Feature Spotlight: Client Keyword Search

What use is an agency management system if you cannot locate your customers quickly, and easily? Newton’s client keyword search is easy to use, comprehensive, and efficient.

Feature Spotlight: Client Keyword Search

Easy to Use

Newton’s powerful keyword search only requires a single entry field. Select Find Client and just start typing. As you type, suggested matches are provided that can be selected, like a google search. Finding a client with an uncommon name has never been easier.

Comprehensive

The Client Keyword Search allows the operator to find clients by: Name, DBA Name, Address, Phone number, and E-mail address. The Client Keyword Search includes client contacts as well as drivers.

The Client Keyword Search can find partial matches, including incomplete telephone numbers. The last four digits of a phone number are almost always enough to narrow your results to the right client.

The Client Keyword Search will even locate common aliases, such as Bob or Robert, or abbreviations such as first.
Newton’s comprehensive search simultaneously searches multiple data fields, without requiring any additional steps from you.

Efficient

How many times have you been reviewing a client’s account, only to be interrupted by a request for information on another client? The client keyword search is available from any tab, with a single mouse click, or a single press of the keyboard. When a client is selected, a new client tab is created, leaving your existing customer accounts preserved, right where you left them.

Have you ever forgotten the name of a client you were recently servicing? Locating a recently loaded client doesn’t require running complicated history reports in Newton.

To load a previously viewed client, open the Client Keyword Search window and select Load Recent. The history list contains the client name, address, and the amount of time passed since the client was opened. Select the desired client from the history list to quickly load that client.

The Client Keyword Search is one simple example of how Agency Systems focuses on the procedures and tasks everybody uses every day.

General availability of the spring update to Newton by Agency Systems will be announced soon.

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Newton Release Notes: March 2017

Feature Spotlight: Agency Bulletin

The Agency Bulletin is the optimal place for office announcements made by an office manager. Office lunches, meetings, procedure reminders, outside visitor alerts, or staff birthday messages can all be quickly entered, without leaving Newton.

Feature Spotlight: Agency Bulletin

When a user opens Newton, the Agency Bulletin is automatically displayed.

Agency Bulletin
Agency Bulletin

Select Edit or Open to view the full details of the bulletin. Users with security can quickly make edits, and select Okay to save any changes.

Agency Bulletin Edit
Agency Bulletin Edit

If the Agency Bulletin is edited during the day, the Agency Bulletin text is automatically updated with the User Dashboard for each Newton user.

The Agency Bulletin is one simple example of how Agency Systems focuses on the procedures and tasks everybody uses every day.

The Agency Bulletin is included in the Newton Spring 2017 update. General availability of the spring update will be announced soon.

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Newton Release Notes: March 2017

Forms – Export A Spreadsheet Of Certificate Holders And Property Interests

The list of certificate holders and property interests assigned to a certificate can be exported to a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet. The spreadsheet of certificate holders and property interests includes the interest fax number, email address, and all risk properties for the interest.

Export a spreadsheet of certificate holders and property interests

  1. Open a certificate of insurance.
  2. Select Other -> Print Selected Holders.
  3. Choose the desired holders by selecting the individual check boxes, selecting “Check All / Uncheck All”, or by right-clicking and selecting “Check Holders with / without email”.
    Spreadsheet of Certificate Holders
    Export a spreadsheet of certificate holders
  4. Select Export to create the spreadsheet.
    Spreadsheet of certificate holders
    Spreadsheet of certificate holders
  5. Select Print or Save As within Microsoft Excel.
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Videos: Certificates

Automatically Create Trust Accounting Reports

The reconciliation functions in Newton provide the ability to generate reports from the archive of processed items. The reconciliation functions can also be configured to automatically create and store .PDF copies of the trust accounting reports as each item is processed.

Automatically create trust accounting reports

The .PDF copies of the automatic trust accounting reports can be stored on the various attachment bands within Newton (Client Tab -> Attachments, Company Tab -> Attachments), or externally in a user-specified folder.

  • Reconcile Producer Payables can optionally email the producer’s .PDF report in addition to placing the .PDF archive in the user-specified Archive folder.
  • These settings apply to both individual reconciles and Batch Reconcile Company/Producer Payables.
  • The automatic actions do not require any additional steps, clicks, or prompts during processing.
Automatically Create Trust Accounting Reports
Automatically Create Trust Accounting Reports
Reconcile functions with automatic actions:
  • Bank Deposit Wizard
  • Bank Reconcile
  • Client Receivables
  • Company Payables
  • Company Receivables
  • Producer Payables (Includes .PDF or email)

Configure invoice reconcile actions

  1. Select AP -> Reconcile Payables.
  2. Select Other -> Select Actions When Reconcile Completes…
  3. Check to enable or disable the different report options. If Save report to archive is selected for any option, select the desired Archive Folder.
    Configure Automatic Actions
    Configure Automatic Actions

    (Each Newton user can have a different archive folder, providing the option to store the files in a secure local folder on the workstation.)

  4. Select OK.
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Newton Release Notes: March 2017

Forms – Keyboard and Data Entry Shortcuts

Creating ACORD forms with Newton presents the user with an interactive entry view of the ACORD form. This view removes the confusion with risk entry screens, since the user does not have to determine which risk field will populate a corresponding field on the final form. Some ACORD forms contain hundreds of entry fields, with options to import data from driver, equipment, property, or vehicle schedules. Newton has been updated with improved visibility and new keyboard and data entry shortcuts, resulting in easier page navigation and more efficient data entry.

Better Visibility – Button Color Design

With each release of Newton, visibility updates are executed based on design changes in Microsoft Windows. Microsoft has implemented a more modern, flat design for the operating system, including how buttons are displayed.

Buttons within forms now have color to assist with visual identification within a complex ACORD form.

Button Color Design
Button Color Design

Keyboard and Data Entry Shortcuts

New keyboard shortcuts have been added to the forms entry interface for quickly moving up and down the page. In addition, a new <CTRL + TAB> option is available to jump to the top of the next page. The new shortcuts allow the operator to quickly navigate without taking their hands off of the keyboard.

  • PgUp – Move page upward and move tab location.
  • PgDown – Move page down and move tab location.
  • Ctrl-PgUp – Move to top of page and first tab location.
  • Ctrl-PgDown – Move to bottom of page and last tab location.
  • Ctrl-Tab – Move to next page and pop to top and first tab location.
  • Ctrl-Shift-Tab – Move to previous page and pop to top and first tab location.
  • Shift-PgDown – Move forward 10 tab spots, if that moves to next page then turn page and select first tab stop.
  • Shift-PgUp – Move backward 10 tab spots, if that moves to previous page then turn page and select last tab stop.

A number of ACORD forms now contain data entry shortcut buttons for question pages to “mark all answers no”. Selecting the data entry shortcut button will place a ‘N’ for each question within the section. Some forms have multiple buttons, one for each section, such as the ACORD 83 Personal Umbrella Application.

Keyboard and Data Entry Shortcuts
Keyboard and Data Entry Shortcuts

Property Location Description

The Property Schedule can now import the property address into the location description field. The location description field is located on a number of certificates to display location information for property interests.

Import Property Location Description
Import Property Location Description

The location description field is also populated automatically by download for new properties, or existing properties if empty.

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Newton Release Notes: March 2017

Forms – Quickly Find and Select the Right Form

The library of different ACORD forms available can make the process of selecting the correct form difficult. The Newton new form window provides a number of ways to filter the list of forms quickly, allowing you to find and select the right form.

Find and Select the Right Form

The list can be filtered by typing the name of a form, or the number of a form. For example “truck” for trucking application, or “25” for the ACORD 25 Certificate of Liability.

  • The entered filter can be viewed in the title bar of the window.
  • To clear the filter, press <backspace>.
Find and Select the Right Form
New Form – Type to filter list

New Features For 2017

As part of the Newton 2017 update, the new form window has been enhanced with a few additional features. The new form window now displays a date column by default, providing an easier way to select legacy forms as needed. There is also a checkbox to show hidden and replaced forms, such as expired versions that have been replaced with newer revisions.

The new form window is displayed from many locations in the system, including the updated standard menus included with the Newton 2017 update.

Policy Dashboard – Create Item
Policy Dashboard – Create Item
Policy & Billing – Create or View Item
Policy & Billing – Create or View Item
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Newton Release Notes: March 2017

User Preferences and Customizations

The Newton by Agency Systems design focuses on anticipating what users might need to do, and ensures that the interface has elements that are easy to access, understand, and use to facilitate those actions. Even with an intuitive user interface, it is important to provide a flexible list of options based on the unique needs of each user.

With the latest release of Newton, there are a number of new user preferences which can be modified to work best with the unique workflows that each user follows every day. The new expanded user preferences were designed to improve flexibility and accessibility for our diverse range of customers.

How do I access the user preferences?

Each user can modify a number of options specific to their Newton operator code. Select Other -> Preferences from the main menu.

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Preferences
Can I expand the contacts or policies client bands by default?

Yes. Default band settings are available for the Client Dashboard on the User Options tab. Selected types will automatically expand when the Client Dashboard is loaded.

Policy Express and the Diary interface previously opened as a window instead of a tab. Can this be changed?

Yes. Both the Policy Express and the Diary screens are available as either a full screen top tab, or as a classic pop up window. Select the User Options tab, then select either the Policy Express or Diary screen drop-downs and choose the Tabbed or Windows.

How do I increase the font size within Newton?

There are a number of ways to increase the font size within Newton. Select User Options -> Band font size to increase the font used by the information bands on the Dashboard Tab (User), Client Tab, Management Tab, Company Tab, and more.

For additional font and usability options, see: Usability Options for Agency Systems.

Are there additional options not outlined above?

Yes. The user favorites list is available on the Dashboard Tab, and is specific to the current operator. Additional user preferences are also outlined on the Newton Wiki.

My preferences does not list all of the options pictured above. Do I need an update?

Yes. The options above are included in the latest release of Newton.

I need help understanding some of the new options. Can I schedule a training session?

Yes. Ongoing education with Newton is provided at no charge.

Reconcile Payables – Batch Processing FAQ

Newton contains batch processing options for both Company Payables and Producer Payables. This feature is designed to save the accounting operator time by searching all profiles for any outstanding invoices in a single step.

The batch process will search all companies or producers in the date range specified, saving a reconcile in progress for each individual code.

What is the difference between pay trust amount and pay full amount?

Pay trust amount will only pay a percentage of the amount due based on the amount received from a client (agency bill), or from a company (direct bill). Paying trust amount is common for producer payables to ensure you only pay on invoices which have been paid by the client (agency bill), or company (direct bill) .

Pay full amount will pay the full company payable balance for agency bill invoices, regardless of the client balance. It will also pay the full remaining producer payable balance if the invoice has been paid in part or in full by the client (agency bill), or company (direct bill).

Will the payable checks be created without review?

No. The batch create reconcile screen will simply search for all outstanding invoices based on the selected filters. Once found, the results will be displayed for review prior to processing.

Can the batch process be used without creating the checks in a batch?

Yes. Reconcile payables batch can be used to only find the invoices if desired. It is recommended to use the Reconcile Payables batch interface to start your monthly reconciles, even if they will be processed individually. Instead of searching for outstanding invoices for each code individually, the Batch Create Reconciles screen will search all profiles automatically.

Once found, individual payables can be reviewed and adjusted using the same standard reconcile payables interface. The standard reconcile screen can be accessed from the batch process reconcile screen, or by resuming a saved reconcile in progress (Other -> Reconcile Payables -> Load a reconcile in progress).

What is the difference between the Producer Statement and Reconcile Producer Payables?

Newton can handle both balance forward and open-item accounting. The producer statement is a balance forward report, while reconcile producer payables is an open-item accounting report.

In a balance forward accounting system, all payments and invoices are applied against the total balance owed on the account. In balance forward accounting, you make no attempt to specifically pay the individual invoices. The payments simply reduce the total balance owed by the amount paid.

In an open-item accounting system, all payments are recorded against specific invoices. Reconcile Producer Payables will only show invoices still due to the producer, where the client has paid or the company has paid in full, or in part. Reconcile Producer Payables can be used to pay the trust amount, or only a portion of the total amount due, based on the receivable balance. All payments are applied directly to invoices, allowing the agency more specific reporting and control.

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Reconcile Payables Batch

Daily Bank Deposit With Cash On-Hand Account

This video outlines the day-to-day process of accepting cash and check transactions, and creating a single daily bank deposit in Newton by Agency Systems.

Any cash and check transactions received in person are entered into a cash on-hand bank account. The bank account represents any money received by the agency that has not been deposited at the bank. Any electronic funds (EFT) are automatically posted directly to the operating bank account.

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Usability Options for Newton by Agency Systems

This video outlines the process of adjusting a number of usability options and settings both inside and outside of Newton by Agency Systems.

The video contains four settings:

  • Lowering the Microsoft Windows display resolution to increase text size.
  • Adjusting the Microsoft Windows taskbar to increase efficiently switching between windows.
  • Adjusting the information band font size within Agency Systems.
  • Adjusting the dashboard preview pane position and font size.

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