Are you ready for even more Applied Epic tips, courtesy of Applied Client Network? In case you missed the two-part webinar series "Applied Epic Tips and Techniques", we've got you covered! From setup tasks to superuser insight, Maureen Boeing, of Maureen Boeing Consulting, and Sherry Burrell, of Grimes Insurance & Financial Services, offered endless advice for Applied Epic users. Check out which tips stood out to your Connections editors.

Classification and Categorization

1. Classifications give users the ability to drive consistency in how they’re entering data at the client and contact level.

2. Putting descriptions behind contacts helps prevent users from going out of scope when trying to track existing clients in the system.

3. Looking at account sources and agency-defined categories allow users to track and identify accounts. This can also help users categorize the account and its origin on a detailed level.

4. For agency-defined categories, users can discern where a specific code or category can be used within the system.

5. To track configuration activity, navigate to the “Printer Icon” to the left of any list, convert the list to “Excel Format”, then print the list. Printing lists is great for training environments to help explain why users would pick one category over another.

6. Users can choose “Delete Upon Renewal” on a line of business to help streamline operations on this system line and to prevent reporting on outdated lines.

Opportunities

7. Adding products (general) is a new feature in Applied Epic 2019. Users can define the products by department distinguishing factor, commercial, DNO, EPLI, etc.

8. System settings allow users to explore additional unique features such as “duplicate account check”. At the client, company or broker level you can perform duplicate account checks via specific criteria.

9. Defining relationships can allow users to add details like “commercial”,” C-Level”, etc., which are all editable within the system.

Events

10. By looking at events and seeing which codes are connected to which event, users can ensure their system is working efficiently and consistently.

11. Because of the volume of events, users should get in the habit of printing from event lists. This helps users see if activities are being generated from events. If users get familiar with event lists, they can set Epic up the way they would like it to work.

Work Groups

12. Thanks to another new feature launched last year, users can define work groups to better assist in assigning activities for follow-up within Epic. This can help identify which employees should be part of specific work groups and assign activities. Users can also assign the activity to themselves so they can ensure the work is getting done. Attachments

13. Users can take advantage of attachment folder reports, which is also new since 2019. Select a client, click “View Attachments”, and choose “Export” to report format for a consolidated view. This feature is a great way for users to begin a discussion about how an agency is using folders in Epic and how to increase efficiency.

Policies

14. Prefills are not just for auto and different limits, but for different state applications. If an agency is writing in multiple states, the liability applications lend themselves very easily to prefills. It’s great to do it with multiple limits and also within the different states.

15. Sources at the policy level allow users to have the line level premiums to roll up to the policy level. Users can view which policies are in process, which helps with certificate issuance.

Configuration of User Options

16. “Configuration of User Options” is a critical area for users and staff. The options are customizable by configuration administrators.

17. Users can set up activity reminders — and customize email signatures — in order to send them automatically through policy distribution emails. Integrating Microsoft Outlook with Epic 2019 can assist in streamlining this process.

General Ledger Configurations

18. Configure – Payment Methods: Out of the box, Epic includes existing templates. Superusers suggest customizing them for how you, as an agency or brokerage, need to process different payment methods.

19. Configure – Default: Set up defaults to help you with recurring entries.

20. Configure the "Balance" detail in the backend and navigate to Security so you can customize the settings to allow only specific users to see the "Balance" field when working in the system. For example, you may not want a temp worker to see your agency or brokerage balance.

Receipts

21. Use the "Clear Filter" option to add or remove filters as needed.

22. Consider using the "Description" field in receipts to insert the check number or any other detail you might find helpful to save that is not already a default field.

23. Send receipts/payments to "Account" if you would like them to not hit "General Ledger" until the person who is handling the deposit brings it into play.

24. Suggest setting a default that holds receipts until approved. This will ensure they are not sent to the bank before they can be reviewed.

Reconciliations

25. For bank reconciliations, when you are adding a new bank, check the boxes for "Fees" and "Interest" and add both in together so you do not have to enter separate receipts. Budgets

26. If you are new to Epic, superusers suggest taking your previous years' financial statements and entering them as a "Budget", labeling it as "[YEAR] Actuals". Then, as you go forward, you can apply this existing budget template to the new year. (You can import files when adding a new budget as well — this works best from Excel.)

27. If you cannot get a direct bill transaction download from a carrier, you can import that detail from an Excel file.

Reports

28. Need to save or copy a report for everyone in your company to access? Check Settings to make sure you save the settings to both your "My Reports" and the full agency or brokerage ledger, or to "Other users' 'My Reports'". Use the "Comments" area to indicate who has access and include any other detail around how the report is used that may be helpful.

29. If you change the date or time on a scheduled report, under "Delivery Options" within a report you'll need to remove duplicates. Go to "Procedures" then "Job Management" and set "Status" to "Scheduled". When you find the correct report, select "Actions" and "Cancel Job" to purge the report. The previously scheduled job will not be removed until you go into the system to remove it.

30. Under "Transaction", select "Delivery Options" and choose the box that says "Notify Only" so that, for any reports you are sending regularly, you receive only a notification versus the full report. (Also under "Delivery Options", you can save reports to the disk or have them sent via email in multiple formats (PDF, Excel, etc.).)

 

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