Q. What is the job diary?

Each job ticket has a diary that automatically tracks a job’s history. The job diary helps users see what kind of changes have been made, and by whom, since the job was opened. There is no need to track down and interrogating everyone who worked on a job, when just reviewing the job diary may suffice.

Q. What kinds of entries are automatically made to the job diary?

System-generated entries are made when many kinds of changes occur on a job ticket. Entries are made when the job is opened, then anytime the specifications, estimates, or schedules are edited. They are also made whenever new tasks are added, removed, or changed as well as when the status is updated. Closing the job makes a diary entry, as does deleting a job.  System generated job diary entries can be turned off in the Preferences > Jobs window.

Q. Can user-generated (manual) entries be made to the job diary?

Yes. An AE, or anyone with the right user access, can use the job diary to add a note to the job ticket. Such entries are normally for events that occur outside of Clients & Profits, like client meetings, approvals, phone calls, etc. that pertain to a particular job.

Q. Should an analysis of the job be added to the job diary when the job closes?

The job diary is a good place to add information about anything that went particularly right (or wrong) with the job, often referred to as a "postmortem analysis". This information is then always part of the job ticket and can benefit your shop in the future. For example, before cloning a job, it would be a good idea to review the user generated entries in the job diary. There you might find information that would prevent you from making the same mistakes again. Or help you to repeat something that went right.

Q. What happens to a job diary if the job ticket is deleted (before costs, POs, or billings are added to the job)?

The job diary from a deleted job stays in the database—so it’s easy to know who deleted a job ticket. The deleted job’s diary can be printed from job reports by referring to the job number of the deleted job ticket.

Q. Are user-generated job diary entries required?

User-generated job diary entries are optional.

Q. How many diary entries can one job have?

A job can have an unlimited number of job diary entries.

Q. Can I notify other staffers of the information contained in my user-generated job diary entry?

An e-mail message can be sent to any staffer, traffic assignment, team member, or group of individuals in your shop if you’ve enabled the C&P E-Mail system. Select the e-mail recipients before saving the diary entry. The e-mail can't be regenerated after the entry has been saved. The e-mail message is sent immediately when the entry is saved. The diary’s notes become the body of the e-mail.

Q. Can a diary entry be deleted?

No. A job diary entry can’t be deleted once it has been saved. It is part of the permanent record of the job ticket.

Q. Can a diary entry be edited?

Once a diary entry is saved, only its notes can be edited. The date, time of day, person who added it, and the subject can’t be edited.

Q. If I need to edit a job diary entry’s notes, how do I open it?

Double-click on the line that displays the diary entry you wish to edit. The diary entry opens. You can then add more or edit the existing notes.

Q. Do the job diary entries appear on any client reports?

No, they do not. But, a selection of or all job diary entries can be printed on their own report from the job diar window.  Or, print all job diary entries on the job diary report under Job Ticket Reports > Job Production reports.

Q. Can I re-sort the job diary entries listed in the Job Diary window?

The job diary window can be re-sorted by clicking on any column heading. The column headings are: Date, Added By, Description (subject), and Notes. The individual diary entries can also be re-sorted in ascending or descending order by clicking on the arrow button that's next to the column heading in the Job Diary window. There are also three main tabs at the top of the diary entries: User Diary Entries (manually-made entries), System Job Diary Entries (system automatically entered), and All Job Diary Entries, showing both at once.

Q. Can I print the job diary?

Yes. The Job Diary can be printed from Job Ticket Reports > Job Production reports. Simply select the Job Diary report. All diary entries for the job appear. Or, to print only selected entries, when in the Job Diary window, highlight the entries you wish to print, then click the Print toolbar button.

Q. How can the job diary entries be distributed to the job's team members?

Job diary entries don't necessarily need to be printed since they can be viewed online by anyone with access to job tickets.