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Product Guide True Microsoft Windows Applications

40 N. Grand Ave., Suite 303 Fort Thomas, Kentucky 41075-1765 Toll Free (800) 659-3739 Phone (859) 441-6566 Fax (859) 441-7152 Web Site www.drfrey.com E-mail [email protected]

PROPRIETARY RIGHTS NOTICE: All rights reserved. This material contains the valuable properties and trade secrets of Donald R. Frey & Company, Inc. embodying substantial creative efforts and confidential information, ideas, and expressions, no part of which may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, or otherwise, including photocopying and recording or in conjunction with any information storage or retrieval systems without permission in writing from Donald R. Frey & Company, Inc. Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 an unpublished work by Donald R. Frey & Company, Inc

Table of Contents Company Background .......................................................................................................................... 1 Frequently Asked Questions ..................................................................................................................................................2

BUCS® Fund Accounting ............................................................................................... 4 BUCS®Fund Accounting Features ................................................................................................................ 6 Sample Screens .............................................................................................................................................. 7 Sample Reports .............................................................................................................................................. 8 Fund Accounting Software Is Different .......................................................................................................................... 12

CHIPS® Payroll System ............................................................................................. 14 CHIPS® Fund Based Payroll Features ........................................................................................................ 16 Sample Screens ............................................................................................................................................ 17 Sample Reports ............................................................................................................................................ 18 Payroll Check Sample........................................................................................................................................................... 23

CUBIC® Utility Billing ............................................................................................... 24 CUBIC® Highlights .................................................................................................................................... 26 Sample Screens ............................................................................................................................................ 27 Sample Bill Formats .................................................................................................................................... 28 Sample Reports ....................................................................................................................................................................... 31

Application Services .............................................................................................................. 36 Customer Support/Training ......................................................................................................................... 36 Product Presentations and Demonstration ................................................................................................... 36 Pricing ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 36

Donald R. Frey & Company Inc. Background Since 1974, Donald R. Frey and Company, Inc. has been engineering and supporting some of the most innovative software packages in the industry. By specializing in the needs of the government, non-profit, and utility sectors, Frey has propelled itself to the forefront as a technological leader. To insure proper attention, Frey focuses on three software applications: BUCS® fund accounting, CHIPS® payroll, and CUBIC® utility billing. A simple promise of providing superior products and uncompromising customer support is the pledge that Frey has made since the beginning. From the beginning until the early 1980s, specialized software was provided on a variety of proprietary systems. All applications had to be written for specific makes and models of computers. Everything was very time consuming and expensive to develop. In 1982, Frey and Company redesigned and rewrote its specialized applications in a generic programming language for the UNIX operating system. It promised to be the “bridge” that would allow us to operate on almost any computer. In 1985, we began offering our software on personal computers running the DOS operating system. In the following years, the use of DOS grew with networks. UNIX began losing market share in the late 1980s because hardware companies were tailoring UNIX to keep customers from migrating to competitive systems. Networked personal computers were becoming the platform of preference. In the summer of 1995, Frey & Company developed an internet web site. It was an immediate success. People were using the internet to search for the specialized software we offered. Today, it is a primary means of marketing our products. It has also provided numerous other benefits to the company and our clients including software updates and fixes via Remote Helpdesk. During this period, we recognized the demand for graphically based software such as Microsoft® Windows®. Windows® 95 was being released and it appeared to be a great improvement over Windows® 3.1. We started the migration to GUIs (graphical user interfaces) and updated systems for the Year 2000 date requirements. The CUBIC® utility billing system was released in 1996. It was our first “True” Windows® GUI product. This new software would run on any system that can support a Microsoft® Windows® 95 or later interface. It would run on PCs and networks such as Novell, NT, and UNIX. We offered free software migration, including file conversion, to all customers on support. What about benefits? Consistency is the big benefit, if the developer uses Microsoft® Windows® design guidelines. Character applications had no design standards to follow. Every developer created their own rules and styles. “True” Microsoft® Windows® applications behave in a very predictable fashion. This makes them easier to learn and use. If you use products like EXCEL® and WORD®, you have an excellent basis for understanding how Frey applications behave. Today, users find UNIX and DOS to be foreign. In 1998, we recognized an additional benefit from the internet. We realized that we could easily distribute interim software updates using the internet and e-mail. Our customers have greatly benefited from this innovation. We not only keep the products bug free, we also provide new improvements on a regular basis. In 2002, the availability of high speed internet connections permitted us to begin offering remote training and support. This has proven to be of great value to clients who are distant or need personalized training. It has proven to be both cost-effective and convenient. 2003 marked a period of the adoption of a paperless approach in using our software. New hardware technology had driven down the cost of imaging and storage. It was now more affordable. Because of that, we introduced the ability for clients to image documents and attach them to electronic records. We further integrated internet capabilities into the software by providing embedded email capabilities wherever appropriate. We began providing program preferences that allowed a user to adapt program options to their selected preferences. All of the changes were targeted at improving the power and ease-of-use of our software. In 2005 we created a web site and server to host an internet customer inquiry and payment functions for the CUBIC® utility billing system. Clients have reported that they have been experiencing up to a thirteen percent drop in customer calls. This drop is due to the availability of bill payment and consumption information on the web. Internet payments have reduced the number of delinquent accounts and shut-offs. Customers now have the ability to charge the utility bills on a credit card, avoiding penalties. Today, Frey and Company serves clients throughout the U.S. and abroad using high-speed communications and the Internet. Our software focus is on fund accounting and utility billing. Our products have been nationally reviewed and received high marks. Our plans call for continued growth in our specialties; seizing opportunities to expand in adjunct products as opportunities are presented. Our customers are loyal. They have confidence in our ability to harness technology in an orderly and timely fashion. They know we will be there to serve and support them as we have since 1974, and for many, many years to come.

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Frequently Asked Questions… Will it meet my needs? Frey software is designed to meet the needs of small to medium government, nonprofit, and utility institutions. It is also well suited for departmental operations in large organizations. Is it flexible? We have been developing and deploying our specialized applications since the 1970s. We have continuously refined and expanded these products. They are also extremely forgiving, adaptable, and stable.

Easy to use? Developing software that is easy to use is very complex. It requires that a great deal of attention be given to understanding how the user processes their work. We have been students of these processes since the mid nineteen seventies.

Reliable? Because our software has been evolving for almost four decades, it is extremely feature rich, error free, and forgiving of mistakes. Economical? Frey Software is value priced. Prices are based on factors oriented to each application. We employ module and token pricing to provide our customers with the best combination of features and value. The software can be scaled to the needs of each agency.

Easy to upgrade? We have engineered our applications in a modular fashion so that the purchaser only buys the capabilities that are required for their operation. Modules may be added at any time, as needs change. Upgrade fees are nominal.

Special hardware/software? Frey Software operates on just about any system that supports a modern Microsoft® Windows® interface. Most organizations have such systems in-place. No special hardware or software is required for the basic applications.

Ease of Installation? Frey and Co. strives to make the installation of our software effortless. Loading new software and updates is as easy as inserting a CD and pressing a key or two. It only takes a few minutes. Support? Superior support is our mandate. All of our products include integrated remote desktop assistance. We can instantly connect to your system to assist you with a problem. We have a highly accessible support staff that is extensively trained on our products. Improvements and software updates are provided free-of-charge to clients who maintain a support and maintenance agreement with Frey. Training? Frey & Company offers several training options including: •

Regularly scheduled training at Frey & Company offices



On-site training at your location



Internet / web training

• Newsletters to keep clients informed about the latest technology and industry related developments New technology? Our goal is to provide our clients with “Perpetually Modern Solutions”. When new technology proves beneficial, it is provided to our clients, on support, as a part of our annual upgrade at no additional cost. This means that you never have to endure a major conversion or purchase new software again. In 1996 we upgraded our clients from DOS and UNIX to Windows®. The upgrade included the Year 2000 changes and was provided at no additional cost. Our clients have seamlessly migrated to all new versions of Windows® without any added software expense.

Data Conversions? Assistance with data conversions is available. We offer free conversion tools. A conversion service is also available for those who require additional assistance. References? Established in 1974, Frey & Co. has customers throughout the United States and abroad. We will be happy to provide references upon request. Some of our clients have been with us in excess of twenty-five years! Our customers are our best sales representatives!

Why should I purchase Frey & Co. Software? Frey & Co. has a firm commitment to provide state-of-the-art products and support that have been unrivaled since 1974. Our commitment to superior customer service is unwavering. Your software is always up-to-date. When you purchase our products, you are also acquiring over a quarter-century of intense application expertise and dedication to customer satisfaction.

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Frey Software Value Added Features For The End User •

Application Experts: Providing these specialized applications since 1974



True Microsoft Windows design since 1996: Mature error free applications



Familiar: True Microsoft graphical design operates like WORD and EXCEL



Logical: Designed to work like users think, based on years of client's suggestions



Intuitive: Exhaustive error checking and edits to minimize problems



User Preferences: Individual preferences can be stored and automatically recalled, very convenient



Flexibility: ODBC compliant software for interoperability



Embedded: Hot links to WORD, EXCEL, Crystal Reports, Internet, e-mail, maps, GIS, and more…



Documentation: Hard copy manuals, electronic e-book® manuals, and MS HTML on-line help



State-of-the-art: Major software improvements every year in annual updates



Extensive use of imaging reduces filing and paper clutter, retrieve source documents at a click of your mouse!



Technical Support: Knowledgeable staff readily available to answer questions



Drill Down: Extensively used throughout the systems



History: Extensive options to retain history, including document imaging and scanning

For The Administrator •

Painless setup: Drop in a CD, push a few buttons, and you are ready to run



Hardware friendly: No special system requirements or complex data bases required



Security: Control user access and protect information. Extensive logs, active user tracking



Active users: Tracks active users and what programs they are using



Audit Trails: Extensive report audit trails with user ID tracking



MS Windows Graphical User Interface: Minimizes the learning curve



State-of-the-art: Always current via system of annual updates



Improvements: You have a voice via surveys, user conferences and suggestions



Internet Updates: Updates keep your software error free, requires no special technical assistance



Internet training that is time saving and cost effective



Integrated: All Frey software applications are highly integrated



Interoperability: Using ODBC, Frey software works seamlessly with other applications



Pricing: Allows you to select the system components best suited to your needs



Reliable: A mature, stable company providing mature, stable applications that never become obsolete



Consistent: All applications designed by Frey & Company for a consistent look and feel

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BUCS® Fund Accounting

Designed for Microsoft

Windows®

The BUCS®, Budgetary Control System is a fully integrated, True Fund Based Accounting System designed to meet the specialized needs of government, nonprofit, and utility operations. The BUCS® system is easy-to-use software, that simplifies your everyday task, streamlines processes, and provides control, insight, and security that helps save you time and money—all backed by a level of service you can depend on. BUCS® real time processing environment allows records to be instantly updated with each transaction, while performing all editing and crosschecking instantly to ensure accuracy. A powerful requisition process tightly integrates into your organization’s encumbrance (obligations) methods, further expanding BUCS® benefits. Imagine creating authorization levels within your organization to produce a proper purchasing procedure. BUCS® grant tracking and encumbrance procedures are crucial to your success. All funds are completely accounted and easily audited. Standardized financial statement features can be expanded and customized to compliment your operations requirements and include features which enable internal and external queries using EXCEL® and Crystal Reports™. BUCS® is modular, allowing your organization to customize and build your system to meet your specific needs.

General Ledger This is the backbone of the system. It contains programs to establish and maintain the free-form twenty-nine digit alpha/numeric chart-of-accounts. Included are functions that allow posting, analyzing, and reporting on any activity in the accounts. Extensive drill down capabilities are found throughout the system. Tight budget controls are available, found only in a financial system designed for vigorous fiscal management. Special features like allocation posting are provided. A complete set of financial statements can be designed, grouped, and printed according to a userdefined timetable using the “Report Scheduler”. One can also export financial reports to EXCEL® for further refinements. All of these tasks are accomplished following the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), Financial Accounting Standard Board (FASB) and Government Accounting Standards Board (GASB) guidelines for fund accounting.

Advanced Allocations The ability to process allocations is a standard part of the General Ledger. However, many clients manage a large number of projects and/or grants that require pooled overhead to dynamically be distributed to those operations. Advanced Allocations fulfills that need by dynamically analyzing activity in each operation and then distributes pooled accounts accordingly.

Accounts Payable Integrates seamlessly with the General Ledger. One of the Accounts Payables most powerful functions is processing multi-fund invoices for payment. Invoice entry, source document scanning, check preparation, encumbrance reconciliation, purchase order documents, and paid invoice history are a few of its features. Create recurring invoice formats for monthly items, such as leased equipment, to eliminate re-keying

repetitive information. Accounts Payable maintains complete vendor data: including spending history, balances, 1099’s, invoice history, correspondence documents, user defined notes, multiple remit-to addresses, and more. Cash and Accrual methods are supported by fund. Integrated Internet email and integration with Microsoft's WORD are also available. Utilize the Blank Check Stock module to print your checks for A/P.

BUCS® Modules □ Advanced Allocations □ Accounts Payable □ ACH Payments for AP □ CC-Tracker □ Positive Pay □ Accounts Receivable □ Encumbrances □ Combining Reports □ Cash Receipts □ Fee Receipting □ Budget Planning □ Bank Reconciliation □ Fixed Assets □ Data Dictionary □ Requisition Control □ Multiple Users □ Blank Check Stock □ Inventory □ Tax Application ACH Payments for AP Automated Clearing House: System used by the banking industry to facilitate the

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electronic transfer of moneys between banks, accounts, etc. NOTE: ACH uses the rules and regulations of the Automated Clearing House, which is published by the National Automated Clearing House Association.

CC-Tracker Streamlines and enhances the processing of credit card transactions. Charge slips are entered as invoices and marked as credit card transactions. When the statement arrives, all slips are presented for reconciliation. Provides a true picture of vendor activity and highlights misuse of credit cards.

Positive Pay Positive Pay generates a file to transmit to your banking institution. This file contains the dates, check numbers, and amounts relative to each check item. The bank uses the data contained in this file to validate each check as it attempts to clear your account. It prevents fraudulent alteration of your check amounts. Many banks are no longer absorbing the cost of altered checks. They are passing the responsibility on to the customer.

Accounts Receivable This option provides complete multi-fund billing and receivable functions that automatically dovetail with the General Ledger. Set up and maintain complete customer profiles. Standard (recurring) and miscellaneous billing functions are enabled. An item list can be created to enhance the billing process. Balance Forward and Open Item processing methods are included. Invoicing, statement preparation, aging reports, and sales history reports are included. This option provides the tools to create, track, and report an organization’s miscellaneous billing needs. Invoices and statements can optionally be formatted using Crystal Reports™.

Encumbrance Processing ®

Encumbering reserves budgeted money for issued purchase orders or contracts. It is used by organizations that require the obligation of funds, typically governments and educational institutions. Expense items affected by the encumbrance establish reserves that control overspending. These accounts are automatically updated when the actual invoices are processed. Reusable formats are available for recurring encumbrances to minimize rekeying.

BUCS Highlights

Combining Reports

• Unlimited Funds

• Designed for Microsoft ® Windows

®

• Superior National Ratings • Account Number accommodates up to 29 Characters (alpha / numeric/ free-form)

Used to create and maintain an alternate chart-of-accounts for reporting. This alternate account scheme enables different accounts to be assigned and accumulated under a common format. It is ideal for linking, rolling up, and formatting numbers for reporting purposes. It also has the capability to produce GASB Statement 34, FASB 117, and other types of columnar reports.

• Amounts To One Billion

Cash Receipts

• Recurring Entries

This option enables swift and efficient entry of receipts with automatic balancing and a Cash Receipt Journal. This is especially useful when processing receipts that must be distributed to several revenue accounts and different funds. The appropriate revenue and cash accounts are automatically validated, balanced, and posted to the General Ledger.

• Allocation Entries

Fee Receipting

• Delayed year-end Closing

Prepares receipts and certificates for miscellaneous fees that are collected. Examples: building permits, pet licenses, business licenses, burning permits. Documents can be user customized using Crystal Reports. Complete accounting, inquiries, and reports are also provided.

• Unlimited Prior Period Reporting

Budget Planning A powerful tool that simplifies the preparation of budgets, it allows the establishment of annual and/or period budgets based on current budget figures, last twelve months of actuals, zero based, and/or specified amounts. Once a draft has been created, it may be modified by a discrete line item or by object category. For example, it can be specified that all supply expense accounts should be increased by ten

• Pay Multiple Funds on Same Check • Grant/Project Tracking • Cash/Accrual Basis By Fund • Multiple Checking Accounts • Embedded Imaging

• Multiple Search Engines • Extensive Posting, Paid Invoice History • Security By: User, Program, Account Numbers, Spending Limits

• Reprint Financials From Any Previous Period • Extensive Drill Down capabilities • Export Financial Reports To EXCEL, Adobe pdf files • FASB 117 Reports (Nonprofits) • GASB Statement 34 Reports (Government) • Stored program preferences by user name • Archive Financial Data • E-mail, WORD , EXCEL , plus other ODBC Interfaces ®

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®

percent, all phone expense accounts be decreased by three percent, and all professional dues accounts be increased by five dollars. Budget Planning also offers a Cash Flow projection report by fund. Once the plan has been approved, it can be transferred to the General Ledger for implementation in one easy step. Integration, via ODBC, with Microsoft's EXCEL is also available.

Bank Reconciliation Provides a convenient mechanism to reconcile bank accounts. It handles both checks and deposits. A “void” feature automatically reverses all accounting entries created when the voided check was prepared. It also allows the examination of outstanding, cleared, and voided checks prior to purging reconciled checks from the file.

Fixed Assets Establishes and maintains the files for fixed asset data and accounting distributions. Items can be added on-thefly while processing invoices. It will calculate depreciation on depreciable items and create appropriate entries for the general ledger. A facility is also available to calculate replacement cost for insurance purposes. Applicable reports and labels are produced.

Data Dictionary Provides a gateway for ODBC compliant applications to access BUCS data. This enables performance of ad hoc inquiries, reports, and file transfers to other systems. Extract any field and design reports using EXCEL, Crystal Reports, Word, Access, and other software products. It also provides the ability to publish financial reports to EXCEL and Adobe pdf files.

Requisition Control Working in conjunction with the Encumbrance and Accounts Payable options, a requested purchase order is passed through the appropriate sign off levels and approved or rejected. The system automatically passes all relevant information from step to step. It also obligates the funds affected by the issuance of a purchase order. All of the sign off levels are user defined.

BUCS® Fund Accounting Features • BUCS® is designed for government and nonprofit fund accounting. Each of these types of fund accounting requires special differing capabilities for monitoring budgets and financial reporting. • Consistently awarded excellent ratings by national publications • Extensive electronic and hard copy documentation • Reprint financial reports for any previously closed period • Archive posting information indefinitely for enhanced system performance • Security that controls program and account access by login • Chart Editor for the rapid generation of new accounts • Fund Wizard that leads one through the process of creating new funds • General Ledger includes an investment manager, and basic allocations • Budget Planning with a cash flow analysis of projected budgets • Powerful report generator for financial reports • Report scheduler to make financial report processing faster and more convenient • Export financial reports to EXCEL • Publish reports on the internet using Adobe pdf files • Advanced allocation accounting • Credit card management and accounting • Automatically reverse journal entries posted incorrectly • Drill Down to source documents and/or images from any item • Vendor information includes purchase history, outstanding and paid invoices, encumbrances, notes, correspondence, imaged source documents, multiple remit-to addresses • Vendors and Accounts Receivable customers have individual and global e-mailing capability • Leave prior year open for up to eleven months. Closing will automatically reconcile closing balances to the opening balances for the current year • Fee Receipts provides the ability to create a receipt book, customer receipts, and certificate documents, in addition to creating an information log and posting of accounting entries • Bank Reconciliation includes deposits and check activity • ACH Processing for Accounts Payable Note: Some of the listed features may require additional options and/or modules

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Sample Screens

(BUCS® Budgetary Control System) Primary Interface Layout

Account Balances Screen

Invoice Control Screen

History Graph Screen

Invoice Entry Screen

Bank Reconciliation Screen

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Sample Reports All Reports Are Available in Presentation Formats

• • • • • • • • •

Chart-of-Accounts Revenue* Expense* Budget vs. Actual* Fund* Balance Sheet* Trial Balance* Aged A/R Fund Balance*



• • • • • • • •

Income Statement* Profit & Loss Statement* Budget Planning* Cash Flow Plans Posting Journals* Encumbrances* Vendor Lists & Labels Aged A/P FASB 117 Reports*

*Report Titles in Blue can be exported to Excel® Balance Sheet

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• • • • • • •

GASB 34 Reports* Other Columnar Reports* Customer Lists A/R Invoices A/R Statements Fixed Assets Combined Statements* Miscellaneous Reports

Fund Report

Expense Report

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Revenue Report

Trial Balance Including Posting Journal

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Trial Balance

Fee Receipt and License Examples (BUCS

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®

)

- Fee Receipts Module, document actual size 8.5” wide format

Fund Accounting Software Is Different Accounting systems fall into two basic categories: commercial or for-profit and fund or not-for-profit. Despite having many aspects in common, there are significant differences in the accounting procedures, management objectives, and reporting requirements between the two. Here is a generally accepted definition of fund accounting: "A fund is defined as a fiscal and accounting entity with a self-balancing set of accounts recording cash and other financial resources, together with all related liabilities and residual equities or balances, and changes therein, which are segregated for the purpose of carrying on specific activities or attaining certain objectives in accordance with special regulations, restrictions or limitations." More simply stated, a not-for-profit organization is required to track its funds based on regulations, restrictions, and limitations. Each fund must be treated as a separate entity with its own general ledger, and individual revenue, expense, income, and balance sheet reports. The organization must also report on its funds in aggregate. Attempting to use a commercial system for fund accounting is similar to using a wrench rather than a hammer to drive nails. The wrench will work, but it will be a slow, painful process. Choosing a Fund Accounting Software Package requires careful matching of your organization's financial operations with the appropriate set of software capabilities at a price that makes sense. In 1993, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Standards 116 and 117 defining accounting procedures financial statements for Not-for-profit Organizations. In 1999, the Governmental Accounting Standards Board issued Statement 34 defining financial statements for State and Local Governments. These standards further defined the requirements for fund accounting by the type of agency. One should ensure that the fund accounting software they select addresses the accounting and reporting needs of their organization. To simplify the process, we've created the following list of questions to help you evaluate key product features before you make your purchase decision. Is it a true fund accounting system or a commercial application with modifications? A quality fund accounting system must be developed from the ground up. If you're considering a commercial system with fund accounting "overlays," be leery of its capabilities. It may never quite accomplish what you need. Is it batch or real-time system? Real-time processing is necessary to check budgets, spending limits, etc. Non-profits benefit from realtime processing, because it is generally much faster, saving time and money by eliminating processing steps. Does it offer large free-form account codes?

Most fund accounting applications require additional groupings and breakdowns. Handle both cash and accrual basis funds concurrently? Most fund operations require this ability. For example, a museum gift shop needs to be on an accrual basis, but the general fund may be on a cash basis. Can the system handle the number of funds required? A good fund accounting system should not have a limit on the number of funds. Does the software offer security? Program, account, and user limits should regulate application access.

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Can invoices be paid from multiple funds using a single check? Commercial and low-end fund accounting systems fail this test. It can drastically reduce the number of checks written, G/L entries, and subsequent balancing time. If the system makes extensive use of "Due-to" and "Duefrom" accounts, be very suspicious of its design. Can multiple checking accounts be used, if necessary? Some organizations need to be able to maintain multiple checking accounts. Is Grant/Project tracking available?

Grants and projects often require different reporting requirements and they must be reported for different periods. They also require reporting on a to-date basis for the life of the grant. Does it encumber? This is a must for many government operations. And, if you encumber, the system should definitely have real time processing. Does the budget planning allow for global changes? Fund accounting operations tend to have a very large number of accounts. Global change capabilities allow the user to

quickly create and change budgets with a minimum of input.

can they be prepared using optional font types and sizes?

Do the available reports meet the needs of your fund accounting operation? All fund operations need revenue and expense reports in addition to the standard reports offered by commercial systems. They show comparisons between actual revenues and expenses versus budgets. If you are a Non-profit agency, can the system provide FASB 117 report formats? If you are a State or Local Government, does the system provide the GASB Statement 34 report formats? Are the reports "presentation" quality? That is,

What is the pricing model? Products are generally priced in one of three ways: one price, regardless of the number of users; a price based on the number of users concurrently accessing the system; or a price based on the number of users that will access the system. Large software systems may be broken down into modules, which allow the client to purchase only the modules that fit their needs.

Before making your choice, take a moment to evaluate the vendor:

□ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □

Did the vendor develop the software or is he a reseller? Resellers tend to lack strong application experience. How long has the vendor been providing fund accounting solutions? Remember that you are buying application expertise as well as a program. Extensive business background indicates a successful supplier. Is the software easy to install? Expensive installation charges indicate that the product may be difficult to use. How extensive are the training requirements? Products that require extensive training are often cumbersome to use. Good software is intuitive and very easy to learn. How often do they update the product? Major updates should be provided annually. Critical error fixes should be available as-soon-as-possible. Are the upgrades offered as part of the service agreement or is there an additional charge? Beware of "hidden" charges. Is the documentation high quality, and available on-line and in manuals? Many companies no longer offer hard copy manuals, which are complex and expensive to produce. Can the vendor provide you with a list of customer references to check? Look for long-time customers. They demonstrate product stability and customer loyalty. Does the vendor support the software with a qualified staff that understands your accounting needs? The question to ask is about the speed and quality of support. When you need assistance, you need fast competent responses.

Is This Software Right For You? Before you make your selection, see a product demonstration and always check references. To make the right decision on a fund accounting software system for your organization, you need to look closely at both the products and the vendors in this market. Understand what's available, and what meets the needs of your organization.

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CHIPS® Payroll System

Designed for Microsoft

Windows®

The CHIPS® Comprehensive Integrated Payroll System is designed to provide a payroll to meet the needs of a fund based financial operation. CHIPS® capabilities are extensive yet it is easy to use. Functions to maintain employee data, human resource information, tax and deductions, and payroll calculations are standard. It prepares payroll checks, and the necessary reports, plus year-end tax forms required for a payroll operation. A unique feature of the CHIPS® payroll system is its ability to split and distribute payroll amounts to various funds and/or departments. This special feature is essential for fund based payroll systems. CHIPS® includes numerous Human Resource fields and 46 customizable fields to offer a new level of information tracking. Additionally, CHIPS® automatically integrates with the BUCS® fund accounting system. Basic Payroll This core module provides the facilities to maintain extensive files of employees, federal, state, and local tax rates, plus other deductions. It calculates the payroll, prepares the checks, and the necessary tax and deduction reports. It maintains individual notes with alarms, learned skills, year-to-date totals, emergency contact information, and more. CHIPS® allows you to scan in employee photos and easily display key employee dates such as reviews. Deductions may be made either before or after tax calculations and can be calculated on a percentage of the gross or as a set dollar amount. Each employee may have as many as 30 permanent deductions as well as 3 temporary deductions added during the payroll process. Additional earnings may be taxable or nontaxable. Meals, tips, and workman’s compensation are also accommodated. The payroll process is quick, allowing the automatic updating of standard employees. The check printing can display vacation, personal, holiday, sick, and comp time, plus all breakdown and summary

CHIPS® Modules □ Check Reconciliation & Voiding

□ ACH (Direct Deposit) □ Magnetic Media Filing □ Data Dictionary □ Time Clock Interface □ Multi-user □ Positive Pay □ Web Services □ Blank Check Stock □ ACA Reporting

information if desired. Tax tables are easily modified, eliminating the vast majority of program maintenance. A seamless interface to the BUCS® fund accounting system is included. Check Reconciliation A fast convenient mechanism to reconcile checking accounts. It includes a powerful “void” feature that automatically reverses all accounting entries created when the voided check was originally prepared. It also allows the examination of outstanding and cleared checks prior to purging reconciled checks from the file.

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ACH Uses the ACH (Automated Clearing House) processing system in conjunction with your local banking institution for Direct Deposit. Magnetic Media The magnetic media filing, required for larger employers, will create a file to transmit end-of-year documents such as W-2s to the government. Data Dictionary Provides an ODBC interface. This enables performance of ad hoc inquiries, reports, and file transfers to other systems. Using CHIPS® data files, ODBC compliant products can extract any field and design reports using EXCEL®, Crystal Reports™, Word®, Access®, and other software products. Time Clock Interface Provides an interface between time clock systems and CHIPS®. Customization of the interface file layout is available on an hourly basis. Multi-user Add additional users to your CHIPS® system to provide multiple users access the

payroll system simultaneously. Positive Pay Provides your organization with an important safeguard against check fraud plus some nicely enhanced bank reconciliation features. Each time a check run is performed the system automatically creates a positive pay file to transmit to our banking institution. Your bank is able to use the data in this file to validate each check as it attempts to clear your account. Many banks now require their business clients to provide a positive pay file in order to qualify for the banks’ fraud protection guarantees. The Positive Pay module also provides automation of your checking account

reconciliation process by enabling the import of an electronic reconciliation file from your bank. A fraud deterrent, enhanced bank reconciliation and improved efficiency saves you time and money! Web Services Enhance your CHIPS® Payroll system with web based features that will provide your employees with 24/7 access to two years of pay stubs and W-2’s via the web. Employees login to the CHIPS® Payroll online services and enter a user name and password to gain access to their records. Secure SES-256 bit encrypted data transfer technology is utilized and remote date hosting services are provided by Frey & Company.

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Blank Check Stock Print your payroll checks on blank check stock. Allows you to control costs and waste is eliminated as changes can be made immediately. Set-up allows for up to three digital signatures and you can add your company’s logo. ACA Reporting This module will allow ACA (Affordable Care Act) information to be stored in the CHIPS® system and then allows the user to generate the ACA Reports including the 1095C, 1094C, 1094B, and 1095B forms.

CHIPS® Fund Based Payroll Features •

Designed specifically for fund based accounting operations, with many fund accounting specific features



Ability to create a prior year directory to hold payroll information to reprint reports, W2s, etc



Print checks in alphabetical order, by employee and department



Total management of personal/sick/vacation accruals for each employee



Ability to specify a combination of off time hours accrued on a paycheck stub



Six user definable pay types available, in addition to the three standard pay types



Add comp time accruals during payroll processing



Ability to allocate individuals' time by cost center



Employee notes by type



User definable fields for customized information



Attach employee correspondence and images to employee notes



Time clock interface



Skills file to detail employee capabilities



Globally change pay rates, deduction/earnings amounts, and employer retirement percentages by employee range



Drill Down for employee history on the employee screen



Individual and global e-mailing capability



Create and attach Microsoft® WORD® documents to employee notes in CHIPS®



Create and attach mail-merge WORD® documents to employee notes in CHIPS®



Image documents and attach them to employee notes



A report scheduler to make processing faster and more convenient

Note: Some of the listed features may require additional options and/or modules

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Sample Screens (CHIPS® Comprehensive Integrated Payroll System)

Primary Interface Layout

Deductions & Earnings

Employee Maintenance

Payroll Data

ACH Direct Deposit

Employee Notes

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Sample Reports General Ledger Distribution Report

Departments File Report

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Employee Brief Report

Skills Report

Notes Report

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Payroll Quarterly Report

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Year-End Payroll Report

CHIPS® also Prepares W-2s, W-3s, and 941s

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Detail Deduction History Report

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Payroll Check Sample

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CUBIC® Utility Billing

Designed for Microsoft

Windows®

The CUBIC® Comprehensive Utility Billing and Control System is designed to provide a powerful billing and CIS (Customer Information System) for utility operations. It provides complete customer, billing and cash receipts functions, usage and bill/payment history, plus a myriad of report options. It supplies important functions like multiple search engines for account inquiries, real-time updating and electronic input, and receipting interfaces. Reports have extensive statistics based on customers, services, rates, and routes. CUBIC® is powerful receipt processing offers traditional receipt processing and high-speed scanning systems. Everything is on line including bill/payment and usage history, deposit and service information, as well as a consumption graph for each individual service. Accounting is highly controlled by the user. NARUC reporting is easily accomplished by CUBIC®. It also has a highly integrated interface with the BUCS® Fund Accounting software. CUBIC® allows the user to select modular components that fit their specific needs. CUBIC® provides for metered and unmetered service billing, receipts posting, penalties, and numerous other functions. The CIS section maintains all account and other important information. It also tracks unlimited bill/payment and consumption history. Free form notes, with alarms, can be attached to a customer and will display a message when the program accesses the account. Work orders are included. Twenty-six user definable fields are available.

Multi-User Allows multiple users to access CUBIC® at the same time. Features include record locking, operator logs, active users on system, and restricted access.

Productivity Provides capabilities for the account and Postnet bar coding of bills. Bar coded bills can be scanned to automatically look up the account, speeding the receipting process substantially. Receipt printers and cash drawer functions are also supported with this option. Document imaging is available with a convenient means of scanning, storing, and retrieving images. ACH (Automated Clearing House) processing is included. ACH provides automatic bank debiting capabilities. It replaces the old bank drafting systems. Batch receipt processing is also included.

Hand-Held Interface Provides a means of communicating with hand-held and other AMR (Automatic Meter Reading) devices. Since these units vary widely in their communications methods, the interface must be handled on a case-by-case basis. This option provides a file to be loaded onto the hand-held unit and a billing

program that reads the file that contains the meter reading information. If an interface is not available for the hand-held unit selected, additional programming may be required to complete the interface. CUBIC® currently works with most popular manufacturer's models.

CUBIC® Modules

□ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □

Multi-user

Installment Billing Provides a mechanism for time payment plans. These plans can be used for the settlement of accounts in-arrears as well as for installment purchases such as tap fees.

RUBS Processing Ratio Utility Billing System is designed to allocate utility bills in multi-unit complexes based on occupancy and/or square footage.

CASS Certification

Productivity Hand Held Interface Installment Billing RUBS Processing CASS Certification Inventory Control Data Dictionary Internet Inquiry Meter Maintenance Budget Billing

A certification system, designed by the US Post Office to validate street addresses and assign Delivery Points. This coding allows one to get more favorable postal rates.

Inventory Control Provides an effective means of tracking inventory items for work orders and stock requirements. Functions include item management, receipts, issues, status reports, and other important management tools.

E-Billing Backflow Prevention Net Metering Payment Assistance

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Data Dictionary Allows access to retrieval and analysis tools via an ODBC gateway. This enables the performance of ad hoc inquiries, reports, and file transfers to other

systems. Using CUBIC® data files, reports using EXCEL®, Crystal Reports™, Word®, Access®, and other software products.

one can extract fields and design they do not have access to sensitive data.

Budget Billing Internet Inquiry A secure system to permit customers access to their account balances, usages, including graphs and due dates via the internet. Limited information is stored on the internet server and that data is encrypted to prevent hacking. Special tools are embedded for information transfers.

Meter Maintenance Provides a mechanism for the scheduling of meter reliability testing at user-defined intervals, maintenance of test results records, and the expansion of meter-related information pertinent to operations. Meter testing is important because it insures the accuracy of metering devices. Many state regulators require such testing as a part of the utility’s operation. Operations personnel can be restricted so that

Allows customers to be billed a set amount. There is a settlement period when the budget amount is adjusted to reflect the past experience. The budget amount is calculated programmatically. However, the user may override the calculated amount. Many gas and electric utilities offer this plan. However, we are finding other clients are interested in such a plan to entice their customers to use ACH for making payments. Some customers are leery about ACH because the amount varies each month. Budget billing can eliminate that concern. As postal rates continue to climb, ACH becomes more attractive as a means of collection.

E-Billing Works in conjunction with the Internet Inquiry/Payments option. EBilling allows bills to be e-mailed to the customers desiring such a service.

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As you know that it can cost around forty-two cents to prepare and send out a bill. E-Billing offers a great opportunity to cut those costs.

Backflow Prevention Backflow testing is required where customers have a piping arrangement where backflow into the public water system might occur. They are common in industrial applications and also can be found in residential settings where irrigation systems are in place. These systems require regular testing either by the utility operator or by licensed plumbers. The software prints notices at the prescribed interval and provides follow-up reports for those who have not submitted the proof of testing documents. Currently, these records are being maintained in a separate database which is awkward and time consuming. CUBIC® integrates all of this information into its customer database. Operations personnel can be restricted so that they do not have access to sensitive customer data.

CUBIC® Highlights • • • • • • • • • •

• • • • •

• • • • • • • • •



Highly scalable according to your needs Powerful accounting for utilities billing for multiple services Billing for metered and unlimited unmetered services Deregulated billing capabilities Multi property billing and receipting RUBS (Ratio Utility Billing System) for apartment complexes and warehouses Deposit management by service, with interest and refund processing Ability to selectively copy tenants and landlords on bills, delinquent notices, etc Advanced Levelized Billing options Preferences set by user, by program, allowing for fast and convenient software usage Unlimited bill/pay history in most recent activity order Unlimited consumption history in most recent activity order Unlimited number of rates, over 99,000 Drill Down in bill/pay history to show details of bills and payments Unlimited Notes with the ability to create and attach correspondence, follow-up dates, and images to the note Resequence route and account numbers without creating numbering conflicts Reprint selected bills on-demand Installment billing for items such as tap fees and payment arrangements Automatically apply deposits to final bills Optionally prorate initial and/or final bills Optional CASS postal address certification to reduce mailing expenses Customer bar coding for faster processing List multiple bills being sent to the same bill-to address Ability to process multi-account customers with a single receipt

• •

• •

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

• • •

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Automatically provide a correction billing for leaks and misreads. Usages and balances are automatically corrected Pop-up calendars to select dates Print Preview with search capabilities, similar to those in WORD, which will allow one to preview a report, and then search it for specific information Report scheduler to prepare a selection of reports with just one program Definable formats for postcard and statement bills, work orders, delinquent notices Definable fields for customized information Definable account copy rules Definable accounting distribution rules Definable rate study programs Definable work order formats Shut Off Notices can selectively cause work orders to be automatically generated Automatic interface with BUCS® accounting system for refund checks NSFs automatically reverse payments and apply an NSF charge to the account Automatic reversals for correcting accounts posted in-error Automatic correction of over estimated readings Omnidirectional scanning of payments for high speed remittance processing Attach MS WORD correspondence to customer notes Image documents and attach them to customer notes Individual and global e-mailing capability Customer internet inquiry to display balances, dates, consumption history with graphs GIS interface capabilities Internet inquiry capability for customers Map interface to display a location using the Internet Map Quest (US and Canada only)

Sample Screens (CUBIC® Comprehensive Utility Billing & Control)

Common Primary Interface Layout

Edit Customer – Billing Information Tab

Edit Customer – Bill Pay History Tab

Customer – Service Information, Usage Tab

Customer – Service Information, Usage Graph

Customer – Service Location Tab

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Sample Bill Formats Post Card Utility Bill Sample

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Example of a Statement Utility Bill (Actual document size 8 1/2 x 11)

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Internet Customer Inquiry (Customers View online)

Note: This image and its data have been truncated in order to fit the page’s dimensions.

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Sample Reports Billing Journal

Billing Journal Flags High/Low Usages Billing Journal Summary

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Cash Receipts & Write Off Log

Cash Receipt & Write Off Journal

ACH File Report

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Regular Trial Balance

Aged Trial Balance

Interface Distribution Summary

CUBIC® Does Rate Studies Too! 33

Utility Billing Software Checklist Organization Type Utility billing software users tend to be divided into several types: government, or nonprofit, which can be investor owned or special districts, and commercial operations. Commercial operations usually have additional restrictions and controls not imposed on governments and nonprofits. Commercial operations operate under restrictions because they are typically regulated by state utility commissions. They usually require special reporting following NARUC (National Association of Regulated Utility Companies) chart-of-accounts guidelines. Make sure the product you are reviewing is designed to meet the needs of your organization. User Interfaces Today, two clear choices are available: Character and Graphical. The Character interface is the one offered on mainframes, MSDOS, PCs, etc. It has little, if any, implementation standards. The way it looks is purely up to the programmer. You have to learn these applications "from the ground up" because they all behave differently. The clear graphical interface implementation choice is Microsoft's Windows. Be careful though, not all Windows applications have followed Microsoft's design guidelines. Products that have these features are known as True Windows products. Be sure to ask this question of prospective software suppliers. If the application originated as a Microsoft Windows 3.1 product, ask if it has been updated to the Windows standards. If you cannot use a mouse, it is not a Windows application.

Utility Billing Software Provider •

How long have they been in business?



How long have they been providing Utility Billing solutions?



Did they develop the product or do they merely modify and resell it?



How does the company provide day-to-day support? Do they offer toll-free phone support?



How often do they update the product? Product reviews and updates should be conducted regularly.



Do they provide high quality documentation both in hard copy and on-line?



Documentation is a complex and time-consuming process. It is very important that good documentation be supplied. It is also highly desirable that the documentation be available on-line in an easily searchable form.

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Software Features Listed here are features that distinguish a good utility billing system. This list is not complete, but it is an excellent starting point. Does the system track each service and/or product as a separate business? If you follow NARUC requirements, this is necessary. Whether you are a government or a nonprofit organization, you need to track the operations as separate enterprise funds. Quality utility billing systems must be developed from the ground up with this philosophy in order to operate properly. Some vendors offer utility billing systems with commercial accounting systems. If this is what they are selling to a multi-service utility, be leery of the product. If you bill multiple services, does the system properly account for Unapplied Cash such as overpayments? Excess payments need to be isolated until they are used in the billing process. This is especially important when dealing with budget billing and seasonal customers. How long has the product been on the market? New products often have more flaws and they tend to be less stable. A mature product is also more feature rich because they have been enhanced for a long time. Is it a batch system or real time? Top quality systems offer a choice because each technology has advantages.

Does it offer connectivity to other systems and products? It should offer capabilities such as an ODBC gateway, which allows the user to have the ability to create special reports and inquiries as needed, without programmer assistance. Are user definable fields available? These fields aid in tracking special items of interest to your particular operation. What are the limitations on usage and billing/payment history? You should be able to control the length of time information is retained by your system. Insufficient retention poses management and control problems. Retaining information too long causes the system to bog down and provide poor response time. Is CASS and Postnet bar coding available? US Postal Service Postnet bar coding can save thousands of dollars in mailing costs. Do you need even or budget billing plans? Levelized billing plans are replacing the above mentioned methods. Levelized plans offer customers uniform methods of paymentswithout extensive history, settlement periods, and exaggerated balances. What productivity aids are available? Tools like bar coded bills for receipting, receipt printers, and

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automatic cash drawers make operations more productive and accurate. Does the software offer security? Application access should be regulated by program and user. The system should be able to tell you who is on the system and what programs they are using. Does it offer ACH (Automated Clearing House) processing for customers? ACH allows payments to be automatically deducted from customer's checking or savings accounts. It not only simplifies payment processing, but it eliminates problems associated with multiple banking institutions. Do the available reports meet the needs of a utility billing operation? Utility operations need multiple revenue and expense reports by service, in addition to the standard reports offered by less advanced systems. Can the accounting accommodate the NARUC chartof-accounts? Is it right for you? Before you make your selection, see a product demonstration, and always check references. To make the right decision on a utility billing software system for your organization, you need to look closely at both the products and the vendors in this market. Understand what's available, and what meets the needs of your organization.

Application Services Customer Support/Training Support: Frey & Company offers the most comprehensive support package in the software industry at an exceptional value. We develop and support all of our products, guaranteeing that any situation you may come across will be solved quickly. Our almost four decades in business is the strong foundation our product support builds upon. All support technicians have accounting and information systems backgrounds. Benefits include:  Toll Free Support Line

 

Web Enabled - Remote Help 24 Hour Fax/Messaging

  

Internet Software Updates Annual Software Releases Annual User Survey

  

Annual Documentation Updates Annual User Conference User Newsletters

Many calls to support are answered immediately, the others are returned within minutes. We take support personally. We know your name when you call and you know ours. With customers spanning from Massachusetts to Hawaii, we cover over forty states and multiple time zones. All support is first hand insuring your success. Frey & Company provides support you can swear by, not at! Training: Frey & Company provides complete and thorough training at our location, onsite, or internet based. Classes: Scheduled classes are offered every month at Frey & Company Offices near Cincinnati, OH. A maximum of three organizations is allowed in each class, not exceeding five participants. This rule ensures your personal attention and success in our classroom environment. Onsite classes are scheduled on a first come first serve basis. We require a classroom setting for any onsite training. Distractions must be kept to a minimum. Frey and Company sponsors an annual user conference where new updates are introduced and discussed. Users offer feedback on the system, and have an opportunity to network about common issues with similar users. The user conference has become a valuable tool for ongoing training and user centered product enhancements.

Product Presentations and Demonstration PowerPoint product presentations and live web demonstrations are available. Demonstrations require a password that can be obtained free-of-charge by calling our toll-free number at (800) 659-3739. Simply log onto our website at http://www.drfrey.com and follow the directions to download a sample of our software. If you need assistance or any further information on any of our products or services please contact us at (800) 659-3739 or (859) 4416566. Pricing Pricing varies by product. BUCS® and CHIPS® pricing is based on the options selected and the number of concurrent users. CUBIC® is based on the number of customers, services billed, and selected options. Call 1-800-659-3739 for pricing details. BUCS® Fund Accounting Options: General Ledger, Accounts Payable, ACH Payments for Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Encumbrances, Combining Reports, Cash Receipts, Fee Receipting, Budget Planning, Bank Reconciliation, Fixed Assets, Multi-user Capability, Data Dictionary, Requisition Control, Positive Pay for Accounts Payable, Advanced Allocations, Credit Card Tracker, Blank Check Stock, Inventory, and Tax Application CHIPS® Payroll Options: Multi-user Capability, Bank Reconciliation, ACH Direct Deposit, Magnetic Media Filing, Data Dictionary, Time Clock Interface, Positive Pay, Web Services, and Blank Check Stock CUBIC® Utility Billing Options: Multi-user Capability, Productivity Processing, Installment Payments, Hand Held Interface, RUBS Processing, Data Dictionary, CASS Certification, Inventory Control, Internet Inquiry, Budget Billing, EBilling, Meter Maintenance, and Backflow Prevention

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