PRESIDENT'S BLOG

Duane D. Tinsley, President
Simply Computer Software, Inc.

Duane D. Tinsley is the President of Simply Computer Software, Inc. and has been involved with affordable housing since 1982. Duane is the creator of FHA Software which is currently being used to automate over 5,500 RD, HUD, and LIHTC projects nationwide. Duane continues to be involved with software development and attends industry vendor meetings to stay on top of required changes. Duane also attends and speaks at numerious management association conferences throughout the year which includes sponsor/exhibitor display participation. Most of the SCS website pages provide information about FHA Software for potential clients, as well as existing users. This blog page is a way for Duane to chronologically document ongoing industry related events that he feels are of interest.

Want to send the President a comment? Duane's personal email address is ... Duane@SimplyComputer.net

Blog Dated [ Monday - January 18, 2010 ] ...

The main office will be closed today ( Martin Luther King holiday ). .. DT.

Blog Dated [ Friday - January 8, 2010 ] ...

Just posted the 2009.12.31 Update Release this afternoon and will be sending a Broadcast Email Message shortly. Quarterly Update CDROM's are in the process of being sent out, as well. .. DT.

Blog Dated [ Wednesday - December 23, 2009 ] ...

The main office will be closed Thursday afternoon ( Dec 24th ) & Friday ( Dec 25th ) this week for Christmas. Email the Support address with any issues you may have on those days. The next software update release is scheduled for December 31, 2009. Have a safe and happy Christmas weekend.. .. DT.

Blog Dated [ Thursday - December 3, 2009 ] ...

Just posted the 2009.11.30 Update Release this afternoon and will be sending a Broadcast Email Message out in the morning. 2010 AMFEE Invoices will be placed in the mail on Monday. .. DT.

Blog Dated [ Monday - November 23, 2009 ] ...

As a reminder, the main office will be closed both Thursday & Friday ( November 26 & 27 ) of this week for Thanksgiving. Email the Support address with any issues you may have on those days. The next software update release is scheduled for November 30, 2009. Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving holiday weekend. .. DT.

Blog Dated [ Friday - November 13, 2009 ] ...

Just posted the 2009.10.31 Update Release and will be sending a Broadcast Email Message out shortly to announce it. .. DT.

Blog Dated [ Thursday - October 1, 2009 ] ...

Just posted the 2009.09.30 Update Release and will be sending a Broadcast Email Message out shortly to announce it. 3nd Quarter Update CDROM's will be sent out by the end of the week. This update has revisions effecting all FHA Software users, especially our HUD users. Tenant Certification History will now maintain multiple HUD-50059's that are effective the same day ( for example: 06/01/2009 Annual and a 06/01/2009 Corrected AR ). This will help provide more accurate adjustment calculations created by the Gross Rent Change process. The latest HUD 4350.3 Rev 1 Change 3 Handbook Reference was also updated. A new Correct option has been added to the Tenant Certification - Preview window that is now used to create Correction to Prior HUD-50059 entries, replacing the process of revising and changing the action to Correction to Prior on the existing HUD-50059 ( which basically overwrote the original HUD-50059 ). Monitor the UPDATE INFO page of our website for more details on all changes included in this update release. .. DT.

Blog Dated [ Monday - July 6, 2009 ] ...

Just posted the 2009.06.30 Update Release and will be sending a Broadcast Email Message out shortly to announce it. 2nd Quarter Update CDROM's will be sent out by the end of the week. .. DT.

Blog Dated [ Friday - July 3, 2009 ] ...

We're putting the finishing touches on the 2009.06.30 Update Release and will be posting it to our ftp site by Tuesday, July 7th. A Broadcast Email Message will be sent early next week to announce it and 2nd Quarter Update CDROM's will be mailed next week, as well. Have a safe 4th of July weekend. The office will be closed on Monday, July 6th to observe the holiday. .. DT.

Blog Dated [ Friday - May 29, 2009 ] ...

Just posted the 2009.05.31 Update Release and will be sending a Broadcast Email Message next week to announce it. .. DT.

Blog Dated [ Tuesday - May 5, 2009 ] ...

Just posted the 2009.04.30 Update Release and will be sending our a Broadcast Email Message shortly to announce it. Besides the release of 2009 Income Limit Schedules, not much is happening with RD and LIHTC form changes at this time. HUD 202C & iMAX change issues seems to be working fine now. Most of our development time will now be spent on enhancements to our accounting feature. .. DT.

Blog Dated [ Thursday - March 19, 2009 ] ...

HUD just posted their 2009 Income Limit Schedules today which are to be effective 03/19/2009. We've sent a Broadcast Email Message to all our HUD project users at about 1:30pm CST alerting them to this along with instructions for retrieving and entering them in FHA Software. If you are a HUD project user of FHA Software and did not get this Broadcast Email message, please let us know. As you know, both USDA/Rural Development and State Housing Finance Agencies who monitor Tax Credit projects, use HUD's income limit schedules to base theirs on and will be posting them soon, as well. RD project managers will be notified by their RD State Office when RD's income limit schedules are available. Tax Credit project users should monitor their HFA's website for their LIHTC Income Limit and Rent Schedules. Each HFA's State website link is available on our LINKS webpage. I'm looking forward towards next week's FHA Software Training Seminar. The next 2009.03.31 Update Release will be available the end of March 2009. .. DT.

Blog Dated [ Friday - February 27, 2009 ] ...

The [ 2009.01.31 ] Update Release for FHA Software was posted to our FTP site this morning. A Broadcast Email Message announcing this update will be sent later today to all registered users. Although all users can benefit from this update, it provides 202C compliance to all our HUD project users. The deadline for 202C compliance is 04/01/2009, so make sure you update your FHA Software to the [ 2009.01.31 ] Update Release as soon as you can. Those HUD project users that are on our quarterly update cdrom update list will be getting this update on cdrom by Monday or Tuesday of next week. The TRACSMAIL phone number used to connect to TRACS with a dial-up phone modem will be disconnected over the weekend. From this point on, all FHA Software users should be using the built-in iMAX Communications feature to send and retrieve TRACS messages over an internet connection. Any user that is having trouble with their WASS ID or the iMAX Communications feature can let us know by email and we'll help solve or determine the issue. Seats are still available for our Annual 2-Day FHA Software Training Seminar being held in Rockford, IL on March 24th & 25th. Registration forms were sent to all registered users in January 2009. Training seminar information and registration form is also available on our website. .. DT.

Blog Dated [ Wednesday - January 7, 2009 ] ...

The iMAX System is down today and is not allowing iMAX web-server access to anyone's WASS ID nationwide. Monitor the TRACS Announcements Page [ http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/mfh/trx/announcements.pdf ] for TRACS to advise when it will be back up and running. Meanwhile, continue using the TRACSMAIL Communications feature to submit your MAT files if you need them submitted to TRACS at this time. .. DT.

Blog Dated [ Monday - December 22, 2008 ] ...

Details about our 2009 Annual 2-Day Training Seminar has been posted on our website. The office will be closed both Thursday & Friday ( December 25th & 26th ) of this week. However, Support emails will still be monitored those 2 days, as well as throughout the weekend. Merry Christmas. .. DT.

Blog Dated [ Friday - December 19, 2008 ] ...

The midwest has been pounded with a foot or more of snow and it hasn't stopped yet. We'll be a little short staffed today as a result. The internet has also been effected the last couple weeks and prevented us from sending Broadcast Email Messages. The current update release available is [ 2008.11.30 ] and the next one will be [ 2008.12.31 ] which will be posted the first week of January 2009. Our new iMAX Communications feature is working very well. Anyone having difficulty with their WASS ID being accepted should email me their WASS ID & Password so that we can forward it to our internal TRACS Contact to fix. This is faster than going through the TRACS Support Line. The last update release provides our Texas tax credit property managers the ability to electronically submit tenant changes to TDHCA. 2009 Annual Maintenance Fee invoices are in the process of being mailed out. All base fee rates are the same as they were last year. Have a safe and happy holiday season. .. DT.

Blog Dated [ Monday - November 17, 2008 ] ...

Had a great time at the WI-CARH Annual Conference in Wisconsin Dells, WI a couple weeks ago and hope everyone found my Friday morning presentation informative. I would also like to thank the New Smaritan Corporation for hosting the 1-Day FHA Software Training Session we had last week in Hartford, CT for all their site offices. It was a pleasure meeting you all and value your use of FHA Software. We were able to pin down the date of our Annual 2-Day FHA Software Training Seminar for 2009 which will be March 24th (Tuesday) and March 25th (Wednesday) at the Radission Hotel & Conference Center in Rockford, IL. The format will be the same as last year with day 1 being FHA Software RD/HUD/LIHTC Compliance Training and day 2 focused on Accounting. Monitor the Training Page linked from our Home Page for registration information coming soon. This week I will be attending the RRHA of Indiana Annual Conference in Indianapolis, IN on Thursday and look forward to visiting with our Indiana users. FYI - we developed the automated version of the RRHA of Indiana RD Approved Lease and the 2009 Lease release is currently available. For those HUD project managers that submit to National TRACS [TRACMPROD], the iMAX Communications feature has been working pretty well. There has been some issues with valid WASS ID's not being recognized by iMAX in the electronic submission process, even though manually accessing the iMAX webserver works. This is an issue within the iMAX system and the iMAX technicians are working on it. Hopefully they'll have it worked out by December 1st when everyone else starts to use the iMAX Communications feature. .. DT.

Blog Dated [ Friday - October 31, 2008 ] ...

Just posted the 2008.10.31 Update Release to our website which gives our HUD project users the ability to send MAT files to TRACS using the built-in iMAX Communications feature. Broadcast Email Messages announcing this update will be sent out later today or Monday. If you submit MAT files directly to National TRACS[TRACMPROD], you can use iMAX Communications immediately. Just go into the Setup window and add your WASS ID & Password to all your TRACSMAIL ID Accounts and you're ready to submit. Creating MAT files has not changed and 202B MAT file version will continue to be submitted. If you submit MAT files to a Contract Administrator (CA), you'll have to wait until December 1, 2008 for your CA to be able to accept iMAX submissions. You may want to email your Contract Administrator (CA) to let them know that you have iMAX submission ability. They may tell you that you can submit to them through iMAX earlier than the December 1, 2008 deadline. If you have any questions, please call, fax, or email us. .. DT.

Blog Dated [ Wednesday - October 15, 2008 ] ...

Just got back from the SWAHMA Conference that was held in San Antonio, TX. The TRACS iMAX/202C Panel Discussion I was part of went well and generated a lot of interest in FHA Software later that day at the Trade Show. Again, it was nice to visit with our existing users and show potential FHA Software users our iMAX Communication feature. The very next update will enable the iMAX Communications feature that can be used to submit MAT files to National TRACS [TRACMPROD]. HUD Project users that submit to a State Contract Administrator (CA) won't be able to use iMAX until December 1, 2008 which is the earliest your State CA will be able to recieve MAT files through the iMAX web-server system. We have until March 2009 to release 202C MAT file compliance. However, we will probably include 202C MAT file ability, along with new HUD-50059 & HUD-52670 forms, in a December 2008 update. We want to make sure iMAX is working first before changing the MAT file version. Next week I'll be attending the RRHA of IL meeting in Effingham, IL. Hope everyone got their FHA Software updated to the current 2008.09.30 release. If you didn't get a Broadcast Email Message last week announcing the update, make sure we have the correct email address listed for your account. .. DT.

Blog Dated [ Tuesday - October 7, 2008 ] ...

It was great to visit with all our users who attended the RRHA of Texas Annual Convention & Tradeshow a couple weeks ago. I think my presentation went well and appreciate those who were there. Next week I'll be part of a Discussion Panel at the SWAHMA Conference being held in San Antonio, TX that will be talking about the new iMAX System, along with 202C & HUD Form changes required for HUD project managers. Just posted the 2008.09.30 Update Release to our website. 3rd quarter Quarterly Update cdrom's are in the mail and should be received by the end of this week for all users on our quarterly update list. .. DT.

This is the time of the year when 2009 RD 3560-7 Proposed Budgets are being prepared and electronically submitted to MINC and we've started getting support calls wanting a refresher on how budgets are processed in FHA Software. I thought it would be a good idea to send all our RD Project - FHA Software users a refresher. So, I just sent a Broadcast Email Message to our RD Project users with step-by-step details on creating their 2009 RD 3560-7 Prposed Budgets. A faxed copy of this email is also available upon request. I will be attending the RRHA of Texas Annual Convention & Tradeshow in Austin, TX next week and have been asked to speak about recent MINC changes at 10.10am on Thursday. I'm looking forward to it. The next FHA Software update release [ 2008.09.30 ] will be posted on Wednesday, October 1, 2008. We'll send a Broadcast Email Message announcing this update at that time. Third Quarter Update cdrom's will be sent out the first week in October 2008, as well. We'll probably have another update release in mid-October 2008 which includes the new iMAX Communication feature ( that replaces the dial-up TRACSMAIL Commnication feature ). The FHA Software menu will have both iMAX and TRACSMAIL Communication features enabled until January 2009 when HUD will discontinue dial-up connection access, making TRACSMAIL Communication use obsolete at that time. .. DT.

Blog Dated [ Thursday - August 28, 2008 ] ...

The TRACS Webpage link is now working today. .. DT.

Blog Dated [ Wednesday - August 27, 2008 ] ...

For what ever reason, the TRACS Webpage is not accessible today. This includes accessing Secure System Sign-in and the TRACS Discussion Forum. If you're trying to access the TRACS webpage from our LINKS page and are getting a "Page cannot be displayed" message, it's not you. TRACS is probably updating their webpage and has temporarily disabled it. Just keep trying. .. DT.

Blog Dated [ Friday - August 22, 2008 ] ...

Just got done with a TRACS Vendor Conference call. It looks like the iMAX System ( that replaces the dial-up method of connecting with TRACSMAIL ) will be implemented around October 2008, but the new 202C MAT file layout and new HUD-50059 & HUD-52670 forms will be delayed until January 2009. This is due to the forms not yet being approved by OMB. Most all other software vendors had major programming issues with this schedule. We don't have any problems with it. We're ready . .. DT.

Blog Dated [ Friday - August 8, 2008 ] ...

I had the pleasure of providing onsite training for FHA Software users in Urbanna, VA and Canton, NY recently and enjoyed my visits. Software development testing with 202C MAT file submission through iMAX is progressing well. We'll be sending a Broadcast Email Message to all HUD project users to make sure they all have or get HUD Secure Site access that is required for iMAX Communication ability coming towards the end of 2008. RD is also replacing SSN's used as Project ID's with a different number for privacy issues and has started sending this announcement to all RD project managers. Getting the new Borrower ID numbers requires MINC access which has overloaded the MINC system today ( Friday ). As a result, RD has extended the August submission deadline to August 12th. Borrower ID's should not be changed until after August 22nd and you have 3 full months to change them before it becomes a problem. The existing FHA Software update release accommodates the new numbering format. We'll be sending a Braodcast Email Message to all RD users with more detail about the Borrower ID number issue next week, as well. The next State association meeting we have scheduled is the RRHA of Texas Annual Conference & Trade Show in Austin, TX on September 23 - 26, 2008 with many more coming shortly thereafter. .. DT.

Blog Dated [ Thursday - July 3, 2008 ] ...

I want to thank all our users who attended the RRHA of Oklahoma Convention in Tulsa, OK last week that stopped by to visit our vendor exhibit and value your use of FHA Software. Once again we were the only software vendor that sponsored &/or attended this convention. This seems to be a trend, which is OK by me. The testing of our new iMAX Communications feature is all but completed. We now have the automated ability to integrate with the new iMAX Web-Service that will be replacing the TRACSMAIL System the end of 2008. We can't provide iMAX Communication ability to our HUD project users until each State's Contract Administrator acquires iMAX ability, as well. This probably won't be until September or October 2008, at the earliest. But, it's nice to know that we're ready. We will be testing new 202C MAT file submission the next couple months. 202C MAT file submission ability will be provided about the same time as iMAX Communication ability is provided. One of the new features we are working on adding to FHA Software is Resident Screening integration. This built-in feature will provide FHA Software users the ability to electronically acquire credit history, payment experiences, ID fraud verification, access to criminal and eviction data, sex offender records, and collection services without leaving the FHA Software window. We're excited and I know our users will be too to have this built-in ability. More details will be provided as we get closer towards it's completion. The 2008.06.30 Update Release is now available. If you are on our quarterly update cdrom list, they were sent out earlier this week. The Simply Computer Software, Inc. Loves Park, IL office will be closed Friday, July 4th, but Support emails will still be monitored throughout the weekend. Have a safe July 4th. .. DT.

Blog Dated [ Wednesday - June 25, 2008 ] ...

Just reposted the final [ 2008.06.30 ] update release of FHA Software to our FTP site. Broadcast Email Messages announcing this update will be sent out early next week. Quarterly Update CDROM's ( 2nd QTR of 2008 ) will be shipped next week, as well. I had a good time visting with all our users at the RRHA of Arkansas Annual meeting in Little Rock, AR last week. Was able to watch the Arkansas Travelers miner league baseball team play in the brand new stadium that was across the street from the hotel. Today and tommorrow I'll be at the RRHA of Oklahoma Annual Convention in Tulsa, OK and look forward to visiting with our Oklahoma users. Our iMAX Communications testing efforts are coming along. Can't believe July 4th is next week already. .. DT.

Blog Dated [ Thursday - June 12, 2008 ] ...

Just preposted the [ 2008.06.30 ] update release to our FTP site. Since most our software development efforts the rest of June 2008 will be on testing our iMAX Communications feature, I thought we'd post the update we have so far which does include a fix with processing Terminations that was causing the program to close with a Run-Time Error. We'll send a Broadcast Email Message announcing this update in the next week or so. I will be in Little Rock, AR, Monday through Wednesday of next week, attending the RRHA of Arkansas Annual Meeting. I'm looking forward to visiting with all our Arkansas users at this meeting. .. DT.

Blog Dated [ Tuesday - June 3, 2008 ] ...

Just finished a conference call meeting with the TRACS Software Vendors/Working Group about the vendor testing schedule with the new iMAX System ( TRACSMAIL Dial-Up replacement ) and 202C MAT file revisions. Should be interesting. The first we can look at it is Monday June 9th. We've got our WASS ID's and can't wait to start testing our new built-in iMAX Communications feature. .. DT.

Blog Dated [ Friday - May 30, 2008 ] ...

Domin-8 Enterprises just posted an update to the EDGE Accounting program ( Version 3.5.1 ). Craig made revisions to our EDGE Interface feature to match the database changes and posted it to our website today. Users that update to EDGE Version 3.5.1 should also download and install the EDGE Interface update (EDGE351.EXE) that matches it from our EDGE Accounting downloads page [simplycomputer.net/down_edg.html] .. DT.

Blog Dated [ Friday - May 23, 2008 ] ...

Just posted the [ 2008.05.23 ] software update release to our ftp site. This update finally activated fully automated accrual accounting features we've been working on for quite some time. Didn't want to release it until we were confident that all the bugs were taken care of. A Broadcast Email Message announcing this update will be sent next week. This update also provides a lot of HUD form revisions that were just released by HUD only a week or so earlier. Remember, both RD & HUD give software vendors at least 3 months minimum time to implement their changes. We got these HUD form revisions out in only a weeks time .. not bad. Our next software update is scheduled for June 30, 2008 which will also be our 2nd quarterly update for 2008. We're currently working on adding a Bank Balance Summary for the Accounting feature, adding the HUD-27061 Race & Ethnic Data Reporting form to the HUD menu, among other revisions that will be included .. DT.