GEMS - Frequently asked questions

Frequently Asked Questions

What if my firm has multiple offices? Are there any discounts for multiple office purchases?
How can I change my firm's account and contact information?
How will I know when you update GEMS?
Can I have update notices sent to myself and my IT department?
Is there a limit on the number of individuals who can access GEMS?
Can more than one person use GEMS?
When will GEM709 for the 2008 filing season be released?
When will the 2008 edition of GEMS be available?
How do I use GEMS from a network or shared drive?
How do I use GEMS from a local installation on a single workstation with files located on a network or shared drive?
What is the "Class not registered" error message?
When I print from GEM706 or GEMAcct, I do not see printed text, I see boxes and symbols. What do I need to do?
If I installed GEMS on my network drive, will I have to update each workstation when new releases become available?
How can I re-order or move items in my chart of accounts in GEMAcct?
Does GEMAcct give me an option to group security accounts with separate lots together in the chart of accounts?
Is there a way that I can choose to have some account categories in GEMAcct automatically collapsed or closed so I do not see all the accounts listed under those categories?
How can I move or copy items on schedules in GEM706?
Where can I obtain CUSIPs?
How does the EVP Pricing utility handle government-backed securities?
How does the EVP Pricing utility price bonds?
I have several securities entered on schedule G in a 706 client file but when I use EVP to price the stocks they are coming back assigned to schedule B. Is there a way to change this so those assets will automatically be assigned to schedule G rather than changing each of them one-by-one in the transfer window?
If I make a mistake and price an asset twice, will EVP charge me for duplicate pricing?

GEMS FAQ’s

Multiple office pricing:

Invest in GEMS for your additional office(s) at the renewal rate. 50% savings!!! Call Todd Studer at 888-GEMS706 (436-7706) or email tstuder@gillettpublishing.com for details.

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How can I change my firm's account and contact information?

Go to www.gillettpublishing.com, and, under Support, click on Account Update. You must enter your GEMS authorization code (in addition to your five digit customer number) to access your account information. You can edit the information and add an additional e-mail address for notifications.

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How will I know when you update GEMS?

We will always send an e-mail notification when we release an update to GEMS. The notification is sent to the contact person entered at the time of purchase. To review the name of your contact person or to add a second contact person, go to www.gillettpublishing.com, and, under Support, click on Account Update. You must enter your GEMS authorization code (in addition to your five digit customer number) to access your information.

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Can I have update notices sent to myself and my IT department?

Yes! We have added the ability to list two e-mail addresses for each account. Go to www.gillettpublishing.com, and, under Support, click on Account Update. You must enter your GEMS authorization code (in addition to your five digit customer number) to access your information.

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If I have licensed the network version, is there a limit on the number of individuals who can access GEMS?

If you have licensed the network version, there is no limit on the number of people who can access GEMS at the same time. However, your license IS limited to a single geographic location. Thus, if your firm has two offices using GEMS, you must license each office, even though you installed GEMS on a wide area network which is accessible by both offices.

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If I have licensed the single user version, can more than one person use GEMS?

If you have licensed the single user version, more than one person can use GEMS, but not at the same time. If more than one person uses GEMS at the same time, you must upgrade your license to the network version.

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When will GEM709 for the 2008 filing season be released?

The Internal Revenue Service is expected to release the Form 709 for the 2008 filing season in December. GEM709 for the 2008 filing season will be released shortly thereafter and will be available for free download for current 2008 subscribers.

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When will the 2008 edition of GEMS be available?

The 2008 edition of GEMS was released in early 2008 and is available now! It includes a preliminary version of GEM706 for 2008 decedents.

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Using GEMS from a network or shared drive:

In order to access GEMS from a shared network on a workstation, you must first install the program on your network drive and enter your Authorization code to access the full program. Following the full installation on your network drive, you will also need to run the workstation installation on each workstation from which you intend to access GEMS. The workstation installation is not a complete installation. It installs necessary fonts and DLL’s on your local drive which allow your workstation to access and print GEMS data from your server.

You may print COMPLETE INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS by going to www.gillettpublishing.com, and, under Support, click Downloads. Enter your five digit customer ID number and click Submit. The Complete Installation Instructions are listed at the top of the available downloads.

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Using GEMS from a local installation on a single workstation with files located on a network or shared drive

If you wish to access GEM706, GEMAcct, or GEM709 from a workstation but store your data files for each program on a shared drive or network, you will need to direct each program in GEMS to the path or location where you wish to save the files when you create your first new file in each program. For example, open GEM706 and at the Select Data File window, click Create New. Click the down arrow at the Look In window and browse to your shared file location. Then name the data file and click Open. The next time you create a new file, GEMS will default to the same location automatically as long as the path is not changed on your workstation. You should repeat these steps for GEMAcct and GEM709 to save all GEMS files to your network.

For Files already created and saved in the GEMS default C drive directory, you will need to manually move those files to your network file location.

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When I press F7 to add items to schedules on the 706 or to the chart of accounts in GEMAcct, I receive a message “class not registered”. What do I need to do?

You have failed to run the workstation installation on your individual PC. You must do a workstation installation on each PC from which you intend to access GEMS, including any new workstations added later. You may print COMPLETE INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS by going to www.gillettpublishing.com, and, under Support, click Downloads. Enter your five digit customer ID number and click Submit. The Complete Installation Instructions are listed at the top of the available downloads.

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Why do I see symbols and boxes on my screen when I display tax returns and accountings?

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If I installed GEMS on my network drive, will I have to update each workstation when new releases become available?

You only have to install new releases on your network drive. It is not necessary to repeat the workstation installation. However, you will have to perform a workstation installation if you add additional workstations.

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How can I re-order or move items in my chart of accounts in GEMAcct?

Simply click on the item, hold the mouse key down and drag the item to the location you would like to move it within the same general account category and let the mouse key go… the item will drop into that location.
Alternatively, right-click on the item you wish to move, then select Copy from the popup menu. Next, right-click on the location where the item is to be moved (the new location) and select Paste from the popup menu. The item will be moved to that location.

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Can I group separate lots of the same security in GEMAcct?

Yes. Beginning with the 2008 edition of GEMAcct, you have an option to set preferences to display accounts with lots together in the chart of accounts. Just open the client file and select the "preferences" pull-down at the top left of the window. Then, select Master/Sub under "Account Grouping" and close the window by clicking on the red X at the top right corner.

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Can I automatically collapse some accounts in the GEMAcct tree?

Yes. Beginning with the 2008 edition of GEMAcct, you have an option to set preferences to automatically expand or collapse individual account categories when you open your data file. Just open the client file and select the "Preferences" pull-down at the top left of the window. Then select "Expand" or "Collapse" next to each account category under the "On Startup" column. Then close the window by clicking on the red X at the top right corner.

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How can I move or copy items on schedules in GEM706?

Click on an item in the schedule and drag it to the desired location on the same or another schedule and drop. You will see a pop-up with drag and drop options. Select the desired option and click “OK”. The item will be moved or copied to the desired location.
Alternatively, right-click on the item you wish to move, then select Copy from the popup menu. Next, right-click on the location where the item is to be moved (the new location) and select Paste from the popup menu. The item will be moved to that location.

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EVP Pricing utility

Where can I obtain CUSIPs?

You can obtain free CUSIPs from the following Fidelity Investments website; http://activequote.fidelity.com/mmnet/SymLookup.phtml/

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Government backed securities (GNMA, FNMA, FHLMC)

When I priced my GNMA loan through GEMS I noticed that the units changed and the factor displayed in the description appeared to have the decimal moved for the share/Par # of units. How is GEMS pricing government backed securities?

This issue arises because EVP prices the original face amount of loan by default and they will apply a formula or factor calculation to the units entered into GEMS to determine the value of the item.

You will need to enter the original loan amount in GEMS or change the default pricing method in EVP.

To change EVP default, open your EVP program, click “tools” then “options” then “methodology”. Go to “mortgage backed options”, click the down-arrow and select “input remaining principal”. You may re-price your securities in GEMS with no additional charges.

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Bonds

When I used the GEMS EVP Pricing utility to price 10,000 shares of a bond I noticed that the units that came back from EVP in the pricing description had grown to 1,000,000. Why did this happen?

Bonds are generally priced in blocks of 100. Therefore, you must divide the number of shares for the bond by 100 before entering the units into GEMS. In this case, you would enter 100 units. EVP will apply this formula and return 10,000 shares/par for the priced item.

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I have several securities entered on schedule G in a 706 client file but when I use EVP to price the stocks they are coming back assigned to schedule B. Is there a way to change this so those assets will automatically be assigned to schedule G rather than changing each of them one-by-one in the transfer window?

Yes. Open your EstateVal program from your list of program files. Click the Tools pull-down then click on Options. Under Options, choose the Export tab then click the end of the "Type" field and select EPScom. Finally, click the down arrow at the end of the Schedule field and choose schedule G. Note that if you have "GEMS" selected in the TYPE field, you may not see an option to select the schedule.

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EVP billing

If I make a mistake and price an asset twice, will EVP charge me for duplicate pricing?

EVP will not duplicate billing for items priced more than once if pricing is done on a file that already exists in the EVP file window. An EVP file is created when pricing is done through GEMS. EVP will pick up the first name entered in the “file name” box when a file is initially created in GEMS and use it to name the EVP portfolio file that is created.