Access Link to Upgrade 

While logged into Salesforce where your HomeKeeper app is installed, click this link to upgrade to version 2.15 of HomeKeeper. 

(Note: If you are installing into a sandbox organization, replace https://login.salesforce.com/ with http://test.salesforce.com)

Version 2.15 Updates

Site Guest User Code Updates

With Salesforce building and release more capabilities when it comes to Flow & Screen Flow and the ability to publish those on Experience Cloud sites to allow for external data entry / intake applications, it's time for us to help take advantage. We are taking the first steps to enable organizations to better use this functionality in conjunction with the Site Guest User profile. Due to Field-level security requirements, Site Guest Users were not authorized to create anything in HomeKeeper. But after reviewing our scenarios with the Salesforce team and seeing how they were able to "exempt" the Site Guest User from these requirements, we are happy to announce we've made the necessary changes to allow Site Guest Users to create HomeKeeper records.

What does this mean? While we are still working on templates to help get Intake Applications started - Homeownership/Housing Counseling Intake, Group Session Registration - we are rolling out the ability first to exempt the Site Guest User from Field Level security requirements. You can now work with a consultant or develop on your own applications that leverage Site Guest User. In future releases, we will begin to build templates that are easier to work with to serve this purpose.

Action Required: How do I turn it on? Go to Setup - Custom Settings. Find HomeKeeper Settings and click Manage.

Click New. Check the Box Grant Guest Users Update Access, and give it a name, like HomeKeeperSiteGuestUser. Click Save and you're ready to test!

This functionality is just the beginning of the work that needs to be done to utilize Site Guest Users. In future builds, we plan to release template Screen Flows and Experience Sites for applicant intake purposes. In the meantime, advanced administrators and consultants can build these out with the following considerations:

1. Any flows must run in System Mode ("System Context Without Sharing---Access All Data")
2. Guest user needs Read access to Account (Lender lookup on Service File)

As more considerations arise during testing and deployment, we will add them here.

Applicant Info (Bug Fixes and Usability Enhancements)

Based on your feedback and diligent reporting in support, we've made updates to the Applicant Info component. These are primarily bug fixes and some default automation:

• No Action Required: We identified an issue when adding certain field types the Applicant or Co-applicant field set - namely Checkbox and Time related fields. We've tested all field types and all are able to be added as needed.
• No Action Required: We had a request to automatically check the Copy Address to Service File and now check it by default
• Action Required: Fields were missing from the Application Household Member (Ethnicity) and Income Source (Occupation). These have been added for future, but admins must add these manually. Keep in mind, the fields you edit Field Sets are in one column, but they go left to right to populate the 2-column layout.

New Fields

These are new fields that are added to collect new data or existing data in a different place

 

Primary Applicant Gender

Action Required: We've added a field on the Service File for 'Primary Applicant Gender'. This is to allow users to update it directly on the Service File, and enables us to include it in our HUD Helper Fields, and Enter HUD Fields button. We've also added additional choices for new installations that will need to be added manually in Setup, to promote additional inclusivity. These choices include Nonbinary and Chose not to respond, and need to be added:

• Service File: Primary Applicant Gender
• Application Household Member: Gender
• Contact: Gender

It's important to ensure each matches verbatim so automation can copy and sync data between the fields

You can update this field in the list view on the  level, or follow this guide for step by step instructions to add it to the layout and edit it on the Service File page.

No Action Required: We've added 'Primary Applicant Gender' to our HUD Helper Fields (which identify missing HUD fields) and removed the duplicate entries (was appearing twice if Primary Applicant Gender was empty)

Term Field (Funding Source)

No Action Required: Previous Term (in months) field was limited to 3 characters and did not fit Shared Equity's definition of Permanent/Lasting Affordability of the subsidies, of 99 years (1188). This has been expanded to 5 characters.

Census Tract Field (Property)

No Action Required: Previous Census Tract field was limited to 10 characters and did not fit tract numbers that include block groups. This has been expanded to 30 characters.

Housing Counseling - FY25 Updates

Action Required: You must manually add new Activity Types for each fiscal year. Updated Activity Types are automatically included for new installations going forward. Here is a guide.

No Action Required: We have not made any new interface related updates not described above

No Action Required: We've added one new report to HomeKeeper:

• FY 2025 Control Report

HomeKeeper User Permission Set (Managed)

Due to Salesforce limitations on what Permission Sets can be packaged, we developed and delivered 2 permission sets - Managed (included in HomeKeeper Upgrades) and Unmanaged (must be deployed separately). We have found, based on user feedback, that it has been confusing to have the two. We have made updates to the HomeKeeper User Permission - Unmanaged to contain all permissions needed, and will begin to phase out the Managed permission set due to those limitations.

We have also removed access to Record Types for Service Files on the Permission Set - this is due to us giving access to all (Homeownership, 1-1 Counseling, Assistance, and Group Education Only) while organizations may not want their users to do so. As Managed sets cannot be edited and supercede Profiles, we decided to remove those assignments and allow customization at the profile level.

Action Required: Ensure you have the most up-to-date Unmanaged permission set (contact support@myhomekeeper.org for a fresh deployment, we require developer account access). Ensure your users have, at the profile level, access to the record types you'd like them to.

Usage Reports

Action Required: We've updated Usage Reports - this is a process that analyzes your usage of HomeKeeper for purposes of improving the product and connecting with users. Based on a security update from Salesforce, email addresses are required to be verified in your system so the reports can be sent.

• In Setup, search for Scheduled Jobs.
• Click on Schedule Apex
• Job Name: HKUsage Metrics; Apex Class: UsageMetricsNotificationBatch; Frequency: Weekly; Monday at 12:00AM; Start (Today) End(next year)
  
• Go back to Setup, search for Organization-Wide Addresses
• A new Default No-Reply email is required. Click Add
• Enter any Display Name
• Enter your profile's email address
• Either Allow All Profiles or just select Profiles, Save
• Check your email and follow the link to verify the email address

No Action Required: We updated some code to be modernized with Salesforce's current security and sharing requirements, including changes to the FeeTriggerUtility, ContactTriggerUtility, PropertyTriggerUtility, AssetTriggerUtility, AMITriggerUtility

Applicant Info (New Feature!)

The largest change in this release is the introduction of our new Lightning Component 'Applicant Info', which is intended to replace the custom link 'Enter Applicants'. In addition to modernizing this with Lightning Web Components, we've kept the same flexibility with Field Sets, while adding more steps along the intake process to include household and financial details - Household Members, Income Sources, Assets, Debts - to set you up for program eligibility qualification and storing of financial checkpoints.

This is also part of our larger effort to replace old and outdated Salesforce components, improve the HomeKeeper user interface, and reduce clicks, all in the name of making your jobs easier and your programs better.

Action Required: The following permissions are required to be added manually. In future versions, the HomeKeeper Administrator Profile and HomeKeeper User Permission Set will be updated to include Apex Class Access to:

• EnterApplicantsController
• EnterApplicantsUtility
• EditAhhMemberController
• EditAssetController
• EditDebtController
• EditIncomeSourceController

Navigating Applicant Info

1. Primary & Co-Applicant - these function the same as it did in the custom link. You can create a new contact and household member, or lookup an existing contact. Once finished, you can click save & next to move on!
2. Household Members - we've added the ability for you to directly add and update the specific Household Members in one place! Selecting 'Add Household Member' will bring up the popup window to create an additional Household Member, which will default to a dependent. You can edit or delete Household Members by clicking the down arrow and selecting edit or delete. Once finished, you can click next to move on, or back to make revisions on your Co-Applicant.
3. Income Sources, Debts, and Assets - like household members, we've also added the rest of the financial information for adding and editing within this Applicant Info interface. Once finished, you can click next to move on, or back to make revisions, and leave this interface at any time.

Customizing Applicant Info/ Changing Field Sets

Like Enter Applicants, this is able to be customized. You can use the same Field Sets to modify which fields - standard or custom - to add to the Applicant and Co-applicant pages.

We have also added new Field Sets for each of the related objects - Household Members, Income Sources, Assets, and Debts - two each.

1. Controls what can be entered at create or edit
2. Controls the fields that appear in the List View

Adding to custom Lightning Record Pages

Action Required: If you are using your own custom Lightning Record Pages, you can easily add this component where you choose. We've defaulted to adding this within a Tab, but you can also add it in accordions, on a side bar, make it conditional, etc. Learn more about customizing Lighting Record Pages here.

The component is titled enterApplicants, and is in the Custom - Managed Section - available once you upgrade to 2.12. Currently it is only Desktop compatible.

Credit Score Syncing - Service File and Counseling & Education

Action Required: We've identified an issue where Credit Score is being tracked in two separate places--the Service File and the Counseling & Education record. This could lead to confusion, and was creating issues with Financial Checkpoints not recording a credit score. To address this, we've taken the following steps:

• We've added a field on Counseling & Education for 'Copy Credit Score to Service File?'. When checked, this field will copy the Credit Score to the Primary Applicant on the related Service File. You can update this field in the list view on the Counseling & Education level, or Follow this guide for step by step instructions to add it to the layout and edit it on the Counseling & Education page.
• We've added Credit Score as a default field on our New 1-1 Counseling button (formerly known as Quick 1-1 Counseling) to ensure a credit score is recorded when creating 1-1 Counseling records. This field will pull a credit score from the Service File if there is one available.

Clone HH, Demographic and Income Action Button

Action Required: We've duplicated our Clone HH, Demographic, and Income Button, and DEPRECATED the old version. When cloning, the new version of the button allows users to choose from their active record types for the cloned record.

This button is defaulted on the Homeownership Record type but not on others. This functionality works with any record type and can be added to any service file layout. You can remove the old, deprecated button and add the new button to any layout by following this guide for step by step instructions.

Primary Applicant Gender

Action Required: We've added a field on the Service File for 'Primary Applicant Gender'. This is to allow users to update it directly on the Service File, and enables us to include it in our HUD Helper Fields, and Enter HUD Fields button.

You can update this field in the list view on the Service File level, or Follow this guide for step by step instructions to add it to the layout and edit it on the Service File page.

No Action Required: We've added 'Primary Applicant Gender' to our HUD Helper Fields (which identify missing HUD fields), as it is a required field for HUD submissions. This will encourage users to review if they've provided a response for 'Primary Applicant Gender'.

No Action Required: We've added 'Primary Applicant Gender' to our 'Enter HUD Fields' button quick action, as it is a required field for HUD submissions. This will allow users to include Gender when quickly entering required HUD Fields.

Agency UEI Number

Action Required: We've added a field on the Agency level for 'Agency UEI'. This will allow you to include your Agency UEI in HomeKeeper, and is prep work to include Agency UEI in HUD submissions. Submitting Agency UEI is not available in this release, but will be available in a future HUD Connect release.

You can update this field in the list view on the Agency level, or follow this guide for step by step instructions to add it to the layout and edit it on the Agency page.

No Action Required: We've renamed the button 'Quick 1-1 Counseling' to 'New 1-1 Counseling' for the sake of clarity.

Action Required: We've added "Unknown" as a possible value to Educational Attainment Picklist on both the Service File and the Application Household Member and configured reporting to treat this value appropriately. Existing users that are upgrading must add these values manually to the picklists.

No Action Required: We've added two new reports to HomeKeeper:

• 1-1 Counseling by Counselor w/ Contact
• Open 1-1 Counseling by Counselor

Action Required: We've done some troubleshooting and fixes on our Salesforce Integration Permission Set added in version 2.11, and can confirm it is now working and available. This could potentially be used to connect an integration to your HomeKeeper org without using a paid license.

Contact HomeKeeper support if you are System Administrator who needs a detailed list of field level security requirements needed for profiles using the HomeKeeper package, or if you'd like us to deliver Permission Sets to ensure smooth access to HomeKeeper.

Action Required: For our National Data Hub users - we have finished upgrading all users of the National Data Hub to a recent HomeKeeper version, which unblocked our work on allowing users to have Custom Race and Ethnicity mappings while still contributing to the National Data Hub. These changes are live!

No Action Required: We identified an issue preventing users from reliably having more than 1000 AMI records, where HomeKeeper would not return search results for every record. We have fixed this to allow more than 1000 AMI records.

No Action Required: We have removed the restriction on duplicate AMIs, as we found that it limited users arbitrarily. You can now have AMI records with duplicate characteristics, such as name.

No Action Required: We identified an issue with counting purpose of visits when populating the 9902 for HUD Connect Submissions. HomeKeeper and HUD Connect will no longer count the Purpose of Visit for Group Education C/Es - even if it's set on the CE.

No Action Required: We've added 'Primary Applicant Gender' to permission sets to ensure access now that it is an editable field directly on the Service File.

No Action Required: We've added 'Fax' from the Contact to permission sets to ensure access, as it wasn't currently included.

No Action Required: We've added a custom setting on the HomeKeeper Trigger Settings called 'Disable SvcFile_After Property Update'. It is very important that you do not take action here unless you are confident you understand the implications of this feature. This field allows users to toggle off the automatic changes between Service File Status and Property Status, which can clear Property information in some cases where users do not want it to.

No Action Required: We identified an issue with our National Data Hub sync which was preventing data from updating due to some outdated mappings attempting access to owner fields, and have since removed this behavior.

No Action Required: We've cleared some technical debt by removing Debug Statements from some of our Apex classes.

No Action Required: We've cleared some technical debt by removing dead/commented out code.