Item Repair Solutions

Item Repair Solutions allow managers to define which repair solution outcomes are applicable to specific items. This feature creates a structured relationship between items and their relevant repair solutions, helping technicians select only appropriate solution codes when documenting repair outcomes for specific equipment types.

Overview

With Item Repair Solutions, you can:

Define approved repair solutions for each repairable item
Create structured relationships between main items and their applicable solution outcomes
Ensure technicians select only relevant solutions when documenting repairs
Improve consistency and accuracy in repair reporting across your organization
Track which solution types are most commonly used for specific items
Support quality control and process improvement initiatives

Understanding Item Repair Solutions

Item Repair Solutions establish a many-to-many relationship between items in your inventory and the solution codes defined in your system:

Main Items: Products that can be repaired and require specific documentation outcomes
Repair Solutions: Standardized solution codes that can be applied to repair documentation
Relationships: Each main item can have multiple applicable solutions, and each solution can be used for multiple items
Unique on Order: Each relationship can be marked to prevent duplicate item lines when multiple solutions reference the same item on a repair order

This structure provides flexibility while maintaining clear documentation standards for specific equipment types.

Key Benefits

Standardization: Ensures technicians use appropriate solutions for specific item types
Accuracy: Reduces errors in repair documentation by limiting choices to relevant options
Efficiency: Quick access to relevant solution information speeds up documentation
Quality Control: Maintains consistency in repair outcome reporting
Training Support: Helps new technicians learn appropriate solution codes for different equipment
Analytics: Enables better reporting and analysis of repair outcomes by item type

Setting Up Item Repair Solutions

Prerequisites

You must have Manager permissions to create and modify repair solution relationships
The Quick Repair extension must be installed and configured
Both items and repair solutions must exist in your system
Repair solutions must be properly configured in the system setup

Defining Repair Solutions for an Item

In Business Central, navigate to the Items list or use the search function to find Items.
Open the Item Card for the item you want to configure.
In the Actions menu, under the Repair group, select Repair Solutions.

!!! tip "Alternative Access" You can also access repair solutions from the Item List by selecting an item and choosing Repair Solutions from the Actions menu.

On the Item Repair Solutions page, select New to add a repair solution relationship.
Fill in the following fields:
Item No.: This field is automatically populated with the item you selected
Solution Code: Select the repair solution code that can be applied to this item type
Solution Description: This field automatically displays the description of the selected solution code
Unique on Order: Enable this option if the item should only appear once on a repair order, even when multiple solutions reference it (see Unique on Order below)
Repeat steps 4-5 to add additional repair solutions for the same item.

Unique on Order

The Unique on Order setting controls whether an item should appear only once on a repair order, even when multiple solutions reference the same item.

How It Works

When solutions are added to a repair order, the system automatically creates repair order lines for each item linked to the solution. If two or more solutions share the same item:

Unique on Order = Yes: The item line is created only once on the repair order. If the item already exists as a repair order line (from a previously added solution), the system skips creating a duplicate line.
Unique on Order = No (default): A separate repair order line is created for each solution that references the item, even if the same item already appears on the order.

When to Use Unique on Order

Enable Unique on Order when:

The item represents a shared resource or tool that should only be counted once per repair, regardless of how many solutions require it
You want to avoid duplicate lines for common parts used across multiple repair solutions
The item is a base component that is always needed, and having it listed once is sufficient

Leave Unique on Order disabled when:

Each solution requires its own separate allocation of the item
You need to track consumption per solution independently
Different quantities may be needed for different solutions

Unique on Order and Solution Removal

When a solution is removed from a repair order, the system handles unique items intelligently:

If another solution on the order still references the same unique item, the repair order line is reassigned to the remaining solution instead of being deleted
If no other solution on the order references the unique item, the repair order line is deleted (provided no quantities have been consumed)

For more details about automatic line management, see Repair Order Lines.

Example Repair Solution Relationships

Here are some typical repair solution relationships you might establish:

Main Item	Main Item Description	Solution Code	Solution Description	Unique on Order
LAPTOP-01	Business Laptop Model A	PART-REPLACED	Component was faulty and replaced with new part
LAPTOP-01	Business Laptop Model A	UPGRADED	Firmware/software updated to latest version
LAPTOP-01	Business Laptop Model A	BEYOND-REPAIR	Device damage too extensive; replacement recommended
PRINTER-02	Color Laser Printer	CLEANED	Device cleaned and serviced; no parts replacement required	Yes
PRINTER-02	Color Laser Printer	CALIBRATED	Device recalibrated to manufacturer specifications	Yes
SMARTPHONE-03	Business Smartphone	REPAIRED	Physical damage repaired using existing components
SMARTPHONE-03	Business Smartphone	NO-FAULT-FOUND	Thorough testing completed; no issues detected

Managing Item Repair Solutions

Viewing Repair Solution Information

From the Item Card

The Repair tab on the Item Card provides summary information about repair solutions:

Has Repair Solutions: Indicates whether repair solutions have been defined for this item
Repair Solutions Count: Shows the number of repair solutions defined for this item

From the Repair Solutions List

The Item Repair Solutions page shows detailed information about each repair solution relationship:

Item information
Solution codes and descriptions
Actions to view solution details

Editing Repair Solution Relationships

Open the Item Repair Solutions page for the relevant item
Select the repair solution relationship you want to modify
Make changes to the Solution Code field as needed
The Solution Description field will automatically update to reflect the new solution

Removing Repair Solution Relationships

Before Removing

Consider the impact on repair operations before removing repair solution relationships. Ensure technicians have alternative approved solutions or procedures.

Open the Item Repair Solutions page for the relevant item
Select the repair solution relationship you want to remove
Press Delete or use the Delete action
Confirm the deletion when prompted

Best Practices

Solution Design

Comprehensive Coverage: Include all commonly used repair solutions for each item type
Logical Grouping: Organize solutions by repair type, complexity, or outcome category
Clear Descriptions: Ensure solution descriptions are clear and unambiguous
Regular Updates: Review and update solution relationships as processes evolve

Quality Management

Standard Procedures: Establish procedures for when approved solutions don't cover specific scenarios
Training Materials: Create training materials that explain when to use specific solutions
Documentation: Maintain clear records of why specific solutions are approved for each item type
Consistency: Ensure solution usage is consistent across different technicians and locations

Process Optimization

Usage Analysis: Monitor which solutions are most commonly used to optimize the list
Technician Feedback: Regularly collect feedback from technicians about solution appropriateness
Customer Communication: Ensure solutions support clear communication with customers
Reporting: Use solution data to improve repair process and quality management

Integration with Repair Workflow

For Technicians

Repair solution relationships support technicians by:

Guided Selection: Quick access to appropriate solution codes during repair documentation
Quality Assurance: Confidence that selected solutions meet organizational standards
Efficiency: Reduced time spent researching appropriate solution codes
Consistency: Standardized approach across different repair scenarios and equipment types

For Quality Management

Solution relationships support quality operations through:

Documentation Standards: Clear guidelines for solution selection based on equipment type
Process Consistency: Standardized documentation approach across all technicians
Training Support: Structured approach to teaching solution selection criteria
Performance Analysis: Better data quality for analyzing repair outcomes and technician performance

For Customer Service

Solution information helps customer service by:

Accurate Communication: Better understanding of typical solution outcomes for specific equipment
Expectation Management: Clear communication about likely repair scenarios
Process Transparency: Consistent explanation of repair outcomes to customers
Quality Reporting: Improved data for customer satisfaction and quality reporting

Reporting and Analytics

Solution Analysis

Use repair solution data to analyze:

Most Common Solutions: Identify frequently used solutions for inventory and process planning
Item-Specific Patterns: Understand which solutions are most relevant for specific equipment types
Quality Trends: Track solution effectiveness and customer satisfaction by solution type
Process Efficiency: Analyze how solution standardization affects repair times and quality

Performance Insights

Generate insights about:

Technician Performance: How consistently technicians use appropriate solutions
Training Effectiveness: Whether training programs adequately cover solution selection
Process Improvement: Opportunities to refine solution definitions and usage guidelines
Customer Impact: How solution consistency affects customer satisfaction and repeat issues

API Integration

Item Repair Solutions are available through the API for integration with external systems. The Item Repair Solutions API provides read-only access to:

Solution relationships for external repair management systems
Quality management systems requiring solution information
Mobile applications for field technicians
Business intelligence and reporting platforms

Integration Examples

The API can support:

External Repair Systems: Synchronizing solution information with third-party tools
Mobile Applications: Providing technicians with solution information in the field
Quality Systems: Integrating solution standards with quality management platforms
Customer Portals: Displaying repair solution information to customers

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Q: I can't see the Repair Solutions action on the Item Card
A: Ensure you have the necessary permissions and that the Quick Repair extension is properly installed. The action is only available for Inventory and Non-Inventory items.

Q: The solution description field is not updating when I change the solution code
A: The description is a flow field that automatically pulls from the repair solution's description. If it's not updating, verify that the repair solution has a description defined.

Q: Can the same solution be used for multiple different item types?
A: Yes, solutions can be applied to multiple item types. For example, "CLEANED" might be appropriate for various equipment types.

Q: How do I handle repair scenarios that don't fit predefined solutions?
A: Establish procedures for exception handling, such as using a general "OTHER" solution code with detailed notes, or a process for requesting new solution codes.

Q: Can I prevent technicians from using non-approved solutions? A: The system provides guidance through repair solution relationships, but enforcement depends on your operational procedures and training.

Q: What does "Unique on Order" do? A: When enabled, the item will only appear once on a repair order even if multiple solutions reference it. This prevents duplicate lines for shared parts. See the Unique on Order section for details.

Q: I expected only one line for a unique item but see multiples on the repair order A: Verify that the "Unique on Order" field is enabled on the Item Repair Solution record. If it was enabled after the solutions were already added to the repair order, the existing duplicate lines are not automatically removed.

Permissions

Access to Item Repair Solutions functionality requires specific permissions:

Manager: Full access to create, modify, and delete repair solution relationships
Technician: Read access to view repair solution relationships during repair documentation
Read-Only: View access to repair solution information for reporting and analysis

Getting Started with Quick Repair
Item Repair Settings
Item Repair Parts
Repair Orders - Create and manage repair order documents with solutions
Repair Solutions
Standard Repair Actions - Create predefined repair templates using items and solutions
Extension Setup
Repair Order Types
Repair Statuses
Package Conditions

For additional support or questions about Quick Repair, contact BC4All support or consult the community forums.