YASC DC Day Two

Prepping for progress

By Erica Rascón on May 22, 2013 in News

Changes and updates are on the horizon for many Yardi verticals. Many of today’s sessions prepared attendees for software updates and industry changes that will affect the way that they do business.

Voyager 6 to 7S: A small step forward with many benefits

With excitement brewing about the recent release of Yardi Voyager 7S, many YASC attendees were interested in learning the differences between Voyager 7S and its predecessor, Voyager 6. While it will not be a jolting conversion for most clients, there were several key changes that make the user experience more efficient and pleasurable. Project Manager Ami Kerns walked class participants through the highlights.

-Users now have a new menu search bar, Favorites and History at their fingertips
-Designated users can search the back end of the database, making most objects and columns searchable.
-Search results now appear on a tidy pop-up window that doesn’t interfere with information and menus displayed on the page initially views. Users may now navigate through multiple screens at the same time without access to Ctrl+N—which is excellent for on tablets and devices without Control features
-Voyager 6 has been rewritten using .NET, creating convenient tabs  and links for features that users utilize most
-Designated users may gain access to posted batches and edit their details
-PayScan 12.1 is compatible with 7S display type securities
-7S allows users to enter multiple tax values for one object, then have those tax values auto-populate according to the specific GL account, expense account, or the payable account
-Users can customize how payments are divided
-Prepayments can be made on a non-zero receipt and multiple pre-pays can be issued on a single receipt batch
-Periodic invoicing available with customizable fields

Getting Revved-up for HUD Updates

“Does everyone have all of the candy that they need?” asked Mary Ross, President of Ross Business Development, Inc.  That was the 11am greeting for the HUD Updates Pt. II class.  Absorbing HUD changes seems to require a certain amount of stamina that can only be supported by large quantities of chocolate.

Equipped with candy and attentive ears, Yardi clients learned recent policy changes regarding smoke free housing, resident selection, criminal screening, and bed bug disaster mitigation. Notice 2012-5 supersedes HUD Notice 11-20 (though it will not override state requirements); the Notice empowers owners and property managers to take more proactive measures in the prevention and treatment of bed bugs on their properties.

Those seeking to establish smoke-free or smoking-restricted HUD housing received helpful tips and verbiage to create easy to read–and relatively foolproof—lease agreements that protect the vision for healthier properties. From tricky tenants who have been grandfathered in to tenants’ care givers, the proper wording for house rules can make all of the difference in enforcing smoking regulations.

Changes to criminal screening brought up cases of disparate impact, which have proved to be hardest to manage; class participants learned to work within recommended practices despite limited HUD  guidance.

Easier Dealings with RFTA in PHA

Gabrielle Van Horn and Kenneth Hall introduced PHA users to quite a few changes today, starting with an easier to use Call Center Dashboard that facilitates convenient tenant and vendor searches.  .NET programming now allows users to access pertinent information from one screen, add new memos with the click of a button, and access Wait Lists without leaving the Tenant/Vendor information page.

Having issues with PIC reconciliation? PHA updates now make it easier than ever to reconcile files with errors, update corrections, and resubmit. 50058 management has also been simplified, making it easier to make and reverse voids.

The crowning notification undoubtedly came in the form of RFTA updates—and  few new features and others that were already in place and underutilized. Once PHA plugin 11 is in place, it can guide users through RFTA reports, from creation to completion. Users can even add and track extensions and the duration of the application process. In development, the Yardi team is working to make it possible to generate reports based on average times needed to complete RFTA reports across buildings and properties.

Summer Brings Changes to CONDOCafé 

This popular Canadian-focused product, offering paperless solutions specifically developed for condo, co-op and homeowner associations, is gaining momentum in the US.  A few new additions, scheduled for release this summer, will make the product even more appealing to condo managers and owners.

-New security and permission features allow clients to customize user access by user groups, controlling access to documents, financial reports, and more.
-Clients will be able to enter content using a creative tool bar that permits customized fonts, colors, and other text features.
-Clients can determine whether to accept changes directly to the Voyager database or review changes for approval before posting to CondoCafe.
-The new landing page will allow visitors to purchase documents and certifications. They may select from customizable single packets, multiple packets per unit, or a la carte-style packets. Clients control the number of times that any packet may be downloaded.
-CondoCafe is iPad compatible!

Fun and Games with Energy Management

As the last session of the day, the YES Energy Management team ended with a bang, creating an interactive session that kept participants awake and focused at one of the hardest parts of the day. It was simple, really: participants pulled slips of paper out of a tin, then read the scenario described on the paper. YES team members then acted out the scenario, revealing aspects of the utilities and management modules in the process. It was a fun way to educate groups about the features of the program while drawing attention to the ease and flexibility of Voyager-based software.

YES Energy Management software facilities utilities management, call center service, and sub-meter installation and maintenance. Data is gathered on behalf of clients and used to generate easy-to-read reports, including graphs and expense tables that let users compare their energy consumption with that of residents in comparable units. Yardi will also notify clients if data suggests that a leak or system malfunction is present.

Clients can also project future expenses, access call center memos, track resident inquiries, and upload documents. YES Energy Management System provides clients with configurable options to suite each unique property.

Our report is only a small sampling of the innovative changes that Yardi has made to our line of software to accommodate users across various verticals. To learn more, stay tuned for more YASC updates on The Balance Sheet at on Twitter at #yascdc.

YASC participants are encouraged to participate in the YASC VIP Giveaway. Simply follow Yardi’s LinkedIn page and submit your email address on The Balance Sheet, Yardi’s corporate blog. Participants will be entered for a chance to win free attendance to Yardi’s Fall 2013 YASC event in Santa Barbara or YASC Spring 2014 in Washington, D.C.—a $995 value. The winner will also receive $500 VISA giftcard