Feature Enhancements in Version 23.3 Major Release

Lenders can now use new provider fields added to the Order Credit option in the Loan App Workflows > Services Settings to designate the credit service provider to use for the specific workflow. This enables applicants to order a credit report during the application process from the credit provider designated by the administrator for the workflow. After setting the Order Credit option to Yes, enter the designated credit provider information in the resulting fields.

Previously, all workflows for a given Consumer Connect site had to use the same provider for credit orders, but with this enhancement, different credit providers can now be set for individual workflows. If a credit provider is not designated at the workflow-level, then the site-level credit provider set up for the Consumer Connect site in Services Management is used instead.

In order to designate a credit provider for the workflow, the provider information must be completed first in the Settings Management > Order Credit settings. Once a provider's information is completed in the Order Credit settings, then the provider will be available to select for a specific workflow.

In previous versions of the Consumer Connect Admin portal, the only way administrators could provide applicants with the ability to provide consent for verifying assets, employment, or income was if administrators enabled the required service in Services Management and Loan App Workflows. Applicants would need to order the verification in order to provide consent. With this new 23.3 release, lenders can now enable applicants to only provide the authorization/consent for a verification of assets, employment, or income without the obligation of ordering the service and incurring costs associated with ordering the verification.

In the Loan App Workflows setting, new toggle options for VOA and VOE/VOI verification authorization are now provided in each workflow. Using these options, lenders can opt to enable the authorization option without turning on the verification service.

The Asset Verification Authorization option enables administrators to allow applicants to authorize the VOA. Set this toggle to Yes to give applicants this option.

The VOA Authorization Agreement Required option allows administrators to require applicants to accept the VOA (Asset Authorization Agreement) in order to continue with the loan application. Set this toggle to Yes to make this agreement required.

The VOE/VOI Authorization option enables administrators to allow applicants to authorize the VOE and VOI. Set this toggle to Yes to give applicants this option.

When the VOE/VOI Authorization Agreement Required option is enabled (i.e., set to Yes), applicants will be presented with a check box on the Verify Employment screen to accept the VOE/VOI Authorization Agreement. The applicant(s) must select the check box in order to continue with the loan application.

Note that when the service is turned on in the workflow, then the respective Authorization toggle will be automatically turned ON and will be disabled.

When the authorization is provided and the loan application is submitted, fields in the Verification Information section of the Borrower Summary - Origination input form in Encompass will be populated with the authorization confirmation and the date it was completed. Lenders can then leverage these Encompass fields for reporting purposes. A consent authorization file (PDF) is also generated and stored in the eFolder for each authorization that is performed with the Encompass Consumer Connect loan application.

(Updated on 9/27/2023) 

Several enhancements have been made to the Borrower Portal to improve the user experience.

Banner Image

Administrators can now add custom image banners or a banner with custom colors to their borrower-facing sites.

Use the new Banner Image options provided for the Borrower Portal in the Site Builder to add a banner image. If you are not using a banner image, use the Overlay Color and Overlay Opacity options to manage the background color of the banner.

You can upload an image from your computer, provide a URL link to an existing online image, or upload an image provided in the Encompass Consumer Connect image library.

When adding a banner image, it must be a JPG, PNG or GIF

A blank banner with a blue background will display at the top of all borrower-facing sites by default once Encompass Consumer Connect 23.3 is released. Use the new Banner Image option to add an image to display at the top of these sites instead or use the settings provided for the banner to modify the background color and opacity of the banner to align with your company's theme and branding.

New Look and Feel

The portal's look and feel has been modernized and various updates have been made to the cards displayed to borrowers to help them access information more efficiently. Shortcuts to tasks, loan summary, notifications, and online chat are now provided on the cards, along with the loan purpose, subject property, and the status of the application being displayed more prominently. The shortcuts enable borrowers to perform one click to view the tasks list, documents, notifications, or chat messages rather than having to click to open the card first, and then click again to view the item.

Please note, the minimum device width required for this user experience to render correctly is 375 pixels.

A new header is also provided at the top of the card, indicating the loan purpose and the subject property address.

Select the Tasks shortcut to view the Pending, Completed, and Inactive tasks for the borrower.

Select the Summary shortcut to view high-level details about the loan and subject property.

Select the Notifications shortcut to view the online notifications received by the borrower.

Select the Chat shortcut to send a chat message to the loan officer. Note that lenders must enable the Chat feature for their site in order for the borrower to utilize this option.

Below the shortcut icons, the loan status displays as Pending submission until the application is submitted. The status is then updated to Submitted.

The borrower can select the Complete Tasks button on the loan card to view the Pending, Completed, and Inactive tasks for the loan

A new loan summary bar is provided at the top of the page. The purpose of the loan is also indicated in the rightmost section of the summary bar.

The Upload Documents and other task cards are displayed on the Tasks screen just as they were in previous versions of the borrower portal. Borrowers can view and upload requested documents accordingly from the Upload Documents card.

Review & Sign Tasks

Finally, all Review & Sign tasks are now displayed individually, removing the need for borrowers to click into the individual Task 1, Task 2 cards in order to view the documents requiring review or signing.

Migration note: For pending applications created before this 23.3 upgrade and submitted applications that are still in progress, the new cards will be used in the Borrower Portal.

On October 7, 2023, we will be fully sunsetting Encompass WebCenter and Encompass Loan Center in order to complete the process of transitioning customers still using these legacy solutions to our latest technology. This means that effective October 7th, borrowers, third parties and loan officers will no longer be able to access the WebCenter and Loan Center websites and loan information will no longer be accessible within these products.

In the Encompass Consumer Connect 23.2 release, the new Default Site Setting was introduced. In previous versions of Encompass Consumer Connect, when a site was not associated with the loan officer assigned to the loan, the borrowers and other recipients for the loan were directed to an Encompass WebCenter site or the Loan Center to manage documents and updates. With the upcoming sunset of Encompass WebCenter and Loan Center, borrowers and other recipients will be directed to the default Encompass Consumer Connect site instead. If a lender has not designated a default site, they won't be able to send any requests to borrowers and other recipients since the WebCenter and Loan Center will no longer be available after the sunset on October 7, 2023. It is very important to designate a default Encompass Consumer Connect site as soon as possible to help ensure that the processing of WebCenter and Loan Center loans is completed before the sunset on October 7.

Action Required: Lenders who have two or more Consumer Connect sites or embedded borrower widgets within an instance must choose a default site.

For existing loans created prior to October 7 that were previously utilizing an Encompass WebCenter site or the Loan Center for borrower interactions and for new loans created after October 7, here are scenarios that lenders may encounter when the WebCenter sites and Loan Center are sunsetted on October 7.

Scenario 1: Lender has not created a default Consumer Connect site yet

For existing loans: When the lender tries to send a document request package (or other updates from the Encompass eFolder that require borrower interaction) after October 7, an error message displays: "This process can no longer be completed electronically. Any documents will have to be sent manually."

• To address this error, lenders must complete processing (that requires borrower interaction) the loan manually without using the WebCenter, Loan Center, or Consumer Connect sites (such as in-person interactions, via telephone, sending printed documents through the mail. etc.)

For new loans: When the lender creates a new loan after October 7 and tries to send a document request package (or other updates from the Encompass eFolder that require borrower interaction), an error message displays: "We are unable to send this request. Please ensure that you have a valid Consumer Connect site configured."

• To address this error, create a default Consumer Connect site, and then send the document request package. The loan will then utilize the default Consumer Connect site.

Scenario 2: Lender has already created a default Consumer Connect site

For existing loans: When the lender tries to send a document request package (or other updates from the Encompass eFolder that require borrower interaction) after October 7, an error message displays:"This process can no longer be completed electronically. Any documents will have to be sent manually."

• To address this error, lenders must complete processing (that requires borrower interaction) the loan manually without using the WebCenter, Loan Center, or Consumer Connect sites (such as in-person interactions, via telephone, sending printed documents through the mail. etc.)

For new loans: If the lender has already created a default Consumer Connect site prior to October 7, and then creates a new loan after October 7, when they send a document package it will utilize the default Consumer Connect site.