As 2016 winds down, we have plenty to look forward to in 2017. Of course, we’re talking about Yardi 7S! Here are the latest project updates.
 

More details on your Yardi feedback

In our last project update, we thanked you for sharing your honest Yardi feedback (we received 200 data points!). The Yardi project team began reviewing your comments right away, and we found three consistent themes in your feedback.
 

Themes from your Yardi feedback

1. Suggested features that will have a positive outcome after launch. Yay!
2. Suggested features that will not be affected by launch – but could still be addressed in the near future.
3. Suggested features that are actually current features in Yardi. Teams could benefit from a training refresher on these items.

 Let’s dig into some of your feedback for each of the three themes.
 

Feedback theme: Positive outcome after launch

Therese Huibregtse, Assistant Manager at Park Highland, shared this issue about the webpage rerouting her to an undesired location:
When I'm in the "Find Resident" screen, if I type in the incorrect apartment number, it has the "invalid unit code" pop-up and it routes you back to the prior resident page.
 
It’s true that today in Yardi, if an incorrect search term is entered in the Review Resident section, the page counter-intuitively redirects users to the previous page. How frustrating!
 
The good news is that not only is this issue fixed in Yardi 7S, it’s also easier overall to search for residents.
 
Review Resident screen
After the upgrade, if an incorrect unit number is entered in the Review Resident screen, a simple error message will appear. No more unexpected backtracking! 

Resident search box
There’s also the option to bypass the Review Resident screen entirely. From any page in Yardi 7S, the Resident search box will allow you to search for a resident. If there are no matches for a search, the message “No matching records found” appears. 

Feedback theme: Features that won’t be addressed – at least not right away

Your suggestions for improvements are always considered, and we’re pleased that the upgrade will encompass many of these ideas. While the upgrade is full of exciting improvements, there are still some things left on our collective wish list.
 
Sarah Judd, Manager, Procurement, shared with us, Yardi is not all-inclusive for all systems the company utilizes.
 
We hear you loud and clear, Sarah! Currently, there are a number of platforms we use in our operations. We realize there is a benefit to streamlining some of these systems, and there are some changes currently under consideration. Stay tuned for more news on this in 2017!
 
We received a number of other insightful suggestions, which we’ll highlight in subsequent updates.

Feedback theme: Currently available features – there’s a Job Aid for that!

We’d like to take credit for already “fixing” some of the issues noted in the survey, but it turns out today’s Yardi already has features that some of us may have forgotten about. The good news is, there are Job Aids to help!
 

• Primary Tenant and Roommate Swap was a recurring suggestion. Yup, there’s a Job Aid for that! Please reference the wiki here if you need a refresh on how to complete this in Rentcafé.

• Processing package deliveries is always important, especially during the busy holiday season. Feedback regarding this also pertains to currently available functionality. Check out Rentcafé Yardi Concierge Administrator Functions on the wiki here for a training refresh.

Expect more updates + Feedback

We’ll have more updates for you in the new year, including confirmation of our rollout date. Until then, you’re always welcome to send questions and comments to Communications@essex.com.