FL Trim Notice Processing

What is Notice Processing in PACS?

In Florida, the Annual Truth-in Millage (TRIM) Notices are processed by the Property Appraisers Office. In July/August, the property appraiser sends each property owner a Notice of Proposed Property Taxes, or TRIM Notices. This notice contains the property’s value on January 1, the millage rates proposed by each local government, and an estimate of the amount of property taxes owed based on the proposed millage rates. The date, time, and location of each local government’s budget hearing are also provided on the notice. This provides property owners the opportunity to attend the hearings and comment on the millage rates before approval.

We highly recommend you complete the following preliminary procedures before beginning the TRIM Notice process.

Backup of Data

Ensure that you have a good backup before you begin TRIM processing. While it is not anticipated that you will have issues, it is a highly recommended best practice to back up your data before any major tax event.

Please visit with your internal IT to have this completed. If you have an IT Services Contract with Harris Govern, please notify our IT Support Team by entering a TeamSupport ticket and/or call the IT Support Team.

Verify the PACS Version

Before running a major tax calendar event, in many case, we require you to be on a specific version to ensure you have the correct legislative changes. To verify that the newest PACS is loaded, click the PACS Application button and choose Help>About. This will list the current PACS version.

PACS Mobile

All PACS Mobile clients shall notify support before continuing with the TRIM process. Please note that client should NOT MOVE FORWARD with certifying the roll until this step is fully completed.

At a minimum, the following must occur:

• • Pending Changes Marked as Complete:  These must be QC ‘Approved’ OR, if the changes are not wanted in PACS, ‘Reject’ the accounts individually or in bulk.
  • CAUTION: Pending Changes 24 + Hrs:   These Must be ‘Marked as Complete’ and QC ‘Approved’, OR they may be set as ‘Reviewed’ in Bulk and then ‘Rejected’ if none of the changes are wanted in PACS.
  • CAUTION: Unsynced Changes (Approved):  If accounts are in this list, please notify Support in order to help sync these accounts to PACS.
  • Sync Failed = Yes:  If there are any results returned in this filter, please enter a ticket with the title ‘TRIM-Sync Failed account(s)’.

Important: If there are any Sync Failed accounts, notify support. You ABSOLUTELY SHOULD NOT certify with sync failed properties.

• • • If you’ve been transferred to DCS Support to support the mobile application, please open a FreshDesk with Data Cloud Solutions.
    • If you have not been transferred to DCS Support to suppor the mobile application, please open a TeamSupport ticket with Harris Govern.

Recalculating the Properties

Browse to the PACS Action button>Activities > Mass Maintenance (Property) > Mass Recalculation to recalculate all properties.

Resolve any recalculation errors before continuing. You can use the Recalculation Error report (Reports > Recalculation Errors Report) as a reference.

Note: You may need to complete this step multiple times. Recalculating properties should be completed after making any value changes in your roll.

Data Verification Reports

There are several reports in PACS that will allow you to process quality assurance checks of your data. We highly recommend you review the Data Verification reports as part of your process before you begin the TRIM Process.

To review the Data Verification reports, please browse to PACS Action Button>Reports>Data Verification Reports

There are three types of Data Verification Reports

• • Exception Reports
    • These reports will allow user to enter maximum and minimum value criteria for Assessed, Land, Improvement, Mobile Home, and Personal property. The report will identify outliers so that the user may review property and confirm if property is correct or if changes must be made
  • Legal Acreage Verification Reports
    • This report will identify properties where total acreage and the legal acreage do not match.
  • Percent Owner Report
    • This report will identify properties that do not have 100% total ownership

Recalculation Error Report

To review the properties that have the Recalculation Errors, browse to PACS Action Button>Reports>Recalculation Error Report.

Review your Tax Rates

We highly recommend to review and ensure your tax rates/levy rates are correct in your system for each entity.

Sample Data from Printer

We highly recommend that you perform a test run and to send to the print vendor.  Request several samples to review the data and ensure the data is displaying as you expect.

Purpose

Allows user to configure how they would like the Confidential Owners in their system appear on TRIM Notice Export to Printer

Procedure

• In Systems configuration, browse to Confidential Owner section

User has the option to do the following:

• The user may set the name and address to Confidential – this will display the confidential display name if owner name is confidential and configuration setting is confidential owner or both.
• The user may set just the Address to Confidential – this will display a blank value for the address fields if owners address is confidential and configuration setting is confidential address or both.
• The user may set the Name to Confidential – this will display confidential display name, if any, situs address is confidential and configuration setting is confidential address or both.

Assign Role to Process TRIM Notice

• In order to process TRIM Notices, the correct user right must be assigned to the user’s role.
• In Security Manager,Browse to Role Management. Under Activities, Ensure the TRIM Notice checkbox is checked for the role you intent to run the TRIM Notice Process. Click Save
• This will allow role to process the TRIM Notices.

Assign Role to Print Corrected TRIM Notice

• In order for a user to print a corrected TRIM notice, the appropriate user right must be assigned to the user’s role.
• In Security Manager, browse to Role Management. Under the TRIM checkbox, check the ‘Print Corrected TRIM Notices’. Click

The TRIM Notice will have the Assessor Office Name and Address printed on it. In order to have this render correctly, user must set up the office name and address.

• Browse to PACS Action Button>System Configuration>Notice/Cards.
• Under the section TRIM Notice, there is a field for:
  • Office Address 1
  • Office Address 2
  • Office Address 3
  • Office Address 4
• User will complete the fields and click Save.

Users may complete in various ways, see example below; this is strictly the decision of the office procedure:

Grant Property Appraiser Office

Jane Doe, Assessor

1234 Main Street

Anywhere, FL 12345

Grant Property Appraiser Office

1234 Main Street

Anywhere, FL 12345

Grant Property Appraiser Office

1234 Main Street

Anywhere, FL 12345

Website: http://www.grantpaoffice.com

This procedure will allow the user to enter current millage rates and enter the print order of levies that will appear on the TRIM Notice.

User will use this procedure to enter the Millage Rate, Print Configuration and to enter TRIM Notice Hearing Information.

Entering Millage Rate

• In PACS Search Panel, select Tax District.
• Double click on desired Tax district
• Select current year > Click plus sign to expand
• Double click the tax district
• Under section Annual Levying Information, user will complete
  • Proposed Rate
  • Rollback Rate
• Click Save to save all changes.

Enter Print Order of Levy on TRIM Notice

• There are three options the user can choose from regarding TRIM Notice
  • Include on TRIM Notice – choose this to include the Tax District on the TRIM Notice
    • TRIM Category – use drop down to choose the Code desired
    • TRIM Order – select trim order user would like to appear on TRIM Notice
    • TRIM Text – the verbiage which will appear on the TRIM Notice.
  • Combine on TRIM Notice with – user will choose this if they would like to combine this with another tax area.
    • User will Select Drop Down Box and choose Tax District Desired

NOTE: If user chooses this option, BOTH Tax Districts must be set up with the ‘Combine on TRIM Notice’ configuration

• Exclude from TRIM Notice – user will choose this if they want to exclude the tax district from the TRIM Notice.

• Click Save to save all changes.

Enter TRIM Notice Hearing Information

• Under TRIM Hearing Information section, there is a free form box that allows user to enter Hearing information
• Click Save to save all changes.

Use this procedure to set up the Special Assessment hearing time and location if applicable to County.

• In PACS Search Panel, choose Special Assessment Authority
• Choose desired Special Assessment Authority and double click to open
• User will set up hearing date, time, and location
• Click Save.

User will use this procedure to set up the Configuration of the TRIM Notice.

Creating the TRIM Configuration Year

• Browse to PACS Action button>Activities>TRIM>Configuration
• To add current year, click Green Plus

• User will choose Year from drop down selection; this will populate the form.

Configuring Options

• User may exclude taxing authorities by using the dropdown selection in the Exclude Taxing Authorities field.
• User may exclude special assessments by using the dropdown selection in the Exclude Sp. Assessment field.
• User may match Non Ad Valorem Current value to Proposed Value in TRIM Notice by checking said box.
• If user calculates Special Assessment as Special Assessment Fee by multiplying by Special Assessment Rate, click the said box

NOTE: Currently, the Non Ad Valorem and the Special Assessment Fee options are relevant to a specific customer. If you have questions whether you should check this box, please contact support.

Configuring Tax Authority Print Order

• Under Taxing Authority Print Order, user may select Trim Text, Category, and Order per Code. To alter, click under:
  • Trim Text – user may alter the TRIM text of the Taxing Authority Code. This is what reflects on the TRIM.
  • Category – user may use the dropdown to choose the category of the code.
  • Order – user may list the order sequentially of how the codes appear on the TRIM Notice

Configuring Exemption Line Items

• Under Exemption Line Items, user may add, delete or alter the Exemptions.
  • Exemption – User may enter exemption description; this is a free-form field
  • Applies to – user may enter applies to information; this is a free-form field
  • Tax District type – User will check relevant checkbox (County, School, Municipality, etc)
  • Exemption Mapping – User will select the appropriate exemption by using the checkbox.

Configuring TRIM Verbiage

• User will browse to Section section

• For each Section Name, user may add or alter the Comment section
• Click Save to save all altered information

NOTE: This section is copied up for each year. We recommend checking this annually to ensure the comments still state the message user would like to reflect on TRIM.

User will use this procedure to create the TRIM Notice Run that will create the TRIM Notice for the properties selected.

• Browse to PACS Action Button>Activities>TRIM Notice Processing
  • This will render the Run list. This section lists all TRIM Notice runs made in PACS.
• To create a new run, click Green Plus button

General Section

• Select Year – select year of the TRIM Notice. If year needed does not exist, please reference the Setting Up TRIM Configuration section
• Configure – Clicking this button will render the TRIM Configuration screen referenced in Setting up TRIM Configuration section.
• Created by – this is populated automatically
• Created Date – this is populated automatically, but user may change by using calendar function
• Printed By – this field will populate once TRIM Run has been printed.
• Printed Date – this field will populate once TRIM Run has been printed.
• Events by – this field will populate once the Event process has been run.
• Events Date – this field will populated once the Event process has been run.

Options Section

User may create TRIM Runs by Property type including or excluding Group Codes.

• User will select Property Type listed
• In Selection Type, user will choose:
  • All Properties except Group Codes
  • Only with Group Code
  • Exclude Property Type
• Group Codes will coordinate with the Selection Type. User will use the drop down selected.

Once selections are completed, user will click Process.

Use this procedure if user creates a TRIM notice run and wishes to delete the run.

• Browse to PACS Action Button > Activities > TRIM > TRIM Notice Processing
• Highlight TRIM Run desired
• Select Red X at upper left hand of the dialog; this action will delete the TRIM Run

Use this procedure when user is ready to print or export TRIM Notices

Printing TRIM Notices

• Browse to PACS Action Button > Activities > TRIM > TRIM Processing
• Highlight the run in which user would like to print TRIM Notices
• Click Print at the upper right hand of the dialog, the following screen will render

• Under the General Section, user has the following Options
  • Sort Order – user may choose from Alpha, Geo or Zip
  • Duplex – user may choose to Duplex the TRIM notice
  • Starting Prop ID – if user wants to start run at a specific prop_id, enter prop_id here. Users typically use this option if there was a print jam or other issue with printer.
• Under the Undeliverable Mail section, use has the following choices:
  • Include Undeliverable Mail
  • Exclude Undeliverable Mail
  • Only Undeliverable Mail

NOTE: User can make several print runs in the same TRIM Notice Run should they want to Exclude Undeliverable Mail in one print run and then print Only Undeliverable mail in the next.

• Under Output Settings, user may choose
  • Format – select option to output the TRIM (Word, Excel, PortableDocForm, and many others). Default is PortableDocForm.
  • Filename – this is an open field for user to name the file.
  • Description – this is an opn field for user to name the file.
  • Archive – user has option to Archive the Print run.
• Select Preview or Post to generate the TRIM Print Run.

Export TRIM Notice Run

• Browse to PACS Action Button > Activities > TRIM > TRIM Processing
• Highlight the run in which user would like to print TRIM Notices
• Select the Export option at the upper right hand of the dialog box; the following dialog box will render

• Under General, user will have the options:
  • Sort – user will have the option to sort by Alpha, Geo, Zip
  • Export File – user will select the ellipsis button and choose the:
    • Path – location where users wants to export the file
    • File -Open text to name the file.
• Under Undeliverable Mail, user has the following choices
  • Include Undeliverable Mail
  • Exclude Undeliverable Mail
  • Only Undeliverable Mail

NOTE: User can make several print runs in the same TRIM Notice Run should they want to Exclude Undeliverable Mail in one print run and then print Only Undeliverable mail in the next.

• Choose Export to complete the export of the file.
• User will receive notice that TRIM Notice Export has completed.

User may use this procedure to create events or delete evnets that can be viewed at the Property level.

Create TRIM Notice Event

• Browse to PACS Action Button>Activities>TRIM>TRIM Notice Processing
• Select the TRIM run desired
• Select Create Events at the upper right hand of the dialog box.
• User will receive message asking them to confirm if they want to create events; select Yes.
• User will receive message that events have successfully been created.

Delete TRIM Notice Event

• Browse to PACS Action Button>Activities>TRIM>TRIM Notice Processing
• Select the TRIM run desired
• Select Delete Events at the upper right hand of the dialog box.
• User will receive message asking them to confirm if they want to delete events; select Yes.
• User will receive message that events have successfully been deleted.

View TRIM Notice Events

• Open Property
• User may view TRIM Notice Events in two ways
  • Option 1 – In Property Events
    • In Property, browse to Events.
    • Select Event with Event Type = TN; click Details (magnifying glass)
    • Browse to Objects Events. User May Open or Print.
  • Option 2 – Through Command Button
    • In Property, select Command
    • Select View Property TRIM Notice

Use this procedure if value changes occur and user would like to print a corrected TRIM Notice.

• Open Property
• Select Commands
• Select Print Corrected TRIM Notice

A corrected TRIM Notice will generate. This will differ from Original TRIM Notice as it will have the verbiage ‘REPRINTED’ with a print date on the notice.

Purpose

Client may create corrected TRIM Notice for a batch of properties

Prerequisite

User must have the Print Corrected TRIM Notice in Mass user right

Procedure

• Browse to Activities>TRIM Notice> Print Corrected TRIM Notice in Mass
• User will complete the following feels as applicable
  • Year
    • This field will allow the user to choose a year
    • The combo box will be populated with the years where trim notice runs were printed
    • [trim_notice_run].year where printed_date is not null
    • It will default to the latest year
    • This field is required
  • Create Events
    • When the user checks this checkbox, after printing the trim notices for the selected properties, events will be added as well.
  • Property IDs
    • This option will allow the user to enter property ids separated by carriage return
    • At least one property id must be entered
  • Roll Correction
    • This field will allow the user to choose a roll correction for the year selected
    • This combo box will be populated with the roll corrections for the Year selected
    • When the year is changed, this combo box will be updated
    • This field is required
  • Run ID
    • This option will allow the user to select a Trim Notice Run which was printed previously
    • The combo box will be populated with Trim Notice Runs for the Year selected
    • [trim_notice_run].printed_date is not null and year = Year
    • It will default to the latest run
  • Query
    • This option will allow the user to enter a query for the properties that corrected trim notices should be printed for
    • A query must be entered similar to
    • Select prop_id from XXXX ….
  • Verify
    • This button will be enabled when the user chooses the Query option and enters a query
    • When the user clicks this button, it will execute the query and determine the number of properties which will be reflected in the # of Properties field
    • There must be at least 1 property for the process to continue
  • # of Properties
    • This read only field will display the count of properties to be printed if the Query option was chosen and the user clicked the Verify button
  • Sort Order
    • This field will allow the user to choose a sort order
    • The combo box will be populated with the following options:
    • By Alpha
    • By Geo ID

Result

Corrected TRIM Notices are corrected for the properties indicated.