New Features - 11-5 Build 1

Welcome to Collect! Version 11.5 Build 1. This latest version has several new features and functionality, as well as several optimizations and enhancements to existing features.

Phone Record

A new Phone tab in the Debtor screen enables you to store and retrieve phone numbers in the new Phone Record. You can store as many phone numbers as you need with details such as Last called, Last result and many more. The new Phone record strengthens and extends your ability to work your accounts beyond the four primary numbers on the Debtor screen.

Phone records are created automatically when a new number is entered into one of the phone fields on the Debtor screen. You can also create a Phone record manually, or during a manual database upgrade. Phone records can be imported and exported and referenced in reports.

Please refer to Help topic, Phone for more information.

Update Phone Records

This new utility in the Tools menu enables you to create Phone records for all the Debtor phone numbers stored in your database. You can also update a single Debtor or a tagged list. This feature goes with the new Phone Record feature.

Please refer to Help topic, Update Phone Records for more information.

Import Phone Records

You can now import and export Debtor phone numbers using the new Phone record type. This feature rounds off the new Phone Record feature.

Please refer to Help topic, Import Phone for details.

Create Phone Records

The new "Create phone records" option in the Upgrade Database form empowers you to create Phone records for each Debtor phone number during the manual upgrade procedure. This feature complements the new Phone Record feature.

Locate Debtor With Google Map

You can now display a Google map when viewing the Debtor screen. The demonstration database ships with a special report that reads the Debtor's address and queries Google maps. The report is run from a contact plan.

Please refer to Help topic, Locate Debtor with Google Map for details.

The Locate Debtor Add-On is also available for download from the Collect! Member Center.

Download Locate Debtor with Google Map

Default Database To Open

When you select a database to sign into using the SELECT DATABASE button in the Welcome to Collect! screen, Collect! will now ask if you want to make this the default. If you select YES, the Database Preferences "Database" field is updated and your choice will become the new default database to open.

Please refer to Help topic, How To Sign On for more information.

Use Control File

A new switch "Use control file" on the Transaction Type and Transaction forms enables you to configure a control file to run whenever a transaction is posted. This new switch lets you customize financial breakdown. Collect! will distribute money according to the specific instructions in your control file.

Please see Help topic, Breakdown for details.

Wider Operator ID

All Operator ID fields in Collect! will now hold up to 7 characters. This improvement provides greater flexibility for sequencing your Collector IDs as your business expands. The Operator ID holds any combination of 7 alphanumeric characters.

Street Type

The new "Street Type" field on the Debtor screen next to the Address 2 field increases your options for managing address data for your accounts. You can define your own pick list for Street Type. This field can be used for other purposes as well.

Client Operator

A new "Operator" field is now displayed in the Client form. You can select the Operator assigned to work the Client and manage your Client accounts easily and reliably.

Run Plan On Client

A new " Run Plan" field is now displayed in the Client form. This improves and expands your client management options. You can now run contact plans directly from the Client form. Scheduling a Review or Phone call, putting a Letter in the daily batch and posting a Note are examples of the events you can now run directly from the Client.

Mask Data Entry On Prompt

You can now mask data entered when a prompt is presented to the user. This is useful for example, when a manager needs to enter an authentication code to complete a process. You can mask the code entered to hide it from the operator while enabling them to carry on to the next step.

One practical use of this is changing a receipt number on a transaction to indicate that the payment about to be processed has been authorized.

Please see Help topic, Prompt for Data in a Report for details.

Set Font In Reports

A new Device Context command in the Report Writer enables you to set any font in your reports. The command @FONT will read any font family installed on your computer. The command syntax is @FONT({font-family},{font-size}). For example, @FONT(Lucida Console, 16).

Please refer to Help topic, How To Add a Font to the Report Writer for details.

Variable Assignment With Formatting

You can now assign to a variable, field codes with formatting and variables with formatting. This gives you greater control over report output. For example, this new functionality may be used to format special reports for electronic data submission in any kind of designated fixed format. Or you could create custom barcodes with check digits. These are a few examples of how this new feature might be used.

Please refer to Help topic, How To Format Variables When Assigning for more information.

Run Contact Plan In Report

You can now run a Contact Plan from a report or a control file with the new @RUNPLAN command in the Report Writer. @RUNPLAN will run on Clients or Debtors. You can use "if" conditions to set your criteria, if needed. This new command works in loops, as well. The plan it runs can be set with a variable for added flexibility.

Please refer to Help topic, Run Plan in Reports and Control Files for details.

Delete Notes

Collect!'s Report Writer can now modify or delete contents of the Notes blob file. This includes both Client and Debtor Notes.

Please refer to Help topic Delete Blob File for details.

Delete Metafiles

Collect!'s Report Writer can now modify or delete contents of the Contact blob file. This includes both Client and Debtor Letter Metafiles.

Please refer to Help topic Delete Blob File for details.

No HTML Wrapper

This new Report Writer command gives you full control over output when printing to Browser in Collect!. The command turns off Collect! generated head and body code so that the entire HTML page is in your control. This enables Collect! to talk to many third party applications through web pages launched from within the Collect! program.

Please refer to Help topic, How to Design HTML Reports for more information.

No Note To File

The new switch "No note to file" in the Event form give you more control over printing a line to notes. When enabled, a note will not be written to the Debtor Notes if you execute a contact plan that prints a letter immediately. This overrides the "Write note to file when printing" setting in Screen and Messages.

This field is visible only if you have selected "Print now" for the Letter Event.

Run Plan On Updated Accounts

Added a new field " Run plan on updated accounts" to the Import Options form. This setting expands your options for manipulating data as it is imported into Collect!.

Web Host Test Mode

When Collect! is started in Web Host mode, menus are now disabled. This is meant to prevent a user from accidentally breaking the live connection when Web Host is serving Collect!.

Menus may be re-enabled by signing in as User Level 99. A new command line argument, the letter 't' is also available if you want to start the Web Host in "test mode" based on the current user level rights. For example, /wt1s or /wt1ss will start up Web Host in test mode with all menus enabled.

Select Snapshot Folder

You can now specify a different folder for storing Collect! snapshots. This gives you more flexibility for managing your system resources. The new "Snapshot to" field in Database Maintenance Options accepts any valid path to a folder on your system.

Please refer to Help topic, Database Snapshot for details.

Operator Account Summary By Status CSV

This new CSV report in the Collect! Member Center sample reports lists operators who have ACTIVE accounts with total Count and Amount by Status. The report also shows the most recent Worked Date for each account.

View Operator Account Summary report

Database Transfers

Several new and updated database transfer routines have been added to the Import Routines in the Collect! Member Center Add-Ons, including transferring new Phone records.

View and download Import Routines

Set Timezone Dst

The "Set Time Zones DST North America" package contains a report and a control file that North American CV11 users can use to set the timezones for each of their debtors automatically. This new package takes into consideration Daylight Savings Time.

View and download Set Timezone DST

Upgrading To This Build

Please refer to Upgrading Topics for details about upgrading your existing Collect! system to take advantage of the features and optimizations in this latest release.

If you are upgrading from Version 11.3 build 11 or earlier, you must do a complete database upgrade to this version.