Script for Monitoring Sliding Expire Date

A user recently asked if ZonePro could help them take a more proactive approach to warning their customers about building permits that are about to expire. The simple answer was to run a report at any time using the Expire Date field to find any permits that were due to expire soon. The problem was the Expire Date needed to keep pace with inspections. So we discussed a plan. Their building permits expire within six months if there is no activity, so each time an inspection occurs the Expire Date should be pushed out another six months. When the project is complete, the Expire Date should be removed. If they follow that plan, it will be easy to report on permits nearing the expiration deadline. The trick is to remember to change the Expire Date as needed. To that end I created a script that runs from the Close button that checks to make sure the Expire Date is six months greater than the most recent Last Inspect date. It not it displays a message that tells the user what the new Expire Date should be. You can try this script for yourself by copying it from the "User Script Examples From Customers" download on the Scripts page of our web site.

Nine New Training Videos Added

New training videos are now available for all of the new features announced for ZonePro in the latest newsletter. After you read the newsletter, go to our Training Videos page to see demonstrations of the new features, then you'll be more than ready for the upgrade!

Auto Numbering Contractor Licenses

Yesterday I had a customer ask if there is a way to auto number the License Number field in the Contractor database. That field is not like the ID or Permit fields where ZonePro automatically suggests the next number in sequence for you, but with the new scripting options we added in the previous upgrade its easy to add this option to the screen. We created a script that he executes by clicking on the Script button whenever he wants the next License number plugged into the License field. You can try out the script we devised in the "User Script examples from Customers" download on the Scripts page of our web site.

Newsletters Converted to PDF Files

On the Downloads page of our web site I have converted the last three years worth of newsletters from Word files to PDF files. This format makes it easy to view the old newsletters directly from the web site and you can still print them if you desire. Once again I am going to give kudos to PDF995.com for their easy-to-use product. I first mentioned this product in a May journal entry.

New Release Available

The third and final upgrade release for ZonePro in 2008 is now available. Newsletters should be arriving soon, you can also view the newsletter online. The ZP Toolbox module got a lot of attention in this upgrade including two new tools: the Code Library and the Permit Mover. Other Toolbox enhancements include a redesign of the Export Utility to make it easier to use, and shortcut access to the Solo Document Cleaner screen to remove embedded printer info. Other general enhancements include the expansion of first name fields in the Property Screen, Contractor Screen, and Contact File Screen. A calculator has been added to ZonePro to make it easier to fill in numeric fields. All of the maintenance screens now have their own document screens to add more flexibility when printing that information. As is now our custom we will begin creating training videos for the new features and posting them on our web site. Look for those over the next two weeks.

Code Library Project Help Needed

It's always been a goal to get the ZonePro community of users to share experiences and information with each other. I have undertaken a new project that will incorporate that idea right into the ZonePro product. The project is called the Code Library. The Code Library is simply a collection of violation codes, housing codes and fire codes that have been created by existing ZonePro users. The plan is that ZP users can peruse this library to look at examples of violation codes that other customers are using. You library also lets you borrow codes by copying any of the ones you like to your own maintenance databases. In my original vision this product was going to be available on our web site completely independent of ZonePro. In the end I decided to add it to the product itself to make it more accessible. It will be part of the ZP Toolbox Module in the next release and you'll be able to launch it right from the Maintenance Options Screen. The Code Library will be extremely valuable to novice ZonePro users but I think experienced users will get value out of it too. What I need though is a large enough collection of codes to make it worth using. The codes in the library need to come from existing customers in order to have any value. If you have a decent list in your Violation Codes, Housing Codes, Fire Codes maintenance databases please help out your fellow ZonePro users and contribute to the project. Just contact us and we'll tell you how to e-mail the information we need.