How to Configure Order from the Options in Appraisal Scope®

The Configure automatic due date assignment setting allows AMCs to configure Appraisal Scope to set due dates a certain number of days from the date of an order based on jobtype or intended use. AMCs can also allow client users to have due date editing capabilities by selecting Editable for Client from the drop-down list associated with this setting. To further configure the automatic due date assignment setting, an admin user can use the following procedures.

1. From the Options page, click Order Form in the left-hand navigation menu.

2. Locate the Configure automatic due date assignment setting near the top of the settings list, and click Configure to the right of it. The Set Days for Auto Fill Due Date on Appraisal Form dialog box will open.

3. Note the Jobtypes and Intended Use tabs near the top of the box. To configure this setting based on jobtype, the Jobtypes tab should be selected.

4. For each jobtype displayed in the list, first select whether Appraisal Scope should autofill the due date on the associated appraisal form by location, meaning that the due date on the form will only be autofilled when a subject property is in a particular location.

5. To configure Appraisal Scope to autofill by location for a particular jobtype, select Auto Fill by Location in the Method drop-down box associated with that jobtype. Next, click Set By Location to the right of the entry.

6. First, find the states that you want to serve as locations, and for each state, set the number of days out from order placement you want the due date to be set. If you want to further narrow these locations, click Edit under Set by County, choose your counties, and then enter the number of days.  You can also set locations by zip code by clicking Edit under Set by Zip and making your choices in this same fashion.

7. To configure Appraisal Scope to simply autofill by jobtype, make sure Auto Fill is selected for each relevant jobtype and enter the number of days out from order placement you want the due date to be set in the Days column.

8. To configure Appraisal Scope to autofill by intended use, first click the Intended Use tab near the top of the box.

9. You can make the same choices regarding whether to have Appraisal Scope autofill by location or not, and use the same procedures as those detailed in the previous steps to configure this setting by intended use.

10. If you want Appraisal Scope to exclude weekend days in its calculation of due date, select the Exclude weekend days check box in the top left-hand corner of the Set Days for Auto Fill Due Date on Appraisal Form box.

11. When you’ve finished making all of your selections, click Save.

The Customize the Loan Type field setting allows AMCs to choose, first, whether the Loan Type field will be required, optional, or not included at all in a new order form. To choose, an admin user will click the drop-down box associated with this setting and select Required, Optional, or Disabled.

If Required or Optional is selected, an admin user can customize the loan types that will be made available to ordering client users in the Loan Type drop-down list on the new order form. An admin user can use the following procedures to configure this drop-down list.

1. From the Options page, click Order Form in the left-hand navigation menu.

2. Locate the Customize the Loan Type field setting in the settings list, and click Configure to the right of it. The Loan Type dialog box will open.

3. To add loan types that aren’t part of the Loan Type list found here, enter the loan type in the Add New Type text box and click Add. Any new type added will appear in the list and will automatically be selected for inclusion in the Loan Type drop-down list in the new order form. These new types can be edited or deleted at any time moving forward using the Edit and Delete options pertinent to this new entry.

4. In general, the check box associated with each loan type will determine whether that loan type appears in the Loan Type drop-down list in the new order form. To include a loan type, make sure its associated check box is selected. To keep a loan type out of the drop-down list on the new order form, make sure its associated check box is empty, and if it’s not, clear it by clicking the check box.

5. When you’re finished configuring this setting, click Close.

The Customize the Intended Use field setting allows AMCs to customize the Intended Use drop-down list that will be available on the new order form to ordering client users. To configure this setting, an admin user can use the following procedures.

1. From the Options page, click Order Form in the left-hand navigation menu.

2. Locate the Customize the Intended Use field setting in the settings list, and click Configure to the right of it. The Intended Use dialog box will open.

3. The text in the Intended Use drop-down box, at the top left of the dialog box, will read Non Commercial. This means that when non-commercial appraisals are being ordered, the list of intended uses visible in the Intended Use dialog box will match up with the Intended Use drop-down list of the new order form.

4. To add an intended use that will appear in the Intended Use drop-down list of the new order form for non-commercial appraisals, keep the Intended Use drop-down box in the dialog box at Non Commercial, and enter a new intended use in the Add New Intended Use text box. Then, click Add.

5. To see the intended uses that will appear for commercial appraisal orders, first click the Intended Use drop-down box in the top left of the dialog box and select Commercial. When commercial appraisals are being ordered, the list of intended uses now visible in the dialog box will match up with the Intended Use drop-down list of the new order form.

6. To add an intended use that will appear in the Intended Use drop-down list of the new order form for commercial appraisals, enter an intended use in the Add New Intended Use text box, and click Add.

7. When you’re finished configuring this setting, click Close.

The Customize the Property Type Field setting allows AMCs to choose, first, whether the Property Types field will be required, optional, or not included at all in a new order form. To choose, an admin user will click the drop-down box associated with this setting and select Required, Optional, or Disabled.

If Required or Optional is selected, an admin user can customize the property types that will be made available to ordering client users in the Property Types drop-down list on the new order form. An admin user can use the following procedures to configure this drop-down list.

1. From the Options page, click Order Form in the left-hand navigation menu.

2. Locate the Customize the Property Type Field setting in the settings list, and click Configure to the right of it. The Property Type dialog box will open.

3. The text in the Property Type drop-down box, at the top left of the dialog box, will read Non Commercial. This means that when non-commercial appraisals are being ordered, the list of property types visible in the Property Types dialog box will match up with the Property Types drop-down list of the new order form.

4. To add a property type, keep the Property Type drop-down box in the dialog box at Non Commercial, and enter a new property type in the Add New Type text box. Then, click Add.

5. To see the Property Types that will appear for commercial appraisal orders, first click the Property Type drop-down box in the top left of the dialog box and select Commercial.

6. To add a Property Type for commercial appraisals, enter a Property Type in the Add New Type text box, and click Add.

7. Any new Property Types added for either non-commercial or commercial appraisals will appear as entries in the Property Type dialog box and will automatically be selected for inclusion in the Property Types drop-down list in the new order form.

8. In general, the check box associated with each property type, both non-commercial and commercial, will determine whether that property type appears in the Property Types drop-down list in the new order form. To include a property type, make sure its associated check box is selected. To keep a property type out of the drop-down list on the new order form, make sure its associated check box is empty, and if it’s not, clear it by clicking the check box.

9. A selection made in the Default column of the Property Type dialog box will control which property type appears by default in the Property Types field of the new order form. You will need to make a default selection for both non-commercial and commercial property types by clicking on the option relevant to the property type you want to serve as default.

10. When you’re finished configuring this setting, click Close.

The Customize the Property Characteristics field setting allows AMCs to choose, first, whether the Property Characteristics field will be required, optional, or not included at all in a new order form. To choose, an admin user will click the drop-down box associated with this setting and select Required, Optional, or Disabled.

If Required or Optional is selected, an admin user can customize the property characteristics that will be made available to ordering client users in the Property Characteristics drop-down list on the new order form. An admin user can use the following procedures to configure this drop-down list.

1. From the Options page, click Order Form in the left-hand navigation menu.

2. Locate the Customize the Property Characteristics field setting in the settings list, and click Configure to the right of it. The Property Characteristics dialog box will open.

3. To add Property Characteristics that aren’t part of the list found here, enter the new property characteristic in the Add New Type text box and click Add. Any new type added will appear in the list and will automatically be selected for inclusion in the Property Characteristics drop-down list in the order form. Any entry in the Property Characteristics dialog box can be edited or deleted at any time using the Edit and Delete options specific to the entry.

4. In general, the check box associated with each Property Characteristic will determine whether that characteristic appears in the Property Characteristics drop-down list on the order form. To include a Property Characteristic, make sure its associated check box is selected. To keep a Property Characteristic out of the drop-down list on the order form, make sure its associated check box is empty, and if it’s not, clear it by clicking the check box.

5. When you’re finished configuring this setting, click Close.

The Customize the Occupancy field setting allows AMCs to choose, first, whether the Occupancy field will be required, optional, or not included at all in a new order form. To choose, an admin user will click the drop-down box associated with this setting and select Required, Optional, or Disabled.

If Required or Optional is selected, an admin user can customize the options that will be made available to ordering client users in the Occupancy drop-down list on the new order form. An admin user can use the following procedures to configure this drop-down list.

1. From the Options page, click Order Form in the left-hand navigation menu.

2. Locate the Customize the Occupancy field setting in the settings list, and click Configure to the right of it. The Occupancy Type dialog box will open.

3. To add occupancy type options that aren’t part of the list found here, enter the new options in the Add New Occupancy Type text box and click Add. Any new type added will appear in the list and will automatically be selected for inclusion in the Occupancy drop-down list in the order form. Any entry in the Occupancy Type dialog box can be edited or deleted at any time using the Edit and Delete options specific to the entry.

4. In general, the check box associated with each occupancy type will determine whether that type appears in the Occupancy drop-down list on the order form. To include an occupancy type, make sure its associated check box is selected. To keep an occupancy type out of the drop-down list on the new order form, make sure its associated check box is empty, and if it’s not, clear it by clicking the check box.

5. Making a selection in the Default column in the Occupancy Type dialog box will control which occupancy type appears by default in the Occupancy field of the order form. You will need to make a default selection by clicking on the option relevant to the occupancy type you want to serve as default.

6. When you’re finished configuring this setting, click Close.

The Automatically e-mail the "best contact" on the order to schedule the inspection time setting can be used when an AMC wants Appraisal Scope to automatically send an email to a contact person when certain jobtypes are ordered. The contact person who receives the email will be established when selected in the order form from the Who is the best person to contact? drop-down list. The ordering party will also need to have provided an email address for that contact on the order form in the Enter Borrower’s Email To Expedite Scheduling text box.

If this setting is Enabled, an admin user can use the following procedures for configuration.

1. From the Options page, click Order Form in the left-hand navigation menu.

2. Locate the Automatically e-mail the “best contact” on the order to schedule the inspection time setting in the settings list, and click Configure to the right of it. The Select Jobtype dialog box will open.

3. Select the check box associated with each jobtype that will trigger the automatic email when ordered.

4. After all selections have been made, click Submit.

The Display warning to client/Admin setting can be used when an AMC needs to provide warning information specific to a state, county, or zip-code to an ordering client user. The information will display on the screen in the order form for a property location meeting the criteria set by the AMC.

If this setting is Enabled, an admin user can use the following procedures for configuration.

1. From the Options page, click Order Form in the left-hand navigation menu.

2. Locate the Display warning to client/Admin setting in the settings list, and click Configure to the right of it. The Custom Warning dialog box will open.

3. First, add the title you’d like to accompany your warning message in the Warning Title text box, and then type out the body of the message in the Warning Message text box.

4. Next, choose the state that this message will pertain to by clicking the State drop-down list and clicking on the relevant state.

5. This will add an entry for the message that you’ve created, associated with the chosen state, at the bottom of the Custom Warning box. An entry can be deleted at any time from the Custom Warning dialog box by clicking X.

6. By default, the new entry will include all counties within the state, but it can be refined by removing counties to which the warning will not apply, and also by refining certain counties by zip code.

7. To refine the entry further, first click Edit in the Action column. This will open the Custom Warning – state abbrev Counties dialog box.

8. You can edit the title of the message or the message itself from this dialog box, and you can remove any counties from the entry by clearing the check boxes associated with those counties.

9. If you want to refine a county further by zip code, click zip next to that county name, and clear the check boxes associated with any zip codes to which your warning message will not apply. Click Back when you’re finished.

10. When you’ve finished editing your message, click Update.

The Set Rush Order status automatically based on jobtype setting can be used when an AMC wants to attach a rush status to a particular jobtype in all cases where that jobtype is ordered.

If this setting is Enabled, an admin user can use the following procedures for configuration.

1. From the Options page, click Order Form in the left-hand navigation menu.

2. Locate the Set Rush Order status automatically based on jobtype setting in the settings list, and click Configure to the right of it. The Customize Rush Order Job Types dialog box will open.

3. Select the check box associated with each jobtype that will trigger the automatic status setting when ordered.

4. After all selections have been made, click Save.

The For API order placement, filter JobTypes based on Loan Type setting gives AMCs the ability to determine the jobtype that is displayed when an order is placed for a given loan type via direct integration.  

Note: This option is currently only available for orders placed via direct integration.

If this setting is Enabled, an admin user can use the following procedures for configuration.

1. From the Options page, click Order Form in the left-hand navigation menu.

2. Locate the For API order placement, filter JobTypes based on Loan Type setting in the settings list, and click Configure to the right of it. The Configure JobTypes per Loan Type dialog box will open.

3. Each individual loan type listed in this dialog box will need to be configured individually.

4. First, click Configure to the right of the loan type you’re configuring. The Select available JobTypes for loan type dialog box will open.

5. Select each jobtype that will display as available when an order is placed for this loan type. Click Save when you’re finished.

6. After each loan type has been configured, click Close.

Note: The Require Processor field can only be used with integrated orders.

The Default Approaches To Be Included (Commercial) setting gives AMCs the option to set default values for approaches by Income, Sales, and/or Cost.  To set these default values, an admin user will click Configure, and in the Approaches to be included dialog box, select the check boxes associated with the options they want to choose.

Note: This setting only applies to orders for jobtypes that have been configured as Commercial.

The Require users to agree to Payment Terms & Conditions setting allows AMCs to make it mandatory that users agree to terms before a payment is made. If this setting is Enabled, an admin user can use the following procedures for configuration.

1. From the Options page, click Payment Form in the left-hand navigation menu.

2. Locate the Require users to agree to Payment Terms & Conditions setting in the settings list, and click Configure to the right of it. The Set Terms and Conditions on client payment disclaimer dialog box will open.

3. Use the text editor in the dialog box to type and style the Terms & Conditions message.

4. After you’ve finished, click Save.

The Set Additional Document visibility setting gives an AMC options to decide how they want Appraisal Scope to handle the permissions regarding who can see additional documents. An AMC can choose to treat all additional documents the same, and choose a default option that will determine who can see these additional documents. They can also decide to treat certain documents in a custom manner, making these documents available to client users and/or vendor users.

A third option is made possible by the precedence given to invoice, SSR, and QC related documents. These documents can be treated in a custom manner, and regardless of the default options that are then chosen to handle all other documents, the custom settings for these documents will take precedence, and they will be handled according to their custom configurations. An admin user can follow the following procedures to customize the Set Additional Document visibility setting.

1. From the Options page, click Documents in the left-hand navigation menu.

2. Locate the Set Additional Document visibility setting in the settings list, and click on the drop-down list to the right. Select Set Custom Document Permissions from this list.

3. Next, click Configure, directly beneath the drop-down box. The Additional Document Custom Permissions dialog box will open.

4. Select the check boxes associated with the individual documents to be customized under the Display to Appraiser and/or Display to Client columns, depending on who you want to be able to see these documents.

5. After you’ve finished your configurations, click Save.

The Enable Reviewer, Supervisor, and Admin fees setting allows an AMC to configure these additional fees to appear on their invoices. An admin user can perform this configuration by clicking Configure, selecting the appropriate check box in the Select Additional Items For Invoices dialog box, and clicking Save.

The Notification Log row highlighting setting allows an AMC to configure multiple color-coded labels that can then be applied to rows in the Notification Log. When this setting is enabled, an admin user can use the following procedures to create these labels.

1. From the Options page, click Order Details in the left-hand navigation menu.

2. Locate the Notification Log row highlighting setting in the settings list, and click Configure to the right of it. The Notification Log Row Highlighting Configuration dialog box will open.

3. First, name the colored label you’re going to create in the Add new highlight type text box.  

4. To set the color, move your cursor to the shaded box to the right of the text box and click there. When the color selector opens, use the controls to choose the color you want to associate with the label.

5. Click Add, and the new label will appear in a list inside the Notification Log Row Highlighting Configuration dialog box. Entries you create and add to this list can be edited or deleted at any time by clicking Edit or Delete in the Action column.

6. When you’re finished making your selections, click Close.

A list of classifications can be created or added to from the Order Classifications setting.  This list of classifications configured here at the global level will provide all of the classification options available to apply to an individual client company from a client company profile.

To create or add to a list, an admin user will click Configure to the right of the toggle switch associated with the Order Classifications setting. They will then add any order classifications by typing them into the text box and clicking Add. The Order Classifications list will be available to change as needed from this location moving forward, which can be accomplished by clicking Edit or Delete in the Action field associated with the classification that needs to be changed or deleted.

The Limit the number of assignments per Appraiser by enabling Max Order field in their profile setting allows an AMC to make a Max Order field available on the Edit page of a vendor user’s profile. When the setting is enabled, this field will allow admin users to set a maximum limit on the order assignments given to any single appraiser. An admin user can configure this setting further by following the following procedures.

1. From the Options page, click Appraiser Assignment in the left-hand navigation menu.

2. Locate the Limit the number of assignments per Appraiser by enabling Max Order field in their profile setting in the settings list, and click Configure to the right of it. The Appraiser Max Order dialog box will open.

3. To set a default limit on orders that will pre-populate the Max Order field at the vendor user level, enter a number in the Set Max Order Default box and click Apply to All.

4. To set Appraisal Scope to hard stop or to provide a warning that a vendor user has been assigned the maximum number of orders, click the Set Hard Stop or Warning drop-down box and choose one of the options available from the list.

5. When you’re finished configuring the setting, click Close.

A staff user can expand review types in their AMC’s platform-version beyond the Appraisal Scope default Reviewer and Underwriter revision types. To do this, they will first click Configure next to the Configure Revision Types setting. When the Revision Type dialog box opens, the user will enter the new revision type, stipulate it As Client Revision or As Reviewer Revision, and then click Add. New revision types will be available to edit from this same location.

An AMC can customize the disclosure statement that appears to a client user when that user requests a Reconsideration of Value. To do this, a staff user will first click Configure next to the Customizing the Reconsideration of Value disclosure statement setting. Using the text editor in the Reconsideration of value disclosure dialog box, the user can alter the default disclosure statement and click Save.

An AMC can customize the text of the request sent to an appraiser when a revision is requested. To do this, a staff user will first click Configure next to the Customize Revision Request (QC Review) setting. Using the text editor in the Customize Revision Request (QC Review) dialog box, the user can alter the text of the request and click Save.

An AMC can configure revision codes to select from when submitting revision requests. To do this, a staff user will first need to make sure that the drop-down box associated with the Revision Codes setting is set to Enabled, and then they will click Configure to the right of the drop-down box. In the Revision Codes dialog box, the user can add codes and descriptions of these codes that will then be available to choose from when a revision is being requested, as long as the Revision Codes setting is Enabled. Codes created here will be available to edit or delete from this same location.