There are many preferences in the Pontem Cemetery Data Manager to assist in customizing your database and streamlining your data entry process. Some preferences are user-specific while others are global. User-specific preferences must be defined for each set of login credentials created. Global preferences can be set by one user and they will cascade to all other user credentials.

This document explains the core preferences that every client should have access to, regardless of what additional Cemetery products are purchased in conjunction with the Cemetery Data Manager.

ADDRESS BOOK

If the Contacts associated with your cemetery are generally from the same City, State, and/or Zip Code area, then the contact records can be pre-populated with this information. Check the Default Address box and enter the appropriate information needed. If the default location is not correct for a contact, then the information can easily be removed and overwritten when appropriate.

Contact records have an Alternate Contact view. If you check the box to “Show who the current contact is an alternate contact for in a grid”, then you will see related contact information when the contact record being viewed is an alternate contact for another individual in your database Address Book.

All settings for the Address Book are Global settings.

DEEDS

Require Deed Number when entering deed information—This option enforces a business rule that requires a value be recorded in the Deed # field before any other information on the Deed Information view can be saved successfully
Auto Increment Deed Number—This option allows the program to assign deed numbers (in increments of 1) when a user clicks the # sign in the deed number field
If auto deed numbering is used, define a format for the number. For example, if deeds are numbered as 2016-7, 2016-8, 2016-9, etc., then the format is 2016-#. Anything entered prior to the pound sign will print as the beginning portion of every deed number
Next # to Increment is the next deed number that should be issued (following any pre-defined formatting)

Auto increment deeds will apply the deed number when saving rather than showing a deed number first. This prevents accidental skipping of deed numbers. When using this feature, a user will see “Auto-Inc” in the deed # field until the record is saved. After saving, the assigned deed # will be visible in the field.

All settings for Deeds are Global settings.

GRAVES

When adding/creating a brand new grave or property record in your database, it is recommended you automatically assign today’s (the current) date in the Date of Status field. To do so, check the box for “When adding a grave”.
The same recommendation applies if the grave status is modified. Check the box for “When changing the status” to have the program insert the current date for you automatically.
The Default Status when assigning an occupant should be the grave status you use to indicate the space contains at least one burial interment. In most cases, this is the Occupied status.
Checking the box to “Default Manage Graves search to primary cemetery” causes the program to begin with, the primary, cemetery selected when performing Quick searches or Advanced searches.
Choosing to default quick searches by Owners or Occupants does not prevent you from choosing something different as each search is performed. It only defines the starting point for the search you want to execute.

All settings for Graves are Global settings.

IMAGES

Files may be scanned and/or attached to grave records by many users. If there are multiple computers sharing the database, it is important to define where the image and document files will be stored, so all users will be able to access and make use of them.

Copy and Rename to Network Share—Makes a copy of the file from the source location, places the copy in the Pontem directory where all users have access, and names the file with a numbering system which is indexed by grave location
Move to Network Share—Removes the file from the source location and places it in the Pontem directory where all users have access

Leave at Original Path—Leaves the file in the source location. (Not all users may be able to access the files)

Image files (.jpg) are viewable in the Manage Graves workspace. The default viewing size of the image is determined by Full Size or Best Fit settings.

Default to Full Size—the image size is not altered and is displayed as-is in the viewing area
Default to Best Fit—the image size is reduced (if needed) for display so the entire image is within the viewing area
Default Title to Original File Name—this allows the Image name to remain in the Title field when adding an image.

The Transfer to Network button is a one –time transfer of image files from a stand-alone computer installation to a new Network shared folder if the program is moved to a server. We recommend seeking the assistance of Pontem Support Staff should this action be necessary.

All settings for Images are Global settings.

INTERNET

Internet preference settings are populated by Pontem Software and are NOT recommended to be changed. This preference defines the location on the internet your program will check, to see if there are available upgrades.

All settings for Internet are Global settings.

OCCUPANTS

Occupant burial records contain a field called “Location Note”, previously called Level. This field has an editable title option and can be set for users to manually enter the appropriate information or for the program to automatically assign a number (essentially a burial count) in the records. We recommend leaving this setting as Manual with Location Note as the title, but it can be changed if desired.

If formal interment numbers are assigned to burials in your cemetery, the Interment format preference can be set to automatically assign the numbers as they relate to each cemetery or for the organization as a whole (globally) when there are multiple cemeteries.

If auto Interment numbering is used, define a format for the number. For example, if Interments are numbered as 2016-7, 2016-8, 2016-9, etc., then the format is 2016-#. Anything entered prior to the pound sign will print as the beginning portion of every Interment number
Next Interment Number is the next number that should be issued (following any pre-defined formatting)

All settings for Occupants are Global settings.

REPORTS

Assignment

The Reports Assignment preferences allow each user to customize the Reports tabs in each primary task workspace. In addition, when the Type of Assignment option is changed to Forms and Report Buttons, users are able to specify which reports will generate when various Print buttons are clicked throughout the program.

Type of Assignment—designates a Report tab or a Print button option
Where to Assign—designates the Primary Task workspace or specific Print button
Select a Report—List of all available reports in the program to choose from
Assigned to (workspace or print button)—shows the reports currently accessed from the Reports tabs and Print buttons

Report Assignment settings are User Specific settings.

MESSAGES

The Standard Service Invoice found in Address Book reports has customizable messages that can be hard-coded on the report. The various messages are pre-populated with default values. The Reports Messages preference category is where these messages can be changed.

Click on the message number to be changed
Enter the new desired message
Save the changes

Reports Messages settings are Global settings.

DEFAULTS

Print Preview Defaults allow desired viewing options of a report to be customized when viewing it in the Print Preview window.

Zoom Setting allows full view of the report at 100% or customized views by selecting Percentage, Page Width, or Whole Page options. If Percentage is selected, the percent value must also be defined.

Page Display Type options are:

Single—one page at a time
Continuous—scrolling view of one page at a time
Continuous Two Up—scrolling view of two pages (side by side) at a time
Two Up—two pages (side by side) at a time

Show Thumbnails and Show Outline define what is shown in the left-anchored navigation pane alongside the preview window.

Print Preview Default settings are Global settings.

COPY

The Copy preference can be used to duplicate Report tab and Print button assignments from one user to another user. This provides the ease of setting the assignments one time and then automatically applying them to many users.

Choose the name of the User with established assignments in the top half of the window and a list of all the assignments will populate in the space below their name.
Choose the name of another user in the bottom portion of the window
Click Copy button and watch the reports populate after they have been assigned to the new user.

EMAIL

Pontem Cemetery reports can be printed, saved electronically, and emailed to other individuals from the print preview screen. The Email preferences must be defined before reports can be successfully emailed.

There is a document titled “Email A Report From Within Your Pontem Software” that clearly explains this preference posted on the Pontem Software Online Training and Support Center.

Reports Email settings are User Specific settings.

USER REQUIRED FIELDS

Many Pontem clients have expressed the desire to maintain consistent data entry practices between different users. User-Required Fields allow administrators to define any required, as well as desired, information that should be entered into Cemetery Data Manager records within the software.

There is a document titled “Setting Up User-Required And User-Desired Fields In The Data Manager” that clearly explains this preference posted on the Pontem Software Online Training and Support Center.

User Required Fields settings are Global settings.

WARNINGS

The Warnings preference shows a list of program messages that can be turned off if they are inappropriate or not desired to be seen. Each message can be manually de-activated in the preference settings area as well as in the message itself when it is displayed.

Warnings settings are User Specific settings.

WEBSITES

Websites preferences are URLs defined by the user to be bookmarked on the Primary Task of Overview (the blue page) of the program. This feature is analogous to Favorites in a web browser.

Websites settings are Global settings.

Data Manager Preference Settings

CATEGORIES