What is the Model Association and How Does it Work?

Summary: This article will detail what the model association is and how it works. Specifically, what items are automatically copied to other existing associations, what you have to copy, etc.

Every management company database in Vantaca will have a model association. Model associations act as a template for new associations that are added once you have gone live. 

As you are setting up your database prior to going live, and after you have gone live, you may wonder what impact changes made to the model association may have on your other existing associations. Below are the correlations between the model and existing associations as detailed by each screen.

Association Settings

Association settings can be edited by going to Associations > Settings. The settings that you select for the model association will automatically copy to all of the other associations. This means that the model should be set up as a generic starting point for all existing and new associations. If there is an association that needs to have settings different than the model, you can select that association and update the settings. For example, the association below, "New Association", is currently using a different process for A/R (See highlighted section). When certain fields are different on an association than the Model, it will be indicated with the 'X Use Model'. If the 'X Use Model' button is selected, then that setting will default back to the Model association setting. Note: Association settings will carry over from the model association to other associations using it, even when the model association's Status is set to Not Managed or Onboarding.

Documents

When you are on-boarding with Vantaca you will be asked to build out your folder and document structures in the model association. Once you have built the folder structure, you will need to copy any folders you would like in additional associations manually. To copy a folder, right click on the folder you wish to copy and select Copy Folder.

Once you select "Copy Folder" the screen below will open. On this screen you will see the check box to Include Files. If you would like the contents of the folder to be copied along with the folder itself, check this box. When unchecked, the folder will be copied without its contents. The checkbox below Include Files when clicked will copy to all of the associations. When not selected, you will need to select one or more associations to copy the folder to.

Once the folder structure is set up on the model association, it will automatically copy to all new associations that you add to your database. 

GL Accounts

The only time you can change or add GL Accounts for all associations, including the model, is from the Settings > GL Accounts page. Here you will find the master list of GL Accounts.

From this screen you can select the GL Account to be default or not. If a GL Account is default, it will automatically show up in the "Used" GLs for every association. If it is not default, the GL will show up in the "UnUsed" area for each association. These default GLs will become your Model Chart of Accounts for all associations that you add to your database after Go-Live. If you provided a Model Chart of Accounts to be imported, it will override whatever you have marked as default in the master list (Settings > GL Accounts) prior to the import. 

Note: Any changes that are made from the Association > GL Accounts screen will only impact the selected Association. 

GL Groups, found on Association > GL Accounts > GL Groups, will automatically follow the Model Association unless edited. All new associations will follow the Model. If you edit an associations GL Groups and you would like for it to follow the Model again, you will need to delete all the GL Groups and then Vantaca will recopy from the Model. 

Additional Info

To access additional information for an association go to Association > Additional Info. Once on that page, you can select any association. Any information entered for the model association will not be automatically copied to the other existing associations, said information must be manually copied to them. To copy association additional information, navigate to Association > Additional Info and select the association you wish to copy from. In the screenshot below, the Model is selected.

Once the Copy button is clicked, a new window will open with some additional options.

The highlighted check box will select all associations, this allows you to copy the item to all associations. The check boxes next to each association's name will allow you to select individual association(s) to be copied. Once you click "Select" a dialogue box will open that says "Any existing additional info will be overwritten. Are you sure you wish to continue?" This is letting you know that any additional info that already exists in the selected association(s) will be overwritten by the additional info that you are copying. Click "Yes" to continue. After that, the selected information will be copied to the associations that were selected.

Note: Any new associations added after Go-Live, will take on the fields and data that are on the model association.

Calendar Events

To go to the association calendar, navigate to Association > Calendar.

You can then select an association and create the desired event. For more information on creating an event, please review the Association Calendar Instructions article.

Calendar events created in the model association are automatically copied to new associations when they are set up using the model. You can also copy calendar events to existing associations manually. The best practice is to create all recurring events in the model first. To copy an event to existing associations, click the Copy Event button.

In the window that opens, select an event to copy and select what associations you would like to copy it to.

The dropdown to the right of arrow 1 is where you will select the event you would like to copy to another association. The box next to arrow number 2 when clicked will select all associations. Use this if you would like to copy the event to all of your other associations. Arrow 3 indicates the check box that will allow you to select one, or more, associations to copy the event to. Once you have selected the appropriate associations, click Select at the bottom right to finalize your changes.

Note: All new associations added after Go-Live will automatically have all of the events on the model calendar.

The below items are automatically copied to all associations when added or edited on Model for when a new association is created:

• Association>Settings
• Association>GL Groups
  *Note: if you change an association's GL group or setting row to be different from the Model, any future changes in the Model will no longer affect that Association's GL Groups or Setting row that differs.

Items that can be copied to an individual, multiple, or all associations:

• Assessments: When a new association is created using the Model Association, the system automatically copies the assessment structure/configuration and the assessment rules from the Model Association (this includes NSF rules, Admin rules, and potentially other rule types)
  • The automatic rule copying happens at the moment the association is created by the system (not manually by a user).
  • If an association has been manually modified by a user, the Model Association will NOT automatically update it.
• Services 
  • Service Contracts
• Calendar Events
• Documents
  • Folders
  • Files
• Association Additional Info

Items that can be marked Used/Unused:

• ARC Types
• CCR Items
• GL Accounts

Items that have a model screen but need to be entered per association and does not copy from model during new association setup:

• Addresses
• Aliases 
• Bank Accounts
• Board Members
• Funds
• Insurance

FAQ

Q: Can I have multiple model associations in my database?

A: Yes! To create additional model associations:

1. Navigate to Association > Association List
2. Click the New Association button
3. Select Model from the Type dropdown
4. Complete the setup for your new model association

Once created, your new model association will appear in the Model dropdown whenever you add a new association.