Workflow – Set Up New Tax Year

Goal

Initialize new property tax year with periods, rates, and system configuration to establish the foundation for annual assessment and collection cycles.

When to Use

Annual setup for new tax year
New assessment cycle initialization
Tax rate changes implementation
System year transition

Prerequisites

Tax year planning completed
Rate approvals from governing body
System configuration access
Previous year closure (recommended)
Budget and assessment data available

[Screenshot: Tax year setup prerequisites checklist with completion status indicators]

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Create Tax Year

Access tax year setup module
Define new tax year parameters
Set effective dates and deadlines
Configure year-specific settings
Validate year creation

[Screenshot: Tax year creation dialog with parameter fields and date selectors]

[Screenshot: Tax year validation screen showing parameter verification and error checking]

2. Set Up Periods

Create assessment periods
Establish collection periods
Define payment due dates
Configure penalty periods
Set discount periods

[Screenshot: Period setup interface showing assessment and collection period configuration]

[Screenshot: Payment due dates calendar with penalty and discount period overlays]

3. Configure Rates

Enter approved tax rates by jurisdiction
Set up special assessment rates
Configure discount percentages
Establish penalty rates
Validate rate calculations

[Screenshot: Tax rate configuration screen with jurisdiction-based rate entry fields]

[Screenshot: Rate calculation validation showing test scenarios and results]

4. Establish Dates

Set assessment roll dates
Define bill generation dates
Configure payment due dates
Establish lien dates
Set collection period dates

[Screenshot: Date configuration calendar interface with all key tax year dates]

[Screenshot: Date validation screen showing chronological sequence verification]

Example

Set up 2025 tax year with new rates and assessment schedule:

Assessment roll date: March 1, 2025
Tax rate: $12.50 per $1,000 assessed value
Payment due dates: June 30, August 31
Discount period: 2% if paid by May 31
Penalty rate: 1.5% per month after due date

[Screenshot: Completed tax year setup summary showing all configured parameters and dates]

Common Errors & Fixes

Error: Rate Calculation Errors

Problem: Incorrect rate entry or calculation
Fix: Verify rate approvals and recalculate test scenarios

[Screenshot: Rate calculation error dialog with correction options and test calculation tools]

Error: Period Overlaps

Problem: Date ranges conflict between periods
Fix: Review and adjust period dates to eliminate overlaps

[Screenshot: Period overlap detection screen with conflict indicators and resolution options]

Error: Date Validation Issues

Problem: Invalid or conflicting date sequences
Fix: Ensure logical date progression and validate against calendar

[Screenshot: Date validation error screen showing conflict resolution and calendar validation]

What Happens After

New year active and ready for assessments
Assessment cycle begins with current rates
Collection periods established with proper dates
System ready for property owner interactions
Reporting capabilities activated for new year

[Screenshot: New tax year activation confirmation screen with system readiness indicators]

Close Property Tax Year
Process Annual Assessments
Generate Tax Bills

Screenshot Placeholders

Administrative Interfaces

[Screenshot: Tax year administration main panel with setup options and configuration tools]
[Screenshot: System configuration backup screen before implementing new year setup]

Rate Management Tools

[Screenshot: Rate approval workflow integration showing governing body approval status]
[Screenshot: Historical rate comparison screen showing multi-year rate trends]

System Diagnostics

[Screenshot: Tax year setup validation dashboard with comprehensive system checks]
[Screenshot: Performance testing results for new tax year configuration]