How To Enter A New Debtor
This document discusses entering a new Debtor in your Collect! database. It is assumed that you have signed into Collect!
as a user with access rights to enter information into the fields on the Debtor form.
Overview
Collect! ships with a fully functional Demo database that shows you many features and functions. The same setup is available
in the Masterdb database that you will use as your working database. The simplest setup is achieved if you can use the
Status Codes, Contact Plans, Transaction Types, Pick Lists, and User Levels that Collect! provides by default.
If you can, it is recommended that you use the defaults to get up and running quickly. You can always make
modifications later as the need arises.
If you have been using Collect! for some time, you may not have the default plans, codes and other setup
items in your working database. Perhaps you have already made modifications.
Opening The Debtor Form
There are several ways to access the Debtor form, as described in the Help topic, Debtor Basics. We are going to use the
Client's Debtor list in this walk through to encourage you to enter your Client settings before entering debtors into
your system. That way, many settings will come through to each Debtor automatically, such as Client, Rate, and Operator.
In Collect!, each Debtor must be attached to a Client so that all the month end financials will calculate
correctly when you are figuring your commission and what you owe your clients.
1. Select Browse from the top menu bar and then select Clients from the drop-down choices. The list of all clients will be
displayed.
2. Choose the Client whose new Debtor you are about to enter.
3. When the correct Client form is displayed, you can select the ADVANCED button on the Client form, if necessary, to enter,
modify or simply verify the settings, such as Commission Rate, Tax Rate, Operator assigned to new accounts and other settings
you may need. When you are finished with the Client Settings form, select the OK button to close it and return to the
Client form.
4. Click into the Debtor List (it may be empty). You may be prompted to enter a new debtor or you can press F3 or select
the New icon. A new Debtor form will be displayed.
An important question will help you to enter your debtor information correctly right from the start. Will you ever
need to report the information to a credit bureau? If so, you will need to pay special attention to the fields on
the Debtor form. Many are related to information that will be sent to the credit bureaus when you produce a CBR file.
You will notice that some fields have a FOR CBR note attached to them when you view the pop up help for the field.
These are fields where information must be entered in a particular way if you ever intend to report this debtor
to credit bureaus. These fields have additional information in the field help that outlines the proper formats required.
Print The Help Topic
Now that you have accessed the Debtor form, press F1 to display the Help topic for the form. If you receive a prompt that
"Field Name is required", just click into the field below the Debtor name and you will then be able to press F1 to view the
help. Please print this topic as we will use it in the discussion that follows.
Press Ctrl + P to bring up the Print dialog. Press OK to print the topic.
Close the browser and you will be looking at the Debtor form again.
What Do You See?
Notice the fields on the Debtor form that are filled in automatically by Collect! when you create a new account
for an existing Client.
1. Locate the File field and notice the number that Collect! has assigned to this account. Read details from your printout
for the File field.
2. Locate the Client field and next to it, the Client's number.
3. Locate the Mode field. Collect! automatically fills this with 'Active'. This is the correct Mode for all accounts
that you are working. It ensures correct calculations of financials an enables your operators to work the accounts
from their WIP Lists. View the Pick List choices by selecting the arrow in this field. Read details from your printout.
4. Locate the Listed field and read details. Depending on your Client setup, there may also be a date in the Delnqnt field.
5. Locate the Rate field and read details.
6. There may or may not be a Contact Plan scheduled to run on new accounts. If there is a plan scheduled, you will see
its "Action code" in a box right under the Settle field.
If there is a Contact Plan scheduled, pull down the System menu and choose Contact Management Settings,
Contact Plans. Choose View from the sub-menu. Locate the Code in this list and click to open the Contact Plan.
Examine the plan and its events to see what actions are performed automatically on new accounts. Click OK until
you are back at the Debtor form.
Enable Popup Help
Popup help should be enabled while you are entering a new Debtor. Many fields require special formatting if you intend
to report to credit bureaus and popup help alerts you to them.
Select Help from the top menu bar and then select 'Enable popup help' from the drop-down choices. If it is already enabled,
you do not have to do anything to begin to use it. Simply hold your mouse over the field of your choice and help will display.
Entering Debtor Information
Use the information you printed out to guide you as you fill the fields on the Debtor form, or hold your mouse over
each field to read the details for that particular field.
1. Note how Collect! requires that you enter the Debtor's name, i.e. Last Name, First Middle.
2. Pay special attention to all references to credit bureau (FOR CBR) in popup help. If you ever intend to report this Debtor to
credit bureaus, enter information in CBR fields the way it is shown in your printout.
3. Read the information about ADDRESS OK. This is very important for printing letters to this Debtor.
4. Fill in all other fields as you require.
Pay special attention to CBR requirements for Address, Date of Birth, Driver's License and other
information. Use your print out to highlight these areas.
5. Press the Group button to add this Debtor to a Group of matching accounts.
6. Select the CBR tab to bring up Credit Bureau details, if applicable.
7. Select the COSIGNERS tab to enter Cosigner information.
8. Be sure to assign an Operator to this Debtor. Press F2 in the Operator field to view the list of Operators. If you are
not using the defaults provided, you will need to create your own operators and add them to this list. Operator Setup is not
covered in this topic. Depending on your Client setup, an Operator may have already been assigned in the Operator field.
The Operator ID is needed to assign contacts to this Debtor and to track information and calculate
commissions. It is also useful in Batch Processing routines.
9. Be sure to choose a Debtor Status Code. Press F2 in the Status Code field to view the list of Status Codes.
The Debtor Status Code is very useful as a search criterion for sorting and reporting purposes as well as
Batch Processing.
10. Enter financial information for this Debtor as necessary. Click into the Principal field to open the Financial Detail form.
Press F1 for help on each aspect of entering Principal, Rate, Interest and other financial data when the Financial Detail
form is displayed. Depending on your Client setup, this account may already have a Commission Rate assigned to it.
11. Select the Contacts tab to schedule a Contact for the Debtor. You must schedule an initial Contact to "get the Debtor into
the system." You must assign an Operator and schedule a Contact so that the Debtor will show up in the Operator's
Work In Progress To Do List.
If you schedule a letter contact for this Debtor, make sure the letters that you need have already been
defined. Pull down the Print menu and choose Customize Printing, Edit Report Templates. Make sure the letters you
need are listed in the Report Definitions list.
12. If you have any additional information about this Debtor, you could enter it in an Attachment. Select the Attachment tab to
open the form. Be aware that you can tag Attachments so that they show up on the Debtor form. Read the information
about the A1, A2, and A3 tabs.
13. Click in the Notes tab and the click into the text area. The Text Editor will open and you can type whatever other
information you need. The note will display in the Notes. It is automatically stamped with the current date, time, status
and the current Operator's ID.
14. When you are satisfied that you have entered all the information that you want to enter, press OK or F8 to
save the record. At this time, any previously scheduled contact plan (the code showing up in the Action field) will
automatically run on the account. You will be returned to the Client form.
15. Press F3 to enter another new Debtor for this Client. Or select OK to close the Client form and choose another Client.
16. Click OK to close the Client list and return to the Main Menu.
Financial Information
All areas regarding setup of account financial information are accessed while on the Debtor form. Entering the original balance
when you start up an account, setting up the interest if needed, and charging collection or legal fees, are all handled from the
Financial Detail form accessed while viewing the Debtor form.
Click into the debtor's Principal field to open the Financial Detail form.
Once these initial values are set, the next stage is to post transactions for payments, adjustments or additional fees
and charges. These are done through the Transactions tab on the Debtor form.
Select the NEW button when you are are viewing the list of debtor's transaction. This will open a new Transaction form.
Commission Rate should be displayed on the Debtor form if you entered your Client settings correctly when you set up your
client. You can view or modify these settings at the Debtor level by selecting the Principal field. This will open the
Financial Detail form. Select the Commission tab.
To register Judgement information, select the Principal field to enter the Judgement details in the Totals area of the
Financial Detail form.
To automate initial fees and charges, access the Financial Detail form and select the Fees tab.
Payments, and adjustments are handled strictly through the posting of appropriate transaction types. You can post or view
transactions by selecting the Transactions tab on the Debtor form. Select the NEW button to post a new transaction.
Summary
This document provided you with a quick overview of entering your debtors into Collect!. There is additional information for each
of the setup areas referred to in the text. Remember when entering your new debtors that setting up your Clients first is the
most efficient way to ensure correct information consistently.
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