Excel spreadsheets and the old standby of pencil and paper may be the organizational weapons of choice for some property managers, but too often their methods begin and end there. There are plenty of cheap, user friendly specialty tools that property managers may choose from that are much better than using Excel. When considering these alternative tools, avoid those that require long-term contracts or that have recurring fees attached. It is important to be able to cancel if needs be without paying a price. Go with property management software that includes customer support and tutorials as part of the subscription because some property management programs may require a little assistance in order to sift through all of the available features.

Bear in mind time zone differences when choosing a company from which to purchase a program. Because customer support and training are essential, find out if their support office hours are compatible with your own and are available at extended hours. The most effective property management software will of course be developed by those in the know, such as managers themselves, so look out for programs developed by those who are not necessarily well-versed in the field. It is quite possible that they may be an expert on single-family homes but be completely in the dark when it comes to the intricacies of commercial property and multifamily homes.

When deciding on a management program, some features to consider are the following:

- Efficient data management. All of your time should not be wrapped up in entering records and data, so choose a program that does this quickly and easily. If you are unsure whether the program matches your skills, many programs offer trial versions for you to decide.

- A full accounting package. Your accounting method will certainly differ from others, so be sure to choose a program that supports the one you like best. Some prefer cash, which is the simpler accounting method. Most property managers, however, prefer the accrual method because of the greater detail it provides. Because accounting relies heavily on reports, choose a program that allows you to run several of them whenever you need, for any time span, and that automatically calculates any late fees and discounts.

- Check writing. When you have to deal with a lot of checks, it is great to be able to just print them off with a click of a button. Not having this feature in the property management software that you choose will cost you a lot of time in the long run. Your software vendor should be able to put you in contact with a company that makes the kind of check forms you will need to print on to.

- Reminders. Property management can be hectic, so choose a program in which you can set reminders about appointments or any other work you need to accomplish. Of utmost importance, however, are reminders about late rent and leases that are about to end. Pop-ups and emails are the best types of reminders.

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