March 2005
In this issue:
Enjoy your reading, and we will see you next month!
Read this issue and archived issues of the onTOPS E-Zine online
at: http://www.topssoft.com/Articles/E-Zines
Feedback: insider@topssoft.com
I would like to take a quick opportunity to welcome Lillian Golgano
to the TOPS Team. She has been working as a contractor for the past
few months writing user manuals. This month, we have brought her
into the fold for good, and tossed her straight into the frying
pan! In addition to writing and editing our many help materials,
Lillian is also taking over our monthly e-zines and our quarterly
newsletters. This month marks her first time, so be sure to send
her your comments if you like what you read! Thanks to everyone
for all of the support you have given me during the years that I
have done these projects, and I hope that you extend the same courtesy
and kindness to her!
Sincerely, Andrea Drennen
SALES:
Sales Department Happenings!
The TOPS sales department is pleased to welcome Martin Klueck!
Marty comes to us from our very own technical support department.
His experience with TOPS 2000™ goes beyond the support team.
As the treasurer of his condominium association using TOPS 2000™
to manage the association's business, he is an excellent champion
for TOPS Software. One of Marty's responsibilities will be to do
orientations for our new TOPS 2000™ clients. He will also
assist in doing new client support for the 90-day free support period.
Marty is currently contacting our Job Streaming users to gain insight
as to what works and what enhancements they would like added.
Marty got his feet wet recently by representing TOPS Software at
the Washington Metro CAI EXPO, March 5, 2005 in Washington DC. Marty
reports he saw many of our current clients while demonstrating our
software to interested parties. WELCOME MARTY!
We have many other happenings in line for 2005. At the top of the
list the sales office is moving from Lighthouse Point, FL to our
support office in Clearwater, FL. This should be completed by early
fall 2005. A satellite office will remain in Lighthouse Point to
continue support for our clients located in South Florida. With
the addition of staff, and the utilization of the Clearwater office
resources, it is our intent to improve not only the sales process
but to migrate our new clients from their previous software to TOPS
more efficiently. We will also provide better service to our existing
client base.
Another Happening we're very excited about: soon we will start
hosting monthly Internet training sessions on selected modules or
topics. These sessions will be available by reservation on a limited
basis to start, with plans to expand as interest grows. We will
be hosting user group sessions in selected markets throughout the
US, over the summer - stay tuned for details!
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TOPS INTERACTIVE WEB
SITES:
Create Value While Containing Costs!
Community Officers are always looking for ways to please their
residents. What better technology to offer your existing clients
and new prospects than TOPS community web sites! By empowering residents
with the ability to look up their own account balance, make a dues
payment online and even submit service requests twenty-four hours
a day, seven days a week from the convenience of their home, you
give them flexibility and time for other things.
Community Officers can also benefit! Automatic data exchanges via
the Internet provide access to processes such as TOPS 2000™
Online AP Approval twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week from
the convenience of their own computer - making the bill approval
process easier than ever before. Vendors are happy; they get paid
in a timely manner. Your staff is happy; they spend less time chasing
down signatures and fending off vendors looking for payment.
Offering a community web site service showcases your company not
only as one of the technology leaders in this industry, but also
sets you apart as a customer centric organization. By providing
your homeowners and board members with innovative tools that save
time and keep them informed and in touch will only serve to drive
new business to your company while retaining your current client
base.
Manage your business growth by adding technology instead of manpower!
It's a Win-Win for everyone!
Contact TOPS Web Sales at (800) 556-7852 or
WebSales@topssoft.com
for more details!
APPEARANCES:
TOPS Comes to You!
05/19-21/05 - CAI's 54th Nat'l Conference: Tucson, AZ
06/23/05 - CAI NE, Visionaries Forum: Netick, MA
10/15/05 - CAI NJ, Trade Show: Long Branch, NJ
11/19/05 - CAI New England, Trade Show: Burlington, MA
SPECIAL:
TOPS MaintCo
TOPS MaintCo is a new, stand-alone module for running a maintenance
department. It can be used with or without TOPS 2000™. If
used with TOPS 2000™, it automatically imports managed communities
as "customers" for the maintenance division. Additionally,
if work is done for homeowners, it can import homes too. Outside
customers can also be added. The customer file keeps track of every
customer where work is done with a complete history of the jobs.
TOPS MaintCo is now being offered at the special, introductory
price of $2,995. With the specialized functions and efficiencies
it offers, it will more than pay for itself within a short period
of time. This special price is for a limited time only, as more
and more functions are added to MaintCo in the future, the price
will increase.
So take advantage of this savings opportunity and buy TOPS MaintCo
now, then get all the upgrades in the future at no charge (if on
a paid support plan).For more information on TOPS MaintCo, contact
our sales department at 1-800-760-9966 or via email at sales@topssoft.com.
PRODUCT UPDATE:
Utility Billing - Tiered Pricing Feature
Do you bill back utility usage to unit owners? If you're still
using spreadsheets to track and calculate utility usage from meter
readings then entering the charges in TOPS 2000™ to bill back
to your homeowners, then it's time you take a look at Utility Billing
with the enhanced tiered pricing capability and the import file
feature.
Fully integrated with the unit owner’s account and the general
ledger, Utility Billing allows you to track and calculate charges
for water, electricity, gas and more. You can enter meter readings
manually or import a meter reading file (eliminating the need for
spreadsheets and dual data entry), apply sales tax and other service
fees,and print invoices from one easy to use module.
Because "one size does not fit all" and charge calculation
methods for utility usage will vary from utility to utility, TOPS
2000™ Utility Billing has been enhanced to handle billing
with four generally used methods with which to calculate utility
charges when billing back usage to your property owners.
For example, a utility may charge more per unit for usage based
on an incremental scale as usage increases, or they may charge a
Fixed Amount regardless of usage.
- The first method, The Single Rate is one set rate with which
to multiple a utility usage regardless of the amount used.
- The second method, Tiered Rate (Tiered Net) calculates the
cost of a utility on a predefined incremental scale as the usage
increases.
- The third method, Highest Rate/ Usage (leveled charges) is
based on a different rate per level, the cost for usage is calculated
by using the total usage multiplied by the cost at the higher
level.
- The fourth method, Fixed Amount is a set dollar amount charged
regardless of usage.
Once implemented, Utility Billing will become a major time saver
for you and your staff. For more information on Utility Billing,
contact our sales department at 1-800-760-9966 or via email at sales@topssoft.com.
DOWNLOADS:
Three New Themes for TOPS 2000™
Spring is in the air, and our new themes certainly reflect that!
We have three new themes to offer you this month - Eggcellent, Signs
of Spring, and Lilac It Like That. To download them, 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.
This month, we have added another cool
new feature to the theme interface - Random Themes! This option
allows you to select in the View/Themes menu, that will display
a random theme each time you open TOPS 2000™. Any themes that
you have downloaded from the Theme Manager will be included in the
list of available themes to randomize. So if you wanted a theme
not to show up randomly (for example, the Christmas theme) you can
simply remove it from your available themes list using the Theme
Manager. To enable the random themes option, you will need to update
your TOPS 2000™ program files with the TOPS Internet Updater.
See the directions in "How to Update Your Files" below.
UPDATER:
New Enhancements 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 Balance Sheet Net Income calculation has been corrected
so that you no longer have to change your accounting periods in
order to print the previous year's fiscal reports.
- Added Fix to AR itemized statements. Screen no longer disappears
after entering dates.
- Added New Utility Billing tiered pricing and Utility Billing
reports.
- Added State tax calculation method to the Payroll module.
- Added Deductions entered as % in slots 2 thru 6 on the Payroll
History Reports.
- Added Process Payroll 1st, Next, Back, and Last buttons.
- Added Ask if history should go to the developer when adding
new owner.
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UPDATER: How to Update Your Files
- 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.)
- If it is open, close TOPS on your computer.
- Connect to the Internet and navigate to
http://www.topssoft.com/downloads.htm.
- Under "Program Updates" click the GO button.
- Click Open, to run the update from the current location.
- When the TOPS Web Updater appears, click the down arrow next
to 'Select Module to Check' and Choose TOPS 2000.
- On the bottom right, ensure that the "Workstation Only"
option is selected.
- Click the "Begin Update" button. (The system may
prompt you for a User ID. If so, enter in your TOPS Customer ID).
- Once the update is complete, you can close this window and re-open
TOPS 2000™.
- In a network environment, it is important to update all workstations
and the server.
SUPPORT:
March 31st - Your Deadline for Closing the Payroll
Year!
Attention Payroll users! We are quickly approaching the end of
the first quarter. By now, you should have run any and all reports
necessary for 2004. Recall that Payroll runs on a calendar year
independent of your Fiscal Year. Most importantly, back up your
data! This can be easily done by utilizing our Internet Backup Service.
Visit
http://www.topsbackup.com
for more information.
Closing the year will zero out your Quarter to Date and Year to
Date figures for 2004. Your 2005 figures will remain unaffected.
Note that this procedure will update your Current Payroll Year automatically.
You may receive a message that time transactions are on file. This
is simply a warning. You may proceed. A Close Payroll warning is
displayed. Answer Yes to proceed. You will then be prompted to Purge
Terminated Employees. This is your opportunity to do just that.
If you answer Yes, the system will purge history for your terminated
employees as well as delete those employees. Upon completion, the
menu re-appears.
If you are tracking sick and vacation time and you do not accumulate
time into the next year, remember that you will have to manually
adjust your Employees’ via the 'Maintain' tab.
Contact Us
Here
is a list of some of the most common contact data for TOPS Software:
To manage the emails that you receive from TOPS Software, please
visit
http://www.topssoft.com/eforms/manage_subscriptions.htm.
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