This release includes the following additions and modifications to functionality:
1.1 ARB Letters
Letter Processing
Client was having issues with the Available Letter Tags for the Notice/Beginning value that is required to be on the Board Order
We originally used the set of Begin Values which come from the _arb_protest.beginning….value fields.
Some kind of issue arose where the value changed between noticed value and the protest being created. Someone from the State Comptroller’s office said we should be using the Noticed value. So, we switched the board orders to use the values from the APN – Noticed values fields. However, at Bexar, we do not send notices to every account every year, so many times these fields are null.
We thought this was OK, since the directive came from the state.
However, with our recent Property Value Study Appeal, they have questioned several ARB values we said should be adjusted because the Board Order does not have the ‘beginning’ value to calculate the adjustment.
We need to add a new set of Letter Tags for values (all 12 that correspond to what values are currently available).
So, if there was an actual appraisal notice, then use those values, otherwise use the beginning values from _arb_protest
Added the following letter tags:
Inquiry
Initial Market Value
Initial Assessed Value
Initial Land Homestead Value
Initial Imprv Homestead Value
Initial Land Non-homestead Value
Initial Imprv Non-homestead Value
Initial Ag Use Value
Initial Ag Market Value
Initial Timber Use Value
Initial Timber Market Value
Initial Appraised Value
Initial Ten Percent Cap
Protest
Initial Market Value
Initial Assessed Value
Initial Land Homestead Value
Initial Imprv Homestead Value
Initial Land Non-homestead Value
Initial Imprv Non-homestead Value
Initial Ag Use Value
Initial Ag Market Value
Initial Timber Use Value
Initial Timber Market Value
Initial Appraised Value
Initial Ten Percent Cap
1.2 GIS 2.0
Image Service Layer integration
In an effort to make the aerials refresh faster, we have added the ability to connect to the Imager Server extension for ArcGIS Server.
These will utilize the existing Add Service Layers option.
An Image service URL for an image service layer can now be entered.
Image Server URL’s will end in ImageServer where the regular Map Server URL’s end with MapServer.
An image service doesn’t have sublayers so a single checkbox will be present once the user connects to the URL.
The image layer will have the same options from the context menu as a raster layer.
1.3 Income
GPR Calculator
Example:
100 apartments of 1,000 sqft each with an annual rate of $12,000/apartment calculates as $1,200,000.
100 apartments of 1,000 sqft each with an annual rate of $12/sqft. The Net Rentable Area correctly calculates to give me 70,000 sqft.
However, the GPR calculates to $12,000.
It seems the calculator should, when using sqft, either include the number of units to arrive at the correct value, or use the net rentable area. Neither happens right now.
In this release, we have modified the calculation so that when the Unit Mix is set to ‘S’, PACS calculates GPR as the unit count * the unit size * the rate.
1.4 Ownership History
Sale Land
On the ‘Sale Land’ tab for an ownership history, the summary area is not calculating as expected for sales involving multiple properties. It is not bringing in the total acres for all the properties involved in the sales.
When property data is imported the sum of these values is calculated. Previously, PACS would only sum land details if the land method for each was set to the same method (acres, sqft, FF, or lot).
The following changes have been made:
Removed the land method filter so that each of the detail values will be summed in the sale regardless of the method.
Updated the Unit Price label to ‘Avg Unit Price’ to reflect the current calculation PACS uses
Added a field to sum the LOT field
Added columns for land appraisal method and the unit price to the Land grid.
1.5 TIF Zone (-) Value Reporting
The TIF Report and TIF Zone Property Report do not deduct negative values – it just puts a -0- if there is a negative. Client would like to see the report changed to take in account the negative.
Additionally, a client attorney has indicated that both the value gains and value losses from the base year should be reflected in the Tax Increment Loss number on the PACS Totals page. Then if the number is a loss, nothing goes into the TIF fund.
Reports this would effect:
TIF Zone property Report
TIF Increment Property Report
Preliminary Totals
Certified Totals
Supplemental Totals
Add option to indicate how the TIF Zone differences should be reported:
Default is not selected, meaning current functionality should work and client should not have to make any changes
The selection affects all TIF zones created, for reporting
Reports:
TIF Report – Increment Value
New setting on:
Current TIF Value – Original TIF Value = negative, display as negative value
Current TIF Value – Original TIF Value = positive, display as positive value
Amount equal to zero should display as 0
New setting off: (current functionality)
Current TIF Value – Original TIF Value = negative, display as 0
Current TIF Value – Original TIF Value = positive, display as positive value
Amount equal to zero should display as 0
TIF Zone Property Report – Captured Value
New setting on:
Taxable Value – Base Value = negative, display as negative value
Taxable Value – Base Value = positive, display as positive value
Amount equal to zero should display as 0
New setting off: (current functionality)
Current TIF Value – Original TIF Value = negative, display as 0
Current TIF Value – Original TIF Value = positive, display as positive value
Amount equal to zero should display as 0
Totals Report
Tax Increment Loss – match Total Increment Value from TIF Report
Tax Increment Finance Value – match Total Increment Value from TIF Report
Tax Increment Finance Levy – if overall increment value calculates as negative, the amount here needs to be zero. Levy cannot be calculated on negative amount.
Client tried to remove New Value Flag by unchecking the New Value check on improvements but check stays. Issue resolved by updating code.
114079
Special Inventory Tax payment receipt prints “SIT Escrow Receipt”, request change to read “Special Inventory Escrow Receipt”. Title was changed.
118237
On Sale Land tab for an Ownership History, summary area not calculating correctly for sales involving multiple properties. This was corrected by removing filter to sum up all values.
128935
PTD State Code drop down does not stay open when clicked. Right mouse button must be held down to keep drop box open. Resolved in current build, 8.1.31.
131249
BPP Properties with over 10000 segments slows down recalc down
137551
TIF Zone Reports not putting the negative differences in the captured value column. It is putting a zero.
134026
Request for a few letter tags be added to PROPLM. Client specific, modifications would be required.
146776
Insert Print Homestead Application events on property not created in 2014 or 2015 Notice Process. This has been resolved.
146414
Issues with Available Letter Tags for the Notice/Beginning value required on Board Order. This was corrected by adding the required tags.
121148
GPR Calculator not calculating to arrive at correct value. This has been resolved.
164068
Tax Code Sec 25.25d, requirement on MAPS Review, CAD must prove the penalty was assessed on any property that was protested under this tax code and the taxpayer received a value reduction. A monitor is available by sup code. Appraisal District can create a sup code.
165135
Search option in Ownership Wizard not pulling up any searches for previous owner of the deed and volume page. Coding error, this has been resolved.
166463
Error received when printing Sales Confirmation Letters from the Activity menu. School IDs not functioning correctly. Updated PACS to treat school IDs as a number. This has been resolved.
166485
Rendition Export File has missing data. This issue resolved in 8.1.32.0003.
166716
Error occurs when moving supplements to new supplements, missing M&S table.
166619
Issue with ms_building table, error received when merging M&S properties. This table not in use since M&S conversion. CFK_ms_building_prop_val_yr_sup_num_prop_id being dropped
167570
PACS running slow since last Release. Thumbnail view not loading very fast. Resolved by thumbnails running in own thread.
167709
Error occurs when user tries to supplement this property (187043) for any year 2012 through 2016. Resolve in next Release .
167682
Inquiry regarding issue with supp bill allowing discount on account #25719. Resolved in release
167701
Error occurs when merging two props, one a M&S value property and PACS unable to complete merge. Resolved by applying upgrade.
167681
Mass Update via GIS, user receives error messages.
167926
When Mass Updating land adjustments, user entering prop IDs will not receive a count, it says zero. Resolved by expanding the size of the field setting.
167917
Error occurs when attempting to add a supplement to PID 79471 for 2015.
167921
Error message occurs when clicking the button Create Sales Information and Importing Current Appraisal Data.
167947
Issues with the Income Schedule module, making changes causes zero values.
168116
Map disclaimer cut off when printing maps from PACS.
168332
BETA- Residential Property Summary issues. Residential Summary updated to deal with negative values.
168322
BETA-Pending Supplement List will not copy correctly to Excel.
168351
BETA-Mass Update using GIS, receive an error.
168360
BETA-Preliminary Totals showing a positive Levy.
168559
Receive an error message when trying to merge. This was corrected, created patch.
168596
Error when voiding converted payments. Data Issue.
PTD EARS: PACS is not setting the PTD AJR File Economic and Abatement Exemption Indicators
to “Y” when an Economic or Abatement exists on the properties. Issue resolved, removed the year limitation and updated the logic.
168308
PTD EARS: change the EX-codes to report the exemption code rather than an X. This has been corrected.
168307
PTD EARS: HS Loc Option Flat Amount needs to also report Percent for successful submission.
Resolved, the export logic was updated.
Online Appeals- Offer Email includes scheduling link on properties not eligible for online scheduling. Examined the overall scheduling flag in the online_appeals_website_config table, but not the flags on individual protests. The email stored procedure was updated to make sure the protest is flagged to allow online scheduling before including the link.
169840
Images from the Portal are not appearing in PACS. Can be viewed in the Homestead Portal on the ADMIM side but not in PACS. Issue resolved; images containing a comma in the filename were not being copied out, added error message recording for images that fail to copy.
170220
Online Appeals requires a cell phone number. Taxpayers are unable to submit a protest, receive an error message if cell phone number not provided. Issue corrected; web service has been updated to check for a null value for the cell phone number.
170673
Issue with a property that when you change the sequence number the section ID is not changing.
161005
The School District Report of Property Value is not balancing. This has been corrected.
169923
When scanning images in Forms processing, PACS users are unable to set a backdated image date, reverts back to the current date in the image tree. Issue resolved; PACS was updated to use the date with Notice of Protest scanning.
171149
Tax Collections Detail Activity Report dropping numbers when trying to print. Corrected; columns were widened and formatting issues with the report were adjusted for more consistent appearance.
