Welcome to ACN / Form ADV
Version 3.3

 (Formatted in MS Word™)

 INVESTMENT ADVISER REGISTRATION PACKAGE
UNIFORM APPLICATION FOR INVESTMENT ADVISER REGISTRATION

HELP & USER GUIDE

ACN/Form ADV is a software program which contains the registration material the SEC provides to new and existing investment advisory firms seeking and maintaining their status as a Registered Investment Adviser.  Advisor Consultant Network, Inc. has converted this information into a software format in order for investment firms to work with the SEC document (text and forms) in a more efficient and productive manner.

 

ACN has endeavored to duplicate the material in the forms and instructions to the best of its abilities but does not guarantee the accuracy of its output.  While this product is independent of SEC collaboration, “reproductions” of the forms are acceptable.  All rights to the forms, rules and interpretations are reserved by the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

This information is provided as an introduction to the federal securities laws pertaining to investment advisors and their representatives and is only intended to highlight and summarize some of the significant provisions.  It should NOT be relied on in lieu of reference to the actual statutes, rules, regulations and interpretations.

 

HELP / USER GUIDE INDEX

TEMPLATES AND DOCUMENTS   INDEX

The following files are installed with this software:

GETTING STARTED    INDEX

The Form ADV program contains twenty-eight files: five instructions files (2 text documents and 3 PDF files) and twenty-three templates.  The forms and schedules are set up as Word templates (.dot) and not documents (.doc).  A template offers you the functionality of both word-processing and tables in order to simplify your handling of the form. 

You are presently in the Advhelp.doc file that contains the ACN Help/User Guide. The other text document (Advinstr.doc) contains the rules, regulations, interpretations and instructions the SEC provides for completing Form ADV.  You can access these files from one of three options: (1) the ACN / Form ADV Menu Option at the top of your screen on an open ADV template or document; (2) Press Start, Programs, ACN Form ADV; (3) the default directory used in installing this program - C:\ACN\FormADV 

The MSWord directory where templates are found varies with the different versions of MSWord. The Templates directory for Word97 is Program Files\Microsoft Office\Templates; for MSWord2000 Windows\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates directory; and for Word2002/ OfficeXP Documents and Settings\Administrator (Name)\ApplicationData\Microsoft\Templates. You can also find the templates directory by selecting Tools, Options, File Locations. 

If you use the default directory to install the templates (C:\ACN), open Windows Explorer and move the templates to your MSWord Templates directory in order for the macros associated with this program and each template to work properly.

Unique Features with your Form ADV:     INDEX

Form ADV Menu Option:  Open any new Form ADV template or a saved form or schedule and, on the same line as your MS Word Menu Bar, the ACN / Form ADV Menu Option will appear.  The menu offers you quick access to the ACN Help/User Guide and ACN FAQ Page, SEC specific instructions for filling out the forms along with general information on the registration and regulation of investment advisers and hyperlinks to SEC and ACN web pages relating to the Form ADV. 

Protected Document Macro:  Each template includes a macro that allows you to Protect and Unprotect a document without losing entered data in the form fields when you go from an unprotected to a protected document.  You may need to do this from time to time to make small changes in the forms or schedules.  You will lose your data when you do this in a normal Word document.  If in doubt make a back-up copy of your work before you try this. 

SEC/IARD Instructions for Form ADV (Advinstr.doc) contains hyperlinks to the SEC website for reference to the rules, regulations and instructions.

Frequently Asked Question Page - We are in the process of compiling a FAQ page on our website with questions and answers that users have come forward with while working with the ACN software. Please reference this page at: ACN Form ADV FAQ

Open a New Form 

1.      Start MS Word
2.      Select File, New   ( Open gives you documents ; New gives you the templates )
3.      Select the Form ADV template you need.
4.      Select the ACN / Form ADV Menu option for help, instructions or additional information. 

After you have added information to a form or schedule and you elect to save it, you will be prompted with a Save As option.  Name your new file and you will always have the original blank form or schedule template.

IMPORTANT:

Microsoft Office97/2000 or Office XP/ Word 2002

If you installed the ACN/Form ADV program with an earlier version of MSWord (6.0 or 7.0) and you upgrade to Office97/2000 or Office XP/2002 or later you need to re-install the program.  Reinstallation is necessary in order to activate the macros associated with the ACN templates, i.e. ACN / Form ADV Menu Option, Protect and Unprotect Documents, etc.

FILLING OUT A FORM    INDEX

Except for Schedule F, each form is a protected document which accomplishes two things: (1) no one will inadvertently change the formatting or text, and (2) the form fields are activated so that your cursor works in those fields that require an answer. 

Navigating & Completing    INDEX

Forms & Schedules:

In those instances where a question is repeated within a schedule, the data you enter will be added to other required spaces as well, i.e. Applicant or SEC File Number is often repeated on each page.  The entry point is usually the first appearance of that question on the schedule and is designated by bold blue lettering.

Use the PgUp, PgDn, Tab, Arrow or Enter keys to move from one field to the next. To scroll through the document, use your mouse and the scroll bar.

You can also use your mouse to position the cursor on any field but you may need to double click on the form field or Arrow UpDn until the desired field is highlighted.

Click on a Yes/No check box to place (or remove) an “X” in it.

Pressing the Up Arrow key in a form or schedule moves the cursor backward.

Pressing the Tab key from the last form field at the end of a form or schedule returns you to the first form field at the beginning of the document.

Text File  ( advinstr.doc)

The Text File contains 131 pages of rules, regulations, instructions and interpretations that are part of the registration packet.  To facilitate your movement within this file double click on any green lettered topic in the Table of Contents and you will be taken directly to that section.  Also by double clicking on any green lettered (Table of Contents) at the end of each section will return you to the Table of Contents.  Use the Edit, Find menu to locate a specific item or topic.

Field Size    INDEX

In most cases the form fields (shadowed gray areas) take up a single line or less.  But, under some circumstances, it is possible to run an answer over onto a second line.  This is caused by the design of MSWord which limits a form field to a number of letters, not a specific size.

For example, the size of a city field may be 20 characters.  Consider the following entries:

WASHINGTON D.C.
Washington D.C.

While both of the above entries have the same number of letters, one takes up more space.  In some circumstances, you can cause a single line form field to wrap and become two lines.  Caution: This will change the number of lines, and may cause the bottom of the form to run over onto an additional page.

To alter a field size select Tools, Unprotect Document; then select Insert, Form Field, Options or use the Form Field Toolbar.  To adjust the location of the form field use the paragraph control adjuster on the Ruler.  Remember to Protect Document and select Forms when you finish.  For example you may want to or need to change the form field size of a State, when the two letter abbreviation of a state may not apply.

The font default for the form fields in the templates is Arial, Bold.

Schedule F    INDEX

Schedules F is set up with tables instead of Form Fields which makes working with them a little different.  (You may need to familiarize yourself with cells, rows and columns in MSWord.)

Here are the steps you need to take to adjust the header:

1.  Click on View.
2.  Select Header and Footer.
3.  Move the Header/Footer Dialog Box by clicking and dragging your mouse on the edges
     so you are able to see and edit the Header.
4.  There are five pieces of information that you need to add to the Header:
      (Applicant; SEC File No; Date;  Full Name of Applicant; IRS Empl. Ident. No.)
5.  Move your cursor to those areas and start adding your information. 
       (Be careful not to add lines or delete text from the schedule’s format.)
6.  Click on Close.

By default the cursor opens in the first cell. Start adding information in the second cell in both columns.  First delete the text/instructions we left in each column to help you get started. As you add text, create new lines, add cells or fill up the cell with text, a new page is created with the same header and footer.

To add a row copy and paste an empty row or highlight a row and select Table, Insert, Row.

As you create multiple pages you will be able to Save your work under the same file name.

Saving a Form or Schedule    INDEX

To save your work, click on File, Save.  (The Save As button will also get you there.)  You will be prompted with a dialog box offering you various options in naming your file.  Name the file as you do with any MSWord document.

(a)     Directory:  Choose the directory where you want to keep your forms.  The default directory will be My Documents along with all your other Word files.  We suggest you use the ACN\FormADV directory, which is the directory in the C:\ drive we created when installing this program, and where you will find the Help Guide and Instruction files.

To locate the ACN and FormADV directory, click on the down arrow ( ¯ ) on the Save In box or the drive you installed the program in after you select File, Save As.  Select the drive you installed the program on, select ACN and Form ADV.

Or, you may want to create a sub-directory for each of your registration entries.

(b)    File Name:  Name the new file.  You may want to identify both the form and the date you have updated your report with the SEC.  (The default is OMB Approval  or something similar since MS Word uses the first words that it finds when opening the template) 

(c)    File Type:  Save as a Word document (.doc) which is the default choice.  If you save as a template (.dot) you will create a new template which is probably not a good idea.

MARGINS    INDEX

Page margins are set for a Hewlett Packard printer.  Your printer may not allow the same top and/or bottom margin settings.  If this is the case, you will receive the following message when you try to print one of the documents:  

“The margins of section 1 are outside of the printable area of the page.”.
Do you want to continue? 

Try selecting Yes to see if it prints without needing adjustments.  

Some of the forms require nearly an entire page.  You can change the top and bottom margins for your specific printer but keep in mind that both the top and bottom margins must total no more than one half inch.  Any combination is acceptable (e.g. Top-0.2, Bottom=0.3; Top=0.1, Bottom=0.4; etc.). 

In order to make the proper adjustments follow these steps: 

            1.         Click on File.
            2.         Click Page Setup.
            3,         Change the Top and Bottom margins to 0.
            4.         Click on OK. 

You will be given the following message: 

One or more margins are set outside the printable area of the page.
Choose the Fix button to increase the appropriate margins. 

            5.         Click on Fix.  This will set the top and bottom margins to
                        the minimum for your printer.
            6.         Adjust the margins to total one half inch for both top and bottom
                        margins
                        added together.
            7.         Click on OK. 

PROTECTED FORMS     INDEX

A protected document allows you to enter data only in specific areas or form fields.  The answer areas other than check boxes are set up as form fields.  Your cursor will work only these fields thus protecting the text and question portions of the form.  If from time to time you need to change or edit the text portion of a form or the default settings for a form field you need to unprotect the document.  This will allow you to alter any portion of the document. 

Warning:  MS Word does not save data you entered in a form field if you protect or lock a document.  ACN have included a macro with each template in this program that allows you to move back and forth from a protected and unprotected document if you so choose or need to do so and not lose your entered data.  Before you try this, experiment with a new form or backup your work with a copy just in case the macro was not activated. 

TO UNPROTECT A DOCUMENT:                                       TO PROTECT A DOCUMENT: 

PRINTING     INDEX

Use the File Menu / Print function just as you would with any MSWord document. You need to ascertain if your printer will accept the Page Setup margins that were used to create the document.  If your form prints properly, you need not make any adjustments.  If it does not, go to the Margins section of the User Guide and follow those instructions.

You have the option of selecting the entire document, your current page or specific pages when choosing to print portions of this program. 

VIEWING FORMS & SCHEDULES   INDEX

All forms/schedules are saved with the Zoom setting at 75%.  This allows you to view the entire document on the screen.  If you prefer to see the document at 100%, or any other Zoom setting, use your toolbar icon or follow these steps:

1.  Click on View
2.  Click on Zoom
3.  Adjust the Percent setting to your personal preference
4.  Click on OK

Thank You for Your Support.

Please call or write or visit the ACN website
with your questions or suggestions.

Copyright © 1995-2005 Advisor Consultant Network, Inc. - www.netacn.net
600 Superior Ave., Suite 1300  -  Cleveland, OH  44114
Phone: 216-522-1908  /  E-mail: info@netacn.net
June 08, 2005