On or around November 16, 2004, we intend to update the flexmls™ Web system with the new features described below.
Click here for an online tutorial of the new changes.
1. E-mail Functions
E-mail Templates — When you send e-mail in the system, you can now save and re-use your e-mails (as templates) so you don't have to re-type the same message each time. You also will now be able to set templates for the web message that accompanies your e-mail links.
E-mail Signatures — E-mail signatures are now dynamically included in the automatic e-mails. This change is important because, previously, the signatures were statically included in the e-mails, and would not change even if your contact information in your profile changed. Now, if you change your profile information, your signatures in your auto e-mails will change as well, automatically.
Consumer Opt-Out Links — All automatic e-mails sent from the system will include a link at the bottom to allow the recipient to tell the system to stop sending them e-mails. The member who set up the automatic e-mail event the recipient asks to have stopped will be notified and will have the option of renewing or over-riding the opt-out.
2. User Profile
Marketing Name— Under your Profile, you can now specify a "Marketing Name" in addition to your system name, and also whether to use your marketing or system name on listing reports. This is useful for teams who want their name to show up differently on listing reports than they do in the system itself.
Designations— You can now add designations (such as CRS, GRI, etc.) to your name and specify how and when they should print on listing reports.
3. Searching
Editing Searches — The view/edit search button on the search results toolbar now allows you to edit the address and list number searches.
4. Stat Reports
Revised Categories — The statistical reports have been re-categorized into two main categories, Inventory/Production Reports and Market Trend Reports. The Inventory/Production Reports all report on the inventory or activity for offices and agents, whereas the Market Trend Reports all report on the activity for the MLS as a whole. We've also added descriptions for each report and a sample report to help you learn more about these reports.
5. Tax System
For those accounts with the flexmls Tax system:
Multiple Parcel Number Search — There is now a parcel number search where you can enter multiple parcel numbers for one search.
Eliminate Duplicates Option for Labels — There is now an option to eliminate duplicate labels when the same person shows up in the tax system more than once. An owner is only deemed a duplicate and removed only if all the owner name, address, city, state, and zip are exactly the same.
6. Miscellaneous
Saved Searches Pane on Dashboard — Clicking on the "new" icon for a saved search on the dashboard shows the new matches since the last time you re-set the search as opposed to just in the last 24 hours.
Full Listing Report Links Bar — On each full listing report (standard or custom) there is a new "links bar" at the top providing access to the full photo tour and any virtual tour, documents, open house and other info available for that listing.
Match Prospects from Search Results — Clicking on "Match Prospects" from the Options menu (triangle icon on Search Results screen) for any listing will provide a list of your prospects whose search criteria match that listing. You may then e-mail the listing to selected prospects, edit their searches, or access their contact information.
We hope you find the new features discussed above useful in your business. If you have any questions, please contact the MLS at (888) 525-4747 or e-mail .
flexmls Web Upgrade Notice
On or around July 29, 2004, we intend to update the flexmls™ Web system with the new features described below.
1. Add/Change Listing Changes
Organization of Change Listing Screen — The change listing screen has been slightly reorganized into four main sections: Listings, Multimedia (pictures, documents and virtual tours), Status Change and Scheduled Marketing Activities (such as Open Houses and Tours).
Photo Upload and Viewer — The photo upload function has been significantly enhanced by combining all photo maintenance on a single screen and no longer requiring that photos be attached to specific rooms or details. Unlimited photos can be added with whatever description you want and they also can be ordered (with new drag and drop functionality) as you want in the photo tour.
Document Upload and Viewer — The document upload function has been modified to allow upload of an unlimited number of images or PDF files, and re-ordering, and custom descriptions. The document viewer also has been enhanced to make printing of multiple document images easier.
Status Changes — The status change options are now listed directly on the change listing screen. Additionally, we've added two new status change options, Extend/Expire Listing and for those clients using the Contingency flag to active listings, there is now a Add Contingency option.
Warning for Maximum Remarks for MLS Book — For those clients getting MLS books, there is a new MLS preference to warn users when the maximum length for remarks allowed in the MLS book is reached. This applies to both public and private remarks.
Photo Watermarking — There is a new MLS preference to allow the MLS to place a copyright watermark on all photos uploaded to the system.
Improvements to MLS Only Approve/Reject Function — For those MLS using the approve/reject option for listings, we've enhanced the approve/reject function as follows:
a. Added a link on the "change listing" screen that will allow a listing to be approved without having to download the entire list of unapproved listings.
b. Now allow the MLS the ability to change a listing from approved back to either rejected or not yet approved.
2. CMA
Quick CMA— There is a new Quick CMA function that allows you to skip to the end of the Full CMA and print or e-mail the CMA without filling out all the tabs of the Full CMA.
Statistical CMA— There is now a low, average and high for each statistic.
Subject Templates— You can now set up and save multiple "templates" for the subject tab, choosing what fields are used to describe and compare the subject property for the CMA to the comparables.
Auto-Populate Subject from Existing Listing— If you are creating a CMA for a property that previously had a listing in the system, you can now use that listing to auto-populate the subject information for the CMA.
Non-MLS Comps— You can now add non-MLS comparables to your CMA. The system also allows you to save those non-MLS comps for use in multiple CMAs and you can share them with others in your office or company. The non-MLS comps will not be available to those outside your office or company.
Ability to Sort Side-by-Side Comparison by Status— There is new option to allow you to sort the Side-by-Side comparison report on the CMA by status. By default, the report sorts according to whatever sort order you had specified in your comparable search. This new option allows you to change that sort order to sort by status.
Print CMA— There is a new Print CMA button on the Full CMA.
Adjustment Tab— The comps listed on the adjustment tab are now identified by address instead of list number, and the address links to the full listing report so you can display the full details while making adjustments.
CMA from Listing Cart— You can now create a CMA from a listing cart.
3. Listing Exports
Custom Exports — Under Preferences, there is a new option that allows you to define multiple export templates to customize what fields are downloaded from the system when you use the export function on the search results screen.
4. Searching
Saved Searches — The saved searches screen has been revised to make it easier to read and to determine new matches for your searches. There are now more prominent links to view new activity in the last 24-hours and to set a time from which to track new activity.
Default Last Three Zeroes on Price Fields — There is a new MLS preference that allows the MLS to specify that price fields will include the last three zeroes of the price. For example, if searching for listings in a price range of 200,000 to 250,000, users will only have to enter the 200 and 250 part of the price and the last three zeroes will be included automatically. The user can still edit the last three zeroes if they want.
5. Search Results
Return to Original Search from Listing Cart — After adding listings to a listing cart, there is now an option to return to the original search from which the listings were selected.
Office and Agent Codes — The office and agent codes now appear along with the name on the search results screen for the office and agent columns if selected on a view.
Listing Data Error Reporting Form — If you see a data error on a listing, you can use the new listing error reporting form under the options drop down next to the listing number to report the error directly to the listing office.
Co-listing Agents — There is a new MLS preference to make co-listing agents appear along with the listing agent when the listing agent column is added to the spreadsheet view.
Printing of Views with Agent Contact Info — There is a new MLS preference to automatically include agent contact info when a view is printed that includes the agent or office columns.
Return to Search Results from Listing Cart — There is a new function to allow you to return to the original search after you add listings to a listing cart.
6. Tax System Changes. For those clients with tax systems, the following new features have been added:
Save Searches — You can now save your tax searches.
Property Cart — "Cart" functionality similar to what has been available for listings has been made available in the tax system.
Views — You can now customize your own tax search result spreadsheet views, similar to what is available for listing spreadsheet views.
Label Print/Export Function — There is a new label function that will allow you to print or export data to a file from the tax system in label format for mailings.
New Toolbar — The search results toolbar has been enhanced to the same look and feel as the listing search results screen.
Note: If your MLS currently does not have a tax system option but you are interested, please contact Michael Wurzer, Steve Schlangen or Chris Hustad at FBS at 800-437-4232.
7. Prospecting
Print Prospect Lists — There is a new option to print complete lists of prospects by group.
Double-Click on Prospects — Double-clicking on a prospect name will automatically take you to the edit prospect screens.
Phone Number Entry — There is a new MLS preference to enable automatic formatting of phone numbers entered for prospects.
Fax Number — We've moved the fax number entry to the General information tab for prospects so it is more readily available. Previously, it was on the Additional Info tab.
Auto E-mail Setup — When setting up an auto e-mail event for a prospect, we've added the ability to see the contents of a view to make selection of what to e-mail easier.
8. Miscellaneous
Office/Member Search — The Office/Member Search has been substantially revised to make it easier to use and faster to return results. You can now search for a member or office simply by typing in any part of their name, office code, or zip code. Clicking on the name will display details for that member or office.
Data Sharing of Documents — For those MLSs utilizing the flexmls cross-MLS data sharing feature, you can now see attached documents from listings from data sharing MLSs.
Stat Reports — The Production Report now has support for company level statistics.
MLS E-mail — The user short ID is now included with the user's name in the MLS E-mail function.
Multiple Browser Support — We've made further improvements to the system to work on multiple browsers, including Internet Explorer, Mozilla, Firefox, Opera and Safari (for the Macintosh).
9. Upgrades to flexmls Wireless
flexmls Wireless. For any of you who have web-capable phones or PDAs, you can go to http://wireless.flexmls.com to use a special version of the flexmls system called flexmls Wireless. Although this system has been available for quite some time, as more and more phones become available with web access, this system is getting more use. We hope to see that trend continue and have added several new features to make it more useful:
Link to Information — Under User Guides, there is a link to a PDF file explaining the flexmls Wireless functionality in more detail.
Listing Report — The full listing detail report has been enhanced to make the main list fields, including remarks, available immediately and quick links to see the detail, room and agent information.
Eliminated Downloading of Large Lists — To make the system faster, we've eliminated the downloading of long selection lists and simply converted those fields into text search fields.
Improved Navigation — There is now a navigation menu at the bottom of the screen so you can always get back "home" or to the last major function in the Wireless system without starting over.
We hope you find the new features discussed above useful in your business. If you have any questions, please contact FBS at (888) 525-4747 or e-mail support@flexmls.com.
