Abstract:
A vehicle technician time clock tool comprises a computer-implemented interface to a database, wherein the database contains vehicle service task-related information and time-related information, the vehicle service task-related information and time-related information pertaining to at least one vehicle technician, and a computer-implemented graphical user display (GUI), wherein the GUI displays in real time at least some of the vehicle service task-related information, at least some of the time-related information, and at least one calculation based on at least some of the time-related information.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
   This application claims the benefit of now expired U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/620,382, filed Oct. 19, 2004, which is hereby incorporated by reference. 

   TECHNICAL FIELD 
   This application relates to software applications used to track and perform calculations on time-related information for technicians in a vehicle repair facility. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary vehicle technician time clock tool. 
       FIG. 2  is an illustration of an exemplary graphical user interface (GUI) that can provide report information. 
       FIG. 3  is an illustration of an exemplary sign that can be posted next to a GUI such as the exemplary GUI illustrated in  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 4  illustrates an exemplary system in which target times are assigned to a technician. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary dynamic vehicle technician time clock tool  100  that can provide information to an interface (e.g., the exemplary graphical user interface  200  illustrated in  FIG. 2 ) such as technician name, service and operation identifier, job identifier, customer name, time left, elapsed technician time, elapsed total time, target time, and time over or under the target time. There can be visual indications of certain types of information. For example, when a technician is working on a specific service, the time left and/or over/under target time can be visually distinguished, such as changing the color of the displayed item if the category changes (e.g., going from under time to over time). For example, the time under/over can be displayed as black if positive and/or red if negative, as illustrated by the exemplary comments  202  and  204  in  FIG. 2 . Other categories or entire entries (e.g., for a specific technician or a specific service) can also be visually distinguished, such as being displayed in different colors to indicate whether a technician is over or under targeted time for a job. 
   In some situations, it is desirable for the displayed information to include information pertaining to current activity for each technician that is clocked onto attendance, as illustrated by the exemplary comment  206  in  FIG. 2 . It may also be desirable for the vehicle technician time clock tool to automatically flag a technician if he or she is not punched onto a job, as illustrated by the exemplary comment  208  in  FIG. 2 . 
   In some situations, it is desirable for the displayed information to be refreshed every five minutes. In other situations, it may be desirable for the refresh rate to be as small as one minute, as illustrated by the exemplary comment  210  in  FIG. 2 , or even smaller. In other situations, perhaps the refresh rate should be as large as ten minutes, or even larger. The refresh rate is generally variable and can be set or reset in various ways. 
   In one example, a dealer management system (e.g., the exemplary dealer management system  102  of  FIG. 1 ) such as Procede can be used in connection with or as part of the vehicle technician time clock tool. A technician can log on to a time system at the beginning of the work day or shift and log off when leaving (e.g., lunch break or end of day/shift). The technician can also log on to a time system when beginning work on a specific job and log off when stopping (e.g., after finishing the job, taking a break, or working on something else). The two time systems may be separate systems or integrated as part of a single system. 
   In one example, the vehicle technician time clock tool involves creating ODBC links (e.g., to establish database connectivity to a database such as one that stores information relating to a technician&#39;s time at work or on a specific project). Screen scraping software can be used (e.g., to extract data from a file sent to be printed) to retrieve data to be used in computations. 
   In one example, a custom report (e.g., the exemplary custom report  104  of  FIG. 1 ) can be used, such as Crystal Report. A SQL query (e.g., the exemplary SQL query  120  of  FIG. 1 ) can be used to group certain attributes (e.g., by employee). For example, such attributes can include name, employee type, start date, time of current operation, flat time, and promised date. The custom report can calculate certain performance against target comparisons. For example, a technician&#39;s total time on a job can be determined by the addition of all completed labor items assigned to the technician&#39;s time. Also, an over/under time for a specific service/job can be determined by the subtraction of the total of all time spent by employees on the specific job from the flat (target) time for the specific job. The time left over for the specific job can be determined by comparing the target time with the total elapsed time for the specific job. Also, the time left over a promised time for completing all jobs to be done on a vehicle can be determined by comparing the current date/time to the promised date/time. In some situations, it may be desirable that only information pertaining to employees that are service technicians be involved in the calculations. In some situations, the report can be published as a web page, so any desktop in the network can view it at any time, as illustrated by the exemplary comment  212  in  FIG. 2 . 
   In one example, scheduling software (e.g., the exemplary scheduling software  106  of  FIG. 1 ) can be used to execute one or more batch processes (e.g., a custom report) such as the exemplary batch process  108  of  FIG. 1 . A batch process can run at defined intervals (e.g., every time a clock is generated or regenerated). A batch process can invoke an executable file (e.g., at command line). A batch process can also be configured to generate HTML output. A database exporter (e.g., the exemplary database exporter  130  of  FIG. 1 ) such as Crystal Exporter can be used to convert data set to an HTML document. 
   In one example, two HTTP documents (e.g., in .html), such as the exemplary HTTP documents  110  and  112  of  FIG. 1 , are used in the process. The first HTTP document may have a single file for each “clock” and a new file each time the “clock” is generated or regenerated. The second HTTP document may have a two-frame window, in which the first frame references content and the second frame contains logic to auto-refresh (e.g., the exemplary auto-refresh logic  140  of  FIG. 1 ). For example, when certain activities take place (e.g., a new report is run) information from the first HTTP document may be transferred to the first frame of the second HTTP document so that the first HTTP document can now be used to store different (e.g., updated) information. The second frame of the second HTTP document can now process information from the first frame during a clock generation/regeneration. 
   An output display (e.g., the exemplary display  114  of  FIG. 1 ) may be construed in various ways. For example, a display could be wall-mounted. Alternatively, it could be at a desktop. 
     FIG. 3  illustrates an exemplary sign  300  that can be posted next to a graphical user interface (GUI) such as the exemplary GUI  200  of  FIG. 2 . In one example, the sign  300  can provide to technicians information instructing how to understand what is being displayed by the GUI. 
     FIG. 4  illustrates an exemplary system  400  in which target times are assigned to a technician. A service manager  402  or foreman assigns a target time on an R/O to a technician  404  who is to conduct repair work on a particular vehicle  406 . The service manager  402  or foreman knows when the technician  404  goes over the target time and can also perform daily efficiency reviews on the technician  404 . Use of this system in conjunction with a vehicle technician time clock tool, such as the exemplary vehicle technician time clock tool  100  of  FIG. 1 , can lead to improved profitability and cycle times. 
   The vehicle technician time clock tool illustrated and described herein provides numerous advantages. For example, real-time proxy can be delivered for efficiency performance. Technicians can be encouraged to become involved in the management process (e.g., they can be driven to request target times). Target times can provide guidance to technicians where none currently exists (e.g., a technician who states “I thought I had ten hours for a clutch job.”) Technicians that need a foreman&#39;s help can be identified. The act of going back to a customer to get approval for additional operations can be encouraged. 
   Having illustrated and described the principles of the invention by several embodiments, it should be apparent that those embodiments are illustrative only and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention. The present invention encompasses all such embodiments as may come within the scope and spirit of the following claims and equivalents thereto.