In this section we will review the questions that agents call with most frequently. At this point you should have a fair working knowledge of Amsoft. The answers will be kept short & to the point.
  

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Enter a new client - choose Clients from the main menu. You will be taken to the Browse client files screen. At the bottom of this screen is a button with insert on the button. Click on the insert button to enter a new client. If it is a second policy for the insured, place the bar on the client you want to work with & click on the copy button at the bottom of the screen. This will duplicate all information for this insured into a new policy.

   
Move a prospect to the client file - First from the browse client screen click on the insert button to add a new record. At the top of the screen you will see a button (get prospect). Click on this button. You will get a listing of prospects. Place the cursor on the prospect you want. Click on the select button. You will be returned to the client update screen and the insured information will be filled in.

  
Bill a policy to the lienholder - from the browse client file click on insert. You will be taken to the update client file screen. In the bill to section you will see a button on the top line. Click on this button. You will see a listing of lienholders. Place the cursor bar on the one you want & click the select button at the bottom of the list. The bill to portion of the screen will have been filled in.

   
Fill In Optional screens - these are screens mostly coverage screens which can be added to each policy. To add a screen either insert a new record or change an existing record. This will take you to the client update screen. At the bottom of the screen and along the right hand side of the screen are buttons - some have icons on them and some have words. These represent different screens. Click on the button of the option you desire. You will then be taken to that screen.

   
Enter a memo or suspense item - choose clients from the main menu. If you wish to enter or view a memo for a particular insured, find the insured on the screen and place the cursor bar on top of the client. Click on Change and information on the desired client will be displayed. At the bottom of the update screen will be a button with a picture a pencil on it. Click on this button togo to the Memos & Suspense browse box. Click on Insert. This will bring you to the memo update screen. This screen will be mostly pre filled in with the insured information. Enter your memo. When done, click on 'Ok' to save. You will now be at the Browse Memos & Suspense screen. At the bottom of the screen will be displayed 'Print Memo To' and five buttons:

    Insured     MGA     Company     Bill To     Producer

whichever button you click on will determine how the memo is addressed. To exit this screen click on close.

   
Find memos which are past due - From the main menu click on 'clients'. Choose the 'Past Due Memos' tab. All past due memos will be displayed. To print past due memos, click on the appropriate button, or go to the reports 'other' section.

   
Enter a negative number- this situation arises most often when entering a return premium. To enter the negative number press the (-) key and then enter the premium you wish to be negative.

   
Enter an additional premium item- go to your client files. Choose the correct insured by placing the cursor on his account and click on Change. The insureds' account will be displayed. Click on Premiums at the bottom of the update screen. To make another entry click on 'Insert'. Enter the needed information. Click on Ok to return to the main premium history screen. There should now be another premium added to your list of transactions. You would follow these steps to enter an endorsement premium, a payment from the insured, a payment to the company, commission received, etc...

To exit this screen, click on Close. You will be returned to the client update screen. Any premium changes you made in the premium history screen will now be reflected on this screen. To save these changes you will need to click on Ok.

  
Enter a Policy/Agent/Service Fee - The first thing you need to do is set up a company as 'FEE'. To do this, go to the client's file, and click on the 'Company' button. Click on 'Insert', and then click on the 'Company Code' button with a flashlight on it. Now click on 'Insert' again. Use FEE for the Company Code, and whatever wording you desire for the Company Name (i.e. Policy Fees). Click on 'Ok'. Now enter 'FEE' as the Coverage Code, and '1.0' for the commission. You can enter 'Policy Fee' under 'Notes', and click on 'Ok'. 

Now click on the 'Premiums' button. Click on 'Insert' to enter the fee. In the 'Premium' field, enter the amount of the fee. 'Payment from Insured', 'Amt Financed/Dir Billed', and 'Broker Comm. Retained' will all be '0.00' and 'Due Agency' will be the amount of the fee. Click on the 'Company' button, highlight the 'FEE' item, and click on 'Select'. 'Commission' will be the amount of the fee, 'Commission Received' will be '0.00', and 'Commission Due' will be the amount of the fee. The rest of the fields will be '0.00' except for 'Commission Retained' which will be the amount of the fee. Change the transaction to 'Policy Fee' (or whatever wording you like) and click on 'Ok'.

   
Enter an installment premium- many agents will have the need to bill a client for premiums due on some sort of schedule. This schedule may be as simple as $150. Due every quarter or as complicated as a different amount due every week. In any case, Amsoft can handle it.

To do an installment billing, enter a new client. Then you click on Premiums. At the Premium History Browse Box, click on Insert. You will now be at the Premium field. We have a premium of $600 which we want to bill to the insured at $150. Per quarter.

At the premium field we will enter $150. We will want to change the installment premium from no to yes.

You can accept the default response for the rest of the fields until you reach the date field. At the date field you will enter the date you want this payment due by. Finish filling the screen. You will notice at the bottom of the screen the print button. By clicking here you can print an invoice for this installment to the insured. 

After printing the invoice you need to save the record. You will be returned to the premium history browse box.

We have billed for the first $150.00. We must now bill him for the next 3 installments. To do this put the cursor on the insured we just entered and click on Copy. This will copy the record under the cursor to a new record. Your screen should now show a new data input screen that is already filled in. This screen is not completely correct. We will need to go to the transaction field and change it to second installment. And change the date to the new due date. Then save the record. We will follow the above step until we have entered installment three & four.

After completing this we will be at the premium history browse box. Click on Close to return to the main client update screen. If you have not entered anything else in Premium History, you will notice that the total premium of $600 will be displayed. Also, the total amount due of $600. Will be displayed. We will not want to send past due notices to the insured. Finish the form & save it.

The last point to this is that you will want to send a notice to your insured as each installment is due. To do this choose reports from the main menu. You will then be given another menu from this you will choose installment billing. You will then be asked through what date you want installment billing issued. Enter the date and press enter. All installments that are equal or less than the chosen date will be printed.

  
Enter an Agency Bill Payment - Go to the client's screen, and click on 'Premiums'. From the Premium Browse Box click on 'Insert'. Enter the amount of the payment under 'Payment From Insured'. The 'Due Agency' amount will be the negative amount of the payment. If you are retaining any commission out of this payment, enter that amount under 'Commission Received'. The 'Commission Due' field will then show the negative amount of the commission received. Change the transaction field to 'Payment From Insured', and click on 'Ok'.

  
Enter a direct premium payment- first we must know what a direct premium is. This is a premium paid by the insured to the agency. This premium is not owed to the agency but to the insurance company, which would be paid on a direct bill policy. Or the premium may be received by the agency for payment to a finance company for a financed policy.

Amsoft can keep track of these payments & produce a listing or transmittal form for these items. To make an entry, find the insured who is making the payment. Bring his account up on the screen. One of the options will be direct $, located at the bottom right. Click on the direct $. You will now see the direct premium browse box for that insured. Click on Insert. At the update screen enter the payment and press tab. You can then save the record by clicking on Ok. 

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