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Viewing Alert Messages for Specific Account Conditions

Last Revised: March 23, 2023

 

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Alert warnings are similar to sticky notes, but appear in a pop up window instead of at the top of each screen.  Alert warning messages can be given for a variety of conditions (ag rollback, NSF, etc.) for an account.  

The client preferences that control which messages appear, on what screens they appear, and whether or not they will appear automatically or after clicking an Alert button can be divided into three areas: Critical, Conditions, and Screens.  The setting of the Critical preferences determine whether you will see any Alert messages and if you will see them on one or multiple screens.

  1. Critical client preferences - the settings for these determine whether any other preferences listed below will be considered. These preferences are listed in order of importance (hierarchy).
Client Preference DEFINITION
DISPLAY_ALERT_PKG_BY_OWNER Set to Y to use the alert warnings at the account level; set to N to use the warnings at the owner number level within each account.
ALERT_WARNINGS_FEATURE Set to Y to show the Alert button; set to N to hide the button.  If it is set to Y, the button will appear on the Account Status Detail screen. Additional client preferences control whether the button appears on other screens, but these additional preferences are not considered at all if this particular one is set to N.
ACT8006_ALERT_OPTIONS Set to Y to have allow the ACT8006_Alert condition preferences be treated individually; if set to N, the ACT8006_Alert preferences will be treated as if they are all set to Y (except ACT8006_ALERT_HARR_DC_COND).
ACT8006_ALERT_LEGAL If set to Y, then the preference ACT8006_ALERT_HCTO_RULES will be considered. See below for more information.If set to N, no alert messages for legal statuses are given.
ALERT_LEGAL_STATUSES Enter the legal status codes that would trigger alert warnings. If this preference is missing or expired, the codes listed in the preference  ACT8006_ALERT_HCTO_RULES are used.
ACT8006_ALERT_HCTO_RULES This preference is considered only if  ACT8006_ALERT_OPTIONS is set to N or ACT8006_ALERT_LEGAL is set to Y. The codes listed in ALERT_LEGAL_STATUSES take precedence over those listed here.
Set ACT8006_ALERT_HCTO_RULES to Y to give Alert messages for certain Harris County Tax Office legal statuses (B - bankruptcies, F - foreclosures, J - judgments, A or L - active suits, T or W - warrants, O - strike-offs, and SO - sold) for current or prior years, if they have a levy balance or refund due. Bankruptcy messages are given first, followed by those for judgments.  Other conditions may be affected (see the remainder of this table for more information).  
If this preference is set to N, HCTO legal status rules are not followed.  Most, if not all non-Harris County Tax Office ACT 7 clients will set this preference to N.
Alert messages are given as specified below for specific conditions. For both settings of this preference, lawsuits will get an 'Active Lawsuit Exists' message for accounts having a current year delinquent status litigation record that has a legal status of A or L and a cause number. Similar messages will appear for statuses of F - foreclosed, J - judgment, or SO - sold. Bankruptcies will get an 'Active Bankruptcy Exists' alert message if the account has a current year delinquent status bankruptcy record that has a legal status of A - active or B - bankruptcy and a bankruptcy number. Tax warrants receive a 'Tax Warrant Exists' message if the legal status is T.
When this is set to Y, the verbiage for accounts having a bad address status of 'BA' is 'Returned Undeliverable'. When this is set to N, the verbiage is 'Bad Address'.
ALERT_LEGAL_STATUSES Enter the legal status codes, separated by commas, for which you want alert warnings. This overrides the setting for ACT8006_ALERT_HCTO_RULES. However, if ALERT_LEGAL_STATUSES is expired, then the  setting for ACT8006_ALERT_HCTO_RULES. is considered.
  1. Conditions - choose the account conditions for which you want to see Alert messages. If these conditions are set to Y, alert messages will be given on the Advanced and Special Pay screens. They will be displayed on Account Status and Account Master screens, depending on what a series of preferences is set to (see the Screens section below).
Client Preference DEFINITION
Individual conditions are below:  
ACT8006_ALERT_25.25D Set to Y to give an alert message for current year  25.25d accounts; set to N to not show this message.
ACT8006_ALERT_3311_FEES Set to Y to give an alert message for 33.11 fees; set to N to not display a message.
ACT8006_ALERT_42.08 Set to Y to give an alert message for 42.08 (litigated interest or agreed judgment) accounts, paid or unpaid within the past 5 years; This message appears if one of the values in the ACT8006_ALERT_4208_VALUES preference appears in the Source field in the Property Value Detail screen. Set to N to not show this message.
ACT8006_ALERT_4208_VALUES Enter 4208, PEND, and/or RIPD. These values will trigger an alert warning if ACT8006_ALERT_42.08 is also set to Y.
ACT8006_ALERT_AG_ROLLBACK Set to Y to give an alert message for accounts with unpaid ag rollbacks for the current year and or any of the twenty prior years; set to N to not show this message.
ACT8006_ALERT_ALTOWNER Set to Y to give an alert message for accounts having an alternate in the Owner Detail screen (in the first 4 alternate owner lines); set to N to not show this message.
ACT8006_ALERT_BAD_ADDR Set to Y to create a note and an alert message  for accounts with bad addresses (BA in the Address Status field in the current year Owner Detail); set to N to not show this message. If ACT8006_ALERT_HCTO_RULES is set to Y, the message refers to 'returned undeliverable' instead of 'bad address'.
ALERT_CERTIFICATE_CREATE Set to Y to create a note and an alert message for accounts for which tax certificates have been created, but not voided. The MSG code will be ALT in the Notes screen, with the expiration date set to three years in the future. Set to N to not show this message. The default is N.
ALERT_CERTIFICATE_VOID Set to Y to give an alert message for accounts for which tax certificates have been voided. The MSG code will be ALT in the Notes screen, with the expiration date set to three years in the future.  Set to N to not show this message. The default is N.
ACT8006_ALERT_CONFIDENTIAL Set to Y to give an alert message for confidential accounts (flagged on the Owner Detail screen); set to N to not show this message.
ACT8006_ALERT_DEFERRAL Set to Y to give an alert messages for accounts that are or have been deferred (including military deferrals). The alert message for an account having a start date but no end date will show there is an active deferral. If both start and end dates exist and it is still within the 180 days grace period, the message will show that a deferral exists and the end date should be checked. If the grace period has ended, the message will indicate that the deferral is inactive. (See also DEF_ALERT_NUMBER_MONTHS_VALID.) Set to N to not show this message.
DEF_ALERT_NUMBER_MONTHS_VALID Enter the number of months (for ex., 0, 1, 2) to show an alert warning for deferral accounts after the 180 day grace period has ended.
ACT8006_ALERT_DISASTER Set to Y to give an alert message for accounts that are have a D in the Split Payment Flag field in the Account Detail screen (these are disaster accounts); set to N to not show this message.
ACT8006_ALERT_FRAUD_PENALTY Set to Y to give an alert message for accounts having a fraudulent rendition penalty; set to N to not display a message.
ACT8006_ALERT_FREEPORT_DOC Set to Y to give an alert message for accounts having a late freeport documentation  penalty in the current year; set to N to not display a message.
ACT8006_ALERT_FREEPORT_FILING Set to Y to give an alert message for accounts having a late freeport filing penalty in the current year; set to N to not display a message.
ACT8006_ALERT_HARR_DC_COND Set to Y to give an alert message and a reference to Notes for specially conditioned Harris County accounts (having a deposit of IBALANCE or NBALANCE); set to N to not show this message.
ACT8006_ALERT_HOLD Set to to Y to give an alert message for accounts with an A in the Bill Suppress field (A is for Administrative); set to N to not give a message. The message may vary by tax office.
ACT8006_ALERT_KILLED_ACCOUNT Set to Y to give an alert message for deleted  accounts (those with Account Status beginning with X); set to N to not give a message.  If set to Y, no other alert messages will appear for that account. If the Status is XD, the message is 'Killed Account'; for other 'X' statuses, the message refers to inactivated accounts.
ALERT_LATE_AG Set to Y to give an alert message for accounts that have a  late ag penalty for the current tax year; set to N (the default) to not display a message.
ACT8006_ALERT_LEGAL_GEN NOT USED
ACT8006_ALERT_LIEN_TRANSFER Set to Y to give an alert message for accounts that have a  Lien Type of Transfer (TR) for any year in the Lien Status screen, but only if the TR is the most recent record inserted for any year; set to N to not display a message.
ACT8006_ALERT_MIN_TAX Set to to Y to give an alert message for accounts with an OP in the Bill Suppress field; set to N to not give a message.  The OP should be given to account for accounts owing  less than 15 dollars.
ACT8006_ALERT_MIN_TAX_TEXT Enter the text to be shown when ACT8006_ALERT_MIN_TAX is set to Y and the account has a Bill Suppress code of OP (opt out). The default is ACCOUNT IS UNDER THE MINIMUM TAX STATUTE.
ACT8006_ALERT_MULTI_OWNER Set to Y give an alert message for current year multi-owner accounts (that have an owner type of MO); set to N to not give this alert.
ACT8006_ALERT_NOTE_DISPLAY Set to Y to have notes display in Alert windows if the MSG column entry matches what is set in the ALERT_NOTE_CODES preference; set to N to ignore this functionality.
ACT8006_ALERT_NSF Set to Y to give an alert message for accounts with unpaid NSF fees for any year beginning with the year set in the NSF_YEAR preference; set to N to not show this message.
NSF_YEAR Enter the minimum year for which to show alerts for accounts with NSF fees that are greater than $0.00. If expired, only the current year is considered.
ALERT_NSF_PAID Set to Y to give an alert message for accounts with paid NSF fees for any year beginning with the year set in the NSF_YEAR preference if the account also has a balance due; set to N to not show this message.
ACT8006_ALERT_OMITTED_PROPERTY Set to Y to give an alert message for omitted property accounts; set to N to not display an alert. For jurisdictions greater than 1000, the client preference ACT8006_SHOW_UNITS_ABOVE_1000 must also be set to Y.
ACT8006_ALERT_PMT_AGMNT If ACT8006_ALERT_HCTO_RULES is set to N, set this preference to Y to give an alert message for payment and escrow agreements having a status of AC; set to N to not show this message.
If ACT8006_ALERT_HCTO_RULES is set to Y, and this preference is also set to Y, payment agreements created in the current or prior year prompt a message if the account still has a balance due and the agreement status is AC, D1 or D2.  Set to N to not show payment agreement messages.

Regardless of how this preference is set, If the Law Firm Payment Agreement box on the Owner Detail screen is checked for the current tax year, an alert message referring to a law firm payment agreement appears.
ACT8006_ALERT_PRORATION If ACT8006_ALERT_HCTO_RULES is set to N, set this preference to Y to give Alert message for accounts having prorated (PRO) exemptions for the current year.
If ACT8006_ALERT_HCTO_RULES is set to Y,and this preference is also set to Y, alert messages are given for prorated accounted (those having PRG or PRO exemptions and a balance due within the past 9 years). Set to N to not show this message.
ACT8006_ALERT_QRTR_PAY If ACT8006_ALERT_HCTO_RULES is set to N, set the quarter pay preference to Y to give an alert message for quarter pay accounts for the current year; set to N to not show this message.
If ACT8006_ALERT_HCTO_RULES is set to Y and this preference is also set to Y, a Q in the current year Split Payment Flag field is observed only until July 1; after that, a Q in the prior year is necessary.  Set to N to not show quarter pay messages.
ACT8006_ALERT_REND_PENALTY Set to Y to give an alert message for accounts having rendition penalties in the tax units defined by the client preference RENDITION_PENALTY_TU; set to N to not show this message.  Accounts having rendition penalties applied in the Property Value Detail screen are considered for these messages.
ACT8006_ALERT_SALE Set to Y to give an alert message for accounts having an Order Sale Date in the Delinquent Status screen; set to N to not display a message.
ALERT_LIENS Set to Y to show an alert warning for unpaid liens in the 5xxx unit range or unpaid unit 9111 fee. The default setting is N.
ALERT_MOBILE_HOMES This is an alert warning specific to Harris County parcels whose account numbers have been changed.  If it is set to Y, a warning will appear that staes 'See also mobile home account xxxxxxxx.'  If it is set to N (the default), this alert warning will not appear.
ALERT_NOTE_CODES Enter the codes from the MSG column of the Notes window that will cause the note to appear in the Alert pop up if ACT8006_ALERT_NOTE_DISPLAY is set to Y, for ex., MSG, ALT. If the expiration date for such notes is in the past, no alert is displayed.
ALERT_PROOF_OF_CLAIM Set to Y to read the proof of claim field from Linebarger law firm data that ACT updates nightly. If the account has a proof of claim, an alert message is displayed. Set to N to not display this message.
ALERT_UDI_EXEMPT Set to Y to show an alert for undivided interest properties (those having less than 100% apportionment) that are flagged in the Exempt % field on the Owner Detail screen. Set to N to skip this alert.
ALERT_UDI_PCT Set to Y to show an alert for undivided interest properties (those having less than 100% apportionment) that are flagged in the UDI% field on the Owner Detail screen. Set to N to skip this alert.
[no client preference] If the Law Firm Payment Agreement flag is checked on the Account Master Owner Detail screen, an alert message to that effect appears.
  1. Screens  - these preferences control which screens show Alert warnings
Client Preference DEFINITION
ALERT_ACT8001 Set to Y to always display the Alert button when entering the Advanced Payment and Special Payment screens with accounts with appropriate alert conditions.  Set to N to avoid having the Alert button display on this screen.
ALERT_ACT8002_DETAIL Set to Y to always display the Alert button when entering the Account Master Account Detail screen for accounts with appropriate alert conditions.  Set to N to avoid having the Alert button display on this screen.
ALERT_ACT8002_EXEMPTIONS Set to Y to always display the Alert button when entering the Account Master Special Exemptions  screen for accounts with appropriate alert conditions.  Set to N to avoid having the Alert button display on this screen.
ALERT_ACT8002_FROZEN Set to Y to always display the Alert button when entering the Account Master Frozen Amounts screen for accounts with appropriate alert conditions.  Set to N to avoid having the Alert button display on this screen.
ALERT_ACT8002_JURIS Set to Y to always display the Alert button when entering the Account Master Jurisdictions screen for accounts with appropriate alert conditions.  Set to N to avoid having the Alert button display on this screen.
ALERT_ACT8002_OWNER Set to Y to always display the Alert button when entering the Account Master Owner Detail screen for accounts with appropriate alert conditions.  Set to N to avoid having the Alert button display on this screen.
ALERT_ACT8002_PROP_VALUE Set to Y to always display the Alert button when entering the Account Master Property Value screen for accounts with appropriate alert conditions.  Set to N to avoid having the Alert button display on this screen.
ALERT_ACT8002_SUMMARY Set to Y to always display the Alert button when entering the Account Master Summary screen for accounts with appropriate alert conditions.  Set to N to avoid having the Alert button display on this screen.
ALERT_ACT8006_EXPAND_FEES

 

 Set to Y to always display the Alert button when entering the Account Status Expand Fees screen for accounts with appropriate alert conditions.  Set to N to avoid having the Alert button display on this screen.
ALERT_ACT8006_SUMMARY Set to Y to always display the Alert button when entering the Account Status Summary screen for accounts with appropriate alert conditions.  Set to N to avoid having the Alert button display on this screen.
If the preference for a particular screen listed above is set to Y, then the corresponding preference below can be set to Y to have the Alert window appear automatically.
AUTO_ALERT_ACT8002_DETAIL Displays Alert window automatically in Account Master Account Detail screen for accounts with appropriate alert conditions. Display only once when set to Y, every time when set to F, not at all if set to N.
AUTO_ALERT_ACT8002_EXEMPTIONS Displays Alert window automatically in Account Master Special Exemptions screen for accounts with appropriate alert conditions. Display only once when set to Y, every time when set to F, not at all if set to N.
AUTO_ALERT_ACT8002_FROZEN Displays Alert window automatically in Account Master Frozen Amounts screen for accounts with appropriate alert conditions. Display only once when set to Y, every time when set to F, not at all if set to N.
AUTO_ALERT_ACT8002_JURIS Displays Alert window automatically in Account Master Jurisdictions screen for accounts with appropriate alert conditions. Display only once when set to Y, every time when set to F, not at all if set to N.
AUTO_ALERT_ACT8002_OWNER Displays Alert window automatically in Account Master Owner Detail screen for accounts with appropriate alert conditions. Display only once when set to Y, every time when set to F, not at all if set to N.
AUTO_ALERT_ACT8002_PROP_VALUE Displays Alert window automatically in Account Master Property Value screen for accounts with appropriate alert conditions. Display only once when set to Y, every time when set to F, not at all if set to N.
AUTO_ALERT_ACT8002_SUMMARY Displays Alert window automatically in Account Master Summary screen for accounts with appropriate alert conditions. Display only once when set to Y, every time when set to F, not at all if set to N.
AUTO_ALERT_ACT8006_EXPAND_FEES Displays Alert window automatically in Account Master Expand Fees screen for accounts with appropriate alert conditions. Display only once when Y, every time when F, not at all if set to N.
AUTO_ALERT_ACT8006_SUMMARY Displays Alert window automatically in Account Status Summary screen for accounts with appropriate alert conditions. Display only once when set to Y, every time when set to F, not at all if set to N.
AUTO_DISPLAY_ALERT_WARNING Set to Y to always display the Alert window when entering the Account Status Detail screen for accounts with appropriate alert conditions.  Set to N to avoid having the Alert window display automatically on this screen.