Mass data entry / Global database changes / Adding new data in the database in bulk / Mass database changes in Margill Loan Manager

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Q:  We have added some custom fields for additional loan information.  Is there a way we can mass import only those specific custom fields in Loan Manager?

A: Yes you can mass import data into Margill Loan Manager. This is with what we call “Global changes”.

This can be done for the loan, mortgage, line of credit, lease, etc. (the Record) or for the Borrower.

For adding new information or changing data in many Records at once, sort these in the Main window, choose the desired Records, highlight these and right click with the mouse. Choose Global changes:

This window will appear showing the various fields that can be changed.

There are over 30 fields that can be changed plus all Custom fields.

Select the field you wish to add data to (or change data) and press on Refresh. You can only add data to one field at a time.

Your can then highlight the Records and with the right mouse click add/change the data in bulk. Case being, you will see existing data and can replace these or not. Use the Ctrl or Shift key and mouse to pick and choose the desired lines.

Below is the option when a scroll menu exists for the Custom field. If the field was a Text field for example, you would simply enter any text (no menu).

If the data is never the same, for example, adding the date of birth for Borrowers, you can add the data line by line.

Once the data is entered or changed, press on Save (bottom right). The changes will be made.

Adding data via spreadsheet (Sorry not yet… but coming soon):

  • In version 5.0.x coming up in a few weeks, you will be able to make these Global changes with a spreadsheet (Excel). All you will need are two columns (a loan Identifier – our “MLM Record ID” or one of the two “Unique Identifiers”. “File”, “File Number” and “Accounting ID” are not allowed since these may not be unique identifiers). It is strongly recommended to start using the Unique Identifiers offering much more versatility.

This is not the same as adding a new loan or Borrower in the database – this can be done through Tools, Settings, Special and:

See http://www.margill.com/en/mass-importing-existing-loans-and-borrowers-in-margill-loan-manager/

You can also use the Global changes for these practical changes:

  • Change Active Records to Closed after your fiscal year end
  • Activate Automatic fees
  • Enable or disable the sending of email reminders to your Borrowers
  • Activate the Electronic Funds Transfer for a bunch of Records at once
  • Add banking data to your Borrowers
  • Make corrections in bulk
  • Add Metro 2 credit reporting compulsory data to the loans and Borrowers
  • Update and change most Borrower data and their Custom fields

 

Mass importing existing loans and borrowers in Margill Loan Manager

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Q: I wish to change from my current loan servicing platform to Margill Loan Manager. Can I import my existing loans or will I have to enter these one by one?

A: Mass import can be done easily with simple spreadsheets (Excel).

You can import:

  • Borrower data
  • Creditor data
  • Employer data
  • Basic loan information (loan type, loan amount, interest rates, dates, amortization, method, custom fields, etc.)
  • Individual historical payments (paid, partial and late payments, additional advances, etc.)

Go to Tools > Settings > Special section >

Your Excel sheet must list all the data column by column. This is a sample spreadsheet for importing loan information.

Select the spreadsheet and then map the spreadsheet columns to the proper Margill fields:

You could have one single spreadsheet with Loan and Borrower information and map some columns but not others depending on where the data fits (Loan or Borrower).

You can save this format to use over and over to add more loans and Borrowers in bulk.

Please contact Margill Support to obtain a sample sheet with more import information…

You can also import individual transactions with an Excel sheet:

 

The Transaction type columns uses a number to identify the transaction type: payment, advance, etc. Comments and a host of other data can also be added such as Check number…

Importing loans and Borrowers takes no time at all. The challenge lies in getting the proper information from your existing system into the Excel sheet. The Margill team is there to help in this transition.

See also how to add data in bulk once the loan or Borrower is entered in the database: https://www.margill.com/en/mass-data-entry-global-database-changes-adding-new-data-in-the-database-in-bulk-mass-database-changes-in-margill-loan-manager/

PS: Good idea switching from your other system to Margill 😉

Setting up automatic emails (reminders) to your borrowers

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Margill Automatic Emails…

  • Allow you to have Margill send out emails automatically a few days before a payment is due, to remind your borrower to pay.
  • You can send reminders to all your borrowers or only the ones that don’t pay so well or on time…
  • The system can automatically email your borrower that a payment was returned NSF
  • The system can automatically email your borrower that the last payment of the loan is coming up and that the renewal date is close
  • Or emails can be sent based on any other “Line statuses” that you have set up

Total Flexibility in your Payment Schedules

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Loan servicing made easy

Completely adapt a payment schedule to your borrower’s needs and real life such as irregular payments, seasonal cashflow, interest-only, principal-only, partial, late, unpaid payments, lump sum, automatic fees, negative balances in intercompany loans, interest rate changes, residual value…

 

Can we email an amortization report to each borrower when interest rates change?

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Margill Loan Manager – Can we email an amortization report to each borrower when interest rates change?

Yes this can be done.

First, I guess you updated the interest rates though the Main window with Ctrl Alt Shift i. Ideally you have a custom field that identifies the loans that are tied to the specific index (Prime, LIBOR, etc.). With this field you can easily select the proper loans to 1) change the interest rates quickly and 2) send the amortization schedule by email.

You could have the scroll menu with “Prime” or to be more precise “Prime +”

To create the statement to send out, go to Reports > Mail/Email Template > New and create a DocX that offers many more options than the older RTF.

You can then structure the template and enter your logo and add the Merge codes to identify the Borrower, etc. You could also create your statement in Word and copy it here afterwards.

Here is what this could look like (the |105| for example, are Merge fields)…

The merge codes to enter the amortization schedule per se are under the General theme. You can try each to see which is best for you. There are 10 templates and we can program others to meet you exact needs (columns included, titles, etc.).

 

Now that your template is created, test to see if all is good (numbers, names, etc.).

Go to Reports > Document Merge.

You will need to select a date range or show the entire schedule (past, present and future payments). I would opt for a date range to see up to the rate change, not the future.

See the circled red settings below. |991| will be the schedule…

Then press on “Save – Print -Send by Email”.

Here are the options:

You can also add an email  Subject and Message when sending the email.

Email sending must be configured in Tools > Settings > Email Connection. Your IT person will usually set this up properly for each Margill user.

The selected Records will all be sent out by email in a batch. Each takes about 10 seconds to create and send out.

Margill Loan Manager: Is there an audit trail that can be printed to show transactions / changes to records on a daily basis?

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Q: Is there an audit trail that can be printed to show transactions / changes to records on a daily basis?

A: Yes very easily.

Go to the Main Margill window, select all the loans (probably only Active loans) , Tools > Various > Display the history of changes for selected Records.

You can then right click with the mouse to see the changes for the day, yesterday or any period of time.

You can also see the log of changes loan by loan in the Data window of each loan:

Can Margill Loan Manager be used to manage rentals (rent)?

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Question: Our company does loans and rentals. Can Margill Loan Manager be used to manage rentals (monthly rents)?

Answer: As strange as this may sound for a loan servicing software, yes Margill Loan Manager can manage rentals.

The difference between a loan and a rental is that loans begin with a principal amount borrowed that usually will decrease as payments are made for the interest and principal portions. Rent on the other hand, is due (accrued), and payable every month. So rent accrues usually on the first of the month and then is paid, hopefully, on the same day. Usually, interest is not charged on rent.

First, in Tools > Settings > Custom Column Titles, change the Column “Fees” title to “Rent”.

Create a new Record. Under Data enter the date at which the first rent is due. The same date should be entered in both Origination Date and First Payment Date. The rents are payable monthly. Principal (Original) should be 0.00 and since there is no interest on the rent, Annual Nominal Rate (%) should also be 0.00%. This is a three year rental for 575 per month. Press on “Add Fees” and a window will allow you to enter the monthly rent amount.

Then press on Compute and answer No to this pop-up. We do not want Margill to compute the Principal (remains 0.00).

The rental payment schedule then appears. I moved my column called “Rent – Accrued” to the left to see it readily without needing to scroll to the right. The rent is “charged” with the “Rent – Accrued” and paid with the “Payment” column.

Notice on line 3 that my rent is a few days late. This does not change anything mathematically since interest is not charged, but this allows you to balance with your banking transactions. A partial rent amount could also have been entered and the schedule then changed based on what was agreed for later repayment between the “landlord” (or equipment rental) and the person who rents.

To be fancy, I renamed a Paid Pmt (x) Line status to “Paid Rent”. Go to Tools > Settings > Line status.

Importing batch payments in Margill Loan Manager (CSV, Excel)

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Question: Our company collects weekly (bi-weekly or monthly – no matter) payments drawn directly from their bank accounts in some cases and in others as payroll deductions. We receive CSV files from the bank and processors. Can these transactions then be imported back to Margill Loan Manager?

Answer: As you guessed, since I blogged this, Margill does this no problem.

Each and every line of a payment schedule includes a unique line identifier. If this line identifier can be sent back to Margill from your processor (or accounting or ERP system), the software will automatically change a “Due payment” to a Paid, Late or Partial payment or even an Unpaid payment if your system can send back the Line ID with a payment of 0.00 (most systems don’t actually, so a human may have to decide when this payment eventually is considered Unpaid).

To send the transactions to the bank or to the payroll deduction processor, use the Transaction report with any data you want. Let’s keep it simple by supplying the Name, Transaction date, Transaction amount and Unique Line ID.

This report can then be sent to the processor in Excel, CSV or Text format.

Please note. The file created by Margill is not in NACHA format. We work with third party processors Intrix (US) and Perceptech (Acceo)(Canada) for electronic funds transfers to debit your borrower accounts.

Notice the “Line Unique ID” above – your provider must be able to accept this data and return it with the paid payments in the format below. We highlighted special payments (need not for real…):

  • In C2  we have a Partial payment
  • C4 – Unpaid payment
  • B7 – Late payment
  • B15 – Partial Late
  • C23- Unpaid payment
  • The rest are all normal Paid payments – on time, right amount…

This Excel file is imported to Margill and all payments will be updated in seconds… Errors will be flagged the case being.

See also: How can I enter multiple payments and advances in a loan without having to enter them one by one? I have over 100 in one loan. I have the data in Excel.

Margill Loan Manager: Is there a way for me to see if users are logged on to the system?

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Question: Is there a way for me to see if users are logged on to the system?

Answer:

Go to Tools > Users and see this: