1.Before You Begin
If you have not already done so, do the following before you proceed with the import:
- Download the CAD’s exported appraisal files from the CAD through one of the following:
- Harris Govern’s FTP site (For more information, see Loading FTP)
- CD
Important
To complete the import, you must have the following files:
_OWNER_AGENT_HEADER.TXT
_AGENT_OWNER.TXT
- Owner/Agent Transfers Name/Address Changes report
- On your system, locate and open the
_OWNER_AGENT_HEADER.TXT
file sent from the CAD. - Review the file header to confirm that you are about to import the correct files. Refer to the example below when reading the header.txt file:
- A – Run Date (8 characters)
- B – Run Time (8 characters)
- C – Start Date Range (8 characters)
- D – End Date Range (8 characters)
- E – Entity Code (may read
MULT
if multiple entities) (10 characters) - F – Entity Description (40 characters)
- G – Appraisal Year (4 characters)
- H – Office Name (30 characters)
- I – PACS Version (10 characters)
- J – Export Version (10 characters)
2.Importing Owner/Agent Data
Purpose
Use this procedure to import the following data from an appraisal district:
- Ownership transfers
- Owner address changes
- Agent changes
- Agent address changes
Note: The system will use the current Appraisal District Configuration to match owner/agent information with records on your system. Match will perform historically first and then by Appraisal District configuration. If you have never imported any appraisal data and have not configured your system for an import, proceed to Maintaining Appraisal District Configuration in the Appraisal Data Import user guides for instructions on setting up Appraisal District Configuration prior to importing Owner/Agent data.
Procedure
- In PACS Collections, choose File > Import > Appraisal Data.
The Appraisal Import List is displayed.
- Right-click and choose New Owner/Agent Import.
The Owner/Agent Import dialog box is displayed.
- Complete or review the following fields as required:
- CAD – The appraisal district from which you are importing the file.
- Software Vendor – Use the
True Automation
default value.
Note: The Software Vendor field is automatically populated according to configuration settings.
- Run Type – Use the
Owner/Agent Import
default value. - Year – Select the year that corresponds with the records to be imported.
- Minimum Import Year for CAD – Ignore. This field is currently irrelevant because owner/agent information imports on the highest year that the property exists, not the lowest.
- Specify the file to be imported for each of the file types in the Import Files section:
- Select the
OWNER_AGENT_HEADER.TXT
file type and then click Browse to display the Open dialog box. - Select the
OWNER_AGENT_HEADER.TXT
file from a shared network. For example:\\pacsserver\AppraisalImportData
In the above file path,
pacsserver
is your server name andAppraisalImportData
is the name of the folder where you saved the appraisal district’s file on your computer.
Note: The system will not accept a file path beginning with a drive letter (for example,
C:
orD:
). We recommend that you import from a server rather than a PC on a network.
- Repeat the steps above for the Owner/Agent Info file (with a name ending in _AGENT_OWNER.TXT).
- Select the
- Click Import.
- You are prompted to acknowledge that the import is complete. Click OK.
Results
Your import is displayed in the Appraisal Import List with the date and completion time stamp in the Import Status column.
Tip We recommend leaving the Appraisal Import List open. The following tasks begin from this window.
3.Using the Owner/Agent Import Report
Purpose
Use this report to review the data that was imported.
Note: The value in the Mailings column: A value of No
indicates that the agent is not authorized to receive mail for the owner, while a value of Yes
indicates that the agent is authorized to receive mail for the owner.
Prerequisites
- The Appraisal Import List window is open.
Procedure
- From the Appraisal Import List window, highlight the run ID, right-click and choose Import Report.
The Owner/Agent Import Report dialog box is displayed.
- Select one of the following options:
- Owners and Agents
- Owners Only
- Agents Only
- Click Preview to generate a copy of the report on-screen, or click Print to send a copy to the printer.
- After you have a copy of the report, compare the report to the Owner/Agent Transfers Name/Address Changes report generated by the CAD.
4.Matching Imported Owner/Agent Data
Purpose
Use this procedure to set up the mapping from data in your office’s database to data being imported. With this procedure, you can override the configuration match mapping that was set up with the CAD Configuration feature.
Prerequisites
- The Appraisal Import List window is open.
Procedure
- From the Appraisal Import List window, highlight the run ID, right-click and choose Match Imported Data.
The Owner/Agent Import Match dialog box is displayed.
- In the Configuration Match Mapping section, select an import field and then specify the PACS field to map to the import field.
- Click Match.
The Owner/Agent Import Match Statistics dialog box is displayed.
- Select the item for which to generate a statistics report.
- Select Print or Preview to review the statistics report.
5.Viewing Match Statistics
Purpose
Use this procedure to review imported data that was matched as well as imported data that was not matched.
Note: The Owner/Agent Import Match Statistics dialog box was accessed in the previous procedure, Matching Imported Owner/Agent Data. If you reviewed and generated the Appraisal Import Unmatched Properties report then, proceed to Next Steps at the bottom of this page.
Prerequisites
- The Appraisal Import List window is open.
Procedure
- From the Appraisal Import List window, highlight the run ID, right-click and choose Match Statistics.
The Owner/Agent Import Match Statistics dialog box is displayed.
- Select the item for which to generate a statistics report. You can select either matched or unmatched properties, owners or agents.
- Select Print or Preview.
Next Steps
If necessary, match unmatched properties.
6.Undoing the Owner/Agent Import
Purpose
This procedure is optional.
Use this procedure if you need to delete imported data.
Prerequisites
The Merge Imported Data process has not been completed.
Procedure
- In PACS Collections, choose File > Import > Appraisal Data.
The Appraisal Import List window is displayed.
- Right click the run and choose Undo Import.
- You are prompted to confirm that you want to undo the import. Click OK.
- You are prompted to acknowledge that the import run has been undone. Click OK.
7.Merging Imported Owner/Agent Data
Purpose
Use this procedure to merge imported appraisal data into the database.
The merge process does the following:
- Backs up the affected tables.
- Updates data for existing properties, owners, and agents.
- If necessary, creates new property, owner, and agent records.
Caution
Once completed, the merge process cannot be undone.
At the beginning of the merge process, the system backs up the affected tables. The only way to restore your system to the way it was prior to the merge is to request True Automation Client Services’ assistance in restoring the tables that were backed up.
Prerequisites
- You have matched properties as required.
Note: Not all properties must be matched in order for you to merge the data successfully. Often, the import file includes new records that do not yet exist in the tax office database. This is because the Appraisal District office has continued updating and adding ownership records for their next certification year.
- Only the user running the merge is logged on to the system. All other PACS users are logged off to ensure that no data is changed while the merge is being processed.
- The Appraisal Import List window is open.
Procedure
- From the Appraisal Import List window, highlight the run ID, right-click and choose Merge Imported Data.
The Owner/Agent Import Merge Wizard – Overview is displayed.
- Click Next.
The Wizard Summary screen displays.
- View the summary information. Then click Finish.
- You are prompted to acknowledge that the owner/agent import merge is complete. Click OK.
Result
The appraisal district’s data is merged into the database.
8.Generating Corrected Tax Statements
Purpose
Use this procedure to print corrected tax statements for all properties with ownership and/or address changes affected by the merge. You can then send out the statements as needed.
Procedure
- In PACS Collections, choose Activities > Generate Corrected Tax Statement/Statement of Account for Ownership Transfers.
- In the Statements for Properties with an Ownership Change dialog box, choose the options Corrected Tax Statement and Include “Return Service Requested” Comment on Tax Statement.
- In the Start Date drop-down calendar, choose the date that the Owner/Agent Import data was merged. Then, set the End Date to one day after the Start Date.
- Set the remaining options as needed.
- Click Print to generate the statements.
9.Generating Delinquent Notices
Procedure
Use this procedure to generate notices for all owners and/or agents who were updated in the merge and have delinquent taxes.
Procedure
- In PACS Collections, choose Activities > Assessment > Delinquent Tax Functions > Print Delinquent Notice.
- In the Print Delinquent Notice dialog box, choose the option Prop ID – By Query. Then, substituting your own dates, enter the following query in the query field:
select distinct p.prop_id
from property p, address ad
where p.col_owner_id = ad.acct_id
and ((p.prop_id in (select prop_id from chg_of_owner_prop_assoc
where chg_of_owner_id in (select chg_of_owner_id from chg_of_owner
where coo_sl_dt >= '07/07/2011'
and coo_sl_dt < '07/08/2011'))) or ((ad.last_change_dt >= '07/07/2011'
and ad.last_change_Dt <= '07/08/2011'
and primary_addr = 'Y')))
In the query above, the dates would be valid for imports that were merged on 07/07/2011 (July 07, 2011). In your query, change the dates as needed to accommodate your merge date. This means that you will enter the date that the Owner/Agent Import data was merged, and enter the last change date as one day after merge date.
- Click Verify Query to verify that the query has been entered as required.
- In the Print Delinquent Notice dialog box, choose additional criteria as needed.
Note: If an account is delinquent as of the Notice Date displayed in the Notice Options section, then a notice is generated.
- Select Generate Event to save an event on each property for which a notice was printed.
- To generate the notices, click Preview, Export, or Print as needed.