Program Default Settings | Preferences

Setting up your Program Defaults is one of the first steps in getting your account ready, and it can be updated as needed. These settings control many of the preferences that affect how your software works, including what appears on your Summary Page, tenant and owner portal options, notifications, reports, payments, and integrations.

Most settings are preconfigured with recommended defaults, so you don't need to decide on every option before getting started. You can always return to Program Defaults and make changes as you become more familiar with Rentec Direct.


How to Establish Your Program Defaults

Set up your primary Program Defaults in about 5 minutes. You can return to this page at any time to make changes.

In your Rentec Direct account: 

  1. Click Settings
  2. Under Program, select Program Defaults
  3. Review and configure preferences in each section:
    1. Summary Display Options
    2. General Preferences
    3. Portal Settings for Tenants and Owners
    4. Integrations
  4. At the bottom of the page, click on Edit Advanced Settings to review additional preferences:
    1. Reporting Preferences
    2. Payment Options
    3. Advanced General Preferences
  5. Click Save Changes

💡 Tip: Hover over the “?” icon next to a setting for additional information for the field while you're making your selections.

Automatic Email Notifications

During setup, you’ll see options related to automatic email notifications to tenants. These notifications can also be set when you add a tenant or move a tenant into a property.

Enabling automatic notifications can help keep tenants informed without requiring you to send each message manually.

Learn more about Automatic Email Notifications.

Program Defaults

Program Defaults are organized into several sections, allowing you to customize how your account looks and behaves.

Summary Display Options

Choose what information you want to see on your Summary Page. This helps you prioritize the most important tasks as soon as you log in.


You can:

  •  Set the default property filter for the Property Summary chart
  • Choose how many days before leases expire or properties become vacant to display on the Summary Page
  • Choose how many days before renters’ insurance expires it should appear in Quick Access Links and reports

Tip: Your Summary Page is designed to give you a quick view of information that may need your attention. Adjust these settings to match how far in advance you typically like to plan.

General Preferences

General Preferences control many of the day to day behaviors and display options throughout your Rentec Direct account.

Display and Navigation

Customize how information is displayed and how you navigate your account, including:

  • Property list sorting order
  • Number of results shown on property and tenant lists
  • Whether property names appear in ledgers

Live Help & Support

Choose whether to display the Live Expert Help button in your account.

When enabled, Live Expert Help provides access to:

  • AI-powered answers
  • Rentec Direct Knowledge Base articles
  • Email and chat support with a U.S.-based support team

Email and notifications

Set preferences for automatic emails and notifications, including:

  • Automatically email work orders to maintenance managers
  • Automatically email owners when ACH distributions are sent via ACH (PM accounts)
  • Set the types of Rentec Direct company emails you would like to receive:
    • All updates
    • Product updates only
    • No emails

Note: Company-level email preferences can be set here, while individual subusers can manage their own.

Lead Options

If you use Rentec Direct's lead management features, you can choose whether to:

  • Use the tenant lead matching system
  • Email the lead list to the manager when the property becomes vacant
  • Allow leads to save searches

Reminder and Report Preferences

Customize preferences such as:

  • Report font size
  • Report header style
  • Your account time zone
  • The time of day reminders should be sent

Portal Settings for Tenants and Owners

Portal Settings control what tenants and owners can access and do through their online portals.

Tenant Portal

Choose whether tenants can:

  • View and create work orders
  • Obtain renters' insurance
  • Activate credit reporting
  • Receive automatic renters insurance reminders

You can also set the number of days used for balance-due messaging. This can be helpful if you generate invoices before the payment due date and want to give tenants an advance reminder.

Owner Portal

For PM accounts, you can choose whether owners can:

  • View work orders
  • View reports
  • See tenant names

Tip: Review your portal settings before inviting tenants or owners to their portals. This gives you an opportunity to decide what information and features you want available from the start.

Integrations

Program Defaults also include settings for available integrations and insurance-related features.

Depending on your account and available integrations, you may be able to:

  • Enable the Rentometer Integration
  • Display landlord insurance rates on the Edit Property page
  • Choose which properties display automatically calculated insurance estimates:
    • Self-owned
    • All properties
    • Do not display rates
  • Purchase landlord insurance directly through the software

Advanced Program Defaults

Some additional settings are available by clicking Edit Advanced Settings at the bottom of the Program Defaults page.

These settings provide more control over reports, payments, account behavior, and other advanced preferences.

Reporting Preferences

Customize how information appears on accounting reports, including:

  • The information displayed on accounting reports
  • Which email address appears on emailed reports

Payment Options

  • Display a custom late fee message on invoices and statements
  • Show the current tenant balance on printed receipts

  • Set your most commonly used rent charge frequency

    Note: The rent charge frequency can still be changed for individual properties or tenants when needed

  • Choose whether owner disbursements are made to each subunit or the primary unit.

Advanced General Preferences

Advanced General Preferences let you customize additional account behaviors, including:

Display & Layout

  • Number of results shown on Property and Tenant Lists
  • Show property name in ledgers
  • Show renter account number in breadcrumbs
  • Show Setup Help on Summary page
  • Use social image search for tenants and prospects

Communication & Messages

  • Disable the "This is a copy" message on emails copied to owners (PM accounts)
  • Suppress login security emails. These messages notify you when a new login is identified on your account.

  • Enter a custom message that will be displayed in all tenant portals

    Note: This is particularly helpful to states such as Colorado, which require landlords to post specific information on tenant online portals or platforms.

    Learn more about Tenant Portal Bulletin Will Permanently Display Notices and Disclosures to Your Residence

Data & Workflow

  • Save your search subject so you don't have to re-enter it if you leave the screen
  • Allow manually entered work order numbers
  • Require all phone number fields in the software to require 10-digit phone numbers
    • This is particularly helpful if you will be texting tenants or working with integrated partners.

    • You can also enter extensions and hints, like a name orthe  best time to call

      Hints

      Eric 541-555-1234

      541 555 1234 (Eric)

      541-555-1234 (9-5)

Note: You can use the following html tags: <strong>, <b>, <i>, <a>

Learn more about Rentec Direct Customize Your Account Settings| Rentec Direct Training Series from Rentec Direct on Vimeo.

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