Add a listing in connectMLS

Updated August 28, 2024 15:08

Note: before you begin your listing entry journey, it is a good idea to use the New Workspace feature to have a separate connectMLS instance open (in addition to your listing input screen). If you need to run a search, find a tax record, etc. while you are entering your listing, you can do so in the additional workspace without having to close your listing input session.

To start adding a new listing in connectMLS, go to the Add/Edit menu in the upper left corner and click Add New Listing:

If you have any Draft (incomplete) listings, they will appear in the Pre-Existing Drafts window:

If you are starting a brand new listing, just click Continue in the upper right.

You will then encounter the Add New Listing screen:

1. Choose the property type of the listing.

2. Choose how you'd like to start the listing input process:

Fill from Tax allows you to enter the parcel number and/or address information in order to use the property's tax record. If you choose this option and use the Parcel Number field, make sure you are entering the SmartMLS parcel number and not the parcel number from the field card.
Fill from Listing and Tax (Clone + Tax) lets you start your listing through a combination of cloning from a previous listing and using relevant tax data from the property's public record. If you choose this option, please remember that you cannot copy from another agent's listing. You can only copy from one of your own previous listings (as long as you are in the same organization that you were in when you previously listed the property).
Manually enter all listing data (Parcel Number: 999999999) is an option for instances where there is no tax record for the property in the SmartMLS public records system. This is generally used for new construction and out-of-state listings.

3. Enter the property's address information or SmartMLS parcel number (unless you are using 999999999 and entering all listing data manually).

4. Click Continue.

If you are using the Fill from Tax option, after you click Continue you can either select the appropriate public record to fill from, or click the Continue button in the upper right without selecting any public record (if you don't want to use any of the tax records to start your listing):

If you are using the Fill from Listing and Tax (Clone + Tax) option, after you click Continue you will see the following screen:

You can select one tax record and/or one previous listing to use as the source to autopopulate data to your listing. If you choose both (a tax record and a previous listing), Connect will try to populate as many fields as possible from both sources. Fields that get autopopulated will indicate which source(s) the data came from:

The field was populated from the SmartMLS tax record.
The field was populated from the previous listing.
Both sources had the same information; the field was populated by one of them.
Each source had different information. Clear the field then click on each individually to see which data you prefer to use.

You can override any data that autopopulates from either source. Just click in the field, backspace through it and enter your own information.

Note: If you click Continue without putting a check in front of the previous listing or tax record you would like to use to start your listing, you will not be auto-populating from either source. All of the fields that would have normally filled in will be completely blank and require your manual input.

At minimum, you must fill in each of the required fields on the first screen before you can proceed any further with your listing input. Required fields have a red asterisk in front of them:

The first field on the screen in the Activation Status:

Use this field to select the status that this listing will be saved as when it has been completely filled out.
Note: This does not mean you have to activate the listing right now. You can still save the listing as Incomplete as often as you need to before it is ultimately activated (Incomplete listings are known as Drafts in connectMLS). This field simply lets you choose the listing's status (and what other agents and their clients will see) that appears when you are finished entering it and publish it.

Pro Tip: the Neighborhood field at the bottom of the screen (underneath the address fields) is a required field that cannot be skipped. If you do not know the correct neighborhood for the property, or it does not fall within any of the neighborhoods in the drop-down list, select N/A (each city has a N/A option in its neighborhood list).

After you have filled in all of the required fields on this screen, click the Save Draft & Continue button in the upper right:

That will save the work you have done so far as a Draft (Incomplete listing) and bring you into the listing input form. There is a lot happening on this form, especially across the top of the screen, that will prove very useful to you throughout your listing input journey:

The upper left corner of the page displays the status (Draft) and address of this listing.
The column of blue buttons going down the left side lets you navigate between the different tabs of the listing input form. When entering your listing, you can go in any order you'd like- you do not have to go down the list in sequential order. The tab you are currently working on will be dark blue and the rest will be pale blue.
The Previous and Next buttons allow you to move sequentially through the listing input form.
The portion of the page directly underneath the Previous and Next buttons displays the listing input tab you are currently working on. If you started this listing by filling from a SmartMLS tax record and/or cloning from a previous listing, it will also display the source tax record and/or list number.
The Feature List is an excellent resource to use during listing input. It goes through all the tabs (in order) and displays all fields with their respective available options. It is printable, in case you want a handy reference sheet at your computer while you go through the listing input process:

When searching through the Feature List, be sure to take advantage of the Find feature- hit Ctrl+F on your keyboard (Command+F on a Mac) to open a Find window that allows you to search through the entire list for any keyword(s).
Click Exit Draft to leave the listing input screen without saving your changes.
Note: there is no warning screen or confirmation that comes up after clicking the button- the listing input screen immediately closes and you are brought back to the My Listings/Transactions page without the opportunity to save your work. Be careful!
Preview allows you to see how your listing looks on a report (based on the fields you have already filled out yourself and those that autopopulated from the tax record and/or cloned listing you used at the beginning of the input process). You can print from the preview report.
Publish is the button you would use at the end of the listing input process when you are done and would like the listing to be saved under the status you chose at the very beginning (Coming Soon, Active or Comp Only). There is a built-in validation feature that checks all required fields and makes sure you have filled them in properly (for instance, you have not exceeded the maximum number of selections for any fields) and that you have not missed any required fields.

If you have skipped any required fields or there is a problem with the way they have been populated, you will see a dotted line around the section (on the left) and there will be red Required text under the field:
The Validate button checks all required fields but does not attempt to save your work or activate the listing. As is the case with the Publish button, you will be alerted to the location of any problematic sections and fields.
Click Save Draft to save your work. You will get a brief popup window alerting you that your Draft is being saved, after which you can continue working on your listing. It is a good practice to click Save Draft often during your listing input session (as a precaution). Connect automatically saves your work when you switch from one tab to another, but it never hurts to click Save Draft just to be sure, especially if you have done work on one tab and have not switched to another tab.
Clicking Generate Listing Sheet will open up a listing input form and backfill the fields based on the information you have entered on the listing. This is great for bringing to the seller for review before completing the listing and publishing it to the live system.
The information in the top right (beneath Feature List) displays the address, MLS#, property type and parcel number of this listing.
The light grey Basic Listing Information box toward the top center of the screen provides summary information about this listing. There is a drop-down arrow you can use to see a bit more about it, including the status it will save under and the list agent/office IDs:

There is also an orange pencil icon that brings you back to the very first listing input screen and allows you to edit any of the fields (if needed). This can be especially helpful in situations where an admin enters the listing for an agent under their own login and needs to change the list agent prior to activating the listing.

The layout of the listing input screens is designed to tell a story about the property you are listing. Fields are grouped together in the most logical order possible, and the linear design of the fields is intended to simplify the input process and ensure that you do not miss any fields.

As you move from one tab to another, your Draft listing will automatically be saved for you. This feature is designed to keep you from losing some (or all) of your work if you should happen to lose your internet connection, leave your computer for an extended period of time or click Exit Draft instead of Save Draft.

During the input process, you may notice that new fields will appear on the screen after you have populated a field. This unique design allows us to maintain a cleaner, simpler layout and prevent you from having to deal with fields that are not relevant to your listing.

For instance, during a Single Family for Sale input, when you are on the Structural section you will encounter the Attic YN field:

If you choose No, you can move on to the next field (Basement Description).

However, if you choose Yes, you will immediately get two new Attic Description fields that are directly related to the Attic field you just populated- Attic Access and Attic Details:

Many fields have a ? to the right of them:

If you hover over the ? you will get a popup window that provides help/suggestions for that field.
Some of these help windows also include a link to a knowledge base article that provides in-depth information about that field. Keep an eye out for these SmartDesk links- they are a great resource to help you throughout the listing input process.

In another effort to streamline the listing input process, we have embedded links to manage photos and supplements directly from within the listing input form. You no longer have to leave your listing input session to access those important features.

Here is what it looks like from the Photographers & Virtual Tours section:

Click here for an in-depth article on managing photos.

There is also a separate Documents section at the end of listing input for managing supplements:

If you would like to learn more about uploading documents to your listing, click here.

Once you have finished entering all your listing's information and you are ready to upload it to the MLS, we recommend that you go to the Contract section and click the drop-down arrow in the basic listing information box to confirm that you have chosen the correct Activation Status:

Doing so can save you the aggrivation of activating your listing under the wrong status (ex: you saved it as Active but it should be Coming Soon).

After you've confirmed that everything looks correct and you are ready to publish the listing, click the Validate button. The system will run one last validation check on your listing. If it finds any problems (you skipped over some required fields, you have not uploaded the Listing Agreement, etc.) it will outline the specific tab(s) with dotted lines on the left side of the screen:

When you go to one of these problematic tabs, look for the fields that have red errors underneath them:

The red text will alert you to the issue that needs to be resolved (you skipped a required field, selected too many options in a field, etc.).

Once you've addressed all the errors or missing fields, click the Publish button. If you have successfully addressed all outstanding errors and omissions, you will get this screen:

Put a check in front of I have reviewed all information on this listing for accuracy and completeness and click the Publish Listing button in the upper right corner.

You will get a confirmation screen:

At this point, you have many options including managing photos or supplements, creating a flyer or adding another listing.