Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs
TDHCA Foreclosure Data
Collection System
User Guide
Version 1.0 ● January 12, 2012
Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs
TDHCA Foreclosure Data Collection System User Guide
Version 1.0 ● Created 1/12/2012 ● Revised 1/12/2012
TDHCA Foreclosure Data
Collection System
User Guide
Contents
1.
INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................................. 3
2.
VIEWING FORECLOSURE DATA ....................................................................................................................... 3
3.
UPLOADING FORECLOSURE DATA .................................................................................................................. 4
4.
PASSWORDS AND LOGGING OUT ................................................................................................................... 7
Version History
Revision Date
Version
Change Reference
1/12/2012
1.0
First version of guide.
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Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs
TDHCA Foreclosure Data Collection System User Guide
Version 1.0 ● Created 1/12/2012 ● Revised 1/12/2012
1. Introduction
Please make sure you have completed the System Access Request Form prior to logging into the Texas
Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) Foreclosure Data Collection System (FDCS).
This guide describes how to use FDCS to 1) upload notices-of-sale and completed-sales foreclosure data
into the system and 2) view notices-of-sale and completed-sales foreclosure data that has been uploaded
to the system.
The Foreclosure Data Collection web page (http://www.tdhca.state.tx.us/housing-center/foreclosuredata.htm) provides background on the legislation behind FDCS, so the background information is not
covered again in this user guide. The web page also includes links to this user guide, the system access
request form, the two comma-separated value (CSV) files used to upload data, and the system itself.
2. Viewing Foreclosure Data
To view previously uploaded foreclosure data, login to FDCS at http://www.tdhca.state.tx.us/housingcenter/foreclosure-data.htm and click the View previously uploaded data link.
Figure 2-1
The search fields are:

Date of Submission to TDHCA

Date Form Submitted to County Clerk

ZIP Code

Notices of Sale/Completed Sales
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Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs
TDHCA Foreclosure Data Collection System User Guide
Version 1.0 ● Created 1/12/2012 ● Revised 1/12/2012
3. Uploading Foreclosure Data
To upload notices-of-sale or completed-sales foreclosure data, first place the information to be uploaded
in a comma separated value (CSV) file. Notices-of-sale data must be uploaded separately from
completed-sale data.
TDHCA has posted two sample CSV files at http://www.tdhca.state.tx.us/housing-center/foreclosuredata.htm. The files are named:

notices-of-sale.csv

completed-sales.csv
When uploading notices-of-sale data, the two column headings in the CSV file that you upload must
match the headings in ‘notices-of-sale.csv’. When uploading completed-sales data, the two column
headings in the CSV file that you upload must match the headings in ‘completed-sales.csv’.
Information can be placed into CSV files by 1) extracting data from your internal systems into a CSV file
with column headings that match those in ‘notices-of-sale.csv’ or ‘completed-sales.csv’ or 2) directly
entering the data into a CSV file.
Important Point
The first line of a CSV file you upload must be the header line, and must match the
column heading of either ‘notices-of-sale.csv or ‘completed-sales.csv’.
CSV files are text files that use commas to separate fields. Microsoft Excel automatically associates the
.csv extension to Excel, so it is likely that Excel will be the default program for opening CSV files on your
computer. However, you can also open and edit CSV files with text editors such as Notepad or WordPad.
Please note the following:

If you use Excel to edit CSV files, be sure to save the file as a CSV file, not an XLS file. XLS files
cannot be uploaded. Do not try to format or change column widths in Excel, because Excel will
drop any formatting the next time you save the file again.

Make sure your data is formatted as described in the column headings. Dates under the first
column must be formatted in YYYYMMDD format. Zip codes must be either five or nine digits,
with no dashes.
Important Point
To avoid uploading typos or incorrect data, the FDCS will only accept dates that
are the current or previous year. For example, in 2013, the system will only accept
dates starting with 2013 or 2012. Keep in mind that dates on the CSV files must
be formatted as follows: YYYYMMDD.
A CSV file stores tabular data (numbers and text) in plain-text form. CSV is a delimited text file format that
uses a comma to separate values. This type of file format is very simple and supported by almost
all spreadsheets and database management systems. It dates back to the early days of business
computing and is widely used to pass data between computers with different internal word sizes, data
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Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs
TDHCA Foreclosure Data Collection System User Guide
Version 1.0 ● Created 1/12/2012 ● Revised 1/12/2012
formatting needs, and so forth. For this reason, CSV files are common on all computer platforms. Even
modern software applications support CSV imports and/or exports because the format is so widely
recognized. To upload a CSV file, click either or Upload “Notices of Sale CSV” file or Upload “Completed
Sales” CSV.
Figure 3-1
Then click Browse and browse to the location of your CSV file, select the file, and then click Upload, as
shown in Figure 3-2.
Figure 3-2
After you click Upload, error messages will be displayed if there are any errors. The system will display
one error message at a time, along with the line number in question, until all errors are corrected.
The system will not actually accept any data in the CSV file until all errors are resolved. Once all errors
are resolved, all the data in the CSV file can be uploaded.
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Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs
TDHCA Foreclosure Data Collection System User Guide
Version 1.0 ● Created 1/12/2012 ● Revised 1/12/2012
Important Point
Each time you upload a CSV file with no errors, all rows in that CSV will be added
to the Foreclosure Data Collection System. Do not upload the same file or the
same foreclosure record multiple times, or duplicate rows will be created in the
system.
Figure 3-3 shows the results of a file that has been successfully uploaded with eight rows of data.
Figure 3-3
Important Point
Notice the UNDO option in Figure 3-3. If you upload a file in error, you have the
option of deleting it immediately after uploading it. This option is no longer
available after you navigate to another screen or logout.
Figure 3-4 shows the results of a file upload attempt with an error (the year 2009 is not the current or
previous year for upload in 2012). None of the rows were uploaded because of the error in line 2. This
error would have to be corrected before the file could be uploaded.
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Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs
TDHCA Foreclosure Data Collection System User Guide
Version 1.0 ● Created 1/12/2012 ● Revised 1/12/2012
Figure 3-4
4. Passwords and Logging Out
The password assigned to your county’s FDCS account will never expire. However, you can change the
password as needed by clicking the Change Password link. As stated on the System Access Form, each
county will be assigned one account for FDCS that can be shared within their office.
Figure 4-1
Log out of the system either by clicking the Logout link or by closing your web browser.
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