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- Can I use OTTER with Windows Vista?
- How do I know if I have the newest version of OTTER?
- When I send the email with the OTTERTRF.ZIP file attached, it returns with an error. What am I doing wrong and what address should I send it to?
- How do I delete employees from the Form 132 screen?
- How do I make a diskette?
- Is there any way I can sort the Wage Detail Report, the Form132?
- How can I move my OTTER data from my old computer to my new one?
- How do I look at the report I am submitting?
- How can I send my reports through email?
- What if I find a mistake on my last quarter’s reports?
- What can I do to maximize OTTER performance?
1. Question
Can I use OTTER with Windows Vista?
Answer
OTTER users are not reporting any problems using OTTER with Vista. You will not find your database file or transfer file (OTTER32.mdb or OTTERTRF.ZIP) where you put them.
Windows Vista (“Vista”) uses “User Account Control” (“UAC”) by default, to prevent unauthorized access to the computer. UAC protects the default program folder where application programs are usually installed.
After program installation, Vista prevents the programs from storing or changing data in their own individual installation folder. Instead, Vista stores data in a “Virtual Store”, in a different physical location than expected.
Vista makes OTTER save the database file Otter32.mdb in C:\Users\Otter\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files\Otter32.
When you save the transfer file to C:\Program Files\Otter32, it really goes to "C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files\Otter32". Browse to that address when attaching your transfer file to our secure server.
2. Question
How do I know if I have the newest version of OTTER?
Answer
Each update of OTTER has a version number. The new version for 2008 is 2.14.0. View your current version number by going to the menu bar and selecting Help, then select About OTTER. The current version number will be to the right of the photo of the otter.
3. Question
When I send in my e-mail with the OTTERTRF.ZIP file attached for my quarterly report to the OTTER@emp.state.or.us address, it comes back with a message that says, "permanent fatal errors in address", "message refused", "message rejected" or a similar message indicating that the OTTER e-mail address will not accept my report. What am I doing wrong and what address should I send it to?
Answer
There are two possible causes for this problem.
First, many of the anti-virus programs and user firewalls will not allow your system to transmit the OTTERTRF.ZIP file because it is an encrypted file. This is done for your protection so no one else can access your report data, but many of the new security systems reject an encrypted file as a security violation.
Second, because of past security problems from certain Internet Service Providers (ISP´s), we do not allow them to send e-mailed files through our internal firewall. Even though it may have nothing to do with anything you have done, we have excluded e-mailed files from that ISP.
The solution is to submit the file through our secure Web server. Follow the instructions on this secure Web site. If this address works for your OTTER report transmission, you should bookmark it for next quarter. If you still have questions, call the OTTER Tech Support Line at 503-947-1544.
4. Question
How do I delete employees from the Form 132 screen?
Answer
To delete an employee from the Form 132 screen follow the instructions below:
- Select the Form 132 in the outline on the left hand side of the main OTTER screen which contains the employees you would like to delete.
- There is a gray box next to each Social Security Number in the list. If you click this box, the entire line will change color, which means it is selected. To select multiple lines, hold the Ctrl key while using the mouse to click on the gray box next to the other employees you wish to delete, they will also be selected.
- Press the Delete key on your keyboard.
- Press the Save button on the toolbar or select Save under the File menu.
5. Question
How do I make a diskette?
Answer
- Select Make Transfer File under the File menu.
- On the screen that comes up, select the year and quarter you would like to send in this transfer by clicking on the quarter.
- Press the Next button.
- Select the reports you wish to be transfered by clicking on the gray box to the left of the Rpt´d column. The entire row will change color. To select multiple reports, use the Select All button, or hold the Ctrl key down while using the mouse to click on the gray boxes next to the Rpt´d column for the other reports you wish to include in this transfer. If you have muliple businesses, they should all be sent in the same transfer file.
- Press the Next button.
- Select the location where the Transfer File will be created. If you want to send your report on diskette, make sure you have a blank diskette in the drive and click on the arrow under Drives to select your floppy drive.
- Press the Finish button.
- The screen will give you feedback as the Transfer File is being created and tell you if it was successful.
- Once the file is created, use the Print Transfer File to print a list of the reports included in the Transfer File for your own records.
- Press the OK button.
Please label the diskette with the preparer´s name, phone number and the number of reports included on the disk.
6. Question
Is there any way I can sort by last name on the Wage Detail Report, the Form132?
Answer
You can sort by any of the columns on the 132, whether you want to sort by last name, first name, or even wages. Just click your mouse pointer on the Heading of the column by which you wish to sort. In this example just put the pointer in the Heading box that says "Last Name," single click on it and it will sort alphabetically by last name, rather than SSN.
7. Question
How can I move my OTTER data from my old computer to my new one?
Answer
All of your OTTER information is in a file named "otter32.mdb" (for master database). Just copy that file onto a diskette, place it in the floppy drive of your new computer, and drag and drop through Explorer or copy that file into the OTTER folder on your new computer.
8. Question
How do I look at the report I am submitting to make sure everything is there after I follow the steps in Make Transfer File?
Answer
You cannot look at the individual reports. The file that has been created is OTTERTRF.ZIP. It is a zipped, encrypted file where the data can only be displayed by the Employment Department. You can view which businesses and quarters are included in the OTTERTRF.ZIP report by following these steps:
- If filing by diskette, place the diskette in your floppy drive.
- Click on File on the menu bar.
- Click on View Transfer File.
- The screen will display the default file which is c:\Program Files\OTTER32\ottertrf.zip. This is the file you would use if reporting by email. If reporting on diskette, click on Browse and select your floppy drive, usually a:. Click on OK to change it, then click on Next at the bottom of the screen.
- The next screen will show you which businesses and quarters are included in that transfer file. If the report does not contain what you want, follow the steps to Make Transfer File again.
If you would like a copy for your records, click on Print Transfer List at the bottom of the screen. Click on Finish when you are done.
9. Question
How can I send my reports through email?
Answer
First of all the OTTER file is an encrypted file so it can only be processed by Employment Department staff. Most (but not all) e-mail packages contain the ability to send an attached file by e-mail. The first thing is to follow the steps to Make Transfer File under the File menu.
The program will ask you to select the quarter and year that you would like to report. The next screen will ask you to select the business you wish to report. The final screen will ask you if you want to put the report in the Otter folder of your C:\ drive. Click on "Finish" and the report will be made. The screen will tell you that the C:\Program Files\OTTER32\OTTERTRF.ZIP file has been successfully completed and it will display a button at the bottom titled "E-mail Transfer File." Click on that and it will prepare the report to be
e-mailed to the correct address.
If your e-mail is incompatible with the automated email process, go into your e-mail, go into your C:\Program Files\Otter32 folder, locate the ottertrf.zip file on the right hand side of the screen, and attach it to your e-mail. Address the e-mail to OTTER@emp.state.or.us. If you are transferring one report, list the Business Identification Number as the subject of the e-mail. If sending several, list the first BIN as the subject. In the body of the e-mail include a telephone number where you can be reached if we encounter difficulties processing it.
See also: What to do if you get an error when you e-mail your file.
10. Question
If I find a mistake on my last quarter’s reports, do I just send you another diskette or e-mail?
Answer
No. Change your OTTER reports for the quarter as they should have been. Then PRINT all the reports. Write AMENDED across the top of the reports and send them all into the Employment Department. DO NOT send another diskette or e-mail.
11. Question
What can I do to maximize OTTER performance?
Answer
Run the OTTER program by itself. To see if there are other programs running in the background, press Ctrl+Alt+Del in Windows /98/2000/XP.
Another tip is to run the Repair Database program at least once each quarter. This function will compact the database as well as repair it and that will make OTTER run more efficiently. To start this program in Windows 98/2000/XP select the Start\Programs\OTTER menu. Then select "repair database" and run the program. It will leave a message on the screen after the database has been repaired and compacted.
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