About Tech Tool

Tech Tool is a tool that supports the repair and diagnostic process, and was developed in order to make work in the workshops easier and more efficient.

Tech Tool can be used online or offline (i.e. connected to Central Systems or not) in the workshop, out in the field, at the roadside or during test drives.

Tech Tool is an application for diagnostics with the possibility to use plug-ins to cover the whole repair process. With Tech Tool you can diagnose, test, calibrate and program a product. A product could be a vehicle, engine or a machine.

Tech Tool also provides functions for updating the tool, and communication with the product and other external applications such as links to external websites or plug-ins.

The set of plug-ins, user authorizations, and available languages is adjustable to provide every user with what they need.

Workflow overview

The basic workflow in Tech Tool is the same for all products.

Steps in Tech Tool Description

Product

Identify a product. See View product information for details.

Product History

View the information history about the selected product. See View product history for details.

Diagnose

Diagnose the selected product for symptoms and/or DTCs. See Diagnose for details.

Test

Run tests on the selected product. See Test and calibrate for details.

Calibrate

Calibrate the selected product. See Test and calibrate for details.

Program

Program the selected product. See Program for details.


Tech Tool menu

These menu options are available in the Tech Tool menu.

Menu option Description

Connect to Central Systems

or

Work Offline

Depending on whether you are working online or offline, you are able to connect to or disconnect from central systems.

Update Product Information

Update the product information database.

Manage Software...

Order different types of software. Electrical system dependent.

Manage New Software...

Order different types of software. Electrical system dependent.

Settings

Change settings for product and network communication. See Settings for details.

User Preferences...

Change language and unit settings. See User preferences for details.

Print Label...

Print engine labels for available chassis IDs.

Print

Print the displayed information.

Log off

Log the current user off.

Exit

Exit the application.


Links menu

Only the external applications you are authorized to use are visible in the Links menu. These external applications could be either plug-in applications or links to websites relevant to the brands you are working with: for example, BST (Bus Service Tips), VBC Remote, FST (Field Service Tips), V-Mac Online, and Impact.

If an external application is visible in the menu, but grayed-out and not clickable, you are not able to use this application from Tech Tool. The application could, for example, be grayed-out when you are working offline if the application is only available online.

If you believe you should have access to an external application that is missing or disabled, contact your local administrator.

Help menu

These menu options are available in the Help menu.

Menu option Description

Tech Tool Help

View the help file.

Send Concern Report

Send a concern report to report an error or suggest an improvement.

View Report History...

View status of all sent and pending reports.

Contact Help Desk

View contact information for helpdesk.

Remote Session Tool

Open Remote Session Tool when you are in contact with helpdesk.

Send Logs

Collect and send log files to central systems for helpdesk analysis.

What's new...

View information about news and updates in Tech Tool.

View Contract...

View and read details about your valid contracts. An open contract can be printed.

About Tech Tool

View information about the application.


Concern Reports

Whenever you experience an issue with Tech Tool or find something that could be done better, there is a fast and simple way for you to report it. It is called the Concern Report function and you always have access to it no matter where you are within Tech Tool.

You can send in a Concern Report for anything you find that is not as it should be or could be better. This is your way of connecting directly with the helpdesk and system development. Using this function sends a lot of information automatically with very little input from you, which makes it really fast and easy.

Wherever you are in Tech Tool, you will find this icon ../images/T0130123.jpg at the top right of your screen. Also, in the event that there is a problem with the tool and an error is generated, you will be provided with the option to send in a Concern Report.

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When you select this, a number of things are done in the background to retrieve information such as your contact details, log files and a copy of the screen you are looking at.

This helps us to better understand what you are about to report. It is all retrieved without any input from you.

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Once we have this automatic information, we then ask for some input from you. Each piece of information helps us to better handle and understand your concern.

Text Description

Problem Type:

This helps us to understand the type of concern you have and categorize the case correctly.

Product status:

This helps us to know how we should handle your concern. If you have a vehicle/machine (product), that is.

Description:

This is the part that really helps us. Give us a short description of your concern. Please try and be clear about what you are seeing and, when possible, what you would like to see.

Submitter contact information:

Here, we just ask you to check that we have the right contact information for you so that we can get back to you. If the information is not correct, please update it, or if you would like someone else to be contacted, please replace the information here with the main contact person's information.


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Once you send your report, you will get a conformation email containing a reference number. This confirms that your Concern Report has been received. A number of activities will begin happening in the background to understand the report and address it to the right areas in order to either get back to you with a solution or register your ideas for improvements.

How we get back to you depends on a couple of factors. If you are a Volvo Group workshop, you can see updates within Argus Dealer/eService. If you are not a Volvo Group workshop, we will contact you using the contact information you sent in with your report.

If at any point you wish to find out the status of your Concern Report or update it with further information, this can be done by calling the support helpdesk (contact details can be found in the Help menu under “Contact Helpdesk”.) If you are a Volvo Group workshop, you can also use Argus Dealer/eService.

Keyboard commands

These are the access and shortcut keys for the Tech Tool application.

Keyboard command Description

Alt + F4

Close the active item, or quit the active application.

Alt + letter key

Select or carry out the corresponding menu command or control.

Alt + Tab

Switch between open windows.

Ctrl + Tab

Open the next tab (not top main menu).

Ctrl + Shift + Tab

Open the previous tab (not top main menu).

Backspace

Step back.

Tab

Tab forward between controls or between items in a check box list.

Shift + Tab

Tab up/back.

Arrow keys

  • Move between and select radio buttons
  • Move between and open/close tree view nodes
  • Move between rows in tables
  • Select item in a drop-down list

Ctrl + C

Copy

Ctrl + V

Paste

Ctrl + P

Print

Ctrl + R

Open concern report dialog.

F1

Show the help.

F5

Refresh

F6

Move between panes.

F10

Activate the menu bar and enter menu mode.

Alt

Activate the menu bar and enter menu mode.

ESC

Depending on what is in focus:

  • Close an open menu
  • Cancel procedure

Enter

Carry out the default command of the dialog box or command of the selected control.

Delete

Delete selected item

Space bar

  • Toggle the status of a check box
  • Select an item in a tree view
  • Scroll one page

Log in

You can log in online or offline: that is, whether or not you are connected to central systems. The online option requires a static password. The offline option does not require any password. The computer must have been used online at least once in order for any user to log in offline.

You must connect to central systems on a regular basis. If you have not been connected to central systems within a certain time, you will not be able to log in offline. The next time you log in you will be requested to connect to central systems.

It is also possible to change the connection from offline to online and vice versa in the Tech Tool menu

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Log in online

  1. Enter your User ID.
  2. Enter your Password.
  3. In Connectivity Options select Connect to central systems.

    Note: You are forced to synchronize your user profile with central systems on a regular basis. You will get a notification in the login window when synchronization is needed. To synchronize your user profile, check the box in front of Synchronize user profiles.

  4. Click OK to log in online.

Log in offline

You can select to work online or offline: that is, be connected to central systems or not. Working offline is suitable when working outside the workshop without the ability to go online.

Note: The computer must have been used online at least once in order for any user to log in offline.

Note: If you travel between different time zones, it is recommended to set the time by changing time zones. If you set the time by adjusting the clock, you may not be able to log in offline.

  1. Enter your User ID.
  2. In Connectivity options select Work off-line.
  3. Click OK to log in offline.

Offline work can be done in two different ways:

  1. Unplanned work – When the Tech Tool client has never been connected to the product before. This means that there is no central data for the connected product in the Tech Tool client, and you have to manually set the variant data to be able to run operations. It is not possible to program the product because there is no connection to Central Systems and ECU software.
  2. Planned work – When you know that you are going to work with a certain product. This means that you can prepare the Tech Tool client with central data for the product by manually entering the chassis ID and downloading. You can download the software in Administrate Software if you are going to run a campaign or program a control unit, and then program the product in offline mode.

Limitations to working offline:

  • There is a risk of detecting a mismatch when connecting to the product in offline mode, when Tech Tool has been prepared with central data for the connected product.
  • When working with ECU software in Administrate Software, more manual input of part numbers is sometimes needed than if you are working in online mode.
  • Downloading ECU software will lock the control unit in Central Systems, and there is a risk that this may cause issues for other Tech Tool clients if the software is not returned correctly when reconnecting to Central Systems. Used or unused ECU software shall be reported as soon as possible.

Change password

The static password must consist of seven or eight characters and must be a combination of both letters and numbers. It may not contain national characters; only the characters a-z, A-Z and 0-9 are allowed. The password is case sensitive. The last eight passwords are remembered so they cannot be reused.

To change your static password:

  1. Enter your User ID.
  2. Click Change password.In the dialog that opens:
  3. Enter your old password.
  4. Enter your new password.
  5. Confirm your new password.
  6. Click OK.