The Tenant File is one
of the very few software vendors that provide free support.
Free phone support is available for 60 days from the date of
purchase (30 days for updates) and email/fax/internet
support has no time limit. All support is available for the
3 most recent versions of the Tenant File. Hours are 10-2
CST Monday - Friday. For phone support, please have your
Tenant File, Customer ID, and question ready when you call.
Calls are limited to 1 call per day, 10 minutes per call
maximum. Training is not provided on the Technical Support line -
it is available separately by appointment for a fee. For
web support, click the button below:
* Limited time special - add a link to the Tenant File on your website and get free setup and one month free to try out the new RentalWIZ program. Includes a free vacancy listing web page and Internet syndication. Put the link on your HOME page and receive THREE free months!
If you are past the 60 day period and
want additional phone support, click here to order
extended phone support
Most common error messages have to do with corrupted data in
your database. If you suspect this is the problem, the first
thing to do is to back up your database files. Next,
from the Main Menu, go to 'File', then 'Database
Maintenance', and run 'Repair Active Files', and 'Compact
Active Files'. Also run the 'Check for Link Problems'
option. The 'Database Maintenance' and 'Check for Link
Problems' routines should be run periodically (once a month
or so) to keep your database in good, efficient working
condition. Be sure to backup your database often as well -
preferably every day of use, using rotating media.
If you receive and error message such a 'invalid database
format' or 'unable to recognize database' or 'not a valid
Microsoft Access database', then your database is corrupted.
This can happen if you have a power outage or surge while
using the database or if your computer hard drive has
errors. You will need to restore your last good backup into
the Tenant File, by using Windows 'copy' and 'paste'
functions to copy the good database into your Tenant File
folder. Sometimes, our programming department can restore a
corrupted database for you. If you want us to try, attach
your corrupted database (TFDATAFL.MDB) to an email to
, explain the
problem, and leave your contact information. If we can
repair the corrupted database, then there will be a $60.00
service charge for the repair. There will be no charge is
the database is not repairable.
To download the Tenant File Database Repair and Inspection form for your main database, click here.
To view other error messages and
suggested solutions, click here.
Free phone support is available for 60 days from
purchase, and email/fax/internet support is free for the
last 3 versions.
You can reach W G Software
Company 10:00am to 2:00pm CST at the numbers below. Before
calling, first consult the topic in your User's Guide or
Help File. Most questions can be answered in the 'How To'
section of either. You should be in the Tenant File
Program, know your Tenant File Version (click
Help, then About) and computer operating system (Vista, XP,
etc), and have your question or error message written
down in detail. If your question involves any
transactions, print a report of the transactions, and fax
the report before calling. We cannot answer any
questions concerning Windows, operating systems, your
network system, or questions not directly involving the
Tenant File program.
Free phone support is for
SPECIFIC questions asked, and is limited to 10 minutes
per call and one call per day on busy days. Please do not
call and ask to be trained on how to use the program on the
technical support line - there are step-by-step instructions
in the 'How to' section of the User's Guide. However, if you
don't understand a specific operation after reading the
User's Guide, we will be glad to help you on that question.
If the lines are busy, and you get a recorded message during
support hours, you can leave a message and we will return
your call within 24 hours in most cases. Or, you can contact
our email support by using the link above.
Other support options:
One time call: If
your free phone support has expired, you can still call on a
specific issue and get immediate help. The cost is $30.00
with a maximum call duration of 15 minutes. Please have your
credit card handy, as it will be taken over the phone.
One month phone support
extension: You can order 1 month of support for $100.00.
There is a maximum of one call per day, 10 minutes per call.
One year phone support
extension: You can order 1 year of phone support for
$500.00. There is a maximum of one call per day, 10 minutes
per call.
The specific screen
instructions for closing out the year are located in your
manual. This sheet is intended to provide additional
information and tips for closing out the year, so please follow it carefully. This documentation is for
the current version - if you have an older Tenant File
version, you will need to refer to your matching User's
Guide for detailed instructions.
Question: Do you HAVE to close out the year?
Answer: YES, YOU
SHOULD! Follow the instructions below to have last year's
data easily available. If you don't close out the year, the
program will run slower (because of lots of data) and your
database could become less stable and more easily corrupted.
The risk is not worth it.
Before anything,
BACKUP!
There is nothing more important to closing out the year than
making sure you have a good backup of your information. Once you have entered all of the information you
can for the previous year, make full backups before
closing out anything! You should use a backup utility
provided by Windows or another third party backup utility.
Make a full backup of your Tenant File folder (or directory)
to a removable media (such as tape, memory stick, CD, DVD,
etc) so that you can store a copy of your Tenant File
information 'off premises'. You will find your files in a folder (or directory)
in the path named C:\Tenant File\TF4WIN (or C:\TF4WIN or C:\Program Files\TF4WIN for older versions) unless
you changed the default path during installation of the
Tenant File. In
addition to the full backups, copy all files ending with
.MDB (your database files) and the files ending with .DAT
(your settings) to a separate media and label the
disks with the appropriate date period.
How
to copy your current TENANT FILE folder to a new folder for
a ‘Previous Year’ backup:
Once you are finished posting for the year, and BEFORE CLOSING, make a copy of your Tenant File folder on your computer’s hard drive. That way, you can access last year’s files without having to restore anything. Be very careful to follow the instructions below. Depending on the version of Windows that you are using, the procedure may be slightly different for your computer.
Note: This assumes your files are in a folder named ‘TF4WIN’. If not, substitute the name you assigned instead.
(To see where your Tenant Files are located, go to the icon
or program shortcut that starts the program, then right-click on that item. Go to 'Properties', and look for the 'Start
in' path of your Tenant File program. The file TF4WIN.EXE is NOT part of
the path or location! (Note: The steps below assume your Tenant File is in the
folder 'c:\Tenant File\TF4WIN' - yours may be different)
Step 1: Click on the 'Computer' (or ‘My Computer’) icon on
your computer desktop or under 'Start'.
Step
2: Double-click on your local computer hard drive letter.
(Such as drive ‘C:’)
Step
3: Find the folder named ‘Tenant File' and double-click to
open it
Step
4: Find the folder named ‘TF4WIN’ and click once on the folder
to highlight the folder. (Don’t open it)
Step
5: Press Ctrl-C (or Control-C) to copy the folder. (You won’t
see any change)
Step
6: Press Ctrl-V (or Control-V) to paste the folder. (You may
not see any change)
Step 7: Find the NEW FOLDER, named ‘Copy of TF4WIN’ (or 'TF4WIN -
Copy'). (Probably at the bottom of your current window)
Step 8: Right-Click on the new folder, then select ‘Rename’.
Step 9: Type in ‘TF4WIN2011’, or whatever you want to call your
previous year file folder.
Step 10: Create a shortcut to the new folder: Double-click to open
the folder you just created. Find the program file
TF4WIN.EXE, and RIGHT-CLICK on the file. Select 'Create
Shortcut', which should create a 'shortcut to TF4WIN.EXE'
file in the same folder you are in. Drag that shortcut to
your desktop. You should rename the shortcut something that
is more descriptive, such as 'Tenant File 2011'. To rename
it, simply right-click on the new shortcut on your desktop,
and choose 'Rename'.
What happens during closing...
The
Year End closing procedure is very simple, really. In the Year End Closing Screen, you will specify a
'Starting Close Out Date' and an 'Ending Close Out Date'. The total of all transactions between these two
dates will be (optionally) carried forward and posted to the 'Starting
Balance' in each Owner Ledger, Property Ledger, Unit Ledger,
and Tenant Ledger. The 'New Period Starting Date' selection
on your screen will be the date of your new 'Starting
Balance'.
NOTE: If you have
not closed out the year for more than one year, BE SURE to
specify the correct 'Starting Close Out Date' to include the
previous years. For example, if you have transactions dating
back to 2008, you must specify the 'Starting Close Out Date'
to be 01/01/2008 to include the 2008 transactions in the
close out.
Next, the Year End closing procedure will delete all of the
transactions in each ledger between the dates you specified.
None of your Owner, Property, Unit, or Tenant information will
change, only the transactions will be affected.
The
Year End Closing Screen allows you a few CARRY FORWARD options:
For your Owners: The Owner accounting is in the
Owner, Property, and Unit Ledgers, so you should either
carry forward all 3, or remove the check marks for all 3. If
you have paid all of your Owners and there are no debit or
credit balances remaining, you can choose NOT to carry
forward the balances by removing the check marks for the
Owner, Property, and Unit. (Some Tenant File users
that have carried forward high balances from previous years
might want to choose not to carry the balances
forward). You can always enter any Starting Balances
manually into any Owner, Property, or Unit Ledger.
For your Tenants: You should always carry forward any
balances from your Tenants, so that any amounts due from the
previous year will carry into the new year. So, leave the
box checked to carry forward the Tenant balances. (You would
only remove the check mark if you wanted to clear out all
Tenant Ledger totals).
Remember, if you want
to retain your current balances in your ledgers, you must keep the checkmarks showing. This is an accounting decision
for which you may need to consult with your accountant.
Reports you need to run…
All
of them. Well,
mostly. The most
helpful reports that relate directly to Year End Closing are
the Ledger Balances, Listings, Owner Statements (detailed),
Income/Expense Reports, and the Account Reports. If you are going to delete the old checks (which you
should), be sure to run Check Reports, and Vendor
Reports.
Be sure that you
run the Ledger Balances report before and after closing to see if all of your balances are correct to begin
with, and then if they transferred the way you wanted them
to. If a balance is incorrect, it is most likely because
a particular ledger had an incorrect balance or transaction
before closing. This
can be caused by an electrical surge or by shutting down the
computer without exiting the program correctly. (If a ledger ever shows the wrong current balance,
it can be fixed by simply getting into it again - all
ledgers automatically recalculate the transactions each time
you enter the ledger). If there is an incorrect transfer amount, just make the
appropriate Owner, Property, Unit, or Tenant active, and
then click on the 'Starting Balance' button. The 'Starting Balance' and 'Starting Date' can be
edited just like any other information. (Be sure to use a minus sign if a debit).
Deleting Unused Owner, Properties,
Units, and Tenants…
At
the end of the year is the best time to delete any Owners,
Properties, or Units you
no longer own or manage, along with the associated Tenants
or Vacancies. Do this after you close
out, and after you have run all of the appropriate
information reports, financial reports, and statements that
you need for the Owners and for taxes. Refer to your manual or help file under 'Deleting', and to
'Common Questions and Answers'.
Remember that deleting something
is much different than making it 'VACANT'. When you make a Unit or Tenant 'VACANT', all of the
Tenant transactions are transferred to the Inactive File. (See 'Common Questions and Answers' and 'Inactive
Files'). All Owner,
Property, and Unit transactions are retained in the Active
File for continued posting. On the other hand, when you delete an Owner,
Property, Unit, or Tenant, no information or transactions
are saved. Even when a property is sold, you should first make
it VACANT to save the Tenant payment history, then run all
Owner and financial reports, and finally delete it at the
end of the year after closing.
Deleting Unused Account
Categories…
At
the end of the year is the best time to add new Account
Categories or delete any unused Account Categories. Do
this after you
close out and before you enter any new transactions. The reason for this
is that if you edit or delete any account category, it will
affect all transactions that use that account category throughout the
program.
Deleting Inactive Files…
We strongly suggest
that you also clear your Inactive Files. To clear any of the
Inactive Files, just enter your INACTIVE FILES and delete them by
Owner, Property, Unit, or Tenant.
If you keep your Inactive Files, the file may become too big
in size and increase the risk of database corruption.
These files will be saved with your year-end backup if you
follow the above instructions.
Another
(easier) way to start off with a new, blank INACTIVE file is
to download one from this website. We have provided a NEW,
BLANK INACTIVE FILE for VERSION 6 or 7 ONLY. If
you have any other older version before 6.0 DO NOT DOWNLOAD
this file. You will need to download this file and copy
it to your current Tenant File folder, overwriting your
existing INACTIVE file of the same name: TFDATAOF.MDB. Click
here to get the download.
Deleting Old Printed
Checks and Deposits… don't skip this step!
As
your check files can grow rapidly, and contain a lot of
detailed information, you should definitely erase your
previous year's CLEARED checks and deposits. This will speed up the program and reduce the risk
of database corruption. To erase your printed checks and
deposits, enter 'Check Activities', then 'Check Register',
then display the CLEARED checks and deposits to delete. Be sure to write down the total shown at the bottom of the
screen, because you will need to post that
amount as a starting balance in the new year. Note: You
may want to delete the 'cleared deposits' as a separate step
from deleting the 'cleared printed checks' - then you will
need to post forward 2 separate amounts, a 'cleared
deposits' amount (credit) and a 'cleared checks' amount
(debit).
You
can use the date ranges at the bottom to select specific
dates – but if you change a date range, re-select your
categories at the top left of your screen and be absolutely
sure that you only are viewing the checks or deposits you
want to delete. (Check to be sure you don't
have any checks and deposits prior to the year you are
deleting - use an earlier 'Start' date in that case). Be
sure you do not delete any 'Pending' checks or deposits. When you have displayed the checks to delete, click on the
'Delete All' button. Do the
same for any 'Voided' checks or deposits. Don't forget to check your other 2 bank accounts if you have
used them. Be sure
that you have run a full set of reports on your printed
checks and have already printed all checks in the 'Entered'
Check File prior to deleting them. Make your backups first.
Database Maintenance…
Any
time you make a lot of changes in a database, as in the Year
End Closing, you should compact the database to 'reclaim'
lost space and speed up the program. Refer to 'Database Maintenance' in your help file or
manual. You would
want to run the REPAIR FILES and then the COMPACT FILES
procedure. (For both
the Active and Inactive Files). Also, click the button to
CHECK FOR LINK PROBLEMS. This will check for link problems that may have
occurred while deleting ledgers. It will also check for invalid transaction dates.
Reminder on restoring your
data …
If
at any time during the year, you need to restore the
previous year’s database to view activities, it is important
to remember that if you RESTORE the .MDB file into your
current TF4WIN folder,
it will overwrite your current data. Never restore data
from within the Tenant File or from another utility without
copying your current data files first. Better yet, restore
it to an installation on a different computer or in a
different folder, as per our instructions above.
Important Settings Reminder…
The Tenant Files uses the current Windows settings for the
date display. You need to make sure that the display shows 4 digits for
the year. This is normally done in the 'Control Panel'
for your computer settings.
If you have
any questions not covered in the Year End Closing
guidelines, and if you have available phone support (see top of
screen to purchase) you can call tech support between 10-2
CST Monday-Friday, excluding holidays.
Please have your Customer Phone Support ID# ready. We
are busy at this time of the year answering questions, so
please be patient. We’re sorry but we cannot answer any questions about
backing up your files using your WINDOWS Backup utility or
copying files through WINDOWS – only questions that pertain
to the Tenant File for Windows program. Thank you for your continued support of the Tenant File.
If you get a message, such
as 'unable to register' a file, it is probably because
Windows does not show that you have the proper 'permissions'
to register that file automatically during installation or
the file was in use by another program. The solution is to
run the program as 'administrator':
1. Go to the Tenant File
shortcut icon (that starts the program).
2. Right-click on the shortcut, and choose 'Run as
Administrator', then click 'allow'.
3. When in the Tenant File program, browse to the same spot
where you got the error, and it should now be ok.
Note: if there is more than
one file not registered, you may have to do this more than
once. Once all files are properly registered, you should be
able to open the program normally by double-clicking on the
shortcut icon for the Tenant File.
If you want to always run
as administrator, you can do this:
1. Go to the Tenant File shortcut icon (that starts the
program).
2. Right-click on the shortcut, and choose 'Properties'.
3. Click on the 'Capability' tab.
4. Under 'Privilege Level', put a check mark next to 'Run
this program as an administrator'.
Note: this will ask you to
'allow' each time you enter the program.
Yes,
training is offered by the support staff of the Tenant File
program for a fee. You can book a specific time to call us
and go over any questions you may have or to give a brief
'getting started' overview of the Tenant File. You can also
send us your database and we'll look over your setup and
make any suggestions on improving your information. Training
is in 30 minute increments over the phone and you can have
any number of people participating. For more information on
the Tenant File training program, click here.
If
you need to transfer the Tenant File to another computer,
and have the CURRENT 'Full Version' disc, follow the
instructions below:
1.
First, make backups of your data from the old computer - use
the Tenant File Copy/Restore feature. You should COPY all 3
database files listed below. Use more than one disk if
necessary.
The 3 files to copy are: TFDATAFL.MDB - the MAIN Database file.
TFDATAOF.MDB - the INACTIVE files. FEATURES.MDB - the 'features' for each unit, such as
interior, exterior, etc.
2. Find your original CURRENT VERSION CD
which has 'Full Version' printed on the label. This 'Full
Version' has both the 'Program Files' and the BLANK
database files. Install that 'Full Version' on the new
computer, and be sure to note the path where it is to be
installed. That path is usually c:\Tenant File\TF4WIN. (Make sure there is not an
existing Tenant File installation on the computer you are
installing this to, because it will overwrite any
existing files!)
Important Note:
With the Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2), some users (prior
to version 5.6) have had problems registering 2 files
included in the Tenant File. The file names are CSText32.ocx
and CSCmd32.ocx. If you receive an error message regarding
'unable to register' these files, then COMPLETE THE
INSTALLATION by 'ignoring' the errors' (hit 'retry' at the
end). Then, to receive updated files that will take care of
this problem, click here for updated files.
3.
Lastly, enter the Tenant File, go to Copy/Restore and
RESTORE the 3 data files that you backed up earlier. (Or,
you can use your Windows copy/paste function to copy the
files).
What
if I don't have the most recent 'Full Version' OR my current
version is an 'Update Only' disc?
NOTE: You should not put older versions on a new computer -
we always optimize the Tenant File for the most recent
operating system
1.
First, make backups of your data from the old computer - use
the Tenant File Copy/Restore feature. You should COPY all 3
database files listed below. Use more than one disk if
necessary.
The 3 files to copy are: TFDATAFL.MDB - the MAIN Database file. TFDATAOF.MDB - the INACTIVE files. FEATURES.MDB - the 'features' for each unit, such as
interior, exterior, etc.
2. Go ahead and install the latest 'Update
Only' version on the new computer. (The 'Update Only'
Version has all the files you need except the data files).
Be sure to note the path where it is installed. That will
usually be C:\Tenant File\TF4WIN.
NOTE: At this point, if you try to enter
the Tenant File, you will get an error message, telling you
that the file 'TFDATAFL.MDB' is missing. You can't
enter the Tenant File without any data.
3.
Using WINDOWS 'copy and paste' features, copy the 3 database
files from your backup into the SAME PATH to which you
installed the 'Update Only' Version in step 2.
4. Enter the Tenant File and check your
data.
Note: if you are also moving the Work Order Program, you
will need to re-install the Work Order Program into the SAME
PATH as your Tenant File Program, and then copy the Work
Order database WORKORDR.MDB into the SAME PATH after that.
The individual Tenant Information screen holds all of the
information on each current Tenant including names,
addresses, phone numbers, tax ID numbers, due date, payment
amounts, late charge amount, lease dates and move in dates.
The Tenant Ledger is where you post all accounting
transactions that pertain only to the Tenant. These
transactions would include any expenses which the Tenant is
required to pay, such as Rent Charged, Deposits Charged,
Parking Fees Charged, etc., along with Income received from
the Tenant to offset the expenses charged.
The Unit Information screen includes information on the
individual unit such as the Rental Unit name and number,
type and square footage. It will also include user-entered
Recurring Fees which can be automatically posted to your
ledgers.
The Unit Ledger is for posting income or expense accounting
transactions that pertain to the rental unit itself - the
daily operational transactions. Typical expenses might be
Management Fees, New Appliance Purchases, Repairs and
Maintenance, Utility Fees, Mortgage Payments, etc. Income
posted to the Unit Ledger would primarily be Rent Received,
or other income such as Insurance Claims Received or
Forfeited Deposits Received.
The Property Information screen includes the name of the
Property such as the name of an Apartment Complex or a
Business Complex. If you are setting up ledgers for a duplex
or a fourplex, you could enter the address of the building
as the Property Name. Each Property may contain multiple
Units and Tenants.
Property Ledger transactions would include any expenses or
income that pertains to the entire building rather than the
individual units, such as a Multi-unit Mortgage Payment, a
Utility Fee (if the Tenants are not responsible for Utility
Fees), Common area Lawn Maintenance, Building Pass-Through
charges, etc. If you are working with single family
dwellings where the Property information is the same as the
Unit information, you may choose to forego using the
Property Ledgers and post all expenses and income directly
to the Unit Ledger or the Owner Ledger instead.
The Owner Information Screen includes all information on
your Owners including names, addresses, Tax ID numbers,
phone numbers, Management Fee percentages, etc. Within the
Tenant File for Windows, the Owner is at the top of the
hierarchy. You may have any number of Owners, even more than
one Owner with the same name, however, the Tenant File
considers each Owner to be separate with its own group of
Properties, Units and Tenants. Each Owner may have multiple
Properties, however, any given Property may have only one
Owner.
Owner Ledger transactions normally include any expenses or
income that pertains to a group of properties, and primarily
transactions such as 'Funds Sent to Owner' and 'Funds
Received from Owner'. By keeping such transactions at the
'Owner level', these transactions can be kept out of the
individual Property or Unit Ledgers. However, if you are
working with single family dwellings (where there is one
Owner and Property for each Unit/Tenant), you may wish to
post Owner financial transactions directly to each Unit
Ledger to 'zero out' debits or credits in the Unit Ledger.
When you select Owner, Property, Unit, or Tenant from the
Activities Menu, the Active Screen is displayed with four
tabs - Owner, Property, Unit, and Tenant. Depending on which
tab you select, you will see complete detail of the current
Owner, Property, Unit, or Tenant in the Active Screen. To
switch another choice to the Active Screen, click the tab
you want to display. It is very important that you are aware
of what is displayed in your Active Screen, because other
functions, such as Add, Delete, Edit, Ledgers (Transaction
Ledgers), and Notes operate a certain way based on what is
displayed in the Active Box.
All transactions posted are given a Status which will
indicate whether the posting belongs to the Owner (status
"O"), Property (status "P"), Unit (status "U"), Tenant
(status "T") or Both Tenant and Unit (status "B"). The
status "B" will post a single transaction to both the Tenant
and the Unit Ledgers (such as Rent Received). Users can
enter Income and Expense Account Codes along with the Status
of those codes by selecting 'Preferences' from the Main Menu
and clicking onto 'Edit Accounts'. When entering new Income
or Expense Account Codes, you can also choose a Status of
'General'. A transaction with a 'General' Status can be
posted to whichever transaction Ledger you are in at the
time. (For example, you might want to post a 'Repair
Expense' to the Unit Ledger in one transaction and then
later post a 'Repair Expense' to the Property Ledger. This
'Expense Account Code' would then need to be classified as a
'General' Expense.) The Income and Expense Account Codes can
be easily edited.
Where you post your income and expenses depends on the type
of business you have. If you own or are managing an
apartment complex, for an example, you can post Rent Charged
to the Tenant Ledger and then Rent Received to Both the
Tenant and Unit Ledger. This will allow you to zero out your
Tenant Ledger as all expenses are paid. The Unit Ledger
would have a running total of your income less any expenses
posted that you do not charge the tenant. One of those
expenses might be the Management Fees which can be charged
according to a percentage of each individual payment amount.
Expenses for the entire complex, such as Mortgage Payments,
should be charged to the Property Ledger. Income received
from the Owner for payment of overall expenses for the
entire Apartment Complex can be posted to this Ledger. If
this is the only Property the Owner has, then the Owner
Income can be posted instead to the Owner Ledger.
As mentioned earlier, if you are working primarily with
Single Family Dwellings, you may choose to work only with
the Owner Ledger along with the individual Unit/Tenant
Ledgers. The main purpose of a Property Ledger is to set up
the individual Unit/Tenant Ledgers under this group in order
to print reports for the entire chain of Ledgers.
Overview - You can post transactions to your
ledgers by entering the ledger and posting a transaction
directly to the transaction grid, or by writing a checks,
making a deposit, using the 'Post Rent' button, utilizing
the Quick Posting feature or the Automatic Posting feature.
The following is the procedure to enter a transaction
directly to an individual ledger.
PROCEDURE - Find the desired ledger.
From the 'Activities' Menu, select the type of Ledger
that you wish to post to - Owner, Property, Unit or
Tenant.
Once you have selected the type of Ledger you wish to
display in your 'Active Screen', locate the exact Ledger
you want to make a posting to by clicking onto the
'Tree', the 'First', 'Previous', 'Next' or 'Last'
button on the button bar or click on 'Find'. ('Find'
will display a listing of Owner, Property, Unit or
Tenant names for you to choose from).
Once you have located the correct Ledger, click on the
'Ledger' button on your button bar to replace the
'Notes' folders with your transaction grid. (You can
increase your transaction grid to a full page by
clicking on the up arrow located on the far-right hand
corner directly above the displayed grid).
PROCEDURE - Post the transaction.
Click onto the
'Date' field on the last line (with '*' shown on the far
left side) of your transaction grid. If you wish to use
today's date, press your space bar. Otherwise, you can
type in the date of the posting. (Do not type in a '/'
between the month, date or year. Type the full date such
as '021502' for February 15, 2002 - the program will
supply the slashes.)
Click onto the
'Account ' field (or use your left-right arrow keys on
your keyboard) and either type in the exact Income or
Expense Account Code name or click on the '+' button to
pull down a listing of the Income or Expense Account
Codes you have previously entered through the
'Preferences' selection off of the 'Main Menu'. Once you
have the Code listing displayed, you can begin typing
your Code and the first match will be highlighted on
your pull down listing. Click onto the exact Income or
Expense Code to bring it into the 'Account' field.
Click on the
'Remark' field and enter a remark for this particular
transaction, if desired.
Click on the
'Amount ' field and enter in the amount of your
transaction. Do not enter a dollar sign
Click on the
'Check/Dep' field if you wish to enter a Check number or
Deposit number for this transaction. Do not enter a
character such as a '"#" in this box, only numbers.
PROCEDURE - Save the transaction.
To save your
transaction, click onto the next available transaction
row (or any other row within the grid). The Status field
will automatically be entered according to the Income or
Expense Account Code designation previously entered
through the 'Preferences' selection off of the 'Main
Menu' - 'Edit Accounts'.
Overview - Transactions can be individually
deleted off of your transaction grid on any of your Ledgers.
PROCEDURE - Find the desired ledger.
From the
'Activities' Menu, select the type of Ledger that you
wish to post to: Owner, Property, Unit or Tenant.
Once you have
selected the type of Ledger you wish to display in your
'Active Box', locate the exact Ledger you want to delete
a posting from by clicking onto the 'First', 'Previous',
'Next' or 'Last' button on the task bar or click on
'Find'. ('Find' will display a listing of Owner,
Property, Unit or Tenant names).
Once you have
located the correct Ledger, click on the 'Ledger' button
on your button bar to replace the 'Notes' folders with
your transaction grid. (You can increase your
transaction grid to a full page by clicking on the up
arrow located on the upper right hand corner of the
displayed grid).
PROCEDURE - Delete the transaction.
Click onto your
'Record Selector' for the transaction you wish to
delete. The 'Record Selector' is the first column on the
far left hand side of your transaction grid. Once you
have clicked onto the 'Record Selector' the entire
transaction will be highlighted. Once it is highlighted,
press your 'Delete' key on your keyboard to
delete the transaction. Do not click on the 'Delete' key
on the button bar. This 'Delete' key on your button bar
will delete the entire Ledger displayed in the 'Active'
Box (a window will first display with a Warning to this
effect).
Overview - Checks can be entered and printed for
posting of transactions directly to the individual ledgers.
PROCEDURE - Entering a new check.
From the
'Activities' Menu, select 'Checks/Deposits' and then
'Add/Edit Checks'. This will bring you into the 'Entered
Checks' folder. Click on 'New' and enter the information
for each new check.
Type in the Pay
to the Order information or click on to the 'Payee List'
Box. Depending on which you select, 'Vendors', 'Owners'
or 'Tenants', a listing will be displayed for you to
choose which you wish to make the check payable to.
Click on to the
'Post To Ledger' option to determine which Ledger you
want this transaction to post to.
Enter a Remark
and Invoice number in the appropriate fields (if the
check is for multiple transactions you can enter the
remark for 'each' of those instead).
To post the
transaction(s) for the check, fill in the rows directly
below the check. After you enter each row, click on
another row (above or below) to save your current row.
Once your check
is complete, click on to the 'Save' Button to save your
check. You can then enter 'New' to add a new check.
Note: All new checks are placed in your 'Entered Check
File' until you are ready to print. Transactions for these
checks will not be posted until you have selected 'Print
Checks' from the 'Checks/Deposit' selection of your
'Activities' Menu. Once you select 'Print Checks', you are
given the option to select all 'Entered Checks' or you can
select individual checks for printing. Do this by holding
down your 'Control' key while clicking on the 'Record
Selector' for the check you wish to print. (The 'Record
Selector' is the first column on the left hand side of each
displayed check.) Enter your 'Starting Check Number' and
'Date' to be printed on the check and click on the 'Start
Printing' button. You can choose to enter checks to be
posted and added to your register without actually printing
by choosing the 'Skip Print - Post only' Box. This will
automatically post the selected checks without printing and
transfer the check to your 'Printed Check File'.
PROCEDURE - Viewing your printed checks.
You can view
your Checks in your Register by clicking on to
'Checks/Deposits' selection from your 'Activities' Menu
and then selecting 'Check Registers'. Your Check
Register will always default to display your Printed
Checks that are Pending. You can change the 'Display'
Box to show the 'Entered Checks' to view any checks that
have been entered but not yet printed or posted.
Overview - Deposits can be entered for posting of
income directly to the individual ledgers.
PROCEDURE - Entering a new deposit.
Click on the
Checks/Deposits button (or from the 'Activities' Menu,
select 'Checks/Deposits' and then 'Add/Edit Checks').
This will bring you into the 'Entered Checks' folder.
Click on 'Deposits' from the 'Display' Box.
Click on 'New'
to enter a new deposit.
Enter in your
'Deposit Number' and select the correct ledger in the
'Post To Ledger' option box.
Fill out one or
more rows under the deposit for the transactions of this
deposit. Click on another row above or below the save
each transaction.
Once you have
entered all of the the transaction information for each
deposit, click 'Save'.
To post the
transactions to the ledgers, click on 'Post'. If you do
not click 'Post' at this time, you can add more
transactions later - possibly for more rent that you
have received.
PROCEDURE - View your deposits.
You can view
your deposits in your Register by clicking the
'Register' button, or the 'Checks/Deposits' choice from
your 'Activities' Menu and then selecting 'Check
Registers'. Your Check Register will always default to
display your Printed Checks that are Pending. Click on
to 'Deposits' from the 'Display' Box and click on 'All'
from the 'Current Status' Box to view your Deposits.
Overview - At the beginning of each month, you
should charge each Tenant with their rent amount. This can
be done automatically by using 'Post Rent' button or the the
Automatic Posting Menu. See the 'How To ...' section in your
User's Guide for the differences.
Posting with the 'Post Rent' button:
Click 'Post Rent from the Main Menu'. Follow
the on screen instructions to charge the rent.
Posting with Automatic Posting: Checklist:
Are all Tenants entered with their
correct rent amount?
From the Main Menu select
'Activities', then 'Tenants'. Look at the Tenant field
labeled 'Payments'. This is the amount that will be
posted. To change this amount, press 'EDIT', edit the
amount and then press 'SAVE'. Check the other Tenants by
pressing 'NEXT'.
PROCEDURE - Posting Rent Charged.
From the 'Activities' menu, select
'Posting', then 'Automatic Posting'.
In the box labeled 'Posting Options',
make sure 'Post RENT amount' is selected.
Click the button labeled 'Select
Account to Use'. You will see all of your 'Income'
Accounts' listed first. Select 'Show Expenses' at the
bottom of the screen. From your Expense Accounts, select
'Rent Charged'. Press 'OK' (or EXIT).
Overview - At the end of the month, you should
disperse any income to Owners. This can be done through the
'Pay Owners' button or the Automatic Posting menu. Owner
payments must be posted to either the individual rental Unit
Ledger, the Property ledger, or the Owner Ledger. Which ever
one you post to depends on your particular situation. Here
are the options…
Post Owner payments to Unit Ledgers: Owner payments
are treated like any other Unit Expense (such as repairs)
and will 'zero out' any credits existing in each Unit
account.
Post Owner payments to Property Ledgers: Owner
payments are posted at the 'Property level'. For example, if
the Property was a fourplex, and the 'combined' income for
all four units was $2,000, a single posting of $2,000 would
be made into the single Property Ledger of the four units.
Each individual unit would still show a running debit or
credit in their Unit Ledger, however, the overall credit of
$2,000 would be offset by a $2,000 debit (Owner payment) in
this Property Ledger.
Post Owner Payments to Owner Ledgers (PREFERRED): Owner Payments are made at the 'Owner level'. All credits
and debits for all Units and Properties under each Owner are
totaled, and a single amount is posted into each Owner
Ledger where an overall credit is found.
Checklist:
Does the Owner prefer to have one
check sent for all Properties and Units?
You probably should post Owner
payments to the Owner Ledger.
Does the Owner prefer to have one
check sent for each Property owned?
This provides more detailed
accounting and you should post Owner payments to the
Property Ledger.
Do you want to 'zero out' each Unit
credit each month?
Post to the Unit Ledger.
PROCEDURE - Making Owner Payments.
Best method: Click the 'Pay Owners'
button. Follow the on-screen instructions.
Pay Owners using the 'Automatic
Posting' screen.
From the 'Activities' Menu, select
'Posting' and then 'Automatic Posting'.
In the box labeled 'Posting Options',
select 'Post Owner Payments'.
Click the button labeled 'Select
Account to Use'. Select 'Show Expenses' at the bottom of
your screen. From your Expense Accounts, select 'Paid to
Owner' (or the similar appropriate Account Code).
Enter a Date to use for all postings.
Enter a Remark to use for all
postings.
If you wish to issue a check
automatically for each Owner Payment, click 'Issue
Checks'. Single checks can be issued for multiple
postings to one Owner only if the transactions are to be
posted in the Unit Ledgers. Transactions that are to be
automatically posted to the Owner Ledgers or the
Property Ledgers will issue multiple checks for each
Owner or Property Ledger posting. (Postings will not
occur at this time, only when the checks are printed.)
You can easily back
up your data to a floppy disk, CD, or other media by going
to File, then Copy/Restore files, or by clicking the
'Backup' button (with Version 5.6). Instructions for using
the Copy/Restore screen are in your manual and in your Help
system under 'Copy/Restore'. Be sure to back up your data
often.
NOTE: Starting with Windows XP, Microsoft initiated a new backup
method that does not allow 'direct' writing to a CD or DVD.
Instead, Windows copies the files to a temporary area, and
then later gives you the option to 'write these files' to a
CD or DVD. Since the Tenant File uses a 'direct' copy method
in the Copy/Restore section, backups may not work or be
allowed. Instead of using the Tenant File Copy/Restore, you
may need to use the built-in Windows method of highlighting
the file(s) you wish to copy from the Tenant File folder
(normally C:\Tenant File\TF4WIN), then right-click and
select 'Send To'. Choose your CD/DVD drive letter and start
the copy. You can use other methods to allow the Tenant File
to make backups, but they require some workarounds, as
outlined in the following article: http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/saving_files_to_cd.htm
TFDATAFL.MDB - the MAIN DATABASE, with all active
information and transactions.
TFDATAOF.MDB - the Inactive files only
FEATURES.MDB - the Interior, Exterior, etc features of each
unit.
* All
files that end with 'DAT' are small files that hold your
Tenant File settings, such as check type, etc.
To move
files from one computer to the next, be sure you have a good
copy of these files, and use 'Copy/Restore' within the
Tenant File to 'Copy' from the old computer and 'Restore' to
the new computer.
If you
need to transfer data on a regular basis, you usually only
need to copy the MAIN DATABASE (TFDATAFL.MDB) from one
computer to the other. This can be done by using writable
media, as explained above, or by 'emailing' the database as
an attachment and downloading from the second computer into
your Tenant File folder. Be very careful in doing this,
however, and be sure you have backups first. Once your data
file is overwritten by another data file, there is no way to
get the old data back.
Tenant File compatible checks can be
ordered by clicking here to download an order form. You can also
order matching envelopes, endorsement stamps and deposit
ticket booklets.
To order, complete the order form, and fax to (512) 288-1792
along with a sample voided check.
Sometimes when
someone else is using the database, or you have other files
open, you may experience the 'permission denied' message. Be
sure that when you exit the Tenant File, you exit by going
to 'File', then 'Exit Tenant File', (rather than clicking
the 'x' in the upper right corner). This will insure that
all files are closed properly. To solve the problem, simply
exit the Tenant File properly (back to your desktop), then
re-enter the Tenant File again and go directly to the backup
procedure. You should have no problem.
This would be
because of some corruption in your database files or
possibly bad dates. The first thing to do is to back up
your database files. Next, from the Main Menu, go to
'File', then 'File Maintenance', and run 'Repair Active
Files', and 'Compact Active Files'. Next, from the Main Menu
again, go to 'File', then 'Tenant File Links', and run
'Check for Link Problems'.
This can happen when
a Vendor is deleted which had payments already set up. Be
sure to delete the payments for any Vendor you delete. To
solve the problem, from the Main Menu again, go to 'File',
then 'Tenant File Links', and run 'Check for Link Problems'.
The 'Type mismatch'
error is letting you know that you have entered a character
when the program is expecting a number or (visa versa). You
will need to find the problem field and correct the entry.
Later versions of the Tenant File warn you when this is
about to happen. (An example of the error would be entering
a '$' in a currency number field - the program will enter
the '$' for you).
These reports allow
you to enter 2 paragraphs of information. As you are typing, do not hit your 'Enter' key at the end of a line -
instead, let the Tenant File 'word wrap' for you. To correct
the problem, you'll need to delete the existing text, and
hold down your delete key in the box for about 10 seconds
(to delete any invisible spaces or 'returns'), then re-type
the paragraph correctly.
You did not install
the update in the same folder as your original Tenant File
Program. The Tenant File (and updates) default to the
installation folder under 'Tenant File', as in 'C:\Tenant
File\TF4WIN'. Older versions of the Tenant File installed
under the 'root' directory, as in 'C:\TF4WIN', or
'C:\Program Files\TF4WIN'. Additionally, you may have
changed your installation folder to another name. (Usually,
you can check your installation folder by right-clicking on the icon you use to open the program, and looking at the
'location' or 'target' of the icon). You'll need to
re-install the update into the correct folder.
Under certain
conditions, you may intermittently get this message when
using Easy Post. This has been corrected in later
versions of 5.4, and may require that you download an
update. Please send us an email describing the problem and
the conditions under which it happens, and will recommend an
action to correct it.
Deposits do no
automatically post to the transaction ledgers, since not all
deposits need to. After you save a deposit, click on the
'Post' button to post the deposit to the transaction
ledgers.
You will need to
change you display settings on you computer. Go to 'Start',
then 'Control Panel', then 'Display', then 'Themes', and
change your theme to 'Windows Classic'. Click 'Apply'.
This may be a little
different depending on which version of Windows you have.
Generally, you need to go to 'Start', then 'Settings', then
'Taskbar'. Make sure the setting to keep the Task Bar
Always on top is not checked.
You'll need to
change your font size within your Windows setting. Go to
your Control Panel and change your display settings to use
'Normal Fonts' (not Large Fonts), and set your display dpi
to 'Normal'.
This would be
because of some corruption in your database files or
possibly bad dates. The first thing to do is to back up
your database files. Next, from the Main Menu, go to
'File', then 'File Maintenance', and run 'Repair Active
Files', and 'Compact Active Files'. Next, from the Main Menu
again, go to 'File', then 'Tenant File Links', and run
'Check for Link Problems'.
The field you are
type in may have some 'blank characters' or 'space bars'
already in the field. At the end of your typing, press and
hold down the 'delete key' (on your keyboard) to erase the
extra spaces.
This could be one of
two things. First, be sure that after you click 'Edit' and
edit the Tenant's first name to the word 'VACANT' you press
your 'Enter' key - do not move to another field or save
the edit first. Secondly, make sure the transactions are
showing in the lower half of your screen before making a
tenant 'vacant'.
The I/O error is a
Windows generated error, which stands for 'Input/Output'.
This error is telling you that a problem exists in some
hardware communication, such as the computer to a CD-drive,
the computer to a printer or another device problem. It may
be a problem reading the computer hard disk, such as a
corrupted or missing file or a bad sector on the hard disk.
Try running 'scan disk' (usually under Programs,
Accessories, System Tools) or a computer analysis program.
Microsoft
Vista Operating System: Tenant File Version 5.6 was released in 2005
(for Windows 98, 2000, and XP) and some features are not
compatible directly with the new Vista system. There is now
a Tenant File 7 Version
update for current users, which runs on Vista and Windows 7. Vista
and Win7 do
have a Windows XP compatibility mode, however. To access
Windows XP Compatibility, do the following:
* right-click on the Tenant File icon on your desktop, select
'Properties', then 'Compatibility'
* under 'Privilege Level', put a checkmark in 'Run this program as
administrator'.
* under 'Compatibility mode' select 'Run this program in
compatibility mode for Windows XP (Service Pack 2)
* click 'Apply', then 'OK'.
Known issues with non-Vista version:
1. The 'Tree' in ledger screen is too large, however, it
still works fine.
2. The on-screen help file doesn't work. (Microsoft
discontinued support of the help system with Vista).
Note: Technical Support will not answer
Vista related questions, or questions regarding running any
non-Vista compatible programs on the Vista operation system.
To take advantage of Vista, we suggest you order the Tenant
File Version 7.
