Cogitate Inc Newsletters

Customizing UtilAbility Central

As we discussed in a previous newsletter, the UtilAbility Central form is the gateway to your data within UtilAbility. From time to time we may spotlight some of the unique features available in the UtilAbility Central form. This month we will discuss the ability to customize the default look and layout of the data fields that are displayed within UtilAbility Central.

When you purchase UtilAbility, the UtilAbility Central form will default to display all the fields that are available on each tab. The column headings for the fields are the actual field names as they are defined within the database. The columns that we thought you might be most interested in are displayed first. Finally, the Sort/ Search Fields on each tab default to the field that we think you might most often want to search by. These are the defaults, but you can certainly change any of these to better suit your needs.

To customize any list, you can right-click on that list and choose Customize Grid Display or hit Ctrl-G when that list is displayed to open the Customize Grid form. This form lets you select which fields will be displayed in the list and the order in which they will appear. You can even change the column header for each field and the width that will be used for that field column. When you click OK, your settings will become the new defaults that will be used whenever the UtilAbility Central form is opened.

To change the default Sort/Search Field for any list, you can select the Search Field and Sort Order that you want by clicking the column header for any field. Subsequent clicks will reverse the Sort Order. Once you have it set the way you want, you can right-click on that list and choose Save Sort/Search Field as Default or hit Ctrl-S and your current Sort/Search Field will become the new default that will be used for that list whenever it is displayed.

Please note that these settings will not change your data in any way. They simply change the way you view your data in the UtilAbility Central form. So if you wish to make a change, go ahead and give it a try. As always, for additional information about Customizing UtilAbility Central, please see the UtilAbility Help Documentation or contact the Cogitate support staff.

 

Read Full March 2014 Newsletter

Posting Meter Readings With Automatic Meter Reading Devices

This month we are discussing the procedures for posting your meter readings when using Automatic Meter Reading Devices. When using Automatic Meter Reading Devices, your meter reading data is exported from and imported into UtilAbility via Meter Reader Interface text files that are recognized by both UtilAbility and your Meter Reader software.

When it’s time to read your meters, you first need to export your data so that your Meter Reading Device is aware of any changes that you have made within UtilAbility since you last read your meters. These changes may include things such as your updated last readings, any new home owners, any specific comments regarding your meters and any meters that you have replaced. You can export your current data from the Export to Meter Reader menu item under the File Menu From the main screen in UtilAbility. Here you can specify some parameters for your export including the file name to be exported. Your data is exported a file that your Meter Reader software can read and ultimately export to your Meter Reading Device.

Once you have read your meters, you will need to transfer the new readings to UtilAbility. Typically, your readings are first imported into your Meter Reader Software and then exported to a text file that UtilAbility can read. You can import that information into UtilAbility using the Import from Meter Reader function from the Post Meter Readings screen. Finally, you can review the imported automatic meter readings and commit your Meter Reading Journal the same way you would as when entering your readings manually.

Before you calculate your bills, it’s a good idea to run your meter reading reports and review your reading and usage information to be sure there are no mistakes. This can save you time in the long run as it is better to catch any problems before you calculate rather than correcting them later. The Account Meter Reading Exceptions List report will show any potential problems with your meters, such as meters you may have missed or meters with higher than average usages, etc. The Meter Reading Journals and Details report will show all the readings posted in your entire meter reading journal.

If you have any questions about Posting Meter Readings with Automatic Meter Reading Devices or would like more information, please contact our support staff or visit our UtilAbility web site at www.utilability.com.

 

Read Full March 2015 Newsletter

Changing Service Codes

 

UtilAbility provides several utilities for various tasks that aren’t necessarily part of your typical day to day operations. We have talked about some of these utilities before. Many of them were designed to allow you to make changes to several records at once, where it would otherwise be difficult or time consuming to perform these changes manually.

Today we are going to discuss the Change Service Code utility. This utility does exactly what its title says. However, this isn’t necessarily as simple as it sounds…

Have you ever thought about changing the code you use for a particular service? Maybe the code isn’t working very well for some reason or you were never happy with the one that was setup in the first place and you simply want to use another one. You may have thought about changing such a code, and then decided that it’s not worth the trouble.

To make a change like this you would have to change a lot of records from many different tables. In fact, changing a service code currently affects as many as nine different tables within the UtilAbility database and some of these may include thousands of records that would be affected by your change. Fortunately, UtilAbility does all this for you. You don’t have to think about tables and records let alone make any manual changes.

You simply supply the old service code and the new one. UtilAbility will change all references from the old code to the new one in every table and every record as necessary.

You can find the Change Service Code utility and other helpful utilities under Tools|Utilities from the menu on the main screen in UtilAbility. Please take a look at these as they may save you a lot of time and effort. If you have any questions about Changing Service Codes or any of the other utilities, please see the UtilAbility help documentation or contact our support staff for more information.

Read Full January 2016 Newsletter

Pro Fund Accounting Evolution

 

I was at the coffee shop and was surprised to see how young many of the patrons were. Looking around the place and observing the next generation interacting with their devices, I wondered about the lack of person to person contact that is missing.

 

As I was finishing my large overpriced coffee and remarking to myself ‘I just don’t get it’, I remembered when my father would say that about me when I would play the Atari videogames on the TV for hours.
Since the generations have evolved, we are beginning the evolution of the entire Pro Fund Accounting software. The last few months many of the changes we made have been related to the ‘insides’ to enable the software to gradually evolve.

 

A key component of the changes will be the input we get from our customers. I know you are all very busy and do not want a lot of change in your life. With this in mind, we will be evolving small pieces of Pro Fund Accounting. Communication with you will be through email, webinars, real phone calls and yes, even text messages, about each piece that will be changed.

 

We want to allow you time to share your thoughts so we can factor those into the software before we change it. This brings me to the first part we will evolve and that is security.

 

We will be sending out more information soon, so be ready.

 

 

Read Full April 2016 Newsletter

Pursuit Of Maintenance

 

A little bit ago we were working on the development of the new inventory and work order/preventative maintenance program.
One of the road commissions supervisors asked us to look at the VMRS.

VMRS? What is that you may ask like we did. It is an industry standard used for vehicle maintenance developed and maintained by the ATA (American Trucking Association), but let them describe the system better.

Developed by the American Trucking Associations’ Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC), the leading voice on industry best practices, VMRS™ is the universal language of maintenance reporting—the vital link between the shop floor and management.

ATA’s VMRS helps you create a single process to:

• Simplify, Clarify and Unify with ATA’s Technology & Maintenance Council Vehicle Maintenance Reporting Standards
• Create a Single Concise Method to Manage Fleet Assets and Analyze Maintenance Operations and Costs
• Document when, why, and how maintenance is performed on equipment.
• Improve equipment and parts inventory control.
• Identify where money is spent.
• Help control costs and create greater efficiency.
• Manage a wide variety of equipment, including trucks of all types cars, buses, vans, construction equipment, and more.

We would like to fully embrace the methods and codes that this system entails.

But before we spend any more time, is this what the maintenance and inventory people want?

So please check out the VMRS system and let us know, via email to president@cogitateinc.com, what you think.
George Loescher, President

 

Read Full July 2016 Newsletter

FIXING POST CASH RECEIPT MISTAKES in UTILABILITY

 

If you accidentally make a mistake while posting cash receipts, there a few simple ways you can correct them. Below are some common mistakes and how to correct them.

 

One of the more common mistakes is posting your receipts using the incorrect effective date. As you may know we suggest separating your receipt dates into separate journals since the journal title is automatically created based on the date of your first entry. If you discover that you are using the wrong effective date while you are still posting cash receipts, rather than changing the effective date and having multiple dates within the same journal, go ahead and continue posting the rest of them using the same date. After you are finished and have closed your journal, you can run the Change Various Journal Values utility to change the effective date for all the receipts within the journal along with the title of the journal to reflect the corrected effective date.

 

Another common mistake is posting an incorrect amount. If you post an incorrect amount to an account and you catch it right way while you are still in your post session, you can simply undo the posting for that account and then repost it. Please note that this will remove any postings to that account within that journal. If you have already closed your journal, you can simply modify the incorrect receipt transaction(s) within Transaction Maintenance.

 

Finally, you may have accidentally posted the receipt to the incorrect account. If you catch that right away while you are still in your post session, you can simply undo the posting for that account and then post the receipt to the correct account. If you have already closed your journal, you can simply delete the incorrect receipt transaction(s) within Transaction Maintenance. You can locate any transaction using UtilAbility Central. You can then reopen the Post Cash Receipts utility and post the receipt to the correct account. While this will be posted in a separate journal, you can still group your receipts by date to include the corrected receipt with the other ones from the original journal when running reports.

 

UtilAbility allows you to easily correct mistakes; however, if you have any problems or questions please review our UtilAbility help documentation or give us a call and we will be happy to help you.

 

Read Full May 2016 Newsletter