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 [ Friday - January 13, 2012 ] ...

The Rockford Office will be closed Monday, January 16th for MLK Day. Emails sent to Support@SimplyComputer.net will be monitored and replied to over the weekend through and including Monday. .. DT.

Blog Dated [ Friday - January 6, 2012 ] ...

Just posted the 2011.12.31 Update Release to our ftp site. Broadcast Email Messages will be sent out shortly. 4th Quarter Update CDROM's will be placed in the mail on Monday.. DT.

Blog Dated [ Friday - December 30, 2011 ] ...

The main office will be closed Monday, January 2nd which includes the toll-free support line. Emails sent to Support@SimplyComputer.net will be monitored and responded to throughout the New Years Holiday weekend. Happy New Year. .. DT.

Blog Dated [ Friday - December 23, 2011 ] ...

The main office will be closed Monday, December 26th which includes the toll-free support line. Emails sent to Support@SimplyComputer.net will be monitored and responded to throughout the Christmas Holiday weekend. Have a Merry Christmas. .. DT.

Blog Dated [ Thursday - December 22, 2011 ] ...

Just sent a Broadcast Email Message to all our Accounting feature users with a refresher on how to create a Chart of Accounts for the new 2012 year. .. DT.

Blog Dated [ Thursday - December 1, 2011 ] ...

Just posted the 2011.11.30 Update Release to our ftp site. Broadcast Email Messages will be sent out shortly. .. DT.

Blog Dated [ Tuesday - November 1, 2011 ] ...

Just posted the 2011.10.31 Update Release to our ftp site. Broadcast Email Messages will be sent out shortly. .. DT.

Blog Dated [ Monday - October 10, 2011 ] ...

Just posted the 2011.09.30 Update Release to our ftp site. Broadcast Email Messages will be sent out shortly. 3rd Quarter Update CDROM's will be placed in the mail this week. .. DT.

Blog Dated [ Friday - September 23, 2011 ] ...

Just posted the 2011.08.31 Update Release to our ftp site. Broadcast Email Messages will be sent out shortly. .. DT.

Blog Dated [ Tuesday - August 2, 2011 ] ...

Just posted the 2011.07.31 Update Release to our ftp site. Broadcast Email Messages will be sent out shortly. This software update also includes the 08/2011 RD 3560-8 Tenant Certification form revision RD recently published. .. DT.

Blog Dated [ Thursday - July 21, 2011 ] ...

Final arrangements have been made for a 1-Day FHA Software Training Seminar being held at the Hilton Garden Inn Denver Airport in Aurora, Colorado on Thursday, September 1, 2011. Broadcast Email Messages will be sent out today announcing this event to all our users in the Colorado State area. A brochure & registration form will be sent by mail, as well. Seminar details and registration form is also available on our website [ http://simplycomputer.net/training_co.html ]. Hope to see you there. .. DT.

Blog Dated [ Monday - July 11, 2011 ] ...

Just posted the 2011.06.30 Update Release to our ftp site. Broadcast Email Messages will be sent out shortly. 2nd Quarter Update CDROM's will be placed in the mail this week. I'll be in Irving, TX all this week attending the RRHA of Texas Conference and providing a short FHA Software training session for our Texas users, as well. Looking forward to visting with our Texas users. .. DT.

Blog Dated [ Tuesday - July 5, 2011 ] ...

Hope everyone had a safe July 4th weekend. We have Sales & Support Staff on vacation the rest of the week and will be short handed as a result. When calling in a support request, please dial ext. #2 and leave your name, number and brief description of your issue. A support staff member will return your call asap. FYI - Dialing zero for the operator will not get a live person or a quicker response. .. DT.

Blog Dated [ Tuesday - June 7, 2011 ] ...

Just posted the 2011.05.31 Update Release to our ftp site. Broadcast Email Messages will be sent out Wednesday morning. .. DT.

Blog Dated [ Thursday - June 3, 2011 ] ...

We have 2 key support staff members on vacation today and tomorrow. So, your support calls will be going straight to voicemail the next couple days. Leave a name, number and brief description of your issue and we'll make every effort to call you back asap. .. DT.

Blog Dated [ Wednesday - June 1, 2011 ] ...

HUD has finally posted the 2011 HUD Income Limit Schedules on their website which are to be effective 05/31/2011. A Broadcast Email Message was sent to all our HUD project users this morning announcing this issue. .. DT.

Blog Dated [ Wednesday - May 23, 2011 ] ...

Just reposted the 2011.04.30 Update Release to our ftp site with the new HUD-50059 & HUD-50059-A form revisions. Running or rerunning this update will provide our users with these new form revissions. .. DT.

Blog Dated [ Wednesday - May 11, 2011 ] ...

Just posted the 2011.04.30 Update Release to our ftp site. Broadcast Email Messages will be sent out Thursday. .. DT.

Blog Dated [ Wednesday - April 27, 2011 ] ...

Severe storms in our area left us without phone and internet service for most all of Tuesday. Service was finally restored this morning. We are making every effort to catch up with emailed support requests and appreciate your patience. .. DT.

Blog Dated [ Monday - April 4, 2011 ] ...

Just posted the 2011.03.31 Update Release to our ftp site. Broadcast Email Messages will be sent our shortly. 1st Quarter Update CDROM's will be placed in the mail this week. .. DT.

Blog Dated [ Monday - March 28, 2011 ] ...

HUD's iMAX System is having issues today. If you are getting an "Unauthorized" error when attempting to send or retrieve messages through the iMAX Communications feature, don't change anything in your system. Everyone is getting this error as it is an issue within the TRACS system. Be patient and try sending your MAT files periodically throughout the day. Monitor the TRACS Discussion Forum and Announcements website for submission status. .. DT.

Blog Dated [ Thursday - March 24, 2011 ] ...

Our Annual 2-Day FHA Software Training Seminar was held earlier this week and appreciate all those who attended. It's always nice to meet our users and really value your use of FHA Software. Thanks again. .. DT.

Blog Dated [ Monday - March 21, 2011 ] ...

Our Annual 2-Day Training Seminar will be here in Rockford, IL the next couples days which will shorten the number of support staff available during this time. We'll be back at full strength on Thursday. We also had phone line trouble early today, but it seems to have cleared in the afternoon. If you had diffuculty reaching us by phone today, please try again or email your support issues. .. DT.

Blog Dated [ Monday - March 14, 2011 ] ...

The Multi-Property Checks option will be reinstated in the next Update Release ( 2011.03.31 ] which allows our users to print MICR checks for multi-properties in one check run. Check Factory was able to revise their new version 5 Visual Series software to allow this ability and has posted a v5.00.67 Update to their website with this revision. If you print MICR checks from FHA Software and want to use the Multi-Property Checks option to print checks, make sure you download and install the v5.00.67 Check Factory software update before the end of March 2011 when our FHA Software Update becomes available. .. DT.

Blog Dated [ Friday - March 11, 2011 ] ...

Just posted a PDF file copy of our newly revised FHA Software - User Manual to our DOWNLOADS page. If you would like to be sent a printed copy, let us know and we'll send it to you with a $12.00 per copy invoice. All attendees at next weeks 2-Day FHA Software Training Seminar will be given an updated User Manual. .. DT.

Blog Dated [ Friday - March 4, 2011 ] ...

Just posted the 2011.02.28 Update Release to our ftp site. Broadcast Email Messages will be sent our shortly. Seats are still available for our Annual 2-Day FHA Software Training Seminar scheduled for March 22 & 23, 2011 at the Radisson Hotel & Conference Center in Rockford, IL. Seminar information and registration form is available on the Training page of our website. .. DT.

Blog Dated [ Thursday - January 27, 2011 ] ...

Our Annual 2-Day FHA Software Training Seminar is scheduled for March 22 & 23, 2011 at the Radisson Hotel & Conference Center in Rockford, IL. A seminar brochure and registration form will be sent by mail to all registered users by the end of the week. The training page of our website has also been updated with seminar information and registration form. Hope to see you there. .. DT.

Blog Dated [ Wednesday - January 12, 2011 ] ...

Just posted the 2010.12.31 Update Release to our ftp site. Broadcast Email Messages will be sent our shortly. 4th Quarter Update CDROM's will be placed in the mail this week. 2011 AMFEE's are due by the end of January 2011. If you purchased FHA Software prior to 01/01/2010 and did not get your 2011 AMFEE Invoice in the mail by now, call Michelle at ext.#3 to get another copy emailed to you. Hope everyone had a safe and happy holiday. .. DT.

Blog Dated [ Monday - December 27, 2010 ] ...

Just sent a Broadcast Email Message to all our Accounting feature users with a refresher on how to create a Chart of Accounts for the new 2011 year. .. DT.

Blog Dated [ Thursday - December 23, 2010 ] ...

The main office will be closed December 24th - 26th which includes the toll-free support line. Emails sent to Support@SimplyComputer.net will be monitored and responded to throughout the Christmas Holiday weekend. Have a Merry Christmas. .. DT.

Blog Dated [ Tuesday - December 10, 2010 ] ...

Just posted the 2010.12.15 Update Release to our ftp site with revisions that mostly affect our Accounting feature users. .. DT.

Blog Dated [ Tuesday - December 7, 2010 ] ...

Just posted the 2010.11.30 Update Release to our ftp site and will be sending a Broadcast Email Message announcing this update shortly. 2011 Annual Maintenance Fee ( AMFEE ) invoices are also being mailed out this week. Had a great time at our 1-Day FHA Software Training Seminar in Eugene, OR a few weeks ago and really value our northwest coast users. The tornado that went through Caledonia, IL the week of Thanksgiving just missed my house by a quarter mile and left our office without power for a day. They are still replacing four or five towers that support major power lines in the Rockford, IL area. We finally got our first snow of the year and it was 7 degrees out when I came to work yesterday. Burrrrrr. Winter's here! .. DT.

Blog Dated [ Friday - November 12, 2010 ] ...

Just posted the 2010.10.31 Update Release to our ftp site and will be sending a Broadcast Email Message announcing this update shortly. This update includes a new QuickBooks - Payroll Transaction Detail import feature that will automatically import payroll checks entered in the QuickBooks program as A/P entries in FHA Software. .. DT.

Blog Dated [ Wednesday - October 27, 2010 ] ...

Just posted the RRHA Texas Lease - 2011 Update to our website and will be emailing an update announcement Thursday morning to all users that have an email address on file. Update announcement letters will also be placed in the mail to all users by Friday. .. DT.

Blog Dated [ Monday - October 11, 2010 ] ...

Finally posted the 2010.09.30 Update Release to our ftp site and will be sending a Broadcast Email Message announcing this update later this week. This update had some revisions made to the Check Printing Process which affects all custom check layouts. If you are using our Accounting features and have a custom check layout, you will be emailed specific instructions for retrieving your revised custom check layout file after you've successfully updated to the 2010.09.30 Update Release. .. DT.

Blog Dated [ Monday - October 4, 2010 ] ...

For our RD Project users that are getting INVALID SECMENT CODE errors on their RD 3560-7 Proposed Budget submisions to MINC, this is being caused by carraige returns in your Budget Narrative. Copy & pasting your narrative from a Word Document will create this issue. Remove all carraige returns and unecssary spaces so that the narrative is one continuous paragraph of sentences. This will solve this submission issue. .. DT.

Blog Dated [ Monday - October 1, 2010 ] ...

We're getting quite a few calls from our HUD Project users who are getting 402 Error messages when attempting to send MAT files through the iMAX System. Awhile back, when you logged into HUD’s SECURE SIGN-IN to access EIV or SAVE, you agreed to complete a Security Awareness Training course provided by HUD and have not done so. Your WASS ID is now not able to electronically submit through iMAX until you do. Go to [ http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/mfh/trx/trxsum.cfm ], click-on the Security Training Requirements link and print this 4 page document. Follow the instructions provided to complete the Security Awareness Training course. Make sure you print the Certification of Completion document that is available at the end of the course. When completed, your WASS ID will be reinstated for iMAX Submissions. This may take a few days however. In the meantime, if you need MAT files submitted to TRACS, email them to me along with who you submit them to and I’ll send them for you. .. DT.

Blog Dated [ Wednesday - May 19, 2010 ] ...

Just posted the 2010.05.19 Update Release to our ftp site for the RRHA of Texas Lease program that includes an updated RRHA Approved Lease and Rental Application form. A Broadcast Email Message will be sent later this afternoon announcing this update. A letter will also be sent to all RRHA Texas Lease users by mail, as well. .. DT.

Blog Dated [ Wednesday - May 5, 2010 ] ...

Just posted the 2010.04.30 Update Release to our ftp site and will be sending a Broadcast Email Message announcing this update later this afternoon. Still waiting for HUD to post the 2010 Income Limit Schedule. As you may already know, HUD's EIV site is down and they have delayed implentation of the Security Training acknowledgement procedure that was suppose to be prompted when you login to HUD's Secure System on or after May 1, 2010. .. DT.

Blog Dated [ Friday - April 2, 2010 ] ...

Just posted the 2010.03.31 Update Release to our ftp site and will be sending a Broadcast Email Message out announcing this update on Monday. First quarter Update CDROM's will be placed in the mail on Monday, as well. We held our Annual 2-Day FHA Software Training Seminr here in Rockford, IL and would like to thank all that attended. It's nice to meet with our users and have lots of great suggestions for future updates. TRACS also held a meeting in Washington DC a couple weeks ago that will effect WASS ID use with iMAX submissions. I'll send a separate Broadcast Email Message in a couple weeks with more details about that. Have a safe Easter Weekend. .. DT.

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.