Working with Configurable Loan Workflows · 11/11/2013 · • Custom: Click Define Custom Colors >> in the custom color palette, click the color you want, slide the moving arrow

Working with Configurable Loan WorkflowsFor use with Encompass Banker Edition (version 9.0)

Last Revised: 11/11/2013

Copyright Statement© 2013 Ellie Mae, Inc. Ellie Mae®, Encompass®, Encompass Docs Solution™, Encompass CenterWise™, Encompass Compliance Service™, and the Ellie Mae Logo are registered trademarks or trademarks of Ellie Mae, Inc. or its subsidiaries. All rights reserved. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners. Products, services and programs are subject to change without notice.

Working with Configurable Loan Workflows - Encompass Banker Edition (version 9.0)Rev. 11/11/2013

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Introduction ................................................................ 1

Chapter 2: Set Up Configurable Milestones............................ 2Configurable Milestones .......................................................... 2

Creating a New Milestone ............................................... 2Moving a Configurable Milestone ..................................... 3Configurable Milestone Templates .................................... 4Working with Milestone Templates .................................... 7Global Milestone Template Settings .................................. 8

Personas Setting for Milestones ............................................... 9Assigning a Current Role in a Business Rule Condition ............. 10

Chapter 3: Manage Milestone Dates and Templates........... 12Manage Milestone Dates ....................................................... 12

Manual Mode vs. Automatic Mode .................................. 12Manage Milestone Templates ................................................. 13

Manual Mode vs. Automatic Mode .................................. 13

Chapter 4: Impacted Areas ........................................................ 17Tasks and Document Sets with a Loan .................................... 17Milestone Removal Behavior .................................................. 17ECS Review Setup Updated for Each Channel ........................ 17Auto Loan Numbering ............................................................ 17Multi-User Editing .................................................................. 18Roles Not Tied to Milestones .................................................. 18Imported Loans ..................................................................... 18Dashboard Snapshots ........................................................... 19Business Rule Conditions ...................................................... 19Reporting Database .............................................................. 19Software Development Kit (SDK) ............................................ 19

Exceptions ................................................................... 19Milestone Event Log Entries .......................................... 19Roles and Loan Associates ........................................... 19Deleted Field Names .................................................... 20Custom Milestone Templates Access .............................. 20

i

Milestone Object Properties ........................................... 20New Classes ................................................................ 20

ii

Chapter 1

IntroductionThe configurable loan workflows feature enables companies to configure one or more loan workflows, each consisting of a set of workflow-specific milestones. Multiple workflows will most commonly be used to manage loans through the different workflows that occur within each loan origination channel.

Using this feature, businesses can flexibly manage different workflows based on the channel, loan type, and other loan-specific conditions. Encompass 9.0 includes a milestone library that is a master list of all milestones that can be used in workflows, a completely configurable list of milestone templates specific to each workflow, and milestone date management.

Encompass admins have the ability to create new and update existing milestones using relevant business rules so that the best matching milestone templates are applied to loan files. When creating a milestone, they control all of its properties (name, how the milestone displays in the Log before and after it is finished, its color, the number of days the assignee has to finish it, etc.). Prior to this release, Encompass admins could create and modify custom milestones, but certain milestones were considered “core milestones” and could not be removed from the workflow.

Authorized users have the ability to manage milestone dates and apply best matching milestone templates to their loan files. As a loan team member works on a loan file, Encompass automatically reviews the data in the loan file, reviews the available milestone templates, and then applies the template that best suits the loan file any time key loan data is updated or when a new loan is originated.

This document describes the administrative tasks required to create and enable configurable milestones and milestone templates; and the details of the loan team member’s milestone, milestone templates and milestone date management.

View the following chapters for detailed information on configurable milestones and milestone templates:

• Chapter 2 “Set Up Configurable Milestones” describes the tasks the Encompass admin needs to complete to create and enable configurable milestones and milestone templates for the organization.

• Chapter 3 “Manage Milestone Dates and Templates” describes how the loan team member can use Loan menu options, manually change a milestone's expected completion date and manually apply a milestone template to a loan file.

• Chapter 4 “Impacted Areas” describes the updates to existing functionality such as Document Sets, Document Tasks, multi-user editing, Auto Loan Numbering setting, and so on to support configurable workflows.

To access all of the features described in this document, you must be logged in to Encompass as the admin user. The admin user must set up the required permissions for each loan team member to enable access to the features described in this document.

The features and settings described in this document are intended for companies that are using Encompass version 9.0.

Chapter 1: Introduction 1

Chapter 2

Set Up Configurable MilestonesEncompass admins have the ability to configure milestone templates consisting of a set of configurable milestones grouped together by a common factor such as loan origination channel, loan type, and other company-specific conditions. Different milestone templates can be created, each template addressing a specific business workflow. Admins can also create as many new configurable milestones as needed by the Encompass users. When creating a milestone, admins have the ability to control all of its properties such as the milestone’s name, how the milestone displays in the Log before and after it is completed, its color, the number of days the assignee has to complete it, and so on.

Configurable MilestonesA milestone is a step in the workflow that contains loan tasks completed by an assigned loan team member. Using the Milestones setting, you can update the properties for existing milestones and create new milestones as needed.

The Current Milestones list is a library of all the active milestones in Encompass which can be selected to be included in a milestone template. Use the icons on the upper right to create a new milestone, modify and deactivate existing milestones, and move the milestones up and down within the Milestones list.

NOTE: By default, a set of common milestones is provided. If upgrading to Encompass 9.0 from a previous version, the milestones from the previous version are automatically imported into Encompass 9.0.

Creating a New Milestone1 On the menu bar, click Encompass, and then click Settings.

2 On the left panel, click Company/User Setup, and then click Milestones.

3 Click the New icon.

Chapter 2: Set Up Configurable Milestones 2

4 In the Milestone Name field, enter a unique name for the milestone. If the milestone name already exists in the system, you will be prompted to enter another value. You can enter up to 15 characters in this field.

5 In the As Shown in Log field, enter the milestone’s names as they will display in the Log, before and after the milestone is completed.

6 In the Milestone Color field, click the color wheel, select a Basic color or define a Custom color, and then click OK.

• Basic: Click a color box to select an out-of-the-box primary color for identifying the milestone.

• Custom: Click Define Custom Colors >> in the custom color palette, click the color you want, slide the moving arrow to the color you want, and then click Add to Custom Colors.

NOTE: The default color is blue.

7 In the Role drop-down list, select the role authorized to work on this milestone.

NOTE: This role assignment feature works slightly differently from previous versions of Encompass. In previous versions, this feature was used to select a new role that you were authorizing to work on the next milestone. In Encompass 9.0, you are selecting the role authorized to work on the current milestone (i.e., the milestone you are configuring right now).

8 Optionally, select the check box to indicate that assigning a loan team member to the milestone is required.

9 In the Days to Finish field, enter the number of days required to complete the milestone.

10 In the Field Summary Form field, click the magnifying glass icon, select a form, and then click OK to assign a form to the Field Summary button that displays on the Milestone Worksheet.

NOTE: The Field Summary button on the Milestone Worksheet provides the ability to easily access and review the values in key loan fields before moving a loan to the next milestone. To view fields that appear on multiple loan forms, you can create a custom form that contains all of the key fields, and then assign the custom form to the Field Summary button.

11 Click the Save icon.

Moving a Configurable Milestone• On the Milestones list, select a milestone and then click the Move Milestone Up

or Move Milestone Down icon to change the milestone’s position in the list.

OR

• Select a milestone and drag and drop it to the location you want.

When moving milestones within the list, you cannot move them above Started or below Completion. Also, the order of milestones within this list does not affect the order of milestones in the workflow.

Archiving a Configurable MilestoneAll milestones can be saved for future use. Instead of deleting milestones that are no longer being used, the admin can archive them so that the Current Milestones list is up-to-date and more manageable. Archived milestones can be enabled as required.

1 To archive a milestone, select Current Milestones, select a milestone, and then click the Archive button.


• If the milestones to be archived are part of an existing milestone template, a message displays indicating that the milestones will be removed from the corresponding templates.

2 Click Continue.

NOTE: You cannot archive the Started and Completion milestones.

• To enable an archived milestone, select Archived Milestones, select a milestone, and then click Move to Current.

NOTE: When an archived milestone is moved to the current list, it is not automatically added back to any milestone templates.

Configurable Milestone Templates After configuring milestones, the admin can create new milestone templates. A milestone template is a set of milestones grouped together by a common factor such as channel, loan type, or other company-specific conditions. Different milestone templates can be created with each template addressing a specific business workflow.

Milestone templates can be activated after creation. Authorized loan team members can apply an activated milestone template to their loan files.

Default Milestone Template SettingsFor new Encompass installations, the Default Template milestone template provided “out of the box” in Encompass 9.0 contains the following milestones:

If you are upgrading to Encompass 9.0 from a previous version, all current milestones available in the previous version are grouped together in the same order to create the Default Template milestone template. The Days to Finish setting for each milestone is carried over into Encompass 9.0 as well, along with all additional settings configured in the previous version (milestone color, milestone names to display in the Log, requirement to assign a loan team member to a milestone, and so on).

• For new installations and upgrades to Encompass 9.0, the Default Template is set to apply to all loan origination channels (No channel selected, Banked-Retail, Banked-Wholesale, Brokered, and Correspondent) and no conditions are applied to the milestone template.

• The above channel and condition settings cannot be modified, but you can add, remove, or reposition the template's milestones, manage trigger milestones, and add roles to the template as needed.

• For existing loans, the milestones applied to the loan remain the same after upgrading to Encompass 9.0. These loans are set to manual mode; the system will not automatically apply the best matching template when new loan data is saved.

Creating a Milestone Template3 On the menu bar, click Encompass, and then click Settings.

4 On the left panel, click Company/User Setup, click Milestones, and then click the Milestone Templates tab.

Milestones in Default Template Role Authorized to Work on Milestone

Started

Qualification Loan Officer

Processing Loan Opener

Submittal Loan Processor

Cond. Approval Underwriter

Resubmittal Loan Processor

Approval Underwriter

Doc Preparation Loan Processor

Docs Signing Closer

Funding Funder

Post Closing Post Closer

Shipping Shipper

Completion Accounting

Milestones in Default Template Role Authorized to Work on Milestone


5 Click the New icon.

Details Tab1 In the New Template panel near the bottom of the screen, click the Details tab.

NOTE: Click the Save icon to save updates you make to the template settings. Click the Reset icon to discard any unsaved changes to the template settings.

2 In the Details tab, enter a new Template Name. (By default, the name is set to New Template).

3 In the Channels this template applies to section:

• Select the origination channels where this milestone template will be applied. (By default, all channels are selected).

• Select No channel selected to apply this milestone template to a loan where none of the channel options are selected.

NOTE: The origination channel for each loan is specified on the Borrower Summary form (field ID 2626).

4 In the Conditions for this template section:

• Select No to always apply this milestone template.

• Select Yes to create a condition for when this milestone template will be applied.

• Select a category for the condition: Loan Type or Loan Purpose.

• Select a value for the category, such as VA or Purchase.

NOTE: If you select the Advanced Conditions option, you can create expressions to define custom conditions. Click the Find icon (magnifying glass) to select filters for the Advanced Conditions option. For detailed instructions on how to create your own code, refer to the “Advanced Coding for Business Rules” document.

5 In the Notes/Comments section, enter additional information if required.

Milestones TabUse this tab to manage the milestones contained in this milestone template. Here you can add, remove, and arrange milestones in the order you want in the template.

NOTE: Each milestone template can include a milestone only once. All templates must start with the Started milestone and end with the Completion milestone.

1 Click the Milestones tab.

2 To add milestones to the template, click the New icon.


http://help.elliemae.com/DocumentationLibrary/360/AdvancedCodingForBusinessRules.pdf

http://help.elliemae.com/DocumentationLibrary/360/AdvancedCodingForBusinessRules.pdf

3 In the Milestone Selection window, select the milestones to add, and then click Add.

4 To remove a milestone from the template, select the milestone, and then click the Delete icon.

NOTE: The milestone is removed from this milestone template only.

5 To move a milestone up or down in the list, select the milestone, and then click the up or down arrows accordingly. Milestones should be arranged in a logical order for the loan workflow.

• You can also select a milestone and then drag it to the position you want.

Settings TabUse this tab to select a trigger milestone for auto loan numbering and eDisclosure package selection.The action will start when the selected milestone is completed.

1 Click the Settings tab.

2 Select a milestone from the When to Start Loan Numbering drop-down list to indicate when the loan number will be assigned. The loan number will be assigned to the Loan Number field (field ID 364) in the loan file at the completion of the selected milestone.

• Click the View link to view the Loan Setup > Auto Loan Numbering global setting. If a different trigger milestone has been selected for the global setting, click Manage Exceptions to view the milestone templates that have been set up to use a different trigger milestone for auto loan numbering than the trigger milestone indicated on the global Auto Loan Numbering setting. You can update the trigger milestones in the milestone templates as needed.

• The trigger milestone selected in the milestone template will override the milestone selected in the global Auto Loan Numbering setting.

3 In the eDisclosure Initial Package section (if available), select a trigger milestone for each eDisclosure package. The eDisclosure package will be available for sending to the borrower at the completion of the selected milestone.

NOTE: The eDisclosure Initial Package options are displayed here only if you have already set up the Docs Setup > eDisclosure Packages global setting to set criteria that make different packages available when specified milestones are completed.


• If you have selected a trigger milestone for a package in the Docs Setup > eDisclosure Packages setting, it is displayed here. If you did not select a trigger milestone for a package, the Started (system default) milestone is used.

• Click the View link to access the Docs Setup > eDisclosure Packages global setting. If a different trigger milestone has been selected for a package condition in the global setting, double-click the package condition, and then click Manage Exceptions to view the milestone templates that have been set up to use a different trigger milestone for eDisclosure package selection. You can update the trigger milestones in the milestone templates as needed.

• The trigger milestones you select in the milestone template override the milestones selected in the Docs Setup > eDisclosure Packages setting.

Roles TabUse this tab to add roles from your Roles Setting tool to the milestone template without assigning them to specific milestones. When the template is applied to a loan file, the roles assigned to the template will have access to the loan file.

NOTE: Roles are assigned when creating or editing a milestone.

1 Click the Roles tab.

2 To add a role to the milestone template, click the New icon.

3 Select the role(s) you want to add, and then click Add. The role(s) are listed in the ----- Roles Not Tied to a Milestone ------ section.

4 To remove a role from the template, select the role, and then click the Delete icon.

Saving Your Milestone Template SettingsAfter you have finished configuring the milestone template, click the Save icon.

Activating a Milestone TemplateA milestone template has to be activated for it to be available for assignment to a loan file.

• To activate a milestone template, select a template from the list, and then click Activate.

• To deactivate a milestone template, select a template from the list, and then click Deactivate.

NOTE: If you deactivate a milestone template that is currently applied to a loan file, the Default Template will automatically be applied to the loan file.

Working with Milestone TemplatesUse the instructions in this section to duplicate a milestone template, change the order of the milestone template within the Templates list, and delete a template.

Duplicating a Milestone TemplateUse the Duplicate Template to create a template with similar information from an existing milestone template and save data entry time.

NOTE: Duplication copies all information except the original template name and the information in the Settings tab.


1 Select the milestone template to duplicate.

2 Click the Duplicate icon.

3 With the new milestone template selected, update the information on the Details, Milestones, Settings, and Roles tabs as needed.


Managing the Order of Milestone TemplatesThe order in which milestone templates are listed in the Templates list is vital. When Encompass reviews the milestone templates to determine which template to apply to a loan file, it applies the first activated template in this list that best matches the loan's data and meets the template’s criteria.

• Select a template, and then click the up and down arrows to change the template’s position in the list.

NOTE: The Default Template is always located at the bottom of the Templates list and cannot be moved.

Deleting a Milestone Template• To delete a milestone template, select the template, and then click the Delete

icon.

NOTE: If you delete a milestone template that is currently applied to a loan file, the Default Template will automatically be applied to the loan file.

Global Milestone Template SettingsUse the Global Template Settings to enable automatic mode or manual mode for milestone templates, set email notification preferences, indicate the days to count when Encompass calculates milestones’ expected completion dates and apply the settings to all templates in the system.

Configuring Global Milestone Template Settings 1 On the Milestone Templates tab, click View Global Template Settings.

The Global Template Settings window displays.

2 Select Template Selection Settings options to determine how the system or individual users may apply milestone templates to loan files. When a milestone template is applied to a loan, the milestones in the template replace the milestones that were previously being used in the loan file.

• Automatic Mode - The system compares the data in the loan file and automatically applies the best matching milestone template to the loan when a loan file is saved. This is the default setting.

• Manual Mode - Authorized users can manually apply any available milestone template to a loan file at any time. (When this option is used, you must also use the Personas setting to grant individual users permission to manually add milestone templates.)

• Allow matching and non-matching templates to be applied to loans - Authorized users view a comparison chart of matching and non-matching milestone templates when they manually apply a milestone template to their loan.

NOTE: Both modes may be used at the same time. If neither mode is selected, the Default Milestone template will be used for all loan files.


3 In the Email Notification Preferences section, select the check box to send automatic email notifications to loan team members when they are no longer assigned to a milestone.

• When a new milestone template is applied to a loan file and replaces the milestones that were previously being used, there may be milestones that are no longer included in the loan. When this occurs, an automated email is sent to the loan the loan team member who was assigned to the milestone. Since they are no longer assigned to a milestone in the loan file, they may lose access to the file.

4 In the Milestone Days section, specify your company’s business days. When calculating a milestones expected completion date (i.e., “days to finish”), only the specified business days are counted.

• Week Days: Monday through Friday

• Calendar Days: U.S. Postal Service calendar days; excludes Sundays and legal holidays

• Company Calendar: Business days indicated on the Our Company Calendar in the Compliance Calendar setting

Personas Setting for MilestonesUse the Personas setting to define additional access to milestone template and milestone date management features.

Updating Persona Settings1 On the menu bar, click Encompass, and then click Settings. 2 On the left panel, click Company/User Setup, and then click Personas. 3 In the left panel, click to select the persona.

• Click the Loan tab.

4 In the Other section, select the options you want:• Manually Apply Milestone Template - If the Manual Mode option has been

enabled in Global Template Settings, authorized user can manually apply a new milestone template to a loan file at any time.

• Manage Milestone Templates Mode - Authorized user has the option to enable automatic mode or manual mode for milestone templates. For information about automatic and manual modes, see “Global Milestone Template Settings” on page 8.

• Manage Milestone Dates Mode - Authorized user has the option to enable automatic mode or manual mode for milestone expected completion dates. For information about automatic and manual modes for milestone dates, refer to “Manage Milestone Dates” on page 12.

• Display Milestone List Change Screen - (Selected by default.) When a loan is saved, the Milestone Log Change window displays to notify you that due to the changes you made to the data in the loan file, the system is going to apply a different milestone template to the loan. The user then has the option to accept or decline this milestone template update.

• Modify who receives notification of access loss - (Selected by default.) If the Email Notification Preferences option has been enabled in Global Template Settings, a list of the loan team members who will no longer be assigned to a milestone when the new milestone template is applied displays on the Milestone Log Change window. By default, an email notification is sent to these loan team members. Authorized users can identify the loan team members they do not want notifications sent to.



Assigning a Current Role in a Business Rule ConditionWhen configuring a business rule, administrators have the option to add a condition to determine when the business rule will be applied. When adding a condition in Encompass 9.0.0.1, you can configure the rule to only be applied when a specific role assigns another role to the next milestone following the completion of a specific milestone.

In Encompass 8.1.0.3 (and earlier versions), this type of condition was set up slightly differently; the rule could be set up to be applied only when a role assigned a specific role to the milestone following the completion of a specific milestone. The rule’s condition could be based on a specific role in 8.1.0.3 since the role for the next milestone was known. However in 9.0, the role for the next milestone is not known and the rule needs to be based on the role assigned to the current milestone. As a result of this new business rule condition logic, the user interface for configuring applicable business rules has been updated in Encompass 9.0.0.0 and 9.0.0.1.

NOTE: The option to set up a business rule condition based on the “Current Role” is available in the Milestone Completion, Field Data Entry, Field Triggers, Automated Conditions, Persona Access to Fields, Persona Access to Loans, Input Form List, Loan Form Printing, and Print Auto Selection business rules.

Here’s an example of how a persona access to loans business rule was set up in 8.1.0.3 and how the same business rule is now set up in 9.0.0.1. In this example, the purpose of the business rule is to prevent the loan officer from making any edits to the loan file once they have completed their assigned milestone. With the rule in effect, the loan officer is essentially locked out of the loan after sending it to the loan opener. (The loan officer will have view only access to the loan file.)

Here is how the business rule is configured in 8.1.0.3:

In the scenario above, the Rule #1 business rule will go into effect after the loan opener is assigned to the next milestone in the workflow and the Qualification milestone is finished. (On the loan’s Qualification milestone worksheet, the loan officer assigns the loan opener to the upcoming milestone and selects the Finished check box.)


Here is how the business rule is configured in 9.0.0.1:

In the scenario above, the Rule #1 business rule will go into effect after the loan officer has assigned another role to the next milestone in the workflow and the Qualification milestone is finished. (On the loan’s Qualification milestone worksheet, the loan officer assigns a role to the upcoming milestone and selects the Finished check box.)

The key difference between the two scenarios is the role being assigned to the upcoming milestone in the workflow. In Encompass 8.1.0.3 (and earlier), the core milestones in the workflow were hard coded and did not vary from loan to loan. Therefore rule’s condition could be based on a specific role in 8.1.0.3 since the role for the next milestone was known. Due to the new customizable milestone templates and configurable loan workflow features introduced in Encompass 9.0, the milestones and the roles being assigned to them can vary from loan to loan so the role for the next milestone is unknown. Therefore, the rule’s condition is based on the role assigned to the current milestone.


Chapter 3

Manage Milestone Dates and TemplatesAfter the milestone templates are activated by the Encompass admin, they can be applied to loan files that best match the workflows defined in the templates. Authorized users have the ability to manually apply milestone templates to their loan files, manage how a loan's milestones' expected completion dates are calculated, and manually change a milestone's expected completion date.

Use the Manage Milestone Dates options in the Loan menu to manage milestone date modes or manually change a milestone's expected completion date. Use the Manage Milestone Templates options in the Loan menu to manage milestone template modes or manually apply a milestone template to a loan file.

NOTE: The Loan menu options that are available to users are determined by the Global Template Settings and milestone-related Personas settings defined by the Encompass admin.

Manage Milestone DatesUse the Manage Milestone Dates menu options to control how the current loan's milestones' expected completion dates are calculated (manual mode or automatic mode) or to manually change a milestone's expected completion date.

Manual Mode vs. Automatic ModeEvery milestone in the milestone template that is currently applied to a loan is listed in the Log tab of the Loan Log. Each milestone is automatically assigned an “expected completion date”, the date the milestone is expected to be finished. By default, these dates are calculated based on the date the loan file is started and the Days to Finish settings configured by the admin in the Milestones setting. Use the manual mode or automatic mode options to control how, or if, the expected completion dates for other milestones are recalculated when one of these dates is changed during the loan process.

• Manual Mode - When a user changes a milestone's expected completion date, none of the other milestones' expected completion dates are recalculated. This applies when you change the expected completion date directly on the Milestone Worksheet or when you change the date using the Change Milestone Dates window.

• Automatic Mode - When a user changes a milestone's expected completion date, the system automatically recalculates the subsequent milestones' expected completion dates. This applies when you change the expected completion date directly on the Milestone Worksheet or when you change the date using the Change Milestone Dates window.

• When your Encompass admin uses the Milestones setting to create a milestone, they specify the Days to Finish in the Milestone Details window. For example, when configuring the Submittal milestone, they may set the Days to Finish to 3. They also define what the Days to Finish calculation is based on week days or calendar days. In automatic mode, when you change the expected completion date for a milestone, the system automatically recalculates the expected completion dates for the remaining unfinished milestones based on these administrative settings.

Applying Manual Mode Apply the manual mode to stop Encompass from automatically recalculating the expected completion dates for the subsequent milestones when a milestone's expected completion date is changed.

1 On the menu bar, click Loan, point to Manage Milestone Dates, and then click Apply Manual Mode.

2 Click OK to acknowledge the confirmation message.

Applying Automatic ModeApply the automatic mode to enable Encompass to automatically recalculate the expected completion dates for the subsequent milestones when a milestone's expected completion date is changed.

1 On the menu bar, click Loan, point to Manage Milestone Dates, and then click Apply Automatic Mode.


Changing a Milestone's Expected Completion Date1 On the menu bar, click Loan, point to Manage Milestone Dates, and then click

Change Milestone Dates.

OR

With the loan file open, click a milestone entry in the Loan Log to display the Milestone Worksheet, and then click the Change Milestone Date hyperlink next to the Days to Finish date field.

Chapter 3: Manage Milestone Dates and Templates 12

The Change Milestone Dates window displays. Every milestone in the milestone template currently applied to the loan file is listed here, along with the role assigned to the milestone and the milestone's expected completion date.

2 On the Change Milestone Dates window, select the If date is changed, automatically recalculate all subsequent dates check box to enable the system to automatically recalculate the expected completion date for all unfinished milestones when you change a milestone's expected completion date. The date is recalculated based on your Encompass admin’s settings in the Milestones setting.

• If the manual mode is currently applied, this check box will not be selected when you open the Change Milestones Dates window. If the automatic mode is currently applied, this check box will already be selected when you open the Change Milestone Dates window.

• When you change the expected completion date for a milestone, only the dates for the milestones that occur after that milestone are recalculated.

• When your Encompass admin uses the Milestones setting to create a milestone, they specify the Days to Finish in the Milestone Details window. For example, when working with the Submittal milestone, they may set the Days to Finish to 3.

For example, let's say you are working with a milestone template where the Processing milestone occurs, followed by the Submittal milestone. In this scenario, when you change the Processing milestone's expected completion date from 08/19/2013 to 08/21/2013, the Submittal milestone's expected completion date will automatically recalculate to 08/24/2013. Since your Encompass admin set the Submittal milestone's Days to Finish to 3, the system automatically recalculates the expected completion date to 3 days after the Processing milestone's expected completion date. All of the dates for the subsequent milestones that occur after the Processing milestone will be recalculated in this manner.

• If this check box is not selected (or cleared), the expected completion date for all other unfinished milestones in the milestone template will not be recalculated when you change a milestone's expected completion date. This enables you to change a date without affecting any other milestone dates.

3 To set a new expected completion date for a milestone, click the Calendar icon.

4 Use the arrows at the top of the calendar to navigate to the month you want, and then click the new date.

• To ensure a logical milestone workflow, the expected completion dates must occur in chronological order. The expected completion date for the first milestone in the milestone template (i.e., Started) must be the earliest date being used. The next milestone's expected completion date must occur on the same date or later, and so on. If you enter a date that conflicts with this chronological order, a date conflict alert is triggered and displays next to each date that must be adjusted. Modify the dates accordingly to clear the alerts. You must address all date conflicts before applying the new expected completion dates to the loan file.

5 Repeat steps 3-4 for each additional date you want to change.

6 When finished, click Apply.

• The milestones' new expected completion dates are now in effect for the loan file.

Manage Milestone TemplatesUse the Manage Milestone Templates menu options to control whether or not Encompass automatically searches for and applies a new milestone template to a loan file any time key loan data is updated and saved.

Manual Mode vs. Automatic ModeEvery milestone in the milestone template currently applied to a loan is listed on the Log tab of the Loan Log. Using the Milestones setting in Encompass Settings, Encompass admins can create one or more milestone templates. Each template consists of a set of milestones that must be completed to process the loan. With


this in mind, Encompass admins create milestone templates designed to be applied to loan files based on loan channel, loan type, and other business criteria. For example, they can create a milestone template that contains milestones specific to loans in the Banked-Retail channel and another milestone template only for HELOC loans in the Brokered channel.

• Manual Mode - In this mode, the system does not search for and apply the milestone template that is the best match for the loan (based on the settings configured by your Encompass admin). Authorized users may also apply a new milestone template to the loan file at any time.

NOTE: Authorized users will only be able to manually apply milestone templates if the Encompass admin has enabled this option in the Global Template Settings options for milestone templates.

• Automatic Mode - In this mode, any time authorized users change a loan's channel, type, or other key data and save the loan files, the system searches for and applies the milestone template that is a match for the loan (based on the settings configured by the Encompass admin). If enabled by the Encompass admin, an on-screen notification displays before the new milestone template is applied.

For example, let's say your Encompass admin has created three milestone templates - one for FHA loan files, one is for loans in the Correspondent loan channel, and the last one for loans in the Banked-Retail channel. Now you start a new blank loan file. By default, the Channel field (field ID 2626) is empty. When you select Banked-Retail from the Channel drop-down list and then click the Save icon to save your updates, a notification window displays informing you that the milestone template for Banked-Retail loans is going to be applied to the loan file. Click Apply and the new milestone template is applied to the loan. Later on in the loan process, if the loan channel is changed to Correspondent, a notification window displays (when you click the Save icon to save the loan file) informing you that the milestone template for loans in the Correspondent channel will be applied to the loan. Click Apply and the new milestone template is applied to the loan.

NOTE: In this scenario, a notification windows displays to inform you that another template will be applied to the loan. However, this notification will display only of it is enabled by the Encompass admin (via the Personas setting). If this notification is disabled, the template will be applied automatically. A Milestone Template Change entry is added to the Loan Log providing details about the new applied milestone template.

Applying Manual Mode Apply the manual mode to prevent the system from automatically applying a new milestone template to the loan (based on the settings configured by your Encompass admin). Authorized users may also apply a new milestone template to the loan file at any time.

NOTE: Authorized users will only be able to manually apply milestone templates if the Encompass admin has enabled this option in the Global Template Settings options for milestone templates.

1 On the menu bar, click Loan, point to Manage Milestone Templates, and then click Apply Manual Mode.


NOTE: If at any time you apply a loan template set that includes a milestone template to a loan file, the system will automatically apply the manual mode.

Applying Automatic ModeApply the automatic mode to enable the system to apply the milestone template that is a match for the loan (based on the settings configured by the Encompass admin) any time you (or other authorized users) change a loan's channel, type, or other key data and save the loan.

1 On the menu bar, click Loan, point to Manage Milestone Templates, and then click Apply Automatic Mode.


Manually Applying a Milestone TemplateUse the Apply Milestone Template option to apply a different milestone template to the current loan file.

1 On the menu bar, click Loan, point to Manage Milestone Templates, and then click Apply Milestone Template.


2 In the Apply Milestone Template window, select a template from the Templates List in the left panel, and then click Select and Continue.

• The templates in the Templates List are listed in “best-matching” order: if the loan satisfies all the conditions in a milestone template, that milestone template is the most logical milestone template to apply, so it is listed first, and so on. Your administrator designed these milestone templates to be applied to loan files based on their loan channel, loan type, and other specific criteria. The system analyzes the loan data and then analyzes each milestone template, and the then ranks them in logical order here.

• If enabled by your Encompass admin, milestone templates that do not match any of the criteria set up by your Encompass admin are listed at the bottom of the list (Non-matching Templates). You can select these milestone templates and apply them to your loan file.

• All the milestones included in your selected milestone template are displayed in the right panel. These milestones replace the current milestones in the loan file if you apply this milestone template to the loan.

3 In the Preview and Apply message window, click Apply.

NOTE: The left panel in the Preview and Apply message window lists the milestones in the milestone template currently applied to the loan file; the right panel displays the milestones in the milestone template you are now applying to the loan.

• By default, when the automatic mode is enabled and the system automatically applies a new template, the Preview and Apply message described here also displays. Using the Personas settings, the Encompass admin can control which users have access to the Preview and Apply message window in automatic mode.

• The role assigned to complete the milestone and the date the milestone was completed or is expected to be completed are displayed.

• Milestones that are displayed in bold are milestones that have been completed.

• Milestones highlighted in green are milestones that are duplicates of a milestone in the new milestone template you are now applying to the loan. All milestones highlighted in green will be applied to the loan when the new milestone template is applied.

• There may be some milestones in the milestone template that are currently applied to the loan file and will no longer be included in the loan file as a result of applying a new milestone template. When this occurs, a list of the loan team members assigned to milestones that will no longer


be applied to the loan file is listed near the bottom of the message window. Since they are no longer assigned to a milestone in the loan file, they may lose access to the file.

4 Click OK in the Milestone List Change Confirmation message window to apply the new milestone template to the loan file.

NOTE: The Milestone List Change Confirmation message window displays a list of the milestones that will no longer be included in the loan file as a result of applying the new milestone template.

• If enabled by your Encompass admin, you may send an email notification to the loan team members who will no longer be assigned to a milestone in the loan file, and as a result, may lose access to the loan file. To enable Encompass to send an automatic email notification, select the check box for each loan team member you want to notify, and then click OK.

NOTE: Selecting or clearing the Send Email Notification check box controls the email notifications only. Clearing a check box does not prevent that loan team member from no longer being assigned to a milestone and possibly losing access to the loan file.

5 After applying a new milestone template, a Milestone Template Change entry is added to the Loan Log. Click the entry to view date and time the new template was applied, who applied it, the reason why, and the new milestones that were applied.


Chapter 4

Impacted AreasWith the introduction of configurable workflow features in Encompass 9.0, all milestones are now customizable and may or may not be included in a loan file (with the exception of the Started and Completion milestones). Many features in Encompass have been updated to support configurable workflows, such as Document Sets, Document Tasks, multi-user editing, the Auto Loan Numbering setting, and so on. The following sections discuss updates to existing Encompass functionality to support configurable workflows.

Tasks and Document Sets with a LoanPrior to this release, Encompass admins had the ability to create predefined Document Sets and Task Sets to be available at specified milestones. In addition to this feature, with Encompass 9.0, if Task Sets and Document Sets are assigned to specified milestones and those milestones are not included in a loan, the mentioned tasks and documents are not applied to the loan file. If authorized users attempt to add a milestone-specific Task or Document Set at the incorrect milestone, blank Document and Task Set Templates are displayed to prevent incorrect application of documents and tasks. To further reinforce this, Tasks and Documents that are not applied to the loan file are also greyed out in the Details window.

Milestone Removal BehaviorWhen a milestone associated with a document in a loan is removed from the loan, the 'For Milestone' field in that Document displays the next valid current milestone. For example, if the 1003 form is associated with the Qualifying milestone and the Qualifying milestone is removed from the milestone template, the 1003 form is attached to the next current and valid milestone, such as Processing.

• When a milestone assigned to a document in Document Set settings is archived, the milestone continues being assigned to the document in that Document Set.

• When you apply the Document Set to a legacy loan (where the milestone has not been archived), you can add the document from the Document Set.

• When you apply the Document Set to a new loan (with a milestone template where that milestone is archived and does not exist in the loan), you cannot add the Document that was associated to the archived milestone).

• When a Document is associated with a milestone in the Document Set settings and the milestone is renamed, the Document remains associated with the renamed milestone.

• When a Document Set is applied to a loan file:

• Documents will only be applied if they have a milestone that is included in the loan file or if they do not have an assigned milestone.

• Documents will not be applied if they are associated to a milestone that does not exist in the loan file (this document is not intended to be applied to the loan file).

• If a Document is associated with a milestone in the loan file and the milestone is removed when the Milestone Template changes, the Document Set is associated to the current milestone.

ECS Review Setup Updated for Each ChannelThe Compliance Review Setup wizard enables Encompass admins to indicate the milestone that must be completed before a compliance report (review or preview) runs automatically, and specify different trigger milestones based on the loan's origination channel. Since the workflow for a loan file often differs based on its origination channel, this update enables the admin to set up different requirements for automatic compliance reports based on the loan channel. Admins can also copy the settings for a particular loan channel to other loan channels, streamlining the process by minimizing duplication of efforts.

In addition to new loan channel options for automatic ordering, admins have the ability to specify loan channels when identifying the required milestones before the TILA Review, TILA Right of Rescission Review, GSE Review, and HMDA Reviews are included in a compliance report.

Auto Loan NumberingPrior to this release, there was only one (default) milestone list and admins could choose only one of two milestones (File Started and Sent to Processing) at the completion of which, the system would assign a number to the loan file. With the introduction of configurable milestone templates in this release, where each

Chapter 4: Impacted Areas 17

template may not contain all the milestones in the system, the auto loan numbering functionality has been updated so that irrespective of the milestone template used, a milestone is assigned for triggering the auto loan numbering.

Admins have the ability to:

• Assign a milestone globally, at the completion of which, loan files will be assigned a number by the system. This Customer Default setting is configured by using the options in the Loan Setup > Auto Loan Numbering section. For milestone templates that do not contain the Customer Default milestone, the System Default milestone, File Started, is used.

• Override the Customer Default settings defined in Loan Setup > Auto Loan Numbering using one of the following methods:

• Manage Exceptions option in Loan Setup > Auto Loan Numbering

• When to Start Loan Numbering option in Milestones > Milestone Templates > Settings tab

Multi-User EditingMulti-User Editing functionality has been updated in this release to support configurable milestones. Details of the new functionality are discussed below.

When two users access the same loan file and one of the users:

• Updates the milestones associated with the loan, a milestone comparison screen displays the existing milestones and new milestones. After the first user accepts the changes, the updates to the loan file are saved on the server. When the second user saves the loan, a message is displayed indicating that the milestones list has been updated. If the second user also updates the milestones list, a milestone comparison screen displays the milestones saved by the first user as the old milestones list and the milestones for the second user’s updates as the new milestones list.

• Locks the milestones list, the lock applies to that particular instance of the loan file and milestones list, and not on the changes concurrently made by the second user on the same loan file. The mode applied to the loan file’s milestone template (automatic or manual) cannot be changed until only one user is working in the loan file (i.e. the manually exclusive lock is applied).

• Applies a milestone template manually, a milestone comparison screen displays the existing milestones and new milestones. After the first user accepts the changes, the updates to the loan file are saved on the server. When the second user saves the loan, a message is displayed indicating that the milestones list has been updated. If the second user also updates the milestones list, a milestone comparison screen displays the milestones saved by the first user as the old milestones list and the milestones for the second user’s updates as the new milestones list.

• Updates the milestone date(s) and saves the loan, the new dates are saved. When the second user saves the loan, the updated date mode (if applicable) and changes in milestone dates are displayed.

• If there is a chronological conflict between the date a user is saving in their version of the loan file and the date for the previous or next milestone from the loan file version on the server (for example, milestone 1 having a date after milestone 2), a Change Milestone Date screen displays with options to correct the dates.

Roles Not Tied to MilestonesRoles can now be included in milestone templates without assigning them to specific milestones. This enables users with such roles to work on the loan file even if they are not assigned to milestones in the template. Keeping this in mind, the Assigned to Milestone column on the Roles settings screen has been removed.

NOTE: In prior releases, when Encompass admins assigned roles to milestones, all the remaining unassigned roles were automatically assumed to be additional roles. In Encompass 9.0, the administrator can specify the roles they want to assign to the milestone template without assigning them to a milestone.

Imported LoansWhen importing a Fannie Mae loan file into your Pipeline, the following logic is applied when determining the milestone template to apply to the file:

• If the Template Selection Settings (in Global Template Settings) for milestone templates is set to Automatic Mode, the Default Template milestone template is applied to the loan file. When this loan file is saved, the system searches all active milestone templates and, if necessary, automatically applies the milestone template that best matches the data in the loan file. If you apply a loan template to the loan file during the import, this same logic applies.

• If you apply a loan template that has a milestone template associated with it to the loan file during the import process, the associated milestone template is applied to the loan file. The loan file is now in manual mode and the system does not search for an alternative milestone template to apply when you save the loan file or change loan data.

• If the Template Selection Settings (in Global Template Settings) for milestone templates is not set to Automatic Mode, the Default Template milestone template is applied to the loan unless a loan template that has a milestone template associated with it is selected during the import process.


Dashboard SnapshotsWhen setting up the Dashboard, you can configure snapshots. Snapshots contain loan data displayed in a table or graph format. For example, you can view the number and dollar amount of loans that were started by each of your loan officers. Or you can view a bar chart that displays the number of loans at each milestone in your Pipeline. When setting up the content that will be displayed in a Bar Chart, Trend Chart, Loan Table, or User Table snapshot, the Funded Date option has been replaced with the Completed Milestone Date. Use this option to display loans in a chart or table based on the date the loan's Completion milestone is finished.

When upgrading from an earlier version to Encompass 9.0, if a snapshot was set up to use the Funded Date, the snapshot will continue to use the Funded Date. The Funded Milestone Due Date option is populated to the additional Display loans by field.

Business Rule ConditionsWhen configuring a business rule, administrators have the option to add a condition to determine when the business rule will be applied. When adding a condition in Encompass 9.0.0.1, admins can configure the rule to only be applied when a specific role assigns another role to the next milestone following the completion of a specific milestone.

In Encompass 8.1.0.3 (and earlier versions), this type of condition was set up slightly differently; the rule could be set up to be applied only when a role assigned a specific role to the milestone following the completion of a specific milestone. The rule’s condition could be based on a specific role in 8.1.0.3 since the role for the next milestone was known. However in 9.0, the role for the next milestone is not known and the rule needs to be based on the role assigned to the current milestone. As a result of this new business rule condition logic, the user interface for configuring applicable business rules has been updated in Encompass 9.0.0.0 and 9.0.0.1.

The option to set up a business rule condition based on the “Current Role” is available in the Milestone Completion, Field Data Entry, Field Triggers, Automated Conditions, Persona Access to Fields, Persona Access to Loans, Input Form List, Loan Form Printing, and Print Auto Selection business rules.

Reporting DatabaseMilestone fields with MS prefix, such as MS.START, MS.DOC, that are already included in the Reporting Database, custom output forms, and so on, will continue to work but can no longer be added to the Reporting Database. If system administrators remove a field with MS prefix from the Reporting Database, and

then want to add the milestone field back into the Reporting Database, the new milestone field they add has a prefix of Log.MS. Once you remove a milestone field with an MS prefix from the Reporting Database, it is deleted and cannot be recovered.

Software Development Kit (SDK) ExceptionsStarting with Encompass 9.0, since there is no concept of a core milestone, the core milestone properties are marked as obsolete and exist for backward compatibility only. When the application attempts to use one of the core milestone properties that have been renamed, it results in a “Milestone not found” exception. Use Milestones.GetItemByName(string name) with the correct name of the milestone to resolve the issue.

Milestone Event Log EntriesMilestones.GetItemByName(string name) with the correct name of the milestone is also used in the code to determine if a loan has completed, and if not completed, when completion is expected.

Loan loan = session.Loans.Folders["My Pipeline"].OpenLoan("Ebberson");

Milestone completion = session.Loans.Milestones.GetItemByName("Completion");

MilestoneEvent e = loan.Log.MilestoneEvents.GetEvent-

ForMilestone(completion);

if (e.Completed)

Console.WriteLine("The loan was completed on " +

e.Date.ToString());

else if (e.Date != null)

Console.WriteLine("The loan is scheduled to be completed on

" + e.Date.ToString());

else

Console.WriteLine("The loan is not yet scheduled for

completion");

Roles and Loan AssociatesMilestones.GetItemByName(string name) with the correct name of the milestone is used in the code to determine whether a loan associate’s role is a milestone role.


Milestone approval = session.Loans.Milestones.GetItemByName("Approval");

MilestoneEvent ms = loan.Log.MilestoneEvents.GetEvent-

ForMilestone

(approval.Name);

ms.LoanAssociate.User = session.Users.GetUserByID

("mary");

Deleted Field NamesThe following field names are no longer available for use within query criteria:

• Loan.CurrentCoreMilestoneName

• Loan.NextCoreMilestoneName

Custom Milestone Templates AccessThe SDK API has been updated to enable users to have access to the new milestone and milestone template features introduced in Encompass 9.0 to support configurable loan workflows.

The SDK API has been updated to include reading the following information from the Encompass Settings:

• Custom Milestone Template Name

• Custom Milestone Template ID

• Custom Milestone Template Order

• Custom Milestone Template Channel

• Custom Milestone Template Condition

• Custom Milestone Template Status

• Custom Milestone Template Milestone List

The SDK API has been updated to include reading the following information from the loan file:

• Custom Milestone Template Name

• Custom Milestone Template ID

• Milestone Date Mode (Lock/Unlock)

• Milestone List Mode (Manual/Automatic)

The SDK API has been updated to include support for setting the following information and modes in the loan file:

• Custom Milestone Template Name/ID

• Milestone Date Mode (Lock/Unlock)

• Milestone List Mode (Manual/Automatic)

Two methods are provided for applying a milestone template to a loan. One is to apply the best matching template, the other to apply any specified template passed to the method.

Milestone Object PropertiesThe Milestone object in the EncompassObjects API has two properties, IsCustom and CoreMilestone, that determine if the milestone is a custom milestone and is a core milestone. With the introduction of custom milestones and milestone templates in Encompass 9.0, "core" milestones are no longer valid and all milestones are now considered custom milestones. Therefore:

• The Milestone.IsCustom and Milestone.CoreMilestone properties are now marked as Obsolete.

• For backwards compatibility, IsCustom property returns "False" if the Milestone.Name property matches one of the original "core" milestones (Started, Processing, Submittal, Approval, DocSigning, Funding, Completion). For all other milestones, the property returns "True".

• CoreMilestone property now always returns “null” for all milestones (since there is no longer a core milestone associated with a Milestone object).

New Classes The following classes, methods and properties have been added for use with custom milestones and milestone templates. Milestones and milestone template are configured in the Milestones setting in Encompass Settings.

The following new classes have been added:

• MilestoneTemplates - Represents a list of all milestone templates created in the Milestones setting.

• MilestoneTemplate - Represents a single milestone template created in the Milestones setting.

• TemplateMilestones - Represents a list of all milestones that make up a MilestoneTemplate.

• TemplateMilestone - Represents a single milestone that is part of the TemplateMilestones that make up a MilestoneTemplate

The MilestoneTemplate property has been added to Loan object:

• The Loan object in the EncompassObjects API represents a loan in Encompass. The new MilestoneTemplate property of the Loan object defines which MilestoneTemplate is currently applied to a given loan.

The following new methods and properties have been added to the Loan object:


• ApplyBestMatchingMilestoneTemplate - The Loan object in the EncompassObjects API now gives the ability to apply a MilestoneTemplate. The ApplyBestMatchingMilestoneTemplate method manually applies the best matching MilestoneTemplate to the loan based on the loan's data and the MilestoneTemplate's conditions.

• ApplyManualMilestoneTemplate - This method manually applies a provided MilestoneTemplate to the Loan object.

• MilestoneTemplate - This property returns the current MilestoneTemplate that is applied to a loan.

• MSLock - The Loan object in the EncompassObjects API now gives access to the MSLock field. This field determines if the loan’s milestones list is in automatic or manual mode. This property allows to get and set if the milestones list is in a locked state (manual mode)

• MSDateLock - The Loan object in the EncompassObjects API now gives access to the MSDateLock field. This field determines if the loan’s milestone dates are in automatic or manual mode. In automatic mode, subsequent milestones’ expected completion dates are automatically updated when one milestone’s expected completion date is changed. This property allows to get and set if the milestone dates are in a locked state (manual mode).
