All posts by ApnaComplex

Picture of a parking lot with the text 'Keep Parking Lots free of Strays'
ApnaComplex
May 24, 2022

How societies can keep strays away from parking areas

When it comes to stray animals, whether cats or dogs, people broadly fall under three camps in a housing society. The first are people who are vehemently opposed to any eviction, the second are those who see strays as a menace and want them removed, and the third category of people simply don’t care either way. 

Whichever category one falls in, it is always safer to ensure that strays have their own ‘territory’ within the complex. Places like parking areas should be kept free of strays for their own security. Allowing strays to roam free in such areas can result in an unfortunate accident where a car or a heavier vehicle may run over the animal. What are the options available in dealing with strays in the complex? Can we remove them altogether or should we look for more humane solutions? 

Can we remove the stray from the society?

Strays like dogs are territorial animals and it is illegal to remove them from their territory. It is also illegal to cause them any injury or to feed them poisonous food. Since the society premises can be seen as their territory, removing strays from the area is illegal. As per the law, it is the duty of every citizen to take care of their natural environment, which includes living creatures like strays. But where the movement of strays can cause problems, such as in parking areas, it is best to look for harmonious solutions that can meet the requirements of both the strays and the residents.  

Humane ways of restricting stray movement in parking areas

To ensure a harmonious resolution or avoidance of any human-stray conflict, residents must approach the problem of stray movement in parking areas in a systematic manner. While we should restrict their movement in such areas, it is not practical to put any kind of barrier or traps to discourage their movement. Restrictive traps can maim or injure the animal and other barriers like gates may prove ineffectual.

This issue should be resolved systematically:

Vaccinating and sterilising strays: Vaccination is important for the safety and security of both the strays and the residents. It protects the animals from any infection and stops them from being carriers of diseases. Sterilisation is necessary to ensure that the population of strays does not exceed manageable levels. Residents or assigned volunteers can carry out both exercises though a vet or through municipal authorities and NGOs in their cities. 

Designate feeding areas: One of the most effective ways of curbing movement of strays in a particular area is by creating designated feeding areas. This can be the garden or another area that is sufficiently away from the parking lot. Make sure that the strays are fed at this spot at a fixed time everyday. Over time, they will move to the new area. Feeding also helps you keep track and identify the strays on the premises.

Making the parking lot less appealing: This can be achieved by removing any food that can attract the strays. Make sure that there are no open garbage bags or bins. These must be tightly closed or tied up. 

It must be emphasised here that this exercise to remove strays from the parking areas must be handled carefully and with sensitivity. It is illegal to hurt or remove strays from their territory and hence, a suitable solution lies in gently nudging them away from parking areas by offering them a new territory. 

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Text saying "how to soften hard water" with water bubbles and ApnaComplex logo on a dark blue background
ApnaComplex
May 19, 2022

How Housing Societies Deal with Hard Water

Water is one of the most valued resources for any habitat. From drinking to mopping floors, the average Indian uses 135 litres per capita per day. Despite being water-rich, India’s huge population means that the country remains water-stressed. An uneven supply of water also puts stress on areas with scarce water resources, such as the NCR, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu. 

With highly limited availability of freshwater, most households today depend on groundwater to meet their daily requirements. However, the available groundwater often has a high concentration of minerals, which means that most of it is hard water, leading to a high requirement for treating hard water in housing societies.

What is hard water? 

Hard water is a type of water that contains salts of magnesium and calcium, in the form of chlorides, bicarbonates, and sulfates. It may also contain ferrous iron. Hardness of water can be temporary or permanent. Hardness caused by calcium carbonate can be resolved by boiling the water. However, hardness caused by other salts is permanent as it cannot be treated by simply boiling the water. 

The continued use of hard water for domestic purposes can lead to multitude of problems, which can include:

  • Health problems like kidney stones
  • Itchy skin and dry hair
  • Deposition of scum on utensils after washing
  • Scaling of plumbing fixtures and appliances, eventually leading to their breakdown.

Hard water is also ineffective when used with soap. The calcium and magnesium ions in the water form an insoluble gelatinous curd when combined with the higher fatty acids of a soap. It means that you will find it hard to produce any lather. These complications mean that hard water cannot be used for any domestic purpose, whether mopping floors or cooking food, without prior treatment.  

How to deal with hard water

At home, there are multiple means of treating hard water that can range from home remedies to commercial solutions. These include:

  • Boil it. However, this will work only in case of temporary hard water. 
  • Get water softening solutions that contain chelating agents. The solution is added to hard water to soften it. 
  • Use a final rinse of vinegar after hard water usage. For instance, use a final vinegar rinse after washing your hair or utensils to remove any chances of salt accumulation. 
  • Scum and scaling on appliances can be treated by commercially available products that are designed for these purposes. 
  • You can use commercially available home water softening systems that are attached to the faucet or to the central water supply. 

How societies treat hard water

With a high density of population, housing societies depend heavily on groundwater supply to meet their demand. To make this groundwater, which is mostly hard water, suitable for domestic consumption, housing societies today follow a centralised water softening mechanism which is based on RO technology. These industrial RO treatment plants can be highly effective in reducing TDS or Total Dissolved Solids by as much as 80%-90%. A water meter is attached to the water softener plant to monitor the quantity and in measuring regenerated water. The water should also be tested regularly to ascertain its functioning. 

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ApnaComplex
May 17, 2022

Budgeting 101: How to Optimise Your Society’s Spending & Improve Cost Efficiency

    As a governing body, budgeting is one of the key functions of a management committee. With the estimation of revenues and expenses, a budget forms the financial foundation of a housing complex which decides the allocation of funds towards various categories. Smart budgeting can help a society to cut costs, thereby increasing the allocation of resources towards key areas. Hence, one of the Treasurer’s main roles is to track budget variance and ensure optimisation. 

    What is Budget Optimisation?

    Budget optimisation is the process of allocating funds in the most efficient manner to realise a desired objective, whether to reduce expenses or to improve the delivery of services. Budget variance is one of the important tools in achieving budget optimization. It is the process of periodically measuring the difference between budgeted and actual figures for a particular category, such as housekeeping. 

    Budget optimisation is also important to ensure cost management. By allocating an appropriate budget, a treasurer can put a ceiling on the expenditure for different categories, such as security, housekeeping, or renovations. However, its success depends on the availability of adequate allocation for each category. This is where budget variance plays an important role. 

    How does the ApnaComplex Budget Variance Report help in ensuring budget optimisation?

    As a comparative measure, the objective of budget variance is to empower treasurers and financial controllers to improve their forecasts. A favourable budget variance indicates gains or profits while an unfavourable variance indicates a budget shortfall. The ApnaComplex Budget Variance Report is a revolutionary tool that digitises variance reports, enabling MC members to keep a constant track of their spending. This can help them to:

    • Compare actual expenses with budgeted expenses at any given time. 
    • Track accuracy of forecast, improving its effectiveness over time. 
    • Put a cap on expenses when the report indicates overspending, thereby controlling overall expenditure. 
    • Identify areas that see consistent overspending 
    • Facilitate financial reporting and management 
    • Validate additional allocation of funds when required
    • Identify areas that need better financial management
    • Save time and effort by automating variance calculations 

    More ApnaComplex budgeting tools to improve optimisation

    The ApnaComplex automated accounting function offers many other tools that can further help in improving cost optimisation. These include:

    Removing chances of untraceable expenses: One of the challenges in managing the finances for a large complex is keeping a tab on various expenses. The billing and collection module in the accounting software mandates recording every financial transaction, removing chances of fraudulent or missed entries. This means that the MC, at any given point, can trace a detailed account of every expense. 

    Ensuring on-time collections: Timely collection of maintenance is vital in ensuring the society’s revenue streams. The GST-compliant Society Billing & Accounting feature by ApnaComplex completely automates the process of calculating and issuing notices for maintenance payments every month, ensuring on-time payments. It identifies and notifies defaulters, thereby reducing the chances of missing or incorrect payments. By automating all accounting functions, this feature also reduces the society’s accounting work by more than 80%. 

    Tracking expenses: With the Expense Tracker feature, the Treasurer can check expenses under each category. It is a vital tool in keeping a constant track of spendings as they occur. 

    Improving financial management: The fully automated accounting functions are designed to remove any chances of human error or fraud in financial transactions. The digitisation of the financial records allows for complete transparency of data where expenses can be tracked to the source. This data is vital in improving the financial management of the society by identifying areas of high expense, trace performance of assets, and help in cutting down on avoidable expenditure. 

    If you want to learn more about our budget optimisation tools, get in touch with us at support@apnacomeplex. Our team will help you understand the various features you can use for reducing costs and improving your balance sheet!

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    ApnaComplex
    May 11, 2022

    Importance of a Management Committee

    If we see the residents of a housing society as a small community, the management committee or MC is the governing body for this community. Although not entrusted with the wide-reaching powers of an elected government, their roles, functions, and responsibilities are very similar to our elected representatives. The management committee is responsible for the overall upkeep of the community, its assets, and improving the lifestyle of its residents.

    What is a management committee?

    A management committee is a group of people who are entrusted to run a housing society. In a cooperative housing society, the management committee is elected by the members of the general body during the annual general meeting. The election rules can differ as per the model bylaws. 

    Typically, the number of members in a management committee depends on the number of units. To qualify, a candidate must be above 18 years of age, a resident of the housing society, and must have cleared all dues to the complex within three months of nomination. Every committee must have at least one woman. Since there is no ban on re-election, MC members often have a very long tenure. 

    Importance of a management committee

    As the governing body of a housing complex, the management committee holds a vital position in enacting different policies, managing finances, and ensuring the general upkeep of the society. 

    Management of the complex: The key function of the MC is to ensure the smooth functioning of the various maintenance activities of the complex. This includes regular cleaning, asset management, landscaping, and general beautification. The MC also periodically undertakes reviews, repairs, and renovation of various assets, such as gym or playing equipment, lifts, walkways, or other common areas and facilities. 

    Collection and utilisation of funds: The MC uses various avenues to collect funds, including parking fee, maintenance charges, and non-occupancy charges, to maintain the reserve and sinking fund for the complex. In addition, the the committee may also collect funds from residents for a special purpose. These rates and charges are fixed by the MC from time to time and in accordance with the society’s bye-laws. The committee may also opt for alternative sources of collecting revenues. These can include charging different vendors or leveraging different marketing or branding opportunities in the complex.

    Vendor management: A housing complex can have multiple vendors, including produce stalls, grocer, food or beverage stalls, maintenance or civil work suppliers and more. The MC is responsible for selecting a suitable vendor as per need and in ensuring their continuation if required.

    Ensure compliance: While the MC does not have the legal authority to pass any legal sentence on the residents of the society, it can impose fines and penalties if there is a breach of the society’s bye-laws. These powers are important in ensuring that residents follow certain agreed-upon rules and regulations. Common regulations pertain to maintaining cleanliness or discouraging unwanted behaviour, such as littering or damaging society assets.

    Ensuring harmony and positive spirit: In case of a dispute between residents, MC members often act as mediators. Their responsibility is to settle disputes amicably or to pacify all parties involved so that a resolution can be formed. However, the MC’s role goes much beyond keeping general peace in the community. They can also play a more active role by fostering a positive spirit by arranging events like society-wide competitions or celebrations like festivals or carnivals.

    Ensuring safety and security: In gated communities, the MC is responsible for ensuring the safety and security of residents. This can include allowing and tracking visitors or to formulate policies to safeguard residents. In special circumstances, like a pandemic, the MC may also impose specific restrictions like wearing masks in public places. Such measures are taken to ensure the safety of all residents.

    Providing additional facilities: The MC may also arrange for additional facilities within the complex, such as the provision of play areas and equipment, or the availability of medical staff on the premises. These facilities can be extremely important in improving the quality of life of the residents. 

    In short, the MC manages all operational, financial, and administrative functions in a housing complex. As we see the emergence of more and more well-planned gated communities across Indian cities, MCs can be seen as the micro-governmental bodies, responsible for maintaining or improving the general standard of living conditions within the complex premises.  

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    ApnaComplex
    May 4, 2022

    10 things to consider before evaluating balance sheet

    If you are a Secretary, President, or the Treasurer of a gated community, terms like maintenance dues, late payment charges, reconciliation of the balance sheet are a part of your everyday job.

    For a society to run smoothly, maintenance dues have to be paid on time, the accounting has to be precise, and the treasurer must have clear insights on the society’s income and expenses.

    However, not every treasurer or secretary comes from an accounting background and for this very reason, ApnaComplex offers a robust, fully automated accounting and billing solution with 100+ financial reports and 30+ audit-ready reports.

    When the time comes to reconcile or evaluate a balance sheet, the Treasurer must consider various aspects and pay attention to a handful of factors before evaluating the balance sheet and submitting for audit.

    Keep reading to learn about these essential factors and why they can never be overlooked!

    Fixed Asset Verification

    A Treasurer must ensure that whatever fixed assets physically available in the society’s premises,  must reflect on the balance sheet as well. This will help the treasurer keep note of the available assets, depreciated value, etc.

    Outstanding receivable confirmation

    All outstanding amounts, including maintenance charges, vendor payments, service charge dues, etc are received and updated on the balance sheet. Failing to add even a negligible amount can cause confusion and discrepancies which will cause trouble to the Management Committee during the time of auditing.

    Bank Reconciliation

    The treasurer must ensure that the bank balance reflecting on the account and bank statement/balance sheet are the same. If it doesn’t match, the treasurer must spend eons of time figuring why the statement and balance doesn’t match and must fix it before auditing.

    Thankfully, with ApnaComplex, a treasurer doesn’t have to worry about this, for the solution auto-reconciles the balance sheet. It also gives the comprehensive details of overdue, advance payments, late payment charges, etc, saving a treasurer’s time by more than 80%.

    Vendor Payments

    Vendor payments, including any loans or advance payments made to or received from vendors, have to be cross checked and recorded along with the date and vendor details. The treasurer must also keep a copy for all the invoices and receipts for future references.

    The ApnaComplex system, enables the treasurer to auto-generate receipts and invoices, and maintain digital repository of the same.

    Vendor Payable Reconciliation

    Payments made to vendors must be recorded and reflected on the bank account and bank statement.

    Corpus Fund and Sinking Fund

    The Treasurer must confirm that the Corpus Fund (capital amount, or the money provided by the builder to RWA during the formation of RWA), and the Sinking Fund (emergency money) are untouched. They should also ensure that the money in the bank and the amount reflected on the balance sheet/statement are the same.                        

    Fixed deposit and interest

    The Treasurer must confirm the money fixed deposit and the interest it generates. It should match the bank statement.

    Year ending provision

    Any provision such as security services, electricity charges, equipment maintenance services that happened before March has to be incorporated in the provision and reflected on the balance sheet.

    Refundable Deposit and Advances

    The Treasurer must also confirm the Refundable deposits (if any) and advance payments.

    Statutory Payment payable and Compliances

    The Treasurer must make sure that the TDS payments, GST payments, ITR payments, etc are done and all the relevant forms are filled and submitted.

    We hope you find these quite useful! ApnaComplex’s accounting solution is the only fully-mature solution made for and by gated communities available today. It is GST compliant and fully automated. If you would love to simplify your society’s accounting processes and save your time and energy, visit apnacomplex.com

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    ApnaComplex
    April 27, 2022

    6 attributes that make ApnaComplex the right choice for Gated Communities!

    With a ton of community management solutions available today, finding the right one that suits all the requirements of your society can be taxing. One might offer you a great security solution, and the other might be a star performer when it comes to accounting.

    But very few offer a mature-solution that is intuitive, fully-automated and addresses all the aspects of gated community management. With over 11 years of expertise, ApnaComplex is the only app that is for and by the management committee since all features and modules were developed/modified after taking feedback from several management committee members.

    In this article, we bring out the six key attributes of ApnaComplex that makes it the apt choice!

    Society Billing & Accounting

    From automatically generating invoices to auto-calculating late payments and dues, you name it, we have it! Deemed one of the best intuitive and automated accounting solutions for gated communities, ApnaComplex’s accounting module saves time by 80% and comes with in-built 30+ audit-ready and 100+ financial reports.

    Fully automated Billing & Collection

    In a click, auto-generate maintenance dues invoices and receipts, set up recurring invoices, auto-calculate delayed payment charges and send auto-reminders to residents.

    Completely automatised Payment Gateway

    Make manual entries a thing of the past! ApnaComplex’s ability to auto-generate receipts and auto-reconcile balance sheets reduces the accounting tasks by 80%.

    Smart expense management

    Using ApnaComplex, keeping track of your expenses and budget is now an effortless affair. With our Budget Variance Reports for reference and meticulous planning, stay on budget and spend within your means!

    Metered Utility Bill

    ApnaComplex allows you to collect and record meter reading for all the units and raise invoices combining both maintenance and utility charges. It also allows you to create a list of metered utilities and their billing periods.

    Auto-generated P&L Statement

    The ApnaComplex app allows you to view your society’s financial statements in real-time, and auto-generate statements flat-wise. The solution is quite intuitive: it can auto-adjust entries according to debit/credit.

    Procurement & Vendor Management

    Using ApnaComplex, the Treasurer/Secretary can effortlessly manage the vendor database, payments, and community purchases.

    Collection Gateway

    ApnaComplex offers an exclusive collection gateway module to collect dues online with no added convenience charges and automatic reconciliation.

    Book-keeping Services

    ApnaComplex allows you to maintain bank invoices/vouchers of everyday accounting, provide reports on TDS and Service Tax, file quarterly returns, and coordinate with statutory auditors. 

    Gatekeeper

    If you want to strengthen your community’s security with zero to minimum infrastructure, ApnaComplex’s Gatekeeper Module is the perfect choice for you!

    From tracking visitors and staff to alerting residents via notifications when their wards’ school buses arrive, the app allows the security staff and the security team to perform a host of actions. Below, we bring you the many facets of ApnaComplex’s Gatekeeper.

    Smarter society gate management

    The app allows the security and residents to effortlessly track visitors, staffs, and deliveries. The residents also get instant notifications from the security when their kid’s school van/bus arrives.

    Guard Patrol Tracking

    Security is watching the gate, but who is watching the security? Well, WE ARE! With our flawless Guard Patrol Tracking, the management and head of security will get alerts in real-time and ensure that security guards are tracking the premises even during the night.

    Efficient Visitor Management

    Using the ApnaComplex app, the residents can approve/pre-approve, deny and manage visitors efficiently right from the comfort of their home.

    Gatepass

    With the Gatepass feature the security guard can record and track materials entering and exiting the society. The app also allows the security to store images of the materials digitally. 

    One app for both residents and management

    The app allows both the Management Committee and residents to access all essential features. This makes ApnaComplex very user-friendly and removes the requirement for an external app to manage the basics.

    Online Security Helpdesk

    Say goodbye to overwhelming complaints and track them all from a centralised place using Helpdesk by ApnaComplex – Centralised tracking of complaints, suggestions, and requests!

    Being a comprehensive complaint management solution, the complaints will be auto-escalated when they are not resolved by the agreed upon date, and once the complaints are resolved, the residents are notified immediately via SMS and app notification.

    The showstopper is the Root-Cause Analysis report and QR-code based complaint registration. While the Root-Cause Analysis report gives insight into the core problem of repeating complaints, residents can register complaints against malfunctioning assets by simply scanning the QR-code attached to the assets.

    Online Suggestion and Complaint Box

    Residents can easily raise complaints and track them effortlessly; auto-escalate complaints if they are not resolved during the stipulated time.

    The place for resident’s requests

    Through the app, the management can effortlessly process no-dues certificates, move-out letters, no-objection certificates, address proof, etc of residents.

    The perfect admin console

    The admin can effortlessly process resident complaints, suggestions, and requests. Additionally, they can provide role-based access to other members of the Management Committee.

    Communication

    With ApnaComplex, enjoy the private social network for your society!

    Community Wiki

    With this feature, the residents can find topics and communications related to their society, create and share articles/newsletters, contacts, and do much more – all in one place.

    Notice Board

    In just a few steps, residents and the committee members can share important information with others through the Community Notice Board. The management can share documents, restrict visibility, and effectively take charge of what information goes around the society.

    Surveys & Polls

    When there are big and important decisions to make, the management committee can involve the residents and get their opinions by using the ApnaComplex’s Survey & Polls feature effectively.

    Discussion Forum

    ApnaComplex’s Discussion Forum enables the committee members and residents to initiate and organise discussions digitally. Using this feature, the management can access repositories, offer role-based access to other members, and even initiate a discussion through a mailing list.

    Groups

    ApnaComplex is one of the few apps that allows the residents to create private groups based on special interest, for sub-committees, hobbyists, discussion boards, etc in just a click.

    Photo Gallery

    The feature allows the residents to upload, download, and share photos of society and community events securely with fellow residents.

    Facility Management

    Who said Facility Management has to be a complicated affair? With ApnaComplex, improve operational efficiencies, reduce costs, and change your facilities game altogether!

    Using the ApnaComplex Facility Management System, the residents can pre-book facilities from anywhere, scan society’s assets using QR-codes, and the management can track inventory and get details of these assets instantly. 

    Asset Tracker

    The management committee or the facility manager can track, view, and manage every asset in the society, service history and attributes. They can also create an asset group, get maintenance reminders, etc.

    Inventory Tracker

    The facility manager can effortlessly track every unit of the inventory including purchase history, consumption, and stock level. These will come handy to customise and optimise according to the society’s usage.

    Facility Reservation System

    ApnaComplex offers the most comprehensive, intuitive and automated app-based reservation system that every facility manager simply loves! From generating comprehensive booking reports to invoices, everything is automated with no room for manual entries or errors. 

    CORONA SHIELD

    Your safety and wellbeing are everything to us and with wave after wave threatening the safety of the public, it is imprudent to lower our guard down.

    To ensure that our residents are safe and protected from COVID at all times, we have devised a handful of features to help you fight COVID effectively. 

    Vaccination Tracker

    The management committee can track the vaccination status of all the residents. If there are any residents who are unvaccinated or haven’t updated their vaccination status, the committee can restrict facility usage too. This promotes a 100% vaccinated society.

    Quarantine Tracker

    Staff, residents, and the Management Committee can view quarantined flats in real-time and manage their movements accordingly.

    Temperature/Mask Checks

    Security can make sure that the guests/visitors are wearing masks and their temperatures are normal before entering your society.

    All the six attributes/features were carefully curated keeping in mind the needs of both the management committee and residents. To know more about these features and how it can help you streamline operations in your gated community, visit apnacomplex.com

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    ApnaComplex
    April 19, 2022

    Solar Energy: A Sustainable Solution for Housing Societies

    As the focus shifts towards self-dependency and sustainability, solar power and solar panels are becoming India’s favourite mode of generating electricity. According to studies, India is ranked third  in the renewable energy country attractive index in 2021 with the 4th largest installed capacity of renewable energy.  These achievements follow the government commitment to establish the county as a global leader in solar and renewable energy.

    Given this scenario, larger gated communities in the country are also catching up with this trend, mainly for two reasons – uninterrupted electricity to power their many amenities, while reducing the costs incurred.

    In this article, we explain the benefits of installing solar panels in gated communities and why it is more cost-effective in the long run.

    What do societies get out of solar panels?

     Solar energy is eco-friendly, renewable, and free! By opting for solar energy, societies can not only significantly reduce their carbon-footprint, but they also save 40% or more on their electricity bills.

    As an added advantage, installation of solar panels costs very little capital with effortless and inexpensive maintenance.  Case in point, a handful of societies that have adopted solar energy in cities like Mumbai and Bengaluru, are saving lakhs annually on their electricity bills.

    What the management should know before installing solar panels

    Before installing solar panels, societies must consider various aspects, conduct in-depth research and hold internal discussions before taking up the installation process.

    Gathering consensus– Switching to solar panels is a major decision that should be adopted with the consensus of all committee members. It reduces the chances of disagreements or conflicts on issues regarding expenses and installation. Hence, it’s important to ensure that all the members are on the same page before contacting a vendor.

    Finalise the solar technology you want to install – Solar panels are used to generate electricity or to heat water in apartments. Before installation, it is important to identify its purpose, take into account the size of the community and gauge the energy usage. These factors will determine the scope of the installation. Take an informed decision after considering all these factors.

    Go to the experts – Before beginning with the installation process, get an expert evaluation on the strength of the rooftop that will support the solar panels’ weight. These experts can also help in eliminating any roadblock during the installation process.

    Pick professionals to do the job – Solar panels are a long-term investment, therefore, choose an established company/vendor  for the installation process. Go for a company that specialises in providing solar power technology while adhering to all the applicable rules and regulations. The vendor can also help in identifying the right kind of solar energy system, place of installation, and the ideal direction the panels should face.

    The benefits of solar power system

    Cost-effective – Solar energy can help in significantly reducing the society’s electricity bill.  It can be deployed in high energy consumption areas,  such as corridors, water pumps, and clubhouses.

    Eco-friendly – While other energy sources like oil and coal are limited, the sun is not, or at least will not be, limited for another 7.5 billion years. In addition,  solar power is emission-free, making it even more eco-friendly.

    Low-cost maintenance – Solar panels last for nearly 30 years and they require only occasional maintenance, further bringing down their overall financial burden.

    Government subsidy– In its bid to make India a global leader in renewable energy, the central and state governments offer subsidy schemes for solar installations. To know more about various subsidies, it is best to do your own research or check with your installation partner.  

     Aesthetic appeal – With increasing solar power installations, manufacturers are also coming up with modern and eclectic designs to further enhance the aesthetic quotient of solar panels. These pleasing-to-the-eyes designs will not only beautify the rooftops of your society but also potentially increase the value of the building.

    Global warming is real and our every decision directly impacts the environment. To fight this, we must use our resources judiciously and constantly innovate to reduce our carbon footprint. With energy independence becoming critical, wide-scale adoption of solar panels across gated communities and apartments can play a key role in ensuring a sustainable and low-cost approach toward electrification and energy consumption.

    About ApnaComplex

    ApnaComplex is the top-notch gated community management solution available in India today. For over 11 years, we are powering 6,00,000 households across 80 Indian Cities, and our modules/features are specially curated to cater to the needs of gated communities. To know how we can help you streamline your society’s operations, visit apnacomplex.com!

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    ApnaComplex
    April 13, 2022

    A fully automated accounting solution – only available with ApnaComplex

    When we say accounting solutions, usually a society management software offers only invoice and bill generation of monthly maintenance dues. It is hard to find a fully-matured and automated accounting solution that addresses all the financial needs of a gated community.

    Well, it is hard, definitely not impossible. ApnaComplex to the rescue!

    ApnaComplex is one of the few gated community management solutions in India that provides a comprehensive, fully-matured and completely automated accounting solution as a part of its overall package. From raising invoices to sending auto-reminders to residents, the app allows the treasurer to perform all the vital actions in a few clicks.

    Continue to read this article to know why it is prudent to pick ApnaComplex’s accounting software for societies.

    Auto-send recurring invoices

    Be it to owners, tenants, or vendors, all you have to do is set up the invoice details along with the date to be sent in the backend, and the system will send invoices monthly, quarterly, half-yearly or yearly automatically.

    Additionally, these invoices are also available on the ApnaComplex app for later perusal. 

    The Pay Rent feature

    ApnaComplex is one of the few apps that offers the tenant and owners the option to pay/collect rent via the app itself. To do this, the owner or tenant has to enter the details of owners’ account details on the app and continue to proceed with the payment.

    Once the payment is done, receipts and invoices are generated automatically and sent to the tenants. This offers a consolidated place for all the rent receipts which can be downloaded effortlessly by the tenant and used for tax purposes.

    Payments and purchases

    ApnaComplex is one of the few solutions that offer a complete purchase and vendor management solution. From raising a purchase request to creating a purchase order, generating invoices, and making the payment, everything can be done in a few clicks, and like the rest, this process is also fully automated.

    Additional Advantages

    Did we tell you ApnaComplex’s accounting software for societies is comprehensive and there is none other like it?

    The solution offers more than 30+ audit-ready reports and 100+ financial reports, it comes with a Budget Variance Report, and as the icing on the cake, all financial reports are GST compliant. 

    Since the accounting solution is created by experts based on feedback from several gated communities, and intuitive to the core, balance sheets are reconciled and generated automatically.

    With an automated accounting process, societies’ treasurers can save their time by 80%, energy and up their efficiency by three times. The best part is, these reports can be effortlessly optimised to suit the society’s requirements.

    Now that the new financial year is here, want to deploy the best accounting software for societies that is available today? Visit www.apnacomplex.com to schedule a free demo!

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    ApnaComplex
    April 6, 2022

    ApnaComplex – the first choice for property management among builders

    Undoubtedly property management is no cakewalk. It is cumbersome and time-consuming. There are several factors involved such as internal/external collaborations, communication, technical support, architectural and building plan.

    Before launching a project, a developer must understand the core requirements which include design of the building and units, modeling the amenities, etc. Nevertheless, no matter how meticulously a builder plans, surprises always pop up while managing the property and it may not always be a good surprise. In these situations, the builder has to tweak their processes and core requirements to suit the unexpected.

    Here is where ApnaComplex plays an important role in solving the unpredictable through means of technology and allows the builder to completely focus on their project. Be it communication or vendor management, ApnaComplex offers instant solutions and helps the builder save both money and energy.

    In this article, we bring you the ApnaComplex advantages, how it can solve the challenges faced by both the management and developers, and how our tech-savvy solution that also incorporates the latest trend can be a game-changer in the world of property management.

    ApnaComplex vs in-house solution

    Why should a builder go for ApnaComplex when they can create their own solution?

    Solely for the solution’s maturity! ApnaComplex is the only community management solution that is fully mature to address all the needs of a society. It has been developed over the years based on feedback from stakeholders. A newly built app will definitely lack this and not to mention, glitches.

    If a developer opts for an in-house software, they are not only wasting money, but also valuable time that they could otherwise be spending on completing their project. A new app is hardly established, requires constant tech and external support, quite expensive, and in a short period of time, the technology used becomes outdated.

    On the other hand, with more than 10 years of market expertise, ApnaComplex offers all the solutions for a developer on a silver platter! The app is regularly updated/enhanced and sufficient training on how to use the app to its full potential is given to the users.

    Over the years, ApnaComplex has mastered the art of community automation and constantly innovates to simplify operations for the developer and management through state-of-the-art tech.

    The ApnaComplex Advantage

    Enjoy the latest tech – anytime, anywhere!

    The Indian PropTech sector is changing rapidly. If a builder wants to create an in-house property management software, sure, they can do it. But by the time the building is constructed and the project is handed over to the RWA, they run the risk of technology being outdated.

    This leads to several challenges post the handover and the tech used might not be even compatible with the management/RWA. Additionally, both the management and developers face loss of time and cost, lack of tech support, etc.

    But with ApnaComplex, you never run the risk of the technology becoming outdated. All our solutions are up-to-date and periodically maintained and enhanced. These solutions are carefully curated to meet the requirements of builders, management, and residents in the long run.

    Zero dependency on pricey IT support

    IT resources are high in demand and expensive, but also, it is imperative that developers and associations deploy the latest technology possible. With an ongoing project in hand, it is not practical for developers to spend on expensive IT resources and external teams to keep up with the demand and requirements.

    With ApnaComplex in hand, IT is the last thing you need to worry about and solely concentrate on finishing the project. ApnaComplex offers the required IT support/resources constantly to deliver an unparalleled experience for our users, thereby saving time and money for developers.

    Enjoy the best user support and training

    Creating an in-house solution will require extensive training for all users once the app is deployed which can cause the developers massive time, the possibility of having an unstable support system and delays in fully comprehending the modules.

    On the other hand, ApnaComplex offers online and on-spot training sessions to fully understand the app. Additionally, the developers and staff can get in touch with our support team anytime to resolve their queries. This drastically enhances the user experience and makes things easier for the developer.

    If you are a developer and would love to simply and streamline the whole property management game, visit apnacomplex.com and schedule a free demo!
    Visit: apnacomplex.com

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    ApnaComplex
    March 3, 2022

    ApnaComplex’s Complaint management: Know how to log, monitor, and update a complaint!

    Complaint Management/Helpdesk is one of the primary and strongest modules of ApnaComplex. It has helped thousands of societies streamline their complaint process and minimise grievances significantly.

    When you tap into this module’s full potential, no matter how big or small a society is, managing complaints is going to be a cakewalk.

    In this blog, we explain how residents can easily register complaints using various methods and how the management can resolve and close these complaints in a few steps, all by using the ApnaComplex app.

    Logging a complaint

    Logging/raising a complaint is quite easy using the ApnaComplex app and it can be accomplished in a few simple steps.

    –          Open the ApnaComplex app. Under ‘Quick Actions’, you will find ‘Complaint’. Click on it.

    –          Once the ‘Complaints’ page opens, click on the ‘+’ button that will be on the right bottom of the screen.

    –          Here, under ‘My Complaint’ you can describe your complaint and if you have a picture of your complaint, upload it under ‘Add Photo’.

    –          Under ‘Category & Type’, select the category such as electrical, common areas, plumbing, etc, and click ‘Done’. Also, select the complaint type – personal or community.

    –          Under ‘Urgency’, enable ‘Is this urgent?’ if you want the complaint to be immediately resolved.

    –          Click ‘Post Now’ to successfully raise a complaint.

    The ‘Complaints’ page can also be accessed by clicking the ‘+’ button that will be on the right bottom of the ApnaComplex app’s home screen. You will be taken to the ‘Actions’ page, and under ‘Helpdesk’, click on ‘Raise a Complaint’. The rest of the procedures remain the same.

    Logging a complaint using QR code

    Raising a complaint by scanning QR codes applies to a society’s assets and equipment, and this feature is unique to ApnaComplex. Follow the below steps to successfully perform this particular action.

    –          Open the ApnaComplex app and click the ‘+’ button that will be in the bottom right of the screen.

    –          The ‘Actions’ page will open and under ‘Helpdesk’, you will see ‘Scan QR Code’. Click to scan and register a complaint against an asset.

    When you scan a QR code, the admin will be notified of the complaint and the relevant maintenance staff will receive the complaint. This is the easiest way to raise a complaint against an asset, and this way, the response time is also quicker.

    Monitoring a complaint

    If you are unsure whether your complaint is resolved or not, follow the below steps to monitor your complaint.

    –          On the ApnaComplex app, click on ‘Complaint’ which will be under ‘Quick Actions’. Over here, you can view the open complaints.

    –          If your complaint is resolved and still open on the app, open the complaint and click ‘close’ to close it.

    Updating and closing a complaint as admin

    If you are an admin and want to close a complaint, follow the below steps.

    –          Open the ApnaComplex app and click on the ‘Admin icon’ that will be on the top right of the screen.

    –          You will be taken to the ‘Admin’ page. Over there, click on the ‘Complaint Box’ to open the ‘Admin Complaint Box’.  Here, you will be able to see all the open complaints and their escalation level. Click on ‘CLOSE COMPLAINT’ which will be in the centre bottom of the screen to close the complaint.

    ApnaComplex offers one of the most comprehensive and robust complaint management systems. The app is intuitive and the actions are completely automated so that even a novice or any senior committee member who has no prior experience using technically sound apps can quickly learn it and simplify operations.

    Not just Complaint Management, ApnaComplex also offers the best solutions for  communications within the society, accounting, facility & asset management solutions and more which are tailor made for each society. It is noteworthy that ApnaComplex has recently won the BEST ERP SOLUTION for gated community and society management at the PropTech Realty+ Awards.

    To know how you can deploy ApnaComplex and automate your society’s operations, visit apnacomplex.com.

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