Appraise Release Notes

Version 8.1.0

Nov 29, 2024

Features

  • Default Support for Transport Layer Security (TLS) 1.2

TLS is a cryptographic security protocol that encrypts data between a user’s system and a data server. We have implemented baseline support for TLS 1.2 as this has become the industry standard for transport security to better protect our clients’ information.

  • Options Identifier Lookup

Users now have access to a new utility. This allows them to enter in a Ticker, Option Date, select Call or Put, and enter a Strike Price to search for an Options Identifier CUSIP. This can be used in Appraise to value Options.

  • Ticker Symbol Lookup
Users now have access to a new utility. This allows them to enter in a company’s name to search for its Ticker Symbol. This can be used in Appraise and Options Identifier Lookup.

  • Complied with a Code Signing Certificate
Our installation program has been digitally signed using “Public Key Infrastructure” (PKI) to indicate Evaluation Services as the globally “Verified Publisher” on Windows systems. This ensures that the installer has not been tampered with and allows for faster onboarding due to its secure, verifiable nature.

  • CUSIP Agreement Statement added to all reports
CUSIP Global Services (“CGS”) provides Evaluation Services with access to their CUSIP Database through a Subscription service. This agreement merely states that Evaluation Services does not own or claim to own the information contained in said database.

  • Gift Tax stock and bond valuations available with and without accruals
IRS regulation 26 CFR § 25.2512-2 says income is paid to the    registered owner on certain key dates that may differ for stocks and bonds. Users now have the choice, using a setting, whether to include accruals in gift tax valuations

Fixes

  • Corrected sequencing issues in alternate valuations when transactions are applied.

In prior versions, repeated file saving caused by transactions could potentially un-sequence asset data positioning and corrupt alternate portfolios. This may have had an impact on saving, pricing, and writing portfolios to a PDF report format.

  • Improved Input Validation in Appraise and Universal Import

Both applications now recognize invalid characters in the CUSIP identifier field. Appraise will disallow the character from input entirely. Universal Import will flag and alert the user to the invalid character’s location.

  • Corrected rare case where data flag value from vendor would return unexpected data type

In very rare circumstances, certain data calls to our vendor, Intercontinental Exchange, would return a string instead of an integer. This would result in a null value being used in certain calculations. This did not have an impact on the vast majority of customers and has been corrected.

  • Does not write to registry on installation

Prior versions of Appraise made entries to the registry on installation. This no longer happens as these settings have been moved to a configuration file.

  • Changed GRAT header from “Estate of” to “Portfolio Valuation”

In prior versions, the GRAT valuations said “Estate of”. This has been changed to “Name of Portfolio” to reflect the fact the account holder is still alive.

  • Removed “Automatic Copy From Clipboard”

In very rare circumstances and only when creating a new portfolio, the first record of a portfolio could copy the last item on a user’s clipboard. This caused a sequencing error or blank record. This did not have an impact on the vast majority of customers and has been corrected.

  • Changed exchange for muni bonds to “ICE/IDC”

In prior versions the Exchange listing was “OTC” to represent “Over the Counter”. We updated the Exchange listing to “ICE/IDC” to reflect that these prices are provided by an “ICE/IDC” matrix.