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RESO Field Name Changes – Coming 11/20/2017 Tenant Pays field – Electric will change to Electricity – Trash will change to Trash Collection Construction field – Shingle will change to Shingle Siding – Vinyl will change to Vinyl Siding
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Do You Want to Be on the MLS Committee? – Deadline extended to November 6, 2017 at 4:00pm Ever wonder why things happen in the MLS or think about serving on the MLS Committee and wonder how that’s done? The process to serve on this committee is different than any other. First, it’s an elected committee with a limited number of seats determined by a weighted formula based on the MLS’s number of agents, listings, solds and offices. The number of seats available can change each year based on this formula or elected members whose term ends or sometimes as a result of members simply changing offices and then perhaps no longer representing the group from which they were elected. You can find more detailed information on this process here. Interested yet ? If so please follow these steps to throw your hat in the ring:
Your bio and resume will be presented to the MLS Nominating Committee who are selected at the Annual Business Meeting. The five selected Realtors® that serve on the Nominating Committee meet in November to select candidates. A ballot is created for the annual election where only brokers vote. Members who wish to volunteer their time to serve are very much in demand by the Nominating Committee and always appreciated. If you still have questions, please review the information linked to the main Columbus REALTORS® site. You could also call or E-mail Bryan Dean in the MLS Department at 614.475.4000 and bdean@columbusrealtors.com. Original posting on 10/18/17
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Brokerage License Number Added to MLS Listing Reports To assist in the TRID requirements, we have added the Brokerage License Number to the standard listing reports in MLS for all Property Types. The brokerage license number now shows below the listing agent information at the bottom of the private versions of the CR Full and CR Full 2-Page Reports. To accommodate this change, the showing phone number was moved slightly to the right on the private versions of standard listing reports. The brokerage license number is the listing company’s license number and is a field that was added to Columbus REALTORS® Purchase Contract to comply with TRID requirements. This was added to listing reports on the MLS system to make it easier to reference when working with the standard Purchase Contract.
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Need Help? – Check out our training video selection! Training Videos – Getting Started with Flexmls COLUMBUS SPECIFIC TRAINING VIDEOS
Vendor Created Videos (FBS)
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| Subscription Basics | 8 min- 11/19/2015 |
| Subscriptions 101 | 54 min- 12/8/2015 |
| Contact Management 101 | 53 min- 12/7/2015 |
| Listing Collections, Driving Directions | 20 min- 12/1/2015 |
| CMA Options in Flexmls | 51 min- 09/18/2015 |
Older, subject specific videos can be found here. Subject specific videos are also available by going to that section of the Flexmls system, then click the “Help” button in the upper right corner of the screen.
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10/10/2017 |
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08/07/2017 |
On August 3, FBS will update the design of the contact information screens in Contact Management. This change is part of an ongoing initiative to modernize the look and feel of Contact Management to make it easier to use. The first change to the Contact Management page was released in June, updating the way the contact list appeared. This update changes the display when viewing a contact’s detailed information. Future updates will include additional design changes as well as enhancing functionality with new features.
NOTE: This update does not change existing functionality. Only the display and layout will change.
To view a contact’s information go to Contact Managment and select a contact.

The new contact information screen displays the contact’s name at the top of the screen and provides the same options you currently have. The first option is now called Contact Details.

The menu options are responsive to your screen size. On a wide screen, all of the options may display, but on a smaller screen you will see a More option. Clicking More opens a dropdown with the other available menu options.

The options to Edit, Remove, Deactivate, and Transfer the contact are at the bottom of the screen and are accessible regardless of which information tab you are currently on. If you don’t see these options, scroll to the bottom of the screen to access them.

To exit the contact’s information screen, click Close.
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08/01/2017 |
The new redesign of the menu bar is here! If you have not yet configured your menu bar during the preview period, you will have been shown a video explaining the new features during your initial log in since the change. If you skipped or missed the tutorial video and documents, you can find and view them below:
View the Menu Quick Start Guide PDF
Original Announcement from May 25th, 2017:
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Big Flex Change in June: Customizable Menus
Soon you will have access to a new, easy to use menu in Flexmls. The new design provides a modern look, and allows one-click access to your favorite menu items. This update will be made available sometime in June. The new feature will be rolled out in waves in June. The exact date it will appear in Columbus is yet to be determined.
Initially, the new menu will be optional, so you can choose to turn it on or choose to continue using the old menu. After 30 days, the new menu will no longer be optional; all users will be moved over to the new menu.
Turn on the New Menu
When the new menu is available, you will receive an invitation to turn it on when you login to Flexmls. If you don’t turn it on immediately, you will be able to click the Use the Customizable Menu button to turn it on. You can also click the What’s this? link to access more information about the custom menu before you decide to turn it on.

When you turn the menu on, you’ll answer a question about your role: are you an Agent, an Appraiser, etc. Your response will determine the default items on your Favorites bar.

When setup is complete, you’ll see a Menu button and your Favorites.

Menu
Click on Menu to see the fully expanded menu. All the menu items are here in the same groups and in the same order as the old menu. Click a menu item to go to that feature. For example, click Quick Search to start a new search.

Type into the search box (“Search the menu…”) to easily find a menu item. For example, if you type “sav” in the search box, the menu will bring the Saved Searches link to you. Click the link to go to Saved Searches. It’s faster than looking through the whole menu.

To exit the full menu, click Menu again.

Add and Remove Favorites
Favorites give you one-click access to features you use the most. You can easily add, remove and rearrange Favorites to match how you work.
To mark a menu item as a Favorite, open the Menu, hover your mouse over an item and a Favorite star will appear. Click the star to create a one-click shortcut to it on the Favorites bar.

If you want to remove an item from your Favorites, click on the star next to an existing Favorite. The item is instantly removed from your Favorites and the star changes to an outline.

If you have more menu items in your Favorites than can be displayed on your screen, there will be a More link in your Favorites. Click More to access your remaining Favorites.

Reorder and Remove Favorites
To rearrange the order of your Favorites or remove an item from your Favorites, click the Reorder link on the menu bar.

Click and hold a menu item to drag and drop it into a new order.

You can also remove an item from your Favorites by clicking Remove. Click Save when you are done managing your Favorites.
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07/27/2017 |
Beginning August 1, 2017, listings that are in Under Contract/Pending status will now expire on their expiration date. This policy change has been approved the MLS Committee and Board of Directors. Previously, listings in Under Contract status would ignore the expiration date and remain in that status indefinitely.
Contingent Listings to Expire Also – Date TBA:
This same change will occur for Contingent listings in the coming weeks. The change will occur on August 1st for Pending, but will take longer to program for the contingent listings. Additional notice will be posted on this MLS Message Board when the date is finalized for contingent listings to begin expiring on their expiration date.
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06/29/2017 |
Realist data coverage counties have been expanded to a total of 23 counties within MLS. An additional 10 counties have been added to the tax data coverage area. The new counties are available now in Realist. You can now access the Realist detail page by clicking the parcel number in Flexmls on reports or on the Flexmls map pop-up (after clicking the green property icon on the map.) These counties are also available for auto-population of tax data when entering a new listing.
New Counties:
Athens
Champaign
Clark
Clinton
Coshocton
Highland
Logan
Marion
Richland
Ross
The following counties were already available prior to the expansion: Delaware, Fairfield, Fayette, Franklin, Hocking, Knox, Licking, Madison, Morrow, Muskingum, Perry, Pickaway and Union.
Champaign County Listings please note: There is a bug for the Champaign county data in Realist. The tax district field is currently showing only the first letter of the tax district. (ie “K” instead of “K41”). Please contact the MLS departement if you need assistance correcting this field for your listings in Champaign county on MLS. Realist has already been made aware and is working on correcting the field within Realist.
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Beginning August 1, 2017, all photos uploaded to an MLS listing that do not show the property as it actually exist must be be labeled “Not Actual Property”. Previously, only the primary photo was required to be watermarked “Not Actual Property”. This policy change was made because it was determined that secondary photos could be equally misleading as to the condition of the property as the primary photo.
This new policy requirement will become enforced on August 1, 2017. If a listing is found to have photos that are not the actual property, as it actually exists, a fine will be issued with no warning prior to assessment. If any photo on a listing is a 3D rendering, sketch, model, etc., it must be marked “Not Actual Property” according to the requirements in the policies below.
Please begin updating your listings immediately.
MLS Policies affected by this change:
1.03.04 – Improper Display of Photos Fine with No Warning
The primary (first) photo on a listing in MLS shall predominantly display only the property that is for sale, lease or exchange. If multiple photos are used as the primary photo in a collage format, collectively they must still predominately display the property for sale. The primary or any additional photos can display floor plans, staged photos, identical models, 3D renderings, artist renderings, etc. except for the following:
(1) Any Build-to-Suit listing whose primary (first) photo must display one of the MLS images provided. (Please see MLS Policy 1.01.07.)
(2) All images that are not images of the actual property are required to display, on that image, the words “Not Actual Property” in 36-point type or larger.
(3) Any image submitted for display in the MLS may not be modified in such a manner as to misrepresent the true condition, as it currently exists, of the actual property.
1.03.05 – Unallowable Data on Photos and Public Documents Fine with No Warning
No marketing devices of any type (e.g., logos, readable for sale signs, company names, phone numbers, Web sites, e-mail addresses including embedded, overlaid or digitally stamped information etc.) shall appear on or with any photos or public documents except for the following:
(1) Any listing with the MLS watermark “CR” must allow it to remain visible on the photo.
(2) Any Build-to-Suit listing whose primary (first) photo must display one of the MLS images provided.
(3) All images that are not images of the actual property are required to display, on that image, the words “Not Actual Property” in 36-point type or larger.
(4) An image may have text overlays added on primary and secondary photos provided it is descriptive or informative of the property and it is not misleading, branded or leads to branding, i.e., no agent or brokerage information.
(5) No people are permitted in the primary photo. People may appear in secondary photos.
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