8.1.25 Release Notes

New Features

Released to Clients on 12/10/2015.

This release includes the following additions and modifications to functionality:

Asset Manager

The BPP Asset Manager dialog now has a personal property Segment sort order selection, positioned below the lower right corner of the grid. The sort order settings are saved with the User configuration. They are loaded when the grid configuration is loaded. This sort is in addition to the existing Sub-Segment sort selection and has the same options.

The selection has the following sort orders available:

Data Entry Sort – sorts by segment ID, set when the segment was first entered

Year Acquired Sort

Sorts segments by the Year Acquired field

If ‘Year Acquired’ on segments is the same, subsequent sort will be by segment depreciation type then depreciation code

Type Sort

Sorts the segments by Type code

If ‘Type’ on segments is the same, will subsequently sort by segment year acquired

The Asset Manager dialog now has both Segment and Sub-Segment sort selections.

Exemptions

Prorations are now consistently prorated against the total Assessed Value before being compared against the remaining property value. This applies the maximum exemption value.

Before this, the proration would be applied to the remaining taxable property value after applying all exemptions. An exemption worth 100% of the assessed value that was prorated for 6 months would be applied to 50% of the remaining value, instead.

Windows Settings

We implemented Windows settings in release 8.1.25 that will give the PACS applications an updated feel specifically with drop-down fields and dialog boxes.  This may affect the way you work if you ‘tab’ through a PACS screen.

There is a feature in Windows so that the underline does not show up under the shortcut key on controls (e.g., buttons, checkboxes, radio buttons, labels, etc.) unless the user presses the Alt key.

Solution #1 – Using the Alt Key

Press the Alt key to show the underlines, and the focus rectangles will begin to appear consistently.

Solution #2 – Changing the Windows System Setting

Windows XP

Go to Control Panel and choose Display

On Display Properties, choose the Appearance tab

Click Effects

Uncheck “Hide underlined letters for keyboard navigation until I press the Alt key”

Click OK until you are out of Display Properties

Windows 7

Go to Control Panel and choose Ease of Access / Ease of Access Center

Choose “Change how your keyboard works”

Under the heading “Make it easier to use keyboard shortcuts”, check “Underline keyboard shortcuts and access keys” as shown below

Helpstar ID Description of update

116094	Grid Load Failed when trying to bring up a previously entered sales comp grid. This is no longer an issue.
117628	Prorate exemptions were not calculating correctly. This is no longer an issue.
129161	After installing ArcMap 10.2, the client received a run-time error. This issue has been resolved.
129182	The CPACSDatabase and CCacheRecordset were modified for the new MFC library.
130120	Users were prompted to select the ODBC connection when printing an appraisal card. This is no longer an issue.
130161	Clicking on the GIS button resulted in the error “Failed to create a valid attribute table”
144454	On the Tax Summary Screen, freeze ceilings of greater than 1000 displayed two commas. This has been corrected.
145525	PACS did not recognize proration of exemptions separately for the final taxable value. Prorations are now consistently prorated before being compared against the remaining property value.
148591	PACS stopped working as expected after installing ArcGIS Desktop 10.3. This is no longer an issue.
148616	ARB events were not displaying properly. This is no longer an issue.
149391	SQL did not adjust the state code segment homestead caps for properties in a homestead group. This is no longer an issue.
149525	BPP properties with a market value greater than 800 million, an ECO exemption, and an ARB protest returned the PACS error message “Error retrieving record.” This issue has been resolved.
151453	The appropriate TSG and “universal” appraisal import views and stored procedures were updated.
152541	The Quick Post feature was stopping in mid-use. This is no longer an issue.
152790	Properties set up for electronic tax statements did not have statements published when printing levy statements. This has been corrected.
153126	The Go To Property tool no longer clears the selection and it doesn’t select the property it goes to.
153529	When the go to property tool is opened, the cursor now starts in the text box so that the user can begin typing in the property ID.
153753	International addresses were not printing on refund receipts. This is no longer an issue.
153764	Street labels were not displaying on all labels. This is no longer an issue.
153807	GIS calculated acreage and square feet were not displaying in the property info window. This has been corrected.
153825	Asset listing and appraisal cards were not sorting in the correct order. This issue has been resolved.
153861	Effective due dates for current year bills were changing in supplement groups. This is no longer an issue.
153924	Payment Import was updated to reject payments made towards installment agreement.
153985	Years on printed statements of accounts were not in order. This issue has been resolved.

New Features – Service Pack Release

This service pack release includes the following additions and modifications to functionality.

SB1420 – Amends Section 25.19

• Appraisal Notice change for prorated or removed exemptions. Additions to selection process includes:
  • Only 11.13 exemptions HS, OV65, DP or DPS
  • Suggested Notice Run order:
    • HB 3630
    • Efile
    • Any other runs
    • New 11.13 Exemption/Group Codes

• Notice form and export has been updated. There are new column displays for prior year exemption amount on each notice, regardless of exemptions status.
• The Appraisal Notice Listing report will display a new reason for these properties (EX 11.13 Removed/Prorated off).

HB 1464 – Amends Section 23.46

• Assumptions:
  • The existing exemption type codes OV65 and OV65S will be sufficient to identify properties meeting the qualifications in the new legislative requirement. The client office will identify properties by these type codes and send the proper notification if changes are made to the exemptions meeting the requirements in the tax code change.
  • Special valuation (Ag or productivity value) will need additional fields to store birth date fields to meet the legislative requirements. These will be separate from the property exemptions due to the architecture of each table; property exemption is year specific and taxpayer record is not, and existing client data restrictions (some clients use the same account record to identify multiple taxpayers, where the birth date fields are different)
• Example:
  • Owner has OV65 in another county with AG land in example county
  • Owner has not yet filed ofor OV65; has AG Land
  • This assuems that the owner has provided a birth date to be stored in PACS.
• Taxpayer record; new fields include:
  • Owner birthdate
  • Spouse birthdate
• NOTE: The exemption details birthdate field will remain SEPARATE from the new owner fields.

HB1933 – Amends section 33.02 Installment Agreements

Installment agreements now only require 12 monhts on a payout for a residence homestead. All other homesteads can be less than 12 months but not greater than 36 months.

• For all installment agreements, PACS will allow the user to create less than 12 months; whether selecting ‘number of months’ or ‘monthly payments’ option in creation. PACS will not limit based on HS exemption checkbox. It is up to the user to assign correctly.
• For ALL agreements, the maximum number of 36 is still valid
• The HS Exemption checkbox will retain functionality and not be affected by the minimum number of months selections.

Defect Corrections

HS ID Description of update

152595	Homesteads were changed to allow installment set up for 12-36 months.
155002	The ability to do sorts in the Special Inventory Payment Wizard was lost. This is no longer an issue.
155046	The ability to highlight and select property IDs was lost. This is no longer an issue.