Enter Vehicle Information

1. To Decode a vehicle you can scan the VIN, type the VIN, or manually select a vehicle without entering a VIN.

   • Scan the VIN – Click or tap Scan VIN and take a picture of the VIN with your device's camera.

     Note: Depending on the internet browser you are using, you may need to allow access to your device camera. For example, in Chrome, the camera icon indicates that the web page is accessing the device camera.
     

     Tip: Internet Explorer is not a supported browser for use with this feature.
     

     

   • Enter the VIN in the VIN field. The vehicle description is visible in the Additional Vehicle ID section.

     

   • Manually select a vehicle – Use this method if you are working with a vehicle not in the Mitchell database.
     1. Select the check box next to Manual Select.
     2. Select the vehicle Type.
     3. Select the following vehicle information: Type, Year, Make, Model, Sub Model, Base, 4 Door Sedan, Engine or Motor/Battery, Transmission or Direct Drive, Drivetrain.

        Specialty Vehicles: The fields vary according to the vehicle type you select. You can select specialty vehicles including All-Terrain Vehicles (ATV), Recreational Utility Vehicles (RUV), and Motorcycles. For specialty vehicles, ACV and paint code options must be entered manually. PIN options are not available.

        

     4. If no qualified parts are available for the selected vehicle, a message displays above the Detail section notifying you that unqualified parts are shown by default.

        

     5. If a fleet vehicle is decoded and it has some qualified parts unavailable, a message displays above the Detail section notifying you that vehicle configuration may vary and unqualified parts are shown by default.

        

     6. If the VIN is associated with an active Safety Recall, the Outstanding Safety Recalls section displays above the Additional Vehicle ID section and you must View Open Recalls to continue the estimate.

        

     7. In the PIN list, select the correct description for the vehicle if there are multiple options.

        

2. In the Detail section, select the country and enter the following:

• Odometer reading

• Production date

• License plate

• Expiration date

• Approximate Cash Value (ACV)– this field either auto-populates or requires a manual entry

• Salvage Value

• Unit ID – vehicle ID for fleet operators and car rental companies

  

3. In the Description section, enter any additional relevant information for the vehicle, such as fleet number.

   Note: If you are using a non Mitchell estimating program in your process, there are some differences with how the description information is saved in the EMS file. Content entered in the Description section is saved to the V_Memo field in the EMS file. If the vehicle is coded as Generic, this content is saved to V_Makedesc field in the EMS file. If no description is entered for a generic vehicle, the V_Makedesc field is auto-populated with the word Generic.

4. In the Color section, select the applicable paint option(s):

Two Stage Paint: You do not need to make a selection for two stage paint. All Mitchell paint times are based on a two stage base coat and clear coat process.

• Clear Coat – The checkbox displays in three different ways depending on the type of vehicle selected:
  • Grayed out and checked – Vehicles automatically have clear coat applied and cannot be changed.
  • Active and checked – Vehicles can choose to have clear coat applied.
  • Active but unchecked – Vehicles are recommended with no clear coat applied but the option may be checked if desired.
• Two Tone– Select only if the vehicle has two different colors on the same panel. Selecting this option adds an additional operation that will automatically be calculated and added to the applicable repair lines in the estimate .
• Three Stage– Three stage paint can be identified by the paint code on the vehicle and is available in the Information section of the estimate. Selecting this option adds an additional operation that will automatically be calculated and added to the applicable repair lines in the estimate.

Note: You can apply or remove the two tone or clear coat designation to individual repair lines. Any changes you make will update the labor hours and estimate totals appropriately. Repair lines two tone or clear coat applied appear on the estimate printout. This will be designated on by a T for two tone and an A for clear coat.

5. Enter the Paint Code 1, Interior Color, and Trim Color in the appropriate fields. In the Paint Code 1 field, start typing the paint code description and click on the color when it appears. The selected paint code is printed on the estimate.

   

6. In the Equipment section, select the Packages and Options that are present on the vehicle in the Optional tab.
   
7. Click Show Detail to view detailed information for the packages and options.
8. Add additional equipment.

9. Click the Standard tab to view the standard equipment included on the vehicle.

   Note: You can also view and modify vehicle information from the Estimate Editor.

1. In the Damage section, select the damaged areas of the vehicle in the diagram to indicate the points of impact.
   
• For each area you select, the corresponding list on the right of the diagram is marked to match. Orange indicates the primary point of impact; yellow indicates secondary points of impact.
• To deselect a point of impact, click it a second time.

  

2. In the Overall Condition section, select Unknown, Poor, Fair, Good, Very Good, or Excellent to indicate the general condition of the vehicle.
3. In the Drivable section, select either No or Yes to indicate if the car can be driven with the current damage.
4. In the Damage Description section, type a description of the damage.
5. In the Prior Damage section, type a description of the damage.

   

6. If a United States Georgia license plate is detected in the Details section, the Georgia Diminished Value field appears. In this section, type the value of the damage.
7.  When a Georgia license plate for the United States is detected and both the mileage and ACV of the vehicle are filled out in the Details section, the Georgia Diminished Value Calculator displays. In this section, select the desired damage modifier to populate the Georgia Diminished Value or enter it manually.

   

8. When you are finished entering vehicle and damage information, click Save & Next .

The Generic Other service in Mitchell Cloud Estimating allows you to create estimates for non-vehicle damages, for example property damages, and rare vehicles. There is no vehicle-specific data available in Mitchell Cloud Estimating for the Generic Other type. Generic Other estimates cannot be sent to a parts provider or access OE Procedures.

To create a generic other estimate, follow the instructions below:

1. On the vehicle page of a job, click Manual select.

2. In the Type list, select Generic.

3. Select a year. Select the N/A option when the year is unknown or if the estimate is for property damage.

4. In the Model list, select Other. With the Generic Other Vehicle type selected, you can view the available equipment options and trim packages. You can also manually enter the information in the Detail section.

5. Finish creating the job and click Write Estimate on the Job Overview page.

In Mitchell Cloud Estimating you can view P-pages, add tires, add lines from My Templates, Add lines from Reference Sheets, and add manual lines. The Estimate Report displays the Generic Other service.