Questions & Answers

Q: Where is the User’s Guide / Manual?

A: The User’s Guide is copied to your computer at the same time PT Rental Assistant ® is installed.

To open the User’s Guide: From the Windows Start menu, choose: Programs, PT Software, "PTRA User Guide" or use the "PTRA User Guide" shortcut that is on your Windows desktop.

If the User Guide is not displayed when you do this, then you do not have the Adobe â Acrobat â Reader loaded on your PC. Press the [Cancel] button. Then download and install Adobe Ò Acrobat for free. The website address is: http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html

Acrobat ® Reader is included on the PT Rental Assistant ® install CD. See the "How to Install PT Rental Assistant" menu option for details.

Q: Can I use PT Rental Assistant â on two PCs?

A: Registered users can use the program on two PCs (at no additional cost). This makes it handy if you want to access your information both in the office and at home. To acquire details on this, contact customer support. Make sure to include your Registered ID # when contacting PT Software Solutions, Inc.

Q: How do I view Gov. Assistance payment information in reports?

A: Look at the Collected Rent report.

Q: If I want to require tenants to make their rent payment before the first day of the Regular Payment Period, how can I have the Rent Due report reflect this?

A: This can be accomplished by changing the Rent Due date that you enter for the report. For example: Assume that today is 3/3/2000. The first day of Joe Smith’s next regular payment period is 3/4/2000. However I require him to make his payment 1 day before this. Therefore when I print the Rent Due report, I will enter the date 3/4/2000 for the Rent Due Date. At the top of the report, I would write "Rent Due 3/3/2000" just as a reminder for myself. Add one day to the Rent Due date for each day that you require advance payment.

Q: "Not Unit Related" value is not available.
There is a property in which I want to enter either an expense, expenditure, budget or capital budget record. I want to select the "Not Unit Related" value for the unit, however it is not available. Why?

A: The computer cannot find the "Not Unit Related" unit value for this property. This problem can result when the property is initially being entered into the program and it cannot locate the data file. If this occurs when the property is being entered, the "Select Data Source" form is displayed. You should follow directions in the Trouble Shooting page "Select Data Source form" section to correct the problem during the property record entry. If you have already entered the property record, then you have two options to correct or compensate for this problem.

The property record can be deleted, then reentered. This will allow the system to create it’s corresponding "Not Unit Related" record. However when this is done all records that related to that property will be deleted. This includes tenant unit records, income, expense, budget etc. If you have these types of records already created for this property, you will probably want to choose option 2 instead of this one.
Create an additional property record that contains the same description as the one that does not have the "Not Unit Related" value. However, add the phrase "Not Unit Related" to the end of the description. Continue to use the original property record as you have been. When you want to enter a "Not Unit Related" unit value for an expense, expenditure, budget or capital budget record, use this new record.

Q: A "Select Data Source" form is displayed. Why? What should be done?

A: Refer to the Trouble Shooting page, "Select Data Source form" section.

Q: How can I tell how much disk space is available on the computer?

A: The following will display the free disk space for drive C:

Double click on the "My Computer" icon that is on the Windows desktop. This is probably in the upper left-hand corner.
Within the "My Computer" window, right click on the C: icon.
Left click the "Properties" item that is displayed in the drop down menu.
The top of the form that is displayed will say "(C:) Properties" It will also state the "Used Space" & the "Free Space".

Q: How do I change the computers screen resolution?

A:

Double click on the "My Computer" icon that is on the Windows desktop. This is probably in the upper left-hand corner.
Double click on the "Control Panel"
Double click on the "Display"
Select the "Settings" tab by clicking on it (this is in the upper-right hand corner.)
In the lower right-hand corner there is a section called "Screen area". Drag the arrow until it displays at least 800 by 600 pixels. (The term drag is described in the terms & definitions section of the "Introduction" chapter.)

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