Yes, heels is plural. For fun, let’s pretend we’re building some basic iMacros scripts:

TAG POS = 1 TYPE = INPUT: TEXT FORM = form1 ATTR = NAME: sale_comp_1_address CONTENT = {{! COL1}}

TAG POS = 1 TYPE = INPUT: TEXT FORM = form1 ATTR = NAME: sale_comp_2_ address CONTENT = {{! COL2}}

TAG POS = 1 TYPE = INPUT: TEXT FORM = form1 ATTR = NAME: sale_comp_3_ address CONTENT = {{! COL3}}

CONTENT = is the column number of the CSV export and ATTR = NAME identifies which field the data will be sent to in the form. If this script is for a single valuation company, what this means is that Column 1 will be entered here, Column 2 there, and so on. So what are iMacros Achilles Heels for Broker Price Opinion Form Filling Automation?

Achilles heel n. # 1: Data running through iMacros cannot be saved or manipulated within a database

This really hurts because as we move forward, BPOs will continue to be increasingly data-driven. The data adds more precision to a broker’s opinion of the price. In order for us as an industry to use data to our advantage, we need to host our data. iMacros does not have this capability in its current state. Could it be designed as a hybrid with a database? Possibly, but then we run into the following problem.

Achilles heel n. 2: CSV file must generate the same criteria in the same ordered columns

Have you ever signed up for iMacros based automation and been told that your MLS is not compatible with the software? The truth is that as long as your MLS can generate a CSV file then it is supported. However, there is a decent part of MLS systems that export to CSV but do not allow header column orders to be modified. That means that before the CSV file can be run through iMacro, you will have to manually sort each column to match what you see above in the original iMacros script. What if one MLS has “Address” in the first column, but another MLS has “Property Type” in column 1? Herein lies the flaw. You would get the property type data entry in your sale_comp_1_address field. Time is not saved organizing all the columns to correct this defect, in fact time is wasted. The only other solution would be to write a custom script for each different MLS output, but that’s just not practical.

In short, we haven’t necessarily been using iMacros in our industry to fill out forms because it’s been good. We have been using it because it has been the only viable option on the market.

Disclaimer: iMacros is a worldwide product designed to easily fill out forms and automate web browser processes. I respect the work that they have been able to do on a large scale. I still use iMacros for a variety of other business tasks. I am simply identifying why your product falls short to specifically process the Broker Price Opinion form filling automation.