12 July 2006 VTM.ie Released
A new website has been created and launched specifically for the VTM (Vehicle Test Manager) Software application.
This website features a Support Ticket system for general enquiries in relation to the application as well as in depth information.
please click the following link to view the website
01 June 2005 - VTM - New Release
The new release of VTM (Vehicle Test Manager) is now developed,
The following list outlines some of the latest enhancements to the
Vehicle Test Manager Software:
a. The ability to Invoice customers from within the VTM application.
b. The ability to record customers and owner details
c. Improved Record Management
d. The Ability to Un-Issue and Re-Issue Certificates where mistakes have been made by testers.
e. The ability for another tester to 'Retest a vehicle' if the original tester is not available.
f. The ability to Choose which Fail Maps are be used with Headings.
g. The ability to merge 2 Owner or Customer records together in the event that the same owner or customer was entered twice.
07 Jan 2005 - VTM Roll out Successful
Firstly We would like to wish all of our clients a very prosperous new year.
Secondly After our VTM upgrade for the 1/Jan/2005 Requirements we are please to note that the rollout has been a success with only minor report bugs (A registration number showing where the make should be This is now fixed with a new update as of today (7 Jan 2005)) Our new release Covers all the requirements from the Department of Transport New Test Headers, Light Vehicle Brake Test Weight, Retest etc. as well as some of the suggestions from test centres over the past few months. We have also brought in some minor Accounting capabilities. The ability to choose Maps to be used for Test header results according to the test centres needs.
We have requested that the Department of Transport Test our new Returns file and are presently awaiting a response from them, This may lead to a new update towards the end of the month, if so we will inform you all by E-mail as always.
20 December 2004 - Digital Forecourt wishes all our customers a happy Christmas and a Prosperous New Year
We at Digital Forecourt would like to thank all our customers for their advice and support over the past year and wish you all a very prosperous New Year.
20 December 2004 - VTM Forthcoming Update for 2005
We will be issuing Instructions over the forthcoming days in relation to the Departmental changes for the 1st January 2005 in relation to our Vehicle TestManager software. The change should be implemented on the first day back after the New Year, any Problems please do not hesitate to contact us and we will do our best to help / guide you through the process of updating the software.
11 December 2004 VTM - First software to Comply with Vehicle Testing Category Changes
Having released the latest version of our software (Vehicle Test Manager) at the start of this month, We are pleased to announce that the current release of VTM supports all of the requirements from the department of Transport in relation to the Vehicle Testing category changes. From the 13th of December All Goods vehicles having a DGVW (Design Gross Vehicle Weight) of 3,500 Kilograms or lower is to be tested as a light vehicle and Goods vehicles exceeding 3,500 Kilograms is to be tested as a Heavy Vehicle.
We thank you again for your support and apologise for any inconvenience whilst the rollout was carried out at the beginning of the month. We are under a Non-disclosure agreement with the Department Of Transport so we could not divulge details in relation to the changes until it was publicly announced.
16 July 2004 - VTM Import facility Update
Thanks to the test centres enquiring about our VTM Import application. Here is a list of the frequently asked questions which we have been receiving.
Q. Can you import records from alternative software?
A. Yes. By using our VTM Import application we are able to import all owners, Vehicles, Tests and Testers / Users into our VTM application. We have tested the import application and it has been used in actual change-over's. One use (used for a change-over) imported over 6,353 Vehicles, 6,424 Owners and 8,586 Vehicle Roadworthiness tests which were entered as far back as 8 march 2002 into the alternative software by the test centre.
Q. Do all the Tests and data Carry Over
A. If the data held within the alternative software's database meets our import rules they will, if any Test, Vehicle or Owner that does not meet our validation rules then the data will be listed in output files available to the test centre. These will list the details of the item in question (Test, Vehicle or Owner) for the test centres internal records) We hold a lot of data about Vehicle, Tests and Owners so there will be differences in details from alternative software to data entered from VTM.
Q. Can Imported records be queried from within VTM.
A. Yes, All imported Vehicles, Tests and Owners can be queried and viewed from within the VTM application and all imported Tests will state the Imported Software as a remark in the test (To minimise any mix-ups)
Q. How long does the import Process take
A. The length of time the import process takes will vary depending on the amount of data to be carried over. We can generally have the data turned around with a few hours depending on the requirements.
We have imported over 6,353 Vehicles, 6,424 Owners and 8,586 Vehicle Roadworthiness tests into VTM from one specific test centre with tests going as far back as 8 march 2002 - Any records which do not meet with our stringent Validation Rules Tests (where details do not meet our specifications, eg. invalid Test Certificate numbers etc.) are exported to separate documents which are then available for the test centre internal records.
July 2004 VTM - Test Centres making the Move!
During the past several months we have been receiving calls from test centres who, being un-happy with their current situation, were enquiring about changing their software application for the commercial vehicle test returns over to VTM. Well we are pleased to announce that test centres have started to make the move. One such centre was set up the last week in June, and has submitted their first return to the Department of Transport using VTM from Digital Forecourt in July 2004.
Using our newly designed 'VTM Import' application we were able to
retrieve and import all the records (tests, Vehicles, owners and
testers) from the previous system thus allowing all reminders and
vehicle/test history to be available from within VTM.
More details and an appraisal will be available shortly.
11 June 2004 VTM
So the 1st June deadline has passed with no major problems, VTM is
going from strength to strength, we have now included the Test
reminder letters which will enable reminders to be printed, exported
or emailed from the VTM application to vehicle owners reminding them
to test their vehicles.
Thanks for all the testers feedback which we are receiving. keep
them and any suggestions rolling in. (We need feedback to enable us to
build on and improve our products)
Here are two excerpts from letters which we have received (a link to the full letter is also attached)
"We are extremely pleased with the service we are receiving from Digital Forecourt. We find them Extremely helpful and are only a phone call away"
"We are currently using the software application for our daily testing and find it simple and efficient to enter new test data and more importantly easy to retrieve previous test details"
24 May 2004 VTM - Strength to Strength
As the June Deadline approaches, VTM (Vehicle Test Manager) Gains more
and more of a market share. With new sales and a increasing number of
enquiries from Test Centres (unhappy with their existing software,
especially the support of same). A lot of test centres thought we
would never be able to do it - Get accredited and take a market share.
Well here we are and.....
We Pledged nearly a year ago:
- To bring competition to the marketplace (We believe we caused a bit of a stir - and some extremely fluctuating prices out there by our competition)
- To hold our pricing structure until the deadline had passed (even though the deadline was pushed back and back we have held firm with our price from day 1)
- To get accredited by the Department of Transport (we even wanted to get a third party to accredit us)
- To Deliver a extremely robust well designed application, meeting every requirement which the Department of Transport put fourth to us and one which would also fulfil the needs of our testers.
Not only have we kept our pledge to fulfil the above, we have also delivered a easy to use and very functional application which was accredited (and accepted) in Jan 2004 by the Department Of Transport.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank all the test centres for their input, advice and correspondence (and obviously orders) over the past weeks and months. We will endeavour to help you make as easy a transition as possible from the paper based system to the future of Computerised Vehicle Testing and also to make you glad you made the right choice by using VTM.
We will be continuing our Change over prices until October 2004 for any test Centres interested in changing suppliers. (Please contact us for full details a free no obligation demo can be arranged)
Don't take our word about us - read what a tester said about us (Thanks Jimmy)
Yours Sincerely
05 April 2004
Department Of Transport announce setback in date for computerisation
of returns until 1st June 2004
02 April 2004
New Developments completed - Vehicle TestManager (VTM) Software
- Vehicle Tests Grid - Allowing a simple method to browse and retrieve vehicle tests
- New Reports by Registration number, Tester, Date of Test etc allowing easy retrieval of information
- Easier Generation of DOT Returns including backup facility
- New Updated and Easy to search Help file
Roll out Begins, Vehicle TestManager Goes Live in Test Centres
9 February 2004
Vehicle TestManager Software goes into the Final Stage of Testing. With release date proposed for March 2004.
20 January 2004 - Digital Forecourt - UK
Digital Forecourt begins its phase 1 implementation for the UK. The Digital Dealer Software is now available in the United Kingdom. Please Email us for full details.
January 2004 - Digital Forecourt Approved By the Dept. of Transport (Ireland)
After a stringent testing process the Department of Transport have approved the use of Digital Forecourt's Vehicle TestManager (VTM) Software for the return of Authorised Testers Vehicle Roadworthiness Test Returns..
7 October 2003
The Department of Transport has postponed the deadline date for the computerization of vehicle test returns until further notice when they have made progress with the organising all of the software to be tested.
2 October 2003 - New Developments in Vehicle TestManager Software
From the Design and Testing of the "Vehicle TestManager" Software We at Digital Forecourt have now included some more of the requested add-ons, which are now complete and will be available on its official release date which is coming soon.
These new updates are as follows
1 - Vehicle TestManager has the ability to test and record vehicles with up to 6 axles
2 - The service, parking, and emergency brake tests each have a Decelerometer override feature.
3 - The ability to Print Blank Pre-test Forms to aid in the testing of vehicles
4 - The Ability to be networked to as many PC's as required with no additional cost
5 - Test Certificate booklets being easy to manage with the ability of re-generating pass certificate numbers and inbuilt safety measures to prevent clerical errors.
6 - A user Friendly interface (see image below) visually showing passed and failed headers and sub headers
7 - A "all-in-one" system with both Light and Heavy vehicle records in one database
8 - A new Searchable and Printable Help system designed to ease the testers mind in that hour of need.
9 - Vehicle Make and Models are Chosen from Predefined "Lookup Tables" to eliminate common typing errors.
10 - The Owners Name and address are printed on all reports and screens.
1 October 2003
The Department Of Transport are further Postponing the Deadline by approximately 8 weeks, as new more stringent tests are being designed for all Software Products. A letter is currently being drafted and will be posted on receipt.
22 September 2003
"Vehicle Test Manager" Goes into testing on Thursday 25 September. This new application is being developed to enable authorised Vehicle Testers to Computerise the Testing Process of vehicles and to return the results to a central government system.
Come back Soon for reviews
2nd September 2003
A Revamp of our web site is under way, We have just finished the creation of our new E-Book (online Brochure) why not download it and check it out, click the link below to down load it, when asked choose save to disk, no software is required to run it and it doesn't install anything either, just double click and run.
25 August 2003
The Department of transport Postpone the Deadline date for the computerisation of Vehicle Testing Centres Test returns.
The Deadline being put back, recommended by the Department of Transport's IT section to enable a new Test to be implemented by a independent body on all Software packages developed for the transmission of vehicle test returns to the department.
About
Digital Forecourt