Feature Enhancements in Version 20.1.0.10 Server Patch 8

(Updated on 6/23/2020 for Encompass Broker Edition only)

The following updates are being delivered in this Encompass 20.1 June Service Pack to improve Encompass system performance and ensure users can operate more efficiently and create and update more loans in less time.

PLEASE NOTE: You will receive these performance enhancements in this release only if you have already upgraded to the latest version of Encompass (20.1 May Service Pack Critical Patch 1 (20.1.0.7)) prior to June 16, 2020 and you are not an Ellie Mae Premier Support customer.

If you have not yet upgraded your Encompass environment to 20.1.0.7 and you are not an Ellie Mae Premier Support user, you will not receive these performance enhancements until the planned 20.1 July Service Pack release.

Ellie Mae Premier Support customers who have not already opted in to these system performance features will receive these performance enhancements update in their environments on July 11, 2020.

• Update to Pipeline Load Process: To help reduce the time it takes for the Encompass Pipeline to load after you log into your system, the process of initializing standard input fields has been updated. This initialization process now starts earlier and continues in the background. Since around 30% of the overall time loading the initial Pipeline was spent initializing standard fields data, moving this process to the background will reduce the time it takes for the Pipeline to load.

• Improved Performance When Opening Loans

  • When opening a loan file, the system now retrieves and processes the following user information and settings from the system cache instead of retrieving these from the Encompass database:

    • User license information

    • Business calendar

    • The user’s service configuration settings (such as the configurations set up in the Encompass Compliance Service, Mortgage Insurance settings, etc.)

    • Input form access permissions level

    • Milestone access permission level

    • Access to print forms

    • Input field validation

    • Dynamic Data Management (DDM) trigger timestamp

  • When opening a loan file, the system now retrieves and loads various types of loan-related information (rate lock status, loan property information, Pipeline information, and additional loan data) at the same time (in one API call) instead of loading them individually.

(Updated on 6/18/2020)

In the Field Triggers business rule settings, a new action type called Add Special Feature Code is now available. Administrators and authorized users can select one or more Fannie Mae (DU) or Freddie Mac (LPA) special feature codes to add to Field Triggers business rule, and then apply to rule to applicable loan files.

Special feature codes are defined and published by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and may be required by the GSEs as part of the delivery for certain single-family mortgage loans.

First, in Encompass, administrators can create and set up the special feature codes they want to use with Field Triggers business rules. Once created, these codes will then be available to add to the Field Triggers business rule.

Please note that while you can create special feature codes for use with Field Triggers business rules and set up these rules, the rules will not be triggered or enforced in this release. This functionality, along with other enhancements to this new feature, will be provided in the planned 20.1 July Service Pack release.

When a special feature code has the same Code or Source as a special feature code that was already applied to the loan, the business rule will not apply the new special feature code to the loan.

Each special feature code entry is recorded in the following set of repeatable fields:

• Special Feature Code – Code (field ID SFC0001)
• Special Feature Code – Description (field ID SFC0002)
• Special Feature Code – Comments (field ID SFC0003)
• Special Feature Code – Source (field ID SFC0004)
• Special Feature Code – Source Other (field ID SFC0005)

Repeatable fields enable the retention of multiple special feature code records for the same loan. The field ID includes a three-letter prefix (SFC) that identifies it as a special feature code field, followed by a set of two digits associated with the individual record, and a final set of two digits that identify the specific field.

Example:

The description field for the first special feature code would be SFC0102, where SFC indicates that it is a special feature code, 01 indicates that it is the first record, and 02 indicates that it is a Description field.

NICE-30318, NICE-30266, NICE-30268, CBIZ-32170

Previously in Encompass, if loans were held up during the Correspondent trade process with an “Assigned-Pending" status, users had to manually update those loans to continue them through the process. From this release forward, an automated retry job will be run for any loans held up with an “Assigned-Pending” status for more than one (1) hour within the last thirty (30) days.

The automated retry job only occurs when updates are from the Encompass Software Development Kit (SDK) or the Assign & Update API.

New fields have been added and an update has been made to an existing field as described below for correspondent lending purposes. These correspondent lending fields do not display on existing Encompass input forms but can be added to custom forms and business rules and are available in the Encompass Reporting Database.

New fields:

• Correspondent - Disclosed Upfront MIP Financed (field ID CORRESPONDENT.X473) - Two-decimal amount field.

• Correspondent - Disclosed Temporary Buydown Fund (field ID CORRESPONDENT.X472) - Two-decimal amount field.

• Borrower VOE Verification Date (field ID BE0078) – Date field.

• Co-Borrower VOE Verification Date (field ID CE0078) – Date field.

• Number of External Enhanced Conditions with an open Publish Date (field ID ENHCOND.EXT.OPEN.PUB.TYPE.COUNT.ALL) – The number of all open external conditions with a Published Date that is not blank. This a virtual field for use with enhanced conditions, which will be available with future functionality. This field is blank when there are no published conditions.

  The Number of External Enhanced Conditions with an open Publish Date field is a virtual field and is not available for selection in the standard field list that displays in the left panel when adding fields to the Encompass Reporting Database. To add the field, open the Encompass Reporting Database, click the Add icon on the upper-right, manually enter the field ID, and then click the Add button.

Updated field:

• Correspondent Project Class (field ID CORRESPONDENT.X301) – This field, which was originally an editable dropdown list, has been converted into a free-entry text box.

  Existing content entered manually or via the dropdown list for the Correspondent Project Class field will be retained after the field is converted into a manual entry text box.

(Updated on 6/23/2020)

In the upcoming Encompass 20.2 Major Release (currently targeted for October 2020), Ellie Mae is planning to deliver the next step in the automation of residential lending by providing enhanced functionalities for electronically closing your loans.

This new eClosing functionality will be provided in phases. The first phase is a series of updates to various closing package documents that is being provided in the planned Encompass Service Pack releases leading up to Encompass 20.2. In this 20.1 June Service Pack release, a number of closing documents have been updated in order to facilitate a hybrid eClosing with partners already on the Marketplace and pave the way for additional partners to be added. This update provides the ability for Encompass users to move forward with eClosing their loans by providing partners with signature coordinates and associated metadata for Encompass generated documents.

Please review the Encompass Docs Solution 20.1 June Service Pack release notes for more details and a link to the “eClosing Planned Forms List” document which lists the form and accompanying targeted phase release schedule.