TOPS [ONE] Fine Waivers & Adjustments Setup With Audit Notes

Record the waiver or adjustment as a separate transaction tied to the original fine, enter a clear reason in the note/audit field, save it, then run the history/audit report to confirm the system shows who changed it, what changed, and when.

 

Before starting (so it works and audits correctly)

 

• Confirm the user role has permission for AR/Charges, Adjustments/Waivers, and Edit notes.
• Make sure there is an Adjustment/Waiver reason code (examples: Board-approved waiver, Courtesy waiver, Data correction).
• Make sure there is an GL mapping for adjustments (so financials do not go out of balance).
• Know the difference: Waiver reduces what the owner owes; Write-off removes it as uncollectible; Reversal undoes an incorrect charge and should point to the original item.

 

Step-by-step: waive or adjust a fine with audit notes

 

• Open the Owner/Account (the homeowner ledger).
• Go to AR or Ledger where fines/charges are listed.
• Click the original fine charge to open its details.
• Select the action for Adjust, Waive, or Credit (wording varies by setup).
• Enter the amount to reduce (full waiver equals the full fine amount; partial waiver equals the portion being forgiven).
• Select the reason code (this is what auditors and boards look for later).
• In the Note or Audit note field, write a complete sentence: why, authority, and source. Example: “Waived per board vote 2026-03-02, meeting minutes item 4; first-time courtesy; violation cured on 2026-02-28.”
• Attach documentation if the system allows (minutes excerpt, email approval, compliance photo).
• Save, then confirm the ledger shows a separate line item like Fine Adjustment or Credit linked to the original fine.

 

Common mistakes that cause problems later

 

• Editing the original fine amount instead of posting an adjustment: this can weaken the audit trail.
• Using a generic note like “waived”: auditors need who approved and why.
• Posting the adjustment to the wrong GL account, causing income to be misstated.
• Waiving without checking if a payment already applied: this can create a credit balance that must be refunded or reallocated.

 

Test and verify (so you know it is correct)

 

• Run the owner ledger/history and confirm the fine, adjustment, and remaining balance make sense.
• Run an audit trail or user activity report and confirm it shows the user, timestamp, and note.
• Run the AR aging and confirm the balance decreased as expected.

 

Troubleshooting

 

• If the note does not appear in reports: check whether notes are stored on the adjustment transaction (not the original fine) and whether the report includes the notes column.
• If the adjustment option is missing: the role likely lacks permission or the association is not configured with adjustment types.
• If financial reports look wrong: verify the adjustment is mapped to the correct contra-income or designated waiver account, not cash.

 

When to contact TOPS [ONE] support

 

• Audit trail is not recording user/time consistently.
• Adjustments are not linking to original charges.
• GL mapping for waivers is unclear and reports do not reconcile.