Creating Documents
To create a new document in Garage Assistant, simply click on New Invoice / Estimate / Job Sheet from the relevant main menu screen.

Additional Document Options and Features
The document screen provides a lot more functionality than just creating a document, all optional of course. Below are a few key things you can also do when creating / editing documents.

Adding Alerts or Notices
Adding Alerts or Notices for customers / vehicles or documents

Customers
Setting up and managing all of you customers within GA4.

Customer Privacy Options
GA4 includes various options to help you fulfil your customers wishes in regards to processing their data

Vehicles
Setting up and managing you customers vehicles within GA4.

Calendar
How to use the calendar within GA4.

Account Management and Statements
Managing you account customers and statements within GA4.

Expense Manager
Managing your expenses within GA4.

Quick Search
Using quick search in GA4

Advanced Search
GA4 Advanced search techniques and information.

Stock Control
Using the stock Control options within GA4

Archives
From this area you will be able to view all documents within the system that you have created

Reminders
How to set-up and perform reminders within GA4.

Business Reports
Business reports in GA4 are very useful and can be viewed in multiple ways depending on your preference.

Business Charts
You can view business charts in GA4 via the Admin > General > Business Charts. These charts allow you to have a visual representation of your data in a clear and colourful way.

Sage Exports
The following guide explains how to export your records from GA4 for use with Sage.

Custom Accounts Exporting
This article details the options available for customising exports from GA4 to use in third party accounting applications.

CSV Exports
Details on configuring and using CSV exports to extract data as required.

Mass Mailing
As well as having the reminder system within GA4 you also have the ability to perform mass (custom) mailings to any or all of your customers in varies different output methods.

Attachment Browser
You can attach images and documents to a vehicle and/or customer.

Your Accounts & Credits Packs
This area is where you can view all your statistic information and invoices.

GA4 VRM Transfers
How to deal with VRM transfers such as private plates being changed between vehicles

Importing Customers and Vehicles into GA4
GA4 allows you to import customers and vehicles into the database

Importing Stock into GA4
GA4 allows you to import and maintain the stock database using your own stock lists as long as they are in a common format such as CSV

Adding Fixed Price Items to Documents
Along side the usual labour and parts, you can also add up to 3 fixed price items to the invoice, these are directly above the invoice figures to the right.

Adding Labour to Documents
The labour section as shown below allows you to enter in the items manually, or by choosing select you can automatically populate the information from the Pre Defined Labour Manager section, as long as you have set some items up in the labour manager.

Adding a new document
In GA3 you have the ability to create Estimates, Job sheets or Invoices and later convert from these types for instance, converting an estimate to an invoice.

Performing Updates
We regularly release updates for Garage Assistant, these are available as downloads. Updating is quite straight forward but essential that you follow these steps.

Backing up and Restoring
Performing a backup is the single most important task you should ever do in Garage Assistant, for this purpose we have designed Garage Assistant to prompt you after daily after 4pm to do a backup if you have not yet done so.

Advanced Search Techniques in GA3
The following article provides a number of techniques for searching within GA3

Whats the easiest way to transfer GA3 to a NEW PC
If you are replacing your old PC and want to know the easiest way to transfer everything across follow these simple instructions

How can I change an invoice number
Garage Assistant allows you to change invoice numbers to fill in any blanks or if an error has been made. To do this, you must first create an invoice or edit and existing one.

Changing prices in setup does not work

Generating Charts
GA3 has a number of charts available to view / print and more are being added within updates over time

Generating Reports
Business Reports

Printing Statements
To view print account statements you will need to go to 1. Admin 2. Manage Account Customers

Viewing Accounts and Balances
Customer Account Management

Custom Mailshots
Sending Custom Mailshots to selected customers

Performing Mailshots
When vehicles in your database are approaching the date of a reminder you will be able to perform the mailshot.

Creating new customers
You are not required to add customers into the database prior to creating a document unless the customer is to hold an account with you If you want to add customers you can do so by clicking either Add New Customer or Add Account Customer buttons

Document Specific Options
Topics in this section Estimate options Job Sheets options Invoices options

Setting Reminders
On the document screens you will also be able to view and set reminders as long as a vehicle registration is entered first.

Adding MOT Tests to Documents
For ease of use GA3 contains a quick select MOT options area, you can pre-configure the MOT pricing in the setup wizard along with options for outsourced MOTS and up to 3 classes of vehicle.

Adding Parts to Documents
The Parts section as shown below allows you to either enter parts in manually, or you can choose a part from the stock control system, there are a variety of options and interactions for parts which we will also briefly explain..

Customers & Vehicles
Whilst each document type has its own purpose, for consistency the general layout applies to all types with small differences which will be outlined below.

Restoring your data
If you ever needed to restore a backup you can select Restore from Custom or Restore from Last Backup.

Scheduling Appointments
GA3 allows you to schedule appointments throughout a series of work bays with colour coded job types for ease of viewing.

Finding Records using QuickSearch
Garage Assistant contains a single field (google style) search allowing you to find any documents, customers, vehicles or appointments quickly with little effort.

GA3 System and data backup options
By default GA3 will perform it's backups to a folder on your local hard drive called GA_Backup.

Sage export options and configuration
If you are going to be using the sage exporting facilities in GA3 you will first need to set up some of the options to match those set in sage, such as Nominal Codes and how you want the data to be exported.

Status, Sort Order and Colours
Each document can have a colour coded status, which can be set to display in any specified order in various lists.

Required Fields
Garage Assistant allows you to force a number of fields to be required before an invoice is allowed to be issued. This helps to keep your database consistent and ensure you don't miss any important details.

Makes and Models Database
Depending on your needs, GA3 allows you to edit the vehicle makes & model database and also allows you to import using 3 pre-set options

How to retrieve an account customer that was deleted.
How to retrieve an account customer that was deleted by mistake and restore the vehicle and account history.

Various ways of adding parts to documents / stock
The Parts section allows you to either enter parts in manually, or you can choose a part from the stock control system, there are a variety of options and interactions for parts which we will also briefly explain..

How can I change the invoice number sequence
If you wish to change the next invoice number and subsequent numbers on a system with data already in place, follow these steps.

Dealing with Private Number Plates
Garage Assistant can handle private number plates retaining history, however since there can be two different scenarios, there is also two ways of dealing with it..

Can I import my own stock list into GA2 / GA3
GA2 / GA3 allows you to import and maintain the stock database using your own stock lists as long as they are in a common format such as CSV

How do you purchase VRM or SMS Credits
Purchasing credits for the VRM or SMS system can only be done directly within GA2 or GA3 via the Tools Menu

Transfer Data from Unipart Kis / Unipart Direct
In GA3 Version 3.006 onwards, we provide a migration tool so you can transfer your data from one of the above unipart systems at your convenience. The entire process is extremely simple, with only a few clicks required and absolutely no technical experience.

Creating and managing appointments in GA3
GA3 allows you to schedule appointments throughout a series of work bays with colour coded job types for ease of viewing. Simply click and drag between the required start and end time to add a new appointment.

Exporting your data to Sage
See how easy it is to export your data to Sage. This step by step video uses Sage 50 Accounts 2010 V16, however the data files are compatible with earlier versions, including Instant Accounts and even TAS Books.

Using the labour manager to save time
See how easy it is to populate your database with predefined / menu jobs for faster data entry. You can use it for single line descriptions or complete jobs including labour, parts, advisories and fixed prices.

Fast and Powerful Searching
Take a look at the quick search facilities in GA3, allowing you to use a single search box to find data from many sections of GA3, including documents, appointments, customers and vehicles.

Appointments made easy in GA3
See how easy it is to create appointments in GA3. You can also create documents from an appointment, passing over the details to save double entry of your customers details.

Paying Account Balances
To pay balances off an account you will need to go to 1. Admin 2. Manage Account Customers

Policy Excess Invoices
If you are carrying out an insurance relating job for a customer, the chances are you may need to issue the customer with an invoice for their insurance policy excess, whilst showing this on the original invoice to the insurance company.

Raising Credit Notes
There are two ways to raise credit notes in GA3, both have their differences which will be outlined here

How to create policy excess documents in GA3
If you are carrying out an insurance relating job for a customer, the chances are you may need to issue the customer with an invoice for their insurance policy excess, whilst showing this on the original invoice to the insurance company.

Re-allocating an Invoice number
Re-allocating a missing Invoice number

Update Roll Back Information
Update Roll Back Information