# Conventa User Guide

Version: June 2026

Conventa is a collection of DCS Management administration, meeting, voting, invoicing, and document tools. This guide explains what each tool is used for, where to find it, and the normal workflow for staff users.

## Contents

- [Getting Around](#getting-around)
- [Administration Tools](#administration-tools)
- [Meeting Tools](#meeting-tools)
- [Invoice Approval](#invoice-approval)
- [Offline Tallysheets](#offline-tallysheets)
- [Good Practice](#good-practice)

## Getting Around

After logging in, Conventa opens on the main tools page. The top navigation is grouped into four areas:

- **Home**: returns to the main tools dashboard.
- **Administration**: invoices, email templates, admin documents, nominations, mailing lists, and PDF forms.
- **Meetings**: meeting notices, meeting minutes, eVote resources, and tally sheets.
- **Invoice Approval**: the invoice approval portal.

![Conventa home dashboard](user-guide-assets/home.png)

Use the top navigation when moving between modules. Most tools generate a document, PDF, CSV, Excel file, JSON transfer file, or email-ready output.

## Administration Tools

### BCC Invoice

Location: **Administration > BCC Invoice**

Use this tool to create BCC Form 33 invoice documents.

![BCC Invoice module](user-guide-assets/bcc-invoice.png)

Basic workflow:

1. Open **Administration > BCC Invoice**.
2. Enter the required invoice/property details.
3. Review the generated invoice details.
4. Generate or download the invoice output.

Check the property name, CTS, invoice amount, and contact details before sending the final invoice.

### Email Templates

Location: **Administration > Email Templates**

Use this tool to generate standard email wording for recurring correspondence such as notices, reminders, minutes, and nominations.

![Email Templates module](user-guide-assets/email-templates.png)

Basic workflow:

1. Select the required email template.
2. Enter the property, meeting, recipient, or date details requested by the form.
3. Generate the email text.
4. Review the wording before sending.

Use the generated email as a starting point. Confirm dates, attachments, names, and property-specific details before sending.

### Admin Docs

Location: **Administration > Admin Docs**

Use this tool to generate administrative letters and documents such as approvals and standard correspondence.

Basic workflow:

1. Select the required admin document type.
2. Complete the form fields.
3. Generate the document.
4. Review the document before issuing.

### Nominations

Location: **Administration > Nominations**

Use this tool to generate nomination and owner motion forms for Standard Module and Small Scheme Module properties.

![Nominations module](user-guide-assets/nominations.png)

Basic workflow:

1. Select the nomination return date.
2. Choose whether the form is for the Small Scheme module.
3. Generate the nomination form PDF.
4. Add or remove available nomination dates if needed.

The module uses the saved date list and PDF templates stored with the app.

### Mailing Lists

Location: **Administration > Mailing Lists**

Use this tool to create a property manager mailing list from a PropertyIQ owner CSV export.

![Mailing Lists module](user-guide-assets/mailing-lists.png)

Basic workflow:

1. In PropertyIQ, open the **Lots / Owners** page.
2. Select all lots for the property.
3. Export the owner details CSV.
4. Upload the CSV into Conventa.
5. Click **Process CSV File**.
6. Use the generated BCC link to email all unique property manager email addresses.

The output table shows rows where **Agent Email** exists. Duplicate manager rows remain visible in the table, but the BCC link removes duplicate email addresses.

Required CSV columns:

- `Building Name`
- `Lot#`
- `Unit#`
- `Agent Name`
- `Agent Email`

### PDF Forms

Location: **Administration > PDF Forms**

Use this tool to batch-fill PDF forms from a CSV file.

![PDF Forms module](user-guide-assets/pdf-forms.png)

Basic workflow:

1. Upload a fillable PDF template.
2. Upload a CSV containing the field values.
3. Map or confirm the expected CSV field names.
4. Generate the filled PDF files.
5. Download the generated ZIP.

The PDF form filler runs in the browser. The CSV should contain headers matching the PDF field structure, such as `TF001`, `TF002`, and so on. A `filename` column can be used to control the generated PDF names.

## Meeting Tools

### Meeting Notices

Location: **Meetings > Meeting Notices**

Use this tool to prepare meeting notices, DCS agreements, AGM checks, and LimeSurvey `.lss` eVote files.

Basic workflow:

1. Select the property and FYE.
2. Complete meeting details such as meeting type, meeting date, time, and expiry date.
3. Review financial, levy, insurance, BCM, and motion details.
4. Click **Generate DOCX** to create the notice document.
5. Click **Generate LSS** to create the eVote LimeSurvey file.
6. Use **Export JSON** if you need a saved eVote JSON file for Meeting Minutes.

Generated saved JSON files use this structure:

```text
[property]-FYE-[fye]-notice-[timestamp].json
[property]-FYE-[fye]-evote-[timestamp].json
```

The notice JSON is useful for carrying notice/eVote data into the Meeting Minutes module.

Screenshot note: this module depends on the live property database. The local guide preview could not capture a clean Meeting Notices screen without live database credentials.

### Meeting Minutes

Location: **Meetings > Meeting Minutes**

Use this tool to generate meeting minutes by combining tally sheet data with saved notice/eVote JSON data.

![Meeting Minutes module](user-guide-assets/meeting-minutes.png)

Basic workflow:

1. Select the property.
2. Select the saved eVote JSON file for that property.
3. Choose the tally data source.
4. If using an uploaded tally transfer file, upload the **Tally Sheets transfer JSON**.
5. Generate the minutes document.
6. Open and review the DOCX output.

Important:

- The saved eVote JSON and tally data should refer to the same property and meeting.
- If using uploaded tally data, the **Tally Sheets transfer JSON** field appears only when the tally source is set to upload.
- Check meeting date, chair, returning officer, attendance, motions, levy motions, insurance motions, and vote results in the generated DOCX.

### eVote Resource Center

Location: **Meetings > eVote Resource Center**

Use this tool to view active eVotes and download response data.

Basic workflow:

1. Open **Meetings > eVote Resource Center**.
2. Review the active eVotes list.
3. Open or download responses as needed.
4. Use the exported CSV when importing/autofilling votes into Tally Sheets.

This module connects to LimeSurvey/eVote resources. If a connection or API setting is unavailable, response data may not load.

### Tally Sheets

Location: **Meetings > Tally Sheets**

Use this tool to create, edit, tally, save, and export meeting voting records.

![Tally Sheets module](user-guide-assets/tally-sheets.png)

Basic workflow:

1. Click **New Meeting**.
2. Select or enter property details.
3. Choose meeting type: blank, AGM, or EGM.
4. Enter meeting date, start time, location, quorum, chair, and returning officer.
5. Choose whether the meeting is reconvened.
6. Choose whether the meeting has an open ballot.
7. Enter the number of motions.
8. Upload the owner CSV.
9. Load the meeting and enter representation, levy balances, and votes.
10. Save the meeting.
11. Export CSV, Excel, or transfer JSON as needed.

Voting rules:

- Owners without representation cannot vote.
- Owners with a negative levy balance cannot vote.
- Blank levy balance is treated as eligible.
- **In Person**, **Company Nominee**, and **Proxy** rows are highlighted green.
- **Voting Paper** rows are highlighted yellow.
- Negative levy rows are highlighted red.
- Poll voting rows appear only when at least one motion has poll voting enabled.

Open ballot workflow:

1. Turn on **Has Open Ballot** if an open ballot vote is being held.
2. Complete the **Election of Office Bearers** table.
3. Map nominee codes where required.
4. Enter nominee votes.
5. Export CSV/Excel/JSON.

If **Has Open Ballot** is off, exports include the Election of Office Bearers section but not the nominee voting grid.

## Invoice Approval

Location: **Invoice Approval**

Use this portal to review and manage invoices requiring approval.

![Invoice Approval module](user-guide-assets/invoice-approval.png)

Basic workflow:

1. Open **Invoice Approval**.
2. Review invoice rows, CTS, supplier, invoice number, amount, and status.
3. Use filters/search where available.
4. Generate required approval outputs.
5. Use **Load CTS** to populate the CTS textbox with unique CTS values from rows where status is blank.

Status colour notes:

- Rejected status should display in red.
- Specific highlighted CTS values may display in red where configured.

## Offline Tallysheets

The offline tallysheets app is a browser-only version of the Tally Sheets module. It runs without the Conventa database and stores meetings in the browser’s local storage.

![Offline Tallysheets app](user-guide-assets/offline-tallysheets.png)

Use it when:

- You need tally sheets on an iPad or Mac without a reliable internet connection.
- You want to prepare or record voting offline.
- You need to transfer tally data back into Conventa later.

Basic workflow:

1. Open the offline app.
2. Create a new meeting.
3. Enter property name, CTS, meeting type, date, start time, and other meeting details.
4. Upload the owner CSV.
5. Enter votes and office bearer details.
6. Save the meeting in the browser.
7. Export CSV, Excel, or transfer JSON.

Important storage note:

Offline meetings are saved only in the browser profile used to open the app. Clearing browser data may remove saved meetings. Export a transfer JSON after important meetings.

## Good Practice

### Before Generating Documents

- Confirm the property and CTS.
- Confirm meeting date and time.
- Check names, chair, returning officer, and location.
- Confirm levy and insurance figures.
- Confirm GST wording where relevant.
- Check that motion wording is complete.

### Before Sending eVotes

- Confirm the voting code.
- Confirm meeting date text.
- Confirm expiry date.
- Check attachments and links.
- Import the `.lss` into LimeSurvey and review before activation.

### Before Finalising Minutes

- Confirm the saved eVote JSON and tally sheet refer to the same property and meeting.
- Review each motion result.
- Check attendance/representation.
- Review insurance and levy tables.
- Open the generated DOCX and inspect formatting before sending.

### After Important Work

- Save or export generated documents.
- Export transfer JSON for tally sheets.
- Keep copies of owner CSVs, eVote response CSVs, and generated minutes where required.