Annual PDF Initialization

Each year in Dec as part of the Q3 update, the PDF generator need to be re-initialized so it can generate semi-completed exemption/abatement applications for residents for the next tax year.

• Upload 20xx PDFs: 1. Request updated PDFs from Assessing.

  — Typically, this is simply copying the previous years PDF, changing the dates on it and re-saving. — Important: a. For non-fillable PDF's, ensure the file is saved as a v1.5 PDF - see here. b. The filenames must be exactly as the previous year - just with the year prefix updated. 2. Create a new folder on Acquia: /var/www/html/bostond8/docroot/sites/default/files/pdf_templates/pdf/FY20xx 3. Copy the PDF data files (.json files) from the previous year into the new 20xx folder on Acquia. Rename the json files so they have the correct 20xx year prefix.

• Generate a new connection string: This process is automated in a script assessing_dec_pdf_initialization.http in the boston.gov_d8 repo. 1. Using the REST API for dbconnector, create a new token for the active database on VSQL01. (Note: This will typically be a newly created database assessingupdates20xxQ3. 2. Overwrite the existing assessing_token value in the DBCONNECTOR_SETTINGS environment variable on the prod environment on Acquia (and any other environments used for testing). Note: Prior to the 1 Jan switch over: Do not leave the new token on prod any longer than needed for testing. Instead, remove the assessing_token entirely around Dec 20, and add in when the switchover occurs. This is to stop people who have figured out how to use the direct boston.gov link (i.e. to the pdf generator API) from generating PDFs prior to 01 Jan.

• Re-initliiaze the Abatement barcode sequence number: 1. Login to the assessingupdates20xxQ3 database (this will typically be a newly created database as part of the Dec/Q3 update process). 2. Add a new record in the overval_application_numbers table. This record should be: — id ⇒ 20xx10000 — parcel_id ⇒ 0000000000 Note: It is safe to delete the existing records in the database (from the previous year/s) if you wish, but it is not necessary.

• Test: 1. Test the endpoints at https://boston.gov/assessing-online/form: — https://boston.gov/assessing-online/form/abatement/FY20xx/0203345020 — https://boston.gov/assessing-online/form/abatement/FY20xx/0504203000 — https://boston.gov/assessing-online/form/resexempt/FY20xx/0401309000 — https://boston.gov/assessing-online/form/persexempt/FY20xx/0401309000 2. At the end of testing, check for new records inoverval_application_numbers. Delete all newly created entries so that only the 20xx10000 record (manually created in the initialization step above) remains.