Core Returns and Tracking

[ECAS-Wichita]

I'm not sure where to put this question, whether it should be here or in the inventory/catalog heading. I have searched every combination of keywords I can think of both here and the Knowledge Base and the Online Help files, but cannot find even a cursory explanation of how to use the "core fee" feature in SE. I have figured out how to enter core amounts in the inventory entry for parts with core fees, but I cannot figure out how SE is handling them. Why does the fee seem to come off of the cost of the part? But that doesn't seem to effect the pricing matrix? Once I figure out how to credit the core back to the RO, what does that do to my part cost? How do I track the cores within SE? I see the core return worksheet, but I have yet to figure out how to get a core onto that report. I've been playing around in demo mode, but I haven't stumbled onto the solution yet.

Basically, can someone point me in the direction of instructions for utilizing core fees and tracking, or just explain to me how this is supposed to work? I have gathered from my many searches in this forum that there seems to be a general lack of enthusiasm for the current part core features in SE. However, I can't even figure out how it's supposed to work well enough to form an opinion of it so far!


Thanks,

Rick

[ricmorin]

Here are some search results......

http://www.managerforum.net/viewtopic.p ... res#p65494

http://www.managerforum.net/viewtopic.p ... res#p78840

Cores are not handled that well within Manager. It's due for an update. We track them outside of Manager as described in the first link.

[Rich]

We do the normal core charge, then in inventory we have "CR" as a part number. That enters a "-1" quantity and the description. We have to "tweek" the price to match to core charge.

In Michigan we have to charge tax on the core, yet do not return tax on the core credit. Mitchell, to my knowledge, still has no concept on this. At EOD I have to go through each Ro and sort out core charge and credit. And enter into books. As Mitchell adds it all into parts, and thus removes it as a part. I have yet to find a way to break it down so it works in a report. That is the main reason i can not use a EOD report here. I add all my figures up on the adding machine. The program we used 15 years ago could do it.

[timbre4]

There are several issues with cores; they are considered to be on the payables side of the sheet and the current mechanism is largely based on the shop-to-customer transaction instead of the shop-to-vendor transaction.

I'm working on new videos now and here is the INCOMPLETE Cores text below; it reflects manual activity on the Core button in the inventory record and not the other approach of creating a separate line item and checking the CORE checkbox to flag it as such. That approach would keep the core charge SEPARATE from the part cost as most would agree with. I still need to write that part out.

6096 Core

A core charge works like a deposit to ensure that the exchange part is returned to the vendor and then in turn to the remanufacturer as the centerpiece of making a rebuilt version of that part to keep providing the vendor with rebuilt parts that shops then install. Typically shops do not bill a core charge to their customers as they have possession of the core after installing the new replacement part. Exceptions are rare where the core is perhaps broken or missing parts that render it unusable for the rebuilder. In this case, the vendor that the shop bought it from may not get the expected core credit for this unit and this could be passed along to the shop, who then could bill the customer for this.
Another more common instance is selling a battery across the counter and the customer brings back the exchange battery core at a later time. Then the customer is refunded that portion of the sale. The battery core will be collected by the vendor and the shop credited for it.

This program will prompt you to add a core charge if one is associated to a part being adding to an order. This is typically a catalog part that requires an exchange unit or you may also configure this manually if not prompted. When transferring an inventory part with a core option to an order, select whether you'd like to transfer only the part, the part and core, or the core only to the Repair Order. If included, this places a <Core> line item on the customer’s invoice. Once again, this doesn’t happen often as shops typically have the exchange part already in their possession.

Since shops don’t always bill the customers for cores, another routine is required to track the cores that the shop is responsible to the vendor for. When the part is sold, the shop can go to the Inventory part record and click on the Core button and record a unit is due by incrementing the number in Qty On Hand up by the quantity sold. The Core Cost and Sale are typically the same figure and that should equal what the vendor charges. This will drive units and dollars on the Cores Worksheet by Part Number or Vendor reports. When the vendor issues credit, return to the inventory part record, click on Core and reduce the number in Qty On Hand by the quantity the vendor has credited the shop for.

[evaedler]

What we have done is instead of using the Core Fee we just enter the core into inventory as a part, we use the word CORE in front of the part # and that way we can add it to the invoice for the customer or if we return the core to the vendor then we enter it into the inventory return with the part number we have used for it. When we run a report then we can search just for the parts that start with the word CORE. That is what we have done to try and make it a little easier on us.