TMText

This help topic is applicable to the following TireMaster applications:

TireMaster Point of Sale

TireMaster Plus

TireMaster Corporate

With TMText, you can send text messages to customers and vendors. If you use TireMaster‘s Scheduler, you can also use TMText to send appointment reminders to customers.

This section describes changes made to the TMText application.

Update, September 2020

Enhancement - Functionality for Text Payments

Components that allow a new text-to-pay application to run on TireMaster systems have been added to TMText.

Maintenance - New Text Checking Frequency

This update resolves an issue that prevented TMText from regularly checking for new text messages. The issue typically occurred in environments running multiple TireMaster databases, such as the ASA Data Center.

Update, July 2020

Enhancement - Security Permission Added

The TMText setup module is now protected by the permission Setup. Therefore, users who are allowed to update the source number and add or update predefined text messages and reminders must be belong to security groups that are assigned the Setup permission.

Enhancement - Ability to Define Default Message Selection

You can identify which predefined message should be selected by default when changing the status of a customer’s work order and when completing a customer’s invoice. The options WO Option and Thank You (complete) have been added to the screen for adding and updating predefined text messages. If you have a predefined message that you always use or typically use when changing a status or completing an invoice, defining the default message for each scenario will help you save time, because you won’t have to select a message from the list at point of sale.

Maintenance - Errors and Limitations

This update also addresses the following:

An issue that prevented text messages from being marked as processed

A limitation on the number of replies that could marked as done, which caused delays and clogs in the system

Issues that occurred when editing text messages

Original Release, 2019

To install and use TMText, you need the following:

TireMaster 9.2.0 or newer installed on your computers

Note: If you’re updating to TMText 9.0.0.0 so you can use Text to Pay, you need to be running TireMaster 9.3.0.

An internet connection

To use TMText, you need to know how to do the following in TireMaster:

Search for customers and vendors

Add and update cell phone numbers for customers and vendors

Change the job status for a work order (if your business uses the Work Order Status Indicator)

Complete sale invoices

Before you can install TMText, do one of the following to locate the installation program:

Access the automatically-deployed installer(s) from the apps directory. For instructions, see Access Automatically-Deployed Installers.

Download the installer(s) from the TireMaster Support site. For instructions, see Download the TMText Installer.

Once you’ve located the installer(s), complete the installation. For instructions, see Complete the TMText Installation.

If your TireMaster system is set up to download automatically-deployed installers as part of the nightly backup process, the installer for TMText is already available to you. Typically, installers are placed in one of the following locations:

c:\TireMaster\apps

c:\TMPOS\apps

d:\QDSTM\apps

c:\QDSTM\apps

d:\TireMaster\apps

d:\TMPOS\apps

To access automatically-deployed installers

1. Right-click and select File Explorer from the menu that appears.
2. In the Quick Access navigation pane, scroll to This PC.
Note: If File Explorer opened the This PC screen instead, disregard this step.
3. Double-click the letter or icon for the drive that TireMaster is installed in. (Usually, it’s the c: or d: drive.)
4. Double-click the TireMaster, qdstm, or tmpos program folder.
5. Double-click the apps folder, and locate the file TMText00000000-09000000.exe. Once you have located the installer, complete the installation. For instructions, see Complete the TMText Installation.

The installer for TMText is available for download from the TireMaster Support site. When you download the installer, save it on your TireMaster server. To log on to the TireMaster Support Site, you need your TireMaster customer number and password. If you no longer have that information, log an online support request via the online portal or by email.

To download the TMText Installer

1. Close all applications.
2. Log on to support.tiremaster.com.
3. Type your customer number and password, and click Login. The Support Center home page opens.
4. Click Download Programs on the menu. The Download Center page opens.
5. Under Update Files, click the link for TMText. You’ll be prompted to save the file and possibly run the installation, depending on your browser.
6. Save the installer on your computer.
Note: Downloading the installer might take several minutes, depending on the speed of your internet connection.
7. Exit the TireMaster Support site.
8. Once you have finished downloading the installer, you can complete the installation. For instructions, see Complete the TMText Installation.

After you’ve located the installer for TMText, you can complete the installation. Install the application on the TireMaster server and workstations.

To install TMText

1. Right-click TMText00000000-09000000.exe, and select Run as Administrator. A confirmation message appears.
2. Click Yes. The TireMaster - Installation Program screen opens.
3. Click OK. The TireMaster - Search Results screen opens.
4. Select the TireMaster location in which you want to install the interface, and click Install.
5. At the end of the installation, click Finish.

You’ll be prompted to register TMText the first time you log in to TireMaster after the installation. When the Interface Registration screen opens, click Register.

Before you can use TMText, you need to complete settings that make texting available at point of sale and define whether to send automated appointment reminders to customers. You can also create predefined messages (such as thank you notes and reminders) that can be reused.

With the source number for TMText, you define the phone number from which text messages are sent. This setting allows you to display a ten digit phone number (such as 111-222-3333) on devices receiving text messages instead of SMS (short message service) short codes (such as 111-00). To define the source number, you must belong to a security group that’s assigned the Setup permission.

To define the source number

1. Access the TireMaster - Texting screen.
a. If the Open Work Order List isn’t already open, click Invoicing.
b. Click Text. The TireMaster - Texting screen opens.
2. Click Text Setup. The Text Message Setup screen opens.
3. Click Source Num.
4. Type the ten digit phone number for sending text messages in the Source Number field, and click OK.
Note: To ensure text messages send, exclude hyphens from the entry for the source number. (Example: 2085550000.)
5. Close the Text Message Setup screen.
Note: Since you’re already working in the texting screen, you can create predefined messages (such as thank you notes, service reminders, and an appointment notification) now or you can wait until later. For more information, see Add Predefined Messages.

You can send text messages to customers when there are status changes for their work orders (such as when the status is changed from In Progress to Done). You can indicate whether texting is available for each work order status. For more information, see Send Text Messages for Work Order Status Changes.

To enable texting for work order status changes

1. Select Setup > WO Status. The Work Order Status Options screen opens.
2. Select a status for which you want to enable texting, and click Edit. The WO Status screen opens.
3. Select the Send Text check box.
4. To save your changes, click OK.
5. Repeat steps 2 through 4 to enable texting for another status, or close the Work Order Status Options screen.

You have the option to send text messages to customers when you complete their sale invoices. By setting a system control, you can define whether the texting screen opens as part of the invoice completion process.

To enable text messaging for completed invoices

1. Select Setup > System Controls.
2. Click the Other tab.
3. Select Texting - Send Thank You Text at Completion and press Enter.
4. For the option to send text messages, select Yes and click OK. Otherwise, select No and click OK.
5. Close the System Controls screen.

When automated appointment reminders are enabled, TireMaster sends notifications to customers every afternoon. Automated appointment reminders are enabled by setting a system control. For more information, see Send Automated Appointment Reminders.

To enable automated appointment reminders

1. Select Setup > System Controls.
2. Click the Other tab.
3. Select Texting - Send Automated Appointment Reminders and press Enter.
4. Select Yes, and click OK.
5. Close the System Controls screen.

Predefined messages simplify texting, because they require you to do little or no typing when sending a text. Examples of predefined messages include thank you notes, oil change reminders, and the appointment notification.

Note: You can have only one appointment notification, because that message type is sent via an automated process.

To add and update predefined messages, you must belong to a security group that’s assigned the Setup permission.

You can set up predefined messages that can be used in various scenarios. Predefined messages are classified as Text or Reminder. Text is for messages that are sent immediately, and Reminders is for messages that are sent on a specific date. You can set up a maximum of five reminder messages.

In TireMaster Corporate, messages need to be set up at each site. Also, messages for one site are not available at the other sites.

To add a predefined message

1. Access the TireMaster - Texting screen.
a. If the Open Work Order List isn’t already open, click Invoicing.
b. Click Text. The TireMaster - Texting screen opens.
2. Click Text Setup. The Text Message Setup screen opens.
3. Click Add.
4. Type the name of the message. (If there is an existing name, type over it.)
5. Type the message in the Text Body field. To personalize the message, click the applicable button under System Words to insert placeholders for name and vehicle information.
Example: Hi [Name]. Your [VMake] [VModel] vehicle is ready to be picked up.
Note: Web site URLs can be used in the body of text messages. However, ASA recommends that you avoid using quotation marks.
6. Define the message type.

For unscheduled text messages, select Messages.

For scheduled text messages, select Reminder. Then type the number of days in which the message will be sent.

Example: If you want to send oil change reminders to customers in three months, you’d type 90 in the Days field.

For the appointment notification (you can have only one), select Message and the Appointment check box. If you don’t use the Scheduler, disregard adding this type of text message.

7. Define which work order status change and invoice completion messages will be selected by default.
Tip: If you have a predefined message that you always use or typically use when changing a status or completing an invoice, defining the default messages for these scenarios will help you save time, because you won’t have to select it from the message list at point of sale.

For the message that should be selected by default when the status of a work order changes, select WO Option.

Note: You can have multiple predefined messages for work order status changes. However, the setting WO Option can be assigned to only one predefined message.

For the message that should be selected by default when completing an invoice, select Thank You (complete).

Note: You can have multiple predefined messages that can be sent when an invoice is completed. However, the setting Thank You (complete) can be assigned to only one predefined message.
8. Click OK. The name of the new message is added to the list on the left side of the screen.
9. Repeat steps 3 through 8 to create additional messages if needed. Otherwise, close the open screens.

Predefined messages are typically updated when you want to vary the text or correct mistakes.

To update predefined messages

1. Access the TireMaster - Texting screen.
a. If the Open Work Order List isn’t already open, click Invoicing.
b. Click Text. The TireMaster - Texting screen opens.
2. Click Text Setup. The Text Message Setup screen opens.
3. Select the name of the message you want to update, and click Edit.
4. Do the following as needed:

Change the name (by typing over the existing name).

Add, change, and delete body text and customer name and vehicle placeholders as needed. To remove text and placeholders, select them and press Delete on the keyboard.

Change the number of days (for sending reminders).

If the message should be selected by default when the status of a work order changes, select WO Option.

Note: You can have multiple predefined messages for work order status changes. However, the setting WO Option can be assigned to only one predefined message.

If the message should be selected by default when completing an invoice, select Thank You (complete).

Note: You can have multiple predefined messages that can be sent when an invoice is completed. However, the setting Thank You (complete) can be assigned to only one predefined message.
5. Click OK.
6. Repeat steps 3 to 5 to update additional messages if needed. Otherwise, close the open screens.

If you no longer use a predefined message, you can make it inactive. When a message is inactive, it is no longer listed on the screen for texting customers and vendors.

To make a message inactive

1. Access the TireMaster - Texting screen.
a. If the Open Work Order List isn’t already open, click Invoicing.
b. Click Text. The TireMaster - Texting screen opens.
2. Click Text Setup. The Text Message Setup screen opens.
3. Select the name of the message you want to make inactive, and click Edit.
4. Clear the Active check box.
5. Click OK.
6. To remove the inactive message from list on the Text Message Setup screen, select the Show Active Only check box.
7. Close the Text Message Setup screen

You can resume using a predefined message by making it active once again.

To make a predefined message active

1. Access the TireMaster - Texting screen.
a. If the Open Work Order List isn’t already open, click Invoicing.
b. Click Text. The TireMaster - Texting screen opens.
2. Click Text Setup. The Text Message Setup screen opens.
3. Clear the Show Active Only check box.
4. Select the name of the message you want to make active, and click Edit.
5. Select the Active check box.
6. Click OK.
7. Close the open screens.

TireMaster’s texting functionality is available for individual customer and vendor records, at point of sale, and in the Appointment Scheduler.

You can send text messages directly from a client’s customer record or the Open Work Order List.

To send a text message to a customer

1. Do one of the following:

Look up the customer to whom you want to send a text message. When the Customer Maintenance screen (General tab) opens, click Text.

If the Open Work Order List isn’t already open, click Invoicing. Then select the customer’s name and click Text.

The TireMaster - Texting screen opens.

2. Do one of the following if needed:

If you want to change the entry in the Number field, type the phone number you want to use instead.

Note: Cell phone numbers that allow texting are automatically entered in the Number field. If the customer has multiple cell phone numbers, the entry is the cell phone number that’s closest to the top of the Contact List.

If the Number field is empty, type the customer’s cell phone number.

If you change your mind about sending a text, click Close and disregard the remaining steps.

3. Do the following as needed:

If you want to send a predefined message, make sure it’s selected.

If you want to compose a message instead of using a predefined message, select the Custom Message check box.

If you want to send one or more reminders, select each reminder you want to send.

Note: If the customer has multiple vehicles, make sure the correct vehicle is selected.
4. Select the time when the message(s) will be sent.
5. Click Send Text. If you selected the custom message type, compose the message and click OK.
6. Close the open screens.

When you need to text a vendor, you can send the message directly from that supplier’s vendor record.

To send a text message to a vendor

1. Look up the vendor to whom you want to send a text.
2. On the Vendor Maintenance screen (General tab), click Text. The TireMaster - Texting screen opens.
3. Do one of the following if needed:

If you want to change the entry in the Number field, type the phone number you want to use instead.

Note: Cell phone numbers that allow texting are automatically entered in the Number field. If the vendor has multiple cell phone numbers, the entry is the cell phone number that’s closest to the top of the Contact List.

If the Number field is empty, type the vendor’s cell phone number.

If you change your mind about sending a text, click Close and disregard the remaining steps.

4. Select the Custom Message check box.
Note: Predefined messages and reminders are available for vendors. However, for vendors, you’ll typically send custom messages.
5. Select the time when the message(s) will be sent.
6. Click Send Text.
7. Compose the message, and click OK.

If texting is enabled for a work order status, you can text customers when that status is selected at point of sale. For example, if texting is enabled for the status Done, you can send a text message when the status of a work order changes from In Progress to Done. In this scenario, you’d text customers to let them know that their vehicles are ready for pickup.

To send text messages for work order status changes

1. If the work order isn’t already open, complete the following steps.
a. Click Invoicing.
b. Select the work order whose status you want to change and click Select. The Invoice Entry screen opens.
2. Select a status on the lower-left corner of the screen. The TireMaster - Texting screen opens.
Note: If the TireMaster - Texting screen does not appear, texting is not enabled for the status you selected.
3. Do one of the following if needed:

If you want to change the entry in the Number field, type the phone number you want to use instead.

Note: Cell phone numbers that allow texting are automatically entered in the Number field. If the customer has multiple cell phone numbers, the entry is the cell phone number that’s closest to the top of the Contact List.

If the Number field is empty, type the customer’s cell phone number.

If you change your mind about sending a text, click Close and disregard the remaining steps.

4. Do one of the following:

Make sure the predefined message that corresponds to the status change is selected. For example, if you just changed the work order status to Done, make sure the vehicle-pickup message is selected.

If you want to compose your own message instead, select the Custom Message check box.

Note: If the customer has multiple vehicles, make sure the correct vehicle is selected.
5. Define when to send the message.
6. Click Send Text. If you selected the custom message type, compose the message and click OK.
7. Close the open screens.

You have the option to send customers messages during the invoice completion process. When text messaging is enabled for completed invoices and texting is enabled for a customer’s cell phone number, you’ll be prompted to send a text message after entering the customer’s payment. You can then send a thank you message, service reminder, or both.

To send text messages for completed invoices

1. Begin the invoice completion process as usual.
2. On the Invoice Completion screen, enter the payment information and click OK. The TireMaster - Texting screen opens.
Note: If the texting screen does not open although the customer has a cell phone number, texting has not been enabled for the phone number. If you still want to send a text, click No when you’re prompted to complete the invoice and close the Invoice Completion screen. Then click Contact, select the cell phone number, click Edit, make sure Send Text is selected, and save your changes. You will then be able to send a text message when you resume completing the invoice.
3. Do one of the following if needed:

If you want to change the entry in the Number field, type the phone number you want to use instead.

Note: Cell phone numbers that allow texting are automatically entered in the Number field. If the customer has multiple cell phone numbers, the entry is the cell phone number that’s closest to the top of the Contact List.

If you change your mind about sending a text, click Close and disregard the remaining steps.

4. Do the following as needed:

If you want to send a predefined thank you message, make sure it’s selected.

If you want to compose a message instead of using a predefined message, select the Custom Message check box.

If you want to send one or more reminders, select each reminder you want to send.

Note: If the customer has multiple vehicles, make sure the correct vehicle is selected.
5. Select the time when the message(s) will be sent.
6. Click Send Text. If you selected the custom message type, compose the message and click OK.
7. Complete and print the invoice as usual.

TireMaster can be set up to automatically send appointment reminders to customers at 4:05 p.m. daily. Messages are sent one day before appointments are scheduled.

Example: Reminders for Wednesday appointments are sent on Tuesday afternoons.
Note: To ensure that reminders for Monday appointments are sent, the server needs to be running on Sunday afternoon.

On the Appointment List, the entries in the Text column indicate the following:

Text messages are ready to be sent for appointments.

Text messages have been sent for appointments.

Texting for appointments has been turned off.

Note: To disable texting for an appointment select the Do not send Text check box on the Appointment Maintenance screen when you’re scheduling the appointment.

Texting for appointments is not available. (The customer doesn’t have a cell phone.)

Before automated appointment reminders can be sent to customers, texting of this information needs to be enabled. For more information, see Enable Automated Appointment Reminders.

When TMText is installed, the Open Work Order List has an additional column labeled Text. It displays codes that identify the most recent type of activity that occurred in the texting history for customers who have open work orders.

Note: If you cannot see the Text column, scroll to the far right of the Work Order List. If you want to move the Text column, click the column heading and drag it to a different position. Then click Save Layout.

The following status codes are used for text messages:

Sent indicates that a text message has been sent to the customer

Rcvd indicates that a reply has been received from the customer.

Read indicates that a reply from the customer has been read.

The text message status updates every two minutes. For more information, see Text Message History.

Tip: To manually update the status, select Name and type all or part of a customer’s name in the Find field. Then clear the entry in the Find field to display to the full list of open work orders.

Text message history is available on the Text Message Tracking screen.

Note: Message history is available for two weeks. Then it is automatically deleted.

To view text message history

1. Open the TireMaster - Texting screen using one of the following methods:

Select the customer’s name on the Open Work Order List, and click Text.

Look up the customer or vendor. When the Customer Maintenance or Vendor Maintenance screen opens (General tab), click Text.

Change the status of a work order. The texting screen opens automatically when texting is enabled for the status you just selected.

Begin the invoice completion process. The texting screen opens automatically when texting is enabled for completed invoices and texting is allowed for the customer’s cell phone number.

2. Click History. The Text Message Tracking screen opens. A list of sent and received messages appears on the left side of the screen.
Note: A new entry is created on the list each time a text message is sent from TireMaster.
3. To see threads for a message, select the message. The threads are displayed on the right side of the screen.
4. Do the following as needed:

To list all text messages (instead of those for the selected customer), select the All Messages check box.

For a hard copy of the messages listed, click Print Texts.

Note: When the messages for multiple customers and vendors are listed, they’re grouped by recipient on the Text Log Report.

To indicate you’ve read a message, select it and click Mark Read. The status of the message will change to Read on the Open Work Order List.

Note: Because the text message status updates every two minutes, you might not see the status change right away.
5. Close the open screens.