Automatic Document Sending

Automatic document sending in BigChange allows you to automate the distribution of various documents or emails at different stages of a job's lifecycle. This feature can save you time and ensure that important information is sent promptly and accurately.

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What is Automatic Document Sending

Automatic document sending is used to send job cards, financial documents or templates to customers and is triggered by a job’s status.

When creating a Job type, you are given the option to set up a feature that will automatically email a document for any job that is undertaken using that Job type.

Step-by-Step Guide to setting up Automatic Document Sending

Step 1: Access Admin Settings

• Log in and select the Profile icon in the top menu.
• Choose Admin Settings from the pop-up menu.
• Select Schedule from the side menu.

Step 2: Choose Job Type

• From the Schedule side menu, select Job types or Manage Job Types from the Quick Links menu.
• Select the job type you wish to add an auto document send to and choose Edit.

Step 3: Add or Edit Documents

• In the job type’s pop-up, select the Documents tab.
• You can either edit an existing auto document send or select +Add to create a new one.

Step 4: Configure Automatic Document Sending

• Fill in the required fields in the Automatic document sending pop-up.
• Select Save to list the scheduled document in the Documents tab.
• Add as many documents as needed for a single job type.

Pop-up Explained

• • Document type: Select the type of document to be automatically sent. Choosing ‘None’ allows an automated email body to be sent with no attachments involved.
  • Document: Choose the specific document from the drop-down list. Once you have chosen your document type, use the drop-down list here to select exactly which document it is you want to send. Make sure you have your template set-up and ready to select!
  • Parameters: Edit the report’s parameters if needed. If the standard job card or financial document has been selected, you have the option to edit the report’s parameters - choose what information to include on a job card or choose which type of financial document to send. This is the part where you can choose if the document (e.g. a job card) is sent with the planned or actual job duration.
  • Format: Choose the document format (default is PDF). This will be set at PDF but you can use the drop-down list to choose another format if you wish the document to be sent as a different type.
  • Send when job is: Select the job stage for sending the document. Use the drop-down list to choose when at which stage of the job the document should be issued.
  • Tick box: Option to send the document even if the job status is 'completed with issues'. If you have selected to send the document when the job is ‘completed’, you can tick this box to send it even if it’s status is ‘completed with issues’.
  • Delay before sending: Set a grace period (default is 10 minutes). We would always advise a brief period of grace (this box is auto-populated for 10 minutes) to ensure all data from the jobs is received before anything is sent.
  • Action: Choose to send by email or attach to the job. This gives you the option to either set up the document to send by email, or just have it attach to the job – note that if the latter option is chosen, the fields below will disappear as they relate to an email being sent. If ‘attach to job’ is chosen, the file will be accessible from the job details pop-up (Attachments tab) and is also then available for download using web services. It is worth noting that this option saves the document as it was when initially created/completed and is therefore a good way to keep a record of the original.
  • Sender's name: Specify the sender's name. Leave blank or add a specific name you wish them to appear to be sent from.
  • Sender’s email: Specify the sender's email. Leave blank and the email will be sent from the white labelling set-up.
  • Send to: Select the recipient. Select who you want the email to be sent to.
  • Person at parent: Option to send a copy to the contact’s parent. Tick this box if you want the contact’s ‘parent’ to also receive a copy.
  • Send to BCC: Add additional recipients. If you always want another recipient to receive the email/doc, include their address here. 
  • Email subject: Customise the email subject. This field will be auto-populated with keywords ‘job reference’ and ‘contact name’, meaning that the subject will contain job specific information.  You can edit this as you wish.
  • Email body template: Choose a template for the email message. You will need to set-up a template in ‘Templates’ ([Top menu] Profile (icon) →Admin Settings → Account side menu → Templates).

Financial Documents

Where a third party accounting system is in place, automatic document sending for invoices will be delayed until synching has occurred and the reference number has been updated. However, if you would prefer there to be no delay you can use the Accounts sync option.

‘Accounts sync‘ allows customers who integrate with Sage or Xero to opt to auto-sync financial documents when setting up automatic document sending. This is an opt-in scenario requiring the field’s box to be ticked as by default, financial documents will not be synchronised. 

Benefits of Automatic Document Sending

How Can Automatic Document Sending be Useful to Me?

This feature allows you to save time by automating the process of distributing job information.

What Can I Use Them For?

• Job cards: Send out a completed job card automatically on completion of a job straight to the customer.
• Financial documents: Use the report parameters to select the type of financial document you want to send (e.g., a quotation).
• Templates: Create a template containing any information you want and have it automatically sent out.
• Emails: Set up an email to automatically send to a chosen person at a specified point in a job’s cycle.

Using this feature to issue an invoice will not currently send out the standard template that includes bank details. Additionally, using this feature to send out invoices does not currently update the job’s financial activity log.

Conclusion

Automatic document sending in BigChange streamlines the process of distributing job-related documents and emails, saving you time and ensuring accuracy. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can easily set up and manage automatic document sending for your job types.

Video

Visibility Options for Documents Attached to Jobs