Posted by Joe on 11/10/04 2:41pm
Msg #11131

update on acknowledgement generator

As previously noted on this forum, www.notarydepot.com houses an acknowledgement generator, an essential time saving tool for notaries. As of today, the generator has been redesigned from the ground up. <a href="http://www.notarydepot.com">www.notarydepot.com</a> also now includes a forum for discussion.

Reply by CaliNotary on 11/10/04 3:47pm
Msg #11135

I'm not quite sure why this tool is "essential" or how much time it saves. How long does it take to complete an acknowledgement anyway?

I created my own acknowledgement in Word, took about 5 minutes. I print out 30 or 40 copies at a time, most of which have the primary county I work in completed, I leave some with the county line blank. Never had a problem with it, costs me next to nothing for an unlimited supply.

Reply by Joe on 11/10/04 4:37pm
Msg #11138

Sorry to hear such negative feedback. I was hoping to hear feedback related to the "use" of the generator as opposed to short-sighted pessimism. Remember though, its free, its not forced on anyone. I put the time and work into creating it, hoping it will be beneficial to many. To date the feedback I have received has been very good. Anyone that wants to try it out, just go to www.notarydepot.com

Thanks

Reply by Oldbie_CA on 11/10/04 5:37pm
Msg #11140

Hey Joe,

I checked it out. It's really cool! Thanks for sharing.

Reply by Joe on 11/10/04 6:58pm
Msg #11149

Glad you like it. If you have suggestions or comments feel free to email me at [e-mail address] or enter our forum on www.notarydepot.com. We can always use feedback to improve the site and the tools.

Thanks for taking the time to check it out!

Reply by CaliNotary on 11/10/04 5:40pm
Msg #11141

So, you want feedback, but only if it's positive and flowery? I simply stated that I created my own document in Word. Not negative, that's just what I did. And it's also not negative to say it takes almost no time at all to complete an acknowledgement, it's just a fact. It takes me about 30 seconds, I can't imagine it's too different for anybody else in here.

However, I would love to hear why what I did is "short sighted pessimism". What is pessimistic about doing the same thing in a different format without having to "put time and work" into it?

Reply by Joe on 11/10/04 6:56pm
Msg #11148

CaliNotary,

Its just a nice utility for people to use to generate fully computerized acknowledgements without handwritten blanks. Its not meant to take away people's ability to do things themselves. No hard feelings. Maybe it will grow on you? Hope everyone finds it useful.

Reply by Eatha/PA on 11/11/04 9:25am
Msg #11173

I got a negative impression from reading your first post, Cali, as if you were saying, "Boy, was *that* a waste of your time, Joe, no one needs it!"

Reply by CaliNotary on 11/12/04 1:28am
Msg #11213

There are thousands of ways for us to waste our time. Trust me, I'm more than familiar with hundreds of them.

The main point of my post was to let people know that it's ok (at least in CA) to create your own simple acknowledgements. I figured there were some people out there who might have thought that they needed some sort of special or specific form. They now know that the wording is what's importnat, not the form itself.

Let me ask you this. If Joe came in here and told us about a fabulous machine that he had invented to crack open eggs, would you think it was negative if I posted something like "or you could just hit them on the edge of a bowl"? Same principal. If somebody wants to reinvent the wheel into a fancier version of the wheel, great, no harm done. But it's not wrong to point out that the original wheel exists and works just fine as well.

What can I say, I'm a K.I.S.S. kinda guy.

Reply by Eatha/PA on 11/12/04 8:16am
Msg #11216

Guess I'm more of a perfectionist. I like my acknowledgments to look the best they can.

Reply by Eatha/PA on 11/11/04 9:22am
Msg #11172

I still do the 9-to-5 job as a notary, I plan to keep this program open on my computer and create and print custom acknowledgments for my customers. It may be just as fast to use a pre-printed form and fill in/scratch out as required, but it looks much more professional this way, easier to read.

A question: In Pennsylvania, commission date and municipality must be on the notary's rubber stamp seal, so it's redundant to have it printed below the notary's sig line (and would save a few keystrokes). And since I work for someone else, I don't want my phone number there (I enter the company number, but that's misleading). Could you make your program so that if a field is not filled in, it simply doesn't print on the finished form?

A correction: "based on the basis of. . ." is redundant. Say "based on" or "on the basis of." And a comma after "instrument" would make it perfect!

Thanks!

Reply by BrendaTX on 11/11/04 10:38am
Msg #11182

Commission Expiry - Name Printed Requirements

Eatha said: " A question: In Pennsylvania, commission date and municipality must be on the notary's rubber stamp seal, so it's redundant to have it printed below the notary's sig line (and would save a few keystrokes)"

Eatha, you bring up a good point and one that I also wonder about. Loan signing docs have acknowledgments which ask for the additional commission/name printed information though the SOS form provided by the State of Texas do not require it to be there.

I can understand why Joe's forms have it on there since it's what seems to be the norm on loan signings I do.

I did not look up the date of changes to the notarial law to reflect the changes to requirements of the seal/embosser/stamp to state the notary name and commission expiry, however, in Texas, I am guessing it's been around 20-25 years since a notary used the generic embosser which only provided the words STATE OF TEXAS - NOTARY PUBLIC. The additional words are redundant, as you state, but probably printed on notarial certificates in an abundance of caution to clearly identify the notary.

I always just go ahead and fill it in to keep everyone happy, but it is one of those little things that I'd like to see be updated on forms.

(Texas educational materials [11 pages] are parked on my website at
www.texnotary.com/texnotaryedu.htm if anyone has a burning desire to study them.)

Reply by Eatha/PA on 11/11/04 10:52am
Msg #11184

Re: Commission Expiry - Name Printed Requirements

Yeah, so many things are generic, one size fits all, anymore. I like to keep my certificates customized for Pennsylvania, just a quirk.

Reply by Jon on 11/11/04 12:14pm
Msg #11186

Re: Commission Expiry - Name Printed Requirements

Joe's ack is compliant for Ca, as he states on his web page. The changes that he mentions are applicable to Ca recorders, but not notaries, as they address recording and not notary procedures. That said, the ack that is provided is perfectly fine for Ca, even if there is some redundant information.

Reply by Eatha/PA on 11/11/04 12:53pm
Msg #11189

Re: Commission Expiry - Name Printed Requirements

I know it's 'specially for CA. I'm just trying to guilt him into customizing it for PA, too!

Reply by Jon on 11/11/04 1:28pm
Msg #11191

Re: Commission Expiry - Name Printed Requirements

He stated on the website to e-mail him with the proper forms and he would try to integrate them.

Reply by Eatha/PA on 11/11/04 1:42pm
Msg #11194

Re: Commission Expiry - Name Printed Requirements

I responded in my first message with what would make a "proper" form for me.