Electronic Program Updates

As a user of our software you are probably entitled to update it to the latest version at any time, the only proviso being that the software is covered by current software maintenance. To have current maintenance, the software should be within it’s original cover period from sale (usually a year), under maintenance contract or under a rental agreement.

  • We are continually refining and developing our software. Updates can be done on as much as a daily basis. We don't 'hold back' software for specific release dates - our software is released as and when it has been written and tested.

Click here for instructions on how to install your program update.

  • Keep up to date with the latest software changes with our news.

Customer Booking Security

Two new security settings have been added. One that can be used to prevent certain users from deleting customer bookings and another that prevents certain users from changing the status of customer bookings.

Cancelled Customer Bookings

It is now possible to have a default 'Cancelled' status for customer bookings. Customer bookings that have the cancelled status will not appear as current bookings but will still be available for reporting.

eBay Motors Pro - Mobile Description

The upload to eBay Motors Pro now includes a "Mobile Description" field that is used in the eBay mobile app. It contains a copy of the main unit description, limited to 800 characters.

Emailing Stored Files

Previously you could compose an email from the "Media" tab attaching a stored file.

This facility has now been greatly enhanced:

  • On the "Send Email" window you can now click the [Attachments] button from where you can select multiple files to attach to the email from various media sources that might be available at that point within Platinum, for example the current workshop job, unit or customer.

This requires the "SXMail" module to send the email. Please contact your Platinum dealer or our sales team on (0116) 230 1500 or by using our website sales contact page if you do not have the "SXMail" module and would like to add it.

For more information see Adding Files on the Knowledge Base.

Unavailable Time Reports

The "Unavailable Time Reports" option has been given the Windows "look-and-feel".

You can now produce a report that breaks down the available time by depot.

  • 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.

Windows "look-and-feel" - Adjustments

The "Adjustments" option has been given the Windows "look-and-feel".

Depending on user permission settings, transactions can be adjusted directly from "Transaction History". See How do I set up user Security in Platinum? for more details.

  • 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.

Password-protected PDF files

Platinum built-in PDF support (Windows 10) can now password-protect PDF files which can be useful for emailing sensitive/private documents, etc.

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 (password)' - prints the document to a PDF file, shows a "Save As" box to allow you to enter or amend the file name or location to save as, and asks for a password to be used for protecting the PDF file.
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  • 'PDF to email (password)' - 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 and password to be used for protecting the PDF file before sending. Note: you must have the Catalyst "SXMail" module in order to send an email using this method.
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  • 'PDF to email (password silent)' - as above but sends the email using a standard message without prompting, useful for the Retention Centre for example.

Customers, suppliers, prospects and payroll employees all now have an optional password entry which will be picked up automatically when producing/sending PDF files.

Platinum Online Technician Activity

The "Workshop" -> "Technician Activity" option in Platinum Online v2 has been enhanced with the following:

  • Invoice labour lines are now listed in the "Job Activities" section of a job.
  • Detailed description of a job (lines tagged for 'Jobcard') is now displayed in the "Job Notes" section of a job.
  • The "Job Notes" section now allows almost unlimited notes to be added (6500 characters per paragraph).

Intelligent Shipper

Platinum "Sales Order Processing", "Order Dispatch" now has the ability to submit orders to Intelligent Shipper from Intersoft.

This service allows you to select a carrier for your shipment, such as Royal Mail or Parcel Force, download and print off shipping labels, confirm the order once ready for dispatch, and track it once the carrier has picked it up.

  • In order to take adantage of this feature you will need an account with Intersoft, and arrange with them which carriers you want to use so they are made available to you through their online API.

Unplanned Work

It is now possible to add jobs as unplanned, list unplanned jobs from the workshop diary and to plan these as and when possible.

Workshop jobs are classed as unplanned if either the expected time or an employee are not allocated to a job.

  • If you want to be able to add unplanned work from the workshop diary, you will first need to set "Automatically schedule jobs" to "No" in "Reports & Settings" -> "Maintenance Options" -> "System Administrator" -> "Platinum Settings" to enable this feature.

Geolocations

It is now possible to record the geolocations of activities logged through Platinum Online's "Technician Activity" and "Employee Activity" options.

These geolocations can be viewed using the "Labour Activity Report", "Employee Activity Report" and "Workshop Report Generator".

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