WA Certification Procedures

Backup of Data

Ensure that you have a good backup before you begin your process. 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.

All PACS Mobile clients shall notify support before continuing with the certification 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 ‘Certification – 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.

Recalculation Error Report

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

Only the workstation that is being used to run certification should be logged into PACS. All other assessor users must be logged off.

(Treasurer users, however, can remain logged on during certification.

Purpose

This process determines which properties are eligible for the under $500 exemption and then applies the exemption to the properties. The process removes all under $500 exemptions on the properties, and then adds the exemption to the qualifying properties.

Information about qualifying properties and the PACS selection process is provided below.

Note If you need to add an under $500 exemption to an individual property record, see Adding Total or Under $500 Exemptions in the Exemptions user guide.

Qualifying Properties

• Properties that receive the under $500 exemption may not have other exemptions applied, except the personal property farm exemption. That is, the under $500 exemption may not be applied to properties with the following exemptions or use:
  • Personal properties that have a Head of Family (HOF) exemption
  • Real properties that have a multi-family exemption
  • Real properties that have an historic exemption
  • Real properties assessed under the current use assessment program
  • Real properties that have an exemption for senior citizen and disabled persons

PACS Selection Process

• The following properties are selected in the U500 process:
  • Real properties with no exemptions. The market value is used for selection on any properties with current use.
  • Partially exempt real properties, or personal property Special Farm exemption properties, linked to a property where:
    • The total combined market value for the linked properties is under $500.
    • The property has the U500 check box selected for its Property Link Sub Type in PACS.ADMIN (Tools > Code File Maintenance > Property).
  • Personal property with either no exemptions or with only the special farm exemption.
  • All other properties with an individual market value less than $500.

The selection process does not involve prior year processing. (If a user needs to change a certified account, the user must supplement the account and manually add or remove the exemption.)

Prerequisites

• In order to perform this procedure, the following user right is required:
  • Activities > Run U500 Process

Procedure

1. In PACS 9.0, choose Activities > U500 Process.

   A confirmation message is displayed.

   

2. Click Yes to start the U500 process.

Result

The exemptions of the properties will equal the properties’ total assessed value, resulting in the properties processed by the U500 process having a taxable value of zero to be reflected on the assessment roll. No change is made to the market value of the properties.

Purpose

Use this procedure to recalculate the values for multiple properties at the same time.

Prerequisites

• In order to perform this procedure, the following user right is required:
  • Activities > Recalculate All Property

Procedure

1. In PACS 9.0, choose Activities > Mass Maintenance (Property) > Mass Recalculation.
2. In the Recalculate Property dialog box, choose one of the following options:
   • All Properties
   • Select by Options
     • If you choose the Select by Options option, then select from the following check boxes as required and specify the values for each:
     • Property Type

       The type of property, such as real, personal, auto, mobile home, or mineral.

     • Neighborhood

       The neighborhood in which the properties are located.

     • Subdivision

       The subdivisions in which the properties are located.

     • Class

       Properties assigned to the classes specified will be recalculated.

       The class represents a way of grouping properties in order to compare like properties, for example: Class A – Office, Class B – Office, Class A – Retail, Class A – In-House Properties, and so on.

     • Tax Area

       The tax area to which the property area is assigned.

     • Group Code

       Group codes for which properties will recalculated.

     • Appraiser

       For appraisal cards and building permits, this option reflects the associated appraiser.

       For recalculation, this option recalculates the properties associated with the appraisers specified.

     • Last Modified

       Properties that fall within the date range specified in the Begin Date and End Date fields will be recalculated.

   • To enter a query with which to retrieve a group of property records to be recalculated, choose the Select by Query option. The do the following:
   1. Enter the query in the Query panel.
   2. Click Verify Query to verify the syntax. Then click Load Query.
3. Click Recalculate to recalculate the property values.

Purpose

This procedure is optional and highly recommended when carrying out certification procedures.

Use this procedure to review errors on the Recalculation Errors Report, which we recommend correcting before certifying appraisal values.

Procedure

1. In PACS 9.0, choose Reports > Recalculation Errors Report.
2. Enter the year, the supplement, and the sort order for the report.
3. If you have enabled Recalculation Error Validation and wish to exclude validated errors from the report, select Exclude Validated Recalculation Errors.
4. Complete the output settings, and click Preview or Print.
5. Correct all errors on the report before proceeding with the remaining certification procedures.

   Important The Recalculation Error Report always displays a total of 1 item even when there are no errors. If a property ID number is not listed, then there are no errors.

To verify data, we recommend using the reports listed below. You may find other reports useful as well.

Note If you make any corrections as a result of analyzing data on the reports, recalculate each property involved in a correction.

• The Property Value Comparison report (Reports > Property > Property Value Comparison by Year).
• The Exception reports (Reports > Data Verification > Exception Reports).
• The Expiring Remodel Exemptions report (Reports > Expiring Remodel Exemptions).
• The Standard Gain/Loss report (Reports> Standard Gain/Loss).
• The Land Acreage report (Reports > Data Verification > Land Acreage Verification).

Purpose

Use this procedure to assign penalties to properties belonging to owners who submitted late renditions or who submitted fraudulent renditions.

Note Late filing rendition penalties can be automatically assessed on properties system-wide. For more information, see Configuring Late Filing Penalties.

Prerequisites

• If you need to assess a late penalty, Table Waiver Status Codes have been set up in PACS.ADMIN (Tools > Code File Maintenance > Personal Property > Table Waiver Status Codes) so that they can be selected in the Waiver drop-down list.

Procedure

1. In PACS 9.0, open a personal property record, and expand the Rendition panel.
2. In the Rendition sections, select the rendition for which to assess a penalty. Then under the Imposition Letter section, click Penalty.

   Note (1) For properties whose owners have filed late, when opened, the Rendition Penalty Dialog updates and displays the appropriate rendition penalty according to the scheduled if there is no override. (2) If you choose to undo a previous override, and the scheduled penalty is different from the penalty previously set via the override, a message is displayed. (3) For properties whose owners have not filed, no penalty is selected or displayed (until the set rendition penalty process is run).

3. In the Rendition Penalty Dialog box, if you need to make entries to assess a penalty for a late rendition, complete the following options:

   

   • Waiver

     Indicates whether a late rendition penalty is waived.

   • Waiver Date

     The date that a waiver was granted.

   • Impose Late Filing

     Select this check box to enable the Penalty % field.

     If automated late filing penalties is enabled, the following applies: If this Impose Late Filing option was already selected, and the property is considered late according to the system configuration, and the late flag on the property has already been set automatically through Activities > Rendition Processing > Set Rendition Penalty Flag, then the appropriate penalty has already been assigned to this property. You must override the penalty to modify the percentage amount.

   • Penalty %

     The percentage of the penalty.

   • Imposed Date

     The date that the penalty was imposed.

   • Date Filed

     The date that the rendition was filed.

   • Comment
   • Override

     Allows user to modify the currently assessed penalty.

     If automated late filing penalties is enabled, the following applies: If the Impose Late Filing option below was already selected, and the property is considered late according to the system configuration, and the late flag on the property has already been set automatically through Activities > Rendition Processing > Set Rendition Penalty Flag, then the appropriate penalty has already been assigned to this property. You must override the penalty to modify the percentage amount.

4. If you need to make entries to assess a penalty for a fraudulent rendition, complete the following options:

   

   • Impose Fraud Penalty

     The date that the fraudulent filing penalty should be imposed.

   • Penalty %

     The percentage of the penalty.

   • Imposed Date

     The date that the penalty was imposed.

   • Comment
5. Click OK.

Purpose

Use this procedure before running the certification process to verify that:

• Exemptions are associated with a tax district as required
• Levy rates have been copied for the current year
• Verify REET rates
• The new fiscal year has been entered
• Annexation entries are accurate

Procedure

1. In PACS 9.0, open a tax district. Then expand the district’s Levies panel.
2. Verify the following information:
   1. Verify that exemptions are associated with a tax district as required:

      (i) Click + to expand the row for the current assessed year – tax year. Then double-click a levy.

      

      (ii) In the Tax District:<x> Year:<x> Levy:<x> dialog box, expand the Exemptions and Statement Display panel. In the Exempt from Levy field, verify that farm or senior/disabled exemptions are entered if required. For example:

      

   2. In the Levies panel, verify that levy rates have been created or copied to the upcoming assessed year-tax year.
   3. In the REET Rates panel, verify that the REET data is accurate.
   4. In the Fiscal Year panel, verify that the new fiscal year has been entered.
   5. In the Annexations panel, verify that the annexation data is correct.
3. Repeat this procedure as required for the other tax districts.

Purpose

Use this procedure to certify property values in PACS.

This process recalculates property values and locks the property information for the year you certify. Once you have certified values, all changes or corrections that are required in the certified year will have to be entered by using supplement features.

Caution  You cannot undo a certification if the new year layer has been created.

Procedure

1. In PACS 9.0, choose Activities > Administration > Certification > Certify Appraisal Roll.

   

2. If the Certify Wizard dialog box indicates that there are appraisal errors, do the following:
   1. Click Preview Report to generate the Property Recalculation Error Report (shown below), which lists the errors.
   2. Review the messages in the Calculation Error column, and correct the errors as required before proceeding.

      Note Correcting the errors is not required to run the certification process, but we highly recommend doing so.

      

      Note If you have enabled Recalculation Error Validation, validated errors will be noted in the report with the date and time of validation.

3. In the Certify Wizard window dialog box, click Next.
4. In the Review Tax Districts dialog box, to verify that the tax rates and exemptions are correct for each tax district, select the tax district and then do the following:

   Note If the tax district information has already been verified, proceed to the last step.

   

   1. Click Details.
   2. Verify that exemptions are associated with a tax district as required:

      (i) Click + to expand the row for the current assessed year – tax year. Then double-click a levy.

      

      (ii) In the Tax District:<x> Year:<x> Levy:<x> dialog box, expand the Exemptions and Statement Display panel. In the Exempt from Levy field, verify that farm or senior/disabled exemptions are entered if required. For example:

      

   3. In the Levies panel, verify that levy rates have been created or copied to the upcoming assessed year-tax year.
   4. In the REET Rates panel, verify that the REET data is accurate.
   5. In the Fiscal Year panel, verify that the new fiscal year has been entered.
   6. In the Annexations panel, verify that the annexation data is correct.
   7. Repeat this procedure as required for the other tax districts.
5. Click Finish.

Result

A notification is sent to your PACS inbox indicating that certification has begun. Depending on your system, certification processing could be lengthy.

To review the progress of the certification, check the percentage completion status in your PACS inbox.

Troubleshooting

If you need to undo the certification in order to make corrections, use the Undoing a System Certification procedure.

Purpose

This procedure is optional.

Use this procedure if you need to undo the system certification carried out with the Certify System activity and make corrections to your data.

Caution You cannot undo a certification if the new year layer has been created.

Procedure

1. In PACS 9.0, choose Activities > Administration > Certification > Undo Certify System.
2. You are prompted to confirm that you want to undo the certification for the appraisal year. When you are ready to continue, click OK.

Result

The certification is undone. A notification is not displayed in your PACS inbox.

Purpose

Use the Certified Totals Report to review the total values of properties that have been certified. With this report, you can choose sorting, grouping, and filtering options, perform recalculation prior to generating output, and set the type of output to generate.

Prerequisites

• In order to perform this procedure, the following user rights are required:
  • Reports > Totals/Rolls > Certified Totals

Procedure

1. In PACS 9.0, choose Reports > Totals/Rolls > Certified Totals.
2. In the Year and Supplement Selection section of the Certified Totals Dialog, complete the following fields:
   • Year

     Limited to years that are not yet certified.

   • As of Supp #

     Limited to zero (0).

3. In the Data Selection Options section, choose one the following fields. This selection determines the method by which properties will be selected for inclusion in the Certified Totals Report and affects the type of Selection Filtering paragraph displayed.
   • Use Selection Options
   • Use Query
4. In the Grouping and Sorting Options section, select an option in the Print Totals By field, which determines how the totals data will be aggregated in the generated output, and modifies other selection options in the dialog box according to the value chosen. Then select the sort order.
5. In the Selection Filtering section, select the tax areas, tax districts, levies, or pending tax area, and select the property types from the Include only Selected Property Types check boxes as required:

   

6. If required, select the following options:
   • Include Only Property Sub Types

     Includes only those properties that have the sub types you specify.

   • Include Only Properties Appraised By

     Includes only those properties appraised by the specified appraisal company.

     Note This does not refer to an appraiser.

   • Exclude State Assessed Utilities
   • Summary Only
7. In the Additional Output Options section, choose at least one of the following Print Total Pages for options. These check boxes control the properties that are included in the Preliminary Totals Report based on their status with the BOE.
   • Include DOR Report

     Note: At least one of the following three check boxes must be checked for the report to be generated.

   • BOE Approved Properties

     Prints totals that represent the values of properties that have closed protests as well as those properties that did not have open or active BOE protests for the year.

   • Sum of BOE Approved and Under Review Properties

     Prints the sum of: the values of properties that have closed protests, the values of properties that did not have open or active BOE protests for the year, and the values of properties for which the BOE protest process is not yet completed.

   • Under BOE Review Properties

     Prints the total values for properties for which the BOE protest process is not yet completed.

8. To set the output settings, complete the following fields in the Output Settings section:

   • In the

     Format drop-down list, select the report output format.

   • In the Filename field, enter the report file name.
   • In the Description field, enter a report description.
9. Click Preview to preview the report. Click Post to generate the report.

Purpose

Use this report to print the certified appraisal roll for tax areas.

Prerequisites

• In order to perform this procedure, the following user rights are required:
  • Reports > Assessment Roll

Procedure

1. In PACS 9.0, choose Reports > Assessment Roll Report.
2. In the Year and Supplement Selection section of the Assessment Roll Report dialog, complete the following fields:
   • Year

     Limited to years that are not yet certified.

   • As of Supp #

     Filtered according to all available accepted supplements for the selected year.

3. In the Data Selection Options section, choose one the following fields. This selection determines the method by which properties will be selected for inclusion in the Totals Report and affects the type of Selection Filtering paragraph displayed in the dialog.
   • Use Selection Options
   • Use Query
4. In the Report Options section, select and complete the following fields:
   • Title

     This title will print in the page header of the resulting output.

   • Sort Order

     Determines whether the sort order is by property ID, or property ID and tax area.

5. In the Selection Filtering section, select the tax areas and property types to include in the roll. If required, limit selections to specific property group codes, geo IDs, and acreage ranges.

   

6. In the Print Options section, if required, enter a page range. In addition, if you want the report output to only print totals by tax area and property type and to not print property details, select the Print Totals Only check box.
7. To set the output settings, complete the following fields in the Output Settings section:
   • In the Format drop-down list, select the report output format.
   • In the Filename field, enter the report file name.
   • In the Description field, enter a report description.
8. Click Preview to preview the report. Click Post to generate the report.