Power Broker Update
This release is required for the new Companies now download through Guidewire.
(EX: Kent & Essex / SGI Rollover and ICPEI)
This new update contains important programming changes and enhancements with regards to:
Testing and certification have been completed for Insurance Company of PEI (ICPEI) and is included in this latest release. Any brokerage downloading with ICPEI needs to update to this latest version.
NOTE: ICPE must be used as your Insurer Code and your CSIO Insurance Company Code #2
The Ontario Fleet Application has been corrected and will now pull forward the 2024 new application.
New FORMS have been added for Nova Scotia – SEF 16, SEF17 and SEF19A allowing for print/PDF and outlook export.
EDI Features (to replace Quandri)
- Using the Task Scheduler to allow for the Send and Receive function to be run at a specific time.
- Additionally, we have a question added to the Define Your Company Information – EDI tab – allowing for the Reformat function to also be run allow the User to simply start with Merging policies right away.
- We have an ‘automatic Binder to Policy’ button now added to the Define Your Company Information – EDI tab – that will ‘match’ any Binder to incoming Policy when the Merge is being done. You can also ask that this function ‘STOP” and allow the User to manually match if an automatic match is not found.
- We have the Renewal Exception Report that can be completed under Define Your Company Information – Integration Tab 6 – allowing you to set Percentage and/or Dollar amounts for tagging incoming renewals with a decrease or increase in Renewal Premium.
- In the Abeyance/Docs area we have the <Diff-PDF> button allowing you to ‘tag’ 2 PDF Documents and pull forward side-by-side to allow for manual comparison.
- We are in the process of creating a Renewal Comparison report with hopes to release to the Ontario province in 2025 (all other provinces to follow).
STOP!!
If you are updating from a Version 4 copy of Power Broker contact SUPPORT before proceeding:
If you have a LOGO and/or use the Signature feature and are using Version 4, please contact Support as there are file changes that will need to be completed BEFORE you do this update.
If you DO NOT have a LOGO and/or use the Signature feature, you can run this update as per normal BUT you will need to run <workstation> for ALL COMPUTERS.
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PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION BEFORE DOING THE UPDATE:
Power-Broker Version 5 Update
IMPORTANT! BEFORE YOU UPDATE
Give yourself sufficient time for this update as it could take a while depending how large your brokerage may be.
Backup
Before starting, have you performed a complete backup? You will want to run this backup immediately before performing the update to have the most up to date information (to avoid losing any recent changes a staff member may have made).
Prior to backing up, we would strongly recommend and running #2 – #6 through powertools to ensure that you will have a clean backup. Ensure that there are no users currently logged in Power Broker by using the ‘list users logged in’ feature in powertools. If you see anyone logged in, ask them to log off. Next select all the items in powertools, except for #1.
Select ‘Run Selected Items’ and wait for the steps to finish running.
To begin the backup, you will need to determine which drive letter your powerbroker is located on (Example: P:\Bro would indicate that \Bro is located on your P drive. An easy way to do this would be to right-click on your power-broker icon on your desktop, select properties, and left -click on the shortcut tab. You should see the drive path under the ‘target’. Make note of this, as you will need this location later.
*Note* In the example given below, the C: drive is for a single user. You would typically see a P:\BRO or W:\BRO or any other letter in the alphabet. If you do see however, \\SERVER\BRO\BROW.EXE , then this is a UNC path and is NOT permitted. You must use a mapped directory. If it is not, then please call our tech support line and we will be happy to assist.
Next you will need to open your File Explorer and select the respective drive letter. You will need to double click into the bro folder and press (Control+A) to select all items in this directory.
You may deselect all Outlook(s), Help and Word97 folders by holding the control key and single left-clicking the Outlook(s), Help and Word97 folders. You should have all folder/files highlighted except for the Outlook(s), Help and Word97 folders (this will substantially reduce the time for your backup). From here right-click, scroll over ‘7-zip’, and select “add to archive”. You will want to locate this to the root of the drive (outside of the bro folder).
This compressed .zip file will be a huge asset when restoring information if something goes wrong. We cannot stress how important this backup is. Only proceed when you are confident that a backup has been completed.
To get a copy of 7-zip, please visit www.7-zip.org and download the free version.
Preparing for the update
Before proceeding with the update, you will want to confirm that everyone is out of powerbroker. You can view user logged in through powertools by clicking the ‘List Users Logged In’ button.
(List Users Logged In- Note that is should read Current Power Broker User SignOns = 0)
If you see any users here with a ‘Y’, ask them to log off. When you are sure that there are no users logged in, you should lock powerbroker.
Use the ‘Lock PB4 for Maintenance’ button in powertools. This will prevent anyone accidentally logging in during the update and is highly recommended.
In larger offices that can not physically have access to the computers in the brokerage, once PowerTools is ‘Locked for Maintenance’, the local technical representative may connect to the server, and go to Computer Management, Shared Folders, and then Open files, and look for any files open in the \BRO folder. They may contact the broker by phone or email but if there is no contact, the tech may just right click on the open files, and choose ‘disconnect all open files’ or ‘End Task’ them. PowerTools is locked so any user trying to log in now will be get a warming message that Power Broker is ‘Locked for Maintenance’.
Verify the following in Utilities – Define Your Company Information
If you do NOT use Branch Codes and have only ONE CORPORATE LOGO, please make sure your Multi-Branch Settings mirror the below highlighted questions:
If you DO use Branch Codes and have only ONE CORPORATE LOGO, please make sure your Multi-Branch Settings mirror the below highlighted questions:
If you DO use Branch Codes and have BRANCH LOGOs, please mirror the below highlighted questions:
IF YOU SENT IN LOGOSCAN OR SIGNATURES TO BE UPDATED:
Sign into your FTP folder on the Power Broker FTP Site. You should have received an eMail from Support with your FTP folder User ID and Password.
Save the Image files and/or your Branch files to your BRO folder and say YES to overwrite the existing files.
Save any Logoscan.jpg or branchnamed.jpg or signature.jpg files to your BRO\BMPS folder and say YES to overwrite the existing files.
IF YOU DO NOT HAVE LOGOSCAN OR SIGNATURES –
You are now ready to apply your Version 5 Update:
Updating Power Broker
From the workstation, after you have downloaded the update.zip to your downloads folder on your computer, “UNZIP” the UPDATE.ZIP and it will make a folder. In the folder, there is a file called UPDATE.exe. Copy this file and place it on the ‘ROOT’ of the drive where Power Broker is installed. Example, if Power Brokers icon earlier said that it’s P:\BRO\BROW.exe, then you would place the UPDATE.EXE on the ROOT of P:\ and then follow the directions below.
Advanced instructions for local techs at the Server: From the server, and Power Broker is installed locally on C:\DATA\BRO in this example, it is ok to put the UPDATE.EXE on the ‘ROOT’ of C:\DATA and then during the install when you launch the UPDATE.EXE, you would browse to the following path to install in the next set of instructions: C:\DATA\BRO
TIP: If you are doing the update to Power Broker from the server, ensure that your PowerTools icons is pointing to C:\DATA\BRO\PowerTools.exe and that you are using this copy to ‘by-pass’ later on in the instructions.
You will see a blue screen with the Power Broker Server Update installing in the middle.
Select next and a new window will appear.
Here you will need to click Browse and select the drive letter and the bro folder within that drive. (Refer to the note you made earlier about the drive letter where bro is located) In our example, our Power Broker is P:\BRO so this is what the screen should say before proceeding
You will need to select next and wait until the update is complete. It will start counting up to 100%. When it’s at 100%, click on Finish.
If you have used PowerTools earlier to lock the system, you will need to log into PowerTools, and then click on the ‘By-Pass’ button on the bottom right. This will start your DATA CONVERSION. This part must complete. Should you receive an error during this process, please phone our support department right away.
After completion, the window will automatically open a Power Broker Log-in Screen. This means you have succesfully completed the update.
You now need to UNLOCK PB FROM Maintenance on the bottom right of PowerTools and then users may log in.
Next, log into Power Broker and at the top of your Power-Broker screen, you should see your new updated version.
SIGNATURES IN VERSION 5:
NOTE: if you send signatures to us in May, these will be saved/identified for you by Support.
If you use Signatures in Power Broker, you will now notice pathways incorporated in the User ID, Producer and CSR Tables. You will need to import your signatures again as JPG files and save them to your BRO/BMPS folder. Once saved, you would indicate the file location in the appropriate Table.
For example:
If you use User ID signatures:
If you use Producer signatures:
If you use CSR signatures:
If you use Logo scans, Corporate or Branch Level Logos, Please follow the earlier instructions to save these files.
If you are unable to complete your update, or need any further assistance, feel free to call our support line at 778-433-2477 or email us at techsupport@power-broker.com
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Please select this link for these important Version 4.52 setup instructions:
Instruction for applying an update
Region Group Policy Management Settings
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Once you have downloaded and read the Setup Instructions, please complete your download request form.
Once this Contact form has been completed, you will be provided a link to the update file.
**Please Note: After completing the Contact Form, please ‘right-click’ the download link and select <Save Link As> to download this file to a saved location.
If you require assistance, please do not hesitate to contact the support area @ 778-433-2477
Your Power Broker Support Team