ESC Service Management and Dispatching Software for Small and Medium Service Companies

ESC Version 10: Now is the Right Time

This year’s ESC Version 10 release focused around streamlining data entry and data flow. Changes to the customer and dispatch module make it easier than ever to manage customers and contacts, schedule and dispatch technicians, and make sure they are always prepared with the right parts and equipment.

Redesigned Customer Module
The streamlined customer entry screen makes it easier to enter new customers and gives you better control of your data.

Keeping in touch with the correct contact is easier with space for six detailed contacts per location.
Correspond directly via mail merge by clicking the letter icon next to the contact’s name and selecting the desired template.
A ‘date added’ field is auto-filled for all new customer accounts, so you can see when each customer was added and filter reports by date ranges of when a customer was added.
Attach a sales person to each customer so that invoices will be auto-assigned to the designated sales person.
ESC will automatically pick the correct city and state for new customers when you enter their zip code, after you import the zip codes for the states you service.
The customer search field auto-fills after a few characters, and in most situations, you will not need to open up the detailed search box.
The new customer search screen is both easier to use and more powerful, now allowing you to also search by contact names and email addresses.
The software now catches duplicate customers before they are created, even if the address is not exactly the same.
You can eliminate duplicate customers by merging locations—transferring all equipment, history, dispatches, service agreements, attached documents and even invoices from one location to another—making it perfect for transferring information from builder to buyer.
Making a record inactive prevents those particular customers or locations from showing in filtered lists and on reports, effectively hiding a customer while retaining your historical records.

Expanded Dispatch Module
The redesigned dispatch entry screen makes sure that dispatched technicians are properly equipped for each job site they visit.

The redesigned dispatch screen is easier to use and lets you browse through dispatch notes for a range of dispatches within one screen, and the improved layout and default sort option keep dispatches from appearing multiple times.
The date and time stamp and spell checking is now available in the dispatch notes field.
Printed dispatch tickets are customizable with the new layout designer. You can place your logo on your dispatches and include an area for your technicians to note their work. There are sample templates available to help get you started.
Attached equipment is displayed in a separate tab, which allows equipment to be attached, added and edited all in one screen.
A price field displays on the Parts tab, letting you put prices on parts attached to the dispatch. These parts and prices can then be transferred to the mobile clients and printed on dispatches.
A search field now displays on the Dispatch Board, letting you easily find any dispatch by entering any part of the location name or address.

Service Agreement Updates
Updates to the service agreements module increase the connectivity among the agreement, the dispatch it generates, and the items in inventory.

Parts added to service agreement tasks now flow automatically to the Parts tab on the dispatch with a zero price, and then into the related invoice. This ensures the technicians know what they need to take with them to complete the job, and so the parts will be removed from inventory.
Now there is the ability to post agreement dispatches for a particular customer, which simplifies combining service work with planned maintenance.

Inventory Enhancements
Changes to the inventory screens simplify the process of entering, adjusting, and managing inventory.

The inventory entry screen opens in a separate window that enables you to enter parts on the fly.
The redesigned screen also features a tabbed layout that groups similar items together and makes the screen easier to use.
Alternate parts now are displayed as a tab on the screen.
When searching for inventory parts, inactive parts are hidden by default.
Import all the parts ESC perceives to be in a warehouse onto the Adjust Inventory screen. The quantities can be automatically set to zero, making this the perfect tool for entering physical inventory counts.

Enhanced Reporting Capabilities
Alterations to the reporting functions let users better view, compare, and edit reports.

Users can now view an unlimited number of reports at once. This makes comparing reports a breeze.
Closing a report now returns you to the module you were working in, but you can still change the report criteria when previewing by clicking the filters button in the toolbar.

Web Front Office Overhaul
The Web Front Office received a major facelift in this version. The entire interface has been updated to look more modern, and several new features have been added.

There is a new connections server, which has been completely redesigned to make it easier to use.
A status light indicates if any portion of the connections server is not configured correctly.
Run multiple reports directly from within Web Front Office.
Expanded set up screens let you add technicians, configure dispatch boards, and add inventory items.
Recall existing invoices and change or print them.
Dispatch ticket printing is now supported, enabling technicians to print dispatches while in the field.

Mobile Client Changes
The mobile client also has many expanded features to make technicians even more efficient in the field.

Inventory items entered on the parts tab of the dispatch entry screen flow to the invoice on the mobile client for the first technician who downloads the dispatch.
Service agreement information is sent to the dispatch tab on the mobile client, allowing your technicians to see the agreement type and all sub-tasks.

Accounting Updates
There have also been improvements to the accounting integrations, as well as expanded features and forms.

You can now modify invoices posted to QuickBooks that no longer exist. This solved the common issue of deleting an invoice in QuickBooks that was posted there by ESC. Now you can easily recover from this mistake by making sure all the transactions that were sent to QuickBooks are deleted.
There is now the ability to print 1099 forms.
There is also improved compatibility of the direct deposit setup screens.

Available Now ESC Version 9.1

Following our tradition of Software Enhancements, below please find a brief overview of some examples of the latest changes to Version 9.1 below:

Core ESC Software

Throughout ESC, we have implemented many usability enhancements in version 9.1. We have converted and updated over 200 screens to the latest Microsoft .NET technology, as well as updated every report in ESC to a new reporting solution. These enhancements lay the groundwork for many new features in this release and future releases.

New Spell Check capabilities added to dispatch notes, description field in invoicing location notes in customer information and invoice notes on the laptop mobile client
Improved and enhanced barcode capabilities for quick inventory entry in the adjustment screen, warehouse transfers and inventory job transfers
A new feature in Adjust Inventory allowing users to import adjustments that were done on the mobile client
Added the ability to print out transfer tickets from the warehouse transfer screen and automatically save the transaction
Additional option allowing the exporting of multiple price books from ESC to XML for quick loading of inventory databases on a mobile client
Increased a variety of field lengths throughout the software for example: Job names, Lot numbers, PO field in Dispatch Entry and Sales Invoicing; as well as, the allowed part number length
Added an “Invoices/Quotes” tab in the Customer Qualifications allowing you to see all quotes and invoices for that customer’s location
Completed Vendor Module Redesign, allowing more information as well as unlimited locations per vendor, including 6 contact spaces per location and a notes area that is shared between all locations
Added a “contract counter” to the Contract Value Report to quickly see how many contracts are listed
Added an option to show previously billed invoices that are attached to the quote
You can now use the arrow keys to move fields around in the Layout Designer. You may also use the Ctrl + arrow key to trim the field
“SMTP Port” selection allows you to choose which SMTP port you want for e-mailing invoices or paging
Inclusion of a “Sales Person” filter to the Job Report, Job Profit, Loss Detail, Job Profit and Loss Summary reports
Automatic software updates: ESC will now automatically update the software whenever new releases are available. You simply select the link and it will then shut ESC down, download and apply any new patches and then automatically re-launch the ESC Software, it can’t be any simpler

ESC Mobile

Redesign of the ESC Mobile Client allowing screen resizing for the laptop client
Ability to import quotes from ESC to the mobile client
Ability to create quotes on the mobile client
Added the ability to import adjustments made on the mobile client through the ESC adjustment screen
Addition of Magtek credit card swipe unit to work with a tablet PC
Discounts now supported on the mobile laptop client

ESC Front Office

Addition of the Equipment tab allowing equipment entry
Ability to generate sales invoices through Front Office as done through mobile
Ability to print invoices from Front Office using invoice forms from ESC
Addition of a new Silver light dispatch board
Ability to transfer parts from the “parts” tab to the “invoice” tab on dispatch entry screen
Addition of Equipment tab to the dispatch entry screen
Addition of the Qualification screen

Integrated Apps

There is also the ability to match or add employees via the QuickBooks or Peachtree Connection Integration Wizard
Improved “customer note” handling between ESC and QuickBooks
Added an option in System Setup Progressive Billing to show previously billed invoices that are attached to the quote