Contents - Index

Preferences

Main Menu - Tools - Preferences

Preferences are used to establish the way your user i.d. will react on certain ALMSys screens. These settings will follow you to whichever ALMSys workstation you use.

Layout
General Page
If any of your account numbers begin with a number, then set the Reposition numbers by Account to Start with "0-9", then "A, B, C, ..."  This controls the buttons on the left side of the account list.

When selecting a different account or deal, you can control whether the program stays on the same display, or always returns to the account status display.

When clicking on a tab on the main screen, you can have ALMSys automatically pull up the first screen on that menu. (If the screen is not active, the Account Status screen will be displayed.)

Show "last 9" as ... . The main menu's File pull-down stores the last 9 accounts or control numbers for rapid account switching. This is used to indicate which number you want to have remembered. (When your preference is changed, the last 9 list will be wiped clean.)

On some operating systems (NT in particular), the main menu opens up as a small screen. Select "Yes" on the On start-up, minimize/maximize the display to fix this.

Automatically check for messages every 5 days. This will check for Support Messages every five days. (The check will occur right after you sign on.)

Automatic Compliance Send. This will automatically send the ALMSys Compliance report to ALMSys Support (via Internet transfer) on the first logon of each month. If you pay maintenance and have input credit card data, then your credit card information will be transmitted as well and used to pay for the maintenance.

Use Web Help. This will force ALMSys to use the help found on the almsysinc.com website.

On start-up, show reminders. This will show all active outstanding reminders from contact history each time when ALMSys starts up.

Show Reminders for all User IDs. On the active reminders screen, this will set the default to always show all reminders or just those reminders for customers for which the user has been assigned.

Startup Override. This will override any other ALMSys startup screen with what is selected.

Payment Posting Date. This will control the initial date set in the calendars on the payment or adjustment post screen.

Special amount for Post screen. This will set an amount on the fourth quick-fill button on the Payment Post screen. This amount may be positive or negative. If you specify a negative amount, the Post screen will assume that you are using the button to add an NSF fee to the amount owed and will select the appropriate payment type code.

Payment Export Interface. This will control if "normal" payments are to automatically be tagged to be exported in the accounting interface. If you use the other accounting interfaces, then you will most likely want to set this to, "Always add posted payment to first batch available." It is important to note that only "normal" payments are automatically added. If you post any payment with a specified payment "Type Code," then the only way to add that to the batch to be exported is from the Payment History screen. You can further control the types of payments that automatically get added to the batch via the list of "How Paid" codes. Only those codes that are checked will be added. To actually export the payments, see the Accounting Interface Exports help topic.

For new deals, default to location number. This will tell the new deal wizard to default to the location number you specify.

General 2 Page
This page is used to control how the deals in the deal pull-down list are sorted. By default, this list will sort in ascending order by deal number. The box on the left conveys the fields which may be used to sort this list. The box on the right shows the current sort order. Use the right and left arrow buttons to move fields in and out of the sort order list. (You must click on the field, first, before using the arrow buttons.) 

Fields added to the sort order will be added to the bottom of the list. Use the up and down arrow buttons to move the field to the desired location.

Fields may be sorted in ascending or descending order. By default, fields will sort ascending. To change the sort of a field, click on the field and then click the desired Ascending or Descending button. An "A" or "D" will appear after the field.

At the bottom of this page is a box that you may use to determine the starting deal when changing to a new customer. By default, the last deal in the sorted deal list will be selected.

Reports Page
It is recommended to Set your Zoom Level on Report View to 100% Magnification. Most of ALMSys' reports are landscape. A 100% zoom will always make the report viewable upon entry.

If you have Internet access, then set your E-Mail destination type according to your e-mail client. (When in doubt, use MAPI.)

You can have the delinquency report create data for delinquency letters via a mail merge by marking the On Delinquency Report... box as "Yes." In addition, you may specify that letters are created only for those leases which are delinquent greater than a specified number of days. Also, you may specify the number of days between delinquency letters per lease. By default, this is set to 7 days. Valid values range from 0 to 9999.

If you specify to create delinquency letters, then you may specify a different delinquency letter template for each level of delinquency day range. Use the Account - Communicate screen to create each letter template. Note: All of the letter templates MUST be stored in the ALMSysSQL\Documents folder.

Set the Payment Receipts to either always view the receipt before printing, or to just send it to the printer without viewing.

E-Mail Page
E-Mail settings are very similar to that of Microsoft Outlook Express and Outlook. Contact your ISP or ALMSys Support for assistance.