page Machine Community is displayed.
Now you can add the machine community members and the respective share percentages. To do so, enter a customer into the Machine Community Member No. field and the share percentage value into the Share percentage field.

Tip

You also have the option of allowing the system to handle the allocation. To do so, click on Suggest Allocation in the menu bar.

Your changes are saved automatically. Once you have added all members with the respective share percentages, you can close the page.

You have successfully added multiple members to a machine community. The next section describes how to use machine communities in the sales process.

Using Machine Communities in Sales Processes

This section describes how to work with machine communities in the sales process. The following description assumes that you have made all the necessary settings for the machine community functionality as described above.

To start the sales process, please proceed as follows:

Use the quick search (ALT+Q) to find the page Sales Quotes in TRASER DMS 365.
The page Sales Quotes is displayed.
Click New in the menu bar.
The page Sales Quotes is displayed.
In the General FastTab, fill in the Customer Name. Select a customer that has been set up as a machine community customer. When you select such a customer, the Machine Community field in the General FastTab will display the value Administrator.
Fill in fields such as Customer Disc. Group or Person in Charge if required.
Navigate to the Lines FastTab.
In the menu bar of the Lines FastTab, click on Functions > Add Service Item.
Select a service item and click on OK to add this service item to the document line.
Enter the sales price into the Unit Price Excluding VAT field.
Fill in the remaining columns as required.
To create the share documents for the machine community members, click on Actions > Machine Community > Create Share Documents in the menu bar of the sales quote.
The page Sales Quotes is displayed. The page shows an overview of all share documents.
Close the page.

You have successfully created a sales quote with associated share documents. The sales quote functions as a machine community administrator document in this case. Proceed as follows to turn this sales quote into a sales order:

Click on Home > Make Order in the menu bar of the opened sales quote.
A dialog window is displayed. Click Yes to turn the sales quote into a sales order.
A new dialog window is displayed. Click Yes to archive the sales quote.
Now, you also have to create share documents for the sales order. To do so, click on Actions > Machine Community > Create Share Documents in the menu bar of the sales order.
The page Sales Orders is displayed. The page shows an overview of all share documents.

You have successfully created sales orders for all members of the machine community. You can now post the individual sales orders. To do so, please proceed as follows:

On the Sales Orders page, select the share document you would like to post.
The document is displayed.
Click Home > Preview Document > Post in the menu bar.
A dialog window is displayed.
Select the fitting option. In this example, select Ship and invoice.
Click OK to confirm your selection.
A dialog window is displayed asking whether you want to open the created invoice.
To confirm, please click on Yes.
The page Posted Sales Invoice is displayed.
Click Print/Send > Print in the menu bar.
The Print Wizard is displayed.
Customize the settings in the Options FastTab as required.
Click Print to print the invoice.
Now make further printer settings as usual.

You have successfully posted a share document and printed the associated invoice. Repeat these steps for the other share documents. Once all share documents have been posted, the machine community administrator document will be archived. The sales process has been completed. Th next section describes how to work with machine communities in the service process.

Using Machine Communities in Service Processes

This section describes how to work with machine communities in the service process. The following description assumes that you have made all the necessary settings for the machine community functionality as described above.

To start the service process, please proceed as follows:

Use the quick search (ALT+Q) to find the page Service Quotes.
The page Service Quotes is displayed.
Click New in the menu bar.
The page Service Quote is displayed.
In the General FastTab, fill in the Customer Name. Select a customer that has been set up as a machine community customer. When you select such a customer, the Machine Community field in the GeneralFastTab will display the value Administrator.
Fill in fields such as Customer Disc. Group or Person in Charge if required.
Navigate to the Lines FastTab.
Add one or multiple service items.
Fill in the remaining column(s) as required.
Then, click on Line > Worksheet in the menu bar of the Lines FastTab.
Close the worksheet once you have entered all the necessary information.
To create the share documents for the machine community members, click on Actions > Machine Community > Create Share Documents in the menu bar of the service quote.
The page Service Quotes is displayed. The page shows an overview of all share documents.
Close the page.

You have successfully created a service quote with associated share documents. The service quote functions as a machine community administrator document in this case. Proceed as follows to turn this service quote into a service order:

Click on Home > Make Order in the menu bar of the opened service quote.
A dialog window is displayed. Click Yes to turn the service quote into a service order.
A new dialog window is displayed. Confirm the message with Yes to archive the service quote.
Now, you also have to create share documents for the service order. To do so, click on Actions > Machine Community > Create Share Documents in the menu bar of the service order.
The page Service Orders is displayed. The page shows an overview of all share documents.

You have successfully created service orders for all members of the machine community. You can now post the individual service orders. To do so, please proceed as follows:

On the Service Orders page, select the share document that you would like to post.
The document is displayed.
Click Home > Preview Document > Post in the menu bar.
A dialog window is displayed.
Select the fitting option. In this example, select Ship and Invoice.
Click OK to confirm your selection.
A dialog window is displayed asking whether you want to open the created invoice.
To confirm, please click on Yes.
Click Print/Send > Print in the menu bar.
The Print Wizard is displayed.
Customize the settings in the Options FastTab as required.
Click Print to print the invoice.
Now make further printer settings as usual.