Summary

The Assessment Maintenance window is used to create and maintain special assessments.

Step by Step

1     View the existing assessments.

• The Assessment Selection window (SA> Maintenance> Assessment) will display all the assessments that have been created in the SA module.
• Enter information in the fields in the Search Criteria section of the window and click the Search button to filter the assessments that will display in the window.
• Select an assessment and click DELETE to delete the selected assessment.
• Select an assessment and click EDIT to open an existing assessment.
• Click ADD to create a new assessment. This will open the Assessment Maintenance window.

2     Create a new assessment.

• The General tab of the Assessment Maintenance window contains the general assessment details.
• The Assessment Number field will automatically update with the next available assessment number when the assessment is saved.
  • The assessment number is composed of a prefix that is set up on the assessment type selected below and the next available numeric value. The number of digits that compose the second part of the assessment number is determined by the value in the Assessment Digits field on the SA Setup window (SA> Utilities> Setup).
• Select an Assessment Date.
  • This field will default to today's date.
• Click the Assessment Type field search button to base the new assessment on an assessment type template.
  • By basing the new assessment on an assessment type, many of the required fields will be automatically populated with the details specified on the assessment type.
  • The Assessment Type field will not be enabled for editing after the new assessment is saved.
  • Assessment types are created and maintained on the Assessment Type Maintenance window (SA> Maintenance> Assessment Type).
• Click the Assessment Status field search button to select an initial status for the new assessment.
  • The assessments included in a Billing, Letters, or Past Due batch can be filtered by the current assessment status.
  • Assessment statuses are created and maintained on the Assessment Status Maintenance window (SA> Maintenance> Assessment Status).
  • This is a required field.
• Enter a Customer Number to associate with the assessment or click the field search button   to select one from a list.
  • Customers are created and maintained on the Customer Maintenance window (SS> Maintenance> Customer).
  • The Customer Name field will populate with the name associated with the selected customer number.
• Enter a Lot Number or click the field search button   to select one from a list. Each assessment must be attached to a lot.
  • Lots are created and maintained on the Lot Maintenance window (SS> Maintenance> Lot Master Search).
  • The Tax Lot and Service Address fields will automatically populate with the details associated with the selected lot.
• Enter an optional Assessment Description for the new assessment. This field will automatically populate with the contents of the Description field on the assessment type specified above.
  • The description field can be included in customizable SA form letters (SA> Maintenance> Forms).
  • This field can accommodate up to 512 characters.
• Click the Principal Fee Code field search button to attach a principal fee to the assessment. This fee will determine which accounts receivable, revenue, and cash accounts are used when financial transactions are generated against the principal on the assessment.
  • If the Fee Selection window does not display any fees, you will need to create a Principal type fee before proceeding. Fee codes are created and maintained on the Fee Maintenance window (SA> Maintenance> Fee).
  • This is a required field.
• Click the Interest Fee Code field search button to attach an interest fee to the assessment. This fee will determine which accounts receivable, revenue, and cash accounts are used when financial transactions are generated against the interest on the assessment.
  • If the Fee Selection window does not display any fees, you will need to create an Interest type fee before proceeding.
  • This is a required field.
• Enter the Original Principal amount on the assessment.
  • Once a billing batch including the new assessment has been committed the original principal cannot be changed.
• Enter an Interest Rate to specify the yearly rate of interest billed against the principal.
  • This number is stated as a whole number percentage. For example, 7.5% would be entered as 7.5000, NOT 0.0750.
• Enter an Interest Begin Date to specify the date that interest on the assessment begins to accrue.
• The Last Interest Date for the assessment should reflect the last time interest was calculated and billed for this assessment (usually a date in the past).
  • This date is NOT a future date reflecting the last day that interest will be calculated at the end of the assessment’s history. Security on this field should be limited as it is the field used to calculated interest totals for each month or period.
  • This date cannot be edited once the assessment has been included in a Billing batch.
• Enter the Grace Period Days to specify the number of days after the Interest Begin Date that interest is not charged.
  • Once the Grace Period is over, interest on the first Billing batch will be calculated on the remaining balance of the Original Principal starting at the Interest Begin Date. If there is a value in Last Interest Date then the Grace Period is no longer active.
  • Once the assessment is saved and a transaction history is established, the grace period cannot be edited.
  • The grace period cannot exceed 30 days when the assessment is set up with a monthly billing cycle, 90 days for a quarterly billing cycle, 180 days for a semiannual billing cycle, and 360 days for an annual billing cycle.
• Click the Billing Cycle field search button   to select the billing cycle that the new assessment will be included in. This is a required field.
  • Billing cycles are created and maintained on the Billing Cycle Maintenance window (SA> Maintenance> Billing Cycle).
• Use the Bill Method drop-down menu to specify how billed invoices will be calculated.
  • Select Fixed Bill to keep the total bill amount constant on all billed invoices, with the ratio of principal and interest changing based on the amount of interest calculated.
  • Select Fixed Bill Monthly to keep the total bill amount constant on all billed invoices, with the interest amount being calculated as:
    • (Amortization amount for the year * interest) / (12 * number of months being paid)
  • Select Fixed Principal to keep the principal amount the same on all billed invoices, with the interest amount (and total bill) subject to change depending on the number of days between billings.
  • Select Fixed Principal Monthly to keep the principal amount the same on all billed invoices, with the interest amount being calculated as:
    • (Amortization amount for the year * interest) / (12 * number of months being paid)
• The Term field is used to set the length, in months, of the new assessment.
• The Bill Amount field will display the amount due in each billing cycle.
  • The value in this field is calculated by the system based on the original principal amount, interest rate, and terms.
• Check the Notification toggle to generate form letters for the customer attached to the assessment if the assessment is included in an SA Letters batch.
• Check the Interest On Principal Resets Annually toggle to charge interest on the assessment based on the principal balance at the beginning of every assessment year. This interest amount will remain the same for each month until the assessment year is reset.
  • This toggle is only enabled when Fixed Bill Monthly or Fixed Principal Monthly is selected in the Bill Method field above.
• Click the Print button to print the Assessment Transaction History report.
• Click the Word Merge button to print an SA module MS Word merge field document. This icon is available from any of the assessment tabs.
  • When printing a Word Merge form, the Form Selection window will display all of the Forms created in the SA module. Select a form and click the Print button   to print the selected form.
  • Forms are created and maintained on the Form Maintenance window (SA> Maintenance> Forms).

3     View the assessment's financial details.

• The Financial Summary section displays read-only financial data. This section will only update after financial transactions are recorded on the assessment.

4     Complete the Contact tab.

• The Contact tab of the Assessment Maintenance window allows you to insert and store information about individuals who are associated with the selected assessment.
• All the contacts currently attached to the assessment will display on this tab.
• Select a contact and click REMOVE to remove the selected contact.
• Select a contact and click EDIT to edit the selected contact.
• Click ADD to attach a new contact to the assessment. This will open the New Contact screen.
  • The Last Name field is the only field required when adding a contact to the assessment.
  • Click the Contact Type field search button   to attach a contact type to the contact. This will open the Contact Type Selection window.
  • Select a contact type and click the Select button   to attach a contact type to the new contact.
    • Contact Types are created and maintained on the Contact Type Maintenance window (SA> Maintenance> Contact Type).
  • Enter as many of the remaining contact details as desired.
  • Check the Notification toggle if the contact should receive a copy of any form letters generated when the assessment is included in an SA Letters batch.
  • Click the Save button to save the contact details to the assessment.

5     Complete the Alert tab. 

• The Alert tab will display all of the existing alerts attached to the assessment.
• Select an alert code and click DELETE to remove the selected alert code from the assessment.
• Click CREATE ALERT to attach a new alert code to the permit. This will open the Alert Code Selection window.
  • Select an alert code and click the Select button to add the selected alert code to the assessment.
  • Alert codes are created and maintained on the Alert Code Maintenance window (SA> Maintenance> Alert Code).
• The Description field will automatically populate with the description attached to the selected alert code.
• Enter an Alert Date for the new alert code. This represents the date that the alert code becomes active.
  • This field will automatically populate with today's date.
• The Expiration Date is calculated by adding the alert duration specified on the selected alert code to the date specified in the Alert Date field. If the Alert Date is updated, the Expiration Date will automatically update according to this calculation.
  • The Expiration Date cannot be prior to the Alert Date.
• The Comment field will populate with the comment attached to the selected alert code.
• Check the Selection Alert toggle to activate the alert message when the assessment is selected for a batch process, such as SA Letters.
• Check the Maintenance Alert toggle to activate the alert message when the assessment is opened from any window where the assessment details can be maintained or edited.
• Check the CR Receipt Alert toggle to activate the alert message when the assessment is selected from the CR Cash Entry search window.
• Click the Save button to save the alert code.

6     Complete the Comment tab.

• The Comment tab of the Assessment Maintenance window allows you to insert and store comments about the selected assessment.
• Select an existing comment and click REMOVE to remove the selected comment.
• Click ADD to add a comment code to the account. This will open the Comment Code Selection window.
  • Select a comment code and click the Select button to attach the code to the account.
  • Enter a detailed comment in the Comment column. This is an optional field and can be up to 512 alphanumeric characters long.
  • The Date Created column will default to today's date.
  • You can use the Date Closed column to record when the issue was resolved.
• Comment codes are created and maintained on the Comment Code Maintenance window (SA> Maintenance> Comment Code).

7     The History tab is used to track transactions on the assessment.

• Both committed and uncommitted transactions will be displayed on the History tab. The lower section of the tab displays the transaction type details.
• Uncommitted transactions will display in red and committed transactions will display in black. Committed transactions will also have a date in the Post Date column.
  • The Post Date column displays the date that the transaction was committed. This is the date the batch was committed, not necessarily the same as the date the transactions are posted to the general ledger or the transaction date.
• Click the DETAILED/TABULAR drop-down menu to change how the assessment history is displayed.
  • Choose Tabular to display the assessment history as a single level row.
  • Choose Detailed to display the assessment history in a hierarchical format.
    • Click the Expand button to view the line item detail for each displayed transaction.
• Click INSERT HISTORY to open the Insert History window. This icon will only be active if the assessment does not have an existing billing history.
  • The Insert History window is used to add pre-existing transaction history details that predate the current assessment. After history is inserted, or after the first transactions are recorded on the assessment, the Insert History option will no longer be enabled.
  • Click CREATE TRANSACTION HISTORY to create a new history line item for the assessment.
  • You must specify a Transaction Date and a Principal Amount or Interest Amount for each new history line item added to the Insert History window.
  • Click the Save button   to add the new history line item to the Assessment History tab.
• You can export the transactions that display on the History tab to a MS Excel spreadsheet by clicking the data grid Ellipsis and selecting Excel Export. All transaction line items will display on the export, even line items that have not been expanded. This feature allows you to create a quick report of the history of an assessment.
• The History tab will not display any assessment history until the first transaction is attached to that assessment.

8     Complete the Miscellaneous tab.

• The Miscellaneous tab allows you to build your own tables of data if there is information you want to track. This information is optional and user-defined.
• Miscellaneous field labels are maintained on the Miscellaneous Field Label Maintenance window (SS> Utilities> Miscellaneous Field Labels).

9     Complete the Evaluation tab.

• The Evaluation tab displays the amortization details for the assessment.
• The Amortization Calculation section is used to enter potential payment scenarios and display how those payments will affect interest totals and payoff schedules.
  • The Current Payment Amount field will display the payment amount calculated in the Bill Amount field on the General tab of the Assessment Maintenance window.
  • The New Payment Amount and Effective Date fields can be used to modify the amortization schedule that displays below.
    • The New Payment Amount field is used to enter the amount of the payments on the assessment starting on the date in the Effective Date field. The amount entered in this field will be applied to every payment on the amortization schedule. By default, the amount in the New Payment Amount field is the Bill Amount field on the General tab.
      • If the New Payment Amount is greater than the remaining balance on the assessment at the Effective Date selected, the amortization schedule will only apply the new payment amount until the balance is reduced to zero.
    • The Effective Date field is the date that the lump sum payment or the regular payment entered in the New Payment Amount field will be applied to the amortization schedule.
      • If the Effective Date is after the Projected Payoff Date listed below, the new payment will not be applied to the amortization schedule.
  • The Projected Total Interest and Projected Payoff Date fields will automatically update to reflect any changes made to the amounts and dates entered above.
  • Check the Lump Payment toggle if the amount in the New Payment Amount field is a payment in addition to the amortization schedule.
    • If this toggle is checked, the amount in the New Payment Amount field will be applied to the principal of the assessment and reduce the value in the Projected Payoff Date field. The amortization schedule will be calculated using the amount in the Bill Amount field on the General tab as the payments on the assessment and then include the lump sum payment to reduce the principal. Since a lump sum payment will reduce the Project Payoff Date, the value in the Projected Total Interest field will also decrease.
  • The Amortization Schedule section will automatically update to reflect any changes made to the fields above. Click the Ellipsis button   in the Amortization Schedule data grid header and select Excel Export to generate an Excel spreadsheet of the schedule.
• The Current Assessment Information section displays the current totals and payoff information associated with the assessment.
  • You can edit the date displayed in the Evaluation Date field in order to display the current assessment details for a date other than today.
• Click the Save button when the assessment is complete.

10     Track any changes made to the assessment.

• Click the Audit Trail icon to open the Audit Trail window.
• Use the Search Criteria section to sort the displayed audit history.
• The Audit Trail section will provide details about any changes made to the assessment record including the date of the change, type of change made, user that made the change, and data table that was edited.