Am I running Windows XP?

If you are unsure, Microsoft has provided a website that will detect and tell you if you are running Windows XP on your system. You’ll want to run this on any computer you may believe as running Windows XP as each system will  need to be addressed. The website is as follows:

http://www.amirunningxp.com

What does this mean for me?

What this means for you is that if you are currently running an system with Windows XP, you’ll want to consider upgrading to or purchasing a system with a newer version of Windows. Our vendor’s current plans call for Tempo/Fusion to support Windows XP through the February conversion to flexMLS, but please be aware that after Microsoft discontinues Windows XP in April, future vendor support will likely end. For recommendations on your next computer system, you may wish to check this article written to discuss computer purchases:

http://www.columbusrealtors.com/NewsDetail.aspx?article=69992448

Why is this Happening?

As many may have heard over the last few months, Microsoft is moving to end support for PC systems running Windows XP on April 8, 2014. As such, Windows XP will no longer receive software updates from Windows Update. These include security updates that can help protect your PC from harmful viruses, spyware, and other malicious software, which can steal your personal information. Windows Update also installs the latest software updates to improve the reliability of Windows XP—new drivers for your hardware and more. You will also likely find many third party type programs, such as anti-virus, will end their support of Windows XP at the same time. If you have a specific question about a program and its support under Windows XP, you’d want to check the vendor that provided the software for details.

Microsoft has released a site that covers all the details regarding their decision and what options are available. Please use the link below to visit:

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/end-support-help

For users of Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 8.1, please be aware that this notice does not affect you. To verify the version of Windows you are running, please use the following guide supplied by Microsoft, to help:

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/which-operating-system

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04/08/2014

Update from FBS regarding Yahoo email servers as of May 9, 2014:

There are still some lingering issues regarding emails not reaching their proper destination originally posted here. FBS is aware of the problem and is working toward a permanent solution. These problems affect anyone with an email address that ends with (but not limited to) @yahoo.com, @sbcglobal.net, @att.net, @bellsouth.net, @mindspring.com, and @earthlink.com.

If you have one of these email addresses as your primary email address within flexmls, as a temporary solution please change it to an alternate email address that does not end with one of these domain names. If your association allows you to perform this task, update your email address in flexmls by clicking on Preferences > My Profile > My E-mails Addresses > clicking your email address entry and clicking Edit. Change your email address to a valid address that does not end in one of the domains listed above, make sure the setting “Is this your primary E-mail address” is set to Yes, then click Next to save your changes. If you do not have a My E-Mail Addresses option, contact your local association office for further assistance.

Original Message:

All email sent from a “xxxx@yahoo.com” address that does not originate from a Yahoo server is being blocked by most major email providers.  If your primary email address in your flexmls profile is a “yahoo.com” address, your clients are likely not receiving any MLS listing communication from you.

The quickest way to ensure that your email from the MLS will not be blocked is to use an alternate (non-Yahoo) address on your profile in flexmls.  If you have a Gmail or other email address, this will not be affected by Yahoo’s change.  Only email “From” a Yahoo address is being blocked.

To change your flexmls email:

1) Log onto flex
2) Go to Preferences > My Profile.
3) Click Quick Profile Maintenance at the top.
4) Replace your Yahoo email address with an alternate address from another email provider.
5) Click Save at the bottom

Please be advised that Yahoo made a change to their email policy (DMARC) this weekend that is causing email sent from a Yahoo address but not directly from the Yahoo servers to be blocked by many email systems including MSN/Live/Hotmail, Gmail, AOL, Comcast, etc.  This is affecting all Yahoo email locally and nationally.  This change is affecting all email sent from a Yahoo address, not only MLS listing email.

This change by Yahoo affects all outgoing email from the MLS and all other websites that send email “from” a Yahoo address but not directly from Yahoo servers.  It is uncertain if or when Yahoo will return to a less restrictive email policy.

For More Information about the problem, please read the story about Yahoo and DMARC below:

http://www.socketlabs.com/blog/yahoo-com-changes-dmarc-policy/

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04/07/2014

Changing your password within the Flexmls system is easy!

If you need to change your password follow these steps:

Preferences -> My Profile -> Change My Password

or

Click your initials or Account Name box at the top right, then click My Profile -> Change My Password.

Next, you will be prompted to enter the old password and verify the new password.

Please be advised that passwords will need to be renewed every 90 days.  All passwords are 4-8 characters and CaSe SeNsItIvE.

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03/20/2014

One of the more common questions we have received with Flexmls is how to find the Showing Request button. To do so is quite easy!

1.  Run your search. This can be from a standard Quick Search, Map Search or hot sheets.

2.  Click on the LIST tab to view the entire list of your results.

3.  Find the listing you wish to schedule a showing in the left hand list. Look for the corresponding MLS #. To the right of this, you’ll see a downward facing arrow (▼)

4.  Clicking on this arrow (▼) will give you several options (see screen shot below). If you choose Showing Request,  you’ll be taken to any online showing service the listing brokerage may be utilizing. If one is not available, you’ll be told after trying the button — in these instances, you can still use the “Showing Phone #” shown on the listing and call your showing in.

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03/17/2014

Many appraisers and Realtors use the Parking Type, Basement, and Addl Acceptance Conditions field.  In flex, they cannot be displayed on the default view (results list).  However, a report has been created that will display all three of these fields on a “one line report” that can be used “like a view”.  The results are limited to 200 properties at a time.

To view the Appraisers One Line Report:
1) Select the properties you want to see in a one line view that includes these fields.
2) Click on Print at the top right of the flex window.  3) Choose selected or all properties (only 200 listings can be printed in this report at one time)
4) Choose the “Appraisers One Line” report in the Detail report drop down
5) Click Preview at the bottom if you want to see the report before you print it.
6) Click Print at the bottom (you may want to change your printer properties to landscape)

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03/03/2014

Still having problems navigating around the new MLS system? The PDF located here will help you find commonly used functions in the new system.

This handy guide can be saved or printed out and used for quick reference for a variety of functions one might wish to preform with their MLS system.

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02/20/2014

All listings have been automatically geo-coded in Flexmls.  Previous manual geo-code in Tempo may have been changed by the the Flexmls geo-code process.  Also, a small minority of listings were unable to be geo-coded.

As with all automatic property location services, errors can occur due to incorrect or incomplete geographical information about a property.  For this reason, it is highly recommended that you pull up your listing on the map to verify that it was geo-coded correctly.

If the icon on the map appears directly on the listed property, the geo-code is correct.  If the icon is not located correctly, you should complete the following steps to re-geocode (set map location) for your listing:

1) go to Add/Change menu
2) click Change
3) type your MLS number in the box
4) click Next
5) Click Map Location
6) move the “red pushpin to the correct location”
7) Click “use this location”

Geo-code is the effective latitude and longitude location of your listing. It is very important for polygon map shape searching.  If your geo-code is incorrect, the polygon searches will not be able to accurately locate your listing.

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02/10/2014

Add/Edit will be turned off in ALL legacy systems (Tempo/Fusion)

Users will still have search access on Tempo/Fusion and Flex

No listing add or modification will occur again until February 3, 2014 at Flexmls go-live.

Users SHOULD NOT MAKE CHANGES to Contacts in Tempo/Fusion after 4am.  All Contacts and Saved Search changes should be made only in Flex at this point.
Users should create new Saved Searches and Contacts in FLEX ONLY.

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01/29/2014

On Feb. 3, 2014, Columbus REALTORS® will change from Tempo/Fusion/Kurio to Flexmls. The website below contains what you need to know to prepare for this major conversion:

http://www.columbusrealtors.com/mlsconversion

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12/20/2013

With the recent release of Internet Explorer 11, you may discover that some websites are not fixed yet to work with the Internet Explorer 11 browser. Currently, the MLS is fully compatible with Internet Explorer 11, but other real estate websites from other organizations or companies still may not be.

Agents have reported to us that they experience issues with the Franklin County auditor and the Union County auditor websites since their computer received updates to Internet Explorer 11.

As a courtesy, we have provided instructions that may possibly fix issues with their websites. If the instructions below do not resolve your issue with those auditor sites, you will need to contact them directly for technical assistance. Contact phone numbers are listed below for those auditors.

Below are general instructions on how to add any website to your Internet Explorer Compatibility view settings:

1. On the upper right corner of the Internet Explorer window, find the icon that looks like a gear (labeled tools) and click on it.
2. Select Compatibility View settings.
3. In the box labeled Add this Website type your web address you want to fix. For example, for Franklin County auditor type this in the box: metacama.com. For example, for Union County auditor type this in the box instead: ohiorevaluations.com
4. Hit the Add button and then hit the Close button.
5. Close out of all Internet Explorer windows.
6. Once closed out, you can try the website you were attempting to go to again.

If you still experience issues after running through these instructions, you will need to contact the auditor office for technical support with their website. Their phone numbers are listed below:

Franklin County Auditor: 614-525-3200
Union County Auditor: 937-645-3003

For further reading about Microsoft’s statement on Compatibility View with Internet Explorer, you may visit their page on their website here: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/internet-explorer/use-compatibility-view#ie=ie-11

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12/10/2013