DBS Level 2 Certification

F001. In DBS support, how does a program differ from a report?

A program controls processing and logic; a report controls presentation of the resulting data. A wrong amount may originate before printing, so compare the underlying data with the displayed output.

F002. What are the roles of PRG and FXP files?

PRG is FoxPro program source; FXP is compiled program code. A source edit alone does not establish that the running installation uses that change.

F003. Which two files form a FoxPro report pair?

FRX and FRT. Keep the matching report files together when following an authorized deployment procedure.

F004. Which two files form a FoxPro form pair?

SCX and SCT. Custom-statement setup may depend on the original form filenames even when program and report names change.

F005. What are the roles of DBF, FPT, and CDX files?

DBF stores table records, FPT stores associated memo data, and CDX stores indexes. They are different components; repairing an index is not the same operation as replacing table data.

F006. What is the purpose of a client's Mods folder?

It holds client-specific programs and reports. Inspect the selected company and its custom files when behavior differs from the standard installation.

F007. What is a procedure in FoxPro?

A named block of code that performs a task. Identify its inputs, conditions, calls, and outputs to understand its behavior.

F008. What does a DO WHILE !EOF() loop need to move through records?

A way to advance the record pointer, commonly SKIP, plus its terminating ENDDO. A loop without appropriate advancement can repeatedly process the same record.

F009. How does a query result cursor differ from the underlying MySQL table?

A cursor is a working result used by the program. Do not assume that changing it changes the server table; persistence depends on the helper, update logic, and commit path.

F010. Why must you inspect the DBS MySQL helper's arguments before using a sample statement?

The training distinguishes ordinary queries from editable results, including an editable flag and alias. A familiar SELECT string does not establish that the entire helper call is read-only.

F011. What makes a database inspection query useful for troubleshooting?

Select only needed fields and narrow the records using verified identifiers, such as customer, bill type, reference, and date. First confirm which database and company the connection targets.

F012. Why should a customer number be treated according to its field type?

A character identifier can contain leading zeros or letters. Quote and compare it as its actual type requires; converting it to a number can change the identifier.

F013. Why should you verify field names instead of copying training examples blindly?

Examples can contain typos or describe another version. Check the actual schema and local code; the basic training includes an inconsistent reference-number spelling.

F014. What is Custmast primarily used for?

Customer master information, including customer identity and address information. It is not the detailed financial transaction history.

F015. What is Custserv primarily used for?

The services associated with a customer, including service-level configuration used in processing.

F016. How do Meter and Custmtr differ?

Meter describes the physical meter; Custmtr represents the meter's association with a customer. Investigate both when a reading exists but is linked to the wrong account.

F017. How do Mtrhist and Custhist differ?

Mtrhist holds meter or consumption history; Custhist holds customer financial transaction history. Choose the history that matches the symptom.

F018. Which table is associated with bill reprints?

Billprinthistory. A reprint problem can involve stored print history even when the current customer balance is correct.

F019. How do Noticeforms and Noticehist differ?

Noticeforms contains notice configuration; Noticehist records processed notice history. Configuration and evidence of prior processing answer different questions.

F020. What is Custbank used for?

Customer banking information used for ACH. Treat the actual account details as sensitive and keep them out of study materials and ordinary support notes.

F021. What role does Cctranhist play in online-payment troubleshooting?

It is an online-payment staging/history table identified in the reference guide. Its presence alone does not prove the payment was imported into a receipt batch and posted to the customer's ledger.

F022. What is Propmast used for in a person/parcel installation?

Property master information. Distinguish the property from the customer or occupant when tracing ownership, occupancy, and service behavior.

F023. How do Propmasthist, Propserv, and Propmeter support property troubleshooting?

Propmasthist tracks property/customer occupancy history; Propserv and Propmeter hold property service and meter defaults. Property defaults and a current customer's records can differ.

F024. What is UtJrn used for?

Posted general-ledger journal information. A customer-history investigation may need corresponding journal evidence as well as Custhist.

F025. Which table helps investigate DBS-CAC synchronization?

CacAuditLog. Use its action, timing, and errors to identify the failing stage instead of assuming every CAC issue is an upload failure.

F026. What useful evidence can VubErrors provide?

An error message together with details such as program, line, and call stack. Combine that evidence with the action, company, user, and time of the failure.

F027. What question can VubTableAudit help answer?

Which recorded fields changed and when. Verify audit availability and scope; the existence of an audit table does not guarantee every historical change was captured.

F028. How do worktables differ from posted history?

Worktables hold processing or batch data before final update; posted history records committed transactions. Some setup or calculation steps still change temporary records, counters, or flags before posting.

F029. Why is a button labeled Calculate not necessarily read-only?

Calculation can clear and repopulate worktables or change processing state. The inspected notice calculation code explicitly clears its worktables before rebuilding results.

F030. What should you identify before choosing a version-specific troubleshooting procedure?

The product variant, company, installed version, active program and settings, and any client customization. Local source code and old instructions do not prove what the running executable does.

F031. What information makes a support problem reproducible?

The exact action, expected and actual results, affected company and records, time, scope, and error details. Record one concrete example and whether the issue affects other users or accounts.

F032. How should you approach an unfamiliar DBS failure independently?

Form at least two distinct explanations, identify evidence that would distinguish them, and choose the lowest-risk inspection that answers the next question. Avoid changing several settings at once.

F033. What should an escalation contain?

The symptom and impact, environment, examples, evidence, hypotheses tested, results, and any changes already made. State the next unresolved question clearly.

F034. What escalation timing does the January 2026 ticket manual teach?

A 45-minute escalation limit. Treat that as the supplied manual's guidance and confirm whether the current team policy has changed.

F035. Why does a successful command or completed progress bar not prove the customer's issue is fixed?

It proves only that a step completed. Verify the expected record, balance, output, or transfer at the destination and compare it with the original symptom.

F036. Does the outline's 85% requirement establish the Level 2 exam pass mark?

No. The workbook states an 85% score requirement for Level 2 certification videos. The supplied outline does not establish the exam's format or pass mark.

M001. What three deposit events must you distinguish?

Receiving a deposit, applying the deposit to an amount owed, and refunding the remaining deposit. Each has a different effect and may require different processing.

M002. What should you establish before configuring a deposit code?

The applicable bill types, cross-posting behavior, when the deposit becomes eligible, how it is applied, how any refund is handled, and the required transaction and GL treatment.

M003. How does Apply Deposit on Final differ from automatically selecting a deposit during final processing?

Applying controls use of the deposit against the final balance; automatic selection controls whether the deposit is selected by the workflow. Verify both settings against the client's policy.

M004. Does an automatic deposit-refund adjustment prove a refund check was sent?

No. The documented automatic refund creates offsetting system adjustments. Confirm the separate real-world refund process and its evidence.

M005. What can control when a deposit becomes eligible for refund?

The configured number of billings or elapsed days, along with the client's deposit policy and relevant code settings.

M006. Which deposit-interest details need verification?

Whether interest applies, the configured calculation and timing, and the transaction and GL treatment. Do not infer a rate or method from another client's setup.

M007. What are the three deposit-handling patterns described in the training?

Apply the full deposit and leave a credit for manual refund; apply it and automatically offset the refundable credit; or apply only the amount owed. The correct pattern follows the client's policy.

M008. A deposit was received but did not apply to a final bill; what should you inspect?

The deposit code, final-billing selection, application settings, eligibility timing, applicable bill types, and any cross-posting rules. First establish whether the deposit was selected and what balance it could apply to.

M009. Why must deposit transaction codes and GL mappings be reviewed together?

Customer balances and accounting entries must represent the same deposit event. A plausible customer balance alone does not prove the accounting treatment is correct.

M010. What evidence should drive an ACH file-format change?

The bank's exact rejection or specification, the affected record and field, the current output, and the expected output. Preserve fixed lengths, required spaces, and other format rules.

M011. Why can trimming spaces break an ACH file?

The bank may interpret fields by fixed position and length. Removing spaces can shift later fields even if the text looks cleaner.

M012. What ACH customization work is appropriate to distinguish from a complex development change?

A simple change to an existing documented value differs from new logic or a structural file-format change. The training routes complex changes to higher-level support or development.

M013. What must agree when a custom ACH program is deployed?

The selected custom-program setting, the intended client/company, and the matching PRG and compiled FXP files used by that installation.

M014. Why use a bank-approved test or prenote during ACH setup?

It provides evidence that the bank accepts the required format before relying on a live production file. An internally generated file alone does not establish bank acceptance.

M015. What should you compare after an authorized ACH format change?

The rejected field or record before and after, required lengths and spacing, relevant amounts and counts, and the bank's acceptance result. Keep the scope limited to the requested change.

M016. What does CPI Lockbox do in the documented workflow?

It processes bank bill-pay checks into deposits and supplies files that can be imported into DBS receipts.

M017. How do the CPI daily item report and import file differ?

The TXT item report supports review; the CSV supplies receipt-import data. Use the deposit count and total as reconciliation controls.

M018. What should reconcile before updating a CPI receipt batch?

The deposit's item count and amount, the supplied files, and the DBS receipt register and allocations. Investigate differences before posting.

M019. Which DBS custom import program is named in the CPI setup instructions?

cpi_cashimport, selected through the relevant System File receipts setup with the required client program files in place.

M020. Where might a cloud-hosted DBS session need to find a locally downloaded CPI file?

Through the configured client-drive redirection, described as TSClient in the instructions, and the configured receipt-import folder. A local download path may not be the same path visible to the remote session.

M021. What account-number issues can cause CPI records not to import correctly?

An incorrect account schema, missing or changed leading zeros, unexpected dashes or spaces, and a mismatch between the file's identifier and DBS. Compare the actual values before rerunning.

M022. What do # and @ represent in the documented CPI HBC account schema?

represents a numeric character and @ represents a letter. The instructions also describe removing dashes and spaces for the HBC account-number format.

M023. Why are company names and aliases important during CPI setup?

They help identify checks intended for the municipality, including checks using alternate or older names. Missing aliases can contribute to checks continuing to arrive on paper.

M024. What is the purpose of the CPI processed subfolder?

It holds files already imported by the documented workflow. Check file status and batch history before retrying so the same deposit is not imported twice.

M025. CPI reports a deposit, but no receipt records appear; what is your first diagnostic sequence?

Confirm the correct company, accessible file and folder, file type, selected import program, account-number matching, and whether the file was already processed. Then inspect errors and receipt worktables before retrying.

M026. What is a useful first distinction when troubleshooting user access across DBS and CAC?

A DBS application user, a CAC staff user, and a CAC citizen profile have different roles. Identify which account and permission layer controls the failing action.

M027. Why might a DBS user not see the Meter App menu after the company is configured?

The Meter App documentation requires the custom menu setup and the corresponding option enabled in User Maintenance. Check company configuration and that user's permission separately.

M028. What CAC account is documented for staff who only use the Meter or Service Order app?

A CAC staff account with the appropriate app access; the app-only setup is described without ProPay access. Do not confuse it with a citizen payment profile.

M029. If one user cannot perform an action that another user can, what should you compare first?

Their company/context, account type, relevant permissions, and the exact action and error. A user-specific difference is evidence to inspect access before assuming company-wide data corruption.

M030. Which user-setup details still require confirmation beyond the inspected local form source?

The deployed workflow, current password policy, and the organization's approved role assignments. Local form validation and permission controls do not establish those policies or prove the running application is identical.

M031. Which fields must be nonblank to save a user in the inspected DBS User Setup form?

User name and full name. The save routine checks those fields before proceeding; this does not establish the complete organizational account-creation policy.

M032. Which user-name rules are visible in the inspected DBS User Setup form?

A new user's name is checked for duplication. After a successful save, the form locks the user-name control; do not assume an existing account can be renamed through that field.

M033. When does the inspected DBS user form make its menu-permissions page available for a new user?

After the user record is saved. The New action enables user-name entry and disables the permissions page until that save succeeds.

M034. How does the inspected DBS user form present menu access?

A permissions grid pairs an Enabled checkbox with a menu description and provides Check All and UnCheck All controls. Select only the access appropriate to the authorized role; the existence of Check All is not a reason to grant every menu.

M035. Is leaving the menu-permissions page necessarily read-only in the inspected DBS user form?

No. The page's Deactivate code updates or inserts user-menu permission records and commits them. Permission editing can persist when leaving the page, so do not assume closing or changing tabs cancels it.

M036. Which examples show that DBS user permissions extend beyond menu visibility?

The inspected form includes controls for calendar override, showing tasks, viewing/editing Social Security and driver's-license details, revising bills and work orders, and removing penalty/interest. Confirm each permission against the intended role.

U001. Why must database utilities be selected by their specific purpose?

The utilities include reports, imports, repairs, and destructive purges. Their presence in one menu does not mean they have the same effects or are safe to run as general cleanup.

U002. What makes History Purge and Final Inactive Purge different from diagnostic reports?

They remove selected data. Establish the intended scope, retention requirements, authorization, and recovery method before any use.

U003. What does the documented VUB Data Report/export workflow require you to choose?

The dataset, fields, output format, and selection criteria. Verify those choices so the exported population answers the actual question.

U004. What comparisons can the separate DBS Utilities tools support?

Examples include old-VUB-to-DBS upgrade comparison, spreadsheet-to-DBS comparison, and trial-balance reconciliation. The source layout and bill-type structure must match the chosen tool.

U005. Which VUB Admin configuration areas matter during installation or migration?

Company directory, database and DSN targets, licensing, MySQL program paths, and relevant customizations. Verify the selected company before changing configuration.

U006. What should you inspect when a custom menu or report works for one client but not another?

The company configuration, selected program name, custom files in that company's Mods folder, required supporting files, and user permissions where applicable.

U007. What does the VUB Data Checker inspect in the supplied utilities guide?

Customer master, services, meters, and history, with date selection where applicable. Its results can be organized by error, customer, or date.

U008. How should you use a Data Checker result?

Treat it as evidence to investigate a specific record and relationship. Confirm the reported inconsistency and its processing impact before choosing a correction.

U009. Why can changing a customer search balance fail to correct a ledger problem?

A search or display value is not necessarily the underlying financial history. Reconcile the source transactions and relevant accounting totals rather than accepting a corrected display as proof.

U010. How does Meter Route Re-Sequence differ from Route Maintenance?

Re-sequencing changes reading order within a route; Route Maintenance changes route assignment. Use the operation that matches the requested change.

U011. Meters belong to the right route but are visited in the wrong order; which concept applies?

Route re-sequencing. Confirm the desired reading order and verify the resulting route output.

U012. Meters need to move to a different route; what should be considered after reassignment?

Use the route-assignment workflow, then review or re-sequence the order in the affected routes. Assignment and order are separate concerns.

U013. What does repairing CDX indexes address?

Index structures used to find or order records. It does not establish that the underlying table records or financial relationships are correct.

U014. Why are Repair Indexes and replacing indexes plus tables not interchangeable?

Replacing tables can replace actual data as well as index structures. Verify the utility's exact scope and appropriate backup and access conditions before execution.

U015. In a meter interface, how do export and import differ?

Export sends meter/account information from DBS to the reading system; import brings collected readings back into DBS. Always state the direction relative to DBS.

U016. What are the key fields to verify in a meter-reading import layout?

The meter or account identifier, reading, reading date, and reading code, plus demand reading if used. Confirm field positions or delimiters against the vendor's actual file.

U017. Which Meter fields does the meter-import note identify as being updated?

nCurrRead, dCurrRddt, cCurrRdCD, and nDmdRead for the corresponding current reading, date, reading code, and demand reading.

U018. What do A and E represent in the documented reading-code examples?

Actual and estimated readings. Confirm the incoming file's code mapping so an estimate is not silently treated as an actual reading.

U019. A meter file imports without an obvious error but a meter is unchanged; what should you inspect?

The identifier match, selected company and route, file layout, actual source row, reading/date/code mapping, and import results. A completed import step does not prove every row matched.

U020. What is the basic consumption formula when no rollover or other adjustment applies?

(Current reading minus previous reading) multiplied by the meter multiplier. Apply the multiplier to the consumption difference.

U021. Previous reading is 30, current reading is 40, and multiplier is 100; what is consumption?

(40 - 30) x 100 = 1,000 units, assuming no rollover or other adjustment.

U022. For one rollover on a four-digit register, previous 9000 and current 1200, what is the unmultiplied consumption?

10,000 - 9,000 + 1,200 = 2,200 register units. This assumes exactly one rollover and a register that rolls after 9999.

U023. How does meter resolution differ from a consumption multiplier?

Resolution describes the units or precision represented by the reading; the multiplier scales the calculated consumption. Verify both rather than applying the same scaling twice.

U024. How do AMI, AMR radio, and touch reading differ in the terminology guide?

AMI supports centralized remote collection; the described radio AMR workflow collects readings nearby, such as by drive-by; touch reading requires physical proximity/contact with the reading interface.

U025. What configuration dependencies does the Meter App support guide identify?

A supported device, the company's CAC setup, the DBS Meter App interface and custom menu, user permission, and connectivity for synchronization. Confirm current compatibility rather than memorizing an old device version.

U026. What do the Meter App's route colors mean in the supplied guide?

Green indicates all meters on the route are read; red indicates the route still has unread meters.

U027. What do the Meter App's meter colors mean in the supplied guide?

Red means unread, black means a reading is present, and orange indicates an estimated reading.

U028. What should you investigate when the Meter App prompts about a reading lower than the previous one?

Whether there was a real rollover, an incorrect entry, or another meter-history issue. Confirm the register and prior reading before accepting the rollover interpretation.