How to use the RealeSeller™ Options Menu
 
To Open the Options Menu:
Select Outlook Tools, Options...  When the options menu opens, select the RealeSeller tab.



General RealeSeller Options and Startup Options:

Reset Button (1) - If you press this button, all preferences on this tab are set to their original default settings.

Note:  If you use the Reset Button it resets just about every default setting used by the Agent, Prospect, and Property folders.  You should only do this if many fields were wiped out accidentally.


When viewing a RealeSeller folder view (2) - You can keep the toolbars Outlook displays exactly the way you normally see them or you can let RealeSeller move them around as needed.  If you have created your own web toolbar you will probably want to put a check in the Do not modify Web Toolbar selection.

When entering an incomplete address (3) - RealeSeller has a Zip Code Engine.  What this does is look up the City and State if you enter just the Zip Code for an address.  You can type a street address and then enter the Zip Code only on the next line.  Once you either move to another text field or press the save button to update the address information, the Zip Code Engine will look up the City and State and enter it for you.  Since Zip Codes do change from time to time and new ones are added, we update the ZipCode Engine data when necessary.

Tip:  If you try to use zip code auto-complete and the zip code is not found in the database, RealeSeller will prompt you for details and, if supplied, will save it to the custom zips data file located here usually:
C:\program Files\Double Density Software\Common Files\DDSZipEng.txt
Below is the window you will see when using a zip code that doesn't exist:

Note:  The numbers 88888 are only used as an example.  Your unknown zip code will be displayed in place of the example 88888.

When creating new Prospects/Properties/Agents/Companies (4) - You can choose to either open the new item in a separate window, or just add a new line in the grid list and allow you to add the information in the existing window which will be blank.

Preferences Tab - Synchronizing Your PDA.  (To Open the Options Menu: Select Outlook Tools, Options...  When the options menu opens, select the RealeSeller tab, then select Agent Options)  Because more and more people are using some type of PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), and many RealeSeller users want to sync their prospects folder without having to purchase yet another program that will allow them to choose something other than Outlooks Contact folder, this feature has been added so that the default software that most PDA's come with will sync the way you want it to. Simply press the Turn On button (5) and RealeSeller will convert your Outlook Contact folder into a RealeSeller Prospect folder.  When RealeSeller does this, it makes a backup copy of your original Contact folder for safe keeping.  After you press the button you will see this:

Once the conversion process is complete, you can sync your prospects with your PDA without any extra software needed.  If you ever decide to reverse this process, just come back to this window and press the Turn Off button (note the button changes).  This will restore things to their original state.

The Startup Tab


Go to this folder (1) - When RealeSeller starts you have several choices as to what folder to open and show after logging in.  Choose <None>, <Last folder selected>, pick any default folder in the drop down box list, or <Choose a specific folder>.  If you select this last selection, a folder browse window will open which allows you to choose any folder.
Tip:  If you are using Outlook 2003 or 2007 you do not need to use this feature in RealeSeller.  The option is fully implemented in Outlook 2003 and 2007.  In Outlook 2003 / 2007 you can change this setting by going to Tools, Options, Other tab, Advanced Options button.  At this point you can browse to the folder you want to use as the start up folder.  Close all the open windows and it is finished.

Switch to Outlook Shortcut Bar (2) - In order to make it easy to get back to RealeSeller folders in Outlook, RealeSeller will automatically switch to the shortcut view when you start Outlook.  If you do not want this functionality, just uncheck this box.

Check for RealeSeller Updates (3) - RealeSeller can check to see if there has been an update to the software and notify you if this happens.  By default this feature is turned on.

Check for Default Browser (4) - Because of the relationship between Outlook and Internet Explorer features, RealeSeller requires that Internet Explorer be set as the Default Browser.  If it isn't, Outlook will try and use other browser's to display data in Outlook and this will not work.  This doesn't mean you can use another browser, it just means that the other browser can't be the default browser.

Check Default RealeSeller folders (5) - RealeSeller can check to see if all RealeSeller default folders exist.  If they don't, RealeSeller will recreate them.

Check RealeSeller Shortcuts Bar (6) - RealeSeller can check to see if the shortcuts to the RealeSeller folders exist.  If they don't, RealeSeller will recreate them.

Active Tasks and Reminders (7)
By default, the ActiveTasks Engine is turned on.  If you aren't using or don't plan on using RealeSeller plan items to automatically send email, print letters, etc. then you can uncheck the Turn on ActiveTasks Engine checkbox.  It does need to be on in order for the special active features to work.  You can also over-ride the ActiveTasks settings and have the ActiveTask engine prompt you before performing any of your ActiveTasks.  This would probably become bothersome if you have a lot of ActiveTask activity.

Expand Outlook's Reminder Search  - When you put a check in this box, it allows you to have multiple calendars and multiple task folders with reminders.  Even though you can add other calendar folders to Outlook, only the original Calendar Folder is watched by Outlook normally.  Any reminders associated with the second, or any subsequent calendars are not looked at by Outlook.  Having this new expanded ability allows you to set up multiple calendars that are separate.  You might want a personal calendar, a team calendar, and/or a business calendar.  While Outlook allows you to have multiple calendars, you can only have reminders for a single calendar, the original one... unless you turn this feature on, then there are no limits.

When you expand the reminder search, you will have to choose the folders you want searched.  This is necessary in order to keep Outlook from searching all folders which would slow down Outlook.  When you click the Choose Folders button, you will see this window:

Now, select the folders you want searched.  Your prospect folder or a new calendar folder you might have added.  If there are sub folders (indicated by a '+' symbol), and you also want them searched, put a check in Include Subfolders (1).


The Calculation Defaults Tab

All of the calculators use default values for some things.  Enter information here that is usually a set value, or a common value.


The Other Tab

Custom Link Types (1) - These are lists of logical names used to refer to items being linked together.  An example of the two parts would be Buying and Being Bought By.  You can add these as needed when something doesn't exist to describe what you are linking.

Additional Zip Codes (2) - If for some reason the ZipCode engine doesn't add the City and State information automatically when you put just a ZipCode in an address text box, the database might not contain the necessary data.  You can add it here.  Press the New button and you will see this window:

Simply add the proper information into each of the boxes and click the Ok button to finish.  You can add as many new ZipCodes as needed to cover changes, a new area, or a recently divided area, to the ZipCode database.


The Soft Phones Tab:

Softphones Supported - Currently RealeSeller supports 3 soft-phones, two of which are free as of this writing.  Our dialer will use the selected soft-phone to dial, or if one is not available, the internal Outlook phone dialer.


Prospect Options Selection:

General Tab (reference the image below)
Show the following address type by default (1) - You can choose a default prospect address, Home, Business, or Other to start.  Once you switch it, RealeSeller will remember which address you want to see on any prospect when you make a selection. 

Prompt to create Property from new Prospect (2) - When you create a new prospect, you can automatically create a property at that same time that will be linked to the prospect.  This can save some time as a lot of information is filled in for you. 

When creating new property (3) - Since you can create other property folders, you can choose to have RealeSeller prompt you for the correct folder from a list; otherwise it will just make the new property in the default property folder.

Custom Field Names (4) - This is a new feature in Version 3.0.  You can now have 10 custom fields to use for storing any type of information.  The default names of the fields are entered and/or changed here.  The first four fields will synch to your PDA so keep that in mind when you are figuring out how to use these fields.

 

Lists Tab (reference the image below) - These are items that are added to drop down selection lists for the areas noted.  This feature has been updated in Version 3 to allow you to select the list you want to change from a drop down source (1).  This feature allows you to change the lists of choices to anything that fits your business needs.  There are two Reset buttons.  Reset All (2) will reset all lists to their original default values, and Reset (3) will reset just the currently selected list to their default values.

 

Mortgage Defaults Tab (reference the image below) - Some of the values here are used by the built in calculator.  Fill in all of the default information as it relates to you and your average customer.  Each prospect has their own custom information kept just for them.  This information is just used by default because a lot of this is the same all the time.  Some items like the Credit Report Fee, Document Prep Fee, etc. are often the same all the time.  If they aren't, it is best to leave them at their default settings, usually zero. 

Financing Defaults Tab (reference the image below) - Default information is saved here.  You can change this information in each prospect, but the defaults listed here will be used as a starting point.

Envelopes & Mailings Tab (reference the image below) - There are two sections here (1) & (3).  One pertains to how your correspondence addresses your client, i.e. the Salutation in a letter.  There is also a default (2) & (4) when no name is known or used.  The item in Bold print is the default selection.  "Dear John & Mary," is derived from the Dear <FirstNamePrimary> [&] <FirstNameSecondary>, when the primary person is John and his spouse is Mary.  There are many formats available and if the spouse information doesn't exist, the program will default to something like "Dear John," when necessary.  This same technique is used for the Heading information when the name information is used to make a mailing address label, etc.


Note:  This feature above is only used by RealeSeller special additional features like flyer's, and other future enhancements to RealeSeller and is not used when making letters, mailing labels, etc. using Microsoft Word in conjunction with RealeSeller / Outlook.

 

Property Needs Tab (reference the image below) - Default information is saved here.  The defaults listed here will be used as a starting point.  Since there are many different "common" features in houses which depend on where you live, we have set up a "Buyer" section that you can use to record the main things that your clients might want in their new home.  Ten of the items you see in this list below, are able to be customized.  We added mostly check boxes because they are fast and simple, but you have the ability to choose 3 different types of displayed data.  A Textbox that can contain anything you like, a drop down list called a Combobox, and a Checkbox that is used like yes or no.

Property Options Selection:
Lists Tab - This tab has a list of default selections for Property Features, Property Room Sizes, and other list data used in the property folder.  Common details like Bedrooms, Garage, etc. have been added by default.  You can add to any list any common names that don't already exist and remove those you don't need or use.

Reminders Tab - You can set how or even if, a property reminder is used.  This is a "quick" reminder feature for all property date fields and can be used instead of a RealePlan item.


Custom Fields Tab - New feature for Version 3.0.  You can now have 10 custom property fields to store any type of information you need that RealeSeller doesn't have.  In this window you can name the fields anything that fits your needs.

Note:  The first four custom fields will synch with your PDA, so keep that in mind when you are figuring out what you want to put in these fields.

 

Agent & Company Options Selection:
Custom Field Names - Both the Agent and Company views have 10 custom fields as of Version 3.0.  You can Customize the field names and put anything you like into the text fields.  The first four fields will synch to your PDA so keep that in mind when you are naming these fields.