E
-
Newsletter
Property Management
Solutions since 1978
Volume
I, Number 6
Published occasionally
by
FullHouse Software, Inc.
December 20, 2007
5415 Lake
Howell Road, Suite 207
Winter Park, FL 32792
technical.support@fullhousesoftware.com
Welcome!
The sixth volume of this newsletter
ends 2007 with a true story, a pleasant surprise in IPM 2007 and a tale of
two webinars.
Just as an aside, if you just can't get enough news about IPM and FullHouse, read the president's letter (in the About Us section of the website). It's updated monthly and has candid observations and news. Happy Holidays!
FullHouse
will be
closed
for the Holidays from
December
24, 2007
through
January
5, 2008
Leave
a message at 407-919-9690 or email President@Fullhousesoftware.com
for emergency service during this period. Best wishes from our
families to yours! ...and why are YOU working over the holidays?
Webinar on 'EOY Close' a Success!
FullHouse Software held a 45-minute FREE webinar on the "End of Year
Close" on November 15, 2007. The webinar covered the concepts
of database management, data backups and the general steps IPM goes
through to prepare the new year.
The Webinar was provided free to IPM users on the maintenance plan. Due to popular demand (and an oddity with the email of the previous newsletter!) the webinar was repeated on December, 6.
The webinar was recorded and is available for you to replay at your convenience on our website, just click here.
News
on IPM
2008
IPM 2008 is getting close to
preliminary testing and there are too many enhancement to list! We're still
on track public beta early in the new year, and a spring
release.
User requests include accessing multiple screens at the same time,
long file names, integrated email and web, ability to include photos for
members, units and properties, integration with Microsoft Office, longer
fields, better handling for names, the ability to create "ad
hoc" lists...and much more!
For
an early view of IPM 2008, and information about its
features and functions, visit here.
This page is updated as new information becomes
available.
Here's a sneak preview not available anywhere else: the
prototype of the ticklers, now integrated with most functions and an
important management tool (Click to enlarge).
We are still seeking IPM 2008 Beta Testers. If you'd like to try IPM 2008 when
it's ready for field testing, contact us at technical
support.
IPM
2.8 (1993) User:
Updated
in the nick of time!
A cautionary tale
about why Maintenance is good.
This story started out to be about the oldest version of IPM still in use. Last week, we had a call from a long-time customer using IPM 2.8, circa 1993. It was still working, but like an '93 Oldsmobile, not necessarily the best choice any more. She was only using key functions, and frankly limping along. The PC she was running it on had Windows 98, and was on its last legs, too. It locked up, and there were all sorts of other problems. That's really what spurred her to call: what was she going to do if the old PC died?
And honestly, we didn't know. We'd done updates from IPM 3.2, the last release made
for DOS, but never for anything before that. IPM 2.8 was about as
old as most of our staff! Moreover, she had upgraded to IPM 2004, but never
converted her data or used it. So we offered to take a copy of the
installation and see if we could do an import successfully before we moved
forward with the upgrade to IPM 2007. Naturally, with phone tag and
conflicting schedules, it took us a couple of days to get together, but
finally we were able to connect to her PC using our "remote live
support" and see what was going on. Heck, we'd never even seen
IPM 2.8 before!
We worked on the import, and soon we had a sample version of the IPM 2.8 data in the IPM 2007 format to return to her. We were pretty pleased with ourselves. She'd also explained that one of the needs IPM 2004 didn't meet was for "manual receipts." This was a legitimate and thought-provoking idea. Not everyone received tenant payments at the PC. Some managers have to fill out manual receipts for the tenants then input it later. What she needed was something like IPM 2.8's three-per-sheet manual receipts she did through the "tenant forms." That sounded like a good enhancement for IPM! So we added a "Manual Receipt" report. We were excited about showing her our accomplishments!
While we were doing this, her old PC crashed. It wouldn't boot. She didn't have a recent backup of the data. More to the point, she didn't have the installation disks for IPM 2.8 (neither do we!) and the new PC she bought to replace the dead Windows 98 machine didn't even have a floppy drive! Was ten years of data gone? She was in real trouble!
Fortunately, we'd made our copy the day before the PC crashed! And we'd made a complete copy; fortunately DOS programs are fairly simple to install. To make a long story somewhat shorter, we worked with her colleague to get the old IPM 2.8 version working under Microsoft Vista (!) on then new PC, and to install IPM 2007 with the new report. Her company is up and running - but just by the skin of their teeth!
We're really, really glad to be able to help out, but we'd rather do it under a little less pressure. If you're not on the maintenance plan, we recommend you join. Even if you don't, make sure you have good backups and save your installation disks are. And if you do join before year-end, you can save money - before it's too late!
Free Ride Ends
December 31
We've been warning you for months: Join the maintenance plan this year, or your support ends.
As of January 1, 2008, no support will be available for IPM 2004 and earlier versions. For IPM 2006, support will be available at $50 per incident. Technical Support will be limited to installs, unlocks, and some basic operational issues ("where is my database?").
Support for database issues may be available at standard consulting rates. If the issue results from a bug fixed in later releases, you may select to upgrade at the full price ($395/Basic, $695/Unlimited). Consulting fees will be fully credited toward this purchase.
Unlock and installation help may be available for IPM 2004 and earlier versions at $50 per incident. Other requests for support will be considered on a case by case basis at consulting rates, as time permits. Our consulting rate for database issues ranges between $65 and $125/hr with a three hour minimum.
FullHouse Software has
been offering free support to all users of IPM since we took over from
Realty Automation in September 2006. We wish we could service everyone
forever, but resources don't allow it. Our maintenance plan members
are our priority, and we want to focus on IPM 2008, not IPM 2000!
Web-Based
Training!
Group or one-on-one Web-based training is now available through FullHouse Software. We offer structured 45-minute sessions for "Intro to IPM", "Intermediate" and "Advanced" topics, and personalized consultative training is to cover the challenges your business faces.
Our trainer is Julie Johnson, IPM user and professional trainer. As a working property manager using IPM, Julie is uniquely qualified to help you work through the nuts-and-bolts of the monthly cycle of IPM. As a professional trainer, she can coax the most computer-phobic user into a comfort zone.
Cost-effective web-based training, or
"Webinars" allow one or more IPM users to share a screen with the
instructor over the internet. You
can ask "How do I..." and Julie can show you the steps, then
watch as you repeat them - like having a tutor at your side.
For more information, visit our training
page or email your
questions or requests to training@fullhousesoftware.com
New!
MASS
MAINTENANCE
added to 2007.11
Our holiday gift to anyone with annual assessments to change, C.A.M. charges to adjust, or any other task that requires touching lots of tenants.
We didn't think it was going to be possible, but we did it. We're THAT good. IPM 2007.11 now has a 'mass maintenance' function under the update menu. With that feature, you can change all the rents, C.A.M. charges or "other fees" on one building, one property, or everyone in the database. It's only a start, but it will certainly make assessment changes for HOAs easier!
The 2007.11 also has a bunch of other enhancements - including a Preprinted Receipt report under the "receipts" family of reports, thanks to IPM User Carole Rouse. There are also enhancements to the EOY Wizard, and a few small fixes.
To update to the 2007.11, visit our download center, www.fullhousesoftware.com/privatedownload.html and select the 2007.11 service pack. This service pack will update any previous installed version of IPM 2007 to IPM 2007.11
Find out about all our Known Issues and Enhancements on our forum.
Copyright © 2007 FullHouse Software