Alliance Parts360

You order from Alliance Automotive the same way as from any other supplier: in the job's Order parts box. What is different is how the order leaves. Instead of a purchase order you email, MechIQ places the order in Alliance's own system (Parts360), and you can fill the order from the Parts360 catalogue.

This is shown only where MechIQ has switched it on for your garage.

Before you start

You need a Parts360 login from Alliance for your account: your account code, the country of the account (Ireland or UK), a Parts360 username and its password. Ask your Alliance rep if you don't have them.

Connect the supplier (garage admin)

  1. Go to Inventory → Suppliers, open your Alliance supplier (add it first if it isn't there) and press Edit.
  2. Open the Ordering tab. Under How orders go out, choose Online (Alliance Parts360).
  3. Tick Find parts in the Alliance Parts360 catalogue from the order box if you want to pick parts in their catalogue.
  4. Enter the Alliance account code, Account country, Parts360 username and Parts360 password, then Save Changes.

The password is stored encrypted and never shown again. The form says set; leave the box blank to keep it, or type a new one to change it. The supplier page's Contact & terms then says Orders go out: Online (Alliance Parts360).

If Alliance refuses the login later, MechIQ says Alliance refused the login -- check the Parts360 username/password and account code. Check those four details in Edit → Ordering.

Order from a job

  1. On the job's Parts & Labour tab, press Order parts.
  2. Choose Alliance as the supplier on a row (or for all lines), then press Find in Parts360. The catalogue opens in a new tab for this car (by its registration).
  3. Put the parts you want in the basket, then transfer the basket in Parts360.
  4. Come back to MechIQ: the transferred basket arrives in the open order box by itself. If it does not, or Parts360 sends you back to the job, the basket is read in too. You can also press I've finished -- get my basket in the order box.
  5. Each basket part becomes a row with supplier Alliance, Alliance's part number, the quantity and the price (ex VAT).
    • Each part fills a row already on the job: the row with its number, else the row naming the same part, else the one row you opened the catalogue for.
    • A part that fills none of them asks you to choose under Fills: a row on the job, or a new part line. Create orders waits until you choose.
    • A basket that is already on an order cannot be read in again (from an old tab, say). Open the catalogue again for a new basket.
  6. Check the summary beside the button -- for example Alliance: 2 lines, €61.40 ex VAT -- online order -- and press Create orders.

If your garage has the new ordering flow switched on, the button in step 1 is Order parts (N), and in step 6 you press Order parts. Save for later keeps the order without placing it.

MechIQ makes the purchase order and places it with Alliance at once, using your PO number. The order is then Ordered and shows Alliance's own order number. You can also type Alliance part numbers yourself instead of using the catalogue -- every line ordered online needs one.

The basket's price for each part is kept as Alliance's price for that part. Next time you order it, the order box shows it under the cost, and a part on your parts list with no cost set takes it as its cost.

Restock the shelf

The Order basket on the Inventory page opens the same order box. Once a row goes to Alliance, Find in Parts360 there opens the catalogue with no car. When Parts360 sends you back to Inventory, the basket is read in; a part already on your parts list fills its row. Create orders (with the new ordering flow, Order parts) places the Alliance order online, linked to no job. See Inventory.

Work the customer hasn't approved yet: the order waits, held, and goes to Alliance only when the customer approves.

When Alliance doesn't take the order

  • Refused -- Alliance said no (for example, a part that can't be ordered). The order stays a draft on the job's parts board with Alliance's reason. Fix it and press Send to Alliance again, or order it another way.
  • Not confirmed by Alliance -- MechIQ sent the order but got no clear answer. It may or may not have reached Alliance, and Alliance does not spot a second copy of the same order, so MechIQ never sends it again by itself. Ring or check with Alliance, then:
    • Alliance has it... -- type their order number. The order becomes Ordered.
    • Alliance hasn't got it -- then you can send it again.

When the parts arrive

Receive the order as usual. A scanned Alliance invoice is matched to the order by your PO number or by Alliance's order number.

Good to know

  • Parts360 doesn't tell MechIQ stock or prices before you order -- use the catalogue for that.
  • The other suppliers in the same order box keep working as before: their orders are drafts you send by email, or ring in for a supplier set to Phone.