Convert Zap Files

[Brian W Street]

I'm not getting you at all. If you're keeping all required docs for a USPAP compliant workfile, whether inside the software, on a drive on your pc or in a file cabinet....it generally takes the same amount of time.

So you don't think that creating a separate folder on a drive, copying files to it and printing the report to pdf takes any longer than hitting control S? I hit Control S and everything in my report is saved how would it not take additional time?

If you don't have the files saved somewhere and Corelogic is gone you're SOL anyway. No other appraisers version of Total is going to help that.

Now if you have your workfile on a jump drive (or carbonite or whatever) and you pc takes a crap, it doesn't matter. Put the drive in another pc and you have the report in a zap (to open in total if you can find another running version), pdf & xml to send to a client or you can recreate it in some new software.

That is what a good backup is for and as noted I have an off-site and on-site backup so if I have access to a working Total install then I can open my files and all is good in the world. But that is the problem, what if you don't have that access or want to pay for the yearly subscription after I retire? Right now I can see the contents of that Zap file in any zip-type program, all the files in the Total report/work file are visible but Total locks me out from opening them with a password that I did not create.

 

[Vermonter]

So you don't think that creating a separate folder on a drive, copying files to it and printing the report to pdf takes any longer than hitting control S? I hit Control S and everything in my report is saved how would it not take additional time?

No I don't cuz that's not a workfile, that's a proprietary version of your report that you have limited control over.

How are you getting everything into your Total workfile? Comps, spreadsheets, docs from agents, P&S and whatnot? The same action you take to put it into Total will put it in a folder on your C drive which takes literally 4 seconds to create.

And where are you keeping the pdf/xml copies of the report or do you not save them?

so if I have access to a working Total install then I can open my files and all is good in the world. But that is the problem, what if you don't have that access or want to pay for the yearly subscription after I retire?

This is exactly my point....pay for 5 years subscription orrr....create a folder on a drive and drop everything in it and back that up to carbonite.

You don't need Total (or any software) to send a copy of your workfile to the state board or a pdf to the client or whoever....if you keep it outside of the software.

 

[Brian W Street]

No I don't cuz that's not a workfile, that's a proprietary version of your report that you have limited control over.

How are you getting everything into your Total workfile? Comps, spreadsheets, docs from agents, P&S and whatnot? The same action you take to put it into Total will put it in a folder on your C drive which takes literally 4 seconds to create.

And that is my point, it is called a workfile and was set up by AlaMode to be a digital compliant workfile but I/others have no control over it and will not be able to create a copy of the digital portion of our reports if needed. With the only solution available being to do as you say, create an additional folder for each assignment. But as I see it that that adds time and more storage when most everything is already in that Total workfile.

 

[Hondo]

No I don't cuz that's not a workfile, that's a proprietary version of your report that you have limited control over.

How are you getting everything into your Total workfile? Comps, spreadsheets, docs from agents, P&S and whatnot? The same action you take to put it into Total will put it in a folder on your C drive which takes literally 4 seconds to create.

And where are you keeping the pdf/xml copies of the report or do you not save them?



This is exactly my point....pay for 5 years subscription orrr....create a folder on a drive and drop everything in it and back that up to carbonite.

You don't need Total (or any software) to send a copy of your workfile to the state board or a pdf to the client or whoever....if you keep it outside of the software.

This is the way I set my workfile up in 2011 and it is as easy as setting it up in Total and I am not depending on Alamode for access to my workfile. If I had the workfiles in Total I would be moving them to a separate file and copy them onto backups. JMO

 

[Vermonter]

And that is my point, it is called a workfile and was set up by AlaMode to be a digital compliant workfile but I/others have no control over it and will not be able to create a copy of the digital portion of our reports if needed. With the only solution available being to do as you say, create an additional folder for each assignment. But as I see it that that adds time and more storage when most everything is already in that Total workfile.

I do get what you're saying, but you are obviously looking for peace of mind that you're not getting by letting them control your workfile. You also can't go by what they're telling you. Their intent is to sell you a complete product with storage (vault, titan drive or whatever). They're not going to tell you it's not an ideal solution once you retire or they go belly up.

To be fair, I do think you would still be able to access old reports without the subscription, but not 100% on that, and not sure you could modify and resign if necessary. If they change permissions or disable updates for non subscribers you could be at their mercy.

And I also may not be the best person to direct you since I've been keeping separate e workfiles for years, so it's been part of my workflow all along. I will say it's really not that hard or time consuming....which is why I recommend it.

 

[Flakey]

And I also may not be the best person to direct you since I've been keeping separate e workfiles for years, so it's been part of my workflow all along. I will say it's really not that hard or time consuming....which is why I recommend it.

I do this also. I keep all kinds of stuff in different formats and it is all accessible. Also, I can search several different ways if I'm not sure exactly what I'm looking for is named. And it cost zero $.