onTOPS

Welcome to onTOPS, an e-zine produced by TOPS Software to keep you informed about our products and services.

This month we have a number of cool articles to bring you, including a last chance deal on our Windows Payroll module, details on the new CondoCerts Wizard, and an exciting announcement about out Internet Backup Service. Then Christina Smutek tells us about her management company in Appletree Management at a glance. Additionally, we bring you more of the great information you have come to expect from onTOPS, including our monthly update listing (Check out the new email feature!), help for resales, and an article for portfolio managers to 'share the pain' of association management through Community Web sites.

There's so much to love, we just hope you enjoy this month's e-zine as much as we enjoy bringing it to you!

As always, we look forward to hearing your feedback about the e-zine. Please let us know what things you liked, what you would like to see, and any suggested articles by e-mailing us at Ezines@TOPSSoft.com. Once again, enjoy your reading, and we will see you next month!

Andrea Drennen 

onSpecial

Last Chance! $100 off Windows Payroll Module

The TOPS 2000T Windows Payroll Module is complete and ready for purchase. For those of you who have been waiting for the Windows version of the Payroll Module, now is the time to purchase, while the special introductory rate of $595 is still in effect. After March 31, 2004, the price will increase to the retail cost of $695.

The TOPS 2000T Payroll Module allows you to control every aspect of your company payroll. You can maintain complete employee files and handle multiple pay types (hourly, salary, etc...), frequencies (weekly, bi-weekly, etc...), and deductions, including pre-tax earning adjustments. Tax tables may be defined for any state or local payroll taxes.

For those customers that own the DOS Payroll Module, you will be receiving the Windows Payroll Module at no charge, once the conversion utility, which converts your DOS data into Windows format, is complete.

Nicole Sezov 

onTheUpdater

TOPS 2000™ Updates

Please be advised that the Internet Updater is restricted to customers on a current maintenance support agreement. If you are interested in our support plans, please go to www.topssoft.com/Support/MSA_plans.htm.

The following updates were added to the TOPS Internet Updater in March 2004:

General

We have now released the newest version of the email program for TOPS 2000™. This new version provides three methods of emailing through TOPS, to insure that all customers can use TOPS 2000™ to send emails to owners, developers, board members, anyone!

• Default Email Client and Interface - TOPS will use your current email program, whatever that may be, to send out mail. Your Windows default mail account will be used (the primary account you have set up in your mail program.) Once they have been sent, email messages will appear in the sent items folder of your mail program.
  (Note: This method only works with email accounts on a 'real' mail server. It will not work with 'Internet' mail accounts, such as Hotmail or Yahoo mail.)
• Default Email Client / TOPS Interface - This will pass the email through your default email program, but you will see the TOPS email form instead of outlook or another email program. The advantage is that you can change the FROM: to something generic instead of being your personal address. You can also define a different return email address. The message will appear in the sent items folder of your mail program.
  (Note: This method only works with email accounts on a 'real' mail server. It will not work with 'Internet' mail accounts, such as Hotmail or Yahoo mail.)
• TOPS Email Client / TOPS Interface - The old way. This method will not go through your existing mail client. You may use any valid email address. Sent items are not stored anywhere in TOPS 2000™.

Accounts Payable

1. Re-Activated the 'Repeat Vendor' key (F7-key) in the bill entry screen. (This feature will allow you to assign bills or checks to the same vendor as the previous entry.)
2. Made a correction to the procedure that selects the last used bank account for Handwritten Checks.
3. Fixed a data issue with the 'manual adjust check' routine in A/P Adjustments screen.

Accounts Receivable

1. Added a new option to Bills and Coupons to print a 'Group Owner Summary Statement'.

General Ledger

1. Financial Statements may now be printed with a sub account wild card, allowing all sub accounts within the range to be included in the report.

Windows Payroll

1. Added 'Quarterly History' report.
2. Made a few cosmetic changes to the screens.

Global Module - Lockbox

1. eRent Payer files are now accepted by the lockbox program. This change affects all community web site customers using the online payment feature.
2. "CAB" has now been added as a standard lockbox file format.

Community Fact Sheet

1. Added Attorney tab to contain information about the legal council for the community.
2. Added field for details on what association fees cover.

Add-On Modules

1. Job Streaming - Corrected issue with certain communities not being displayed in the community selection list.

How to Update Your Files

1. Make sure you are logged into the computer that will be performing the update. (If you are updating in a networked environment, update the server first, as a workstation, and then run the update on each workstation, as a workstation.)
2. If it is open, close TOPS on your computer. We recommend that all users exit TOPS 2000™, especially during the server update. All workstations should be updated at this time.
3. Connect to the Internet and navigate to www.topssoft.com/Downloads.
4. Under "Program Updates" click the GO button.
5. Click Open, to run the update from the current location.
6. When the TOPS Web Updater appears, click the down arrow next to 'Select Module to Check' and Choose TOPS 2000™.
7. On the bottom left, ensure that the "Workstation Only" option is selected.
8. Click the "Begin Update" button. (The system may prompt you for a User ID. If so, enter in your TOPS Customer ID)
9. Once the update is complete, you can close this window and re-open TOPS 2000T.

TOPS Programming Department 

onSales

Internet Backup Service: New Lower Prices!

Over a year ago, when we began offering the TOPS Internet Backup Service, it was offered at the fair market price. Since then, through increased demand, better compression, and reduced server fees, we find that we are now able to support a larger amount of data at a much lower cost. Our savings are now your savings.

The TOPS Internet Backup Service offers you the ability to back up your important TOPS data, right from your TOPS 2000™ software. Your data will first be compressed and then backed up on two secure servers, in two separate locations. You can even create a schedule, within TOPS 2000™, to automatically back up your data on specific dates, at specific times. If ever you need to restore your backed up data, all you need is your TOPS 2000™ software and an Internet connection. You can even restore your data to any computer; it does not have to be the one that sent the backup. Just be sure you remember the password that you created to protect your backed up association data.

The new pricing scheme is already in effect, so go to www.topsbackup.com to see the new, lower prices and to sign up for this important service. $15.00 per month now buys you a whole lot more!

2004 Trade Show Schedule

The following is our current trade show schedule for 2004. The events below are subject to change, and a number of events will likely be added as the season gets under way.

• Apr 27: CAI Rocky Mountain Chapter; Denver, CO
• May 14: CAI Goldcoast Golf Event; West Palm Beach, FL
• May 20-22: CAI's 53rd National Conference & Exhibition; San Diego, CA
• Aug 12: CAI Dallas Chapter; Dallas, TX
• Sep 18: CAI New Jersey Chapter; Somerset, NJ
• Oct 15: CAI Houston Chapter; Houston, TX

Nicole Sezov 

onSupport

Splitting Histories in Owner Resales

TOPS 2000™ has the built-in ability to handle owner resales through the Owner Resale Wizard. This can be a useful function to keep track of owners as they move in and out of the community. The owner resale wizard helps you manage the payment history so you make sure the correct owner is paying the dues he or she is responsible for.

The owner resale wizard is found under Owner, Maintain. You must select the owner or property for which the resale took place. To initiate the resale, click the resale button on the owner maintain toolbar. Enter the date of the sale, and you will then have the option to manage the payment history. You can choose from three options: 'split the history', 'history goes with previous owner', or 'history stays with current owner'. If you choose either the 'history goes with previous owner' or 'history stays with new owner' options, the entire history up to the current date stays intact and is attached to the desired owner. New items from this point forward will be associated with the new owner.

If the split history option is selected, the resale function allows you to go back and divide the existing history. This is very handy when you find out the resale took place months ago and you have to go back and make the resale. There are a few things that are important with using the 'split history' option.

• You must double click in the history detail area to insert the line where the history will be split. If you choose to split the history but do not correctly select a line to split, TOPS 2000™ will not allow you to close the screen, and will display the error message 'The Resale Information is Incomplete!'
• You must make sure that you do not enter the split history line in the middle of a multiple line transaction. If you split a multiple line transaction incorrectly, you could receive error messages.

Once the history split is complete, click OK, and TOPS 2000™ will display a breakdown of the history for each owner in a side by side comparison view. Click OK to complete the split, and proceed to enter the new owner information.

The owner resale function provides an easy way to handle resales, and the split history feature can be especially helpful in cases where the resale took place in the past and you are only just now finding out about it.

Important Note: If you should choose not to use the resale function, and simply change the name of the owners, it may seem to be the equivalent of choosing 'History Stays With New Owner'. However, by choosing this option, you will lose all record in TOPS 2000™ of the previous owner's name and contact information, and you will have no record that the resale took place, or when. Furthermore, if you use TOPS Community Web Sites, you could damage your online history records by not performing a valid owner resale.

Ryan Allen

onTheSpot

Appletree Management Group, Inc. 'At A Glance'

Appletree Management Group, Inc. (aka Appletree Marketing & Realty) is a professional business firm specializing in Community, Resort and Real Estate Management. The Firm provides client services throughout the tri-state (PA, NY, NJ) area and, when feasible, to clients across the country. The Firm's principal and owner, James H. Ott, CMCA, PCAM has been working in the Community Association Industry since 1973.

Appletree Management Group, Inc. prides itself in being an industry leader by actively participating in community association, real estate and hospitality organizations and programs. The Firm constantly invests time and money in key staff development, internal and external reporting systems and creating special partnerships with third parties to enhance the delivery of community, owner and client services.

One of Appletree Management Group's most successful partnerships has been with TOPS Software. After conducting thorough research on available industry related software in October 2000, the Firm chose TOPS due to the software's ability to enhance our Firm's service delivery in the areas of: (1) financial administration, (2) web site hosting and maintenance, (3) work order management, (4) common area security, (5) individual account management, access and timely communications.

Our relationship with TOPS has been positively measurable; resulting in (1) timely delivery of services, (2) less non-essential communication into the main office, (3) fewer owner concerns, (4) enhanced friendly interactive communications via the web sites and (5) confirmation of services delivered. In some instances, client revenues have been enhanced via the ability to accommodate more work order service requests, web site advertising, program announcements, etc. In summation, all of the above could not be realized without the investment by our TOPS representative in continued development of our (and clients') software needs. Flexibility, problem solving and creativeness have been key, combined with listening to your client. "The folks at TOPS are good listeners."

All are invited to visit our web site at www.appletreemanagement.com

Christina Smutek 
www.appletreemanagement.com

onLine

Let our Technology Work for YOU!

Portfolio Managers, this article is especially written for you!

We work with Portfolio Managers from coast to coast. When we initially present the Association Web Site Service, we're met with skepticism and some managers are even down right hostile! It all stems from the fact that managers think an association web site is going to be more of a burden on their shoulders than a benefit to them. We want to assure you that our web site service was written with you and your concerns in mind - and it really is a benefit to the association MANAGER!

One of the most important aspects of the Association Web Site Service is what we term the "Share the Pain" factor. Each association web site has up to 99 security levels so that the Board of Directors can add information to the web site, Committee Chairs can add their own information and even residents can populate certain features of the site! All of this sharing is being done without input from the Property Manager.

The site can be a useful place to store all of the documents that a resident needs access to and are often in a hurry to receive. Examples of this are the Architectural Control Form, Gate Pass Information and even Service Request forms. Imagine residents being able to fill these out on their own timeframe without having to get a copy from you to start the process!

Many managers we know have responsibility for booking the common area rentals in their associations. A calendar that is accessible by all residents stops those games of phone tag, and with the new ability to accept online payments, these can be reserved without having to wait for a check to arrive! It is win, win, win for everyone involved!

With the synchronization to TOPS 2000™ property management software, homeowners are able to see their 12 month payment history, status of work orders, pool passes, last check and so much more! All of these were items that managers told us they received calls about. Now their phones are not ringing for mundane items. They're getting to use their professional skills to actually manage the association instead of doing clerical tasks.

TOPS will provide you with all of the materials you need to market the service to your boards. Just call us at 800-556-7852 and we'll put customized materials in the mail to you today!

Roll out association web sites to each of your communities and start letting our technology work for you!

Susan Sanders 

offTopic

Strange But True baby names: 

Remember a couple of years ago when some couple tried to sell the naming of their baby in eBay? If you thought that was weird, check out some of these actual baby names that have been collected over the years by the Florida Office of Vital Statistics:

• Vasoline Lewis
• Winnie Mac Pough
• Toyota Corona Maria Collier
• Ima Rose Bush
• Rose Royce Hood
• Cherry Dacquiri Sour
• Sandy Beach
• Cherry Pye
• Eg Turner
• Desperate Jones
• Bigamy and Larceny (twins)

www.lubbockonline.com/news/122896/thename.htm 

onCall

Here is a list of some of the most common contact data for TOPS Software:

Designed by TOPS Software, LLC. Copyright© 2001-2005 TOPS Software, LLC, 364-C Christopher Ave, Gaithersburg, MD 20879. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

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