Strunk

Reporting on Charge-Off Items and Recoveries

December 11, 2024/in Banks, Compliance, Credit Unions, Financial Services, Markets, Overdraft Privilege, Tips/by Melissa Newbury

ODP Manager generates the Account Closed letters necessary to notify customers when accounts are closed and charged off due to unpaid and outstanding overdrafts or due to a default on a Fresh Start Repayment Plan for outstanding overdrafts. Closed accounts typically no longer appear in the daily extract file imported into ODP Manager; however, users are still able to manually track charged-off accounts and recoveries in the hosted software.

Once the account is charged off, a user can create a charge-off item that includes the date, charge-off principal, charge-off fees, charge-off reason, and item status. Notes can be added to the item at the time of charge-off and notes can continue to be updated throughout the recovery process. As recoveries are made, they can be entered in ODP Manager. This will reduce the charge-off balance remaining.

The C/O Items and Recoveries summary page can be accessed under the Account Inquiry menu. This page, by default, displays the charge-off items for the last year. If a different timeframe should be displayed, institutions can request a customized default timeframe. The start and end date for the charge-off items can also be changed by the user at any time.

The summary reporting displays basic account and charge-off information and can be exported as an Excel file or as a PDF. The PDF format also includes overall totals and totals by branch.

If you have any questions about using the Charge-off Items and Recoveries feature in hosted ODP Manager, please contact Strunk Support at support@strunkaccess.com for more details.

Save Consumer Reg E Opt-In and Opt-Out Documentation

November 13, 2024/in Banks, Compliance, Credit Unions, Financial Services, Markets, Overdraft Privilege, Perspectives, Tips/by Melissa Newbury

In order to provide evidence that consumers have provided confirmation to opt in for ATM and everyday debit card transactions, Strunk recommends that financial institutions have consumers sign or initial the A-9 form (Consent for Overdraft Services) for opt-ins by mail or in person, record and retain consumer opt-ins by phone, and store opt-in transactions and electronic signatures for consumers who opt in online or by mobile device.

ODP Manager has added the capability to help institutions attach and organize this information in the hosted software. Each account will now have an Attachments tab in the account view which will allow users to manually upload or link the proof of a consumer’s Reg E election. For each attachment, users will select the Type of attachment (Opt In / Opt Out / Other), the attachment Source (Scan / Recording / Other), and the Attachment Date. PDF, image file, and audio file formats can be attached and saved. Once saved, these files can be viewed or listened to when viewing an account’s attachments.

For institutions that use Strunk’s online opt-in process, ODP Manager now will display open accounts that match the consumer’s submitted partial account number(s). Users can use the displayed name, address, phone, and email information to identify the correct account number to update the Reg E election in the core accordingly. Once the ODP Manager user has identified the matching account number, the transaction and electronic signature record can also be linked to the account in the hosted software and the verification will display on the Attachments tab.

Strunk has added these new options in ODP Manager to provide financial institutions with additional methods to organize and track their Reg E-related documentation. If you have any questions about using the new Attachments feature in hosted ODP Manager, please contact Strunk Support at support@strunkaccess.com for more details.

Streamline Hosted ODP Manager File Import

October 23, 2024/in Banks, Credit Unions, Financial Services, Markets, Overdraft Privilege, Perspectives, Tips/by Melissa Newbury

For ODP Manager to obtain updated account information, an import of the ODP Manager extract file from the core system must be committed each day. Although many institutions manually import the file, there is an option for the upload to occur automatically overnight.

If your core is able to generate your updated extract file automatically to a specific file location at your institution, Strunk can help you set up the Automatic Upload process to run overnight. When your users log in at the beginning of their workday, the updated information is already available, and your users can proceed directly to generating letters and reviewing daily reports.

To use the Automatic Upload, there is a one-time setup process. First, the client that performs the upload will need to be installed. Second, the configuration file needs to be updated with institution-specific information like the user performing the import and the file name. Finally, a scheduled task is created that will run overnight at your institution – initiating the import process at a scheduled time after the close of business.

After the import process completes, users will be notified by email if the process succeeded or failed. Email notifications can be sent to a group email address or to specified individuals. Users will still retain the opportunity to manually import the file. This allows users the option to proceed with a manual import to review the Preview screen for troubleshooting. It also allows them to manually import the file while additional changes may be made to the automatic upload process.

Implementing an Automatic Upload should streamline the file import process and should allow your users to focus efforts on the daily tasks of letters and report review.

If you have any questions about setting up and using the Automatic Upload process in hosted ODP Manager, please contact Strunk Support at support@strunkaccess.com for more details.

Use ODP Manager Data to Generate Letters as Needed

September 18, 2024/in Banks, Credit Unions, Financial Services, Markets, Overdraft Privilege, Perspectives, Tips/by Melissa Newbury

The hosted ODP Manager software includes three types of letter templates: Collection, Custom, and Ad Hoc letters. Collection letters are sent to accounts that are currently overdrawn with a negative balance. Custom letters are focused on communicating Overdraft Privilege Program-related information to customers. Ad Hoc letters allow ODP Manager users to generate letters as needed without relying on an account event to trigger the letter.

By using Ad Hoc letter templates, institutions can eliminate manual processes of creating and addressing letters outside of ODP Manager. To generate the letter, users will need a list of accounts that should receive the letter template. Each letter template can be generated one account at a time, or multiple account numbers can be entered at once. The customer’s name and address information will populate from the most recent ODP Manager extract file imported. Additional letter data fields can also be populated with information stored in ODP Manager. Once generated, the letter will be retained inside the hosted software just like Collection letters and Custom letters.

If accounts are closed and charged off before the standard number of days overdrawn, users will need to generate an Account Closed letter to appropriately notify the customer. There also may be some specific situations that require ODP-related letters that are not covered by the standard Collection and Custom letter templates. Ad Hoc letters can also be used to generate a customer’s Fresh Start Repayment Plan agreement. The inherent flexibility of the Ad Hoc letter template feature may allow institutions to accommodate all Overdraft Privilege Program-related letters – not just letters included in the standard Collection and Custom letters.

If you have any questions about setting up and using Ad Hoc letters in hosted ODP Manager, please contact Strunk Support at support@strunkaccess.com for more details.

Leverage Extract File Date Fields to Filter Results

August 21, 2024/in Banks, Credit Unions, Financial Services, Markets, Overdraft Privilege, Perspectives, Tips/by Melissa Newbury

The daily extract file imported into hosted ODP Manager includes many fields that may assist with managing an institution’s Overdraft Privilege program. These fields are used to show letters due and also to populate the standard suite of reports included in ODP Manager. In addition to these purposes, institutions may also benefit from using this data to display filtered results of accounts that share specified criteria. These additional filter options may facilitate monitoring of accounts in specific areas of interest.

The first step to leveraging additional filter and group options is to decide which fields and criteria should be applied to the accounts. Once determined, there are three main areas in ODP Manager that are able to use the additional filter groups: account-level Reports, Account Inquiry, and Custom Query.

Users can apply the filters as needed by typing the desired criteria in the filter boxes displayed below the ODP Manager header rows. If users are entering the same criteria regularly, it may be more efficient to request the creation of an institution-specific query group. Once the individual column filters have been applied or the query group selected, users can view the information in the browser, export the filtered results to either Excel or PDF in Reports, or to Excel in Account Inquiry and Custom Query.

In Account Inquiry, users can choose from three different views to select which extract file fields are available for filtering or export. Both the Default View and Original View display different sets of commonly used fields. The All Fields View displays all fields mapped and available in the hosted software.

If an institution’s users need to limit not only the results displayed but also specify which columns are included, a Custom Query can be created. This Custom Query can be downloaded daily (or as needed) to Excel and will include the accounts that meet the specified criteria.

If you have any questions about setting up additional filter groups in hosted ODP Manager, please contact Strunk Support at support@strunkaccess.com for more details.

Excessive ODP Use and Alternatives to ODP

June 26, 2024/in Banks, Compliance, Credit Unions, Financial Services, Markets, Overdraft Privilege, Perspectives, Tips/by Melissa Newbury

The hosted ODP Manager software includes a letter template that allows financial institutions to inform customers of alternatives to fee-based overdraft coverage. These letters are sent to customers that have demonstrated excessive consumer Overdraft Privilege activity.

FDIC regulated institutions are expected to give customers who overdraw their accounts on more than six occasions where a fee is charged in a rolling twelve-month period a reasonable opportunity to choose a less costly alternative and decide whether to continue with fee-based overdraft coverage. Strunk also recommends that institutions not regulated by the FDIC also communicate available alternatives to ODP on an annual basis to accounts with insufficient funds items.

Alternatives to ODP could include an Overdraft Protection credit line or an Overdraft Protection transfer from another account with the financial institution. The letter template includes details related to line amounts, charges, and fees so customers can make an informed decision about how best to cover overdrafts.

Letters can be generated based on information included in the extract file. If the file includes data that indicates when an account has met the qualifications for the letter, hosted ODP Manager can automatically show when the letter is due. If the data cannot be added to the extract file but accounts that qualify can be identified by an existing core report or other method, the letter can be generated as needed by account number as an Ad Hoc letter. Once generated, the letter is tracked and retained within ODP Manager.

If you have any questions about sending Excessive Use Notification letters in hosted ODP Manager, please contact Strunk Support at support@strunkaccess.com to find out more.

ODP Manager: Import Events and User Events

May 29, 2024/in Banks, Compliance, Credit Unions, Financial Services, Markets, Overdraft Privilege, Perspectives, Tips/by Melissa Newbury

The information displayed in ODP Manager is provided by an extract file from an institution’s core system. This file is updated after close of business and is imported daily into ODP Manager. Once the import has occurred successfully, the letters due and reports are updated with the information for the current as of date.

A benefit of the hosted ODP Manager software is the advanced history tracking. This feature allows users to view and search for recorded events by account number or date. There are three main types of events that are stored within ODP Manager: import events, letter events, and user created events.

Import events are recorded at the time an import of the extract file is successfully processed. Events are identified by comparison of the current as of date’s file to the last file imported. Accounts are updated to note if accounts are now closed, are overdrawn, or now in good standing. If an overdraft limit is assigned or removed or if an account opts in or opts out for Regulation E, an event is also created in the account history.

As part of the daily tasks in ODP Manager, users will generate letters that are due. As letters are generated, a PDF of the letter is retained in the event history. The letter type, template name, and date are also recorded.

Users also can create events as needed. Comments allow users to make account notes that can be viewed by all hosted software users. Reminders allow not only notes to be added, but also allow a due date to be assigned to the item for future follow-up. Both notes and reminders can include attachments. Repayment plans can be added to generate Fresh Start agreements and to track payments made towards the repayment schedule. For accounts that have charged off, users can create a charge-off item to track recoveries and to streamline charge-off reporting. All user-created events can be viewed and updated by all users with access to ODP Manager.

Once events are tracked in ODP Manager, they can be searched by account number or by date or date range. Individual account information can be exported to PDF and events that occur in a specified date range can be exported to Excel.

If you have any questions about event information accessible in hosted ODP Manager, please contact Strunk Support at support@strunkaccess.com to find out more.

User Administration and User Roles in ODP Manager

March 27, 2024/in Banks, Credit Unions, Financial Services, Markets, Overdraft Privilege, Tips/by Melissa Newbury

Part of effective use of the ODP Manager software is regularly reviewing, maintaining, and updating user records and access. ODP Manager users can be assigned four different roles for access to different features in the hosted software.

Users who will need to access all software features but will not need to make administrative software setup changes should be assigned ODP User rights. Users with ODP Admin rights are able to perform all the functions performed by ODP Users, but they are also able to add and change users, revert imported files, and make or request software setup updates. Users with ODP Report User rights can access ODP Manager Reports and Account Inquiry. They are not able to generate letters or import the extract file into ODP Manager daily.

For institutions that would like to separate the User Administration function from the rest of the ODP Admin functions, users can be assigned User Admin rights if they need to add or change ODP Manager users. Users that need to be able to revert imported files or make and request other software setup changes should be assigned ODP Manager rights.

ODP Admins or User Admins can export a list of all users as a PDF or Excel file for reporting purposes. In addition to basic User information, it also includes each user’s assigned role and last login. ODP Admins and User Admins are also able to view and export logs of user changes.

If users no longer need access to ODP Manager, a user’s rights can be updated by an ODP Admin or User Admin to remove the assigned ODP Admin, ODP Manager, ODP User, ODP Report User, or User Admin role. If the user is no longer employed by the financial institution, updating the user’s status to Former Employee will remove the individual’s access without having to remove the user’s access rights.

If you have any questions about User Administration or User Roles in hosted ODP Manager, please contact Strunk Support at support@strunkaccess.com to find out more.

Repayment Plan Management from Beginning to End

February 14, 2024/in Banks, Credit Unions, Financial Services, Markets, Overdraft Privilege, Perspectives, Tips/by Melissa Newbury

A Fresh Start Repayment Plan is a tool available to overdrawn customers that will allow them to repay the overdrawn balance in up to four payments and will also allow them to retain the use of their checking account. It also may help financial institutions recover and collect on accounts which may have otherwise charged off.

Included with Strunk’s hosted ODP Manager software, financial institutions have access to Strunk’s library of Fresh Start documentation. The library contains a Fresh Start Profile that addresses recommended features and optional considerations, a recommended Fresh Start Policy and Procedure Guidelines, a suggested Assessment template to determine Account holder’s ability to repay the Fresh Start Repayment Plan, and a recommended Fresh Start Agreement. These documents provide the necessary information to start offering and setting up Fresh Start Repayment Plans.

ODP Manager Formal Demand and Final Demand collection letters advise customers overdrawn for more than $100 to ask if a Fresh Start might be an option to repay the overdrawn balance in 4 payments or less. Once a customer contacts the institution, an assessment should be completed to confirm the customer’s ability to repay the Fresh Start Repayment Plan.

If a customer qualifies and accepts the Repayment Plan, ODP Manager users can enter a repayment schedule for each account. The repayment schedule can be used to generate the Fresh Start Agreement to be signed by the customer. It will also create payment reminders to show when a repayment should be due. The payment should be verified in the core system and then tracked in the repayment schedule once paid. If the account defaults on the repayment plan, the Fresh Start Default Letter can be generated in ODP Manager to inform the customer that the account has been closed, charged off, and reported to the appropriate agencies.

ODP Manager offers two reports related to Repayment Plans. The Fresh Start Tracking Report lists all accounts that have been identified as being in repayment by an ODP Status Code. A Repayment Schedules summary report can also be used to track the status of Fresh Starts, including payments made and outstanding balances. Both report options can be exported to PDF or Excel.

If you have any questions about Fresh Start Repayment Plan options in hosted ODP Manager, please contact Strunk Support at support@strunkaccess.com to find out more.

Automatically Archive ODP Manager Reports

November 15, 2023/in Banks, Credit Unions, Financial Services, Markets, Overdraft Privilege, Tips/by Melissa Newbury

The ODP Manager hosted software includes a suite of standard reports that are updated after each daily import. These reports can be viewed in the browser or exported to PDF or Excel. Reports for the most recent seven As of Dates are accessible.

If an institution would like the option to review, analyze, or retain past reports, users are able to export and save the reports as needed. However, if reports are not exported and saved within the most recent seven As of Dates, then the report data is no longer available. ODP Manager offers an alternative to manually saving and retaining reports. Upon request, Strunk can set up a Report Archive which automatically archives the requested reports after each daily import. This will alleviate the need to remember to manually save report copies.

The archived reports are saved as PDF files within the software. For each import As of Date, a folder containing the archived reports is created and can be downloaded. If an institution would rather download the archived reports to save to a network drive instead of accessing though the ODP Manager software, a Download Reports Archive link can be set up instead.

If you have any questions about the Report Archive option in hosted ODP Manager, please contact Strunk Support at support@strunkaccess.com to find out more.