Tires records can be added through the Tire Inventory module or through purchase orders in the Part Inventory module.

Tips for Adding Tires

• Start out by adding records for newly purchased tires. Then, as time permits, enter existing tires in the system. You'll be tracking every tire before you know it.
• Add newly purchased tires through purchase orders (PPA, PPC).

• Add existing tires through [Tire] File Maintenance (MTM), and use tire templates when adding like tires.  

Adding a Tire Template

If you’ll be adding tire records manually using the [Tire] File Maintenance option, we recommend you create tire templates beforehand to speed up the process of adding like tires into the system. When new tires are added, you’ll have the option of using a tire template, which will auto-fill most of the entry fields in the tire records. Template notes are not carried forward to newly added tires. To add a tire template, do the following:

1. Select Master > Tire > File Maintenance from the RTA main menu (MTM).
2. Enter a tire number and choose Add Template. The tire template number is a text field allowing up to nine characters. The number should reflect the type of tire so the needed template can easily be identified (e.g., M11R24.5D for Michelin 11r24.5 drive tires).
3. Enter the template tire information (see "Tire Record Field Descriptions" below).
4. Save the record.

NOTE: Tire template records are very similar to actual tire records. Accessing and changing tire templates are done in the same manner as regular tire records.

Adding a Tire through Tire File Maintenance

1. Select Master > Tire > File Maintenance from the RTA main menu (MTM).
2. Enter a tire number and choose Add. The tire number is a text field allowing up to nine characters.
3. Specify whether to use a template (and the template number, if using a template).
4. Enter the tire information.
5. Save the record.
6. If this tire is the first tire record added of a particular size and type from the specified manufacturer, you'll be prompted to add a manufacturer data record.
7. If the tire has been previously capped and this tire is the first tire record of a particular size and type using the specified capper, you'll be prompted to add a capper data record.

NOTE: Refer to "Manufacturer and Capper Data Records" for more information about manufacturer and capper data records.

Adding a Tire through Purchase Orders

In order to add tire records through purchase orders, part records must exist for the tires ordered, and the parts must be flagged as TIRE parts (MPM). This method links the tire and part records together, assuring that the needed tires will always be in stock. The part number should reflect a specific group of tires. For example, if you stock 11r24.5 steer tires and 11r24.5 drive tires, add two part records numbered 11R24.5S and 11R24.5D. If different tread designs are used for different applications, add separate part records for those as well. 

When a purchase order is received, the system checks the part type. If the part is flagged as a TIRE, you'll have the option of creating individual tire records for the quantity received. The inventory level will be tracked automatically. As the tires are taken from inventory and mounted onto vehicles, the quantity on hand in the corresponding part record will be reduced accordingly. When the quantity falls below the reorder point, more tires will be requisitioned for purchase.
To use this feature, do the following:

1. Add part records for the tires you purchase and stock. Flag each part record as a TIRE part and a STOCKED part (MPM). Refer to "Adding a Part" for instructions if necessary.
2. Order the tire part on a purchase order (PPA, PPC). Refer to "Requisitions and Purchase Orders" for instructions if necessary.
3. Receive the tire part on the purchase order.
4. Choose Yes when prompted to update the tire file.
5. Fill in some basic information about the tires received.

For the tire number, enter the tire prefix first (e.g., M0307 for Michelin tires purchased in July 2003) followed by the starting individual tire number. For example, if 20 tires are being received and a tire prefix of M0307 and a starting tire number of 0018 is entered, tire records created would be numbered M03070018 through M03070037.

1. If this tire is the first tire record added of a particular size and type from the specified manufacturer, the system will add a manufacturer data record. You'll need to enter the estimated life miles (life expectancy/warranted miles) and the casing value for this tire.
2. Review the Tires Added to Inventory report. The system skips over existing numbers; for that reason, we recommend the tires be branded, or otherwise numbered, after the PO receive process has completed. Refer to the report to reference the new tire numbers.

Tire Record Field Descriptions

• Tire Number: (Text field) The tire number is a text field allowing up to nine characters. Use a meaningful tire-numbering scheme. For example, tire number BFG030001 could represent a B.F. Goodrich tire purchased in 2003 with a tire number of 0001 OR, if you want to include the month, tire number M03070018 could represent a Michelin tire purchased in July 2003 with a tire number of 0018.
• Tire Status: This field indicates whether the tire is MOUNTED on a vehicle, located in INVENTORY, at the CAPPER, or OUT OF SERVICE. When initially adding a tire, this field defaults to INVENTORY (TEMPLATE if adding a tire template). The tire status is updated as tires are processed via the Tire Inventory, Work Order, and Paperless Shop modules.
• Tire Manufacturer: Enter the manufacturer number or press F1 to select a manufacturer from the lookup list. If you entered a number that does not currently exist on file, you'll have the option of adding a new manufacturer record.
• Number of Caps: Skip this field when adding a new tire; otherwise, enter the number of caps that this tire has received over the life of the tire. This field is updated when tires are returned from the capper.
• Capper Number: Enter the capper number or press F1 to select a capper from the lookup list. If this tire has previously been capped, a capper number is required. If you entered a number that does not currently exist on file, you'll have the option of adding a new capper record.
• Tire Size: Enter the tire size or press F1 to select a tire size from the lookup list. If you entered a number that does not currently exist on file, you'll have the option of adding a new size record.
• Vendor Number: Enter the vendor facility and number or press F1 to make the selection from a lookup list. This field is provided for your benefit and is not used by the system.
• Tread Depth: Enter the tread depth of the tire. This field is updated when tires are dismounted to help you determine the tire life remaining.
• Tire Type: Select the tire type from the drop down list.
• Tread Type: Describe the tread type as needed (e.g., STEERING, DRIVE, HWY). This field is provided for your benefit and is not used by the RTA system.
• Ply Rating: Enter the ply rating as needed. This field is provided for your benefit and is not used by the RTA system.
• Part Number: This field displays the part number associated with this tire from tires added through purchase orders. This field is automatically filled in by the RTA system and cannot be modified.
• Tire Life Months: Skip this field when adding a new tire; otherwise, enter the total number of months this tire has been used. This field is automatically updated by the system. When this tire is scrapped, this data is used to compute the average miles per tire and expected tire life statistics in the manufacturer and capper records.
• Tire Life Units: This field displays the total number of miles posted to this tire while mounted on a vehicle. This field is updated as vehicle meters are updated (primary and fuel meters only, not alternate meters).
• Tire Condition: Describe the tire condition as needed. This field is provided for your benefit and is not used by the RTA system.
• Leased Tire and Lease Cost per Mile: Select this checkbox to flag this tire as a leased tire and then enter the lease cost per mile. When end of period for tires is processed, the tire cost is calculated and charged to the vehicle based on the vehicle miles traveled during the period (SET).
• Current Value: Enter the current tire value. When the tire is mounted, this value is posted to the vehicle as a tire cost. As you can imagine, when a vehicle gets a few new tires, the cost figures can skyrocket for that month but it will balance out over the long run since the vehicle will get many miles out of a tire. When the tire is dismounted, you'll have the option of posting a credit value to credit back to the vehicle and tire value.

NOTE: The following fields display information for mounted tires.

• Vehicle Facility and Number: This field displays the facility and vehicle number on which this tire is currently mounted.
• Date Mounted: This field displays the date when the tire was mounted.
• Mounted Odometer: This field displays the vehicle meter reading at the time the tire was mounted.
• Tire Position: This field displays the position where the tire is mounted on the vehicle.
• Trackable Units: This field displays whether the vehicle mileage updates the tire mileage. When this checkbox is selected, the vehicle mileage is tracked and updates the tire mileage; when deselected, the vehicle mileage is not tracked and doesn't accumulate on the tire (as is the case with spare tires).

Tire Record Field Descriptions: Notes Sub-Window

To add notes for this tire, select Notes from the menu or click on the Tire Notes icon in the toolbar. Up to 100 lines of notes can be added and stored for this tire. Notes added to tire templates are not copied to newly added tires.