onTOPS Issue 30

January 2005

Welcome to onTOPS, an email magazine produced by TOPS Software to keep you informed about TOPS products and services.

In this issue:

• Greater Flexibility with Custom Report Export
• Web Sites: Thanks For a Wonderful Year!
• Appearances: TOPS Comes to You!
• New Theme Manager and Five New Themes
• Updater: New Enhancements to TOPS 2000(tm)
• Important Note for Customers with Custom Programs

Enjoy your reading, and we will see you next month!

>> Feedback: ezines@topssoft.com

Greater Flexibility with Custom Report Export Utility
By Bruce R Gran CMCA(R), AMS(TM), PCAM(R)

Recently we announced the addition of the Custom Report Export Utility, which provides the ability to export data from the Owner Database, Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, General Ledger and Check Reconciliation modules. With this new utility, all of the accounting data stored in TOPS 2000(TM) is now accessible to any ODBC report writer such as MS Access or Crystal Reports.

This utility empowers you to create an unlimited number of customized reports from data you are tracking in TOPS 2000(TM). Think of the possibilities! You can design simple data reports, or create an eye popping report complete with charts! Create special reports to comply with the governing documents of the association, state statute, board directive, or management contract. With the Custom Report Export Utility, TOPS Software has given you the ability to extract your data in whatever manner you choose. The result is flexibility in reporting with built-in efficiencies!

Best of all, this exciting capability is available at no charge to all TOPS 2000(TM) customers on a paid support plan. All you need is the program update and your favorite report writer to start designing your own custom reports. To activate the Custom Report Export Utility, follow the directions in the Updater section below to update your TOPS 2000(TM) program modules. Once you have updated, click on Utilities, and select Custom Report Export Utility from the menu.

A user manual containing complete instructions on how to use the utility and a breakdown of database structures is available at http://www.topssoft.com/Support/Manuals.

WEB SITES: Thanks For a Wonderful Year!

TOPS had such a terrific 2004 Web Site Sales Year that we wanted to extend a big THANK YOU to our web site clients. As our way of saying thanks, we’re offering to any of our management company clients that have at least 20 web sites, a 50% reduction in set up fees for new communities signing up between now and February 15th.

With so many of your clients having budgeted a community web site, this is the perfect opportunity to move forward. Each of your associations would be saving at least $50 and your management company will continue to benefit as we do reduce the cost of your management company site by $5 for each association signed up for the service.

We’ve got some exciting plans for 2005 and we’re looking forward to making you shine! Please call our Sales Team at 1-800-556-7852 or email us at websales@topssoft.com and we’ll get you started!

Are you interested in signing up your company for TOPS Interactive Web Sites? Visit http://www.topshome.com or call Susan at 1-800-556-7852 for a free information packet.

APPEARANCES: TOPS Comes to You!

New Theme Manager and Five New Themes

Last month we announced the new themes functionality for TOPS 2000(TM), but we made an error in the instructions, which many of you were quick to point out. The Themes Download interface has now changed. Themes may now be installed and removed via the Theme Manager, a new program accessed directly within TOPS 2000(TM). The Theme Manager will connect to our server and display a complete list of downloadable themes.

In addition to the themes we released last month, we have added five new themes, A Day At The Beach, Candy Hearts, Check Mate, Tee Time, and Under the Sea.

Before you can use Theme Manager, you must upgrade your TOPS 2000(tm) program files. To do so, follow the instructions below called "How to Update Your Files". Once you have updated, click View, Theme Manager to access the program. When the Theme Manager appears, click the Download button next to the themes you wish to install. If you wish to uninstall a theme, click the remove button. Once you have finished installing themes, click the Done button to close the Theme Manager. To Switch Themes, click View, Themes, and select the theme you wish to apply.

New Updates to TOPS 2000™

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 http://www.topssoft.com/Support/MSA_plans.htm.

• The TOPS Internet Updater has been upgraded to include Custom Program functionality. (See the Support Article Below)
• Theme Manager has been added to the Updater.
• W-2s have been corrected for customers in states that do not have state taxes.
• The OK button on the AP bank Accounts is now displayed correctly.
• The PrePaid report is now able to handle $1,000,000 totals.
• The Apply Prepaid function in 3.2 no longer displays a diagnostic screen.
• The DOS to Windows conversion has been updated.

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.)
2. If it is open, close TOPS on your computer.
3. Go online to http://www.topssoft.com/downloads.htm.
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 right, 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 2000™.

Important Note:

Customers with Custom Programs

We have had a number of customers who have had a difficult time using the Internet Updater to update their TOPS 2000(tm) program files due to the fact that they have custom programming. Until now, customers with custom programs have had to load their custom programs manually on every machine after each time they run the TOPS Internet Updater. We recognize that this procedure is a bit tedious, and so we have done something about it.

We have updated the Internet Updater program with a brand new feature for custom programs. With the new updater, you can save your custom programs on your server, so they will be automatically restored after each update. The updater will continue to list the files as being out of date, but it will not replace your custom files.

To use the new feature, you will need to have your custom program disks on hand.

1. Close TOPS and go to http://www.topssoft.com/downloads/.
2. Click the GO button to run the Internet Updater from the web.
3. When the updater appears, look in the bottom right of the screen for the new Custom Programs features.
4. Click the button that says Install Custom Files.
5. Enter the number of disks in your custom program (up to 5)
6. Click the Convert button.
7. Insert the first disk into the diskette drive and proceed, entering each disk in turn as prompted. Once all disks have been loaded, your custom programs will be saved in the updater.
8. Check the box that says 'Replace After Update', and change the 'Module To Check' to 'TOPS 2000'.
9. Click Update files to perform the update. Once all files have been updated, the Updater will automatically restore your custom programs to the original files that you loaded.
10. Close the Updater.

As an added bonus, this feature will allow you to install custom programs on machines that do not have floppy disk drives. Simply run the updater while networked to your data server, and click Install Custom Files, and then click the Install button.

Contact Us

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

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