Darren Williams: That's correct. It should be visible at all times in an open WO.

Darren Williams: Yes, that would be the spot!

Ok, good to hear.

2 things to consider just so everyone is on the same page:

So we can add more to the box, but it will still only work best and be visible at all time likes Peter said with the right resolution.

Next, the request says engine size and 'other useful information.' The box can probably be made a bit bigger, but there's only so much space available and what's useful to one shop won't necessarily be best for another.

I could see things like engine size, fuel delivery, trans, drive type, and brakes being pretty universally helpful but I'd like others thoughts. All that still might not be able to be made to fit.

Darren Williams: When you are multitasking with multiple screens and click on the "2nd" screen the dialog box closes that you are referencing for vehicle or customer information. Example: completing a warranty card for a customer where you need the customer information, or looking up parts at a site that is outside of Protractor.

Ron Hefter: I referenced two different places so to make sure we are on the same page, watch this video and let me know where you are referencing please. It's only a minute long: https://www.screencast.com/t/bClICVZ6J0

Darren Williams:

You asked, "Is everyone referring to the area in the bottom right I have highlighted with the red box?" The answer is yes. 

Other useful info would be production date, transmission model, drive type, and brakes. Fuel delivery is not needed (but if it's included, that is fine). 

This information should be visible at all times in an open WO. 

To avoid having to scroll to see this info, could you put it at the bottom of the WO but above the sub tabs, it would be visible on any sub tab? Like it is shown at the bottom of the catalog window (see screenshot example). 

It would look like this written out:

2005 Chevy Truck Uplander V6-213 3.5L OHV / VIN 1GNDX33L65D225809 / PROD 10/27/2004 / TRANS 4T65-E / DRIVE FWD / BRAKE Disc / Disc Power 4-Wheel ABS

The information would be all on one line separated by slashes. It would be nice and thin and not eat up a lot of vertical real estate.

Still highlight the last 8 of the VIN (like in the catalog window footer), and make all this content clickable and copy friendly. 

Regarding the transmission model, could it just show the model and not other unnecessary information? For example, just show "4T65-E" instead of showing "4 Automatic Transaxle General Motors 4T65-E" which takes up a lot of space.

Nelson Beverly: Taking the information and parsing it to display differently - with slashes, shortening to 4t65-e, etc is a lot different than adding it to existing fields.

The spec info we get doesn't specify that 4T65-E is the transmission code either. It's just a block of text that says what the transmission is, so trying to create login on our own to filter it down seems error prone.

I suppose anything is possible but if it requires a complete re-write of the vehicle box compared to simply adding some information, it would make the project take a lot longer. Having each line be click/copied like VIN is different behavior than today as well.

Moving the info to be viewable above the tabs also introduces the info to a third area and takes up work order space. I'd like more feedback on that from others.

In general this just got a lot more complicated though than just adding a couple pieces of info the existing vehicle field though.

Darren Williams:

Understood about the transmission information not being able to be shortened.

Protractor has already taken vehicle information, parsed it, and shown it at the bottom of the catalog window. Just do that but with more vehicle information and put it at the bottom of the WO above the sub tabs (or below the sub tabs if that is easier).

Attached is a mockup of this idea.

Yes, this will take up WO space but it is so little space that it is inconsequential. Even more so if we are able to see all of the info all the time without any further clicks. And it would show on all sub tabs not just the Work Order sub tab.

Let's keep this simple:

PHASE 1

Add just the engine size to the existing Vehicle box in the right side bar. Add it above the VIN. Keep the VIN clickable, don't worry about making anything else clickable. See additional thoughts below for ideas on dealing with scrolling.

PHASE 2

Then develop having the YMM, Engine, VIN (last 8 bold), Production Date, Transmission, and Brake info at the bottom of the WO, all on one line, above the tabs (or below). Don't worry about making any of it clickable. Again, see image in this comment for a mockup.

Use vertical bars | instead of slashes / that way it won't interfere with vehicle data that uses slashes.

Don't include titles for each section. Just show the data. For example:

1D7HA18D95S272027 | 10/27/2004 (YES)

VIN 1D7HA18D95S272027 | PROD 10/27/2004 (NO)

We know it's the VIN. We know it's the production date. Etc.. This will save space too.

ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS

Regarding Phase 1, could the Work Order box in the right side bar be reformatted to take up less vertical space? Could you show the info in 4 columns instead of 2? Is every field in the Work Order box absolutely necessary to be shown there?

Could you move the Contact and Vehicle boxes in the right side bar above the Work Order box? The new order could be Tasks, Contact, Vehicle, Work Order.

Nelson Beverly: I'm aligned with phase 1, and possibly adding the bar at the bottom of a work order as a display option.

The rest I think needs a lot more user feedback, especially changing the order of the contact and vehicle. People get used to things being in certain places and this post is a pretty small overall sample of the thousands of users we have.

I'll get engine size added, and possibly another spec or two, but would recommend separate posts for the other ideas you have.

Darren Williams:

Sounds good about phase 1.

Do I need to submit new feedback for the display option at the bottom of the WO or is that integrated and in motion with this existing feedback thread?

Regarding the other ideas I mentioned, I am not attached to them at all, so don't feel pressure to do anything with them unless they are helpful. They were shared to inspire a more robust and well thought out solution that avoided scrolling.

Darren Williams: I think the improved ideas that Nelson explains would be great! However, in the VERY beginning of your video it shows your screen without the vehicle details until (I think you scrolled down) to make them show. This is the very point I was trying to make. I don't always remember to scroll down before adding a part and going to an online supplier catalog.

Maybe its only my zoom settings, but it looks like it was doing the same on your video too! :)

Marvs Auto Service: Right if I change the zoom back to 125% like Windows recommends it does that to me as well. With this request, adding more info to the box won't necessarily help. We have a project to look at scaling options in Protractor though. Some people lower resolution and/or increase zoom due to eye sight issues though so we have to be careful not to make those kinds of situations worse for users.