Creating Models

On the Inventory menu, select Models to open the Models window.

Click [New] to open the New Model window.

In the Model field, enter the name of this model.

In the Description field, enter additional information to further identify this model.

Verify the Details tab is forward. If it is not, click the Details tab to bring it forward.

In the Make field, use the lookup to select the make of which this model is a member.

In the Category field, use the lookup to select the category to which this model belongs.
Note: You can use this field to classify your models by your industry categories.

If the model contains meters, check the Metered checkbox.
Note: If you check this box, the system displays a Meters tab to the right of the Details tab.

If this model is a host item, check the Host checkbox.

If this model can be added as an accessory to other items or equipment, check the Accessory checkbox.
Note: If applicable, you can identify a model as both a host and an accessory.

In the Service settings region, do the following:

In the Default priority field, use the lookup to select the service priority the system should assigned to calls entered for equipment associated with this model.
Note: If the equipment record has the Use model priority parameters checkbox checked, e-automate will use the priority identified in this field. This priority overrides the priority associated with the call type if weighted at 100%.

To use the system defaults defined in Tools > Options > Service Calls > Dispatch Console for identifying service calls as call back and/or call alert calls, check the Use system call back and call alert parameters. To define a different set of parameters for identifying services calls for this model of equipment as call back and/or call alert calls, do the following:

Uncheck the Use system call back and call alert parameters checkbox.
Note: Unchecking the Use system call back and call alert parameters checkbox enables the following fields.

In the Call back number of days field, enter the number of days in which a second corrective maintenance call type will be flagged as a call back.

In the Call back number of clicks field, enter the number of clicks in which a second corrective maintenance call type will be flagged as a call back.

In the Number of calls received field, enter the number of calls that if entered in the identified number of days will alert the user.

In the Within number of days field, enter the number of days for a call alert.

In the Within number of clicks field, enter the number of clicks for a call alert.

In the Priority weight field, enter the weight to be associated with the call priority.

To indicate when this model was introduced (if known), do the following:

Check the Introduction checkbox.

In the Introduction field, use the drop-down calendar to select the date this model was introduced.

To indicate this model has been discontinued, do the following:

Check the Mfg discontinued checkbox.

In the Mfg discontinued field,use the drop-down calendar to select the date the manufacturer discontinued this model.

To indicate when you plan to discontinue service for this model, do the following:

 Check the Service discontinued checkbox.

In the Service discontinued field,use the drop-down calendar to select the date you plan to discontinue servicing this model.

If the Meters tab displays, click the Meters tab to bring it forward.
Note: The system displays the Meters tab if you check the Metered box on the Details tab. You use the Meters tab to list one or more default meters (e.g., black & white, color, scanner, fax) for this model. When you create an equipment record, the system populates the new equipment record with the meters specified for the equipment model.

If the technician must record a meter reading at the time of a service call for this equipment model, check the Require meter reading on service calls checkbox.
Note: You can override this option on equipment setup.

For each type of meter this model can have, do the following:

Click the [Add...] button to open the New Meter window.

In the Meter Type field, use the lookup to select the meter type for this meter.

In the Description field, enter information to further identify this meter.

In the Interface name field, enter the name of the meter that is used by this machine. Placing a name in this field allows e-automate to record meter readings that are sent via email—the equipment has this email feature.

To indicate meter readings for this meter should occur in order and that the reading numbers should increase over time, check the Meter has sequential readings checkbox.

If this meter is a calculated based on other meters, do the following:

Verify you have already added the meters you want to use to calculate this meter and that you have checked the Required checkbox for each of those meters so that the system knows to collect readings from those meters for calculating the reading for the virtual meter; if you have not already done so, add those meters to this model and indicate they are required before adding the virtual meter.

Check the Virtual meter checkbox.

Click the [f(x)] button to open the Virtual Meter Formula window.

Use the keypad and the buttons in the Meter types regions (which lists the meters you have added to this model) to define the formula for calculating this meter. For example, if you want to define a Total meter based on adding a black-and-white meter and a color meter that you have already added to this model, click the [B\W] button in the Meter types region, click the plus sign (+), and then click the [Color] button in the Meter types region.  If you want to define a Color meter based on subtracting a black-and-white meter from a total count meter that you have already added to this model, click the [Total Count] button in the Meter types region, click the minus sign (-), and then click the [B\W] button in the Meter types region.

When finished defining the formula, click the [OK] button to save the formula, to close the Virtual Meter Formula window, and to display the formula to the right of the [f(x)] button.

To identify this meter as the default meter for this model, check the Default meter checkbox. When designating a meter as the default meter, note the following:

You can only designate one meter as the default meter on a device.

E-automate uses the default meter in reporting and calculating service metrics on reports. For example, e-automate uses the default meter when calculating call backs, and copies between calls by technician, territory, customer, and equipment.

If a model includes multiple meters, ECi best practice recommendation is to create a virtual total meter, being sure to include in the total meter's formula all the meters you want included in the service measurements, and then marking the virtual total meter as the default meter. Set up in this manner, the default meter will include all clicks on a device in the service measurements.

If the model only has one meter (e.g., only B\W), then mark that meter as the default meter.

The system automatically requires the default meter any time a meter reading is entered. You determine if the other meters are required. If you are using virtual meters, be sure to require the meters the system needs to calculate the virtual meters.

To require a reading for this meter each time a meter reading is entered for this model of equipment, check the Require meter reading checkbox.
Note: If the Virtual meter box is checked, the system disables and unchecks this box because the virtual meter is calculated. Verify you are requiring entry of all the meters used to calculate the virtual meter. If the Default meter checkbox is checked, the system disables and checks this checkbox because the default meter is automatically required.

If the meter has a fixed number of digits which, when exceeded, can cause a meter roll to occur, do the following:

Check the Rollover Meter checkbox.

In the Number of digits in meter field, enter the number of digits in the meter for this model.
Note: E-automate uses the number of digits to determine when a lower meter reading entered after a larger meter reading may be an acceptable rollover. For example, if a meter has 7 digits, a meter reading is recorded for 9,999,987, and a subsequent meter reading is recorded for 37 (which may really represent 10,000,037), e-automate can determine that an acceptable meter rollover has occurred.

To base preventive maintenance on this meter, do the following:

Check the Base PM on meter readings checkbox.

In the PM due meter field, enter the first meter reading count when preventive maintenance is due.

In the PM interval clicks field, enter the meter count interval between preventive maintenance visits.

To include a non-required meter in automated email or fax meter reading requests, check the Include in auto meter requests checkbox.

In the Mfg suggested field, enter the number of clicks this machine is capable of monthly if run 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This is often called the duty cycle.
Note: E-automate uses this setting to catch erroneous meter reads before they can be used for billing.

In the Target field, enter the estimated meter count target for each month. This number appears on the contract as the meter's expected volume.

In the Warranty expiration meter field, if the warranty is based on this meter, enter the meter count when the warranty expires.
Note: This field is only used for reporting purposes and does not affect actual warranty information recorded for the specific equipment.

Click [OK] to save the meter and to close the New Meter window.

In the Meter reading instructions field, enter any optional notes regarding meter readings for this model.

If the Custom properties tab displays, click the Custom properties tab to bring it forward.
Note: The Custom Properties tab is available if you have custom properties enabled. For more information on custom properties, see the Setting Custom Properties topic.

Verify the Active checkbox is checked.

Click [OK] to save the model.

For additional information on Models, refer to the following topics:
Additional Info - Priority Usage
Additional Info - Call Priority and Priority Weight
Additional Info - Attachments

If you cannot add accessories to an item, one of the following may be the source of the problem:

You have not saved the equipment record. You must first save the equipment record before you can attach accessories.

The model is not marked as a host. Edit the model on the equipment to which you are adding accessories and verify the Host checkbox is checked.

The equipment you are adding as an accessory is not an accessory. Edit the model and verify the Accessory checkbox is checked.