This admin‑level guide defines who can create, how to properly set up, and how to manage Properties, Units, and Leases in PropertyBoss. It is written for System Admins, Accounting/Admin Leads, and Implementation Teams responsible for governance, data integrity, and long‑term maintenance.
Role Scope & Governance
Admin Responsibilities
- System structure & defaults (properties, units, def‑tabs)
- Data governance & naming conventions
- Permissions & security controls
- Change management (renames, inactivation, conversions)
- Audit readiness (reports, accounting impact)
Rule: Admins create and define standards. Property Managers operate within them.
1. PROPERTIES — Admin Level
Purpose
Properties are the top‑level accounting and reporting container. All units, leases, income, expenses, owner reporting, portals, and workflows anchor here. Admins control:
- Accounting file and transaction set behavior
- Default lease behavior for all future leases
- Publishing, reporting, and compliance standards
A. Creating a Property (Admin Setup)
Path: Navigator → Units & Leases → Create New Property
Required Administrative Decisions
Before clicking Save, admins must confirm:
- Property Type
- Single‑Unit (house)
- Multi‑Unit (apartment, duplex, park)
- Association (HOA/COA)
- Accounting Alignment
- Accounting File (required)
- Transaction Set (for QuickBooks)
- Tax Location (drives tax codes)
- Agent Assignment
- Drives workflows, reporting, and Navigator filtering
B. Property Setup — Admin‑Controlled Tabs
Property Tab (Governance Critical)
Admins define:
- Property Name (naming convention enforced)
- Status logic (Ready / Not Ready / Admin / Offline)
- Publish rules (website visibility) PropertyBoss Listings Portal*
- Inspection template defaults
Admin Rule: Availability and publish logic should be consistent company‑wide for the PropertyBoss Listings Portal.
Property Details (Custom Fields)
Admins may create up to 10 custom tabs. Allowed uses include:
- Insurance
- Utilities
- Internal notes
- Building‑level data
Never Store Here
- Bedrooms
- Bathrooms
- Square footage
Admin Rule: Deleting a Property Detail field deletes data for all properties.
Property Def‑Tabs (Defaults)
Admins own all Def‑tabs:
- Def‑Terms → Rent transaction, frequency, fiscal year
- Def‑Deposits → Security, pet, additional deposits
- Def‑Repeating → Default recurring charges
- Def‑Meters → Utility defaults (if enabled)
- Def‑Late Fees → Global late fee logic (if property‑level)
Admin Rule: Changes affect future leases only
C. Managing Properties (Admin Authority)
Renaming (High Impact)
Renaming affects:
- Reports
- Historical transactions
- Owner statements
- Media visibility
Note: Large databases may take time to reprocess
Deleting vs Inactivating
Deletion
- Allowed only if no leases ever had transactions
Inactivation (Best Practice)
- Removes property from reports
- Frees license count
- Preserves historical data
2. UNITS — Admin Level
Purpose (Admin View)
Units represent the rentable asset beneath a property. Admins ensure consistency, templates, and reporting accuracy.
A. Creating Units (Admin Best Practice)
Recommended: Template‑based creation
Why Templates Matter
- Standardized defaults
- Cleaner reporting
- Fewer lease errors
Creation Paths:
- Navigator → Create New Unit
- Property Notebook → Units Tab
B. Unit Setup — Admin‑Controlled Standards
Unit Tab
Admins define:
- Unit naming convention
- Status lifecycle rules
- Inspection template use
- Publish behavior
Admin Rule: Unit names must be unique per property.
Unit Details (Critical for Portals & Reporting)
Admins control:
- Field definitions
- Field types (Nbr of Bedrooms, Sq Ft, etc.)
Why This Matters
- Power prospect search filters
- Auto‑create inspection rooms
- Feed portal listings
Admin Rule: Do NOT rename or repurpose default system fields.
Unit Def‑Tabs
Same structure as Property Def‑Tabs, but applied per unit:
- Def‑Terms
- Def‑Deposits
- Def‑Repeating
- Def‑Meters
- Def‑Late Fees
Admin Strategy:
- Use Property defaults for consistency
- Override at Unit level only when necessary
C. Managing Units (Admin Authority)
Deleting Units
Only allowed if:
- No lease ever had transactions
Inactivating Units (*Best Practice)
- Frees unit license
- Can be reactivated
- Inactivating all units auto‑inactivates property
3. LEASES — Admin Level
Purpose (Admin View)
Leases drive:
- Rent posting
- Late fees
- Deposits
- Renewals
- Owner and tenant accounting
Admins define guardrails, not daily entry.
A. Lease Creation Rules (Admin Policy)
Allowed Creation Paths:
- Prospects Navigator (*Best Practice)
- Units & Leases Navigator
Admin ensures:
- Defaults exist before PMs create leases
- Overlapping leases policy is defined (Global Settings)
B. Lease Defaults & Enforcement
Admins control defaults via:
- Property Def‑Tabs
- Unit Def‑Tabs
Defaults govern:
- Rent amounts
- Due dates
- Frequency
- Deposits
- Recurring charges
- Late fees
Admin Rule: Defaults reduce errors but may be overridden by PMs during creation.
C. Dates & Posting Logic (Admin Knowledge Required)
Admins must understand:
- Next Rent Post Date logic
- Rent Paid Thru behavior
- Proration rules
- AutoPost implications
Admin Rule: Incorrect dates = incorrect accounting
D. Lease Management (Admin Authority)
Admins typically handle:
- Mass rent changes
- Late fee policy changes
- Renewal workflows
- Subsidy configuration
- Lease transfers
- Exception handling
Admins should audit using:
- A110 Lease Activity
- A140 Expiration List
- A156 Renewal Report
- A185 Move‑Out Reconciliation
4. Security & Permissions (Admin‑Only)
Configured under: Setup Preferences → Security Settings
Admins define:
- Who can create/edit properties and units
- Who can change lease defaults
- Who can post, reverse, or delete transactions
- Who can inactivate assets
Best Practice: Separate Admin, Accounting, and PM roles.
5. Admin Best Practices Checklist
- Create Property → THEN Units → THEN Leases
- Set defaults BEFORE PMs enter data
- Use templates aggressively
- Inactivate, don’t delete
- Audit after major changes
- Document naming conventions