Summer 2008
Transcription
Summer 2008
KeeyyBulletin Keystone Software Systems Summer 2008 Newsletter H I G H P E R F O R M A N C E I N F O R M AT I O N S O L U T I O N S Keystone � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � KEY BILLING MODULES BENEFIT UTILITIES Is your utility expanding? Are your customers asking for more convenient payment features? Has the economy forced your customers to ask for budget billing? Key-Billing may have the modules you need to answer these demands. Contact sales@boycesystems.com for more information. operator error in that it will not allow duplicate account numbers to be created. Additional Service allows user to bill an additional service, for example, adding storm water. User may require new bill cards. Account Number Bar Coding allows the user to print a barcode that represents the account number on the portion of the bill that customers return. This bar code can then be scanned to enter the payment, thus preventing operator entry errors and speeding up the cash posting process. This includes one bar code scanner. Auto Pay (ACH Bank Debit) allows the user to automatically withdraw funds for the current utility bills from customers’ bank accounts and deposit those monies into the utility company’s bank account. This module is developed to work with the utility company’s bank through the Federal ACH banking file structure. It also generates the cash transactions automatically so the user only has to update them. Account Number Change allows the user to change an individual’s account number at any time without losing the history associated with that account number. This module is useful for major account number restructuring or for an occasional account number entry mistake. This module prevents Budget Billing allows the user to process and track budget billing for Electric, Water, Sewer and Gas services. The module includes all necessary programming for the bill cards, reports and budget routines for setting up a budget system and for ease of maintaining the budget billing customer information. (continued on page 3) Where You Will See Us Next Aug. 5 - 8 Sept.22 - 25 Oct. 8 - 9 Oct. 12 - 15 Oct. 21 - 23 Oct. 27 Ft. Wayne Vevay Middlebury South Bend Clarksville Carmel IN County Treasurers Assoc. Association of IN Counties ILMCT Northern District Mtg. IACT Conference IN County Auditors Assoc. IN Regional Sewer Dist. Assoc. Oct. 28 - 29 Oct. 30 Nov. 6 Nov. 19 Nov. 20 Dec. 8 - 10 Nashville Columbus Lebanon Wabash Columbus Columbus ILMCT Southern District Meeting Keystone School User Meeting Keystone School User Meeting Keystone Cities & Towns User Mtg. Keystone Cities & Towns User Mtg. IN Rural Water Association F O R C I T I E S , T O W N S & U T I L I T I E S I N F O R M AT I O N S T R E A M S H I G H P E R F O R M A N C E I N F O R M A T I O N S O L U T I O N S F F O O R R C C II T T II E E S S ,, T T O O W W N N S S & & U U T T II L L II T T II E E S S (Key Billing Modules continued from page 1) S O L U - Greetings, I hope that your year is going well, although I am sure that it has been crazy and going way too fast as usual. This time of year we start attending conferences and meetings with you. It is always nice to be able to reconnect after the fierce winter year-end. We have recently been in French Lick for School Business Officials, Indianapolis for County Auditors, Middlebury for Educational Office Professionals and Evansville for City/Town Clerk-Treasurers. Keystone I would like to mention a couple of topics of interest that came up while visiting with you. The dominate topic was state government and what the legislative and executive branches have done. This may be why I used the word crazy above. Without being political, government sure seems to have put a lot of the burden back on you and it may be just the beginning. Another topic that came up was the number of new clerk-treasurers that took office on January 1. We have had many compliments from our Keystone users about our new clerk-treasurer classes and I wish to say thank you for those compliments. Our staff has done a fantastic job getting all of us through that transition. Demand Meter/Power Billing allows the user to input, calculate, edit and print special large power (reactive meter) customers, for use with Electric billing companies only. In product news, some of our staff has been getting extensive technical training on both our workflow Content Management System “CMS” and our Electronic Forms Management System. Also, EZStub, our web based electronic deposit advice, has been installed a couple of places and we are using the product successfully here at Boyce. We’ve had a lot of interest in this cost saving product. When working on your 2009 budgets please plan on an increase for the software maintenance. It could be as much as 10% and we will send out a notice sometime later this year. eBill Web Export allows the user to create a text file of customer information to export to a website provider to send eBills to customers. In staff news, we have advertised locally to add to our support staff. Boyce Forms has been quite busy processing many of the Homestead Rebate Checks along with rebinding and restoring customer’s old record books. In addition to being proud of our staff for their commitment to our customers, I’d like to mention their commitment to community. Our staff and company have pledged just over $20,000 for United Way in 2008 and we had a successful blood drive in March. Boyce/Keystone/Komputrol is a fantastic and caring group to be part of. Best Wishes, 2 H I G H Cycle Billing allows the user to bill a cycle group of customers in the master file separately from other customers in the master file (Ex: 20,000 customers billed monthly in 4 groups of 5,000). P E R F O R M A N C E I N F O R M A T I O N S O L U T I O N S Final Bill allows the user to process a final bill separately from normal billing. Final bills can be processed as often as needed and at any time during the month. This module prevents operator error in that it will delete a normal billing for a customer (A transaction in edit billing), if one exists, when a final bill is input for that customer. Liens and Certification allows a user to process and track sewer liens and certification through the billing program. This option includes all reports and letters necessary to document liens and certification to the County Auditors, legal offices, and to the customer. A separate screen is provided for easy access to this information. FOR CITIES, TOWNS & S S T T R R E E A A M M S S Meter Deposit Refund Check allows the user to track and monitor meter deposits. This routine creates a list of final customers that are due a meter deposit refund. It also prints the checks for those refunds payable to the utility company for applied payments or payable to the customer for deposit refunds or both. It will automatically generate the cash posting transactions to apply the deposits against the customer accounts. Meter Inventory allows the user to track all meters by meter number number, both installed and uninstalled. Meter Reading Device Interface allows users to import meter readings from various meter reading devices. This module eliminates or greatly reduces the need for manual input of meter readings. Remote data access by Keystone is required. Due to the interface with third party software, installers must coordinate visits with the Device software installer/trainer visits. It may be necessary for meter numbers to be unique. Keystone theHLoop with CEO H In I G P E R the F OKeystone R M A N C E I N F O R M A T I O N T I O N S Michael Galliher, CEO Keystone Software Systems Komputrol Software Systems Boyce Forms/Systems Cash Drawer Software allows the user to post payments and to look up a customer’s history separate from the normal billing program. This module can include the ability to use cash till. This is not a cash register, but a locked metal cash box designed to fit in a counter drawer. The module can also use a receipt printer or plain paper laser printer; use account number bar coding and bar code scanning; and provide tracking and posting of payments by user. The cash drawer program can remain in operation during other normal billing procedures like updating and backing up without affecting Key-Billing files. II N N F F O O R R M M A AT T II O O N N Other Charges allows the user to track other charges separately (reconnect fees, tap fees, returned check fees, etc.) through the billing program. A master table allows the user to list several different charges with a two digit code. It will track up to three unpaid charges per account bill. The charges are manually applied to each account as an adjustment. Payment Import allows the user to import a text file of customer payment information directly into cash posting. This text file can be from outside payment collecting sources, online web payments, other bank credit card services. Postnet Barcode/Cass Certification allows the user to print a postal bar code on all billing cards and letters, delinquent/disconnect cards and letters. This module should save postal costs by UTILITIES (continued on page 4) I N F O R M AT I O N 3 STREAMS H I G H P E R F O R M A N C E I N F O R M A T I O N for you to sign and fax back. printing the bill cards in an order that is in compliance with local Post Office sorting rules, thereby allowing the Post Office to charge less to mail bill cards each month. The master file must be sent to a Cass Certified Dealer several times each year to update the +4 digit zip codes, and bill- sorting fields necessary for this module to work. There is an additional charge from the Cass Certified Dealer. Y may then upload a billing data backYou up and fax your new rate ordinance to the Keystone office. If you prefer, you may mail your backup disk or CD and a copy of your new rate ordinance. Your backup medium will not be returned. Keystone Web Export of Customer Data allows certain customer data fields to be exported to a website for customer review and online payment features. FOR Work Orders allows users to input and track all work orders for repairs and/or meter installation through the billing system. This module links the work orders to the account and meter numbers as well as provides a history record for that meter. This module prints a standard work order form and related reports. Utility Rate Changes Is your utility anticipating a rate change? Do you have a multi-year rate ordinance that changes once a year for three years? If either of these apply staying in contact with Keystone is imperative. Rate changes are done at no charge for our maintenance customers; however, you should allow four to six weeks from notification to execution. If you do have a multi-year rate ordinance you will be expected to notify Keystone and follow the recommended procedure each year. Here is the procedure. Call the helpdesk to request the rate change four to six weeks prior to the effective date. The helpdesk will prepare and fax to you a rate change agreement CITIES, TOWNS & UTILITIES F O R C I T I E S , T O W N S & U T I L I T I E S Boyce / Keystone / Komputrol Launches New Website to Facilitate Customer Use Your rate change will be scheduled, completed and sent to you. A helpdesk support representative can assist you in restoring your rate change CD. Company Receives IAEOP “Gem Award” Mike Galliher and Boyce Forms/ Systems were honored this past April at the Indiana Association of Educational Office Professionals (IAEOP) Conference in Middlebury, Indiana. Mr. Galliher was presented the ‘GEM’ award, GEM being the acronym for ‘Going the Extra Mile.’ “I was moved by the receipt of this award. Any time our efforts are recognized it is an indication that we are on the right track with taking care of our customers,” Mike commented. In addition to the GEM award, salesmen Chuck Saparnis, Rick Phillips and Jim Whittern were given Honorary Memberships to the IAEOP in recognition of their continuous service to the organization and its members. Annual ILMCT Conference Representatives from Boyce / Keystone / Komputrol attended the 72nd annual Indiana League of Municipal Clerks and Treasurers Conference in Evansville, June 8-12. I N F O R M AT I O N STREAMS I N F O R M AT I O N S T R E A M S EZStub, the Online Pay Stub Service Payroll administrators save time and effort because employees can obtain current and past pay stub information on their own with EZStub’s online self-serve features. Security is assured through many checks and balances so sensitive data remains safe and secure at all times. Security New logo, new facility and now the new website will be launched in June. The modern red and blue brand builds on the legacy of Boyce and Komputrol Red and Keystone Blue. Under one roof at last it is time to be under one site on the web. Designed to let our customers move freely between the three companies it also affords direct access to the news, products and services of each division. Slated to be a dynamic and interactive site, your feedback about what you expect from our website is certainly welcomed and appreciated. Communicating at the speed of the newest technology is our goal and together we will grow this website to serve your needs as well as our own. Visit: www.boycesystems.com Employment Opportunity with Keystone Team Keystone Software Systems is currently seeking a team member for the Customer Support Department. This person will need to have a strong aptitude in Fund Accounting, Payroll and General Ledger Systems. They will be required to travel within the state of Indiana. They must possess excellent customer service, communication and computer skills, along with being self-motivated. Position available immediately. H I G H P E R F O R M A N C E Safe and secure via password-protected login, SSL certificates that enable 256-bit encryption from GeoTrustTM, and firewall protection. EZStub information is never cached in computer memory. All data is cleared upon logoff, which allows for secure data access at airports, hotels, or with any public internet connection. EZStub suppresses information such as SSN, home addresses and bank account numbers to eliminate the chance of identity theft. Keystone (Key Billing Modules continued from page 3) Usage Graph for bill letters adds a comparative graph of current month consumption and the consumption of the prior twelve months. 4 S O L U T I O N S Employer Benefits • No new software required for implementation • Eliminates requests for pay stub reprints • On-time delivery • Eliminates pay stub distribution costs • Messaging feature Employee Benefits • EZStub is available 24/7 online • Access to current and past pay statements for quick reference when applying for credit to purchase a new car or home, or for tax verification • Employees can choose additional delivery options such as email and text message notifications Keystone www.boycesystems.com 800.875.1553 Ph: 317.664.7400 Fx: 317.664.7402 I N F O R M A T I O N 5 S O L U T I O N S H I G H P E R F O R M A N C E I N F O R M A T I O N S O L U T I O N S Keystone High Performance Information Solutions Software Systems 9401 Innovation Dr. Suite 400 P.O. Box 669 Daleville, IN 47334-0669 ��������������� • Boyce Forms/Systems • Keystone Software Systems • Komputrol Software Systems SAVE THE DATE - Keystone Announces Fall User Meetings Keystone Planning for the Annual Fall User Meetings has begun and dates have been set: School School City/Town North City/Town South October 30 November 6 November 19 November 20 Holiday Inn in Columbus Quality Inn in Lebanon Honeywell Center in Wabash Holiday Inn in Columbus. Continental Breakfast and Lunch will be provided as a venue for interaction with other Keystone clients. We usually find our similarities far outweigh our differences. The morning will include a welcome from our own Michael B. Galliher, President and CEO of Boyce/Keystone/Komputrol. The rest of the day will be set out into sessions of particular interest. If you have any questions or specific requests send us an email and we’ll make every effort to work it into the appropriate session. Cathy Stewart will provide a session on federal and state tax law, year end procedures in relation to W2s, 1099s, etc. Cathy is willing to research a specific concern or issue for our clients. Other sessions will include information on program procedures for year-end, program enhancements for cities and towns, and a refresher on the electronic CTAR. We received excellent feedback last year concerning the breakout sessions, so be sure to register early to ensure a spot in your session of interest. A direct mailing registration packet will go out this August. Watch for it! You may also go to our website www.boycesystems.com and register online. Look for the online registration by late August. 6 FOR CITIES, TOWNS & UTILITIES I N F O R M AT I O N STREAMS