Dealer Business Management: tips and tricks for end users
As a dealer management system, SAP Dealer Business Management (DBM) supports the industry-specific sales and services processes of dealers and dealer organizations, as well as vehicle importers, authorized dealers, and Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) vendors. This includes handling of new and used vehicles, vehicle sales, vehicle service, and parts management.
Here are some helpful end user tips and tricks which might not be mentioned explicitly in the application documentation.
Business Partner Search in the Order Cockpit using Search Engine
In the DBM order cockpit you can search business partners by different means, e.g., search by address fields such as city. If you know the sequence of the search fields you can use the match code by typing a dot for each search field which precedes the field for which you are searching, e.g. the address field city appears at the fourth position. Thus, if you are looking for a BP in Munich you’d type “= . . . Munich” in the search field to find customers in Munich.
A very convenient way to search a BP is with “Quick Search for BP using Search Engine”. You type one or more search attributes such as phone number, name, city, etc. into one single full text search field. The system then searches with these texts over all searchable attributes. With full text search, you don’t need to specify the particular attribute for which you are searching.
Example: You are searching for a customer Anton in Munich
The system returns all matches:
Additionally you can switch on the Fuzzy search mode.
Screen Navigation via keyboard in order processing
Tooltips: Mouseover an icon displays the keyboard combination you can use to execute the corresponding action. E.g. the key combination <Ctrl+Shift+F8> executes the Down Payment Request List function.
Other useful keys are:
- Change screen tabs via F7 (forward) and F6 (backward)
- Navigate between fields on a screen via the tab key
- Type <Ctrl +s> to save the order, <ctrl +p> to print the order, <shift + F1> to change to edit mode
Entering item categories via “Direct entry codes”:
When you are creating or changing a service order you can switch between item categories by typing the “direct entry code” of the corresponding item category in the field “key”. The system then automatically changes to the respective item category sub screen. Examples of direct entry codes:
| Item Category | Direct Entry |
|---|---|
| Labor Value | L |
| Text | T |
|
Used Delivery Item |
Y |
| Delivery Item | D |
Direct entry codes can be maintained in item category customizing depending on the logon language by choosing Order -> Item Category -> Maintain
Item Category for Order
After entering an item with a specific item category the item details subscreen area can be cleared via <F5> to allow entry of the next item.
Press <esc> to leave the order.
Mass assignment of Items to a Job
While maintaining a service order, new items can be added to the order. If you add the items without assigning them to a particular job they will be added to the node “Unassigned Items”. If you want to assign these items to a particular job afterwards you need to assign them one by one.
If you specify in the item detail screen the job number to which you want to assign the items, all newly added items will be assigned to the specified job automatically.
Enter job number first and click on value help for key field
Choose multiple labor values
Selected labor values are automatically assigned to job number 10
Keep in mind that not every item category allows multiple selections.
Search Help in Order Processing
If you are searching for materials within item category “parts” you can type in “?” followed by a string contained in the material description.
The result list shows all parts which contain the string “filter”
Global Object Services
Global Object Services enables you to:
- Attach a note or add an attachment to the service order (see button in the upper left
corner), e.g., attach pictures of vehicle damages - Send the service order you are displaying to another user via email. The recipient of
the mail can enter the particular service order directly from the mail - You can also add the service order to ‘ my Objects’ like favorites in a
browser - See also “Help for object services”
Choose “Global Object Services” within a service order.
Later on you can access these favorite orders via “System – myObjects”
