Add (Start/Create) A New Appointment

Add (Start/Create) A New Appointment

Add (Start/Create) A New Appointment

The need to set Appointments is an integral business process that most shops use constantly throughout the day to plan and prepare for upcoming work.
In MaxxTraxx, this process is simple, logical and relatively quick to perform once the process is understood.
Detailed below are the steps required to add a new appointment along with some different options.
Special Notice: Appointments are best used for scheduling future work. To write up work that is starting immediately, go directly to the Add A New Repair Order function. A Knowledge Base article along with video is found HERE.

Section 1: Start The Add Appointment Process From The Service Counter

From the main Service Counter or Schedule, click the + Appointment button found at the top on left-hand side.
This will launch the "Customer Search Wizard".
The default search method is set to Customer Last Name and/or Company Name.
However, one can also activate the very useful "wildcard" search function by checking the box next to "Use Wildcard Search". This will find the items entered whether they're found in the First/Last Name or Company name fields.
Additionally, there are other options available, running across the top separated into tabs.
One can search by License Plate, Unit#, VIN, Phone and even Year/Make/Model.

Section 2: Search For An Existing Customer

To begin a search by the last name/company name default, input the first few characters to locate.
Special Notice: There is no need to place the mouse cursor in the "Locate" box. Just begin typing. This applies to all search functions in MaxxTraxx where there is a "Locate" or search box displayed. Typed characters will appear there.
If the Customer is found, and the entry is highlighted in blue, click the Next button at the lower right or tap your keyboard's Enter key to accept and move to the next step.
This is where one will either select an existing vehicle associated with that Customer's record or add a new one, which is covered in Section 4.
Once that's completed, click OK to proceed to Section 5.
Note: In MaxxTraxx, when a button is bordered or highlighted in blue, that means one can simply tap the "Enter" key to accept and proceed.
If the Customer is NOT found, click the Add Customer button at the lower left corner to start the process.
That is covered in Section 3 next.

Section 3: Add A New Customer To MaxxTraxx

When the Add Customer button is clicked it will launch the "Customer Add Wizard".
This first screen asks to define the customer by type. That will either be a "Person" or a "Company".
Select one and click Next to proceed.
Here, enter your Customer's First and Last Name -or- Company Name. Then, click Next.
These are required fields so input here is necessary to move ahead.
Note: Everywhere in MaxxTraxx where there is a red asterisk (*) next to a field, that signifies required input.
The following screen prompts for additional information like address and email. Nothing here is required to proceed so one can simply click Next when ready.
Here it asks for phone information. These fields are optional, too, so click Next when done.
The "Details" screen contains options for adding a resale number or changing the default price or tax code.
Also, there is an option to add a driver license number.
Only one field on this page is required, which is the "Price Code", and that is already set to the company default for us. We can change the Customer's part price code here if desired too.
Click Next to continue.

Section 4: Add A Vehicle To A Customer Record

At the "Select Vehicle" dialog box, one must add a vehicle to complete the addition of a new customer -or- to add one to an existing customer.
If the CarFax tools are turned on, the default search is set to "License Plate" along with the 2-letter "State" abbreviation. This locates the vehicle information using a combination of CarFax and ACES vehicle tables.
Many shops find this the quickest way to pull the Year, Make, and Model and Engine of a vehicle as well as the VIN.
Special Notice: The free CarFax tools integration must be activated in Setups first, in order for the License plate and VIN decoding lookups to function.
However, there are other search options running down the left-hand side separated into tabs.
One can manually enter the Year, Make and Model of the vehicle
One can also search strictly by the VIN.
Or, a Custom Vehicle can be created and added to the system which is totally definable by the user. This comes in very useful for shops that service items like Heavy Equipment, Tractor/Trailers, Farm machinery, and more.
Once a "vehicle" is created and saved, it's "Master Record" will display for confirmation. This screen allows one to add even more details like a Unit#, or transmission, chassis and drive types...just to name a few examples.
Once satisfied, click the OK button here to finalize the addition of a new Vehicle to a Customer's permanent record.

Section 5: Fill Out The Appointment Details

Once a Customer is chosen or created and a vehicle is selected or added, one is taken to the "Appointment" details window. This is the final and key step in the appointment creation process, actually scheduling the work.
The Customer's basic info including phone numbers is displayed at the top left.
One can change or edit phone contact numbers right from this screen if needed by clicking one of the Select buttons.
At the top right, is a place to enter an estimated or "Quoted Price" and an approximate or "Quoted Time".
The vehicle being serviced is listed in the middle left of screen, displaying license plate, VIN, Unit# and more.
To the right of that, is the ability to pre-assign a Service Writer or up to two Technicians.
Below the vehicle information is an area called "Appointment Notes" where important comments regarding this appointment or the Customer can be input.
Special Notice: Comments entered into the "Appointment Notes field will conveniently show in the "Notes" column on the Schedule for all to easily view.
To the right of the Appointment Notes are the critical Day and Time In/Out fields. Input the desired date making sure to include the estimated time of arrival and the promised-by time out.
Below, the Appointment info area, on the left-hand side is the "Current Recommended Services" box, which displays any recommended services currently attached to the vehicle.
This is not only a useful alert for possible upsells, but provides a way to quickly add them to the Appointment. 
To move recommended services from that box on the left over into the "Requests for Service on this Appointment" box at the right, simply click the > "Right Arrow" button in the middle here between the two boxes.
Likewise, click the < Left Arrow button to move service requests out of an Appointment and into the "Recommended Services" box on the left.
New recommendations can be added to the Customer's vehicle by clicking the Add Recommendation button below the "Current Recommended Services" box.
The "Requests for Service on this Appointment" box on the right-hand side is where Services planned to be completed during that visit are placed. This is not a requirement, but gives one the ability to start the main job line descriptions of work to be done.
Once satisfied with all the entries, click the OK button in the lower right to close and save.
As a convenience, MaxxTraxx will always take you to that day's Schedule on the Service Counter window. Primarily, so the user can verify the day and date is correct. Additionally, a quick way to go back into it if something needs to be changed.
Be sure to navigate back to the present day's Schedule by clicking the Today button at the very top right corner of the Service Counter screen.

Section 6: An Alternate Location To Add A New Appointment

There is another way to create or add a New Appointment to the Schedule. This can be done from the "Appointment Calendar" tab located just to the right of the default "Schedule" tab at the top.
The "Appointment Calendar", presents a summary of total appointments booked per day, along with any hours quoted added up and displayed for a quick top-level rundown.
If one finds this "bird's eye" view of upcoming appointments useful. then new appointments can be set right from here as well.
Simply use the mouse to right-click on the desired date which brings up the day's appointments lineup window.
At the middle left, click the Add New Appointment button to start the new appointment process that was just covered above. Basically, starting at Step 2.

Section 7: Video Tutorial

Here is a quick video tutorial on how to Add a New Appointment in MaxxTraxx.






As always, the Support Team is here if you have questions or need help.
Hours: Monday through Friday, 5am to 5pm PST. (Excluding Holidays)
Phone: 800-996-9777, Option #1
Or start a Chat from our website HERE

Thank You for Your Time and Have a Great Week!
-The MaxxTraxx Team




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