Arrears Management - New

Arrears Management is now completed using the Report Distribution screen and is available as the recommended approach for setting up and sending arrears. This update forms part of our ongoing improvements to standardise workflows and provide a more consistent experience using familiar Report Distribution functionality.

This article will refer to the settings, reports, and options available when managing arrears through the Report Distribution screen. View our Levy Arrears Process article for details on the recommended process. 

Levy Arrears Manager

From within the Arrears Manager, review the log and set any lots to Disable, Clear or Delete arrears flags as required. The date of the Last Arrears Notice sent can be checked as well, to ensure the lot meets the arrears criteria and the Issues column reviewed for the current status of the lot and if the Arrears Notice is disabled. 

Access to Levy Arrears, Levy Arrears Reports and Arrears Manager will be limited to users who have access granted for Levy Management in Security Setup. The Arrears Notice permission will control access to the Arrears configuration screen. If this is set to Deny, settings in the configuration screen will be disabled and users will not have the ability to issue notices or run the Overdue Report. 

Feedback for any of the Arrears Manager functionality can be submitted using the Feedback button in Levy Management.

Arrears Notice Disabled

In some cases you may have been requested by your Committee / Strata Manager to exclude some owners from receiving arrears, whether that be a one off or for a period of time. To set a lot account to not be sent an Arrears Notice, click on Enable. It is also recommend to add a note explaining the circumstances and reason to place this owner’s arrears notices on hold, and for the period, so it can be referred back to.

A global report can be produced on the Arrears Notice Disabled setting using the Global Debtor search.

1. Search or select Levy Management.
2. Select Options and Levy Arrears Manager. 
3. Highlight the Lot account and click Disable in the Arrears Notice Disabled column, click Enable to revert. Arrears notice disabled will be noted in the Issues column.

View Log | Clear | Unclear | Delete

Arrears Manager records the history of what arrears notices have been previously issued. From here, you can completely reset the arrears schedule for a single lot so that the next time the arrears is processed, the lot will received arrears notice #1.

You can also remove the last issued arrears notice so that when the arrears is next processed, it will issue that notice again. For example, when the arrears was last processed, a lot received arrears notice #2. So the next time you process the arrears, it will issue arrears notice #3, which could be the final letter of demand/referral to a debt collector/solicitor. However, as an exception in this one particular instance, you would prefer the issue arrears notice #2 again.

• Clear: Resets the arrears flag by placing a 'Y' in the Clear Flag column in View Log so that the next arrears run will start at the first arrears notice.
• Unclear: Removes the Clear flag so that the next arrears notice will produce as per the Arrears Schedule.
• Delete: Deletes the last arrears flag so that the next arrears notice produced will be the same one that was just deleted - provided the lot still meets the arrears conditions.

Refer to Credit Arrears Fee if the Arrears Fee requires cancelling. 

1. Search or select Levy Management.
2. Select Options and LevyArrears Manager. 
3. Highlight the Lot account and click the History icon to access the options to Clear, Unclear or Delete.

Clear All

To set the Clear flag on all lot accounts in the selected building so that the arrears schedule starts at Arrears Notice 1. This is helpful if a building has been transferred from another manager and you would like to reset all lots back to the start of the schedule. 

1. Search or select Levy Management.
2. Select Options and Levy Arrears Manager. 
3. Click Clear All button. 
4. When prompted select Yes to clear all or No to not continue. Note, this action is logged in View Log. 

Notes

Click the Notes icon next to the Lot account to view the Levy Arrears Notes. The Notes column will display the most recent Note. Set the Arrears Notes Category, so when Arrears Notices are produced they are logged into the Notes for the Lot account.

View Log

Click View Log to access all history on Arrears Log Clear Flag. This log can assist with determining why a lot account has not qualified for an Arrears Notice

1. Search or select Levy Management.
2. Select Options/ Levy Arrears Manager.
3. Click on View Log and then Refresh button. This option will produce all arrears log data into Log Viewer for review and further searching and filtering if required.

Arrears Notice Setup

The arrears process in StrataMax is designed around an arrears schedule (configured in Arrears Notice Setup), which once configured, can issue different types of notices or letters based on a lot account balance, and the age of the a balance. For each arrears notice or letter, varying arrears fees can also be charged. Each arrears notice can have its own set of rules for the minimum arrears balance, and its own template or notice. 

Configuration 

Review the Configuration for the Arrears Management, access to Arrears Notice Setup and Message Maker are also located in Configuration. 

1. Search or select Levy Management.
2. Click Options and Levy Arrears.
3. Click on the cog wheel to open the Configuration screen:

• Include Current: Includes current levies not yet overdue.
• Arrears Output in Due Date Order: this setting outputs arrears in due date order when ticked and outputs fund order when not ticked,
• Include Other Balance arrears: Includes balances that are not levy arrears when ticked.
• Skip Lots in Legal Action:  This setting will not include accounts in legal action when ticked.
• Check Account Balances for Anomalies: This setting will check for incorrect balances and log why a notice was not produced. When not set the notice will be produced regardless of account balance issues.
• New Owner Arrears Days: Set the number of days here to determine how many days after a change of ownership notices should be issued.
• Arrears Days Key Field: Linked to the above setting:
  • Transfer Date will observe the date the Change of Ownership was completed in the Roll.
  • Notice Receipt Date will observe the Date of Receipt of Notice field in the Roll.

Templates

• Tick Override Letterhead to set a letterhead for the selected Building only.
• Click the Override Letterhead drop down to select the local override letterhead.

Arrears Notice Setup | Global Setup

The arrears process in StrataMax is designed around an arrears schedule (configured in Arrears Notice Setup), which once configured, can issue different types of notices or letters based on a lot owner’s balance, and the age of the a balance. For each arrears notice or letter, varying arrears fees can also be charged. Each arrears notice can have its own set of rules for the minimum arrears balance, and its own template or notice. 

1. Search or select Levy Management.
2. Click Reports and select Levy Arrears.
3. Click on the cog wheel to access the Configuration.
4. Click Arrears Notice Setup button. 
5. Click Add Global Item.
6. Review the Notice Type, select a Template, tick to include a Deposit Slip if applicable, enter the Days Overdue required to produce an Arrears Notice, Min Amount Overdue, Arrears Fee to charge, Ledger Card if to be included, Cover Letter from Merge Templates.
7. Click Save. 
8. Repeat to continue the setup for the number of notices for the schedule.

Arrears Notice Setup | Override Building Setup 

If a building has a separate arrears arrangement, the Override Building Setup can be configured. There is the option to use the Copy from Global button which will copy the Global Setup to the Building Override Setup which can then be amended further. 

1. Search or select Levy Management.
2. Click Reports and select Levy Arrears.
3. Click on the cog wheel to access the Configuration.
4. Click Arrears Notice Setup button. 
5. Click Add Local Item.
6. Enter Override Building Setup Arrears Schedule as required. 
7. Click Save.

Delete Arrears Notice Setup

To delete an Arrears Notice Type or Arrears Letter, click on the red X to remove that Notice Type, or to remove a Override Building Setup to revert back to the Global schedule.

1. Search or select Levy Management.
2. Click Reports and select Levy Arrears.
3. Click on the cog wheel to access the Configuration.
4. Click Arrears Notice Setup button.
5. Click on the red X next to the Notice Type to be deleted.

Arrears Fee Setup

A fee can automatically be charged to a lot account when an arrears notice or letter is sent to the owner. There are two ways to present these fees in the financials for the building. The setup incorporates GLMax and Invoice Link Manager. 

Arrears Fee Setup allows for arrears fees to be charged to the building or to the lot owner. 

Global Setup

1. Search or select Levy Management.
2. Click Reports and select Levy Arrears.
3. Set the Fee Setup as required:

• Managers Account Code: This is the creditor account code for the Strata Management Company.
• Fees Account: This is often the arrears clearing account, or the building expense code for arrears fees when charging to the building or the lot account.
• Invoice Code: This is the Levy Invoice Code used to charge arrears fees to the lot account (default is 18 - Other).
• Export to TRMax:
  • If ticked: the GLMaxInvoice Code field should be the Invoice Code number for the arrears fees that has been set up in the Edit Invoice List menu in GLMax.
  • If not ticked: the fees will post to the account code in the Fees Account field above, and immediately create a transaction to credit the Strata Management Company creditor account, 08200*** and debit the Fees Account.

Charge Building Only | Export to TRMax

When Charge Building Only is used and Export to TRMax is ticked the following transactions are created:

Debit the Building Charge Code
Credit the Fee Account

A TRMax record is created, and when Process Recoveries is completed, the following transactions are created to the Building:

Debit Fee Account
Credit the Managers Account Code

Charge Building Only | No Export to TRMax

If Charge Building Only is ticked, the same transactions are created, the arrears fees will post to the account code set in Building Charge Code and immediately create the transaction in the building accounts:

Debit the Building Charge Code
Credit the Fee Account

Debit Fee Account
Credit the Managers Account Code

Override Building Setup

If you have a Building which requires a different fee setup to the Global Setup, this can be configured.

1. Search or select Levy Management.
2. Click Reports and select Levy Arrears.
3. Tick Override Building Setup.
4. Set the Fee Setup as required, refer to information above for Arrears Fee Setup.
5. Click Save.

Export All: When clicked will export all Arrears Fee Setup information for Arrears Fee Account Code, and Export details into an Excel Report. To access the Export All button, tick Override Building Setup or access from a building with a local Override configured.

Copy To Buildings:  The Copy to Buildings button will open the Building selector. The Override Building setup can then be copied to tagged buildings.

Message Maker

The Message Maker is used to create, edit, or delete custom messages both Global and Local for Levy Arrears and Levy Notices when issuing notices through Report Distribution.

1. Search or select Levy Management.
2. Select Reports and select Levy Arrears.
3. Click on the cog wheel to open the Configuration and select Message Maker. 
4. From the drop-down arrow beside Custom Messages to select Levy Notices or Levy Arrears Notices.
5. Select the Add button under Global or Building Override windows to add a new message line item.
6. Click into the Description field and click again to activate the cursor and add a Description for the Message.
7. Click into the Message field and click again to activate the cursor and add the message.
8. Click the Save icon to save the message.
9. Click the Star icon to set the message as active. Toggling this icon will remove the Active status if required.
10. Click the delete icon to remove a message if required. 
11. Click Close to exit the screen.

Arrears Merge Templates

If a Merge Letter is being used as the Template in the Arrears Setup, this can be edited or created from Arrears Merge Templates. 

1. Search or select Levy Management.
2. Click Reports and select Levy Arrears. 
3. Click Arrears Merge Templates, this will open Merge Letters and then edit Arrears Letter Templates. 
4. Click Save or Cancel as required.

Levy Arrears Pre-Issue

Produce a Global or per Building Report to Excel which provides a report of owners currently overdue for the selected buildings, columns will display what arrears notice will be issued, the lot, unit number, amount of levy arrears outstanding. This report can then be checked before issuing the Arrears Notices. 

1. Search or select Levy Management.
2. Select Reports /Levy Arrears Pre-Issue.
3. Tag all Buildings or subset of Buildings then Proceed. 

Levy Overdue Accounts

Produce a Global or per Building Report to Excel on overdue accounts. This report can be used to review lot accounts requiring Legal Action or their Arrears Notice schedule to be reset in Arrears Manager. 

1. Search or select Levy Management.
2. Select Reports /Levy Overdue Accounts.
3. Tag all Buildings or a subset of Buildings then Proceed.

Levy Overdue Accounts | Configuration 

1. Search or select Levy Management.
2. Select Reports /Levy Overdue Accounts.
3. Click the configuration cog to open the Overdue Report Configuration settings:

• Override Days Overdue: Tick this box, to enable the Days Overdue override and set the number of overdue days observed for the report. Setting this will override the days overdue set in Arrears Notice Setup.
• Include Already in Legal Action: Setting this will include accounts that have been added to Legal Action. Accounts in Legal Action will be excluded if this is unticked.
• Include Already in Payment Plan: Setting this will include accounts that have been added to a Payment Plan. Accounts in a Payment Plan will be excluded if this is unticked.
• Include Already Issued Arrears:Setting this option will include accounts that have already been issued with an Arrears Notice
• Minimum Arrears Amount: This is the amount that will be used to report overdue accounts and overrides minimum amount overdue fields in Arrears Notice Setup. 

FAQs

Q. How do I set the printer for each Arrears Notice/Letter. 
A. This is set in Report Distribution under Levy Arrears, click on the cog wheel next to the Post option. 

Q. What has been removed in this version?
A. The Process fees and logs setting has been removed in the new Levy Arrears configuration. Fees and logs will be processed automatically when arrears notices are produced.