Adapting FMStarting Point for Homeowner's Associations

[sccardais]

Wondering if anyone on this forum has adapted FM StartingPoint to manage membership, invoicing, accounts receivable and correspondence for Homeowners Associations.

Specifically wondering how to modify relationships between TO's in FM StartingPoint to associate Members (Contacts) with Lots Owned. (One to many relationship.) Lots can be owned by only one member (or legal entity) but one member can own more than one lot. 

Members are invoiced annual dues and roadway maintenance assessments based on the number of lots they own in the neighborhood. Some members make partial payments which need to be tracked.

Seems like either the Accounts or Assets table could be used to associate lots with members but not sure which would be best.

Overall, FM StartingPoint seems like a great place to start but I don't want to get too far into the customization only to discover that I chose the wrong table to modify.

Any help or suggestions would be appreciated.

Scott C.

 

[yilbber]

you would need to use both. Accounts to track who owns what, and assets to list which lot is which.

You Can use the inventory table to track services, although it's not being tracked this way, but it will be billable.

Purchases would only be used for expendables and indirect costs in running your association.

 

Edited July 13, 2015 by yilbber

[Wim Decorte]

Wondering if anyone on this forum has adapted FM StartingPoint to manage membership, invoicing, accounts receivable and correspondence for Homeowners Associations.

The idea here obviously is that you would want to contact RCC to see where to go...

[sccardais]

The idea here obviously is that you would want to contact RCC to see where to go...

Our association has 31 members so no budget for software. Offering FMStartingPoint for free seems like they've done enough! I don't have the heart to ask for free support to customize it!

I thought it was worth a try to ask on this forum.

I also assumed RCC monitors this site and would chime in if appropriate.

Scott

you would need to use both. Accounts to track who owns what, and assets to list which lot is which.

You Can use the inventory table to track services, although it's not being tracked this way, but it will be billable.

Purchases would only be used for expendables and indirect costs in running your association.

 

Thanks for reply. I'll study the relationship graph to get a better feel for customizing it for our association.

SCC

[Lee Smith]

This is where they choose to support FM Starting Point.

They work hard to help their users get answers to their questions. 

BTW. one of the moderators must have  moved your question to their Sponsor Topic already. 

[sccardais]

This is where they choose to support FM Starting Point.

They work hard to help their users get answers to their questions. 

BTW. one of the moderators must have  moved your question to their Sponsor Topic already. 

Lee Smith: I'm new to the forum. What is the significance of moving a question to "their Sponsor Topic?" Who's moving it and why?

[Lee Smith]

There are several reasons for moving a thread, in this case, the sponsor wants to be involved with helping with questions about their product, and they don’t always have time to read the other topics looking for questions on their product. 

[Richard Carlton]

FM Starting Point is definitely is Freeware... kind of solutions... and I know lots of developers who use it to make suggestions.   We do not have any "canned" Homeowners associations editions of FMSP.

Scott... your on the right track as far as your working to modify FMSP.

I would be inclined to use Assets for the Lots Owned... since it is an asset.  Due would be generated annually... which means one new invoice per year... which would probably need to be a scripted process... to run through all the contacts...and to determine if a contact needs an invoice...and how much it should be.

Sorry for the delay on things.  We were busy getting ramped up for Devcon.

- RC

 

[sccardais]

Richard:

Thank you. It was kind of you to reply personally.

I'm whittling away at customizing FMSP for our HOA - enjoying the process and learning a lot. 

I'm having trouble emailing from within FMSP using my gmail account. I didn't see anything on the forum or videos (I purchased your excellent FMP 14 video program.) Is there a trick to setting up FMSP to send email using a gmail account?

Thanks again for your help and for FMSP.

Scott C.