Software of the Month Club 1997 February

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Text File | 1996-12-04 | 19.0 KB | 531 lines

Custom Software Ver. 1.02 Operating Manual Distributed By Custom Software CONTENTS: Introduction ............................................1 Getting started .........................................1 Setting up zones ........................................1 The search routine ......................................2 F1 - Help screen ........................................2 F1 - Viewing information ................................2 F5 - Stopping the program ...............................3 F6 - Logging drivers and zones ..........................3 F7 - Toggeling the screen ...............................4 F8 - Entering a new call ................................4 F9 - Editing an existing call ...........................5 F10 - Turning alarm on or off ...........................7 F11 - Setting lead times for time calls .................7 F12 - Changing files ....................................7 Time calls ..............................................7 Introduction Custom Dispatch is a computer aided dispatch program for use by taxi-cab companies who use less then 50 drivers per day and 1000 call per file. Custom dispatch has internal routines such as next call search, best driver search, time call logging ,time call alarm and the ability to set the amount of lead time you would like to be notified prior to a time call, to name just a few. Should you have any trouble or need any assistance operating this program please call 717-454-5686, face 717-454-5412 or e-mail to robberies @postoffice.pad .net. Getting Started From the c:\>, Type MKDIR c:\DISPATCH This will create a directory for your program. Now change directories by typing CD C:\DISPATCH. You should now have a prompt C:\DISPATCH. Insert the program disk into drive A: You will now copy the files from drive A: to this directory. Type Copy A:\*.* c:\DISPATCH To run your program type Dis . Setting up zones You will need to set up zones in order for the search routines to do their work. If you do not set up zones, when a driver is complete, the computer will always pick the next call on the list instead of the next best call and the computer will always pick the next driver available for a call instead of the best driver for the call when a new call comes in. More on this in the next chapter. To set up zones it is best to look at a map of your location and outline the geographical areas and number them in numerical order. In a short time you will become familiar the placement of the zones and not have to refer to the map very often. We have found the ideal number of zones seems to be around ten. Inserting more zones will give you a better search but the least amount of zones you use means less zones to remember. The amount of zones will depend on the area you have to cover and the number of drivers you have to cover it. ( 1 ) The Search Routines Their are two separate search routines used in this program. The first search will deal with drivers who are not on a call. These divers will be displayed on the main screen and below the list of calls. Each driver will be entered in the order in which they completed their calls. Directly behind the driver you will see a (-) followed by the zone he or she completed in. Drivers are separated by a comma and so on and so on. When a new call comes in the program will search these drivers for the first driver in that zone. If no driver is in that zone the program will select the driver who has been waiting the longest. It will then ask the dispatcher if it should give this driver the call. A yes answer will log the driver to that call. The second deals with call waiting and no drivers were available. When a call is complete the program will search for the next best call to give to that driver. It will search for the next call in the zone the driver finished in and if they are none it will give the driver the call waiting the longest. In any case the dispatcher will always be asked first for their approval. F1 - The Help and View Screen This screen is split into two parts. The top part list all the function keys the program has installed. The function keys listed at the bottom of the main screen are only the keys used most often so you may need to refer here for keys not listed but available. The bottom half of the screen is a list of view and/or printing routines available. (1) - Viewing old calls. You may need to view a call that has been completed earlier in the day or maybe on another day. You will be asked for a number to start with and the screen will display the next 20 calls. After you are finished press enter to return to the menu. (2) - Reviewing Drivers Status. Selecting this option will display all the driver followed by the amount collected and the number of trips they made. this option will also show the number of trips waiting for calls and the number of calls not picked up for some reason. If a call is a no show or whatever you should assign a special code for drivers number, such as ( - ) or ( -- ), this way you can see all calls canceled or no shows or whatever your code is related to. (2) (3) - View A Drivers Calls. Entering this option will allow the dispatcher to view or print calls for a certain driver. (4) - Print Daily Report. At any time you may print out a complete report of all calls followed by the driver status. (5) - Exit Menu. Returns you to the main screen. F2 - Phone Book For assistance see manual included with this module . F3 - About Program Gives details about program and how to get help. F4 - Register Enter here if you would like to register the program. F5 - Stop Program Selecting this program will allow you to exit the program and be shure everything is save. If you find you have entered here in error type " CONT " and you will go back to where you were. F6 - Logging Driver When a driver is given a call the driver is automatically logged onto the system. (1) How to log a driver out. When the dispatchers enter this selects they will be asked to enter of the driver they wish to log out. Entering the number will remover the driver from the system. (3) (2) Changing the drivers zone. It is best for the drivers to remain in the zone they completed in. However when they need to move they should notify the dispatcher and have their zone changed the computer knows what zone they are in. The dispatcher selects #2 and is asked to type in the drivers number to change. After entering the drivers number the dispatcher is then asked to provide the zone they will be in. (3) Exiting this function. Selecting # 3 will return the dispatcher to the main screen. F7 - Toggeling the Main Screen When viewing the main screen the dispatcher can only see about 18 to 20 calls depending on your program version. For this reason a toggle was designed so the dispatcher may view only the calls that are not complete. This is also necessary to view time calls and use the alarm. Since some time call may be quite old they may disappear . (Note: Time calls will only notify the dispatcher if they are showing.) To activate the compressed screen the dispatcher simply selects F7 and the screen is compressed showing only the first 20 calls that are not complete. Selecting F7 again would return the dispatcher back to the uncompressed screen showing they last 20 call received . Selecting F7 will allow the dispatcher to go from one screen to the other. F8 - Entering a New Call This is the starting point when you first start your program. Nothing can be done until a call comes in. First we must explain how this feature works. When you select F8 the computer is looking for three things separated by two commas. The first thing the computer is looking for is the pick up point or as labeled on the screen FROM. After this is typed in a comma must be entered to notify the computer to look for the next field which is the drop off point or as labeled on the screen TO. Again a comma must be entered to let the computer is looking for comments. So whenever a call is logged into the system it must always ave 2 commas to separate these 3 fields . Failure to do this will prompt the dispatcher with an error code "REDO FROM START?". This is a internal computer routine telling the dispatcher they have either more or less then 2 commas. (4) When a dispatcher gets a new call they select F8 and a prompt will instruct the dispatcher to enter the information. First the dispatcher will enter the FROM information followed by a comma and then the TO information followed by a comma and then the comments if any exists and then presses ENTER. For example lets suppose a call comes in at 645 N. Locust and wants to go to ABC airport. The dispatcher would select F8 and then type 645 N. Locust,ABC airport, and then press enter. Next the driver is asked to supply the zone number for 645 N. Locust. When the dispatcher types in the zone and presses enter the dispatcher is asked for the zone for ABC airport. After the dispatcher types in the zone number and presses enter the main screen again pops up. Now lets take a look at what we see. Assuming 645 N. Locust is in zone 6 and ABC airport is in zone 4 and the call cam in at 9:30am your screen should look like this. FROM Zone TO Zone # Cab Called In Out Amount 645 N. Locust 6 ABC Airport 4 1 09:30 What you see is a c coming from 645 N. Locust which is in zone 6 going to ABC airport going to zone 4. As You look across you also see this is call #1 and the time the call came in. If the dispatcher finds they have entered this function in error simply enter 2 commas without entering any text. F9 - Editing a Call This is the function you will use to change a existing call. Selecting F9 will produce a prompt asking the number of the call they wish to edit. Lets use the new call we have just entered. You look across to # (which is the call #) and select 1 and press enter. Now the edit call screen comes up. At this point the dispatcher has a menu numbered from 1 to 10. Typing the Corresponding number will make that field pop out showing the dispatcher which number they selected. When the dispatcher presses enter the field returns and the computer waits for a new number.When the dispatcher is complete they select the forward slash key ( / ) to exit. Lets go thru each number to see what they do. (5) (1)-Change the pick up point. Used to change the from field . Pressing enter without typing anything and the location will remain the same. (2)-Change drop of point. Use the same as #1. (3)-Change comments. Used to set time calls and any other information needed to assist the driver with pick up instructions. (Example:Side door - ring bell.) (4)-Time called. Allows the dispatcher to enter the correct time. The time called is automatically entered when the call came in and is only here in the event the call was not able to be entered into the computer at that time. (5)-Time picked up. When the driver calls in, the dispatcher simply enters #5 and enter to log in the time the passenger was picked up. The dispatchers only need to enter the time if it is different . (6)-Time dropped off. Operates as #5 (7)-Drivers number. The dispatcher enters the drivers number and presses enter. (8)-Amount. It is very important you select this key last. After the amount has been entered the computer will exit and begin searching for another call for the driver. If the key is selected prematurely you will have to go back and answer the remaining information. The dispatcher enters the amount with out any puncuation's and presses enter.(Example: $4.00 would be entered as 400). (9)-Zone From. This option is used if the zone needs to be changed. (10)-Zone To. Same as option #9 A call can not be deleted but can be modified if for some reason it is not picked up. The following procedure is what we have found to very useful but you can enter anything in #5 & #6 and either "-" or "--" in #7 to make the call disappear from the screen. The computer will still keep this call but you will not see it in the compressed screen. #5 and #6 both can accept up to 4 spaces each. So you may want to select #5 and type Can and then #6 and type cel to spell cancel or #5 and type No and #6 and type show to display No show. In #7 we suggest all dispatchers be instructed to either enter a "-" or "--" This way when you review the drivers stats you can also tell how many calls were lost. Also If a call has been deleted you can bring it back by inserting TC for the driver. However do not enter the drivers number till you are complete with the call or it will go away again. (6) F10-Time Call Alarm. Your program has two functions to warn you of a time call that is coming up. First when it falls into the lead time the call will begin to flash and stay flashing until it is picked up. And second it will sound a alarm if turned on in case the dispatcher has to leave the desk for some reason. Selecting F10 will turn the alarm on or off. F11-Time Call Lead Time. Selecting F11 will allow you to set the amount of time before the time call comes up.This is the point at witch the dispatcher is notified. Selecting this feature changes the lead time for all time calls and not each individual time calls. F12-Reloading Data All the information the dispatcher does is saved automatically every time the dispatcher returns to the main screen. For this reason it is very easy to change from one day to another or by chance the computer goes down all that must be done is to turn off the computer and restart the program.. All files are dates without any puncuation marks applied. (Example: March 3,1996 would be entered as 030396.) Also all calls have an extension .cal. If you need to delete or change the directory file you would be looking for 030396.cal. If a time call comes in for another day or you need to check on something from previous day you would select F12. You will be asked for confirmation . Select yes or no. If yes you will be asked to type in the file to load. You Must return the same way before you enter any information for the current day. Time Calls. Time calls require some special procedures but are very easy after you understand how they work. Time call must be entered in the comments section before anything else. The computer looks for the first character in the comments field to determine if a time call exist. Any other information must be entered after this so the first thing it sees is a number. (7) So if some one is to enter information for driver 27 it would have to be entered as #27 so to first character is not 2. If you have a time call for 930am and the driver must pick up at the side door, you would enter 0930 Side door. The first thing the computer sees is a number telling it is a time call. Time calls are all entered by the use of a 24 hour clock. If a time call is for 3:45pm you would enter 1545. Add 12 hours to any time after noon. (Example 12 + 3 = 15 for 1545.) Also when entering the time enter the time to pick up not the time to send the driver. F11 will do that for you. Edit the call to show the drive to be TC . This tells the computer not to add this call in the search routine. (8)