By default, a user is restricted to only processing vehicles that are currently at the user's default location. There is a configuration field in Edit Main Control Record that will allow the user to change the status of any vehicle that is currently at any location. Refer to the field "MAKAVL Loc restrict".
For locations making use of the Dispatch logic, this is the ONLY program that can make a vehicle available.
Vehicles with Status S (sold) cannot be altered by this program.
This program can also be used to receive a shuttled vehicle that was involved in a one-way rental to a foreign location. If the related RA has not yet been batch closed, it will be kept on Open status and tagged with a Questionable flag. This will indicate that although the RA is still open, the vehicle assigned to this RA has been released for other usage.
Closing a Non-Rev Movement: Because Make Available is an on-line, real-time program, it is the most recent movement of the vehicle. Therefore, if there is an open Non-Rev on the unit, the Non-Rev Movement is automatically closed using the data from Make Available as follows:User tip: The field 'Make Aval Nonrev" in Edit Misc. Control Fields can be be used to turn off this feature so that the Non-Rev will not be closed.
Damages: If new damage needs to be recorded on the vehicle, press the F8 key when the cursor is at the "OPTION:" field to access the Quick Damage Entry program.
Assets: This program can also be used to make asset controlled options (such as GPS devices) available. It should be noted that in order to do that, although fields such as tank level and odometer can be left blank, the user will be required to place something in the Stall Number field. WARNING: Using this program to make an asset that is currently on an open RA available for re-rental will NOT cause that device to be reported on the Questionable RAs Report or the Status Exception Report.
Hold Codes - for installations using the Hold Code logic, certain messages will display if the vehicle is due for a maintenance, is within the warning period for maintenance, or has a hard hold in effect. These are:
VEHICLE REACHED OPTIMAL KM's FOR PM. SHORT RENTALS ONLY (Y/N)
The message above displays when the vehicle has reached the warning parameters defined in the maintenance hold code. Enter:
N = SEND VEHICLE BACK FOR PM SERVICE
Y = Save continues
MAINTENANCE GROUNDING: OIL CHANGE
The message above displayed when the vehicle has reached the hard hold code parameters defined on the maintenance hold code. The vehicle cannot be updated from Make Available.
WHEN EDITS ARE BLOCKED
The Vehicle File is one of the main data files in the system and, as such, is used by many programs. Because of that, having a vehicle record pulled up on this screen cannot be allowed to block other programs from doing their tasks such as checking units in and out at the rental counter. Therefore, transaction programs such as RA Open, RA Close, NonRev Movement have a higher access level to the Vehicle File than this program, Make Vehicle Available. If a transaction program alters a unit that is currently displayed on here, any changes made in this session of Make Vehicle Available will NOT be saved. Example:
During the time the record was read into Make Vehicle Available (12:15 pm) and the time it was saved (12:17 pm), the data on the vehicle was changed (at 12:16 pm) by a transaction program (RA Open) which has a higher priority.
Hand-held mode: This program can be accessed from a hand-held terminal. Refer to the chapter titled:Make Vehicle Available – Hand-Held Mode for details.
To access the Make Vehicle Available program, type MAKAVL (RET) at any menu "OPTION:" field or the appropriate line number on the Dispatch menu. The screen will then display:
| OPTION: __ MAKE VEHICLE AVAILABLE 1 Vehicle # 2 License # 3 Location 4 Lot # Class/Desc 5 Stall # Grounding Odom 6 Odometer Grounding Date 7 Fuel Status 8 Damages 9 Notes Owning Loc 10 Cleaning Empl Date/Time 11 New Status Tab Exp Date 1SAVE 2 3ERASE 4 5BACKUP 6 7HELP 8DAMAGE |
Enter data as follows:
User tip: The vehicle record can be accessed by entering the unit number or the license plate number. In Edit Main Control Record, the field "Access Vehicle by License #" controls Fields 1 and 2 here. If it's set to N or B, Field 1 will be Vehicle # and Field 2 will be License #. If it's set to "Y", Field 1 will be License # and Field 2 will be Vehicle #. In any case, entering data in either field will retrieve the vehicle record.
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1. VEHICLE # |
To retrieve a vehicle record by the unit number, enter it here*. If there is only one vehicle on file with the unit number entered, all pertinent data relating to that vehicle will be loaded. If more than one vehicle is on file with the unit number (multiple owners), the Vehicle File Search program will automatically be called, and all vehicles with a matching unit number will be displayed for selection. EXAMPLE: Type 14131 (RET) *If the system is configured to require a vehicle check digit, enter that character after the unit number. After the check digit is entered and used to validate the vehicle number, it is automatically erased off the screen. EXAMPLE: Type 914592A (RET) Damages: If the vehicle has unrepaired damage on it, an advisory message will display. This is followed by the message:
User tip: A field in Edit Misc. Control Fields can be used to block using Make Vehicle Available to move a vehicle out of on-rent status
when the RA it's currently on did not open at their location or is not
due in to their location. If the block is in place, the following message will display and the vehicle record will not come up:
User tip: Vehicles assigned to an open RA with a hold status cannot be changed from their current “O “ (on rent) status. |
| 2. LICENSE # |
To retrieve a vehicle record by license plate, enter up to 12
characters representing the vehicle license plate number. EXAMPLE: Type:1RFY347 (RET) |
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3. LOCATION |
Enter an owned Location code (up to 6 alphanumeric characters) for the vehicle's
current location. EXAMPLE: Type LAX (RET) User Tip 1: The default location on this screen is the last known location of the vehicle entered into Field 1. If this value is changed, the system will record that the vehicle "moved" from the previous location to the value entered here. As it is assumed that the user is only making vehicles that are available at their signed on location, it is possible via a field in Edit Miscellaneous Control Fields to change the default of this field to that of the user's sign-on location. User Tip 2: By design, the only location that can be entered is the user's current sign-on location. If there is the need for making vehicles available at locations other than the user's current signed on location, a field in Edit Misc Control Fields will lift this restriction. |
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4. LOT # |
If this location is using the 'lot' logic, enter up to 2 alphanumeric
characters representing the lot number where the unit is located. Refer to the chapter Edit Lot Number for details on the lot logic. Each lot is designated as having vehicles that are either 'rentable' or not. If the lot is a 'rentable' lot, stall numbers for the lot must be created in Edit Stall Numbers. EXAMPLE: Type 11 (RET) User tip: Hertz Canada Corporate locations: This field will show the default lot for the current location. |
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5. STALL # |
If this location is using the "Lot" and "Stall" logic, enter up to 6 alphanumeric characters to indicate the parking stall for this vehicle. If the lot in the above field is designated as a 'rentable' lot, this field is required. If the lot is designated as 'not rentable', a stall number cannot be entered. EXAMPLE: Type B12 (RET) User tip: The system prevents placing more than 1 vehicle in the same stall when the stall logic has been turned on in the Location record. See Edit Locations, page 1, "Ready Line Size" field. |
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6. ODOMETER |
Enter up to 6 numeric characters to indicate the vehicle's current odometer reading. EXAMPLE: Type 3461 (RET) Note: If the odometer value displayed is changed, an audit record is written to the Vehicle History File. |
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7. FUEL |
Enter 1 numeric character to indicate the current fuel gauge reading. Fuel tank levels are measured in eighths, therefore, entries must be between 0 and 8. EXAMPLE: Type 8 (RET) User tip: When a vehicle has a fuel type "E", (Electric Vehicle) this field will change to "Btry" for battery level. For more information regarding electric vehicles see the overview chapter in the manual. Overview Electric Powered Vehicles |
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8. DAMAGES |
Enter up to 30 alphanumeric characters to indicate any pre-existing body damage of the vehicle or press RETURN to default to any previously entered notes. EXAMPLE: Type DENT RR FNDR (RET. |
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9. NOTES |
This field carries warning messages of mechanical problems that were reported on a previous transaction. Normally, after the service has been performed this field is erased when the service record is entered through the Vehicle History Update program. If this field is not empty, you should determine if the vehicle is eligible to rent. If the problem has been corrected, press the F3 key to
remove this note from the vehicle record. User tip: If this filed has not been deleted and there are notes remaining in this field at the time the user presses "F1" to save this "Make Vehicle Available" record, Cars+ will prompt: "SHOULD NOTES BE ERASED?". The user will need to reply "Y" for (Yes to erase the notes in this field), or "N" for (No to leave the Notes in this field). Note: Your system can be configured to NOT prompt the user "Should notes be erased?" and Cars+ can be set to either automatically erase the notes in this field or it can be set to NOT erase the notes in this field. If you want this configuration to be set on your system, contact Thermeon's Customer Support Dept. and ask for the GVT record, "MAKAVNTS" to be set and advise whether or not you want the notes to be automatically erased or if you want the notes to be left alone. |
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10. CLEANING EMPL |
Enter up to 6 alphanumeric characters for the Employee Code for the individual who cleaned and prepped this vehicle. Employee Codes entered here must be first defined in the Edit User Access File. Entry of data in this field will cause a Service Code "96" history record to be written to the Vehicle History File for this transaction. Through this file, productivity and complaint researches can be made. EXAMPLE: Type B2395 (RET). |
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11. NEW STATUS |
This field defaults to Vehicle Status "A" (Available). Press RET to accept this value or enter an other "Available" Type Status Code. To assign a parking stall (or lot and parking stall) and not change the status, remove the “A” from this field so that it is blank. Then the status will not be updated. A setting in the status record controls which users may place a vehicle into that status. Users who have been assigned a lower access level than the one required will receive the following message if they attempt to use a status that is protected:
EXAMPLE: Type A (RET). |
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CLASS/DESC |
= Class Code and description of the vehicle. |
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GROUNDING ODOM |
= Odometer value above which vehicle cannot be rented. Vehicle should not be made available for rent if return odometer is likely to exceed this value. |
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GROUNDING DATE |
= Date after which vehicle must not be rented or be on-rent. If current date is close to this date, vehicle can be made available but will be rejected at RA Open if return date falls after this date. |
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STATUS |
= Current Status Code prior to making the vehicle available to Status "A". |
| OWNING LOC | = Vehicle's owning location |
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DATE/TIME |
= Date and time of last Status Code change. |
The screen will then display:
| OPTION: __ MAKE VEHICLE AVAILABLE 1 Vehicle # 14131 2 License # 1RFY347 2 Location LAX 4 Lot # 11 Class/Desc E RED 11 CARAVAN 5 Stall # B12 Grounding Odom 14000 6 Odometer 346` Grounding Date 01-15-15 7 Fuel 6 Status D 8 Damages DENT RR FENDER 9 Notes Owning Loc LAX 10 Cleaning Empl B2395 Date/Time 03-17-14 1222P 11 New Status A Tab Exp Date 01-31-15 1SAVE 2 3ERASE 4 5BACKUP 6 7HELP 8DAMAGE |
PRESS "F1" AT "OPTION:" TO SAVE.
If there are Vehicle Notes left in Field 9, Cars+ will prompt: "SHOULD NOTES
BE ERASED?". The user will need to reply "Y" for (Yes to erase the notes in this field), or "N" for (No to leave the Notes in this field.)
A Vehicle History Update record, using code 98, is written automatically to the vehicle's history file.
READY TICKETS
If the Print Library file is configured to print a ready ticket, the following prompt will appear:
PRINT READY TICKET?
Enter:
Y = A ready ticket will be printed for the vehicle.
N = the program will close.
USING THIS PROGRAM TO RECEIVE SHUTTLED VEHICLES
When vehicles are rented one-way to nearby foreign locations, it's not uncommon for the vehicle to be shuttled back to your location prior to the rental agreement being closed on your computer system. When this occurs, the vehicle is available for rental but is still on an open RA. If the Make Vehicle Available program is used to change the vehicle status and location, the program will flag the RA as Questionable.
If the current date and time when running this program is earlier than the scheduled return date/time on the RA, the Make Available program will change the return date/time on the RA to the current system date/time.
Streamlined version:
The system can be configured to use a streamlined version of Vehicle Staging and Make Vehicle Available. In the streamlined version, the user is not prompted to enter their username and password; the warnings about existing damage are not displayed; and the user is not asked if a ready ticket should be printed. To have your system configured for this version, contact Thermeon's Customer Support Dept. and ask that GVT record 'MAKAVLAU' be set up.