Create an Estimate

When you create an opportunity, you enter administrative information about the vehicle, insurance, and people related to an opportunity on the Admin tab. The only required field is easily identified by an asterisk at the beginning of the field. Which field is required depends on whether the owner is a person or a business.

For more information about each of the sections and their fields, see Admin.

1. On the toolbar, click Jobs, then click List View.
2. On the List View tab, click New. The Admin window appears.
3. In the Contacts section, in the Last Name box, type the owner's last name. (If the owner is a business, select the Business check box, and then type the Company Name.)
4. Identify the vehicle (required to write an estimate) by one of two methods:

   VIN Decode

   1. In the Identification subsection, in the VIN box, enter the 17-character VIN.

      

   2. Click Decode.

   • If the VIN does not fully decode because there are multiple options for any part of the vehicle configuration, select the correct option in the expanded list. Continue selecting options as they expand until the vehicle is fully identified.

     

   Manual Decode

   1. In the Identification subsection, select the VIN Unknown check box.
   2. Click the arrow in each of the vehicle configuration lists (Type, Year, etc.) to select an option from that list until the vehicle is fully identified.

      

      RepairCenter may automatically enter some of the configuration information as you move through the lists. Some lists may appear dimmed if they become unavailable.

5. Complete any other fields.

• At any point before clicking Create, you can click Cancel to cancel the opportunity and return to the List View.

6. Click Create to create the opportunity.

The steps for creating an estimate depend on which estimating program you're using.

No.	If you're using Mitchell Estimating	If you're using a third-party estimating program
1	In the open opportunity, click the Estimate tab. The Estimate tab opens to the Lines tab.	In the open opportunity, click the Estimate tab. The Estimate tab opens to the Lines tab.
2	Under Create Estimate, click Mitchell.	Under Create Estimate, click the estimating system you are using.
3	On the Estimate in Progress window, click Open Mitchell Estimating to log on to Mitchell Estimating (or click UltraMate on the taskbar if you are already logged on).	Log on to your estimating system, or click it on the taskbar if you are already logged on.
4	Switch to Mitchell Estimating.	Switch to your estimating system.
5	On the Estimates tab, double-click the estimate. The estimate opens to the Repair tab, where you can add repair lines.	Add repair lines to the estimate.
6	Ensure that the proper estimate profile is selected.	When you finish adding repair lines, commit (lock) the estimate.
7	When you finish adding repair lines, click Calculate .	Print the estimate to the RC Print Image Writer to create a .pdf file. Note: You will attach the .pdf file to the opportunity when you send the estimate.
8	Click Save .	On the taskbar, click RepairCenter .
9	Review Compliance Utility results, and then revise the estimate to comply.	Switch to RepairCenter.
10	On the File menu, click Commit & Close.	On the List View tab, click Refresh . The estimate appears on the Opportunities list.
11	On the taskbar, click RepairCenter .	None
12	Switch to RepairCenter.	None
13	On the Estimate tab for the opportunity, click Import Estimate. A success message appears.	None

1. In the open opportunity, click the Estimate tab.
2. Under Create Estimate, click Mitchell.
3. On the Estimate in Progress window, click Open Mitchell Estimating to log on to Mitchell Estimating (or click >UltraMate on the taskbar if you are already logged on).
4. Switch to Mitchell Estimating.
5. On the Estimates tab, double-click the estimate. The estimate opens to the Repair tab, where you can add repair lines.
6. Ensure that the proper estimate profile is selected.
7. When you finish adding repair lines, click Calculate .
8. Click Save .
9. Review Compliance Utility results, and then revise the estimate to comply.
10. On the File menu, click Commit & Close.
11. On the taskbar, click RepairCenter .
12. Switch to RepairCenter.
13. On the Estimate tab for the opportunity, click Import Estimate. A success message appears.