Software function displays vehicle maintenance history

BURLINGTON, N.J. — Arsenault Associates has developed Instant Recall, an exclusive new function of the company's Dossier asset maintenance management software.

Instant Recall automatically displays recent repair and maintenance history information on a panel that appears on the right side of the screen as soon as the vehicle's ID is selected when a new repair order is opened.

As more information is added to the repair order, Instant Recall automatically drills down into that vehicle's history to match the entered information. As a result, the technician or supervisor can very clearly see if the same kind of work has previously been performed on a vehicle and when, officials said.

He or she can also see the repair reasons and what parts were installed, and can also see a specific previously completed repair order or complete repair history.

"Every fleet maintenance manager knows that rework is the most expensive and time-consuming work any fleet maintenance shop can perform," said Charles Arsenault, CEO of Arsenault Associates. "A review of past maintenance histories can reduce rework and capture warranty dollars, but all too often that review is skipped."

That's because it takes valuable time to stop and perform a database search of repair orders for similar work, and then decide what details of past repair work to review, according to Arsenault.

Arsenault noted that Instant Recall uses VMRS (Vehicle Maintenance Reporting Standards) codes to make it easier for parts ordering, warranty recovery, defect reporting and other issues.