Understanding notice series groups

When configuring a notice series, you can set an option for The Collector System to generate notices for a subset of members in a packet. The subset of packet members is referred to as a notice series group.

A notice series group includes the accounts for a subset of one or multiple packet members. When The Collector System generates notices for a notice series group, the notice only includes packet details or totals for the accounts in the notice series group.

For example, Lake Assets groups accounts 201-203 in packet 1110. The Collector System generates Notice #1, which includes the total amount owed for accounts 201-203.

A few weeks later, Lake Assets adds accounts 401 and 402 to packet 1110. Under normal circumstances, The Collector System includes all of the accounts in the next letter generated - either by starting the notice series over again or by adding the new accounts to the next notice in the series (whichever option you enable when configuring the notice series).

With the notice series groups option is enabled, however, The Collector System keeps the notices separate for each subset group of accounts in the packet. So when Lake Assets enables this option, The Collector System generates a notice that only includes the total amount owed for accounts 401 and 402. It does not include the totals for accounts 201-203. As far as The Collector System is concerned, when it comes to generating notices, each subset of accounts is independent from each other - even though they are all part of the same packet.

In a notice series group, an account number not only represents itself, but it also represents any other accounts in the group. In the previous example from Lake Assets, the notice series group for accounts 201-203 is represented by account 201 while the notice series for accounts 401 and 402 is represented by account 401.

If the account representing the notice series group is PIF or canceled, by default, The Collector System automatically cancels the notice series, regardless of whether you still need to continue collecting on the other accounts in the group. To restart the uncollected accounts on a new series, you can run the Deleted Notices report to find the accounts, and manually restart them on a series.

You can, however, configure The Collector Series so that the PIF or canceled account is removed from any future notices in the series, and the system selects another account as the group representative so that the notice series continues for those accounts in the group that you are still collecting from. You set this option in the Continue Series for Pkt/Grp field in the Series name setup screen.

In the Lake Assets example, after Notice #1 is sent, the customer pays account 201 in full. By setting the Continue Series for Pkt/Grp option, The Collector System no longer includes account 201 on any future notices, and Account 202 now becomes the representative for the notice series group, and the letter series for the group continues.