With thousands of features and capabilities, the complexity of running and maintaining Windows-based software, ever changing technology, and the incredible opportunity the Internet represents, you can’t afford to miss this exciting seminar. This is the first 1-day HI-TECH Education Seminar that will provide two complete tracks of classes: one for regular users and one for advanced users and system administrators.

The Education Seminar will provide a great opportunity to meet and socialize with dozens of other HI-TECH customers, as well as to hear one or more guest lecturers on topics from security to Internet opportunities. We hope you will join us. If you have any questions, please let us know.

As we go to press with this newsletter, the latest update to RentPlus, version 1.8, is being prepared for release. This version adds much to the self –storage industry’s most groundbreaking software. The upgrade to version 1.8 will be available this summer and will be shipped automatically to all customers with current technical support agreements, or customers who have purchased RentPlus within the past three months. It will take several weeks to complete the upgrade shipments.

Customers without current technical support agreements may order the upgrade by contacting Customer Service (800-551-8324 or admin@hitechsoftware.com). The cost of the upgrade purchase without a technical support agreement in US$195, plus shipping.

Version 1.8 contains some very exciting new features. A complete listing of new features can be found on the version 1.8 CD and on the HI-Tech web site. Some of the highlights include:

• New Daily Activities folder, which displays icons (shortcuts) for the most popular functions. Users can edit and customize the list using the Customize This Folder option.
• New Collection Wizard allows you to add a charge or print a letter to a selected group of customers.
• Right-click on a unit in the Units folder to quickly show all, vacant, occupied, or only out-of-service units.
• Options to Save a copy of all receipts, billing notices, and late letters so they may be reprinted.
• RentPlus Data Mapping, including a menu option in RentPlus to export Mapping data and a RentPlus Data Mapping Wizard menu option in MapPoint (requires purchase of a separate RentPlus Add-In).
• Reminders now allow you to specify the status of each reminder.
• Add a photo during the Move-In process.
• Enlarge viewing area for customer photos and retain the original dimensions of the image. A zoom button was added which provides the opportunity to print the image.
• New printouts added for reverse payments and transfers.
• Payment coupons may now be printed for any contract.
• It is now easier to set the number of copies to print for a receipt.
• E-Mail receipts.
• Save reports as Snapshots for fast and easy sharing and archiving.
• Increase security by setting the minimum Length for login names and passwords.
• Enhanced the Report Wizard.
• Added new reports, including Rent Roll, Units by Walk-Order, Size Occupancy Statistics, Size Statistics, Rent Changes, Discounts in Use, Discount Activity, Unavailable Units, General Ledger Accounts by Customer, and more.

HI-TECH has entered into new agreements to provide customers with more options for credit card processing. Up until version 1.8, the only option in RentPlus for credit card processing has been through ICVerify. ICVerify is a stand-alone program that RentPlus communicates with indirectly. Its great advantage is that it works with virtually every credit card processing network in the United States. Its disadvantage is that it is not very user friendly.

With version 1.8, two new options are available.

EFProcessing: This option provides a totally integrated credit card and ACH payment system (ACH payments are direct debits to customers’ checking and saving accounts). There is no external software program to run, so all processing is done entirely within RentPlus. Credit card processing is provided by VITAL, one of the country’s largest credit card processing systems. Sign up on-line to get started instantly.

Payment Processing Inc. (PPI): PPI uses ICVerify in conjunction with their own credit card processing system, providing you with a system that is integrated on the back end (ICVerify to the credit card processing network). PPI provides 24/7 customer support for ICVerify, for processing, and even for account reconciliation.

HI-TECH is now providing on-site training for customers through its Authorized Consultant program. Consultants are typically sent for one or two sessions, usually given to between two and five people (although any number of people may attend, larger groups may wish to use one of HI-TECH’s professional trainers). Training is often provided over several sessions spaced weeks apart, providing time for the learning that goes with weeks of daily use, and providing help over the steps of pre-setup, setup, data entry, data verification, and on-going operations. And sometimes just one day for assistance with those tricky little issues can be a great help! For additional information, contact HI-TECH Sales at sales@hitechsoftware.com or 800-551-8324.

Right-click the credit card icon to display a list of the previous credit cards that have been used by the customer. You can then select a card from that list to use for the current payment.

Don’t close the Customer Properties screen to go to a different customer! In the top right corner of the Customer Properties screen, there are two arrow keys. Click the left arrow to go to the previous customer, the right arrow to go to the next customer. Click the magnifying glass icon to jump directly to another customer record. Type the first few letters of the customer’s last name (or business name) and press Enter to jump to the closest matching customer record.

These buttons are only available when you have entered Customer Properties from the Customer folder. The order to the customers is the same as the order of the Customer folder (alphabetical, unless you click one of the column headers to sort differently).

If you need to change any of the information about your company, you can do so by selecting Help | About from the RentPlus Explorer menu. When the registration screen and licensing information is displayed, click the Registration Information button. This will display the Licensee Property sheet: from here, you can change the company name, address, telephone, fax, e-mail and other contact information. Security note: this option should be restricted to Owner level users.

From the same place (Help | About), click System Information to display the Windows System Information screen. This will show information about your computer, such as the processor type and speed, the memory installed, version of Windows that is running, etc. You can use this information to determine possible upgrades, such as adding more memory if your system seems slow.