NLS Desktop

The NLS Desktop is comprised of several panes and menus designed for interacting with the program. These items are context sensitive and its functionality and available options will vary based on your current working data.

NLS

Title Bar

The NLS Title Bar is the band at the top of the NLS program window.

Title

Note

The Title Bar’s appearance will differ based on the version of Windows being used but the positioning of the window elements will be the same.

The Title Bar contains each of the following components (listed from left to right):

The Icon: This is a graphical representation of The Nortridge Loan System that is used to identify NLS. A similar icon was placed on your desktop during installation as a shortcut for launching the program.

The Title: This is the title of the program running in the window and also contains the database currently connected (as defined on your “Manage NLS Connections” window).

Minimize Button: This is a standard Windows button that clears the program from your desktop and hides it on your Windows Taskbar. You can restore the program to full size by clicking the NLS icon on your Windows Taskbar.

Maximize Button: This is a standard Windows button that causes the window to expand to fill your screen. Clicking the same button again will return the window to its former size.

Close Button: This is a standard Windows button that closes the window and terminates the program (if on a main program window). Clicking this button will shut down the Nortridge Loan System.

The Menu Bar

The Menu Bar is a collection of drop down menus from which various functions of NLS can be accessed.

Menu

To access one of the drop down lists, either click on the name of the menu, or hold down the <Alt> key while typing the underlined letter for that menu.

Example

To bring down the File menu, press Alt-F.

Sometimes a selection in a drop down menu will have a small arrow pointing to the right. This arrow indicates that another menu is associated with that item. Bring your pointer down to the indicated item, and a new menu will appear to the right. You can access any item on this new menu normally.

Some menu items may not currently be available for use. These items are shown in a gray color and are disabled.

Toolbar

The Toolbar is a collection of icons used to access various functions. These functions may also be accessed through the menu bar.

Toolbar

Note

The content of the Toolbar may vary depending on the current function being performed.

The toolbar may be picked up and placed anywhere on the screen. In this way it can function as a Tool Box. The functionality of the toolbar / tool box does not change; only its configuration.

The buttons shown on the toolbar, listed from left to right are:

Open Connection Allows you to connect to an available database. NLS can be connected to multiple databases simultaneously.
Close Connection Allows you to log off a connected database.
Navigation A drop down list for quickly accessing features of NLS. This is available only when the Shortcut Bar is not being used.
Cut Cut Clears highlighted item from the field and places it on the clipboard.
Copy Copy Places highlighted item on the clipboard without clearing it.
Paste Paste Inserts the content of the clipboard at the cursor.
Add Add Creates a new Contact or Loan entry screen. The down-arrow icon is a drop down menu, from which you may select from a list of items that may be added to the currently selected Contact or Loan account, such as a Commitment, Pool, or a Loan if you are on a Contact.
Save Save Saves any currently unsaved modifications to the Contact or Loan account.
Cancel Cancel Removes the changes that are being entered, without saving.
Delete Delete Deletes the selected Contact or Loan. To delete a Contact, it must have no Loans, Commitments, or Pools. To delete a loan, it must have a zero balance and be closed.
Clear Clear Query Clears all information from the Tree bar. Hitting [F5] on the keyboard will also clear the query.
Get Query Get Query Selects all Contacts or Loans in the database that meet the search parameters that have been entered and places them in the Tree bar. Hitting [F6] on the keyboard will also initiate the query.
Stop Query Stop Query While a query is in progress, the Get Query button will change to this Stop Query button. Clicking this button will halt the incomplete query that is in progress.
Transaction Entry Transaction Entry Opens a window to enter a new transaction for the selected loan. Only available when a loan is selected.
Start Start Goes to the first Contact or Loan in the Query.
Previous Previous Goes to the previous Contact or Loan in the Query.
Next Next Goes to the next Contact or Loan in the Query.
End End Goes to the last Contact or Loan in the Query.
Notes Notes Places a new Temporary Note on the Contact or Loan. The down-arrow allows you to clear all Temporary Notes from the screen, or show all that have been closed but not deleted.
New Notification New Notification Allows you to create a reminder message for a particular NLS user that will pop up on their screen on or after a specified date and time, as long as they are in NLS.
Individual Report Individual Report Brings up a menu to allow access to reports that may be printed for individual Contacts or individual Loans.
Quick Search Quick Search Enter text in this field and hit Tab or Enter to return any Contact or Loan which contains the selected text in any Contact number, Loan number, TIN, name, or address field.
Help Help Activates the online manual and help system.
Collector Mode Collector Mode Toggles the screen between regular Loan Query mode and Collector mode.

Shortcut Bar

The Shortcut Bar contains items for quickly accessing various functions of NLS. It is divided into five sections called “sliders”; Main, Processing, Disbursement, Reports, and Security. Click on a slider to reveal items in those categories.

Shortcut Bar

Main

Inbox Inbox This icon will bring up the NLS Task Manager. The system defaults to this view on startup, although the user may change the order of the icons in the shortcut bar, and the system will always default to whichever icon has been placed on top.
Contact Contact Clicking this icon will bring up the Contact view.
Loan Loan Clicking this icon will bring up the Loan view.
Collateral Collateral Clicking this icon will bring up an entry screen for any collateral items which are to be tracked separately from any specific loan accounts. Collateral is usually entered and accessed from the loan that it collateralize.
Campaign Builder Campaign Builder Clicking this icon will bring up the collection mode Campaign Builder.
Setup Setup

This icon will bring up the global setup parameter menu for NLS.

Dashboard Dashboard Clicking this icon will bring up the Dashboard view.

Processing

Click the Processing slider to see the set of icons for loan processing options.

Transaction Transaction Click this icon for a transaction batch entry screen. Transactions may also be entered on specific loans from each loan’s query screen.
Accrual Accrual Click this icon to bring up the menu for end of day interest accrual processing.
Modify GL Modify GL Click this icon to modify the General Ledger transactions prior to uploading those transactions to your General Ledger.
GL Interface GL Interface Click this icon to view the GL interface as specified in the GL Interface Object Name in loan setup defaults.
Document Printing Document Printing Click this icon to view Document Print Queue, Internal Print History, and MailSource History information.

Disbursement

Click the Disbursements slider to bring up icons for the processing of vouchers and printing of checks.

Disbursement Disbursement This icon takes you to a screen on which you may query vendors, disbursement accounts, checks, and vouchers.
Vouchers to Print Vouchers to Print Click this icon to list all vouchers outstanding.
Print Checks Print Checks Click this icon to print outstanding checks.

Reports

Click the Reports slider to bring up the icons for the various documents that can be printed in NLS.

Reports Reports This icon allows access to all report documents. In NLS, reports (as opposed to statements) are defined as any documents that can be printed at any time (such as a Trial Balance or a General Ledger Posting Report).
Statements Statements

Statements are defined in NLS as any document that is generated automatically by the system at a predetermined time.

Example

A loan may be designed with a payment due on the first of each month and a statement cutoff of –10. A statement for this loan would be generated 10 days prior to the due date. The data for the statement resides in a statement queue until the statements are printed. Once statements are accessed from this icon, all statements that are currently in the queue will be available to print.
Reprint Statements Reprint Statements This icon accesses a function that will allow the reprinting of statements that are no longer in the queue because they have previously been printed .
Cash Flow Cash Flow Reports This icon accesses the cash flow report generator. The cash flow reports are generated in Microsoft Excel, and they show a projection of expected payments and income for the loans and periods selected.

Security

Click the Security slider to see the set of icons for NLS Security.

User User This icon brings up a list of users and their security privileges. This screen allows you to set or modify the security parameters for the users in your NLS database.
Group Group This icon brings you to the user group screen. From here, you can set up groups of users with similar privileges. You can assign privileges to the group as a whole, then assign individual users to the groups.
Privileges Default Privileges This icon brings you to a screen where you will be able to assign or modify a set of default privileges. These default privileges are automatically assigned to any newly created users. Privileges may then be added to or taken away from that user on the User screen.
Log Entry Log This icon brings up the entry log. This log lists each time any user has logged in or logged out of the database.
Change Log Privileges Change Log This icon brings up a report of all changes to user privileges and shows which NLS user modified that privilege.
Active Users Active Users This icon brings up a list of all users who are currently logged into the database, their login time, and the network location of the computer from where they are logged in.

Tree View

The Tree Toolbar or Tree Bar is where the entire list of the current query is displayed.

Tree Bar

The name of the database connection to which you are currently connected to is shown at the top of the Tree Bar.

If multiple database connections are live at the same time, queries from separate databases are not merged on the tree—each database must be queried separately.

The default settings in System Setup are currently set to show last name first. This is the default setting for the Contact Tree Bar, but the administrator can set it differently. Placing your cursor over the name will show a tooltip with the entire name displayed.

Contact View / Loan View

The Contact View / Loan View is the section of the screen where the detailed information of the currently selected Contact or Loan is displayed.

Loan

The upper portion of the Contact View / Loan View contains the main information fields for the selected Contact or Loan. The lower portion shows different sets of informational fields depending on which tab, located along the bottom of the view area, is selected.

If the shortcut bar is disabled, Shortcut appears on the toolbar. This toolbar button is a drop down menu that replaces the functionality of the shortcut bar. The benefit is more space on the screen for data.

The NLS Desktop is comprised of several panes and a ribbon bar designed for interacting with the program. These items are context sensitive and its functionality and available options will vary based on your current working data.

NLS 5.18 and LaterNLS 5.17 and before
NLS
NLS

Ribbon Bar

The Ribbon Bar is a collection of icons and drop down menus from which various functions of NLS can be accessed.

Ribbon Bar

The ribbon bar is comprised of the Ribbon Tabs or Ribbon Pages (e.g. File, Home, Loan), Tab Groups or Page Groups (e.g. Clipboard, Record, Find), and individual commands (e.g. Add, Get Query, Transaction Entry).

To access one of the drop down menus, either click on Stepper below or next to the label, or hit the Alt key and type the corresponding letters that appear on the screen for that item.

Example

To bring down the File menu, press Alt then F.

Sometimes a selection in a drop down menu will have a small arrow pointing to the right. This arrow indicates that another menu is associated with that item. Bring your pointer down to the indicated item, and a new menu will appear to the right. You can access any item on this new menu normally.

Some menu items may not currently be available for use. These items are shown in a lighter gray color and are disabled.

The Ribbon Bar can be minimized by clicking Up located at the upper right corner of the window or by double clicking a Ribbon Tab. Clicking on the Ribbon Tab while minimized will temporarily display the content of the tab until a command is selected. Clicking Down located at the upper right corner of the window or double clicking a Ribbon Tab will perpetually show the entire Ribbon Bar.

Shortcut Bar

The Shortcut Bar contains items for quickly accessing various functions of NLS.

Shortcut Bar

NLS 5.5 and later

The initial startup view can be configured by going to File > Info and selecting the desired view from the Startup View dropdown list. NLS will open to the selected view the next time NLS is launched.

Inbox Inbox This icon will bring up the NLS Task Manager.
Contact Contact Clicking this icon will bring up the Contact view.
Dashboard Dashboard Clicking this icon will bring up the Dashboard view.
Cash Drawer Cash Drawer Clicking this icon will bring up the Cash Drawer view. This icon is visible only when Cash Drawer is enabled in System Defaults.
Loan Loan Clicking this icon will bring up the Loan view.
Collateral Collateral Clicking this icon will bring up an entry screen for any collateral items which are to be tracked separately from any specific loan accounts. Collateral is usually entered and accessed from the loan that it collateralizes.
Campaign Builder or  Campaign Builder Clicking this icon will bring up the collection mode Campaign Builder.
Processing Processing

Clicking this icon will display a menu with the following choices:

Transaction Transaction

Select this item for a transaction batch entry screen. Transactions may also be entered on specific loans from each loan’s query screen.

Accrual Accrual

Select this item to display a dialog for end of day interest accrual processing.

Modify GL Modify GL

Select this item to modify the General Ledger transactions prior to uploading those transactions to your General Ledger.

GL Interface GL Interface

Select this item to view the GL interface as specified in the GL Interface Object Name in loan setup defaults.

Document Printing Document Printing

Select this item to view Document Print Queue, Internal Print History, and MailSource History information.

DPV DPV Validation

Select this item to process delivery point verification.

Disbursement Disbursement

Clicking this icon will display a menu with the following choices:

Disbursement Disbursement

Select this item to query vendors, disbursement accounts, checks, and vouchers.

Vouchers to Print Vouchers to Print

Select this item to list all vouchers outstanding.

Print Checks Print Checks

Select this item to print outstanding checks.

Voucher as ACH Process Voucher as ACH

Select this item to create an ACH for outstanding vouchers.

Disburse Disburse Funds via Cash Drawer5.14+

Select this item to disburse funds from a cash drawer.

Reports Reports

Clicking this icon will display a menu with the following choices:

Reports Reports

Select this item to access all report documents. In NLS, reports (as opposed to statements) are defined as any documents that can be printed at any time (such as a Trial Balance or a General Ledger Posting Report).

Statements Statements

Select this item to access statements. Statements are defined in NLS as any document that is generated automatically by the system at a predetermined time.

Example

A loan may be designed with a payment due on the first of each month and a statement cutoff of –10. A statement for this loan would be generated 10 days prior to the due date. The data for the statement resides in a statement queue until the statements are printed. Once statements are accessed from this icon, all statements that are currently in the queue will be available to print.

Reprint Statements Reprint Statements

Select this item to reprint statements that are no longer in the queue because they have previously been printed.

Cash Flow Cash Flow Reports

Select this item to access the cash flow report generator. Cash flow reports are generated as a Microsoft Excel XML spreadsheet and shows a projection of expected payments and income for the loans and periods selected.

Security Security

Clicking this icon will display a menu with the following choices:

User User

Select this item for a list of users and their security privileges. This screen allows you to set or modify the security parameters for the users in your NLS database.

Group Group

Select this item for the user group screen. From here, you can set up groups of users with similar privileges. You can assign privileges to the group as a whole, then assign individual users to the groups.

Privileges Default Privileges

Select this item to assign or modify a set of default privileges. These default privileges are automatically assigned to any newly created users. Privileges may then be added to or taken away from that user on the User screen.

Entry Log Entry Log

Select this item for the entry log. This log lists each time any user has logged in or logged out of the database.

Change Log Privileges Change Log

Select this item for a report of all changes to user privileges and shows which NLS user modified that privilege.

Active Users Active Users

Select this item for a list of all users who are currently logged into the database, their login time, and the network location of the computer from where they are logged in.

Custom Custom This icon is hidden by default and will appear when certain components, such as Customer Binaries, is configured in NLS.

Tree Bar

The Tree Bar is where the entire list of the current query is displayed.

Tree

The name of the database connection to which you are currently connected to is shown at the top of the tree bar.

If multiple database connections are live at the same time, queries from separate databases are not merged on the tree—each database must be queried separately.

The default settings in System Setup are currently set to show last name first. This is the default setting for the Contact Tree Bar, but the administrator can set it differently. Placing your cursor over the name will show a tooltip with the entire name displayed.

Contact View / Loan View

The Contact View / Loan View is the section of the screen where the detailed information of the currently selected contact or loan is displayed.

Loan

The upper portion of the Contact View / Loan View contains the main information fields for the selected contact or loan. The lower portion shows different sets of informational fields depending on which tab, located along the bottom of the view area, is selected.