Security Settings
The ability to assign a user to a specific group has been added. In this mode
all users of the application are required to log in with a user name and
password. A user with administration privileges can create new user accounts and
assign a user to a specific group. The different groups have specific
permissions with regard to creating new, editing and deleting existing records.
If the security option is not used, Municipal and permit setup, compact / repair
and the backup functions are then accessed through a simple password.
User Preferences
A user setup screen has been added to provide ‘Scheduled Inspections’, ‘Expiring
Permits’ and ‘Violation Deadline’ tickle reports at startup. Most dialogs and
lists now retain their position between sessions.
Automatic Permit Numbering
Automatic numbering of permits by permit type is an option in the permit setup.
This option must be setup at the initial installation. The ability of existing
installations to utilize this functionality is dependent on the original
numbering system that was used.
Additional Searching Capabilities
All of the main record types are now additionally listed in a data list format.
These data lists may be queried, sorted and searched by any of their included
fields. Individual records may be opened for editing from these lists or the
list itself can be printed or optionally sent to MS Excel. The standard permit
lists now include additional functions to sort by application date, issue data
or permit number.
Inspection Schedules
Inspection scheduling may now be accomplished through a new screen that lists
scheduled inspections by day and optionally by inspector. Individual inspection
records may be opened from the schedule list for editing. Printing of a daily
schedule is also included.
Building Permit Subcontractors
The Building permit can optionally include a list of subcontractors. This option
is selected from the Permit Setup screen and is also an option for the printed
building permit.
Additional Permit Types
Electrical, Gas,
Mechanical, Plumbing, Fire Protection and Sign have been added in addition to
the standard Building, Driveway, Planning, Sewage, Well and Zoning permits. The
end user may select which of these permit types to utilize so only the selected
types will be available on the various application screens and lists. This list
of permits to utilize may be revised at any time.
Permit Sub-Types
Sub-Types may be
added to all the standard permit types. Add
Re-roofing, Painting, etc as Building permit Sub-Types. Add Alarm, Burning or
Garage Sale as Zoning Sub-Types. Any number of Sub-Types may be added "on
the fly" while creating a permit record.
Additional Permit Fields
Occupancy Type,
Construction Type and Applicable Construction Code with lookup lists in addition
to Design Occupant Loads fields have been added to all permit types (excluding
Planning). A Contractor field has also been added to Sewage, Driveway, Zoning
and Sign permits. Additional Permit Status options have also been added.
Planning permit status options now include “Reviewed”. Other permits can
also be listed as “Complete” or “Renewed”. The Contractor phone number
is now listed on all permit dialogs. Building
permits now have the option of listing up to (12) associated permits. Through
the permit setup screen these field labels, lookup lists and visible properties
can be set for the permit input dialog and the printed permit and CO. An
additional (5) square footage fields have been added to the Building permit
also. Their label and visible properties are also set through the permit setup
screen. The Description field of all permits is now a look up list to help
maintain consistency.
Printed Permit Titles and Footers
The permit titles
may be edited and footer messages may be added to all printed permits. You can
also add to or edit the list of available "Footer" messages. This
function allows you to readily quote an ordinance or code on a particular permit
and add signature lines.
Inspection Records
Inspections may
be associated to any permit, parcel or violation record. Any number of
inspections may be added to any type permit, a parcel record or a violation.
Inspection Tasks associated to a particular permit type may be added "on
the fly" for any permit type.
Inspection List
A list of all
open Inspection requests is part of the main menu. Edit inspection records
directly from the list. Save time by no longer needing to find a permit to edit
the associated inspection records. Open permit, violation or parcel records
directly from an Inspection request.
Documents and Images
Word Documents,
PDF, Text, and digital Images including CAD files may now be associated to any
permit, parcel or violation record. Any number of documents or images may be
added and associated to a permit, parcel or a violation record. This feature
provides quick, easy access to associated documents. The associated document
function automatically copies the selected file to a subdirectory of the main
database file’s directory. The associated Image function supports storage of
the image files on CDs or other media. An integrated image viewer provides
zooming, printing and coping capabilities. Supported image formats include;
.bmp, .jpg, .tif, .ras, .dwg, and .dxf.
Improved Word Export
The “Send to
Word” command on the Print menu has been revised. If a Permit or Certificate
of Occupancy or Use is in the preview mode, selecting the “Send to Word”
command creates a copy of the document, named as the permit’s printed title,
formatted as a Word *.rtf file and automatically places it in the “\Permit
Docs\” directory of the application. A prompt then asks if you want to open
the doc with Word. When exporting Letters or reports to Word a file dialog opens
to the “\Permit Docs\” directory and prompts the user for a file name of the
exported document. When creating an associated document record the file dialog
opens to this directory for selecting a document to associate to the record.
Linked Document Records
A new function has been added to automatically create a linked document
record in MS Snapshot format of any printed permit, certificate of occupancy or
associated letter. A document record in this format may be printed or emailed
directly from the included document viewer. All permits, letters and reports may
be saved to this format for distribution to others. Recipients of these
documents may download the free viewer from Microsoft.
Replacing Contacts
The Replace
Contact function is for replacing a selected contact with a different contact on
all records the selected contact is associated with... Quickly and easily
replace and then delete a duplicated contact record.
Record Lists
All Permit,
Property, Violation and Inspection lists show a record count on their caption
bar... See the number of "Active" permits, "Open" violations
or parcels in a subdivision at a glance.
Planning Application Functions
Several new
Planning functions have also been added. Additional application types of Sketch
and Other have been added along with the standard Preliminary and Final types.
Any number of plan reviews, requests for additional information, bonds and
approval records may be associated to any Planning or other standard permit. A
report containing all the Planning application information along with associated
fees, review, bond, approval and inspection records is also included.
Review Records
Plan review and
information requested records can be associated to any permit record. The list
of all plan Review records can be queried for open or information not received
records. Open the permit records directly from a Review record.
Bond Records
Bond records can
be associated to any permit. Bond status and expire date fields provides
additional tracking capabilities. The Bond list can be queried for Expiring
Bonds with an input date. Open the permit records directly from a Bond record.
Approval Records
Approval records
may be associated to any permit record. The list of all Approval records opens
listing only open Approvals. Open the permit records directly from an Approval
record.
Property / Parcel Records
Parcel records
now have additional fields for Resident, Sewer and Water. The listed Resident is
included as a possible recipient in the “Send Letter” dialog.
Parcel Search by Tax ID
The parcel search
by Tax ID input box retains the initial text string of an unsuccessful search to
simplify editing of the string for additional search attempts.
Tenant Lists
All Parcel
records can have any number of Tenant records associated to them. This is ideal
for commercial or apartment properties. Previous tenant records are
automatically created when an existing tenant record contact is changed. Tenant,
Building Name and Street Address fields have been added to Tenant records.
Tenant records may now have inspection, document, image, and license records
associated to them.
Violations
When a new Violation record is created, the resident along with the owner of a
parcel is listed. If the parcel has an associated tenant list any one of the
contacts in the tenant list may be selected to be on the Violation Record along
with the property owner. The owner and tenant are then listed as recipients when
creating a letter from the Violation dialog.
Violation
records may now have fees associated to them.
License Records
The contractor
dialog now contains a tab for any number or type of License records. The License
tab is optionally displayed by a checkbox in the Municipal setup. A report of
Contractor Licenses is also included.
License records
can now be associated to any Contact or Tenant record to provide professional
licensing functionality. A placard type printed license has been added for these
Tenant / License records. The placard setup maybe edited to be specific to the
License Type. The license list report now contains the address and primary phone
number of the Licensee. A function has been added to bulk update the current
status of licenses based on their expire date.
Contractor Insurance
Contractors can
now have any number of Insurance records associated to them. When a contractor
is selected on a building permit the contractor’s current Insurance
information is input to a field in the permit record. If the contractor is
changed or edited from the permit record the Insurance record can also be
updated.
Look Up Lists
Several new look
up lists are now included: Occupancy Type, Construction Type, Construction Code
Edition, Plan Review Items, Plan Reviewer, etc.
Palm Pilot Support
Permit Manager
optionally supports the use of a Palm Pilot. Simplify data input and eliminate
paper work with automatic synchronization of inspections and volations between
your handheld and Permit Manager Data files. Maintain a list of current permits
and contractors with phone numbers on your PDA. This is an optional feature.
Reporting Features
Permits:
All permits, including Planning permits, now include a report that details any
associated Fee, Review, Bond, Approval and Inspection records in addition to the
basic permit information.
Inspection
reports: Reports can be
created, sorted and totaled by task only or contain detailed information
including time, mileage, fees and balance due in addition to the basic
inspection information.
Property
Record Report: All parcel
records have a report that includes permits, violations, previous owners,
current and previous tenant records in addition to the parcel location, owner
and resident information.
Tickle
reports: An Expiring Bond
report has been added to the Expiring Permit, Expiring Insurance and Violation
Deadline tickle reports.
Permits by Applicant or Contractor: All
contacts now have a report that lists all permit activity in which the selected
contact is listed as the applicant or contractor.
Reports by
Date: Numerous additional
reporting options have been added and a new reporting application, Permit
Reporter, is now included as a separate desktop icon. Permit active, fees,
inspection & parcel activity may be selected by numerous criteria. For
example a report could be created that would list only the permits issued in a
particular time period that were for "Garage Sales". A report on Fees
received for that same permitting activity can also be created. A report on a
particular type of, or specific inspection task by any individual inspector can
also be created. All reports in the integrated reporting dialog and the separate
“Permit Reporter” may also be queried by a selected subdivision. A Property
/ Activity report can also be run that includes all parcels with standard
information, permits, violations, previous owners, tenant and previous tenant
information contained within a particular subdivision. In addition, the
ability to list and sort the approvals, bonds, contacts, fees, inspections,
licenses, permits, properties, reviews, tenants, tenant / licenses and violation
records by any of their included fields and then send the result to MS Excel
makes the reporting capabilities virtually unlimited.
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Parcel Map
The integrated
GIS module, CSG Parcel Map, has also added several new functions to speed up the
daily workflow. Open a Parcel, Violation or Permit record in Permit Manager,
select the "GIS Map" command and Parcel Map will open and
automatically zoom to the particular parcel. You can also automatically go from
a selected record in Parcel Map to the property record in Permit Manager. If the
selected record does not exist in the Permit Manager tables a prompt asks if you
would like to add the parcel record. The TaxID linking field is automatically
input to the new property record and the selected feature list, containing the
parcel location, owner name and address information remains open to copy and
paste data to the new record as required.
Standard Layers:
The map dialog
Layer selection toolbar has been simplified and can now include up to (18)
standard layers. The standard layers may be added or deleted at any time.
The standard layer
names may also be edited with the exception of the “Parcel” layer. This
provides greater flexibility for using specific shape files as standard layers.
Default Field
Name: All the standard
layers may now have a field specified as the default field for searching,
rendering and labeling.
Selected
Parcel Fill Type and Color:
You can choose to outline selected records rather than having them filled in
solid. Selected parcels are automatically outlined after an associated
"Auto Image" or aerial photo image is loaded. The Selected record,
Outline and Group shapes color can now be edited.
Random Parcel
Selection: The ability to
randomly select and de-select parcel records to create lists for mailings has
been implemented.
Select parcels
by distance from other selected layer objects:
You can now search other layers by mouse selection, field name criteria or
query. These selected entities can then be used as the object to create a parcel
search. Create a list of all parcels within a given distance to a road or
contained in a particular zoning district, etc.
Zoom
functions: Zoom to Selected
has been added as a menu item.
Identify
Features: The Identify
function of all layers is no longer a message box. It now opens as a list box
containing the selected attributes of the object. The list box text may be
copied or the entire contents printed.
List Box
Position: The selected
records and identify features lists can now be resized and positioned on screen
in a convenient location. They will maintain these parameters and reopen to the
same size and position during a Parcel Map session.
Thematic
Labeling and Rendering: The
rendering and labeling functions now opens a dialog box with the top layer and
the default field name of that layer listed. All loaded layers with their fields
are available in drop down lists on the dialog. Select a different layer and the
default field of that layer is automatically listed.
Permit
Activity Reporting: A
reporting function has also been added to automatically select and highlight all
parcels where permits of a particular type and status have been issued.
Images: Image
Lists may be created to automatically load registered images and a menu item has
been added to automatically unload all image layers.
Permit Manager
Parcel Updating: An
"Update Parcels" function has been added to update the parcel records
of the Permit Manager tables for the following fields: Subdivision, Block,
Section, Lot, StrNo, Street, Zoning District and Flood District. Create a list
of records by drawing a polygon around any group of parcels or by any of the
other available search / selection methods and then choose the “Create List”
command. The Selected Features list box now contains the "Update
Parcels" command. You can then assign any of the above fields to the
selected parcels. This function is perfect for assigning zoning changes,
creating subdivisions and assigning street names.
Functions have
been added to update the parcel layer attributes to the current Permit Manager
Property record values. This function is selected as an option in the permit
setup screen. When a property record is updated the user is prompted to update
the associated GIS parcel attributes. A function is also included to update all
of the parcel layer records.
Map Setup
Files: You may now save any
number of Map Setup files. This feature permits you to easily change between map
setups where standard layers contain different field names. Load various shape
files, setup the search criteria and create specific search queries. Save the
Map Setup file with a file name you define and then easily go back to the
original or other Map Setups. These are saved to the “\Map Setup\”
subdirectory of the application. When you choose the “Save Map Setup” or
“Load Map Setup” menu items, the common file dialog opens to this directory.
Additional
Parcel Map Features
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