Tips for Closing your Year in WaterWorks

We are rapidly approaching the end of another year. It will be upon us before we know it, so now is the time to prepare to close our year in WaterWorks. This includes running valuable reports, getting a good back up sent to our Secure LMS Server,  well as considering to purge old data. Do …

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Announcing MeterPhone!

For everyone who is looking for an easy, elegant, and affordable way to streamline your utility billing: LOOK NO FURTHER! Okay sometimes I get a little carried away, but seriously, MeterPhone is a very new, very cool way to: 1. Read meters 2. Map your meters 3. Create work logs for all your readers 4. …

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Tip–Adjustments on Returned Checks

When making adjustments on returned checks I always made two. One adjustment to put the check amount back on the account and another to add the check fee. I always did this for clarity’s sake. This way I could immediately see the amount of the check added back to the account, and in the second …

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Tips for Closing your Year in WaterWorks Announcing MeterPhone! Tip–Adjustments on Returned Checks

Nov
28

Tips for Closing your Year in WaterWorks

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We are rapidly approaching the end of another year. It will be upon us before we know it, so now is the time to prepare to close our year in WaterWorks. This includes running valuable reports, getting a good back up sent to our Secure LMS Server,  well as considering to purge old data.

Do you have all the reports you need?
Most reports are available at any time but some are “point in time” reports, meaning the data provided is always just for this point in time.  Auditors frequently ask for these reports, especially if the end of the calendar year is also the end of your fiscal year.

Add these to your year end schedule (also not bad to include in your end of month!).    Along with your regular End of Month Reports, create a file labeled “Year End 2011″ for your Auditor.

  • Security Deposit Report
  • Aged Accounts Receivable
  • Allocation of Current Balances
  • Rate List
  • Meter Reading Sheets
  • Bad Debt Report
  • Payments Summary Report (run by each month, with or without allocations)
  • Run the Annual Report (after you close the year)

Have you sent us a Back Up?
The end of the year is a wonderful time to send us a back up.  This way you have an off site copy with us  of how it ended, and even if you forget to run your End of Year Reports, we can retrieve them for you. Do this in addition to any back ups your IT department has in place.

Many of you have never sent us a back up.  I know,  I know…impossible you say, but it is true!  And these same offices that never send us a back up will be the same ones that call with a computer crash.   One of my favorite things is to be able to supply valuable data back to a city that has had one of these unfortunate events.    If we never get a back up…well, that happy outcome is not as certain.   So please back up as soon as you close the year.   If your not sure how to do this….1-800-227-5128!

Are you ready to Purge?
Purging can be done at any time, but while you are ending a year take time to look over you data and see if it is about time to consider trimming down your file.  Purging will eliminate old files of customers that are no longer in your system, and trim down the detail on reports that may be becoming long and cumbersome, such as Work Orders and History to NotePad.   A quick way to assess whether or not you are ready for a purge  is to go to your Historical Reports list and see how far back the data goes.   Or look at your Accounts Receivable report.  Do you have a lot of customers still appearing that have been gone forever?

Purging does not delete your current working file.  You will always have access to it for reference.  What it does do is  make  a duplicate trimmed down faster new file for you to work in every day.  Purging does require our assistance into a Restricted Access area.   So give us a call whenever you are ready.


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Aug
09

Announcing MeterPhone!

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For everyone who is looking for an easy, elegant, and affordable way to streamline your utility billing:
LOOK NO FURTHER! Okay sometimes I get a little carried away, but seriously, MeterPhone is a very new, very cool way to:

1. Read meters
2. Map your meters
3. Create work logs for all your readers
4. And download the readings into WaterWorks

All of your meter readers are already carrying phones, right? Well with an Android Smartphone, your meter readers can collect the meter readings (one hand operation) using their phones. The readings automatically go to your secure account on the MeterPhone web site, and from there you can download them into WaterWorks to save time in data entry.

Typically, the office clerk is concerned with the billing, they probably do not even know where the meters are, and would have a difficult time doing the meter reads. The meter reader sees them at least once a month, and knows exactly where they are. With that in mind, MeterPhone web site is designed for the meter reader to have access to all of his meter reading information and manage that information. Has a customer ever said to you, “Well the meter reader NEVER reads my meter!”. With MeterPhone you can print a list of every time that meter was read, the day and date, reading and Lat\Lon info to prove he was standing right at that meter when it was read. All of this can be manged from your web account on MeterPhone.

Latitude and Longitude information is captured incidentally while reading meters, as well as day and date, meter reader ID, and Tap information. MeterPhone is mapping your meters as you read. If you’ve looked into mapping your meters you know this is expensive. Well, here is your inexpensive answer.

Regardless of who is managing the site, user names and passwords can be issued to the reader, the clerk, and a mayor or board member. The data collected and stored there is very useful to anyone associated with operations and management of the water\sewer association. If your reader is out in the field collecting readings and you’d like to know if they are almost finished, you can follow the readings in MeterPhone to see which meter was read last, and along with the “time lapse” information (how long it is taking them to read each meter) you can calculate approximately how long before they will be finished.

Call 1-800-227-5128 for more information.

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Jul
08

Tip–Adjustments on Returned Checks

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When making adjustments on returned checks I always made two. One adjustment to put the check amount back on the account and another to add the check fee. I always did this for clarity’s sake. This way I could immediately see the amount of the check added back to the account, and in the second adjustment I could pick out the check fee. So I knew I had successfully corrected the account.

It’s come to my attention there is another reason to do two adjustments. The adjustments themselves require 2 different “reasons” for being adjusted. When I say this I’m referring to the “Adjustment Because” area in the adjustment window. The three selections there are:

  • Correction
  • Returned Check
  • Bad Debt

    • When adding the check fee to the account use the reason “Correction”. Use “Returned Check” for the check amount only. Selecting this reason will handle the transaction correctly. This is very important if you are using our Quick Books Interface. Only by using the correct adjustment reason will be amounts be handled properly in Quick Books.

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    Jun
    15

    Tip — Don’t forget your Note windows

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    I couldn’t remember half the things I do if I didn’t keep notes, and certainly not all the activity on my accounts. WaterWorks provides 3 note areas for your convenience; on the Services, Customer and Meter Details tabs.

    Notes on these screens are for your information only, and will not appear on any statements or reports to your customers. However you can print them for your records through the Documents link at the top of every customer page.

    Actions on the accounts will also appear on the Services and Meter Details tab. These 2 windows will carry information such as when it was connected and disconnected, or status was changed from Active to Inactive or Bad Debt. It will also list who was logged in at the time and the date of the transaction.

    I found the customer note area to be very useful for information regarding collection attempts, and meter detail area useful for information on possible meter problems, the dates it was changed out, etc.

    So don’t forget to use them, and document all important activities. Diligent note keeping has saved my cookies on more than one occasion.

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    Jun
    06

    Sewer Averaging Report

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    We’ve added a new report to our ever growing list of wonderful reports; Sewer Averaging. This is found under Reports > Meters, Readings and Taps > Sewer Averaging.

    On this report you will find the account number, customer name, charged for sewer? (yes or no), is their sewer currently being averaged (yes or no), and the gallons they are averaged. This does not create the averaging, it simply lists the current averaging information.

    This report will appear on our next update.

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    Jun
    02

    Tip–Backing Up

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    Did you know that WaterWorks has a built in back up to our server?  To protect your data we suggest sending one to us periodically, or as often as you like.   A good rule of thumb is to think of it like this, “How much data do I want to have to re-enter to get back up to speed?”  If the last saved back up was 3 months ago,  then you have your work cut out for you.  If you backed up just yesterday, well, you’d be a lot happier.  If not sending one to us, at least back it up to a removable storage device.

    A back up held off site can be a life saver in the event of a computer crash.  We can restore your data and have you working again in no time!

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    May
    23

    Tip — Tap Listing

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    When it’s time to get a handle on your meter listings the best place to start is by using your Tap Listing.

    This list shows every meter record in your system, and provides an excellent overall view of what you need to work on. You may need to clean out duplicates, re sequence the meter numbers, or create sections for your meter readers by putting their routes into separate Books. It can all be done very easily from the Tap Listing.

    To work on any one record you can access it by double clicking and it will open a “mini” record of that particular meter. Or you can right click on the record and choose Edit, Change Sequence # or Change Book. Either method will access the record and allow you to make changes.

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    May
    20

    Tip — Multiple Instances

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    It has come to our attention that multiple instances have caused some confusion. Maybe you’ve done some work that doesn’t appear just right. This could occur when a database is networked, or if you just have another instance of WW open and minimized.

    Whenever you are running reports, the bills are being calculated, or you are ending the billing cycle, be sure any duplicate instances of WaterWorks are closed.

    Also, before you click on your desktop icon to open WaterWorks check for our water drop icon at the bottom of your screen. You may have it minimized and already have WaterWorks open.

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    Apr
    29

    Version 358

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    Just to salve your twanging nerves, do not be afraid to update to version 358. I had posted on March 23rd that “fearless testers” were needed, and that 358 was in Beta testing for anyone who would like to load it.

    Version 358 has been running in several offices since March 14th and is ready for general disbursement. As with all updates, not only are there new features to enjoy, but always tweaks to the basic program that will make it run smoother, and further secure your data.

    Updates are always recommended. So please, update as soon as possible and if you need help or instructions, just call or email.

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    Apr
    28

    Tip — Labels

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    Did you know you can print labels by the customers mailing or physical address? Labels printed from Reports > Miscellaneous > Labels will print everyone and their mailing address. These can be sorted alphabetically, by zip code, or by all active accounts.

    Labels printed from Reports > Meters, Readings & Taps > Labels by Book Sequence, prints labels by their physical address, or Book and Sequence for the meter reader. Sometimes these are printed and used in the actual “old school” meter books, or to ID a meter in an Auto Read conversion.

    Format for both labels are 30 to a sheet, 3 columns of 10 labels. This corresponds to Avery Label # 8160.

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