Apply MY Template!

For those of you that have attended one of my trainings this one is going to be familiar. “Remember transparencies?”  I believe if you need to do something more than once you need a system and in this case a template works great!!

For the example we are going to be creating a “Lead Based Paint – Buyer Template”.  As an agent when you are writing an offer for a Buyer we have to get seller/property disclosures, lead based paint disclosures and sometimes other forms that may be required by your state.  Since we all must have a lead based paint disclosure, I’m use a general one for the example.  Your’s may look different and you will want to do these steps with any from that you need.

First, go into your Templates section of your account.  You should have a folder if you have created Document Templates, then use a Buyer Packet that is YOURS, can’t use one created by the office.  If you don’t have one, click “create folder” and name it something.  Now go to the office library of forms and find the lead based paint and click “make copy” and select your folder in your templates and make sure you say “flat PDF”.  Select your folder and click “copy”.  Now you have a PDF in your folder and let’s go back to that document and you will now see no text boxes, signatures or anything fillable on it, that’s what we want.  At the top under “file” click “apply template” and select the EXACT document you originally added from the library.  This will add all the fields to the form but allow you to move and edit them!  Click “save”.

With the fields applied exactly where they should be you will need to select the seller fields like the ones at the top and the signatures fields.  Click and drag over the fields and then use a shortcut “shift-delete” (two keys at the same time).  Anything highlighted will be deleted so don’t select any of the buyer fields.  Continue this until all the fields are removed that you do not need.

As a side note, I find some lead based paint forms are not done correctly with a “radio button” instead of “checkbox”.  If that is the case with your form you can fix it now!  How you can tell if your form is correct depends of if it will allow you to select both receive and waive the opportunity to test for lead based paint.  If you see a “check” on both it needs to be fixed.  If you see a dot then it has been done correctly and will only allow a choice and not both.  To fix this first delete the current check boxes with click-drag-highlight then shift-delete.  Now click at the top “add” and select “radio button” (one of my favorites).  Before you click hold your shift key button down on your keyboard and then let go before you click the second one.  (While holding the shift key button down when you click, it keeps the item with your cursor so you can apply more than one.”  You will need to “group” all of the radio buttons which is as simple as click and drag over all of them, in this case 2, and once they are highlighted you will see 4 boxes making a square at the top left next to the “assign” area.  The word “group” will be above it when you hover over the boxes then click on them and it will turn white and say “ungroup” above it.  Don’t forget to adjust the boxes to exactly where you want them.  Do do this, click on or click and drag over multiple items and the hold the “shift key” down and move your arrow keys the direction you want it to go.  If you need to change the size of say a text box, then you can old your “Alt”(PC) or “Option”(MAC) PLUS the arrow keys and it will change the size of the box based on the TOP LEFT CORNER is “fixed” and everything moves from it.  These are known as “hot keys” by Dotloop.

If you needed to create a from from scratch an don’t use the shortcut above make sure you also “group” (mentioned in the above paragraph) the signature boxes and/or initial boxes. This makes it so if you have more than one client it will only allow them to sign/initial 1 of the grouped boxes.  This is makes it in my opinion, “client proof” so they can’t accidentally sign more boxes than we need for them to.

Now that you have all of the necessary changes and corrections done, click the “save” button and go back to your templates.  While in your templates you may want to rename the file “Lead Based Paint – Buyer Template” or something that makes since to you so that you know it only has the Buyer boxes/signatures/initials on it.

If you chose to do this from a loop instead of in the templates, you will need to  click on the “file” and then “save as template” at the top.  Then select the template folder to put the document it.  It will automatically name it whatever your original document is called so you may want to go in and change the name.

USING YOUR TEMPLATE – Since you have created this template it is super easy to use. Load in your loop the seller signed lead based paint (usually from MLS or the Listing Agent) and then go into the document.  Click “file”, “apply template” and select the template you just created, in this case “Lead Based Paint – Buyer Template”.  It will then add all of the Buyer only fields.  It may not be perfect based on the fact that all scans are not equal, but simply click the “save” button and use the shortcut keys (hot keys according to Dotloop) and move them around.  Now send it to your client to sign and you are good to go. (Same as the pictures above)

I have created templates like this for seller/property disclosure, estimated net/cost and other forms that I repeatedly use and don’t want to add the boxes every time.  Enjoy, most classes love this tip and I hope you do too!

I can be reached at CarolynTechPertise@gmail.com, by phone or text at 918-951-9020 or visit my website at http://www.SearchTulsaHouses.com.  For technology training or consulting assistance visit http://www.iCarolyn.com.

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Loop Template Timesavers!

Loop Templates are something that an office can set up and help their agents me more efficient and turn in the files in a proper order.  This blog post is going to focus on office or brokerage options in Loop Templates.  Agents if your office is not using these, feel free to forward this to them so they can utilize their tools in dotloop.

Loop Templates can be found under “Templates” on the brokerage admin profile.  The top option on the left says “Loops”.  If you have not set up any loop templates, you will see a screen that says “Try it now”.  If you have, then you will see all of your loop templates on the left below “Loops”.  Click on the “New Template” or “Try it now” and get started.  It will pop up a screen that asks you to name the loop template.  You can use anything and some examples are: Residential Listing Package, Residential Sale Documents, Rental Listing, Referral (Sending, not receiving).  Once you have named it, you will also have a drop down below that asks you what kind of loop, if you are setting up a real estate transaction, you will want to select “sale”.  This will automatically add the correct fields and roles needed for that type of transaction.

At the top is where you add a folder for the documents and then add the documents.  If we are working on a “Residential Listing Package”, then we might add folders with the names: “Listing Documents”, “Offer Documents (1 per folder)”, “Inspections, Reports & Other”.  By adding the folder names the way the office wants to receive them, they are more likely to come in complete in the correct format according to your office needs.  Now that you have folders, add the documents or placeholders that you want in each folder.  I should note that you can only create placeholders in the document section and not on the loop templates, but once you create them in your document templates, you can load them into your loop templates.  If you leave your loop templates page to go create and organize the documents in the document templates, don’t forget to “save” at the bottom so you don’t loose what you have done.

The next section is for the “people”.  Offices typically don’t add many people in this section, but if you have a title company or attorney that everyone uses, then this is where you would add them.  Below people are the “Tasks”.  This is where you can add any compliance or task lists that you want to appear on every loop using this template.  The negative is that you will have to type them out and can not load from your task list templates, but you only have to type it once.  This will save you time from adding the task lists later when doing compliance.

The “Roles” section is interesting because you cad add roles that you might have wanted to use before, but were not able to edit.  A good example of this is to add “Referral Agent”.  Many times referrals are sent and received and we don’t have a standard “role” in the loop.   Along with adding roles, you can add fields of information that you want for each of these roles, for example the referral agent’s address or phone number.

The bottom is my favorite part of the loop templates, which are the “Fields”.  What is cool about this section is that you can now require information to be input before an agent can submit their file.  For example, if they are turning in a listing, you can require the agent to enter the “List Date” and “Expiration Date” and “Original List Price”.  By requiring this information, you insure that you get exactly what you need completed, filled out.  It also allows you to sort for this information as well.  If it is blank you won’t find the loops sorting by the price, list date or expiration date in this example.  New fields can also be added in any of these categories or create a new category.  Some offices have certain forms that they want the agent to complete and maybe that information has to be put into another system like MLS or franchise system.  You could add a field to ask the agent “Greensheet Completed?” and make that a multiple choice, fill in the blank or an amount.

Last but certainly not least, don’t forget to “SAVE” and in order for your agents to see these, you will need to “Enable Template” at the top of each.  Until you enable them, the agents can not see them.  This gives you time to get them the way you want them and the activate them for all to see.  There are endless possibilities with these loop templets.  Happy looping and enjoy creating new possibilities of organization for your office!

I can be reached at Carolyn@icarolyn.com, by phone or text at 918-951-9020 or visit my website at http://www.SearchTulsaHouses.com.  For technology training or consulting assistance visit http://www.iCarolyn.com.

Who do you Trust?

As a REALTOR®, we know many service providers.  The question is “Who do you trust to provide a great service to your clients?”  A great way to include those providers into your transactions as a Trusted Service Provider or TSP.  If you work with the same title representative, closing coordinator, or lender you can add them as your TSP so it is easier to “connect” to them, so here is how it works.

Once logged into your dotloop account, click on the “People” section and the top one on the list to the left says “Trusted Service Providers” right above the “Contacts”.  If you do not see TSP’s then you are not a premium dotloop user and this is necessary for this feature.  If you have no TSP’s added it will show a button at the bottom that says “Get Started for Free”, click on that button and it will pop up a window that asks the field the TSP is in, for example: Mortgage, Escrow/Title, Attorney, Home Warranty, etc.  Then you will enter the Name and email of the TSP.  More than one TSP can be added at a time.  They will not display in the loops until the TSP becomes a premium user.

The cool thing about the TSP becoming a premium user is that it is not just for 1 agent or office.  If trusted service provider is a premium user that allows them to be seen as a TSP for any agent or office, on all of their loops and there is no limit!  Adding TSP’s do not automatically share any documents or people with the TSP.  They only know that they have been added to a loop so you will still need to share any information that you want them to seas with any other person you add to the loop.

I can be reached at Carolyn@icarolyn.com, by phone or text at 918-951-9020 or visit my website at http://www.SearchTulsaHouses.com.  For technology training or consulting assistance visit http://www.iCarolyn.com.

Templates for Everything!

There is a template for everything! With the recent update to dotloop, you can now use any document and create a “template” to overlay onto another document. For example, if you receive a disclosure that is already completed and signed by a seller and you only need the buyer’s initials and/or signature you can load that document and save the fields that you have overlaid as a “template” to use again. Another use for this would be states that do not have documents in dotloop and this allows an agent or office to create an “overlay” template to allow the agents or clients to complete and sign them. Let me show you how to do it.

There are two ways this can be done, and I’m going to tell you about creating it from your “templates”.  First sign-into dotloop and go to “Templates”.  Once there, click on your documents and the folder (or create a new folder, for example: Form Templates).  Then click “Add Document” at the top right and select your document from your computer.  For this example I’m using a property disclosure.  With your document added, click on the document to edit it.  Using your menu options at the top, drag and drop the field that you want on the document for example: Initials and Signatures.  It also helps to assign the “roles” of who should be signing there.  Once you have the document the way you want it, click “Save” at the top right.  It will take you back to your templates and now your form template is ready for use.

In order to apply the template, go into any loop.  Add the document that is part signed by the other side, in this case a disclosure.  Open the document and click on “more” at the top and then select “Apply Template”.  You will notice that you can also create a template from any form as well, but please note that specific document will then be stored in your templates.  Select the correct template and voila! The boxes could be a little off based on if the new document was scanned straight or is the same size as the original, but even if you need to make a few adjustments, this still saves you time!

I can be reached at Carolynt@kw.com, by phone or text at 918-951-9020 or visit my website at http://www.SearchTulsaHouses.com.  For technology training or consulting assistance visit http://www.iCarolyn.com.

Adding People to dotloop

Adding people to your dotloop account is pretty easy and a great way to have your clients and agents entered when you are ready to do business with them.  Keep in mind that you can add a person to any loop and they will automatically be added to your “people” in your account.  This is for adding someone that you have not done a loop with yet.

First sign into your account through dotloop.com and click on the “People” icon at the top 3rd one from the right (middle one).  If you are on your agent profile (not admin), you will see a title to the left that says “contacts”.  If you are on an admin profile for an office, you will see your office name and if you have multiple locations you will also see them listed below.  Have the one you want to add someone to highlighted/selected.

Click “Add Person” in the bar at the top right.  Enter their name (First, Middle, & Last) and email address.  If you are adding someone to the office, you will also have the option to type a message and make them an admin.  Checking the admin box allows them all admin privileges for the office you selected.  Offices can “Remove” or “Add/Remove Admin Rights” on the same people section by selecting the down arrow next to the person.  Admin’s can also see who is an admin and who is not by sorting the people which will also show you the last time your agents accessed their account.

I can be reached at Carolynt@kw.com, by phone or text at 918-951-9020 or visit my website at http://www.SearchTulsaHouses.com.  For technology training or consulting assistance visit http://www.iCarolyn.com.

Offer This!

One of the new updates in dotloop allows an agent to search for listings of other agents!  This is huge because most of the time you do not want the listing agent to know that you are writing an offer until you are ready to send it.  This feature allows the buying agent to write an offer on another agents property and have the system auto-fill the information from the listing loop while also connecting them!

Here are some things to know.  First, for this to work the listing agent must do these things in order in their listing loop: 1. Assign themselves as the “Listing Agent” under the role in the people section. 2. Change the loop to “Active” status.  3. In “Edit Details” enter the MLS # and/or Address and click “Save”.  (I recommend both because sometimes it is hard to search for the address exactly correct.)  Once these 3 things are done, the loop is then searchable for other agents.

For the agent making the offer, you will need to sign into dotloop and create a new loop.  Name it anything you want.  Then go into the “Edit Details” and add the MLS # or address and it will pop up a list of options.  When you find the one you want, click “Yes, link my loop to this listing”.  Enter any other information you want in the edit details and click “Save” before you go back to your loop.  When you start adding documents, it will auto-fill the information from your edit details and the listing loop so you have less to enter!

From here, once you have sent things to your client to sign and are ready to send to the listing agent, simply “Share” the documents you want to send to the listing side.  No duplicate loops and you are all connected!!!  *** This works across brokerages and states and makes no difference if they are in your office or MLS.  You can search for any listing with any company as long as they have a loop created in dotloop! ***

I can be reached at Carolynt@kw.com, by phone or text at 918-951-9020 or visit my website at http://www.SearchTulsaHouses.com.  For technology training or consulting assistance visit http://www.iCarolyn.com.

It’s Worth a Merge

Merging loops has been a common request and now it is here! There are a few things to know before performing this action. First, this action can not be undone. Second you may have an issue with merging two loops when you have documents that are waiting to be signed. That being said, this can be very useful when you are the listing agent and a selling agent creates a new loop and shares documents to the listing side. The listing side will end out with 2 loops. This is when you want to merge loops together. Another use for this is if you are trying to clean things up and want to put all of your “test” loops or “unaccepted” offers together. From an office perspective this can be used to combine loops on the admin side when you have two agents in the same office working together so you can have all of the “office” or “admin” files in the same loop. Compliance people are usually very excited about this so they are not looking in more than one place for forms and documents needed.

So here is how you do it! Go into the loop that is the “secondary” or loop that has the name that you do not want to keep. Once in the loop, click on “Edit Details” under the loop name. Scroll all the way down to the bottom left corner where you see the “Merge” button. Click on the “Merge” and it will open a window and ask you which loop you want to merge it with. The loop you choose and the click “Merge” will then be the loop name when they are combined. That’s it!

One thing to note is that the folders in each loop will remain and if there isa folder in one and not in the other, the system will add the new folder. For Example if one of your loops has a folder named “Buyer Forms” and the other loop has a folder named “Contract Documents”, then the combined loop will now have 2 folders: “Buyer Forms” and “Contract Documents”.

Now you have a new larger loop combined into ONE.  Hope you learned something from “It’s Worth a Merge”.  Come back for more tips and tricks later.

I can be reached at Carolynt@kw.com, by phone or text at 918-951-9020 or visit my website at http://www.SearchTulsaHouses.com.  For technology training or consulting assistance visit http://www.iCarolyn.com.

Custom Document Folders

Creating a folder for the documents we use on a regular basis is a way to save time when we are ready to use them.  This applies to the agent and the broker level.  In dotloop, you are able to use your local, state and office forms (as long as you have permission to use them) for your real estate transactions.

Once you are logged into the system (dotloop.com), click on the “templates” at the top right (it’s the one that looks like papers).  To create a new folder, click on “Add Folder” and it will ask you to give it a name and click “Create Folder”.  Once you have the new folder, documents will need to be added to it.  Click on “Add Documents” at the top right.  This gives you the option for uploading them from your computer (PDF’s) or selecting from templates, which are your live forms.  When selecting from templates, select from the office name or “Version Now”.  AGENTS: If you are setting them up from an agent level, you will see the office name (example: Keller Williams Realty Advantage) or board name (example: Greater Tulsa Association of Realtors).  ADMINS: If you are setting them up from an office or admin level, you will see “Version Now” documents, which are the live forms that your office has loaded into the system.  Admin folder will also have to be “shared” with the office so that your agents can use the newly created folder of documents.  ALL: Once you have selected the forms you want to add, click “add documents” and they will now be in your folder.

If your forms have changed and new ones are in the system for existing folders, use the same process as listed above with the exception of clicking on the existing folder and modifying the list instead of creating a new one.

Now that you have your folders creating and don’t forget you can also set the default information on each form once it is added to your personal folder so that each time you pull in the document from that folder, it will have the defaulted information on it.  To do this, click on the document, edit it and then click “save”.  This is a great way to save time!  Happy Looping!

I can be reached at Carolynt@kw.com, by phone or text at 918-951-9020 or visit my website at www.SearchTulsaHouses.com.

Email Creates a New Loop

Some features completely change the way you do something!  This new option to create a loop by sending an email is one such feature.  It is pretty simple and here is how it works.

1. Create an email to your dotloop email address.  (Your email address is typically firstname.lastname@upload.dotloop.com.  It can also be found in the templates section at the top of the page.)  

2. In this email, attach the documents you want to load into the loop and in the subject line type this: “new loop:”.  The colon is required.  If you do not add anything after the colon it will name it “This is your new loop”.  If you do add something after the “:” then that will be the name of the loop.  For example: “new loop: 1st Emailed Loop”, then your loop will be named exactly that, see the example below.

This does not submit it to the office for you, but it does create the loop for you.  This is a great option for agents that just want to turn in documents but not use all of the options of dotloop.

The second new feature to emailing into your dotloop account is that you can now add documents to a specific loop just by sending an email.  The email address to send it to can be found inside your loop under the “add documents” and it is the 3rd option on the right.  Please note: If you change the loop name, the “email files in” address will also change.

It’s time for you to try!  Go create your own 1st Emailed Loop!

I can be reached at Carolynt@kw.com, by phone or text at 918-951-9020 or visit my website at www.SearchTulsaHouses.com.

Creating New Loops

With the new DotLoop out there are some changes in the way the system works.  This is great news because it gives you more freedom to manage your business the way YOU want to!  Let’s get started on Creating New Loops!  Log into your dotloop.com account.  You can access it through your mykw.kw.com login and then click on the myTransactions in your eEdge dashboard.  Once on your DotLoop/myTransactions home page click on the big plus button to create a loop.

Once you have created a new loop, you have several options on where to start and I’m going to take you through the “best practice” method.

1. Start with the “Edit Details” under the loop name.  When you complete the information listed in that section it will auto populate to your contracts and forms if that information is listed in the details.  I would much rather enter something once as opposed to entering it multiple times on multiple documents.

2. Add your People next.  You will also want to assign them a “role” so that the loop knows who they are to the transaction.  This will also save you time as you add documents and forms.

3. Next add your documents.  There are several ways to do this: a. Drag the file from another place on your computer and drop it in the box, b. “Select from your computer” and find the document on your computer and select it, or c. “Select from your Templates” is the best option because it allows you to use the interactive forms loaded into DotLoop.  These “templates” are your state or office forms that have been loaded and they can be grouped in folders by your office or yourself for organization and easy access.

4. The last section is for “Tasks”.  We truly did save the best for last because this is where you can manage your file.  This section allows you to create lists of things to do, calls to make, or things not to forget.  The system will automatically add an “Urgent Tasks” when you forget or chose not to sign a form.  This reminds you to go back into a document to complete it.  Once you have created your list, you can also “Create a Template” of that list so that you don’t have to retype it each time you want to use the same list.  Next time you will just select “Load Template” and you are good to go.

If you would prefer to watch a video, click here to go to DotLoop’s training videos.

Well, that’s it for the basics of creating a new loop.  Just remember, you can’t break it, so it’s ok to create a sample loop and try things out!  Happy Looping!

I can be reached at Carolynt@kw.com, by phone or text at 918-951-9020 or visit my website at www.SearchTulsaHouses.com.