Emphasys Software created myHousing to meet the unique needs of smaller, cost-conscious public housing authorities (PHAs). MyHousing is designed around an application service provider (ASP) model. It is housed in a secure location and runs over the Internet. That means it is available 18 hours a day, seven days a week, and can be accessed from anywhere and Emphasys manages all of the equipment, backups, and software updates.
MyHousing provides PHAs with the following capabilities:
• Waiting List
• Housing Choice Voucher (S8)
• Public Housing
• Work Orders
• PHA-designed housing programs
• Basic inspection tracking
• Letters through mail-merge
• Standard reports
• Interface to PIC
• Access to the PHA’s information anytime through Excel
• Financial transactions, including an interface to QuickBooks
MyHousing is an Internet portal. Once a user logs in, the portal presents information and features specific to that user. The different functions of the system are conveniently displayed as tabs across the top of the screen or page. Step-by-step instructions for how to use a page appear at the bottom of each one, tucked out of the way for experienced users, but always available for a new user or anyone who wants a refresher.
MyHousing makes workflow easy by providing helpful summary information about the agency on the agency’s home page. Agency and program statistics let the PHA staff know how many applicants are on each waiting list, how many tenants are being assisted under each program, and how many certifications are upcoming, in progress, and late.
Up-to-the minute demographics of program participants are displayed graphically. As soon as a new family is moved into a unit, the new demographic information is displayed.
The At-A-Glance panel allows the user to select a family, and to display an information snapshot for that family. The snapshot includes information about all household members, their incomes and expenses, where they currently reside, payment history, and other information. The At-A-Glance panel will also show information snapshots for dwelling units, landlords, buildings, inspectors and many other things tracked in myHousing.
Maintaining a waiting list has never been easier. Within minutes staff can add applicants to a list, remove them, and house them. The screen is simple and intuitive, and guides the user through the steps he needs to complete each action.
In fact, Emphasys is so confident that PHAs will find myHousing easy to learn and use, that we do not charge for implementation services. Instead, we provide a free, no-obligation, 30-day trial on myHousing. And we provide free assistance for 30 additional days when you sign up.
Emphasys has created an interface from myHousing to QuickBooks, the popular accounting system. If you use QuickBooks, you create your chart of accounts there, and import it into myHousing. Tenant-related charges and commitments are then created in myHousing and exported from myHousing to QuickBooks, so that you can print checks, produce billing statements, and process receipts. On a daily, weekly, or monthly basis, payments, adjustments, and miscellaneous transactions processed in QuickBooks can then be imported into myHousing for a complete tenant history.
At no additional charge, PHAs using myHousing may exchange information with their fee accountants and auditors through the Fee Accountant Portal. The PHA controls who can access its financial information, and when it is ready to be released. Fee accountants and auditors then log into the Fee Accountant Portal, and are able to retrieve information from one or more of their myHousing clients, specifying date ranges if desired. The chart of accounts, accounts receivable ledger, and accounts payable ledger are all available to be downloaded. And the fee accountant can see when the information was last updated, and download it multiple times as changes are made.
myHousing Hardware Requirements
The minimum hardware requirements for myHousing are as follows:
• Internet Explorer 6.0 (~12 MB installation)
• Adobe Acrobat
• 56 KBps modem or broadband
• Super VGA display (800x600) or higher resolution with 256 colors
• Operating System:
o MS Windows 98, 98 second edition
o MS Windows NT 4.0 with high encryption version of SP 6a or higher
o MS Windows 2000
o MS Windows XP
QuickBooks Hardware Requirements
The minimum hardware requirements for QuickBooks are based on the manufacturer’s requirements.
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