Data Service

In a nutshell Data Service is like ...
Your debtor client is sitting in your office looking at their account on your computer. However, in reality they are in their office viewing their account using their favorite browser. And more, they can do this whenever they like because Data Service never closes..

Our secure Data Service feature is an optional add-on for Sheriff Desktop. It is thus named because a browser application called Data Service is used by the debtors to access their account and cases in real time. Real time means they see their account exactly as it is at the time they are looking at it. It takes approximately 3 seconds for Sheriff Desktop to upload changes to the remote database containing their account.

The Data Service application is hosted on a Pro Systems domain. You therefore do not need to own a website or domain. Your debtors have nothing to install because Data Service runs in their browser. What a debtor can see and do depends on the permission settings of their account. You control those settings. Data Service is cross platform compatible so any browser can use it. Debtors access the app using a hyperlink embedded in a mail notification they receive from you. The hyperlink is unique and secure for each debtor and allows Data Service to identify them. They then login to their account using a password that they create. Data Service allows the debtor to:

Query Their Cases
Of course, they can only see their own cases. That is cast in stone. There is no way they can hack Data Service to see the cases of other debtors.
They can find cases using a filter field that accepts anything, so they can find cases by typing anything they know about the case they want.
See Case Detail
When case detail is shown they can see most of everything that will be important to them. The good stuff is arranged into four tabs:
- Detail. As the name implies, this tab holds important detail regarding the case.
- Costs. If the case has costs those costs are displayed in detail.
- Content. If the case is a return then this tab contains the return content. This is the one they will want to see most of all. It is thus possible for a debtor to see the result of a served case just seconds after it was created. Not even email is that fast!
- Related. Lists cases with the same case number as the one being displayed. They can "drill down" on the other cases. This open's a new tab showing that's case's detail.
See their statement.

Access Control

Most importantly, you control the debtor privileges when they use Data Service. Operators who have the appropriate permission can set individual debtor accounts to one of these settings: Data Service Control

In the example above the debtor access is set to Restricted because of a long outstanding account. This means they can see and do anything except see the content of their returns. This will most likely be a great motivation for them to pay! When payment is received the permission setting can change to Allowed and the debtor can once again enjoy unrestricted access to their account.

Run the Data Service app and see for yourself...

Let's show you exactly what Data Service looks and feels like to a debtor. Let's assume you a lawyer firm called PRO SYSTEMS, and are a debtor of a fictitious sheriff called Sheriff Fisher Haven. The sheriff sends you an email notification that looks similar to this:

Dear Sir/Madam
A new return has just been created for this case. You will receive my return shortly, but in the meantime you are welcome to use my browser based Data Service website application to see it now. I present this free service to you to enable you to speed up your interaction with your clients. Apart from seeing this new return, Data Service presents to you functionality to query any of your cases anytime you wish. You can also see the status of your account in real time. I urge you to use Data Service as I believe it will assist you regarding other queries as well.

You'll notice that the link given below uses the https protocol, which means it's secure, verified, and trusted. You can therefore use it with complete confidence.
To access your account and its cases, click the link below:
https://www.sheriffvps.co.za/shx_login.aspx?Data=YYA+/LL/URAovY+dMkVWDn3yPFFz/5oOO2apys+qfvgS/g1x+t69jNUlYcvcVqOi

Yours sincerely

To run Data Service and see it in action we invite you to click the blue button:
When you do:

A new tab will open and you will be directed to a website hosting the Data Service app.
You will automatically get logged in to a demo account called Pro Systems.
Remember, what you see is what your debtor will see.
Explore the Data Service app at your leisure.
Know that certain functions are disabled - its a demo account.
Now, just click (or tap) this button:

Below are some screen shots of Data Service running in a browser.