U.S. Update News April 2002

COMPULIFE^® Software, Inc.The May 2002 disk update will be processed Thursday, April 25th and Friday, April 26th. Disks will be shipped Monday, April 29th. You should have the May Update in your office Wednesday, May 1st.

The May 2002 Internet monthly update will be posted to our four monthly update websites on Friday, April 26th.

Unless you have made arrangements to purchase your diskettes, please return your “April disks” ONLY AFTER you have successfully installed the May 2002 Update. April disks are your backup in case you should have problems installing the February edition.

Returning Old DisksThis section of the bulletin is for less than half of our subscribers. That’s right, the majority of Compulife’s subscribers now obtain their monthly updates by Internet and with the new Internet updating feature built right into our software, we have had a number of subscribers call to say how pleased they are with the new ease of obtaining updates.

For those of you who still obtain disks each month, and who do not want to return disks, there are two ways to eliminate the problem. Please go to the end of this bulletin for full details.

Internet Updating Working Extremely WellWhen we release new software that adds such a radical change as our recently introduced internet updating (without you using a browser), we worry about how many problems folks may encounter. All things considered, the transition was remarkably smooth and we have had very few problems with the new program.

To sum it up, our software goes and gets its own updates on the Internet, and also monitors our websites to see if newer information is available.

In fact this new feature is working so well, we have decided to offer a new bulk purchasing deal for agencies who would like to purchase multiple copies of Compulife for their own agents (updated by Internet). Here’s how that will work:

Bulk Purchase DiscountsTo review our existing discounts, if you already own a copy of Compulife and want to buy additional copies, there are significant discounts available.

For example, if an agent wants to purchase Compulife directly, it is $199 per year, updated through the Internet. However, if you want to buy the program for your agent, and add that to your current subscription with us the cost is $139 per year (that’s a $60 per year saving). That price is good for one additional system or more.

A less expensive version of our program is also available. We call the less expensive program “Compulife Lite”. Compulife Lite retails for $149 per year. However, you can purchase an additional copy of Compulife Lite for only $99 per year. Once again, that price is good for one additional system or more.

Customizing Your Version of CompulifeSome time ago we created a utility program called lockfile. This was designed to accommodate the wishes of those agencies that wanted their copies of our software to have only their companies and products enabled. Lockfile prevents the agent from undoing the changes. That’s what lockfile does, it locks in the changes you make to those copies.

To use lockfile you remove the companies and products that you don’t want. Next, you run lockfile on your agent’s copy of the software. Only the remaining companies and products will quote. Lockfile keeps your agent from reversing the changes and still allows him or her to take full advantage of the mid-month updating system that is available to ALL Compulife subscribers through the Internet.

And NOW – We Will Do it for YouA number of our customers have complained that customizing their agents’ copy of the program is a lot of work. Actually, it’s not if you are using disks for your agents, but many have still complained it’s a job they’d rather not do. Additionally, if you want to deliver that update by Internet, that can add another layer of work for you. None of this is complicated but it requires a monthly routine.

To address this Compulife is now prepared to do ALL this work for you. This is subject to purchasing a sufficient volume of software and subject to your customers’ ablility to get the updates by Internet.

NOTE: The following discounts and services are all made possible by the improved simplicity of our Internet Updating. These discounts ONLY apply to those bulk purchasing Compulife updates by Internet.

ALSO NOTE: For the following volume price discounts, YOU MUST BE BUYING the same programs and options. For example, you cannot mix 25 Lites and 25 regular systems, and then qualify for prices and services for 50 units. Therefore, if you want 50 Lites and 50 regular systems, you are at the 50+ pricing for each, not the 100+ pricing. And if you are buying 100 systems, you are better off buying 100 regular systems. That’s actually cheaper than 50 regular and 50 Lite. The reason for this is simple: It’s a lot less work for us.

Bulk Purchases – includes Customization and Hosting of all UpdatesSPECIAL OFFER: For the first 20 MGAs to act on the following offer

 

We will give those buying 50+ systems the 100+ system pricing.
For those buying 100+ systems, we will give the 200+ system pricing.
For those buying 200+ systems, call for a special quote.
50+ SystemsIf you purchase 50 or more copies of our software for your agents, at the regular prices of $139 per unit (for full Compulife) or $99 per unit (for Compulife Lite), Compulife will customize your version of the software for you. We will also provide the ability for your agents to automatically update your customized version from our websites.

We do it all, you have no work whatsoever with this arrangement!

In addition, a free copy of the Internet comparison software is also provided. This will permit you to set up on-line term quoting at your website. That also permits you to create custom web page/links for on-line term quotes for each of your agents who have the Compulife program, all at no charge.

Total cost for 50 Compulife Lites and Hosting:	$4,950
Total cost for 50 Compulife programs and Hosting:	$6,950

NOTE: For the first 20 MGA’s to act on this offer, the pricing will actually be:

Total cost for 50 Compulife Lites and Hosting:	$3,950
Total cost for 50 Compulife programs and Hosting:	$4,950

100+ SystemsIf you purchase 100 of more copies of our software for your agents, your price for the full Compulife drops to $99 per unit or $79 per unit (for Compulife Lite), and Compulife will customize your version of the software for you. We will also provide the ability for your agents to automatically update your customized version from our websites.

We do it all, you have no work whatsoever with this arrangement!

In addition, a free copy of the Internet comparison software is also provided. This will permit you to set up on-line term quoting at your website. That also permits you to create custom web page/links for on-line term quotes for each of your agents who have the Compulife program, all at no charge.

Total cost for 100 Compulife Lites and Hosting:	$7,900
Total cost for 100 Compulife programs and Hosting:	$9,900

NOTE: For the first 20 MGA’s to act on this offer, the pricing will actually be:

Total cost for 100 Compulife Lites and Hosting:	$5,900
Total cost for 100 Compulife programs and Hosting:	$7,900

200+ SystemsIf you purchase 200 of more copies of our software for your agents, your price for the full Compulife drops to $79 per unit or $59 per unit (for Compulife Lite), and Compulife will customize your version of the software for you, and provide the ability for your agents to automatically update your customized version from our websites.

We do it all, you have no work whatsoever with this arrangement!

In addition, a free copy of the Internet comparison software is also provided. This will permit you to set up on-line term quoting at your website. That also permits you to create custom web page/links for on-line term quotes for each of your agents who have the Compulife program, all at no charge.

Total cost for 200 Compulife Lites and Hosting:	$11,800
Total cost for 200 Compulife programs and Hosting:	$15,800

NOTE: For the first 20 MGA’s to act on this offer, CALL for special pricing.300 Systems or More

Call us for special quotes!
Midmonth Update ChangesOnce again, as those who run our Windows program noticed in March, the new Windows program now automatically and periodically checks to see if there are newer mid-month updates available on the Internet. It compares the date posted on the website, with the date of your last download, and if the website has a newer date the program will advise you and ask if you want to download the update.

Midmonth updates can occur ANYTIME. There are many who thought that these only happen on the 15th of the month. This has never been the case. Changes are posted as changes occur.

Previous to the automatic update you had to visit the website and manually click on and download the update files. Those files were found at the end of a bulletin which described the changes that had occurred to the program. If you didn’t see anything you needed you could skip the download.

Because the program will get the update files without viewing any bulletin on the Internet, we have now placed the list of changes in the download files themselves. Once the Compulife program has processed the update files the midmonth bulletin will be found in your \COMPLIFE folder and is called:

MIDMONTH.TXTMIDMONTH.TXT can be viewed using the View/Print File option on the Red Master menu.

For those who still wish to review the changes before downloading, you can still manually download the mid-month update.

UPDATE1.CMP is a very, very small update file which now contains the MIDMONTH.TXT file. By manually downloading UPDATE1.CMP (that will download almost instantly) and then by running and processing that file with the Compulife program (that will process instantly), you can review the MIDMONTH.TXT file using the View/Print File option on the Master menu. If you want the changes, you can then download the rest of the UPDATE files manually or automatically.

Trials by InternetCompulife has improved the software which we send to those requesting trials by Internet. The new trial programs is now less than 100K in size and so shipment by e-mail is very fast and simple.

To request a trial for a colleague, simply e-mail or call in their name, address, phone number and e-mail address to Compulife. Make sure we know that you are the source of that referral as you are entitled to 6 free months of service should they decide to purchase. (referral credit does not apply to those who purchase through our bulk buying discounts).

The e-mail addresses for a trial are:

barneyrl@concentric.net
or
barneyrl@compulife.com 

Windows Software ImprovementsThe Windows program has been further improved this month. Single product printouts now permit you to select the maximum number of premiums which are put on a page. Previously, if the client was very young, and there were a lot of premiums, the software would select a very tiny font in order to place all premiums on one pages. The fonts could get pretty tiny.

To set the number of year per page, select “Print Options” which is found at the top of the single product display window.

You can also check off and add a second renewal premium page if you want to show more than the maximum premiums you have allotted to a single page.

DOS Only Available by Internet – April 2002Last month Compulife announced we would begin to reduce the number of DOS modules included with our monthly update disks. As we indicated, this will be done on a step-by-step basis. The modules will be removed as needed, in order to keep the entire program to a maximum of one Master disk, and two data disks.

The first module removed from the system is the IACA.EXE, which is the Interest Adjusted Cost Analysis program. This particular DOS component has not been amended since September 1999. The copy you already have on your computer is current and there are NO PLANS to amend the DOS version of that component.

And remember, the Windows version of IACA is alive and well, and available to you in the Windows software.

The only problem you would have, if you use disk updates, is that if you attempted to install the disks to a new computer, which did not have Compulife on it previously, and if you use that IACA component in DOS, the component will not be there.

More important, if you are getting your monthly updates by Internet the full DOS version of all these software components will continue to be provided.

And even more Important to Remember: You save $80 per year by switching over to obtaining your monthly updates by Internet. Note: This assumes you are not purchasing Compulife in bulk and taking advantage of bulk buying discounts. If you are, then the cost saving switching from disks to Internet is $50 per year.

What Next for New Features?a) Pick 12 will be modified to allow the filing of multiple life quotes reflecting discounts for companies which offer multi-life options. You will be able to print pages showing total premiums for all lives and then subsequent pages for each individual life. Discounts, where available, will be noted. As the Pick 12 features become available, they will be posted to our mid-month update site.

b) Pick 12 will allow the quotation of modal premiums together with waiver of premium. Currently, when you click on waiver of premium, the spreadsheet defaults to annual premium. If you switch to another premium mode, the waiver of premium is dropped.

Dueling WebsitesFor those who update by Internet, Compulife has gone to great lengths to provide you with redundancy in our websites. Our main website is:

www.compulife.comHowever, we keep another completely separate website, on a completely different server, in a completely different country, at:

www.compulife.ccWhatever we update to compulife.com, we also update to compulife.cc. If one website goes down, for whatever reason, the other is ready to serve you. That includes both monthly and mid-month updates.

Returning Monthly Disk UpdatesFor those not wanting to return disks there are two ways to eliminate the problem.

1. Switch to obtaining monthly updates by Internet.

Not only will you eliminate the expense and hassle of returning disks, you will save $80 per year in subscription fees.

To switch to Internet monthly updates, call us at (800) 798-3488. We will send you an agreement called the “Internet Update Endorsement”. Read it carefully, especially the part where you agree that you have successfully downloaded and processed our “mid-month updates”. If you haven’t done that before, call us and we’ll be happy to take you through the procedure. It’s easy.

2. Disk Purchase Program

The other way to avoid returning the disks and the disk box each month is to pre-purchase them for $21 per year ($1.75 per month). Once you do that you can keep them for future reference, throw them away or return them for a credit (once each year) when you are invoiced for the following year. $21 costs you less than mailing back disks each month.