Updates to Features and Enhancements for 18.4 Major Release
Dynamic Data Management Support for Encompass LO Connect
Why we made this update: Dynamic Data Management (DDM) is being introduced to assist lenders in writing rules that will automate conditional loan data population in loan files.
Dynamic Data Management
Dynamic Data Management (DDM) is a scenarios-based rule engine that ensures that the values for any fee or field is automatically populated for various loan scenarios as defined by the Encompass administrator. Automating fee and field data is critical to automating disclosures as it increases productivity and enhances accuracy, thereby reducing the time and the cost to close a loan.
DDM also offers other productivity gain opportunities – a more efficient way to automate fee data population rather than templates (especially when the number of templates grow) and a simpler way to set field values rather than field triggers. The look-up table option in DDM provides significant opportunities for simplifying advanced code and reducing change management time and overhead.
DDM was released with Encompass 18.4 (Read the release notes). It has been designed to work with both Encompass Smart Client and Encompass Connect products. By default, DDM rules are checked when a loan is created and saved, or when an existing loan is updated.
For details on configuring DDM, refer to the Dynamic Data Management User Guide. You can also review the Top Use Cases for Dynamic Data Management guide to learn about typical use cases where utilizing the Dynamic Data Management options provides a more efficient way to automate fee data rather than templates (especially when the number of templates increase) and a simpler way to set field values instead of field triggers business rules.
To access the Dynamic Data Management settings, go to Encompass > Settings > Dynamic Data Management.
Features and Enhancements
New Guided Walk-Thrus and On-Screen Help Available
Encompass LO Connect now provides users with real-time interactive guided walk-thrus and on-screen help directly in the Encompass LO Connect website.
Guided Walk-Thrus
Guided walk-thrus offer step-by-step guidance for completing tasks. Users can access guided walk-thrus by selecting the new Need Help? widget. This widget is located on the right side of each page.
When a user has a question about an area on the page, they can click the widget and select a guided walk-thru or access additional resources such as the online help.
When a user selects a walk-thru, steps appear on-screen to walk the user through the task. The user can follow each step provided to complete the task.
Additional On-Screen Help
Additional on-screen help is available throughout Encompass LO Connect. A small blue Info icon 
has been added next to certain fields where a user may need extra information or context. Users can hover over the icon to view the help text.
New Scenario Comparison Tools Feature Available
A new Scenario Comparison Tools feature is now available in Encompass LO Connect. This new feature can be used with prospective borrowers to compare the rates and payments of up to 10 loan programs related to the requested criteria. The Scenario Comparison Tools are only available when using Encompass Product and Pricing (EPPS) as the pricing engine for Encompass LO Connect.
To Add a Scenario Comparison Tools Opportunity From the Desktop and Tablet View
-
After logging into Encompass LO Connect, select the Opportunities tab.
-
Select the Add New
icon to add a new loan scenario comparison opportunity. -
On the Create Opportunity window, enter the borrower's personal info, and then select Property Info.
-
Enter the proposed property information, and then select Loan Info.
-
Enter the proposed loan information on the Loan Info page, and then select Show Scenarios.
-
On the Scenarios page, select the loan scenarios you want to compare, and then select Compare.
- You can select up to 10 loan scenarios to compare.
-
To email all of the scenarios to the potential borrower, select the Mail
icon in the top right corner of the page. - To email an individual scenario to the potential borrower, select the Mail icon in the top right corner of the scenario you want to send.
- To email an individual scenario to the potential borrower, select the Mail
-
To update a scenario with mortgage insurance information, select Edit Details.
- After entering in the mortgage insurance details, select Update Scenario to update the loan scenario.
- To create a loan from a scenario, select Create Loan.
You can also email a scenario, create a loan, edit a scenario, or remove a scenario from the comparison by selecting the Menu
on a scenario.
To Add a Scenario Comparison Tools Opportunity From the Mobile View
-
After logging into Encompass LO Connect in the mobile view, select the Menu
, and then select the Opportunities tab. -
Select the Add New
icon to add a new loan scenario comparison opportunity. -
On the Create Opportunity window, enter the borrower's personal info, and then select Property Info.
-
Enter the proposed property information, and then select Loan Info.
-
Enter the proposed loan information on the Loan Info page, and then select Show Scenarios.
-
On the Scenarios page, select the loan scenarios you want to compare, and then select Compare.
- Note: You can select up to 10 loan scenarios to compare.
-
To email all of the scenarios to the potential borrower, select the Menu
located in the blue header, and then select Email. - To email an individual scenario to the potential borrower, select the Menu icon in the top right corner of the scenario you want to send.
- To email an individual scenario to the potential borrower, select the Menu
-
To update a scenario with mortgage insurance information, select the Menu
icon in the top right corner of the scenario, and then select Edit Scenario.- After entering in the mortgage insurance details, select Update Scenario to update the loan scenario.
- To create a loan from a scenario, select the Menu icon in the top right corner of the scenario, and then select Create Loan.
- To remove a scenario from the comparison, select the Menu icon in the top right corner of the scenario, and then select Remove from Comparison.
Users can also sort scenarios by selecting the Sort By
icon. You can sort scenarios by the following options:
- Rate
- APR
- Payment
Note: Again, the Scenario Comparison Tools is only available when using Encompass Product and Pricing as the pricing engine for Encompass LO Connect.
Business Rules Now Support Inline Validation
A change has been made to the way that Encompass LO Connect validates data against your company's business rules. In the 18.2 release, the ability to support business rules was added to Encompass LO Connect. Users were able to select the Run Rules button to check the loan data against the business rules in Encompass. Now, the business rules are checked against key loan fields in Encompass LO Connect as the user moves from field to field. When the user enters data into a field that is used in a business rule or in a Dynamic Data Management (DDM) rule, the data is verified against the rules. The Run Rules button has also been removed as it is no longer needed.
If a rule violation is discovered, a new Warnings
button displays. Users can select the Warnings button to view the business rules requirements.
On the Business Rule Requirements window, you can satisfy the business rule conflict and then select Save & Continue.
Note: On a mobile device, the Warnings 
button has a different icon.
Support Added for Document Viewing When Conversion is Not Enabled
Encompass LO Connect users can now view documents in their original format when the Document Conversion option is not enabled in Encompass. Previously, when the Document Conversion option was not enabled, the user received a message that the file could not be viewed. Now the user still receives this message but they can select View Original to view the document in its original format.
Note: When the user selects View Original, the document opens in new browser tab.
Additional Alert Support
Alert support has been added for the following alert types:
-
Conversation Log Follow Up - When a follow up is expected for a conversation log entry, the user now receives a notification in the ALERTS & MESSAGES tab. When a user selects the alert, they are taken to the Conversation Log. This alert is cleared when a date is entered in the Date Followed Up field.
- Task Follow up - When a task has a Follow Up alert set, the user now receives an alert. Selecting this alert brings up the task so the user can update the task as needed.
- Task Expected - When a task has a value in the Days to Complete field, the user now receives an alert on the day that the task is expected to be completed. Selecting this alert brings up the task so the user can update the task as needed.
LO eSign Section Added to Encompass Admin Portal
A new LO eSign section has been added to the Encompass Admin portal. This section has one option which enables administrators to configure whether an LO Connect user will use an Encompass Consumer Connect website or Encompass LO Connect to eSign documents. The Use Loan Officer Connect for Loan Officer eSign Actions changes the URL that is sent in the email generated from Encompass when the Loan Officer's eSignature is required. If this option is set to set to Enabled, the URL included in the email directs the user to Encompass LO Connect where they can log in and view any loans that require an eSignature. If this option is set to Disabled, the URL included in the email directs the user to the Encompass Consumer Connect website where the user can go through the eSign process.
This option is set to Disabled by default.
To Update the LO eSign Settings
-
After logging into the Encompass Admin Portal, select COMPANY/USER SETUP.
- Select LO eSign.
- Select the toggle next to Use Loan Officer Connect for Loan Officer eSign Actions to switch between Enabled and Disabled.
- Select Save.
Custom Input Forms Now Available in Encompass LO Connect.
Support for creating custom input forms has been added to Encompass LO Connect, as detailed in the release notes here. Once a custom input form has been created and enabled for Encompass LO Connect users, the form is available in the Forms section of Encompass LO Connect.
To View a Custom Input Form on Desktop or Tablet Device
-
From a loan file, select Forms from the menu on the left.
- Select Custom Input Forms.
- The Custom Input Forms selection expands. Select the custom input form you wish to view.
To View a Custom Input Form on a Mobile Device
-
From a loan file, select the Menu
icon. - Select Custom Forms.
- On the Forms page, select the custom input form you want to view.
