Now Sending Emails in Text or HTML – You Choose

After updating our system back in November, we heard from many users that the system generated HTML emails were not getting to their inbox clearly, and users requested the ability to receive emails with text formatting.

Well, we went to work and now all users have the choice of receiving emails in Text or HTML.    By default, users are set to receive HTML emails.   Changing this setting is easy.

First, Log into the Lien Pilot.   On the welcome screen you should see your profile information in the bottom right-hand corner of the page.   Next to your Profile information is the “Update” link.    You will click on this link to update your profile settings.

Take a look at this screenshot of the welcome screen upon login:

Second, you’ll simply scroll down to the bottom of the page.  You should see text that says “I want to receive HTML emails” and a checkbox.   If you want to receive emails in regular text formatting, just uncheck this checkbox and press “Save.”   Here is a screen shot of this:

Use Express Lien To Stay Organized in 2010

Thanks to our friends over at Wolfe Law Group’s Construction Law Monitor for their blog post yesterday recommending the Express Lien Lien Pilot to contractors looking to get organized in the new year.   Organization: A Secret to Managing Legal Messes discussed how good organization tools (and specifically web-based tools) can help contractors and others in the legal industry to avoid legal disputes and expensive legal bills.

In discussing how organization can help an organization with its legal obligations, the post says:

And insofar as your contractual and legal duties are concerned, if you’re organized and know what they are, you’ll have a much better chance of fulfilling them.

This is exactly what the Lien Pilot can do for your business.

Notice and lien requirements are hyper-technical and confusing.  If your company is handling multiple construction projects, or working in multiple states, it’s nearly impossible to keep track of notice and lien requirements.    Some clients reported that they used to keep track of lien and notice deadlines by inputted all due dates in Outlook – which, of course, required them to manually calculate the dates.

Express Lien provides contractors with an easier way.  You simply input your project’s details, and Express Lien calculates all of the project’s notice and lien requirements and deadlines.

In 2010, make a resolution to increase your bottom line and utilize the nation’s lien laws to protect your right to payment on construction projects.   Resolute your company to Lien Smarter in the new year, and sign up for a free account with Express Lien.

Step-By-Step Guide on Using Lien Pilot to Manage Lien and NTO Deadlines

Do you manually input all notice and lien deadlines into Outlook or some other calendaring system? Are you constantly trying to figure out which deadlines or requirements apply to your construction project?  Express Lien’s lien pilot helps you manage the lien and notice requirements applicable to your construction project.

It’s easy. You input your project information, and it alerts you to what is due, and when.

This video is a screen-cast of the Lien Pilot system that shows you how to use our system (free) to Lien Smarter, and Get Paid.

The Importance of Knowing When Your Lien Period Begins

In nearly every state, the construction lien statutes require that claimants record their mechanics lien withing a certain “lien period.”    The start of the lien period has a specific beginning date, and the lien period usually extends for a period of days or months from this start date.   Mechanic liens filed outside the lien period are typically unenforceable.

Knowing when the end of the lien period arrives is important, but perhaps not as important as knowing when the lien period begins.   After all, without knowing the start date, it’ll be impossible for you to calculate the end date.

In most states, the lien period will begin upon the “completion” of the project as a whole, the “completion” of your particular scope of work, or the “last date” you furnished labor and/or materials.

While this may sound like a straight-forward requirement, it is not always so.  In many states (if not most states), labor and/or materials necessary to perform remedial, punch list items, or warranty obligations are generally not considered in establishing the completion date or the last date of providing work.  Contractors and suppliers, therefore, can theoretically have the lien period begin days, weeks or months before they are off the job.

The problem here is clear:  Sometimes, owners or other contractors hold progress payments until the warranty or punch list work is complete.    In theory, your lien period could expire before you’re ever “unpaid.”

Knowing when your lien period begins is critical.  And sometimes, to preserve your lien rights, you may find it necessary to file a lien before the project is finally complete, and before payment has become a major point of contention. (Read two articles on this issue here:   Re: California law and Re: Ohio law).

Our free Lien Pilot helps your company calculate and control lien deadlines.   Once you put in the critical date (i.e. date last labor / materials furnished), the Pilot will calculate the due date for your lien in the applicable state and on the applicable project.  However, for this calculation to be accurate, it’s important to know when that date is.

Every state’s law is different, and so you should consult the law in your state to determine exactly when your lien period begins.

Meet The Industry Leader in Lien Management and Filing

SEATTLE, WA (XLIEN) November 2, 2009 — Welcome to the new ExpressLien.Com – an industry leading web-based mechanics lien management and filing system.

We’re happy to announce the launch of our new website, and the introduction to a number of new services that helps your company Lien Smarter…and Get Paid.

Express Lien’s list of improvements makes our company the clear industry leader in providing web-based solutions for contractors and others in the construction industry who manage and file preliminary notices, mechanics liens and other lien documents.

The improvements and new features include:

Free Deadline Calculation & Management

Lien rights are valuable to our clients, and so it’s important to protect these rights by meeting statutory deadlines.   Managing these deadlines has proved difficult, since they are complicated, and change depending on where you’re working, the type of work performed, and more.

Express Lien offers lien deadline calculation and management for free.   You input the details about your project, and Express Lien will calculate your project’s deadlines.   When you login to the Lien Pilot, you’ll see all upcoming deadlines, ensuring that your company timely sends notices and liens…and protects its most powerful collection tools.

Improved Lien Pilot to Manage Orders, Projects and Lien Documents

When logging into Express Lien’s new Lien Pilot, clients will be met with a cleaner and more intuitive interface.   Users are able to manage project details, quickly check on the status of orders, input information to calculate and manage lien deadlines, and more.

The Lien Pilot is an asset to your collections department.   From here, you can organize the delivery of notices and liens, prevent lien rights from expiring, and cleanly keep track of your collection efforts on a non-paying construction project.

A Smarter Lien Wizard

The new Wizard is smart.    As you input information about your construction project, the Lien Wizard reduces the types of documents available to you to order.   By the time you’re ready to select your document, you’ll only see documents applicable to your project’s state, your role in the project, and the stage of the work.    The Wizard will also display the notice requirements applicable to your project, so you can review these before deciding which type of document you’d like to file.    If you are still unsure, the Lien Wizard will make suggestions to you.

Our service is completely web-based, meaning you don’t have to install, service or upgrade any software.  Everything is right where you need it, when you need it.

Plus, there’s no pressure to spend anything with our company.  You can mange you project data and deadlines without joining any memberships, without paying a monthly fee and without spending a nickel.   The nation’s most intuitive and efficient web-based lien management system is yours absolutely free.

When you’re ready to file a lien with us, you can painlessly make the order using our new Lien Wizard.   Express Lien is a revolutionary service that makes filing liens easy and intuitive.  You give us the project details, and we’ll have the lien form filled-in, filed, sent to interested parties and uploaded to your account.   It’s easy and reliable, and all done for one low flat fee.

Speak with someone today if you have any questions.  We’re glad to help your company Lien Smarter.