Thirty percent of current customers using software as a service (SaaS) solution.

Companies aggressively converting to cloud based version.
In early 2016 our first online version of PreLien2Lien (www.pl2l.com/demo) was released for early adopters. Version 2.0 was released in July 2016, with a single screen data entry design users have greatly enjoyed. Currently two (2) companies per day on average are switching to the new version, with thirty (30) percent now using PreLien2Lien Online.

Companies are asking their employees to multitask.
People across multiple departments are sharing in the workload for simple sales, customer service, accounting and legal tasks. “Bob Smith”, Sales Manager, can logon to PreLien2Lien to enter basic information for a 1st notice. “Mary Jones”, Accounts Receivable Manager can logon and print a Conditional Waiver And Release Upon Progress notice to attach to an invoice to incentivize payment. And “Brandon Johnson”, Chief Legal Officer, can logon to PreLien2Lien to print a Construction Lien to record. Companies of various sizes can share one or more user licenses instead of installing software on multiple PC’s in multiple departments.

People increasingly don’t want to install software every year.
People are increasingly using their large cell phones for traditional computer business tasks. At times they are alternating from reading a book on a tablet to surfing the web. Someone could use their cell phone or tablet to enter project information into PreLien2Lien Online or even print notices to a Bluetooth enabled printer.

All data entry on one screen.
It was not that long ago that screen sizes and resolution prevented a large amount of data entry to occur on one screen. Now, monitors for desktop PC’s are large, cell phones and tablets let you magnify portions of a screen, and graphical user interface (GUI) design promotes ease of use on one screen so that there are not tabs to click for secondary data entry.

Annual subscription pricing remains the same for PreLien2Lien Online.
Unlike competitors who raise the cost of their subscriptions every year, PreLien2Lien has had only one small price increase in twelve (12) years. Annual Subscription pricing for PreLien2Lien Online will remain frozen at $220 (One-State), $275 (Regional) and $330 (USA). Customers who will not make the change to the cloud based version will see a $70- $80 price increase in 2018.

Redesign of software based PreLien2Lien will have data entry on one screen.
April will be our twelfth anniversary of acquiring PreLien2Lien from SIERRA PHOENIX. The tabbed data entry process has not changed much since the program’s original inception in 1996. But like the online version, the software based PreLien2Lien version will have a major (GUI) redesign that will eliminate the tabs in lieu of a single data entry screen design.

TRADITION SOFTWARE, INC., the leading national provider of do it yourself (DIY) construction lien software and services since 2005, increased its overall annual revenues by 14% in 2016. PreLien2Lien software sales and leasing revenue grew by 19%, led by increased revenue from current customers of the Lien Service edition of PreLien2Lien. Major new PreLien2Lien customers included BENYON SPORTS SURFACES (Hunt Valley, MD), RFI COMMUNICATIONS SECURITY SYSTEMS (San Jose, CA) and ROCKY TOP MATERIALS (Knoxville, TX). A new leased software as a service (SaaS) solution, PreLien2Lien Online (www.PL2L.com), was introduced in January 2016 to customers. By year end ten (10) percent of the PreLien2Lien Annual Subscribers were early adopters and switched to the online version.

The TRADITION LIEN SERVICE division signed sixty-five (65) new service contracts in 2016, with revenue increasing by 14% over 2015. Major new customers included INTERIOR ELECTRIC (Henderson, NV, Orange, CA), OVERHEAD GARAGE DOOR (Fort Worth, TX) and QUALITY FIRST HOME IMPROVEMENT (Citrus Heights, CA). The revenue growth came in large part from increased construction lien recordings in fifteen (15) states. Liens and lien releases in California and Texas accounted for a major part of the construction lien revenue increase.

According to TRADITION SOFTWARE’s Founder and current President Craig Altman, early 2017 initiatives for TRADITION SOFTWARE include website redesigns and professional search engine optimization (SE0) for the current www.TraditionSoftware.com and www.TraditionLienService.com websites, which were originally designed in their current format back in 2012. Additionally, TRADITION SOFTWARE is soliciting outside venture capital investment to fuel the growth of PreLien2Lien Online (www.PL2L.com) while also adding national sales and marketing resources. Additionally, possible acquisitions are being explored of smaller regional lien services to merge into the TRADITION LIEN SERVICE division.

NORTH CAROLINA law mandated that construction projects beginning on or after April 1, 2013 requires appointment of a lien agent. Contractors and subcontractors can then give notice they are working on the project.

Recently our TRADITION LIEN SERVICE division was asked by a national lighting supplier to record a NORTH CAROLINA Notice to Lien Agent for a new Charlotte, NC shopping center. To do this, you must register and logon at Recently TRADITION LIEN SERVICE was asked by a national lighting supplier to record a NORTH CAROLINA Notice to Lien Agent for a new Charlotte, NC shopping center. To do this, you must register and logon at www.LiensNC.com.

First, the address when typed into the “Search” option produced 26,972 results.

OK, let’s try to get a little closer to the desired correct results by typing in the Property Owner, ASHTON PROPERTIES into the “Advanced Search”. This time there were 5,619 results.

Now it is time to contact the General Contractor on behalf of my customer to ask for the Entry Number. They told me is was 4301148. Upon entering 430148 I now got 2 results, with one of them being the correct result. The other result coincidentally was for the number matching someone else’s phone number.

Bottom line is that after three (3) plus years the State of NORTH CAROLINA has created a website that lacks basic critical search capabilities.

Loyal, left competitive software solutions, using in multiple states, adopting online software.

Two hundred and thirty-four companies have been customers for eleven consecutive years.
During my two year tenure as a Vice President at PreLien2Lien’s main competitor, LienWriter, owned by GOLDENOMEGA.NET, my daily frustration was that there needed to be a better lien software solution. In March 2005 I completed the purchase of LienWriter’s direct competitor, SIERRA PHOENIX. Since then, in addition new customers being added each year, two hundred and thirty-four (234) companies across the U.S. have remained loyal annual subscribers. Our success comes from long time customers like BLAZONA CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION (West Sacramento, CA), CITY LIGHTING PRODUCTS (St. Louis, MO) and METAL SALES MANUFACTURING (Louisville, KY).

Thirty-five current customers were previous LienWriter customers.
History shows that LOTUS had a spreadsheet called 1-2-3 before MICROSOFT Excel. YAHOO was the leading internet search engine before GOOGLE. While LienWriter was the first lien software solution to market in 1996, thirty-five (35) current customers have switched from using LienWriter to PreLien2Lien. Companies such as BRISTOLITE DAYLIGHTING SYSTEMS (Santa Ana, CA), MEAD CLARK LUMBER (Santa Rosa, CA) and TNT EQUIPMENT (Columbus, OH, Dallas, TX) have all benefited from a software solution that is easier to use, more reliable, and most importantly, more legally compliant for about half the cost.

PreLien2Lien is used by companies in thirty-one states.
Construction lien laws are different on a state-by-state basis. PreLien2Lien has over 1,600 legal lien notices that are customized per the laws of each state. While a significant portion of our customers are in our home state of California, in thirty-one (31) states elsewhere companies such as WASTE CONNECTIONS (Clifton Park, NY), ROBERTS SAND (Tallahassee, FL) and SUBURBAN SHEET METAL (Kennedale, TX) are using the software for their state’s respective lien laws.

Twenty companies are lien services.
A lien service prepares construction lien notices potentially on behalf of hundreds companies as a professional document preparer. Our own TRADITION LIEN SERVICE division has used PreLien2Lien to mail and record notices for the benefit of three hundred and eighty (380) customers. Companies in Chicago, IL, Phoenix, AZ and San Diego, CA represent a portion of the twenty (20) lien service entities that use PreLien2Lien and it’s online portal, www.MyLienCenter.com.

Twelve companies switched recently to PreLienLien Online.
Our new software as a service (Saas) solution released in December 2015 for construction lien management is PreLien2Lien Online (www.PL2L.com). Current online customers including GB SYSTEMS (Kenmore, WA), PARCELL STEEL (Corona, CA), and WAREHOUSE PAINT (Auburn, CA) are enjoying the benefit of logging on from any computer, cell phone or tablet with an internet connection. They can then enter construction project information for printing 1st notices, waivers, warnings, bond claims, stop notices and lien claims.

TRADITION SOFTWARE, INC., a California based corporation located in Roseville, CA, announces that PreLien2Lien is now available online as a web based lien management solution (www.PL2LOnline.com) for customers.

For almost twenty (20) years, PreLien2Lien has been a leading PC based software solution for U.S. contractors, subcontractors, suppliers and companies providing services for state-by-state construction lien management. Now customers can enter construction project information online and print a variety of notices – 1st Notices, Warnings, Waivers, Bond and Lien Claims, Stop Notices and Releases from any computer, smart phone or tablet using a simple login and password combination.

With the new online version strictly being marketed initially to current PreLien2Lien customers who have Annual Subscriptions up for renewal in January 2016, companies in California, Texas and Washington have already signed up to use the new product. As users at those companies go to print a notice, they will see a state specific menu like the one for the state of Washington below.

Annual Subscription pricing for current customers will be $200 per year for the One State unlimited version and $100 for the Lite ten (10) project version. New customers can save $50 off the PC based version of PreLien2Lien, paying $299 for the first year. Lite customers can save $20, paying $129 for PreLien2LienOnline compared to $149 for the PC based version. Additional pricing options are available for customers who license the Regional and USA editions of PreLien2Lien.

There will be a free data upload of current PC, Terminal Server, Citrix or Server based PreLien2Lien data within one business day. As with all our Annual Subscriptions, free user training and technical support is available by phone at our toll free number (800) 886-8770 Monday – Friday, 8AM – 4PM PST.

Craig Altman, Founder and President of TRADITION SOFTWARE and Miriam Liskin, Software Development Manager, are the co-designers for PreLien2LienOnline (www.PL2LOnline.com).

TESCO CONTROLS, INC., Sacramento, CA is a full service system integrator and original equipment manufacturer specializing in the water / wastewater, traffic and electrical utility industries.

TESCO CONTROLS has been a TRADITION SOFTWARE PreLien2Lien-USA customer since 2006 to print lien notices and waivers in multiple states including CALIFORNIA. Their credit department had been using a competitive software solution before making the switch to PreLien2Lien.

Twice a week I like to go on a 4-mile run after work. I saw on multiple occasions a TESCO CONTROLS’ systems box alongside the sidewalk.

This photo was taken on Westbrook Boulevard in the Westpark area of west Roseville alongside LENNAR CORPORATION’s Carrington At Westpark new home community.

According to BLOOMBERG, 8 out of 10 entrepreneurs who start businesses fail within the first 18 months. On April 1st of this year, TRADITION SOFTWARE, INC. celebrated a critical business milestone with its 10th year anniversary.

Eric T. Wagner of FORBES MAGAZINE wrote in 2013 five (5) reasons that businesses fail. Here are my thoughts as to why TRADITION SOFTWARE and its great team of employees bucked the trend and succeeded for ten (10) years.

Reason #1: Not really in touch with customers through deep dialogue.

Within the first thirty (30) days of purchasing SIERRA PHOENIX, I traveled to Phoenix, AZ (no joke) to meet with customers. Subsequent customer trips occured in the Midwest, Texas, Florida, and much of both Southern and Northern California. I heard loud and clear the previous owner provided poor technical support, a buggy software product, and notices that rarely were legal. With the help of several current and past employees, huge strides were taken at a great expense to greatly improve all three of these areas.

Reason #2: No real differentiation in the market (read: lack of unique value propositions)

PreLien2Lien’s main competitor is Lien Writer, formerly of PASE SOFTWARE and now owned by GOLDENOMEGA.NET. Since Lien Writer and PreLien2Lien were part of the same company in late 90’s, their GUI (Graphical User Interface) looked remarkably similar. Miriam Liskin, Software Development Manager and I went about clearing a lot of clutter off the main data entry screen. We made the print menu state specific by document titles. We religiously made sure technical support at our 800 number was available first thing at 8AM PST when we opened, and was available until 4PM. I personally re-wrote sixteen hundred (1600) legal notices in the software. And we licensed German software technology that made it easy for notice customization. Finally, we decided the total cost of ownership for PreLien2Lien should be at least 50 percent less than our competitors.

Reason #3: Failure to communicate value propositions in clear, concise and compelling fashion.

The first day TRADITION SOFTWARE, INC., a California S-corporation was open for business was April 1, 2005 (no joke again). I wanted our verbal communication, website messages, and marketing collateral to communicate three (3) things:

1) PreLien2Lien is easy to use.
2) PreLien2Lien is legally compiant.
3) PreLien2Lien is reliable, with overall uptime across all customers at 99.99%.

Since we continue to acquire new customers nationally while keeping each year an overwhelming majority of our customers, we feel we have succeeded with our unique value propositions.

Reason #4: Leadership breakdown at the top (yes — founder dysfunction).

TRADITION SOFTWARE has been led by myself since our inception. The technical backbone of the company is headed up by a nine (9) year employee, Miriam Liskin. Together we have made several good hires. We priced our products and services correctly from the start, with only one (1) price increase in 10 years. The company has never been taken to court, never bounced a paycheck and navigated through both the difficult housing downturn in 2007 and my personal divorce in 2013.

Reason #5: Inability to nail a profitable business model with proven revenue streams.

Within two months of purchasing PreLien2Lien, we added a time-bomb lease feature to the software, requring an Annual Subscription to be current. This represents 60% of the company’s annual revenue, with new software sales representing 20% of the of the company revenue. In 2009, our TRADITION LIEN SERVICE division was started. Five years later three hundred and thirty (330) companies are under contract. This represents the remaining 20% of the revenue.

Along the way, not every decision has been perfect or easy. TRADITIONINK.COM was launched in 2005 as a national ink and toner online retailer division. Consolidation in buying behavior with behemoths like AMAZON.COM have severely impacted that business unit. Marketing initiative with trade show participation at NECA (National Electrical Contractors Association), World Of Concrete and CFMA (Construction Financial Management Association) and youth sports sponsorships produced poor marketing returns. And the software world is moving towards “Software as a Service” (SaaS). I shudder to think what my day will be like when a website for PreLien2Lien goes down on a business day.

As we go forward, our commitment to improving our easy to use software solution that is legally compliant and reliable will continue. As Andy Dufresne says in THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION “….hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies.” That quote, along with one I gave to my Batavia High School (Batavia, IL) 1982 graduating class as Farewell Address Speaker on June 3, 1982 “… “then give to the world the best that you have, and the best will come back to you” sums up my focus going forward. Hope, and giving my best will enable TRADITION SOFTWARE as a market leader to keep helping its highly valued customers with products, services and solutions for construction lien management.

First page fees for recording Mechanic’s Liens and releasing those liens later in San Bernardino County in CALIFORNIA were increased on September 1, 2014.

Cost now for the first page is $25, an increase from the earlier cost of $18.

Each additional page cost remained at $3 per page. Additionally, the conformed copy cost will remain at $6, with a self-addressed stamped envelope to be included.

With the new to PreLien2Lien August 18.08.01 upgrade co-authored by Craig Altman and Miriam Liskin, company sites can now have multiple electronic signatures to print from on all notices in PreLien2Lien.

If I choose the “Standard” option, no electronic signature will appear – just a blank line with whomever’s signer name is entered.

If I select “Altman, the electronic signature for Craig Altman will appear on the document.

And finally, if I select “Walker”, the electronic signature for Michael Walker, not Craig Altman will appear on the document.

Cost to add a signature is $50 per notice, per signature. Turn around time is one business day, prepayment required.

GREENFIELDS OUTDOOR FITNESS, Santa Ana, CA, is a leading provider of outdoor fitness equipment to parks, schools, senior centers, greenspaces, colleges and universities, and the U.S. military. Their core line of outdoor gym equipment employs the body’s mass for resistance and can be enjoyed by all ages, regardless of the user’s fitness level.

GREENFIELDS has been a TRADITION SOFTWARE PreLien2Lien-One State customer since 2012 for notices to print in CALIFORNIA. In 2013 they began using our TRADITION LIEN SERVICE division to prepare their notices outside of CALIFORNIA.

I was playing some basketball at a new park built near my new house when I glanced at the playground area that was adjacent to the basketball courts and saw their fitness equipment.

This photo was taken at Robert “Bob” Mahan Park in the Westpark area of west Roseville.