To:     All WinTOTAL Aurora (version 5) users
From: Adam Calvery, VP Appraisal Products, a la mode, inc.
Re:    DaVinci Desktop Standard is here

Today’s WinTOTAL update has the final release of DaVinci Desktop Standard, our new integrated desktop sketcher.  It’s not a demo or a pre-release labs build.  It’s the real thing, and there’s no “catch”.  To download the update, just click the "Get Updates" button on the toolbar in your Appraisal Desktop.

This is an exciting release for us, and for you.  We think that basic sketching is a core formfilling function, and now every copy of WinTOTAL will come standard with a simple, easy to use sketcher built in at no extra cost.  In a more difficult real estate market, we’re looking for every way possible to help you reduce your costs of doing business, and DaVinci does that marvelously.   DaVinci’s licensing scheme matches WinTOTAL’s exactly, so it runs on all your networked machines and you can install it on a laptop too – again, all at no extra charge. 

It’s important to note that because DaVinci is ours, we can update and improve it at our own pace with our own developers.  As you know, we like to constantly do updates.  That’s why you pay us.  And now when you call us we can support our own sketcher using our own technicians.  You don’t have to wait on a third party vendor’s update cycle or wait overnight or an entire weekend to get help.  

We think you’ll be very pleased with DaVinci.  It’s easy to use, to-the-point, and lets you get your sketch done quickly and accurately. To see a quick demonstration on how DaVinci works, click here.  To get a hotkey card, see all the features, and get more information, visit our website here.  Also, we’ll be hosting a webinar every week during December to show you all about DaVinci Desktop Standard and Mobile Pro.  To see the dates and sign up, click here.

Even though WinTOTAL now comes with DaVinci Desktop Standard included, you’re still able to use any of the integrated sketchers on the market.  DaVinci Desktop Standard may not be perfect for everyone since it’s designed to be simple first and foremost.  We eventually will offer a “Desktop Pro” version with more esoteric features, but even so, some of you will always prefer other sketchers.  That’s great, and we encourage you to evaluate any and all of them to decide which is best for you.   We made that even easier by allowing you to change your current sketcher “on the fly” in the Aurora Sketch PowerView.  Just click the “Sketch With” button on the toolbar and pick the one you want.

For those of you interested in doing data collection and sketching using pen-based lightweight PCs in the field, you’ll be happy to know that the second version in the DaVinci line, DaVinci Mobile Pro, will be released via multiple major updates over the coming two months.  There will be a fully functional version ready before Christmas, if you want to buy a pen-based PC before the end of the year.  We expect some bug fixes based on your feedback through January, with a final release in February.  At that point, Elite users will get the final Mobile Pro version for free as part of the Elite contract. 

To download a prototype of DaVinci Mobile Pro from our labs website to your pen-based PC right now and try it out for yourself, click here.  If you don’t have a pen-based PC but want to try out Mobile Pro on your desktop PC, launch DaVinci from your Start menu, click “General Preferences” and then turn on the “Include Data Gathering Functions” option. 

That’s it for today’s update.  As I’d mentioned in my last update e-mail, we’re planning to get our very cool new Microsoft Virtual Earth integration delivered to you in December.  It’s a major update to WinTOTAL’s mapping, and like DaVinci Desktop Standard, you’ll get this improvement at no charge. 

As always, thanks for your business, and feel free to shoot me any questions or comments.

Adam Calvery
VP, Appraisal Products
a la mode, inc.
adam@alamode.com

WinTOTAL Aurora (v5) – November 29, 2007 Update
Included in this update is the first release of DaVinci Desktop Standard, our new basic sketcher. We think you’ll be very pleased with DaVinci. It’s easy to use, to-the-point, and lets you get your sketch done quickly and accurately. To see a quick demonstration on how DaVinci works, get a hotkey card, sign up for a live webinar, see all the features, and get more information, click here.

Sketching Improvements:

• Added the option for DaVinci to launch in 'Desktop' mode or 'Mobile' mode.
• Launching DaVinci from WinTOTAL and then closing it without making changes will no longer place a blank sketch page into your WinTOTAL report.
• Drawing certain areas with the unit of measure set to meters could cause an extra meter to be added to the total GLA transferred to WinTOTAL.  This has been corrected.
• Making a change to a previously saved sketch, then choosing not to save new changes now places the correct sketch image into your WinTOTAL report.
• Address information is now populated and viewable from inside DaVinci when creating or editing sketches for reports originating in WinTOTAL.
• The “Save As” option is now available when using DaVinci outside of WinTOTAL.
• When running DaVinci inside WinTOTAL, the import feature has been improved so that you are correctly prompted to overwrite existing sketches before importing.
• Importing a DaVinci sketch from an old report will no longer display a message about editing your Pocket sketch.

Comps Database: 

• The option to map comparables within a certain distance from the subject now works with the new Map Wizard.

AppraisalPort Delivery Plugin:

• Reports containing the new Wachovia Desktop Valuation [Ver 2.1 - 12/06] major form are set up to deliver to AppraisalPort.

DaVinci Support:

• Opening a DaVinci report in WinTOTAL now prompts if you'd like to “Replace” or “Add New” if the report already exists in the Appraisal Desktop. 
• Opening Rich Text Format (RTF) files from DaVinci reports will no longer cause WinTOTAL to close.
• When opening a DaVinci Report that contains FieldPad data in WinTOTAL, WinTOTAL will now create an image file of written FieldPad notes, a sound file if there are any recordings from FieldPad, and Fielddata.txt with the sketch and info about the property.  This will all be placed in the report’s Digital WorkFile.
• Subject and comp images from DaVinci reports will now transfer to the appropriate places in WinTOTAL.

 
New Forms:

• Rels Desktop Enhanced Review Form [11/07]
• Rels Residential Appraisal Review Short Form [11/07]
• Wachovia Desktop Valuation [Ver 2.1 - 12/06]

Revised Forms:

• GP Consumer Short Form [No Signature][10/2007][Ltr]
• GP Consumer Short Form [Signature][10/2007][Ltr]