Fix CTI Matchmaker Issues

CTI Matchmaker sets the MLS server to automatically notify you and/or your client when new listings or changes in the price or status of listings cause them to match specified criteria. The purpose of Matchmaker is to automate future searches and notifications so you do not have to keep repeating them - it is not designed to email current search results. Therefore, Matchmaker does not send notices of properties that already match search criteria at the time the Matchmaker search is saved. Agents  should directly notify clients about any current listings that already match the client's criteria at the time a Matchmaker is created. CTI Matchmaker can then be setup to send notices of new listings or listings whose price or status change after the Matchmaker is saved.

How to use CTI Matchmaker is described in the Help inside CTI Navigator under Using CTI Navigator > Listings > Matchmaker. CTI Matchmaker also is documented (more fully) on CTI's on-line Menu of Help and Tutorials website (see "Using CTI Matchmaker for Automated Searches" in the related article at the end of this web page).

For instructions to make corrective changes in CTI Matchmaker, select the appropriate issue in the list below:

Revise Embedded Message

If you have modified the "Notification Message" that is saved with each CTI Matchmaker to include personalized information that you now want to revise, you will need to change this message in each active CTI Matchmaker and then Send each revised Matchmaker to the MLS Server. If you typed the changes directly in CTI Matchmaker, you can either (1) type the corrections in each Matchmaker and Send each to the Server; or (2) Clear the existing message and use the Options button to import a custom message you created (with current information) and saved outside of CTI Matchmaker; or (3) Click the Options button and select "Reset to System Defaults". The system defaults use your name and contact information from the MLS roster for the From, E-mail and signature; set "Valid for" to 30 days; set Subject to Matchmaker - {Ref Name}; and insert a standard notification message. Reset does not change information already in the Desc, To, or Notes fields. After making revisions in CTI Matchmaker, click the "Finished-Send to Server" button.

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Revise Template Message

To revise notification messages that were created outside CTI Matchmaker, first open your template message in whatever text/HTML editor it was created in, make and save the appropriate changes. Then Open each CTI Matchmaker, Clear the existing message, and use the Options button to Open (re-import) your revised template message. After importing the changes, Send to Server.

Only you can make changes to your CTI Matchmakers. Each Matchmaker must be independently revised because each is a uniquely identified, self-contained, saved search.

Note: if you delete or modify any text surrounded by {braces} in any way in the notification message, then none of the information in that field linked from the MLS data will be inserted (such as the list of matching properties).

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"Unable to Process Query" displays when click Matchmaker report link

The most likely causes of an "unable to process query" error, or for report links or web links that fail to display are (1) problems accessing the Internet (verify that your computer connection is currently "live" on the Internet); or (2) a security setting on your computer (your browser is blocking "cookies" or pop-ups); or (3) a setting in your e-mail program (especially Office Outlook) is blocking external HTML links (necessary to connect back to the MLS server where the report is generated on request).

One quick test to narrow down where the problem lies (in the browser or e-mail) is to copy the report link (URL address) from the Matchmaker email message to the Windows clipboard (Ctrl+C) and then paste it (Ctrl+V) into the address box of your Internet browser. If this displays properly, then your browser is okay but there is a security setting in your e-mail program that needs to be changed. 

If the security issue is in the e-mail, the fix typically involves setting your e-mail program so it does not block HTML links. If you are using Office Outlook 2003 or Outlook 2007 and you have an effective antivirus program on your computer, you can turn off the "Don’t download pictures or other content automatically in HTML e-mail" option (see "Configure Security in Office Outlook" in the related articles below for instructions).

If you are using Outlook Express or Vista's Windows Mail and you have an effective antivirus program on your computer, you can stop it from blocking HTML links as follows:

  1. Open Outlook Express
  2. Select Tools > Options > Security tab
  3. Un-check "Block images and other external content in HTML e-mail."

 (For details see "Configure Security in Outlook Express or Windows Mail"  in the related articles below).

Otherwise, if the report does not display when pasted directly in your browser, configure Windows to trust links to the MLS server, not to block pop-ups on ctimls.com websites (see "Disable or Configure Common Pop-Up Blockers or Remove Add-on Toolbars" in related articles at the end of this web page), and to allow first-party cookies as described below in Fix Missing Report Links(s). 

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Fix Missing Report Link(s)

If some recipients can view the report links in CTI Matchmaker but others receive Matchmaker with no report link or a report link that only generates an error, then those with a problem may have an Internet firewall, Internet Proxy service or email antivirus program that is blocking HTML access to the Internet link. To fix this, the user's Internet security and/or antivirus program settings should be configured to allow access to the MLS server over the Internet (see CTI's Help and Support website for configuration instructions).

It is not normally necessary, but if someone is not receiving the MLS report links, the security in Windows may need to be configured: 

    1. Open the Windows Control Panel
    2. Select Internet Options
    3. Click the Security tab > select Trusted Sites > click Sites button > un-check "Require server verification (https:)... " > click in the "Add this website to the zone" box and type ctimls.com > click the Add button > click the close button.
    4. Click the Privacy tab:
      • Click the Sites... (or Edit) button > in "Address of Web Site" box type ctimls.com > click Allow button > click OK button.
      • Click the Advanced button (not Advanced tab) > check "Override automatic cookie handling" > click "Always allow session cookies > leave "First-party cookies" selected as "Accept" > {Third -party cookies can be Accept, Block, or Prompt} > click OK button.
      • If available, check "Block Popups"> click the Settings button >  in the "Address of Site to Allow" box type ctimls.com > click Add button > click Close button > click OK button on Privacy tab screen. If you are using a third-party popup blocker (such as from Yahoo or Google), it may need to be configured to allow Popups at ctimls.com.

Fix Missing Message 

If some recipients receive Matchmaker correctly but others do not receive the Matchmaker message at all, it could be because:

  1. The recipient's email address saved in Matchmaker may not be correct. To fix this, correct or change the recipient's email address in each relevant Matchmaker. (See "Using CTI Matchmaker for Automated Searches" in the related articles below.)
  2. Recipients with AOL addresses may have marked Matchmaker (or messages from ctimls.com) as spam. (Often this is inadvertent or unintentional. and they may not even remember doing so.) AOL will then "blacklist" and block Matchmaker messages. To fix AOL blocking Matchmaker, the user needs to contact AOL or provide a non-AOL email address to which Matchmakers can be sent.
  3. An antispam program used by the recipient (either inside their computer or in their email service) may need to be configured to allow (not block) Matchmaker messages. Some antispam programs require the user to specifically add acceptable senders to a "whitelist" or "guest list". Other spam blockers require the sender to decode an image with embedded letters/numbers and return the code separately. CTI Matchmaker is automated and will not reply to decode requests. Recipients using such antispam programs need to configure them to allow Matchmaker or to not scan (put in "exceptions" list) messages from Cti Support. 

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Note: If you call CTI to troubleshoot a particular CTI Matchmaker, please specify the name of the Matchmaker and the email address of your customer. 

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Related Articles and Internet Links:

To return to CTI's menu of Error Fixes, click here or use the back arrow at the top of your Internet browser. To go directly to CTI's menu of Help and Tutorials, click here.

 

 

 

rev. 02.08.2010