STRATA Master Version 8.0 Upgrade Participant Workbook
NOT TO BE REPRODUCED IN ANY WAY Copyright Reserved 2015 The staff of Rockend Technology Pty Limited has taken due care in preparing this Training Manual. However, nothing contained herein modifies or alters in any way the standard terms set out in the STRATA Master Services Arrangements booklet under which it is provided. All rights in Software including this Manual, Sample Material and methods are reserved and are supplied on the express condition that the client acquires only a licence to use, and the title and copyright vest entirely in Rockend Technology Pty Limited. Reproduction (except as provided herein) in any form or by any means is not permitted nor shall it be leant, sold, hired out or made available to persons other than the staff of the client agencies. The client undertakes to prevent copying or use by third parties and the due observance of the above. Rockend Technology Pty Limited Workbook Title: STRATA Master Version 8.0 Upgrade Version: August 2015 Product: STRATA Master 8.0 2
About this course... 4 Pre-requisites... 4 Course Outcomes... 4 Using this workbook... 4 Close Diary, Quotes and Work Order Entries... 5 Reopen Diary Items... 7 Email Remittance Template... 8 Process Direct Entry... 9 Display Payee Details... 9 Amalgamate Transaction details for Management Fees... 9 filesmart Creditor Invoicing... 10 Lot and Contact Audit Trail... 11 Electronic GST Payments... 12 Remit GST... 12 Paying GST... 13 GST Report... 14 Levy Wizard... 15 Calculate levies... 15 Issue Print or Email Levy notices... 18 Produce QR Codes on levy notices... 19 Duplex Printing... 20 Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal... 21 Issue individual statements... 22 Enhancements to Quick Reports... 23 Quick Reports Corp... 23 Quick Reports Lots... 24 Multiple Lots Receipting... 25 Exclude lots for minutes... 27 Staged Debt Recovery Enhancements... 28 Configure Debt Recovery Options... 28 Issue Debt Staged Debt Recovery notices... 29 Clear Debt Collection flag on multiple lots... 30 Payment Plan for Lot Owners in Arrears... 31 New look Corporation screen... 32 Thank you for completing training with Rockend... 37 3
About this course The STRATA Master Version 8.0 Upgrade course provides you with the skills and knowledge to use the new features and enhancements of this new release to help you streamline your processes and save time. Pre-requisites Participants must be familiar with STRATA Master or have at minimum completed the STRATA Master Basics course, and a basic knowledge of Strata Management processes is essential. Course Outcomes New features and enhancements included in this course are: The ability to re-open diary entries, auto close work orders and close maintenance jobs in bulk Set an email remittance template Record where the direct entry transaction has been banked Amalgamate Transaction Details filesmart Creditor Invoicing screen sorting Electronic GST Payments Additions to the Audit Trail A new look Levy Wizard Staged Debt Recovery enhancements The ability to print on the back of notices Produce QR Codes on levy notices Enhancements to Quick Reports Multiple Lots Receipting Exclude lots for minutes New look corporation screen Using this workbook Symbol Description Notes and additional information related to this topic. This is a caution symbol, take particular care with this topic. Handy Tip 4
Close Diary, Quotes and Work Order Entries The existing utility to close work orders in bulk, and associated diary items, has been expanded to include many more types of records. You are now able to make multiple selections on screen and when you choose to close the selected work items a summary of the number of each type displays. Follow these steps to close maintenance jobs in bulk: Step Description 1. Go to Utility > Close Diary, Quotes & Work Orders 2. Enter in a Plan number or select Multiple Plans: When one owners corporation is selected, you may nominate all lots, or a specific lot When multiple owners corporations is selected and Lot Owner diary records is selected, all lots will be included 3. Select the checkbox to close User diary records The default is Any User which includes all active users, or you may select a specific active user 4. Select the checkbox to close Creditor diary records The default is Select All which includes all active creditors, or you may select a specific active creditor 5
5. Enter a from and to date The to date cannot be in the future 6. Click the process button to close the record types which fall between the date range recorded on screen 7. A confirmation message displays, which details the date range and the number of items found for each record type: Select Yes to continue to close the records, or No to change your selection criteria 8. When all records have been processed a message displays confirming the number of records closed Note: A new work order and quote status of Auto-Closed has been added and will be flagged for any items closed through the use of this utility. 6
Reopen Diary Items When a diary item has been closed, either from the diary screen, a related screen or utility, you are able to reopen it if required. When viewing a closed diary item a reopen diary button displays: A confirmation message displays when reopening a diary item. The name of the user who reopened the diary entry is recorded. Quotes set to Auto-Closed When a quote is accepted and the option is selected to auto-close all open quotes, the new status of Auto- Closed is used. All other data previously entered by users is maintained. Previously when this action was completed, the quote would be flagged as Not Received. 7
Email Remittance Template When emailing a Direct Entry remittance to a creditor, you can now use a template to populate the body of the email. A new template is included with STRATA Master Version 8.0 and can be found in the Templates folder. Follow these steps to set up the email remittance template: Step Description 1. Navigate to the new Email Remittance Template in the Template folder on your network Strata > Template > EmailRemittanceTemplate_default.txt 2. Customise the template by editing the text in Notepad: The following merge fields are available for use: <MESSAGELINE1> = Payment number <MESSAGELINE2> = User name creating the payment <MESSAGELINE3> = Plan Number 3. Click File > Save As and rename the template EmailRemittanceTemplate.txt 4. Click Save The template is utilised when payments are made from both the Payments screen and Quick Pay Other payee by direct entry where an email address is recorded. Note: Where payments are generated from a single trust account we recommend that you exclude the reference to the plan number in your template. 8
Process Direct Entry Display Payee Details An option is available in Configure > Agency > Options # 1 to display the payees details in the direct entry file, rather than the default of displaying the name of bank account where the payment is being taken from: Configuring this option also results in the payees name being displayed on the owner s corporations bank statement. Amalgamate Transaction details for Management Fees An option is available in Configure > Agency > Bank Account to only show a single line in the ABA file for the total of management fees paid to an agency: This will result in a single credit (deposit) shown on your agency bank statement when the management fee payments are received into your company bank account. Note: These options are not available in New Zealand as the file is an Australian Banking Standard. 9
filesmart Creditor Invoicing Changes have been made to reduce the time reviewing and approving invoices on the filesmart Creditor Invoices screen: The following additions have been made to allow you to sort and filter this screen and you can now: View invoices by Manager Sort invoice data by creditor, plan number or amount by clicking on the column headings Tip: Sorting by amount allows you to quickly identify large amounts that may have been entered in error, giving you the opportunity to correct these amounts on screen before processing 10
Lot and Contact Audit Trail Changes, additions or deletions made to any lots, or lot contacts, automatically have an audit trail record created in the database. To view these records, go to Reports > Audit Trail, and select lot, and/or contact: Audit changes can be viewed for a single plan or multiple plans for a specified date range, or for a specific user, or all users for a specified date range. Note: The Corporation Audit Trail records can be included on the same report as Data items; Transaction, Bank Account and Creditor. 11
Electronic GST Payments To facilitate electronic payment to a Tax Authority for GST, a new creditor has been automatically created. The system added creditor can be accessed via the Manage > Creditor screen to setup payment method and to add CRN s where the payment method is Bulk BPAY. By default, the new GST Creditor has been configured in Configure > Display and Set Config Values screen: From this screen you may select an existing creditor to be used for GST payments, or use the creditor automatically created. Caution: Ensure you have only one active GST creditor. If you are already using a GST creditor, configure that creditor to make electronic payments and set the system added creditor to inactive Remit GST The Remit GST screen has been updated to show the payment method for creditor: 12
Follow these steps to pay GST: Step Description 1. Go to Accounting > GST > Payment 2. The preconfigured GST Creditor displays on screen along with the default payment method 3. Select an owners corporation and enter your first GST amount payable 4. Enter the CRN, or select on screen where the CRN is already saved against the creditor for the plan: 5. Once the first dissection is saved the CRN selector is locked so it cannot be changed when entering each subsequent transaction for the same owners corporation 6. When all GST entries have been made for the owners corporation, select the process icon to save each entry against the plan 7. Where insufficient funds are available to pay the net amount, all invoices dissections will be placed on Hold Note: Where the payment method is cheque, the process remains unchanged Where the payment method is direct entry or BPAY the dissections entered will be saved against the owners corporation as invoices Paying GST When paying the invoices, you may select Pay GST which will pre-populate the screen with the configured GST creditor and payment method. 13
Direct Entry and Bulk BPAY payment methods will remit a single payment to the Tax Authority being a total of each invoice dissection The invoice dissections may be viewed / edited / deleted in the Creditor invoice screen if required GST Report There are two new options added to the GST Report Wizard: GST Reports can now be saved when producing them GST Reports can be issued based on the GST frequency for the plan If your office is configured for filesmart, the document will be auto-archived against the owner s corporation with the document type Business Activity Statement. GST Details Report has been improved to display the Creditors ABN which will assist during the GST Reconciliation process. This additional information is displayed on the report when produced from Formatted Reports, Reports > GST Reports and Accounting > GST menu. 14
Levy Wizard The wizard has been redesigned to allow all functions to be completed in a single screen rather than navigating through a number of different screens. There has also been added more instructional information on screen and the wizard provides a short explanation for each option. The following options are displayed on the levy screen to improve usability and efficiency when issuing notices and invoices. Calculate and/or post levies Print Levy Notices Issue individual statements Issue invoices Debt recovery Email Levy notices Print annual notice of levies Issue sub metered invoices Calculate levies This screen is used to post levy transactions in STRATA Master for the financial year for each plan: 15
Follow these steps to calculate levies: Step Description 1. Click the Calculate levies button on the levy wizard 2. The screen prepopulates with the plan number from a previous screen change the plan number if required 3. Select type of levy to be posted: The default selection is Standard Levy 4. Select the appropriate Financial Group from the dropdown, if you use this feature in your office 5. Enter the details of the levy: 6. Selecting the Advanced checkbox displays the levy instalments on screen: Where advanced levies are selected and the total to be raised does not equal the sum of the levy instalments, either the total or the instalment amounts can be changed from this screen 16
7. Click the Print Summary button: This is now a mandatory step and you cannot proceed further until the Levy Summary had been produced Check the summary to make sure there are no errors 8. Click the Post levies button: 9. A prompt displays reminding you to check the levies you are about to post: Click OK to post the levies Click Cancel if you want to amend the levy calculation 10. When the levies have been posted, you are returned to the Levy Notices Wizard 17
Issue Print or Email Levy notices Previously there were 5 screens to complete to issue levies by either print or email. The same options are available when issuing the notices, but all contained in the one screen: This option now allows for multiple plans/lots to be selected to receive a statement. You may also select from the additional options, all of which are displayed on screen: Save a copy of the statement to file Issue via the default levy notice delivery method, or print all Charge fees to issue statements, as configured in the Agency Configuration > Management fees screen When the screen is launched and an unmanaged owners corporation is pre-populated, STRATA Master will return a message when the Finish button is selected, to advise the function cannot be completed as the plan is not managed Attempts to change plans to an unmanaged launches the prompt at the time of selecting the plan 18
Produce QR Codes on levy notices Each levy notice produced from STRATA Master where BPAY is a configured for levy payments, displays a QR code on the remittance. The QR code is utilised by consumer banking apps to facilitate quick payment by BPAY, either by the Lot Owner or a Property Manager. There is no setup required to print a QR code it will automatically print. 19
Duplex Printing You are now able to setup templates to be printed on the back of levy notices and invoices. Follow these steps to setup Double Sided Printing: Step Description 1. Go to Configure > Agency > Options # 1 2. Click the Edit button 3. Select the option Print double sided Levy and Debt Recovery notices: This option is unticked by default 4. Click Save 5. Next, create a Rich Text Format file (*.rtf in Word) When printing levy notices, statements, debt recovery notices and invoices, the wording of this text file will be printed on the back of the notices 6. Attach your new template to the required Associations types, in Configure > Association Types 20
Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal For agencies which manage properties under the jurisdiction of VCAT, you can rename the template already included in your template folder, or create your own single page rtf named VCAT.rtf. This template is printed on the back of the levy and debt recovery notices issued. There is no need to make any changes in the Configure > Association Type screen as these plans are already flagged to Include VCAT Details on notices. Validation when issuing Notices Where you have setup a template and ticked Print double sided Levy and Debt Recovery notices if the default Levy Notice printer is not capable of duplex / double sided printing you will be displayed with a message to confirm if you wish to print 2 separate pages. Where the setup has been completed, but the template is missing a message will be displayed to confirm you wish to print without the wording on the back of the notice. 21
Issue individual statements Previously this option would only allow for a single statement to be printed for one lot at a time: The screen has been changed in the new Levy Wizard to enable you to: Select multiple lots from a plan, or multiple plans. Save a copy of the statements to file Issue via the default levy notice delivery method, or print all. Charge fees to issue statements, as configured in print and email levies in the Agency Configuration > Management fees screen. When emailing Individual Statements you may use a template to populate the body of the email. Customise the default template by navigating to the \\strata\templates folder on your network and editing IndividualReminderEmailTemplate.txt in Notepad. 22
Enhancements to Quick Reports There have been some additions to certain Quick Reports that are available for selection: Quick Reports Corp Show Bank Accounts You can now select to display all working or investment accounts You may also select to display active and/or inactive bank accounts in the search results Active Groups An additional column has been added to allow you to display which plans have an active financial reporting group setup. The column is displayed after Sub meter. Sub Meter An additional column has been added to allow you to display which plans have a sub meter setup. The column is displayed after Creditor invoice default status Show Management Fees Display the number of lots in a plan in the existing Show management fees search. The column is displayed after Address for sorting. 23
Quick Reports Lots Show sub meter delivery method Where a lot is included in a sub meter for an owner s corporation, display the delivery method for the sub meter invoices. 24
Multiple Lots Receipting A new screen has been created where a total of a receipt is entered at the top and then multiple levy receipts can be created across the portfolio: Follow these steps to Receipt across Multiple Lots: Step Description 1. Go to Accounting > Receipting > Multiple receipts or Crtl-U on your keyboard 2. Select the Payment Method and fill out the Payment Details section: 3. Select the Owner/Lot for the dissection and enter the Receipt Details 4. Click the Save Dissection button: 5. Continue entering Receipts for other Lots as required, clicking the Save Dissection button after every entry 25
6. When the total of Saved Dissections equals the Receipt total click the Process Button to process the Receipts: You can also choose to Preview and/or Print a Report of the entered Dissections 7. Click Exit 26
Exclude lots for minutes A new option has been added to the Lot Screen > Notices tab which will allow you to default the delivery method for meeting notices to None on the issue screen: When issuing meeting notices you can choose lots to be excluded from receiving the meeting document(s). This information can be viewed in Quick Reports > Lots. 27
Staged Debt Recovery Enhancements The existing process to recover outstanding levies has been enhanced to ensure a simple and easy workflow to complete the task. You are able configure up to three stages of debt recovery to run across your portfolio for the streamlining of recovering overdue levies. You may issue a manual debt recovery notice without any setup, or you may set triggers at which point debt recovery notices are issued to owners. Configure Debt Recovery Options To configure the Debt Recovery feature, go to Configure > Debt Recovery Update the selection to exclude any amounts payable for owner and / or sub meter invoices when determining if a lot should be included in a stage of debt recovery, if required: Note: To issue a levy reminder notice you must select Levy Wizard > Issue Debt Recovery 28
Issue Debt Staged Debt Recovery notices Follow these steps to issue debt recovery notices: Step Description 1. Select the Levy icon or browse to Accounting > Levy Processing > Issue Debt Recovery 2. The screen defaults to issuing Manual debt recovery for an individual Owners Corporation: Where you have previously visited a screen displayed the owners corporation selector, the plan details pre-populate 3. Select an individual plan, or select multiple Owners Corporations, including any additional filters across the multiple plan selection, to run a stage of debt recovery 4. Select which stage you wish to run: The screen options alter based on the stage selected, and any lots which meet the debt recovery criteria for the selected stage display on screen Note: This will not include any lots which have been excluded from debt recovery on an Owners Corporation or lot basis, and for staged debt recovery it will also exclude any lots in a payment plan. 29
5. Check and update all details if required: Calculate interest to date - Defaults to today s date Save notices to file - Selected by default Delivery Method - Use default method, or over-ride the lot based preference and print all notices Additional comment - Optional message which will be printed on each notice issued SMS - default based on stage based setup in the Debt Recovery Configuration screen 6. Select the lots to receive a debt recovery notice 7. Click Finish - When the process is complete, a confirmation message displays on screen Clear Debt Collection flag on multiple lots When a debt has been satisfied and you wish to clear the current stage of debt recovery from a lot you can do this manually Follow these steps to clear debt collection for multiple lots of a plan: Step Description 1. Go to Utility > Clear Debt Collection 2. Select an Owners Corporation 3. Select the debt recovery stage to be cleared 4. Select one or more lots displayed which meet the plan and stage criteria: 5. Click Print Preview to view a summary of the lots to be cleared and their current levy arrears 6. Click Process to clear all selected lots 7. View message and confirm action to continue 8. View confirmation message once all lots are cleared 30
Note: A log file will be created and located in your local directory \\strata\logs in *.csv format which will detail the list of lots cleared, along with the details of who, and when they completed the process Payment Plan for Lot Owners in Arrears Where a lot has not received any staged debt recovery notices you are able to record a payment plan against the lot. In the Lot Owner screen on the Debt Recovery tab a new checkbox Payment Plan can be selected and a note for the payment plan recorded if required: This selection can be viewed in the Lots Quick Report, and in the Debt Recovery quick reports, where payment plan is selected. 31
New look Corporation screen The Corp screen has been redesigned to increase the size of the screen to improve usability. Additional information is shown above the tabs which means that there is more information at first glance. The icon sizes have also been increased to further improve usability. General tab Financial tab 32
Structure tab Insurance tab 33
Bank Acct tab Tradesmen tab 34
Lots tab Entitlements tab 35
Executive tab Assets tab 36
Thank you for completing training with Rockend That concludes this STRATA Master course. We hope that your expectations have been met, and to see you for more training in the future. Below is the STRATA Master Learning Path highlighting the other courses you might wish to attend. For more information or further training requests please contact your Account Manager on 1300 657 700. 37