Account

See Tax Account.

[ALT]

A special key on your keyboard that is used in conjunction with other keys to quickly perform a function.

Example:  To exit Web Help, press [ALT] [f] [c].

See also:  Keyboard Shortcuts

Application

A group of modules.

Examples:  Edifice and Invision

See also:  Module

Assessing Module

The Assessing module interfaces with the Tax Billing module when Post Tax Bills is run.  Assessing provides the basic data for property information including ownership data and valuation.

Note:  For more information, refer to the Tax Billing Interfaces Diagram.

Billing

When there are multiple tax bills issued during a year, such as semi-annually, the Post Tax Bills program creates tax charge transactions for each billing.  The Billing Code identifies up to four billings within a year - First Billing, Second Billing, Third Billing and Fourth Billing.

Also called:  Billing Option, Billing Cycle, or Tax Billing

Bucket

Refers to any of the account balances for the current year, next year, prior year, or two-plus prior years.

Button

An image that is clicked to perform an operation.  Buttons sometimes appear raised when inactive and sunken (or depressed) when activated.

Examples: ,

Tip:  If a button appears focused, outlined like the first Save button below, you can automatically click the button simply by pressing [ENTER].

Focused

Not focused

Button Bar

Contains a group of buttons for functions commonly used within the module.  The Button Bar is located below the Menu Bar, which is near the top of the window.

Example Buttons on the Button Bar:
Save , Search , and Clear .

See also:  Menu Bar, Status Bar, Task Bar, Title Bar, Tool Bar

Cash Receipts Module

The Cash Receipts module interfaces with the Tax Billing module when recording tax transactions such as payments.  Cash Receipt transactions update the Tax Detail Transactions in Tax Billings and generates journal entries in the General Ledger Module.

Note:  For more information, refer to the Tax Billing Interfaces Diagram.

Character-Based

A text-only interface that only allows systematic keyboard entries.

Note:  Many of the application modules operate in two versions, character-based and GUI-based.

See also:  GUI

Choose

To position the pointer over an item, and then click the mouse button.

See also:  Select

Click

To press the left mouse button once.

See also:  Double-Click and Right-Click

[CTRL]

A special key on your keyboard that is used in conjunction with other keys to quickly perform a function.

Example:  To clear data, press [CTRL + x].

See also:  Keyboard Shortcuts

Cue Cards

A level of help that displays information about entering data in a specific field, such as data type (alpha or numeric) and field length.

Note:  You can toggle the cue cards off and on by clicking the Cue Card button on the Button Bar.

See also:  Web Help, Tool Tips

Data

Information that is stored and processed by the system.

Default

A pre-loaded setting or value for a field that is displayed in a field to save data entry time.  You can override the default value, if needed.

Desktop

See:  NDS Desktop

De-select

To remove or clear a checkmark from a check box, which prevents a function from being performed.

Detail Transaction

See Tax Detail Transaction.

Dialog Box

A small window that prompts for information or parameters for the operation being performed.

See also:  Prompt

Double-Click

To press the left mouse button twice in rapid succession.

See also:  Click and Right-Click

Drag

To move the mouse while holding the left mouse button down.  Dragging moves windows from one location on the screen to another.

Also called:  Drag and Drop

Enter

1. Without brackets, refers to typing data into a field.

2. In brackets, refers to the [ENTER] key on the keyboard.  You usually click [ENTER] when ready to perform a function, such as saving a record.

Tip:  If a button appears focused, outlined like the first Save button below, you can automatically click the button simply by pressing [ENTER].

Focused

Not focused

[ESC]

A special key on your keyboard that is used to escape from the current function.  [ESC] usually closes the active window.

Field

A segment of a record pertaining to a specific data element.  There are multiple fields within a record.  You can enter or modify the data within one or more fields in a window.

Note:  Spreadsheet programs, such as Microsoft Excel™, often refer to fields as columns.

Example:  Customer Name is a field within the Customer Master record.

See also:  File,  Key, Record

File

A group of related records.

Example: The Customer Master file contains a separate record for each customer.

See also:  Field, Key, Record

Function Keys

A sequence of 12 special keys that usually reside in the top row of your keyboard.  They provide a quick method for running pre-defined functions.  In some modules, you can change the operation performed by a function key by modifying the System Parameters.

Example:  [F1], [ F2], [ F3]

General Ledger Module

Tax Billing interfaces with the General Ledger module when Post Tax Bills is run and during the Tax Charge Post.  The programs post journal entries to the General Ledger.  Various tables in Tax Billing define the General Ledger Account Numbers.

Note:  For more information, refer to the Tax Billing Interfaces Diagram.

GUI

Graphical User Interface.  Pronounced GOO-ee.

GUI is a graphical interface where you can interact with the program using both the keyboard and the mouse for point-and-click operations.

GUI is recognizable by its colored windows containing text and representations of buttons, icons, and other images or pictures.

Note:  Many of the application modules operate in two versions, character-based and GUI-based.

See also:  Character-Based

Help

Generally refers to any online documentation that describes how to use the software.  For more information, refer to Levels of Help.

See also:  Web Help, Cue Cards, Tool Tips

Highlight

1. verb:  To mark text so that it becomes selected.

2. noun:  Background color surrounding a block of text.

HTML

Hypertext Markup Language, the language of the Internet.

Hyperlink

Specially activated pictures or text that you can click to instantly display the information you need.

Tips:

• When the mouse pointer passes over a hyperlink, it changes to a hand shape
  .

• Text with a hyperlink is underlined and blue.  Click here for an example.

• After you have visited a page for a specific hyperlink, the text turns purple.

Also called:  jump, link, hypertext, hot spot, hot link, or shortcut

JPEG

Joint Photographics Experts Group.  Pronounced JAY-peg.

JPEG is a type of graphic used for storing images in some software modules.  The JPEG file is recognized by the file name extensions .jpg or .jpeg.

Icon

A graphical representation of an object that a user can select and open, such as a folder, document, or program.

Examples:   My Computer,   Print

Internet Explorer™

The Microsoft™ application used to browse the Internet (or an internal intranet), which displays HTML based documents and graphics.

Note:  Web Help runs within Microsoft's Internet Explorer™.

Key

1. noun:  A number, letter, symbol, or special function key on the computer keyboard.

2. verb:  To type or enter data into a field.

3. noun:  The field of information that is used to uniquely access records in a file.
   
   Example:  The Account Number is the key to the Customer Master file.
   
   See also:  Field, File, Record

Keyboard Shortcuts

Keyboard entries that quickly open or perform certain functions.

Also called:  hot keys or shortcut keys

Menu Bar

Contains multiple menus that "drop-down" when you click the menu name.  The Menu Bar is usually located near the top of the window, below the Title Bar.

Menu Examples:  Files, View, Images, Windows

See also:  Button Bar, Status Bar, Task Bar, Title Bar, Tool Bar

Mill Rate

The tax per dollar of assessed property value. The tax rate is expressed in "mills", where one mill is one-tenth of a cent ($0.001) or "dollars per thousand".

Module

A module is a group of programs within an application that work together within a specific business area.

Examples:

• Edifice module:  Utility Billing Workbench

• Invision modules:  Payroll Workbench, Assessing Workbench, Cash Receipts Workbench

See also:  Application

Navigation Pane

The Navigation Pane is the left side of the Web Help window and contains tabs for the Table of Contents, Index and Search.

Tip:  To show and hide the Navigation Pane, click or .

See also:  Viewing Pane

NDS

Northern Data Systems, Inc.

NDS Desktop

The main screen that contains icons for all of the NDS modules.

Note:  The NDS desktop is the window area that includes the Start button, Task Bar and optional icons for programs.  It is usually the area displayed after your computer starts up.

See also:  Desktop

Position

To move the pointer to a particular location on the screen.

Process

A program function that performs operations that require only minimal interaction with the user.  A process may take several minutes when accessing large files.

Note:  You can monitor the progress of a process using Process Control Options.

Prompt

The statements or questions that appear on the screen as the system runs.

Example:  The Printing Options dialog box prompts for the printer identification number.

See also:  Dialog Box

Record

A group of related fields within a file.

Note:  Spreadsheet programs, such as Microsoft Excel™, often refer to records as rows.

Example:  Account Number, Customer Name, and Owner Name are fields within the Customer Master record.  There is a unique Customer Master record for each customer in the Customer Master file.

See also:  Field, File, Key

Right-Click

To press the right mouse button once, usually to display a shortcut menu.

See also:  Click and Double-Click

Scroll

To view information that does not currently fit in the displayed window by rolling up, down, left, or right.

Methods:

• Click on the arrow at either end of the vertical or horizontal scroll bar.

• Or, drag the scroll button on the scroll bar.

• Or, rotate the scroll wheel on a specially equipped mouse device.

Select

To position the pointer over an item and click it by pressing the mouse button.

Shortcut Menu

Displays a popup menu when you click the right mouse button (right-click).

Status Bar

Displays informational and error messages about the current function.  The Status Bar appears at the bottom of the module window.

See also:  Button Bar, Menu Bar, Task Bar, Title Bar, Tool Bar

Task Bar

Displays buttons that represent windows for programs that are currently running.

Notes:

• Usually appears at the bottom of the  NDS desktop, next to the Windows™ Start Button.

• Your computer may be configured to hide the Task Bar when not in use.

See also:  Button Bar, Menu Bar, Status Bar, Title Bar, Tool Bar

Tax Account

Identifies the master information describing a taxable property (real estate, personal property, or supplemental) and the property's owner.  The key field that identifies the tax account is the Tax Account Number.

Note:  The Year End Roll purges Tax Accounts that are paid in full.

Also called:  account, tax master account, or tax master record

Tax Detail Transaction

Contains the data for individual transaction amounts posted against a Tax Account, including tax charges, payments, and credits.  For more information about specific types of transactions, refer to the Tax Type Codes Chart.

Note:  The Year End Roll purges detail transactions.

Also called:  detail, tax detail, or detail transaction

Title Bar

Appears at the top of a window and usually displays the program or function name.

Note:  In the main module window, the Menu Bar and Button Bar appear below the Title Bar.

See also:  Button Bar, Menu Bar, Status Bar, Task Bar, Tool Bar

Tool Bar

Appears near the top of the Internet Explorer™ window and contains one or more rows of menus and buttons for commonly used tasks.

See also:  Button Bar, Menu Bar, Status Bar, Task Bar, Title Bar

Tool Tips

A level of help that displays a single-line description when the pointer hovers over a field or button.

See also:  Web Help, Cue Cards

Type

1. To press a key or series of keys on the keyboard.

2. To enter data.

3. A designation for some fields that categorize data.  Sometimes referred to as a code.
   Examples:  Account Type, Exemption Type, Property ID, Property Type, Tax Charge Type, or Tax Type Code.

URL

Uniform Resource Locator.

Also called:  Internet address or web site address

Viewing Pane

The right side of the Web Help window containing the topic of information.

See also:  Navigation Pane

Web Help

An online Help system that operates within an Internet browser application such as Internet Explorer™.

Also called:  Web Manual

See also:  Help, Cue Cards, Tool Tips

Window

A bordered area within a screen that can be resized and closed independently of other windows on the screen.

Windows™

A Microsoft™ operating system.