The Letters & Notices feature allows users to create custom letters and notices that can be generated from the system. Data in the database will be merged into the documents and a record will be maintained of the document you sent each resident. Some of the benefits of using this feature are:

• Less time required to generate resident documents
• More accurate documents as data from the system is merged into the document
•  Adds to your green initiatives as the final documents are stored in the system rather than printed and stored in a file cabinet

The letters & Notices functionality include:

• On-line training
• Preloaded standard documents
• Ability to create custom fields
• Access to hundreds of data fields

There are a wide variety of documents that can be created. For example:

• Lease Agreement
• Lease Addendums
• Renewal Letters
• Inspection Notice
• Late Notice
• Eviction Notice

How to Get Started

The best way to begin is to watch the on-line training videos RealPage offers. They can be found on the RealPage website under training and on-demand catalog. The videos will show you how to create new letters and merge data fields. If you don't have a test site I highly recommend you get one. Using a test site will enable you to create documents and test them to make sure you are merging the correct data.

Other systems such as Yardi and Intuit RES (MRI) have similar features.

Don Wood has over 25 years of experience in project management, business process improvement, and information technology for the real estate industry. Please visit www.dbrw.com for more information.