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UPDATE.DOC
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1991-07-03
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UPDATES
Updates for Version 3.0
=======================
Several significant changes have occurred to get to version 3.0.
1. Menu System Accessed by Alt & M. A menu system now resides
where the macro system of doing things once ruled. Don't worry
if you liked the macros better... they're still there too. The
menu is accessed by pressing Alt M. The macros are listed
parenthetically next to menu choices when available, so you can
use macros as shortcuts if you wish.
2. Line Sensitive Help Accessed by F6 Key. Line sensitive help
during Data Entry is now a reality! Help on any item is now
available simply by pressing F6. A one line message of help will
then appear on the top of the screen. To return to data entry,
simply press F6 a second time. Spreadsheet experts will
recognize the F6 key as the {WINDOW} key, which is the
cornerstone of the help system. When you enter the data entry
area from the menu or by pressing Alt & E, the screen is actually
split vertically, with a two character wide window to the right.
When you press F6, you are actually jumping to the window on your
right. It is extremely narrow, and can't be easily read from
there, but the full contents of the cell are readable at the top
of the screen! There was a sacrifice in cell protection to
achieve this window jumping help system. All cells in the data
entry area can now be accessed, including many which contain
critical formulas which impact results throughout the
spreadsheet. Each of these have been clearly marked with text
markers which say "FYI: (explanation) ------>". Do not make
entries into these cells.
3. Export Checks to Quicken. If you have Quicken check writing
program, most of your closing checks can now be written for you.
From the menu choice, Print/Checks, a file is automatically
created in your spreadsheet called Checks.Prn. You simply need
to switch over to Quicken, log into the account you desire, and
press F2 followed by 6 (for Import). Identify the file to be
imported, (i.e. C:\Lotus\Checks.Prn). Answer No to need for
special handling, and that's it!. Eighteen common transactions
will be entered into your account, including deposits, mortgage
payoffs, cash to sellers, and many others. Some check entry will
still be required, (and some checks may need to be deleted
because they are for $0.00). The goal is to speed up the
preparation for closing, and while 100% coverage of all possible
checks can (and has) been programmed, the execution time of
searching for all possible checks, especially to one-time payees,
is much slower than entering a few checks manually. The template
exports the eighteen most common items.
4. Allways Line and Shading. In response to popular demand,
Allways graphics capabilities has been taken further advantage
of, resulting in the most attractive form print-outs to date.
Alternate line shading, boxes and the like make the forms look
more professional than ever.
5. Printed Calculation Detail Provided for Seller Attorney.
Detailed information showing how you arrived at your calculations
can be printed for review by the Sellers or their attorney right
from the menu. (Print Data, or Alt-C). Add this to the print-out
of pages one and two for review before closing, and the Seller's
attorney will have full documentation of the closing figures.
6. Precise "Go-To" Choices. Moving around has become much more
precise. The Go-To functions have been expanded to allow you to
go right to any one of six locations on either page one or page
two of the RESPA. After choosing Go-To Page One or Page Two on
the menu (or Alt-O or Alt-T), press any number from 1 through 6.
The location you'll be taken to is as follows:
╔══════════════════════════════╗
║ 1 2 ║
║ ║
║ ║
║ ║
║ ║
║ 3 4 ║
║ ║
║ ║
║ ║
║ ║
║ 5 6 ║
╚══════════════════════════════╝
This feature takes you much closer to any specific location you
are trying to get to.
7. Informational Property Tax Entry on RESPA Page Two. The
payment of property taxes on page two has an added explanatory
feature, showing the purchaser how much of the taxes are being
contributed by the seller. Buyers have often been confused by
the listing of full tax payments on page two, forgetting the
pro-rating is done on page one. Of course, this added
information is strictly in the text portion of the statement, and
the corrrect proration is still maintained on page one. But,
buyers appreciate being shown the interplay of the figures and
knowing they are not paying too much.
8. More Efficient Programming. The codes for menu functions and
macros have been reworked wherever poossible to make them more
efficient and faster. On visible change is the need for the file
RESPA.ALS to be copied from the distribution diskette into your
ALLWAYS directory. Page Layout readings are then accessed with
one command, rather than running through all the layout
information for all the possible print settings.
9. Allways Hot Keys Now Irrelevant. Access to ALLWAYS has been
improved. The F7 hot key no longer needs to be your hot-key into
Allways. In fact, when the template needs to access Allways, it
doesn't matter what hot-key you've chosen, and the template even
checks to see if Allways is even attached to the spreadsheet or
not! If not, the template attaches Allways and proceeds with its
business.
10. Important Information Now Displayed at Home. The "home"
screen is much less cluttered because of the removal of the macro
listing. This has allowed room for the addition of important
information.
First, the closing date is now on the home screen. Such
prominent placement of the closing date is justified by its
importance in multiple calculations throughout the template.
Because many people have trouble grasping the concept of how to
enter dates into 123, a macro called Alt D has been included to
allow date entry in the more conventional form of MM/DD/YR. The
macro is used to get the closing date correctly inserted, but Alt
D can be used whenever you are in any date cell, provided you
arrived at the cell in unprotected mode (ie, you didn't use the
menu or a macro to place you into Data Entry).
Second, provided you use the menu or macro "Save" features, the
current name of the template is displayed, along with the name
the template will be saved under if you access the "Save" feature
now. This helps prevent accidental overwrites of important
files. A WARNING is displayed if the name to be saved is
RESPA.WK1, because this is the master copy of the template.
However, there is no impediment other than the warning to making
customizing changes in the RESPA.WK1 for your own use.
Updates for Version 2.0
=======================
Lotus 123 combined with Allways and a laser printer can make for
wonderful printing capabilities, which is a combination we've
taken advantage of in our latest upgrade to our RESPA template.
It's hard to tell the difference between the print-out from this
template and a HUD-1 form purchased from a legal supply house.
To run this template as it is currently set up, you'll need an
IBM or compatible computer, Lotus 123 v. 2.0+ software, Allways
software, and a Hewlett Packard IIP or compatible laser printer.
The menu choices and macros are all run while in 123, and will
access Allways only when needed for printing. You should use
legal size paper in your printer, but you will not have to make
any menu setting changes on the printer itself. Users of the old
template will notice all the dots and dashes are missing from the
on-screen display, but all the lines you need are there when you
call up Allways.
There have been other improvements to the RESPA Template as well.
The template provides for pro-rata adjustment of homeowner
association dues, with the adjustment based on the actual number
of days in the month.
The template also calculates the per diem new loan interest, and
calculates how much interest should be paid from the day of
closing through the end of the month of closing. It seems there
is no universal method for calculating the per diem, and often
lenders will come up with a figure pennies off from the
calculated number. For that reason, the cell is left unprotected
and can be overwritten with the lender's number. Nevertheless,
the calculation is of great value in (a) keeping lenders,
especially inexperienced closers, from making a gross error, and
(b) giving clients estimates of what to expect before the lender
figures are made available.
Taking the proper amount of per diems on mortgage pay-offs can
also be a trap for the unwary or careless. For that reason,
based on your answers, the mortgage payoff information now
displays the DAY and DATE you are providing for the payoff to
clear the old lender. If you tell the template you need three
days past closing for the check to get to and clear the old
lender, it will tell you just what day of the week three days
from then is, and will tell you the date. No more fear of
miscounting days and finding you took only enough per diems to
get through a Saturday or Sunday!
A sample of title insurance rate calculations has been left in
the template. The automatic calculation of title insurance
premiums is a big help in protecting your clients from gross
errors in calculations by inexperienced clerks at title agencies.
For a nominal programming charge, registered owners of the
template can order a customized template with title insurance
rates of their favorite title company already built in. Ask for
more details when you register. In fact, programming on the
template is available for any of your firm's unique needs. Feel
free to describe what you'd like to see done, and ask for a quote
when you register. Make sure you include your address and phone
number.