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OSS Application Features and Functions
Following are some of the features and functions incorporated into the APB OSS.
The list is not exhaustive but is intended to exhibit the breadth and depth of the core OSS application suite.
Several are optional at the discretion of the jurisdiction.
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- Enterprise level features
- Ordinance management
- Reports and data accessibility
- Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) Integration
- Document management
- Jurisdiction maintenance
- Dealer maintenance
- Account maintenance
- Billing history, payments and miscellaneous charges
- Permit administration
- Events
- False alarm management
- Appeals administration
- Account self-care web site
- Interactive Voice Response (IVR)
- User access
- Push technology
- Enterprise level features
- Easy to use, logically organized web application.
- List, view, add and edit functionality.
- Sort lists by any column.
- Data is extensively cross-referenced and hyperlinked for easy accessibility.
- Reports are displayed for quick viewing and may be printed or downloaded.
- Unlimited volume of transactions.
- Supported by service level agreement.
- Password security access, encrypted database.
- Help and frequently asked questions.
- Full transactions log and edit journal.
- Unlimited contacts for each jurisdiction, police department, dealer, monitoring station, account and premise.
- Secure login with username and password protection.
- Restrict user access to static IP address.
- APB will further customize OSS to suit the jurisdiction’s particular requirements.
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- Ordinance management
- Supports all ordinance requirements with unlimited combinations of premise and permit types, fees and fines, and false alarm billing criteria.
- Permit registration fees may be annual, one-time or specific date method.
- Fixed or rolling periods are available.
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- Reports and data accessibility
- Users have immediate access to delinquency, permit and false alarm activity reports at login.
- Pending suspension and frequent offender reports alert dealers.
- Municipal alarm data page provides dealer alarm statistics compared to municipal-wide data.
- Historical false alarm tracking and reporting presents results of Ordinance enforcement.
- Standard reports and data files are presented on the home page daily, including 30-60-90 day aging, suspended permits, permits pending suspension, active permits, alarm incident activity.
- Accounts receivable page reconciles month-to-date billings and collections.
- Data is presented by dealer or jurisdiction using a dropdown selection.
- Reports tab stores links for additional standard and custom reports.
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- Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) Integration
- OSS will be integrated with the CAD system.
- Export dispatch information from CAD.
- Import new permits, status changes and suspensions to CAD.
- Supports address verification.
- Unprocessed incident records directed to queue for correction by municipality.
- Track monitoring station dispatches via call back number and verify dealer ownership.
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- Document management
- Manage document image storage with full integration with Word®, Excel®, Adobe Acrobat.
- Upload scanned images or any document type.
- Account correspondence, dealer licensing, account Ordinance verification forms are and example of the scanned documents available online.
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- Jurisdiction maintenance
- Maintain unlimited contact information for the jurisdiction and police department.
- Manage late fees, returned check fees and reversed credit card payment fees.
- Monitor dunning letter activity.
- Processing options such as billing responsible party, collection calls, dunning letters and billing method are controlled at the enterprise, dealer or account level.
- Manage news items appearing on the web site for dealers and monitoring stations.
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- Dealer maintenance
- Manage unlimited quantity of dealers, monitoring and installation companies.
- Establish escrow account to enable automatic or one-time payment of fees and fines.
- Supports business licensing.
- Bulk payment allows dealer to pay all fees and fines assigned to that dealer.
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- Account maintenance
- Manage account, key holder, alarm dealer and monitoring station information for each address.
- Permits numbers automatically assigned upon form completion and payment.
- Move permits between accounts.
- View billing and payment transaction history linked to invoice images.
- Multiple permits for a single premise and multiple premises per account.
- Outstanding balances prevent new permit issuances to a account.
- Account records display billing and balance due information.
- Billing method (paper invoice, email), billing party (account, dealer, monitoring station), collection activity (dunning letters, collection calls, late fees) are controlled at the account level.
- Electrical permits may be issued and exported to an alternate system.
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- Billing history, payments and miscellaneous charges
- Billing history by account displays all billing, payment and adjustment transactions.
- All transactions are linked to their related images: invoices, checks, credit card receipts, permits.
- Payment choices include credit card, escrow, cash or check. Escrow accounts allow dealers to draw down previously deposited funds to expedite online or automatic payment.
- Cash and check options support walk-in payments. Cash drawer feature tracks multiple locations and reconciles all cash transactions on a location and daily basis.
- Users may create miscellaneous charges and invoices, for example reinstatement fees.
- Select multiple invoices for payment.
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- Permit administration
- Manage permits by address, dealer, monitoring station or any combination.
- Permit status automatically updated based on false alarm incidents and payment activity.
- Permit record displays total alarm incidents, false alarms charged to this permit, outstanding balance and last payment information, current permit status.
- Permit renewals are processed automatically.
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- Events
- Events (correspondence, internal notes, telephone calls, activity reminders) may be recorded in the account section.
- Events also report routine OSS activity such as false alarm notices and dunning letters sent, collection call results, account requests from the self-care web site.
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- False alarm management
- Automatically manages and reports false alarm activity, and calculates false alarm status.
- Alarm incidents are automatically downloaded from the CAD system and processed according to Ordinance rules.
- Authorized personnel may edit alarm records.
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- Appeals administration
- Appeals are directed to the appeals queue for jurisdiction disposition.
- account correspondence is linked to the appeal request.
- Jurisdiction defined disposition options may include accept, deny, amend.
- Authorized personnel may modify the fine amount and the permit status.
- Comments may be added to each appeal record.
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- Account self-care web site
- Accounts may view account information, permits, alarm incidents and billing history.
- Payments processed online using major credit cards.
- Ordinance and responsible alarm ownership information reinforces need for responsible alarm ownership.
- Follow-up requests are directed to the specific user queue based on the request type.
- Explains false alarm appeal process and directs account to contact APB support office via mail, email or telephone.
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- Interactive Voice Response (IVR)
- Fully integrated IVR accessible via local or toll-free number.
- Available 24/7.
- Accounts select account information, permit status and payment options.
- Accounts may pay permit fees and false alarm fines suing major credit cards.
- IVR operator support available Monday through Friday, 8AM – 5PM Central Time on all standard business days.
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- User access
- System administration personnel control user access.
- Access is controlled by username and password, IP address, time of day, day of week.
- Users may be authorized unlimited capabilities, they may be restricted from downloads, add and edit functions, reports.
- All data is presented in view only mode. Specific user rights control additional functions such as add, change and move.
- User login is recorded and monitored.
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- Push technology
- Dealers may request automatic delivery of their download files via email or FTP.
- Files may be directed to any email or FTP site address
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