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New Features - November 27th, 2009 by Louise
Over the past few months we have been making improvements to numerous areas of the system. A full listing is available in the features section but this month's selected features and enhancements are as follows:- - Contractors’ database
- Improved transactions input
- Internal transaction reference numbers
- General improvements to system speed
- Improvements to update install wizard
- VAT reports
- Tax reports
Contractors’ database
This facility allows you to record, in a centralised database, contracts held with each supplier both at supplier level and property level. As each contract (e.g. cleaning, gardening, lift maintenance etc) is added, this is linked through to the appropriate supplier or property allowing you to view all contracts for a particular supplier or a specific property. As well as seeing the contract as supplier and/or property specific, you can also view the contracts set up across the whole portfolio with additional features of filtering, grouping, sorting etc the required contract information. Improved transaction input
When posting expenditure transactions, the screens have been improved to make data input more efficient. When logging or paying expenditure the supplier field is now the first field to complete (to make the process of automatic cheque writing and BACS exporting more efficient) and the fields that must be filled in for the system to process the transaction are now red, allowing less input in some instances. Internal transaction reference numbers
Manual expenditure reference number
When posting expenditure you can assign a reference number (meant for internal use) to the transaction and this number can be seen on various screens and reports throughout the system. Automatic expenditure reference number
When posting expenditure the system can automatically assign a reference number (meant for internal use) to the transaction and this number can be seen on various screens and reports throughout the system. General improvements to system speed
Various areas of the system have been sped up to make general day to day use of the system faster and more efficient. Some of these areas include:- - Faster loading of records
- Improved speed when collating information for the cashbook record debit and credit tabs
- Improved speed when collating information for the cashbook, client, property and tenant ledgers
- Improved speed when collating information for cashbook reconciliations and service charge year end reconciliations
- Faster loading of diary events and improved filtering, grouping and sorting of events
Improvements to update install wizard
The way you install system updates (free to users that subscribe to software support) was changed a while ago to make installing new features easier. We have now made improvements to this wizard so that the on screen wizard will now display information about the update just installed and the version overwritten so that Users know that new features are installed seamlessly. VAT reports
We have overhauled the way the system presents VAT report information. You can now generate automatic vat reports on either a 'cash' basis or a 'due' basis calling in all income and expenditure within any required date span. The report itself shows a summary of all nett and vat income and expenditure (calculating how much is to be paid to HMRC) and will detail the transactions making up this amount. If the standard report layout does not suit, an alternative report can be designed specifically for you and you should contact Support for costings if this is your preference. Tax reports
We have overhauled way the system presents tax report information. You can now generate automatic tax reports (section 19) calling in all income within any required date span. There is a choice of report (detailed or summarised) with the detailed report itemising each transaction for each tenant and the summarised report totalling the transactions for each tenant. If the standard report layouts do not suit, alternative reports can be designed specifically for you and you should contact Support for costings if this is your preference. Once the report has printed a csv file will be generated automatically, allowing you to submit the tax return to HMRC with ease. All of the features listed above are available free of charge to all users currently subscribing to Software Support (subject to compatibility with your current settings). If you would like to discuss any of the options or request an option to be included on your next update, please speak to Support.
July Websale - July 20th, 2009 by Louise
I'd just like to take the opportunity to thank everyone who has expressed an interest in our July websale. As an update: 5 of the 8 available offer packages have now been spoken for (subject to demonstrations etc). The offer will run until the end of the month or until all 8 packages have been sold, whichever is sooner.
New Features - June 26th, 2009 by Berni
Please see below our pick of features and enhancements released this month. Many more options are available, although some may not be applicable to your portfolio or may not be compatible with your current settings. A full listing is available in the features section. This month's selected features and enhancements are as follows:- - Additional arrears listings
- Debit and credit transaction grids
- View demand details whilst posting income
- Improved interest breakdown
- Interest from demand date or due date
- General system improvements
Additional arrears listings
You can now opt to print historical arrears lists, allowing you to effectively 'go back in time' and get a listing of what was in arrears at a certain date (ie it would exclude anything demanded or paid after the specified date). This can be used alongside or instead of the standard arrears options which allow you to see what is in arrears now and how long that has been outstanding. Debit and credit transaction grids
Debit and credit grids are now available when viewing the cashbook record. These grids can be used alongside the standard debit and credit listings and are extremely useful for checking transactions in relation to historical cashbook reconciliations as you can add additional columns that tell you the date of the transaction, the date the transaction was actually entered into the system and whether the transaction has been presented as part of a cashbook reconciliation. As these screens are in grid format, you are able to use all of the functions available on grids throughout the system such as filtering, sorting, grouping, adding and removing columns, printing, exporting etc to draw off numerous reports. For detailed information on how to do this, please refer to the documentation on grids or book in a tutorial with a member of our Support team. View demand details whilst posting income
When allocating tenant income transactions, you can now view details of which demand each charge appeared on. This may be useful if the tenant has sent a demand remittance or a demand number with their payment, as it will simplify which amounts you need to pay off. Improved interest breakdown
The interest breakdown which accompanies demands has been improved, whilst still showing detailed information of how interest is calculated for each charge on each demand. Interest from demand date or due date
Additional options are now available for charging interest on late payments. You are now able to choose per charge whether interest should be generated from the demand date or from the due date. This is useful if for example you are demanding an insurance premium and don't wish to backdate interest to the due date, or if you are demanding a rent review and want interest to be charged from the original due date. General system improvements - We have overhauled our main options list and features which will be of benefit to all users are now included as standard in each system. Full details will be available in this year's update documentation, due for release in July 2009.
- Improvements have been made to the facility for automatically inserting tenant charges based on the lease details entered.
- The surveyor log feature has been extended to allow you to find tenants assigned to a specific surveyor/manager more efficiently.
- Alternative ordering options are available for audit trails, allowing you to find transactions with ease.
- Extra security measures and logging facilities have been implemented. This will reduce the potential for errors and on the off chance that an error occurs, will allow us to track them more efficiently.
- We have added a 'See notes' tickbox on each of the main record screens. This will be ticked automatically if there are any notes entered for that record.
All of the features listed above are available free of charge to all users currently subscribing to Software Support (subject to compatibility with your current settings). If you would like to discuss any of the options or request an option to be included on your next update, please speak to Support.
New Features - April 28th, 2009 by Berni
Please see below our pick of features and enhancements released this month. Many more options are available, although some may not be applicable to your portfolio or may not be compatible with your current settings. A full listing is available in the features section. This month's selected features and enhancements are as follows:- - Credit note numbering by client
- Automatic admin charge for the generation of arrears letters
- Different colour theme in practice and browse
- Redesigned tenancy schedules
- General system improvements
Credit note numbering by client
You can now set up independent credit note numbering per client. This will follow through to the credit notes of all tenants linked to that client. You are able to setup a starting number as well as a prefix and a suffix, ensuring that each credit note has a unique reference. Many other credit note numbering and demand numbering options are available; please speak to Support to discuss the best options for your requirements. Automatic admin charge for the generation of arrears letters
When generating arrears letters you can now opt for the system to automatically apply a charge to each tenant's account for every letter produced. Set up the amount you wish to charge for each letter and upon generation of a letter the system will automatically apply a charge to each tenant's account and clearly state on that arrears letter that a charge has been applied. Different colour theme in practice and browse
Screen headers and footers will now display in a different colour when using practice or browse so that you can tell immediately that you are not in the main system and that any changes made will not affect your real data. Redesigned tenancy schedules
Tenancy schedules have been redesigned and now include improved functionality. You are able to exclude a tenant from a tenancy schedule if required (if for example a tenant has moved out) and are able to export the tenancy schedules in various formats, allowing you to analyse the data in programs such as Microsoft Excel etc. General system improvements - Extended printing options are now available for service charge plans. You are also able to export plan information in various formats, allowing you to analyse the data as required.
- When entering how often breaks occur in the lease, you are now able to enter this in months and days as well as years, if required.
- Various field lengths have been extended on the transaction screens, allowing you to enter more information.
- Additional information now prints on the cashbook batching lists, allowing you to identify transactions more easily.
- Accessing information from the ledgers at cashbook, client and property level is now considerably faster.
All of the features listed above are available free of charge to all users currently subscribing to Software Support (subject to compatibility with your current settings). If you would like to discuss any of the options or request an option to be included on your next update, please speak to Support.
New Features - February 5th, 2009 by Berni
Please see below our pick of features and enhancements released this month. Many more options are available, although some may not be applicable to your portfolio or may not be compatible with your current settings. A full listing is available in the features section. This month's selected features and enhancements are as follows:- - Summarised cashbook balances list
- Additional diary triggers
- Itemised arrears grid
- Improved 'Copy a tenant' facility
- General system improvements
Summarised cashbook balances list
An additional cashbook balances list is now available. This will print summarised balances for ALL cashbooks, detailing how much of the balance is rent, service charge, sinking fund etc. This allows you to see at a glance what is being held in each bank account without printing an itemised list for every cashbook. Additional diary triggers
The system can automatically diary various alarmed triggers to remind you of tasks that need incorporating into your routines. We have recently expanded the range of triggers available and these consist of such things as:- - Reminders to print demands (for example, 2 weeks before quarter day
- Reminders to print client statements (for example, 2 weeks after quarter day)
- Reminders to chase arrears (for example, 7, 14 and 21 days after quarter day)
- Reminders to reconcile cashbooks (for example, at month end)
- Reminders to create service charge budgets (for example, 2 months before year end)
- Reminders to reconcile service charge accounts (for example, 2 months after year end)
Please speak to Support if you would like any of the above (or variations on any of the above) or any other recurring events added to your system. Itemised arrears grid
When viewing the arrears grid, you can now see on screen how each arrears amount is made up. This is very straightforward, you simply click on the + sign next to the relevant tenant and the grid will show a breakdown of which charges are in arrears, when they were demanded, any payments made etc. As this screen is a grid, you are able to use all of the existing grid functions here including sorting, filtering, grouping, summing, exporting, printing and so on. Improved 'Copy a tenant' facility
Improvements have been made to the 'Copy a tenant' facility which allows you to copy certain details from an existing tenant when adding new tenants (common in the case of block management, where all tenants have the same lease details). This facility has been improved so that additional fields are copied, minimising the input required by you. General system improvements - Alternative statement layouts are now available.
- Improvements have been made to ensure that entering practice on multiple machines is as efficient as possible.
- Further options are now available for exporting transactions to your BACS package.
- Improvements have been made to the rounding of commission amounts.
- You are now able to print additional block management notices with arrears letters.
- Additional notes relating to the property can now be printed on the tenancy schedule if required.
All of the features listed above are available free of charge to all users currently subscribing to Software Support (subject to compatibility with your current settings). If you would like to discuss any of the options or request an option to be included on your next update, please speak to Support.
New Features - January 15th, 2009 by Berni
Please see below our pick of features and enhancements released this month. Many more options are available, although some may not be applicable to your portfolio or may not be compatible with your current settings. A full listing is available in the features section. This month's selected features and enhancements are as follows:- - Improved ledger screens
- Rename service charge schedules
- Alternative method for generating interest
- Invoice history
- General system improvements
Improved ledger screens
Additional columns are now available on the ledgers screens at cashbook, client and property level. These will allow you to view more detailed information about the transactions within the date span you have entered. Rename service charge schedules
You can now rename service charge schedules per property, allowing you to easily see what each schedule relates to. Each schedule has a 'description' and a 'print description'; the ‘description’ is how the schedule will be displayed on screens and picklists throughout the system and the 'print description' is how the schedule will be displayed on external printouts such as budgeting and year end reports. You are also able to select whether a schedule is active or not which will control whether the schedule appears on screens and picklists throughout the system, allowing you to see only the relevant schedules for each property when posting transactions and/or setting up service charge plans. Alternative method for generating interest
We now have available an option which will suppress the generation of any interest on charges until they have been paid in full. This may be useful if you regularly find that you have not entered all tenant income received before printing demands which would result in false interest being generated. Invoice history
We have improved the facility for viewing an invoice's history, allowing you to easily see the details entered when an invoice was originally logged as well as the details entered when it was paid. This will give you the flexibility to generate various reports on a due basis or a paid basis. General system improvements - Additional arrears reporting options are now available.
- Improvements have been made to the 'View diary' screen. You are now able to view, sort, filter, group, delete, print and export diary entries more easily.
- There are now additional options available for displaying tenant overpayments on demands.
- Amendments have been made to the displaying and deduction of commission.
- Various improvements have been made throughout the system to improve consistency and usability.
- Additional information is now recorded in the system logs to enable us to deal with technical Support queries more efficiently.
- We have reduced the time the system takes to print audit trails. Printing an audit trail will now be upto 50% faster.
All of the options listed above are available free of charge to all users currently subscribing to Software Support (subject to compatibility with your current settings). If you would like to discuss any of the options or request an option to be included on your next update, please speak to Support.
New Features - October 6th, 2008 by Berni
Please see below our pick of features and enhancements released this month. Many more options are available, although some may not be applicable to your portfolio or may not be compatible with your current settings. A full listing is available in the features section. This month's selected features and enhancements are as follows:- - Invoice due date
- Service charge budgeting overhaul
- New transaction warning
- Improved automatic emailing of error messages
Invoice due date
When logging transactions into the daybook, the system will automatically fill in the 'invoice due date' field based upon the information entered on the supplier record. This date will be displayed on screens and listings throughout the system, allowing you to see with ease when invoices need to be paid. Service charge budgeting overhaul
Numerous improvements have recently been made to the service charge budgeting feature. Some of these improvements include: The budget setup screen has been made more intuitive
Easy budgeting of descriptions within a schedule
Improved definition of basic, planned and scheduled properties
Budget application based on relevant plans and schedules (ensuring you charge the most accurate amount possible)
Re-designed budget printouts that display analysis of the tenant's liability for each item in the budget and compliance with the new RICS guidelines
Improved archiving facilities
Changes made behind the scenes to allow for future improvements to comparison reports These improvements are currently being released on a global basis to all users subscribing to Software Support as part of the on-going update programme. New transaction warning
Following feedback from users, we have implemented a warning on all transaction screens which will display a message if you have entered a date more than 1 month prior to or later than today's date. Improved automatic emailing of error messages
The system automatically emails error messages to us so that we are able to assist you efficiently. We have recently made improvements to the screenshots that the system takes when an error is displayed so that we are able to see more clearly exactly where you were in the system when you encountered an error. All of the options listed above are available free of charge to all users currently subscribing to Software Support (subject to compatibility with your current settings). If you would like to discuss any of the options or request an option to be included on your next update, please speak to Support.
Diary Overhaul - August 5th, 2008 by Berni
From time to time as part of the update programme we focus on one of the main areas of the system and try to incorporate as many new features and improvements as possible. We recently completed revamping the service charge facilities in the system and the next area we are looking to improve is the diary. At present, the system automatically diaries events such as lease expiries, breaks, rent reviews, insurance renewals, inspections etc and prompts you with alarmed triggers in advance of these dates. You are also able to add your own diary events and alarms for any additional events you require. As part of our overhaul we aim to include such things as:- - job tracking
- setting up recurring alarms
- editing system added entries
- choosing per tenant how far in advance alarmed triggers are required for each type of event (instead of or as well as a global default for each type of event)
As always, we will endeavor to include as many user suggestions as possible as well as our own ideas. If you have any suggestions on how you feel the diary could be improved, or any features/facilities you would like to see in the new diary, please speak to Support.
New Features - July 29th, 2008 by Berni
Please see below our pick of features and enhancements released this month. Many more options are available, although some may not be applicable to your portfolio or may not be compatible with your current settings. A full listing is available in the features section. This month's selected features and enhancements are as follows:- - Add a supplier while posting transactions
- Additional grid options available
- Simpler management commission transfers
- View diary entries at record level
- Various system improvements
Add a supplier while posting transactions
When entering expenditure you are now able to add a supplier if the supplier you require is not already in the list. To do this, you would simply click on the 'add' button which is dierectly to the right of the supplier picklist. You are then presented with the standard 'add a supplier' form to fill in in the usual way. Once you have added the supplier you can continue entering the expenditure without needing to re-enter any information. This should help to make entering transactions more efficient. Additional grid options available
Extra options are now available for changing the layout of grids throughout the system. This includes being able to change the height of grid rows as well as changing the width of grid columns, allowing you more flexibility when customising screens and designing reports. Simpler management commission transfers
When posting management commission expenditure you can now select for the system to automatically fill in the full amount due to you by simply right clicking in the amount field and selecting 'Full Amount'. View diary entries at record level
You can now view diary entries from both the property and tenant record. This allows you to easily see entries appertaining to that particular record within the specified date span. All system generated entries (e.g. insurance reminders, lease expiries, rent reviews, inspections, decorations, alarmed triggers etc) will be displayed along with any user added entries. These entries can then be grouped, sorted, filtered etc in the same way as information displayed in other grids throughout the system (see grids documentation for more information). Various system improvements
Extra information can now be displayed when viewing the tenant charges schedule.
Cashbook reconciliation printouts have been amended to include additional information.
Improvements have been made 'behind the scenes' to allow us to easily change the look and style of the system in the future.
We have made improvements to the system installation process, which will be useful if you need to move the system to a new computer/server. All of the options listed above are available free of charge to all users currently subscribing to Software Support (subject to compatibility with your current settings). If you would like to discuss any of the options or request an option to be included on your next update, please speak to Support.
Change of Address - June 24th, 2008 by Louise
We have recently moved into new premises. Our new address is:- T&H Computer Services Ltd
2nd Floor
Churchill House
Hagley Street
Halesowen
West Midlands
B63 3AX We have endeavoured to make the changeover period as seamless as possible and hope that none of our users have been inconvenienced by the move.
New Features - May 23rd, 2008 by Berni
Please see below our pick of features and enhancements released this month. Many more options are available, although some may not be applicable to your portfolio or may not be compatible with your current settings. A full listing is available in the features section. This month's selected features and enhancements are as follows:- - Viewing tenant payments at client and/or property level
- Credit note numbering
- Additional options available for sending jobsheets to suppliers
- Further screen conversions completed
- Commission on service charge
- General system improvements
Viewing tenant payments at client and/or property level
You will now be able to view additional information relating to tenant payments at client level and property level. The grid will allow you to sort, filter, group, print and export information in the same way you can on all grids throughout the system, allowing you to find information and generate reports as necessary. Credit note numbering
When generating credit notes, the system will automatically number each credit note for you. There are now two different methods to choose from. The first option is for credit note numbering to be independent to any demand numbering facilities already in place. Example Demand number MM/004 Credit note number CR/558 Alternatively, you can opt for credit note numbers to work in conjunction with any demand numbering facilities already in place. Example Demand number MM/004 Credit note number MM/005 Commission on service charge
We have recently developed an alternative way for you to take your service charge commission. As standard, commission on service charge would be posted as an expenditure amount and would then be analysed in the service charge accounts and apportioned between the tenants based on their percentage liability. You are now able to take commission directly on any service charge amounts demanded from the tenants by selecting 'Yes' to commission when setting up their charges. Commission will be deducted from the service charge account, based on a percentage of the service charge income received. The deduction will then be accounted for in the service charge accounts as usual, allowing you to account for it correctly. General system improvements
Improvements have been made to the 'wizard' style screens which are used in various places throughout the system.
Message boxes throughout the system have been redesigned and standardised.
Improvements have been made to the archiving of printouts which will allow us to implement various new features in the future.
The menu layout has been amended slightly, following suggestions from users.
Changes have been made which will speed up access to Practice and Browse. All of the options listed above are available free of charge to all users currently subscribing to Software Support (subject to compatibility with your current settings). If you would like to discuss any of the options or request an option to be included on your next update, please speak to Support.
New Features - April 22nd, 2008 by Berni
Please see below our pick of features and enhancements released this month. Many more options are available, although some may not be applicable to your portfolio or may not be compatible with your current settings. A full listing is available in the features section. This month's selected features and enhancements are as follows:- - On-screen demand summary
- Consistency improved throughout the system
- Additional tenant statement of account
- Improvements to the printing of demands and credit notes
- Extended exporting options available
- Extra information available on grids
On-screen demand summary
You will now be able to view an on-screen demand summary after printing demands. This will display information about what has been demanded from each tenant, broken down into rent, service charge, sinking fund, nett & vat etc. As this summary is displayed in a grid, you will be able to sort, filter, group, sum, add & remove columns, print and export the information in the same way as you can wherever you see a grid throughout the system. Additional tenant statement of account
There is now an additional method of generating a statement of account for each tenant. This can be generated as often as required and allows you to enter as many different date spans as necessary. This can be used instead of or alongside the traditional statement of account which resets information once it has been shown and shows it as a balance b/f on the next statement. Improvements to the printing of demands and credit notes
Credit notes have been redesigned so that information is displayed more clearly.
When printing demands, you will now be able to see progress messages displaying information about which demand is being printed.
We have made improvements to the layout of the Demands to tenants screen so that it is consistent with the other screens in the system.
Additional options are available for the printing of meter reading charges on demands. Extra information available on grids
Additional information can now be displayed on the grids throughout the system. This can be done by simply dragging extra columns onto the grid. Grid columns can be added, removed or moved as necessary and the system will remember which columns you have chosen to see so you only need to adjust each grid once. Grids are available in many areas of the system, such as transaction listings at record level, when generating arrears reports and when viewing the diary. A video tutorial on the different ways in which the grids can be used will be available shortly. All of the options listed above are available free of charge to all users currently subscribing to Software Support (subject to compatibility with your current settings). If you would like to discuss any of the options or request an option to be included on your next update, please speak to Support.
New Training Assistant - April 8th, 2008 by Louise
 After joining the team last Autumn and completing her training successfully, we are pleased to announce Amy as our new Training Assistant. Amy will also continue in her role as a valued member of the Support team, assisting users with their property management and system based queries.
New Features - March 25th, 2008 by Berni
Please see below our pick of features and enhancements released this month. Many more options are available, although some may not be applicable to your portfolio or may not be compatible with your current settings. A full listing is available in the features section. This month's selected features and enhancements are as follows:- Improved service charge report printing General improvements to system speed and stability Extra letters available for chasing arrears Additional options for displaying suspense on demands Improvements to the input and display of transactions Various screen conversions completed Automated sinking fund facility improved
Improved service charge report printing
When printing service charge year end reports, you have the option of printing a mini year end, which will print the cashbook and audit trail printouts only. This will not reset any information, therefore allowing you to draw off these reports as often as required. You can choose whether a full or mini year end will print as default, allowing you to enter minimal information to generate the reports. This feature is now compatible with all existing service charge options. Additional options for displaying suspense on demands
You can now control the displaying and format of this information on a tenant by tenant basis. For example, you can opt to show the suspense amount as a minus charge on the demand (therefore reducing the total amount due) or you could choose to display a message on the demand to inform the tenant that a credit is being held. Alternatively, you can specify that the overpayment should not be shown on the demand at all. Improvements to the input and display of transactions
Additional information can now be entered when posting a transaction.
You can now opt to print additional messages on VAT receipts for tenant income.
Additional information relating to tenant income can now be seen in various places throughout the system.
Improvements have been made to minimise the input required when entering transactions.
The tenant income screen has been fully converted to the new 'wizard' style. Automated sinking fund facility improved
We have made improvements to the facilities for operating sinking fund accounts (also known as reserve accounts) on the system. Sinking fund balances and transactions can now be viewed in many more places throughout the system and we have also simplified the process of entering balances and transferring money to and from a sinking fund account. All of the options listed above are available free of charge to all users currently subscribing to Software Support (subject to compatibility with your current settings). If you would like to discuss any of the options or request an option to be included on your next update, please speak to Support.
New Date Controls - October 16th, 2007 by Des
As Berni mentioned in her 'What's new this month' post, we've updated the visual controls for entering dates on the system. Rather than attempting to describe all the features here, I've made this small video showcasing their flexibility. 
New features this month - October 15th, 2007 by Berni
Please see below our pick of new features available this month. Many more features are available, although some features may not be applicable to your portfolio or may not be compatible with your current settings. Please see the features section for a full features listing. This months selected new features are:- - Section 153 & Section 158 notices
- Automatic logout
- Record hotlinks
- Improvements to date fields
- Alternative demand remittance address per client
Section 153 & Section 158 notices
Following recent changes to legislation, users running block management portfolios will now be able to print additional notices with demands. The section 153 notice will print automatically with any demands which include service charges and the section 158 notice will print with any demands including administration charges. Information regarding the notices can be found on the links below. Section 153: http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2007/20071257.htm Section 158: http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2007/20071258.htm Users who do not currently operate block management will notice that each tenant has automatically been defaulted to 'never print' the notices (therefore allowing them to opt to print the notices for new tenants should they obtain block management in the future), while users with mixed portfolios are able to choose per tenant whether the notices should print. As this option has been implemented to reflect changes in legislation it has been included in the system as a global option. Automatic logout
The system will now automatically log users out of the system if it is not in use. This may prove to be a valuable time saving feature for networked users who have commented in the past that colleagues leave the system open, preventing them from entering the system if the maximum number of accesses are in use. Record 'hotlinks'
The fields on each record have been organised into collapsible groups which can be expanded or collapsed by clicking onto the group headings (hotlinks). This allows you to design your records to show the fields you wish to see on a regular basis. This can be designed per machine, allowing individual users to view only the information that is relevant to them. You are able to easily expand or collapse all groups by right clicking anywhere on the screen, or opt to print the information from the screen which will take into account expanded and collapsed groups. Improvements to date fields
We have improved date fields throughout the system to make entering information more efficient. As well as entering dates in the usual dd/mm/yyyy or dd/mm/yy format there are now many more functions available - more details coming soon. Alternative demand remittance address per client
As standard, demands print a remittance slip displaying the name and address of which payment should be sent to, which is typically the address of the managing agent. Following recent requests from our users, the system now caters for tenants who pay directly to the landlord by allowing you to setup an alternative remittance address on the client record. All of the options listed above are available free of charge to all users currently subscribing to Software Support (subject to compatibility with your current settings). If you would like to discuss any of the options or request an option to be included on your next update, please speak to Support.
RICS service charge code of conduct - September 28th, 2007 by Louise
As you may be aware, the RICS have introduced new regulations regarding a commercial service charge code of conduct. As we understand it, these regulations are only applicable to commercial, more complex service charge properties but if you would like to look at the regulations yourself you will find the relevant information on the following link. http://www.servicechargecode.co.uk We have now finalised the changes required and these are currently being tested. Along with the required changes we have taken the opportunity to expand the already composite area of service charge and improve upon the suggestions made by the RICS. - There is a required list of cost codes. We plan to hold these codes in a centralised database and link these codes automatically to the appropriate cost class and category.
- As these codes are 'suggestions' and will not be applicable to all of our users on all of their properties, we plan to allow the user to select by property the codes applicable to each (again linking to the appropriate cost class and category).
- We will allow the user the flexibility of adding their own cost codes and again selecting the properties that they are applicable to.
- We will change the service charge budgeting facility to allow the user to budget on multiple percentages (for planned and scheduled service charges) and will allow the user to budget on cost codes used within a schedule.
The required changes will be in an updated version of the system later this year and all users subscribing to the software support scheme will get this update (along with all other new features we have developed and are currently working on) free of charge.
Features Released During August - September 14th, 2007 by Berni
Please see below our pick of the latest features available. Many more features
are available, although some features may not be applicable to your portfolio or
may not be compatible with your current settings. Please see the features section
for a full features listing. This month's selected new features are:-
- Backup history
- Supplier payment method
- Ledgers
- Credit notes or minus demands selective by tenant
- Navigating backwards
Backup history
This feature will allow you to see information about where and when backups have been made. As we feel this option will be useful to all users it will be included in the system as a global option.
Supplier payment method
You will now be able to select the preferred payment method for each supplier. This information will follow through to the transaction screens (client and/or service charge expenditure) and when selecting a supplier to pay the system will default to their preferred payment method. (If BACS or Auto cheque is the default, the transaction will automatically go into the BACS/Cheque run.) Ledgers
This option combines existing listings of income and expenditure found throughout the system into one easy ledger screen allowing you see transactions and balances to any given date more easily. This facility is available at cashbook, client, property and tenant level and is a valuable tool for providing additional information to clients, service charge accountants, tenants, auditors etc. This feature is quick and easy to use; simply enter a date span for the system to display a balance brought forward, all transactions within the date span and a running balance. Credit notes or minus demands selective by tenant
You can now select per tenant whether a credit note or a minus demand should print if a credit is due to a tenant. We can setup this option to default to credit notes or demands, to minimise the input required from you. Navigating backwards
Whilst viewing or editing records you will now be able to navigate 'up the tree' (i.e. when viewing a tenant you can go back to the property that tenant belongs to, then back to the client and even back to the cashbook the client is linked to if needed). This option was originally suggested by users and as we feel it is useful to all users, it will be included in the system as a global option. All of the options listed above are available free of charge to all users currently subscribing to Software Support (subject to compatibility with your current settings). If you would like to discuss any of the options or request an option to be included on your next update, please speak to Support.
Publish to Web Demonstration - September 3rd, 2007 by Des
The Publish to Web demo website is now back online (http://www.clientreport.co.uk/demo). The site had been taken down recently to carry out some essential upgrades. These upgrades are in preparation for showcasing some of the new features that we have planned for the next generation of the service. You can expect a 'makeover' and announcement in the near future. Please note that the non-demo publish to web servers were unaffected.
Cashbook Reconciliation Tutorial - August 24th, 2007 by Lauren
This tutorial shows you how to reconcile your system
cashbook to your bank statement in 3 easy steps.
The cashbook reconciliation facility on the T&H
System is a simple but invaluable tool allowing you to
reconcile your cashbook as often as required.
As you enter your income and expenditure into the
system the cashbook is constantly being updated. The
reconciliation screen will detail all income and
expenditure up to your chosen date in a clear and
precise format, allowing you to easily highlight those
transactions on your bank statement whilst automatically
taking into account any uncleared income and unpresented
expenditure.
The cashbook reconciliation on the T&H System can be
done in 3 easy steps:
Step 1:
Enter the date you wish to reconcile up to.
Step 2:
You are presented with an on screen list of
transactions. Select the transactions that appear on
your bank statement (the system balance will
automatically adjust to represent your bank statement
balance).
Step 3:
Check your system bank statement balance against your
actual bank statement balance and then click OK to
complete your cashbook reconciliation. You are provided
with the following printouts:-
- Debit cashbook (a listing all of all income
entered)
- Credit cashbook (a listing all of all
expenditure entered)
- Balances list (a list of balances held at bank)
- Reconciliation page (detailing a 'book' balance
and a bank balance)
- Unpresented transactions (a list of all
uncleared income and unpresented expenditure).
Keep these printouts with your bank statement to show
at any given time that a full reconciliation has been
done.
[+] Click here to expand tutorial
Under Development - August 6th, 2007 by Berni
Please see below some of the features we will be
working on this month:-
Demands: the ability to select an alternative address
to print on the demand remittance per client to cater
for tenants who pay direct to the landlord.
Printout archiving: improvements to the printout
archiving facility to allow you to search through your
archived printouts more efficiently.
Tutorials: we are working on tutorials to guide you
through using the more involved areas of the system,
with worked examples and video tutorials to help you use
your system to the full.
New Features - July 26th, 2007 by Berni
Please see below our pick of the latest features
available. Many more features are available, although
some features may not be applicable to your portfolio or
may not be compatible with your current settings. Please
see the features section for a full features listing.
This month's selected new features are:-
- Update install wizard
- VAT defaulting
- Exporting records
Update install wizard
The way you install system updates (free to users that
subscribe to software support) has been redesigned to
make installing new features easier and more efficient.
An on screen update wizard will guide you through
installing updates in a few easy steps and once
installed you are ready to begin using your new features
straight away.
VAT defaulting
When setting up tenant charges, the system will now
default to Yes to VAT if the property or tenant record
is selected as vatted.
Exporting records
You will now be able to export information more easily
from the system. We have improved the record exporting
facility to allow you to export cashbook and supplier
records as well as improving the amount of data exported
when exporting client, property and/or tenant records.
As we feel this option will be useful to all users it
will be included in the system as a global option.
All of the options listed above are available free of
charge to all users currently subscribing to Software
Support (subject to compatibility with your current
settings). If you would like to discuss any of the
options or request an option to be included on your next
update, please speak to Support.
Backups Tutorial - July 18th, 2007 by Louise
This tutorial will guide you through all you need to
know about creating a backup of your property management data.
To view this full tutorial you need to be a registered user
New Staff - July 9th, 2007 by Louise
Following the recent release of our new property
management system and its huge success, we are pleased
to announce a new addition to our team.
Taz joined us this month and is a welcome addition to
our programming team. His expertise are enabling us to
expand areas of the system that will be of benefit to
all. Taz is currently working on our website to provide
quick and easier access to development and testing news,
up and coming new features and system tutorials; he will
also be extending our already popular Publish to Web
facility with some exciting new features. If you're
interested in learning more about this, please contact
us.
Under Development - July 5th, 2007 by Berni
Please see below some of the features we will be
working on this month:-
Record navigating: improvements to viewing and
editing records so that you are able to navigate
backwards, i.e. when viewing a tenant record you can
view the property record it is linked to.
Demands: the ability to choose per tenant whether
suspense funds should show on their demands.
Credit notes: credit note numbers to work in
conjunction with demand numbers.
Ledgers: this feature will draw together transaction
listings from all areas of the system to allow you to
see balances to a given date with ease.
New Features - June 30th, 2007 by Berni
Please see below our pick of the latest features
available. Many more features are available, although
some features may not be applicable to your portfolio or
may not be compatible with your current settings. Please
see the features section for a full features listing.
This month's selected new features are:-
- Link to external files
- Closedown password
- Improved record printing
- Improved demand message facility
Link to external files
The facility to link to external files on each record
has been extended. You are now able to link to external
files on the cashbook and supplier records, as well as
at client, property and tenant level. This feature
allows you to access any external notes or information
for each record with minimum effort.
Closedown password
As you are aware, closedown archives information
each quarter to keep your data under control and easy to
manage. To prevent closedown being done at the wrong
time, you are now able to setup a password which must be
entered before closedown can be run.
Improved record printing
You are now able to print each record by simply right
clicking and selecting print. The record printouts have
been improved to show additional information such as
account balances, and will take into account any
collapsed or expanded sections so your printout will
show the same information as you see onscreen. As we
feel this option will be useful to all users it will be
included in the system as a global option.
Improved demand message facility
The demand messaging facility has been extended
to allow you to enter a demand message at cashbook level
as well as the standard at client, property and tenant
level. Any message entered at cashbook level will print
on demands for all tenants linked to the cashbook. This
could be used to enter bank account details to allow
tenants to pay by BACS, for example. As we feel this
option will be useful to all users it will be included
in the system as a global option.
All of the options listed above are available free of
charge to all users currently subscribing to Software
Support (subject to compatibility with your current
settings). If you would like to discuss any of the
options or request an option to be included on your next
update, please speak to Support.
Utilities Tutorial - June 13th, 2007 by Lauren
Utilities allows you to see information and perform
tasks relating to the system. This tutorial will show
you how to:-
- create backups
- browse backups
- restore backups
- enter practice
- view archived printouts
- view system information (e.g. last updated)
- view how many machines are accessing the system
at any time
- view Support contact details.
To view this full tutorial you need to be a registered user
New Staff - June 4th, 2007 by Louise
Summers here and so is Alex!
Alex has returned to us for the summer period
following her successful time with us previously. Many
of our older users will remember Alex from previous
years and will know that she has a wealth of knowledge
to easily and efficiently assist users with their
property management and system based queries.
Under Development - June 4th, 2007 by Berni
Please see below some of the features we will be working on this month:- Backups: information to be stored about where and when backups have been made. Updates: improvements to the update process which will simplify updating your system. Suppliers: choose a preferred payment method for each supplier. This should streamline the posting of transactions, automatically defaulting to the set payment method for each supplier. Tenant charges: VAT to default to Yes or No depending on whether the property and/or tenant is vatted.
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