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| 16 On TOPS |
August 2003
onTOPS |
Welcome to onTOPS, an e-zine produced
by TOPS Software to keep you informed about our products and services.
August is a hot month, not only in temperature, but also in the
content for this e-zine! We have introduced a brand new feature
called onHelp. This feature will provide you
with a 'monthly subscription' to our newest help - 'Show Me' help.
These flash animated how to's show you exactly what to do inTOPS to perform a given task.
Additionally, we have some information on the upcomming TOPS
Mobile PDA, and a last chance special on the TOPS HHO Interface. You really can't pass this up if you
ever plan to use a Palm or CE with TOPS. You can purchase the HHO
interface at the low price today, and get a free upgrade to the
TOPS Mobile PDA version when it is released.
We have also included a message from the sales department, an updated
trade show schedule, important help on Form Letters, and information
on training from an independant trainer - Mike Furnia.
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@212software.com.
As always, enjoy your reading, and we will see you next month!
by Andrea Drennen |
onSoftware |
TOPS Mobile PDA
New and Improved! The Palm Pilot Interface has gotten a face-lift,
new features, and a new name. Introducing, the TOPS Mobile PDA!
The TOPS Mobile PDA is an interface, which allows your hand held
device (Palm Pilot, Pocket PC, etc.) to synchronize with your TOPS. That means that you can upload the Owner Database (including
renters), Community Officers, and the Community Fact Sheet to your
hand held device. If you have purchased any of these add-on modules
available with your TOPS, you can also upload CCR/ACC Enforcement
Information, Work Orders, Service Requests, Vehicle Information,
and Vendor Information.
You can have all of this important information with you all of
the time. The TOPS Mobile PDA is a great time saver at board meetings,
for property inspections, or for the "on-call" manager,
who handles after hours emergencies from home. Everything you need
for all of the communities you manage can be right at your fingertips.
You can create work orders or service requests, create or close
CCR violations, or check for illegally parked vehicles, all from
your hand held device. That's right, no more pen and paper, no more
misfiled pages, no more paper cuts. The TOPS Mobile PDA will save
you time and money!
Buy the current Hand Held Interface and receive
a FREE upgrade to the TOPS Mobile PDA upon release! See onSpecial for more information
Nicole Beal |
onSales |
Thank You for the Referrals
Everyone here at TOPS, especially the sales team, would
like to send a big Thank You Very Much, to all of our clients. Throughout
the year, many companies and associations, hoping that TOPS will
be their software solution, contact us to receive a demo CD of either
TOPS 2000™ or TOPS On-Site™. One quarter of those companies
or associations that contact TOPS are referred to us through word
of mouth. Of those that are referred to us through word of mouth,
55% were recommended by current customers of TOPS. We truly appreciate
your loyalty and are pleased that you believe TOPS produces
a quality product, that you are comfortable recommending to your
peers. Thank you!
Upcoming Trade Shows
If you are attending one of the following trade shows, please drop
by our booth to let us say thank you in person!
- Sep 13: CAI SC Chapter CA Day; Myrtle Beach, SC
- Sep 19: CAI NC Chapter; Cary, NC
- Oct 4: CAI Washington Chapter; Bellevue, WA
- Oct 17: CAI Houston Chapter; Houston, TX
- Oct 23 : FLICPA CIRA Conference; Ft. Lauderdale, FL
- Oct 31-Nov 1: CAI Nat'l Fall Conference; Washington, DC
- Nov 8: CAI - New England Chapter; Dedham, MA
Nicole Beal |
onSupport |
Form letter
Using form letters can be a great way to save time and print professional
looking documents. The Form Letter program is integrated with both
the Collection action processing and the CCR violation and Architectural
approval functions in TOPS 2000™. Below are a few tips to
help users avoid some common problems
Use Fixed Length Fields
If you are trying to align merge codes in two or more columns use
the "Fixed Length" button. This makes the merge codes
always print the same width. This button looks like two arrows pointing
away from each other. The reason for "Fixed Length" is
that many merge codes will change greatly in size. Take for example
the [Owners Name] Merge code. "Jon Alan" is a much shorter
name than "Kristen Johnson-Beatson". If a column follows
the [Owners Name] merge code the position of the next column will
be effected by the length of the name unless the "Fixed Length"
feature is used. The area between columns should be done using tabs
instead of spaces. This allows the text to align properly. Many
times there are unseen spaces that make columns unaligned when using
merge codes.
Check Your Fonts when Using Columned Fields
Another common issue is found when using the [Itemized Balances-Not
Including Prepaid] and [Itemized Balances-Including Prepaid] merge
codes. These are merge codes that print all balances broken out
by type in a column format. The type of font and the size of the
font are important factors in the alignment of the merge codes.
If the merge code is in a "fixed width font" (Courier
New) the font size must be 10pt or 11pt. If the merge code is in
a "variable width font" (Times New Roman, Arial) the font
size must be 12pt.
Form letters can be a fast and flexible tool to allow managers
to communicate with homeowners. With creativity and well-planned
letters you can create customized letters addressing a multitude
of homeowner needs that can be printed with a touch of a button.
Ryan Allen |
onHelp |
Help Gets an Overhaul
Our entire help system is undergoing a major overhaul right now.
We will be updating our online knowledge base, our inline (F1) help,
and our user manuals for TOPS2000™ and TOPS On-Site™.
Already we have added over 30 new items to our online knowledge
base, available at:
www.topssoft.com/skb/TOPSSOFTKB.htm.
Finally, in response to your requests, we have added our user help
manuals to a special new downloads section under Support. The manual
sections for all of the TOPS 2000™ Basic System, TOPS 2000™
Tabbed Modules, and all TOPS On-Site™ Modules have been added.
Additionally we have added three manual sections per popular request:
Job Streaming, Report Defaults, and Email Functionality in TOPS 2000™. All of the manual downloads listed above are available
online at http://support.topssoft.com/Login.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2fDefault.aspx.
Andrea Drennen |
onSpecial |
Last Chance to Get Palm Interface for only
$195
This is your last opportunity to purchase the Palm Pilot Interface
for your TOPS System at the initial price of $195.00 per interface.
After August 31, 2003, the Palm Pilot Interface will be upgraded
to the TOPS Mobile PDA, which will be priced at $495.00 per interface,
with discounts on multiple purchases. The TOPS Mobile PDA will interface
with both the Palm Pilot and the Pocket PC, and offer more features
than the current Palm Pilot Interface. Anyone who already owns the
Palm Pilot Interface will receive this upgrade at no additional
charge.
Hurry! Your order must be placed by August
31, 2003 to get the existing $195 price on the Palm
Pilot Interface.
Nicole Beal |
onSpotlight |
Mike Furnia: The Benefits of On Site Training
Many TOPS clients are under the impression that TOPS 2000™
is simplistic, and therefore easy to 'figure it out on my own'.
While the basics of using the software can be self-taught, it is
the intricacies: the shortcuts and extras and undocumented features
that are the most difficult to learn. Of course, it is these same
features that make TOPS 2000™ a valuable tool to your company.
Without proper training or an understanding of how the entire product
works, you are at the hands of inefficiencies from both employees
and technology, plus the ultimate potential loss of a community
because of mistakes and errors. How do I know this? Because I was
a Controller for a property management company using TOPS for 5
years, I know how the ball rolls in this industry.
My experience can be summed up in a simple acronym: TAP: TOPS 2000™, Accounting, and Property
Management. These three aspects of my own experience are also indicative
of the three aspects of your business. And that is why you need
training to get the maximum benefits from TOPS 2000. TAP represents the three levels of training that you will receive when
you choose a qualified TOPS trainer to help your employees better
do their jobs. Some of the TOPS 2000™ clients I've trained
over the past year gave their opinions on the subject of on site
training. Let me share with you the benefits they have received
from a quality training program:
Prepare for the "What If's"
Grand Shores Management Group, Sandestin, Florida (Sheila Hawley)
"worth every dime spent. ...I bought and installed TOPS 2000™ from reading the manual and the help screen. But it
did not prepare me for the what if's, which only happen
in a crisis, but that is what Mike supplied. How to deal
with those what if's and other alternatives on how to use the
system more efficiently ... "
Reduce Audit Costs
Candlewick Lake Homeowners Assoc., Poplar Grove, IL (Mark Harrison)..."We
brought in Mike to train and implement the changes needed, not
only from a TOPS 2000™ usage point of view, but also from
an accounting application point of view. For every dollar
spent, it was returned a 100 fold. The audit fees were
cut substantially. The calendar days for the audit dropped and
the number of days to do the fieldwork were reduced. This was
the cheapest audit in years!
For two years, we never had the system (TOPS 2000™)
functioning properly -- until after the training. It wasn't a
TOPS issue, but an operational issue. The system was originally
set up wrong. Once we had the proper training, then implementation,
based upon Mike's recommendations, we knew that was the key. The
benefits were 6 figures; reduction in audit costs, collection
process cleaned up, collection of outstanding dues reduced dramatically,
and a monthly system to manage the money. ..."
Reap the Benefits of New Features
BP Davis Property Management, Cocoa Beach, Florida (Sandy Bean
& Christine Morgan) DOS to Windows conversion most recently
..."Wow! We should have converted a year ago
with all the new features TOPS 2000™ has to offer;
contraire to what a previous DOS customer said about the new features
or lack of. Told the owner, 'the money was well spent, both for
the conversion and the on site training with Mike. Especially,
with having someone on site to help with the conversion and fix
the hiccups that occurred.' The on site training was extremely
beneficial, especially with someone who has an accounting background,
plus real property management experience..."
The above are just a few of the many who have benefited by a professional
on-site training program. You can see that the benefits far outweigh
the costs associated with the training itself. The only
way to take advantage of the many benefits of TOPS 2000™ ownership
is through proper training. And the best kind of training
addresses all aspects of your business, not just your software.
If your objective is to save time and money, and make this software
work for you to its full potential; then TAP is
the solution.
Mike Furnia |
onTopic |
Debunking Nursery Rhymes:
Many of us are aware that the nursery rhyme 'Ring Around the Rosie'
originated from the black plague that devastated Europe. However,
did you know that there are also sociopolitical origins for many
other popular rhymes. Here are a few:
Here we Go Round the Mulberry Bush: A
mulberry bush stood in the middle of the exercise yard at Wakefield
prison in Yorkshire, England. The prisoners would have to 'go round
and round it on a cold and frosty morning'.
Hickory Dickory Dock: Derived from an
old sheep counting method used by shepherds in northern england:
"Hevera, Devera, Dick..."
Little Jack Horner: In the 16th century,
at the time of the dissolution of the monasteries, the Abbot of
Glastonbury sent his steward, Jack Horner to London. In an attempt
to appease King Henry VII, Horner was bearing a Christmas pie containing
the title deeds of 12 manors. But Horner 'put in his thumb' and
pulled out another kind of 'plum' - the deed to the Manor of Mells
in Somerset. Horner moved into the manor, and his descendants lived
there until late in the 20th century.
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