Action Type Rules

Summary - This article will discuss the rules that can be added to each step of an action type.

The action types can be located by navigating to the Settings>Action Types/Steps screen. This is where all action types can be found.

Action types are sorted by categories. When you add or edit an action type you will see a drop-down arrow to choose a category. These categories will determine what Rules will be on the action type. For example, the Violation category of action types will have a different set of Rules than the Alert category.

Before diving into the Rules of an action type, make sure to also review that the Send To/Reply To fields have the correct Roles that you wish to receive these action items. Also review any Email Templates, Letter Templates, Reports, Documents, or Instructions in the hamburger menu to ensure the communication that needs to be sent is attached.

Below is a list of all of the Rules available in Vantaca:

• Duration to Remain at this Step: 
  

  This rule allows you to leave an action item on a certain step for a set time period. Once it hits this time period set, it will auto advance to the next linear step. In order for the action item to advance to the step in the field Next Step If Yes, you must have a Hold Until Follow-up Date or Zero day duration. For example, if I was processing a Work Order action item and I wanted it to remain on the step Pending Completion for 16 days and then for it to auto-advance to Follow Up to remind me to follow up with the service provider to see if this Work Order is complete, then I would want to set Duration to 16 and put the Next Step If Yes to the Follow Up step.

Note: When building Collection Categories action types, you can also use a Decision Required Threshold, rather than Hold Until Follow-up Date. For details, see Overview of Collections in Vantaca

• Repeat (# of Days): 
  

  This repeats the notification on the step once the number of days has been reached.
• Balance to Move On (Collections category only):
  This is not currently functional.
  
• Hide Sender:
  This rule, if the box is checked, will hide the Users name from appearing on notifications sent to homeowners from this step of an action item. 
• Hide from Portal:
  This rule, if the box is checked, will hide the action item from appearing on the homeowners portal.
• Mail Format:
  • Primary Mailing Address Only: This rule will only format mailings for the primary mailing address on file.
    Note: You can now use this option with Coupon Generation action items.
    
  • Mailing Addresses: This rule will format mailings for all the mailing addresses on file.
  • All Addresses - "Mailing Address with Name' tag: This rule will generate mailings to all addresses on record with a Mailing Address with Name merge tag where ever the user placed the merge tag in the letter template (This does not auto-format for a #10 Envelope). This does not insert the merge tag for the user either, this merge tag should still be manually placed in letter templates that are using this step.
  • All Addresses - "Mailing Address with Name" tag (Current Resident): This rule will generate mailings with a Mailing Address with Name merge tag where ever the user would like to place the tag in the letter template (This does not auto-format for a #10 Envelope). This does not insert the merge tag for the user either, this merge tag should still be manually placed in letter templates that are using this step. The difference between this option and All Addresses - "Mailing Address with Name" tag is that the system sends a letter to the property address with the name of the Current Resident instead of the homeowner's name if the mailing address is different than the property address. 
• Send to All Emails:
  This rule, if the box is checked, will send to all email accounts on file for a homeowner.
• Notifications:
  This rule will allow you to choose how homeowners are notified when an action item hits this step. The options we offer in Vantaca are:
  • (General User Preference): This notification type will default to notify the homeowner by their communication preference on their homeowner account. 
  • No Notification: This will not send any kind of notification to the role in the Send To field when an action item hits this step.
  • Paper: This setting will only send paper to the homeowner which will appear in the Print Queue. Keep in mind, if a notification on a step is set to Paper, and there is an email template on this step, it will not send or print out. The notification rule Paper should be used to send items such as letter templates, documents, reports, or attachments.
  • Email: This notification type will notify the role in the Send To field at this step by email only. It will send any attachment, Letter Templates, Documents, or Reports as attachments on the email. However, if a homeowner does not have a primary email on file, then the system will not send them an email notification. 
  • Electronic (General User Preference): This notification type will notify the homeowner by either Email or Text depending on which preference they selected on the homeowner portal. It will default to email if they have not manually changed it on the portal.
  • Paper and Electronic: This notification type will send the homeowner both an Email or Text notification also with a paper copy that is sent to the print queue. This is commonly used for Violations, it will send the email/text to the homeowner so they are aware of the Violation in a timely manner but if it is required they also receive a paper copy then this is the notification type for this situation because they will receive a paper copy also.
  • (Billing User Preference): This notification type will send any billing to the homeowner by their Billing User Preference on their homeowner account.
  • Electronic (Billing User Preference): This notification type will send all billing to the homeowner by either Email or Text depending on their Billing User Preference on their homeowner account. The homeowner billing preference will default to Email unless manually changed on the portal.
  • Electronic Preference, If None Then Paper: This notification type will send any communication on this step by the Electronic preference selected on the homeowners account unless there is not an electronic preference, then it will send any letter templates/documents to the print queue.
• Include in Reconciliation (Invoice category only):
  This rule will be used on the step PrePaid (Expense or AutoDraft) on the invoice action type. What this rule does is make this step an option when setting up a contract on the Services screen and when performing a Post Expense on the Reconciliation screen.
• Closing Package Rate (Closing Category only): 
  Non-functional 
• Block Payments:
  This rule is most commonly used in collections. When the "Block Payments" box is selected, it will remove the payment option from the portal and prevents banks and users from processing a manual payment. However, accounts which have recurring payments set up need to be manually turned off.  It is also included on the validation file for most banking partners to prevent payments from being processed in the Lockbox. 

• Block Ledger:

  This rule is most commonly used in collections. This will block a homeowner from having the ability to view their ledger on the homeowner portal.
• Hold Collections:
  Any homeowner who is included in an action item step with 'Hold Collections' will not be processed in the collections process even if they have delinquent charges. This is commonly used when a new homeowner moves into a new property and a 30 day or so grace period for Collections/Fees are held to give the homeowner time to adjust and make the proper payments.
• Hold Fees:
  Any homeowner who is included in an action item step with 'Hold Fees' will not be processed in any fee processes even if they have delinquent charges. This is commonly used when a new homeowner moves in and a 30 day or so grace period for Collections/Fees are held to give the homeowner time to adjust and make the proper payments.
• Statement Message:
  This rule will override the Statement Message that is on the Company Info screen. This message will appear at the bottom of all homeowner statements.
• Create Action Item (Generation category only):
  This rule will only be used on what Vantaca calls Generation Action Types. What this rule does and what Generation Action Types do are once it hits this step on the action item, it will automatically kick-off an additional action item. An example of this would be when sending out portal logins to homeowners. If sending out portal logins, Vantaca has an action type of Generate Portal Login which will automatically create the action item of New Portal Login for all homeowners that are included on the Generate Portal Login. This allows an individual to only have to make one action item (Generate Portal Logins) but that one action item can kick off hundreds of other action items (New Portal Logins).
• Type of Alert (Alert category only):
  This rule will allow a user to choose from the options Vantaca has to offer for alerts. These action types do not change/kick-off any actual action. These action types are used to alert a user of notifications such as Service Provider Insurance Expiring, Vendor ACH, and Low Bank Balance.
• Alert Criteria (# of days):
  This rule can be used to alert a user in advance to whatever the number of days that are set on this rule. For example, on Vantaca's default Service Provider Insurance Alert on the Alert Criteria (# of days) rule is set to 60. This will alert the user 60 days before a service provider's insurance expires.
• Combine Attachments:
  This rule, if the box is checked, will combine all attachments on this step into a single PDF.
• Decision Required?:
  • Board Decision: This rule is used for action types such as Collections/Violations/Invoices. What this rule does is give the board members the Approve/Decline buttons. Once Approve/Decline is selected by a board member if Approve is selected it will give them the choice of what is in Next Step if Yes, if Decline is selected it will give them the choice of what is in Next Step if No.
  • Management Co Decision: This rule is used for action types that need/want to have an Approve/Decline button. Once Approve/Decline is selected by a user if Approve is selected it will give them the choice of what is in Next Step if Yes if Decline is selected it will give them the choice of what is in Next Step if No. 
  • Mgmt Co AND Board: Functions the same as Management Co Decision. Currently has no additional function.
  • Mgmt Co OR Board: Functions the same as Management Co Decision. Currently has no additional function.
  • Board Vote: Board Vote allows functionality of the Vote feature in the Board Portal. This currently only functions for ARC Category Action Types. For more information about Board Voting, visit Setup for Architectural Review (ARC) Voting.
    
• Additional Action:
  This rule will allow for the step on this action type to perform an additional action. An example of this would be when processing an Ownership Transfer. The Ownership Transfer action item, once the transfer is complete, will automatically kick-off the action item of New Owner Setup. Which is an action item that is created on a new homeowner's account to send information such as a Welcome Packet, Portal Login, etc.. Additional Actions will differ depending on what Category this action type is in. For a more detailed explanation of Additional Actions review the Action Step Additional Actions article.
• Next Step if Yes: 
  This rule is used in a few instances. One is if an action item should go from one step to another step that is not the next linear step. For example, if an action item should go from Step 30 'ARC Approved' to Step 70 'Complete', since the step 'Complete' is the next linear step on the action item then it should be in the field Next Step If Yes. Another use for Next Step If Yes is if there is a Decision Required. If a Decision Required is set on this action item then it will limit the user/board member/ARC member to step the action item to whatever steps are in Next Step if Yes & Next Step if No. For example, Vantaca's default ARC Action Type gives the ARC Chair four options to step the ARC Request.

• Next Step if No:
  The only time Next Step if No is used is when wanting to limit a user/board member/ARC member to certain steps and there also needs to be a Decision Required to lock them in. This will limit the user/board member/ARC member to step the action item to whatever steps are in Next Step if Yes & Next Step if No. For example, Vantaca's default ARC Action Type gives the ARC Chair four options to step the ARC Request.

Questions to Ask Yourself