Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

What file formats are supported?

TownSq onboarding accepts CSV files only. All files must be UTF-8 encoded with comma delimiters.

How long does the onboarding process take?

Typical onboarding takes 8-12 weeks from initiation to go-live, depending on data complexity and stakeholder availability.

Can I submit files in batches?

Yes, files can be submitted in batches. However, maintain referential integrity by submitting association data first, followed by dependent file types.

What happens if my file has errors?

Files with validation errors are rejected with detailed error reports. You must correct the errors and resubmit the file.

Technical Questions

What's the maximum file size?

Individual CSV files should not exceed 100MB. For larger datasets, contact the technical team for guidance on file splitting.

Are there any character limitations?

Files must be UTF-8 encoded. Avoid special characters that may cause parsing issues. When in doubt, test with a sample file first.

How do I handle multiple owners per property?

Create a separate member record for each person with the OWNER role. For owners, specify their ownership percentage - percentages must total 100% for each property. If one person is the main point of contact, set their is_primary_contact field to true.

What date format should I use?

All dates must be in YYYY-MM-DD format (ISO 8601). Examples: "2024-01-15", "2023-12-31".

Data Quality Questions

What if I'm missing required fields?

Required fields cannot be empty. If data is truly unavailable, contact the business team to discuss alternatives or exceptions.

How complete does my data need to be?

While only required fields are mandatory, higher data completeness improves system functionality. Aim for 90%+ completeness on optional fields.

Can I submit historical data?

Yes, historical data is valuable for reporting and analytics. Include creation and update timestamps when available.

How do I handle data quality issues?

Document known data quality issues and work with the technical team to develop appropriate transformation rules or business logic.

Business Process Questions

Who approves the data before migration?

Business stakeholders must review and approve sample data. Operations team coordinates the approval process.

What happens during the cutover?

Cutover involves final data migration to production, system testing, and user access enablement. Detailed timeline provided during planning.

How is success measured?

Success metrics include data completeness, validation accuracy, timeline adherence, and stakeholder satisfaction.

What support is available after go-live?

Post-migration support includes issue resolution, user training, and ongoing system optimization for the first 30 days.

Troubleshooting

My file keeps getting rejected. What should I do?

1. Review the detailed error report line by line
2. Check field names match specifications exactly
3. Validate date and numeric formats
4. Ensure required fields are populated
5. Test with a small sample file first

How do I fix referential integrity errors?

1. Verify parent records exist (e.g., association data loaded first)
2. Check that foreign key values match exactly
3. Ensure consistent spelling and formatting
4. Validate data relationships in source systems

What if I need to make changes after submission?

Contact the operations team immediately. Depending on the migration phase, changes may require re-validation or schedule adjustments.

Who do I contact for help?

• Technical Issues: Data technical team
• Business Questions: Operations coordinator
• Process Issues: Project manager
• Urgent Issues: Escalate through your designated business sponsor

Implementation Waves Questions

What is an implementation wave?

An implementation wave is a named group of associations organized for phased rollout during migration. Waves help you control the pace of onboarding, learn from earlier groups, and manage resources effectively.

How do I create implementation waves?

Navigate to Implementation Waves in the dashboard, click Create Wave, and provide a name, optional description, go-live date, and status. Then assign associations to the wave.

Can associations be in multiple waves?

No, each association can only be assigned to one implementation wave at a time. The wave assignment is stored in the Wave Associations table.

Where did wave_id and operational_setup go from associations?

In the SDM-271 schema refactor, wave_id and operational_setup were moved from the associations table to a new wave_associations table. This provides better separation between association master data and wave/configuration data.

Operational Setup Questions

What is operational setup?

Operational setup includes configuration for delinquency (late fees/interest), billing (methods, statement text), fiscal settings (fiscal year), and custom charts of accounts. It's stored as JSON in the wave_associations table.

Do I need to configure operational setup?

It's highly recommended but not strictly required for all associations. Operational setup enables proper late fee calculation, billing statement generation, and fiscal year reporting. Configure it before assigning associations to implementation waves.

Can I copy organizational settings to all associations?

Yes! You can configure global settings at the organization level, then use the bulk copy operation to apply those settings to multiple associations at once. Individual associations can then customize as needed.

What's the difference between global and association settings?

Global settings are organization-level templates that serve as defaults. Association settings are stored per-association and can override the global defaults. Changes to global settings don't automatically update existing association settings.

Standardization Questions

What is COA mapping?

Chart of Accounts (COA) mapping is the process of mapping your organization's legacy GL accounts (Corporate GL Accounts) to Associa's standardized chart of accounts (Standard GL Accounts). This enables consistent financial reporting across your portfolio.

What are association GL accounts?

Association GL accounts are association-specific accounts that provide local account codes and names while linking to corporate GL accounts. This allows associations to use their familiar account structure while still mapping to standardized accounts.

Why standardize vendor types?

Standardized vendor types ensure consistent 1099 reporting, proper vendor categorization, and comparable vendor spending analysis across your portfolio. Your organization's vendor types map to Associa's Standard Vendor Types.

Do I need to map all my GL accounts?

You should map all actively used GL accounts. Inactive or obsolete accounts can be left unmapped. The system will validate that transactions reference mapped accounts.

Entity Requirements Questions

What entities are absolutely required?

The minimum required entities are:

1. Organization - Your management company (set up by TownSq)
2. Implementation Waves - Phased rollout groups
3. Associations - The HOAs you manage
4. Wave Associations - Links associations to waves and stores operational setup
5. Units - Individual properties
6. Unit Types - Property classifications
7. Accounts - Financial accounts
8. Members - People associated with accounts (owners, tenants, occupants)
9. Operating Bank Accounts - Primary bank accounts
10. Recurring Charges - Automated fee schedules
11. Delinquencies - Late fee configurations

Without these, core operations cannot function.

What if I don't have data for a required entity?

You'll need to gather this data before go-live. Required entities represent the absolute minimum for system functionality. Missing data here will block critical operations.

Can I add optional entities later?

Absolutely! You can start with the required entities and add optional entities (like Vendors, Direct Debits, Account Transactions, Emergency Contacts) as your data becomes available. The system is designed for incremental enhancement.

What order should I load entities?

Load entities in dependency order:

1. Organization (set up by TownSq)
2. Implementation Waves
3. Associations
4. Wave Associations (links associations to waves)
5. Units
6. Unit Types
7. Accounts
8. Members (linked to accounts)
9. Operating Bank Accounts
10. Recurring Charges
11. Delinquencies

Then add optional entities (Standard GL Accounts, Corporate GL Accounts, Vendor Types, Vendors, Investment Bank Accounts, Direct Debits, etc.) as needed. This ensures referential integrity.