HIERARCHY - HOW THESE RECORDS ARE USED
When assigning a document number to a new transaction, the system uses the following hierarchy:
- Location and Brand Code
- Location
- Posting Company and Brand Code
- Posting Company
- System Wide - a single range is used by all locations
That is, if a range of numbers is found for the opening location and the brand code on the transaction, that range will be used -- even though other ranges may also be defined for the opening location without a brand code or the opening location's posting company.
It is possible to set up RA number ranges to be location sensitive but have Non-Rev Tickets or Lease Numbers to be assigned by posting company or system wide. To do so, two ranges must be set up. Example:
- Set up records by location for the RA number range fields and leave blank the Non-Rev or Lease RA fields for the ranges that are NOT assigned by Location.
- Set up a record for a Posting Code or the entire system with the ranges for the Non-Rev or Lease RA fields.
Insurance RA number ranges
The rule above for Non-Rev tickets and Lease RA numbers DOES NOT apply to the insurance replacement RA number ranges.
If the same range of numbers is being used for both insurance replacement rentals and non-insurance replacement rentals, leave the insurance RA# fields blank.
If a different number range is being used for the insurance RAs, the retail and insurance RA number ranges MUST be defined on the same record. (For example, the system does not allow the range for insurance rentals to be system-wide while the range for non-insurance rentals are assigned by location.)
ALTERNATE METHOD FOR HAVING A UNIQUE RANGE FOR INSURANCE REPLACEMENT RENTALS
Besides setting up a different range of RA numbers for insurance RAs in this record, there is another method for numbering insurance RAs. Leave the Ins RA# ranges blank in these records and use the "Ins RA# Prefix" field in Edit Misc Control Fields. With that done, the RA number will be taken from the regular RA number ranges defined here; however, the first character will be replaced with the Prefix Code from the field in Edit Misc. Control Fields.Manual RA Number Ranges
This range is meant to represent the first and last crash imprinted RA#s in a box of pre-printed forms. They represent a box of actual pieces of paper. As such these ranges only make sense on records that are location oriented (the box of forms 1000-1500 can only be at one physical location). Therefore, ranges entered in these fields on records that are defined by posting company or system wide are ignored. The two ranges for manual RA# allow for two "Boxes" of pre-printed forms to be at each location.
The range of numbers have a "Sequence Number" field. This field indicates which of the two ranges is currently being used for numbering. When the next RA# in a range being used equals the Last RA# in the same range, the system will automatically switch the value in the Sequence field to that of the back-up range so there is no interruption at the rental counter. That is, once all numbers in Range 1 are used, the system will automatically switch to Range 2. And once Range 2 is used, the system will switch back to Range 1.
RULES CONCERNING DOCUMENT NUMBERS
Document numbers for Rental Agreement and Non-Rev Tickets can have both alphabetic and numeric characters.
Master Lease numbers must be all numeric.
To use alphabetic characters in a document number, there MUST be leading characters between the alpha and numeric, such as LAX00001.
As document numbers are assigned, only the numeric portion is incremented on each document number generated. Therefore, LAX00001 becomes LAX00002. And when the range hits LAX99999, the range is used up. (L9999999 will NOT increment up to M0000000.)
RECORD MODIFIED, NOT UPDATED
Very busy locations may need to update their record in off hours or coordinate with the counter so that users momentarily halt saving new records while the edit is being done.
NOTE: Previous document number range fields in Edit Cash Drawer, Edit Locations and Edit Miscellaneous Control Fields have been made obsolete. They have been replaced with the logic described here.
User tip: Records in this files can be printed in report form using the program Print Next RA Ranges.
To access the program, type NEXTRA (RET) at any menu "OPTION:" field or the appropriate number on the System Configuration Menu. The screen will then display:
| OPTION: EDIT NEXT RA RANGES 1 Location 2 Comp ID 3 Brand ID 4 Description 5 Next RA Range 1 20 Next Non-Rev # 6 Last RA Range 1 21 Last Non-Rev # 7 Next RA Range 2 22 Start Lease # 8 Last RA Range 2 23 End Lease # 9 RA Seq 24 First Hand RA # 10 Next Ins RA 1 25 Last Hand RA # 11 Last Ins RA 1 12 Next Ins RA 2 13 Last Ins RA 2 14 Ins RA Seq 15 Next Manual RA 1 16 Last Manual RA 1 17 Next Manual RA 2 18 Last Manual RA 2 19 Manual RA Seq 1SAVE 2NEXT 3ERASE 4DEL/PREV 5BACKUP 6 7HELP 8 |
Enter or edit data as follows:
|
1. LOCATION |
If these ranges are to be assigned by Location, enter the Location Code here. If ranges are to be assigned by Posting Code or set up for System wide use, leave this field blank. Data CANNOT be entered into both Fields 1 and 2. EXAMPLE: Type SNA (RET) |
|
2. COMP ID |
If these ranges are NOT to be assigned by Location:
Data CANNOT be entered into both Fields 1 and 2. EXAMPLE: Type (RET) |
| 3. BRAND ID |
If the range is for a brand ID, enter the ID code in this field. Refer to the hierarchy mentioned at the beginning of this chapter which explains how the brand code fits into the hierarchy in assigning a number to the transaction. EXAMPLES: Type ZE for Hertz; ZR for Dollar; ZT for Thrifty. |
| 4. DESCRIPTION |
Enter up to 20 alphanumeric characters to describe this record. EXAMPLE: Type SANTA ANA (RET) |
| 5. NEXT RA# RANGE 1 |
Enter up to 8 characters to indicate the next available RA
Number assigned in this range. CARS+ assigns RA numbers when a new
transaction is saved on the RA Open screen. When this range is used, this number will increment by one each time a new RA is created. EXAMPLE: Type 20000000 (RET) |
| 6. LAST RA# RANGE 1 |
Enter up to 8 characters to indicate the last RA number assigned in this range. When the number in the Next RA# field comes to within 150 of this number, the user will be warned each time an RA is opened. Once the number in Next RA# Range 1 field equals this number, the system will automatically change to the second range of numbers in the following two fields. EXAMPLE:Type 20010000(RET). User tip: High volume locations may want more of a warning than 150 RA numbers. A higher warning number can be set in Edit Locations in the "Minimum RA Supply" field on the opening location's record. |
| 7. NEXT RA# RANGE 2 |
Enter up to 8 characters to indicate the next available RA Number assigned to the system for the second number range. When this range is used, this number will increment by one each time a new RA is created. EXAMPLE: Type SN000001(RET). |
| 8. LAST RA# RANGE 2 |
Enter up to 8 characters to indicate the last RA number
assigned in this range. EXAMPLE: Type SN999999 (RET) |
| 9. RA# SEQ (SEQUENCE) |
This field indicates which of the two ranges defined above is currently being used. When initially setting up a new record, set this to "1". Under normal circumstances, this field should not need to be manually adjusted. Once all numbers in the first range are consumed, the value in this field will automatically change to "2". And once the second range is used up, this will automatically switch back to the value "1". |
| 10. NEXT INS RA# 1 |
For those operations that do both retail and insurance replacement business, this series of 4 fields allow the set up of an alternative sequence of RA numbers that will be used on insurance replacement RAs. Enter up to 8 alphanumeric characters to indicate the number that the system should use when automatically assigning the next insurance replacement RA. When this range is used, this number will increment by one each time a new insurance replacement RA is created. EXAMPLE: Type W1001000 (RET). WARNING When this insurance range is set up: If a rental is opened as a retail rental without an insurance replacement voucher the RA # will be assigned from the regular range (Fields 4 - 7), not this one. If an insurance voucher is added to the RA, the original RA will be voided (and assigned status VOID-I) and cloned with the insurance voucher. The new cloned RA will have its rental agreement number assigned from this range. USER TIP: Instead of setting up a separate range of RA#s for insurance replacement rentals, a field in Edit Misc. Control Fields can be used to set up a prefix character for insurance rentals. Leave the Ins RA# ranges blank in these records and use the "Ins RA# Prefix" field in Edit Misc Control Fields. With that done, the RA number will be taken from the regular RA number ranges defined here (Fields 4 - 7); however, the first character will be replaced with the Prefix Code from the field in Edit Misc. Control Fields. |
| 11. LAST INS RA# 1 |
This field works in conjunction with Field # 9 above. Enter up to 8 alphanumeric characters to indicate the last number in the sequence that the system should use when automatically assigning a number to an insurance replacement RA. EXAMPLE: Type W1999999 (RET) |
| 12. NEXT INS RA# 2 |
Enter up to 8 characters to indicate the next available RA Number assigned to the system for the second number range for insurance replacement rentals. When this range is used, this number will increment by one each time a new insurance replacement RA is created. EXAMPLE: Type X0001001(RET) |
| 13. LAST INS RA# 2 |
Enter up to 8 characters to indicate the last RA number
assigned in this range. EXAMPLE: Type X1999999 (RET) |
| 14. INS RA SEQ (SEQUENCE) |
This field indicates which of the two ranges for insurance RAs defined above is currently being used. When initially setting up a new record, set this to "1". Under normal circumstances, this field should not need to be manually adjusted. Once all numbers in the first range are consumed, the value in this field will automatically change to "2". And once the second range is used up, this will automatically switch back to the value "1". |
| 15. NEXT MANUAL RA# 1 |
This field and the next 3 are used to create 2 ranges of RA numbers that can be used for manual RAs entered through Batch RA Open. These fields are only valid on records for individual locations (they are meaningless for records which have Field One above blank). A field in Edit Miscellaneous Control Fields (Page 4, Field 22: Prenumbers in Batch) defines how these fields are used by the system: If the Edit Misc field has the value "Y", when saving a new Batch Opened RA, no RA number will be automatically assigned to the RA, you will be required to manually key in the new RA number. The number entered must:
If Batch Opened RAs are to have a separate sequence of numbers from the on-line opened RAs, enter the next RA number to be used in this field. If no distinction in the RA number should be made for RAs that are batch opened, leave these fields blank. EXAMPLE: Type TB000000 (RET) |
| 16. LAST MANUAL RA# 1 | If Batch Opened RAs are to have a separate sequence of numbers from the
on-line opened RAs, enter the last RA number in the range in this field. EXAMPLE: Type TB999999 (RET) |
| 17. NEXT MANUAL RA# 2 |
If Batch Opened RAs are to have a separate sequence of numbers from the
on-line opened RAs, enter the next RA number to be used for a second
range of numbers. EXAMPLE: Type TC000000 (RET) |
| 18. LAST MANUAL RA# 2 |
If Batch Opened RAs are to have a separate sequence of numbers from the
on-line opened RAs, enter the last RA number for the second range of
numbers. EXAMPLE: Type TC999999 (RET) |
| 18. MANUAL RA SEQ (SEQUENCE) |
This field indicates which of the two ranges for batch RAs defined above is currently being used. When initially setting up a new record, set this to "1". Under normal circumstances, this field should not need to be manually adjusted. Once all numbers in the first range are consumed, the value in this field will automatically change to "2". And once the second range is used up, this will automatically switch back to the value "1". |
| 20. NEXT NON-REV # |
Enter up to 8 alphanumeric characters to indicate the next available Non-Revenue Ticket Number. This number will increment by one each time a new Non-Revenue Ticket is created. EXAMPLE: Type TN000001 (RET). USER TIP: If Non-Rev Ticket numbers are assigned by location, it is suggested that you begin the ticket number with a unique set of alpha characters for the location so that this number range will not conflict with that of any other location in the system. |
| 21. LAST NON-REV # |
Enter up to 8 characters to indicate the last Non-Rev Ticket number
assigned in this range. There is no back up range for Non-Rev Ticket numbers. Once the Next # equals the Last number in this field, the ability to open new Non-Revs is blocked. EXAMPLE: Type TN999999 (RET) |
| 22. START LEASE # |
Enter up to 8 numeric characters to indicate the starting document number in the range of Master Lease Numbers. EXAMPLE: Type 11234000 (RET). |
| 23. END LEASE # |
Enter up to 8 numeric characters to indicate the ending document number in the range of Master Lease Numbers. There is no back up range for Master Lease numbers. Once the Next # equals the Last number in this field the ability to open new leases is blocked. EXAMPLE: Type 11234999 (RET). |
| 24. FIRST HAND RA # |
This field is used for companies that have preprinted, prenumbered manual RAs. Enter up to 8 characters to indicate the first preprinted, prenumbered manual hand written RA form. EXAMPLE: TYPE (RET) |
| 25. LAST HAND RA # |
Enter up to 8 characters to indicate the last preprinted, prenumbered manual RA form. EXAMPLE: TYPE (RET) |