The CAD’s totals did not match the Tax District’s after a certified appraisal data import (File > Import > Appraisal Data). This imbalance happened because the tax district’s system failed to recognize a DVHSS exemption on properties taxed by a certain entity. The file cvw.appraisal_import_trueautomation_special_entity_exemption_vw.sql has been restored in the code, resolving this and subsequent issues.
119250
An unexpected error occurred when importing from Pritchard & Abbott (File > Import > Appraisal Data). Missing fields were added to the import process (prorations, etc.), resolving the issue.
119858, 108045, 80576
A script that had been run ad hoc in previous years for some clients importing Pritchard & Abbott files has been added permanently to the import process to resolve potential issues with properties in the import having the same unique identifier in the same year.
Fee Processing
117825
The fix for Helpstar issue 117741 released with PACS build 8.1.13.0012 resulted in property data being omitted from tax certificate fees listed on the Fee Statement Report (Reports > Fees > Fees Statement Report). This issue been resolved in this release.
Letter Processing
117908
Printing mortgage company-related letters generated an unexpected error (open the mortgage company record and select Entity > Print Mortgage Company Letter, then select the letter from the Letter drop-down list). A stored procedure related to letter generation has been corrected.
Payment Processing
117804
Reporting multiple examples of posting into batches with balance dates of days that are already closed. This has been resolved, not allowing posting to closed batches.
118755
When two check were posted to an installment agreement as multiple tenders in thePost Payment dialog box, the check validator only validated the combined total of the two chekcs instead of the two individual amounts (from Property Tax Due view, select Payment and click Move to Payment Cart, Post Payment, and process multiple tenders). When processing payments, the code included an unnecessary measure for multiple tenders that disturbed normal processing. This measure has been removed, resolving the issue.
121749
Quick Post All Items – When the user goes to change the statement id to property id and insert a property id and click Submit, the validate checkbox becomes unchecked with each click of the submit button. Now, the validation checkbox is checked, unless the total cash is non-zero and the total checks and money orders are zero. As always, the validation checkbox is unchecked, disabled, and hidden if no check validator is configured.
Reports
121422
When the Year to Date Recap Report is generated, an error message is received. This was due to data in pct_collected field. The field was modified to numeric (6.2) and the stored procedure RecapYTD was modified to put 9999.99 in the column if the value is larger than 9999.99.
This release includes the following additions and modifications to functionality:
Online Appeals
During protest processing, PACS users can create evidence packets supporting the Assessor’s appraisal. PACS already offers the ability to publish the evidence packet contents online. Now, if you plan to deliver the evidence packet to the protester in person or via email, mail, or any means other than online, then you can click Delivery… in the ARB Protest Evidence section of the Protest’s Evidence view and record the delivery date, method, and deliverer name. (These fields do not populate automatically.) Your entries in these fields display in columns in the ARB Protest Evidence window.
PACS Appraisal 8.1.15.x allows new ways for protests to be updated and potentially settled automatically based on taxpayer/agent responses to E-file. Choose Tools > ARB Maintenance > Protest Codes > E-File Configuration to configure the following:
status updates to protests newly registered online
automatic settlement offers to protests
status updates after a taxpayer responds to the settlement offer, and
property value distribution after an offer is accepted by the taxpayer/agent online
First, use the configuration to automatically send settlement offers that match acceptable protester opinions of value. PACS can determine the acceptability of an opinion of value based on dollar value, by percentage, or both. Here are the options if you choose the Enable Settlement Offers by Value Comparison option:
If the difference between the protesters’ opinion of value and the original appraised value is less than the Maximum Difference in Value, then the system returns to the protester a settlement offer matching the opinion of value.
If the difference between the protesters’ opinion of value and the original appraised value is less than the Percentage Difference (Maximum Difference), and the protested property was appraised for less than the Maximum Original Value, then the system returns to the protester a settlement offer matching the opinion of value.
You can also choose the protest status code that is set on the property after the system sends out a settlement offer.
Notes:
If you choose both Maximum Difference in Value and Percentage Difference, then all of the conditions must be satisfied before the system sends a settlement offer.
If you choose Percentage Difference and zero value is entered in the Maximum Original Value field, then all properties are considered regardless of value.
Automatic settlement offers are not sent unless the protester’s opinion of value is less than the appraised value.
If a protester’s opinion of value is accepted and returned to them as a settlement offer, then an email is sent directing them to accept the settlement value via E-File.
Second, use the configuration to determine how the system automatically updates protest status codes and then distributes property value after an offer is accepted by the taxpayer/agent online. To do so, set the following:
Protest Status is the status code automatically assigned to a protest registered via E-File.
Protest Type is the protest-type code automatically assigned to a protest registered via E-File.
Accept Status is the protest status code automatically assigned to protests when the property owner chooses to accept online the CAD’s settlement offer.
Reject Status is the protest status code automatically assigned to protests when the property owner chooses to reject online the CAD’s settlement offer.
Automatically Distribute and Close Protests on Accepted Offer allows PACS to automatically distribute value on a property and assign a closed status code to the property’s protest record when a settlement has been reached.
If you choose to distribute and close protests automatically, make the following selections:
Distribute Value by % distributes value among the property’s components (land and improvement segments) based on each component’s percentage of value in relation to the property’s current total value.
Distribute ARB Value – Land Value allows land value to remain as is, and the rest of the value is distributed to the improvement segment(s).
The Edit Online Appeals Website Config user right is required to access these options.
Users can identify accepted offers by running the ARB Protest Report (Reports > ARB > ARB Reports, choose ARB Protest Report and set Status option) or by performing an ARB Protest search by Status Code.
You can now set the number of characters in the automatically generated PIN by choosing Tools > System Settings > Set Online PIN Length.
Integers between 6 and 12 are accepted. The Set Online PIN Length user right is required.
Taxpayers can now enter their phone contact information when using E-file, and designate the number as a Daytime or Evening number. When they do so, the number and description (Daytime and Evening) are automatically updated in your database. If either the daytime or evening number exists in the PACS database, then the taxpayer sees the number(s) when using Online Appeals, and can validate or change the number information. Updated numbers are viewed on the Taxpayer record General tab, and by clicking the Phones option displayed on the General view of an ARB Protest record.
Tax Ceiling Certificates
The user can now choose to attach a copy of the Tax Ceiling Certificate to the event generated when printing the certificate. Choose Property > Print Tax Ceiling Certificate and select both the Generate Event option and the new Attach Tax Ceiling Certificate option in the Print Tax Ceiling Certificate dialog box.
The PDF copy of the certificate is added as an object to the event. Access the event from the Event view of the Property record. The prerequisite for using this functionality is that the postscript printer must be set. Do so using the new option Machine Settings > Set Postscript Printer. Also, verify your Event Object Maintenance settings via Tools > Event Object Maintenance.
What’s New in Documentation
Online Appeals: E-File (changed)
Tax Ceiling Certificates (changed)
Updates
Help STAR
Description of Update
PACS Appraisal
Appraisal Data Export
121501
In the first 8.1.14.08 release, the OV65S Deferral Date was no longer designated as the OV65 Deferral Date in the Appraisal Export. This change has been reversed, so that the OV65S Deferral Date into is once again used as the OV65 Deferral Date in the export. Some clients had this fix patched into their version of 8.1.14 after the last release.
Letter Processing
110046
Two (or more) letters printed when only one was expected after generating a Personal property letter through the Activities > Letter Processing > Print Property Letters menu path. If the owner had more than the one property account, the query was liable to generate letters representing those accounts. This issue has been resolved.
Penpad
121085
After checking out properties, trying to use the Penpad device by clicking on the GIS Reconciliation icon generated an unexpected error. The error resulted when an invalid CTime was recorded. The invalid date was 1899-12-30 00:00:00.000′ when it should have been set to NULL. This issue has been resolved.
Images
117763
The clockwise rotate image button inthe Images > View part of Appraisal is grayed out. This issue has been resolved.
The CAD’s totals did not match the Tax District’s after a certified appraisal data import (File > Import > Appraisal Data). This imbalance happened because the tax district’s system failed to recognize a DVHSS exemption on properties taxed by a certain entity. The file cvw.appraisal_import_trueautomation_special_entity_exemption_vw.sql has been restored in the code, resolving this and subsequent issues.
119250
An unexpected error occurred when importing from Pritchard & Abbott (File > Import > Appraisal Data). Missing fields were added to the import process (prorations, etc.), resolving the issue.
119858, 108045, 80576
A script that had been run ad hoc in previous years for some clients importing Pritchard & Abbott files has been added permanently to the import process to resolve potential issues with property records in the import having the same unique identifier in the same year.
Fee Processing
117825
The fix for Helpstar issue 117741 released with PACS build 8.1.13.0012 resulted in property data being omitted from line item tax certificate fees listed on the Fee Statement Report (Reports > Fees > Fees Statement Report). This issue been resolved in this release.
