An Overview of CAMA Tables and Parameters

Overview

This page describes the general setup that is applicable to all CAMA modules: Sales, Land, Buildings, Miscellaneous Structures, and Income. The configuration for the modules is described on separate pages.

What’s New

Govern OpenForms v6 introduces the Govern OpenForms Designer for creating the models for the data entry forms. Because of this, all the CAMA forms have changed. The layout is different from Govern v 5.1. However, all fields are the same.

General Configuration

The general configuration for Govern CAMA comprises:

• Mass Appraisal General Parameters
• Mass Appraisal Validation Tables
• Appraiser’s Name and Address and Report forms
• Multiple Assessment Rates form

This is described in the Govern General CAMA Administration guide

Mass Appraisal General Parameters

The Mass Appraisal General Parameters form has six pages or tabs with parameters and option for configuring the CAMA data. The default menu items and parameters that are common to all the sub-modules are described in Govern CAMA General Administration guide.

The following parameter types are general:

• Yearly Data: required for calculating depreciation
• Neighborhood Adjustment
• Frozen records
• Roll forward data
• Increase / Decrease options
• Transfer to Tax
• Marshall & Swift

For information on parameters that are specific to a sub-module, click on one of the following links.

Mass Appraisal Validation Tables

The following Mass Appraisal Validation Tables are used or referenced by several of the sub-modules and are described here:

Depreciation Validation Tables
Use the Mass Appraisal Depreciation Validation Tables and Codes to set up depreciation percentages to apply to building structural elements and miscellaneous structures. Depreciation Tables are a prerequisite for the Building Use Code and Miscellaneous Structures Codes (MUSE) validation tables.

Correlated Values Distribution (or Mixed Distribution) Validation Tables

Use the Correlated Values Distribution table to set up values for CAMA, Comparable Sales, Income (DIR) and Income (GRM) if you are using the Correlated Values method.

Rounding

Use the Mass Appraisal Rounding validation table to define rounding on selected mass appraisal values, such as Building Value, Land Value, and Comparable Value. You can define a different formula, logical expression, or value to round to, 10, 100, etc. for each.

Limited Assessment

The Limited Assessment Mass Appraisal validation table type is used for defining Capped Values. In a year in which property values increase by significant amounts, you can use capped values to prevent an abrupt increase in property taxes. Capped values create an upper limit for property assessments.

Neighborhood

Use the Neighborhood validation table to set up neighborhood adjustments for building, miscellaneous structures, and land records.

Site Information Validation Tables

Use the Mass Appraisal Sites validation tables to set up adjustments according to geographic information, such as proximity to heavy or light traffic, green spaces, or schools. You can apply as many site adjustments as required to a record and even create multiple site adjustments records for each property. Site Adjustments are defined by Land, Miscellaneous, Income, Buildings, or on All values. An add, subtract, divide or multiply operator for the adjustment can be associated with each table.

Appraiser’s Name and Address Records

Use the Appraiser’s Name form to create name and identification records for each appraiser.

Appraisal Report Fields

Use the Appraisal Reports Fields screen to associate Govern fields to fields in the Uniform Residential Appraisal Report (URAR).

Govern CAMA Batch Processes

The Govern CAMA batch processes are run in Govern for Windows with the exception of the Finalize Tax Assessment Roll for Govern CAMA which is run in Govern OpenForms These batch processes are described in full in the Govern CAMA General Batch Processing guide. They include:

Batch Update

The Batch Update process in Govern for Windows updates specified database fields and all applicable parcel records. You can add to or replace existing values and set one or more conditions for the update. A new version of the Batch Update batch process was created for Govern OpenForms. This is described in the Govern General Batch Processing guide.

Appraised Value Computation

This process updates all selected Mass Appraisal values.

Sales Data Computation

The batch Sales Data Computation process is used to re-compute previously entered sales data with the parameters from an alternate year. For example, you can compute the sales data from last year with the parameters for the current year.

Load Apex Images

This process loads images created with Apex to Govern.

Update Drawing Image

This process regenerates the saved drawing images and update the MA_BLG_DRAWING table. Images are saved as bitmaps and added to the database.

Comparable Sales Extract

The Comparable Sales Extract batch process extracts records f a list of comparable properties based on the sales records and the criteria entered in the CAMA Comparable Sales Validation Tables. Extracted records are saved to the following database tables: ma_sale_extract, ma_sale_extract_p, and ma_sale_extract_s. These records are used for comparable sales calculations.

Apply Income Model

This process applies an Income Model to a parcel or range of parcels. Selection is based on a Tax Map Number range or Jurisdiction.

Export to an Appraiser’s Database

Run the Export to an Appraiser’s Database process to extract a copy of a database or a portion of a database, to your computer hard drive. This extracted database can then be copied to a laptop and used by an appraiser out in the field. Alternatively, you can use mGovern – Your Mobile Solution.

Import from an Appraiser’s Database

This process imports the appraiser’s database to the network.

Use an Appraiser’s Database at Next Startup
This process is run to prevent the appraiser from using the live database at the next startup.

Import Marshall & Swift Data

This process imports Marschall & Swift data info Govern.

Finalize Tax Assessment Roll for Govern CAMA

Run the Finalize Assessment Roll batch process to finalize the tax assessment records for a group of parcels or for all parcels.

NOTE: This process is a requirement when you change to a new fiscal year.

This process sets the HISTORY_ONLY field to -1 on the selected parcels in the MA_ MASTER table. This purpose of this History Only record is to retain a copy of all the data for parcel as they were at the time the year was closed. In the History Panel, this record is identified by Frozen ID -1 and assigned the flag, Certified.