Computer-implemented method and system for collecting and communicating inspection information for a mechanism

Abstract

A method for collecting and communicating inspection information for a vehicle is provided. The method comprises electrically transmitting repair order information from an original electronic repair order to initiate a repair on the vehicle. The repair order information designates a technician to perform the repair. The method further comprises electronically receiving a notification to indicate that the technician received the repair order information and electronically generating an electronic inspection form including a questionnaire for the technician to input inspection information in response to the notification. The method further comprises electronically receiving into the electronic inspection form the inspection information and determining that the electronic inspection form is complete based on whether at least one of the electronic inspection form has been generated and the inspection information is received.

1 . A method for collecting and communicating inspection information for a vehicle, the method comprising:
 electrically transmitting repair order information from an original electronic repair order to initiate a repair on the vehicle, the repair order information designating a technician to perform the repair;   electronically receiving a notification to indicate that the technician received the repair order information;   electronically generating an electronic inspection form including a questionnaire for the technician to input inspection information in response to the notification;   electronically receiving into the electronic inspection form the inspection information; and   determining that the electronic inspection form is complete based on whether at least one of the electronic inspection form has been generated and the inspection information is received.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising generating a count for the technician indicating that the electronic inspection form is complete in response to determining that the at least one of the electronic inspection form has been generated and the inspection information is received. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising executing the steps of (i) electrically transmitting the repair order information from an original electronic repair order to initiate a repair on the vehicle; (ii) electronically receiving the notification; (iii) electronically generating the electronic inspection form; (iv) electronically receiving into the electronic inspection form the inspection information; and (v) determining that the electronic inspection form is complete one or more times. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  further comprising incrementing the count for the technician to generate a technician based metric corresponding to a number of electronic inspection forms processed with a complete inspection each time it is determined that the at least one of the electronic inspection form has been generated and the inspection information is received. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the notification corresponds to a repair order number that is associated with the original repair order. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein electronically receiving into the electronic inspection form the inspection information further comprises causing the original electronic repair order to be appended with at least a portion of the inspection information to obtain an electronic appended order. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  further comprising determining whether the electronic appended order is available to print. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising executing the steps of causing the original electronic repair order to be appended with the at least a portion of the inspection information to obtain the electronic appended order and determining whether the electronic appended order is available to print one or more times. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising determining a value for a cashier based metric which corresponds to a number of printed electronic appended repair orders based on the number of times the steps of causing the original electronic repair order to be appended with the at least a portion of the inspection information to obtain the electronic appended repair order and determining whether the electronic appended repair order is available to print are executed. 
     
     
         10 . A computer-implemented method for collecting and communicating inspection information for a mechanism, the method comprising:
 electronically transmitting repair order information from an original electronic repair order to initiate a repair on the mechanism;   electronically generating an electronic inspection form including a questionnaire for inputting inspection information;   electronically receiving the inspection information;   causing the original electronic repair order to be appended with at least a portion of the received inspection information to obtain an electronic appended repair order;   determining whether the electronic appended repair order is available to print;   executing the steps of causing the original electronic repair order to be appended with the at least a portion of the received inspection information and determining whether the electronic appended repair order is available to print one or more times; and   determining a value for a cashier based metric which corresponds to a number of printed electronic appended repair orders based on the number of times the steps of causing the original electronic repair order to be appended with the at least a portion of the received inspection information and determining whether the electronic appended repair order is available to print is executed.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the repair order information designating a technician to perform the repair. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising electronically receiving a notification to indicate that the technician received the repair order information prior to electronically generating the electronic inspection form. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein electronically generating the electronic inspection form further comprises electronically generating the electronic inspection form including a questionnaire for the technician to input inspection information in response to the notification. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising determining that the electronic inspection form is complete based on whether the at least one of the electronic inspection form has been generated and the inspection information is received. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising generating a count for the technician indicating that the electronic inspection form is complete in response to determining that the at least one of the electronic inspection form has been generated and the inspection information is received. 
     
     
         16 . A method comprising:
 electronically transmitting repair information from an original repair order, the repair information designating a technician to perform a repair on a vehicle;   receiving an electronic notification to indicate that the technician received the repair information;   generating an electronic inspection form in response to the electronic notification; and   determining that the electronic inspection form is complete based on whether the electronic inspection form is generated.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the electronic inspection form includes a questionnaire for the technician to input inspection information. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising electronically receiving into the electronic inspection form the inspection information. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  further comprising determining that the electronic inspection form is complete based on whether the inspection information is received. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising generating a count for the technician indicating that the electronic inspection form is complete in response to determining that the at least one of the electronic inspection form has been generated and the inspection information is received.