Platinum now integrates with the Microsoft Print to PDF printer built-in to Windows 10, Windows Server 2016 and above and avoids the need to install a third-party PDF printer driver.

After updating Platinum you will find three new standard print records for use on Windows 10, Windows Server 2016 and above PCs:

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• 'Print to PDF' - prints the document to a PDF file and shows a "Save As" box to allow you to enter or amend the file name or location to save as.

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• 'Print to email' - prints the document to a PDF file and shows a "Send Email" box attaching the PDF to an email message and allowing you to enter or amend the email message before sending. Note: you must have the Catalyst "SXMail" module in order to send an email using this method.

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• 'Print to email (silent)' - as above but sends the email using a standard message without prompting, useful for the Retention Centre for example.

Existing links to PDF995 and other third-party PDF printers continue to work as before, of course, but this adds another option now for those who wish to avoid installing third-party drivers.

For more information please see How do I Setup Printing to PDF in Platinum?

A new option designed to show information in simple graphical form. The focus is to display the ongoing performance of the technicians in the workshop for the current month and year.

In order to get information from this feature, your workshop must make use of the "Real Time Labour Recording" option.

To provide perspective for the current information, comparison graphs for average and best periods are also displayed.

A range screen is provided for users requiring historic or more specific information. You can choose whether or not you want to include work from jobs raised internally and you can drill down to view the performance of a particular technician.

• See our Knowledge Base to connect to your Platinum Online.

A new "View:" type, 'Gross Profit %' has been added to the "Stock", "Vehicle" and "Workshop" dashboards.

A new range option, "Vehicle type:" has been added to the "Vehicle" and "Workshop" dashboards. This allows you to filter results so you only see information on the particular vehicle type you are interested in i.e. 'Motorcycles'.

A new parameter has been added to the Workshop's "General Job Parameters (2)". This parameter allows you to select the date you want to use when calculating the workshop dashboard data.

The "Stock Applications" option in the "Stock Control" has been renamed to "Add or Edit Applications" and has been given the windows look and feel.

You are now able to add, edit and remove the applications that a stock item can be used for directly from the item's "Stock Properties".

• As this part of Platinum has been given the Windows look-and-feel the Home (on-line help) and End (functions) keys now work the way Windows uses them (i.e. Home goes to the beginning of whatever you are accepting and End goes to the end) so you should use the alternative help keys listed below:
• The F11 key should be used for the on-line help.
• The F12 key or the "Functions" menu should be used to access the function keys available.
• Buttons have been given a shortcut key (F?) for use in Macros and anyone not wanting to use the mouse.
• Windows may be repositioned and changed in size - these changes will be remembered from one Platinum session to another.
• The columns in lists can be moved or resized by dragging the heading for the column you wish to configure - these changes will be remembered from one Platinum session to another.
• Any tabs can be moved by dragging the heading for the tab to the new position - this new position will be remembered from one Platinum session to another.

Vehicle Check Sheets have been added to Platinum Online, allowing data collection using your phone or tablet. The results of checks carried out in this way will be logged in your Platinum desktop system, and vehicle advisories created automatically where necessary.

The existing printed check sheet system, accessed from "Workshop Management" job amendments and the advisories programs, which does not feed data back into Platinum, will remain in place for the convenience of existing customers who are using it, however if you want to start using the new system with all its advantages and possibilties for customisation, see our How do I migrate to Interactive Vehicle Check Sheets? article.

• See our Knowledge Base to connect to your Platinum Online.

The existing facility in "Purchase Order Processing", to transfer individual order items in from or out to another order, on the current or on another account, has been implemented in the "Sales Order Processing".

It is now possible to set a default invoice account for a site.

This new default account will be used if there is no default set for the current Platinum user.

A new module "Customer Loyalty" has been added to Platinum. This currently works alongside the "Point of Sale" in "Stock Control".

Customers can be assigned Loyalty Cards and can accrue points as they buy from the "Point of Sale". These points can then be used to pay for items bought in the future.

You can now set up loyalty point promotions in "Promotions Maintenance" offering bonus loyalty points for a limited time. For example, you can award double points on certain items or award bonus points when a certain combination of items has been purchased.

• See our Knowledge Base for further details.