by Romanita | Oct 23, 2025 | Blog
What Is Appraisal Management Software?
In the fast-paced real estate and lending industries, efficiency, compliance, and transparency are essential. Appraisal management software (AMC) plays a critical role in streamlining one of the most important steps in the mortgage process: the appraisal. This article explores the core functions, benefits, and features of AMS, who uses it, and how it fits into the broader landscape of real estate technology.
Understanding Appraisal Management Software
Appraisal management software is designed to help lenders, appraisal management companies (AMCs), and appraisers automate, organize, and manage the appraisal process from start to finish. These platforms typically include tools for ordering, assigning, tracking, reviewing, and delivering appraisal reports, while maintaining compliance with federal and state regulations.
Why Is Appraisal Management Software Important?
The appraisal process has historically been time-consuming and prone to errors, with manual tracking through spreadsheets, phone calls, and emails. AMS platforms address these inefficiencies by centralizing communication, automating workflows, and improving transparency. This benefits all stakeholders:
- Lenders: Faster turnarounds, reduced errors, and compliance protection.
- Appraisers: Clearer assignments, streamlined workflows, and reduced administrative burdens.
- AMCs: Scaled operations, efficient order management, and improved client satisfaction.
Who Uses Appraisal Management Software?
There are several entities who use AMS platforms, depending on their needs:
- Mortgage Lenders and Banks: Banks and other mortgage lenders use AMS to order and track appraisals while ensuring compliance with regulations like Dodd-Frank and TILA-RESPA Integrated Disclosure (TRID).
- Appraisal Management Companies (AMCs): These companies rely on appraisal management software to manage appraiser networks, assign jobs, handle payments, and deliver reports efficiently.
- Independent Appraisers: Independent appraisers can use AMS to receive assignments, communicate with clients, and submit reports.
- Credit Unions and Non-Bank Financial Institutions: Other financial institutions benefit from appraisal management software integrations to streamline their internal appraisal workflows without relying on external AMCs.
ACI Sky Workbench: A Game-Changer for Appraisers
While AMS platforms are often designed for AMCs and lenders, ACI Sky Workbench is built specifically for appraisers. It’s a cloud-based platform designed to modernize and streamline the creation of Uniform Residential Appraisal Reports (URAR) in alignment with Uniform Appraisal Dataset (UAD) 3.6 standards. Launched in beta in April 2025, Workbench empowers appraisers with tools to produce faster, more accurate reports while maintaining compliance with evolving regulations.
Key Features of ACI Sky Workbench:
- Dynamic Workflow Flexibility: Workbench Allows appraisers to start at any stage of the appraisal process—whether it’s organizing comps, sketching floorplans, or drafting narrative sections. The platform dynamically adapts to the property type and task, streamlining workflows and reducing unnecessary steps. For example, if an appraiser is working on a single-family home, Workbench will display only the relevant fields, saving time and minimizing distractions.
- Seamless Date Integration: Workbench integrates directly with MLS databases, public records,, and other data sources, eliminating the need for manual data entry. Appraisers can access to up‑to‑date property details, comparable sales, and market trends without switching platforms. This integration not only saves time but also ensures accuracy and consistency in reports.
- Built‑In Compliance Tools: Compliance is at the core of Workbench. The platform includes automated field‑level compliance checks aligned with UAD 3.6 and URAR standards. These checks validate reports in real-time, helping appraisers identify potential issues before submission. By catching errors early, Workbench reduces revision requests and ensures reports meet GSE requirements.
- Advanced Data Analytics: Workbench offers powerful analytics tools that allow appraisers to validate and enhance their valuations. Visual and statistical tools provide deeper insights into market trends, property performance, and comparable data. For instance, appraisers can use trend analysis to identify emerging neighborhoods or validate adjustments, adding credibility to their reports.
Centralized Media & Mapping Tools
Managing property images, floorplans, and maps has never been easier. Workbench includes built-in image and map viewer, allowing appraisers to annotate photos, review neighborhood context, and organize media assets, all within the same interface. This eliminates the need for external tools and keeps everything centralized for a more efficient workflow.
| Feature |
What It Does |
| Dynamic Workflows |
Start at any stage of the URAR process, with workflows that adapt dynamically to the property type and task, giving appraisers full control and flexibility. |
| Data Source Integration |
Seamlessly integrates MLS, public records, and datasets directly into the platform, reducing manual entry and ensuring accurate, up-to-date information. |
| Compliance Automation |
Embedded UAD 3.6 validation checks throughout the report process, helping appraisers catch and address issues in real-time. |
| Data Analytics |
Provides visual and statistical tools to validate and enhance appraisal precision, offering deeper insights and supporting data-backed valuations. |
| Integrated Media |
Manage and annotate images, floorplans, and maps within a unified interface, streamlining the process and eliminating the need for external tools. |
How Appraisal Management Software Supports Compliance
AMS platforms are built with compliance at their core. Here’s how:
- Audit Logs: Track every user action for accountability.
- USPAP Compliance: Enforce standardized formats and report structures.
- Secure Data Storage: Protect sensitive information with encryption and secure cloud storage.
- Automated Notifications: Alert users to deadlines, license expirations, or policy violations.
- Separation of Duties: Ensure appraiser selection is independent of sales or loan origination departments, reducing conflicts of interest and maintaining the integrity of the appraisal process.
Compliance not only avoids regulatory penalties but builds trust among borrowers and investors.
Common Integrations
Appraisal management software doesn’t work in isolation. It typically integrates with:
- MLS Databases and Public Records: Seamlessly pull property data and comparable sales directly into the platform.
- Document Management Systems: Organize and store appraisal reports securely.
- Email and Calendar Tools: Simplify scheduling and notifications for appraisers and clients.
- Inspection and Sketching Apps: Synchronize inspection data with the final report creation process.
Seamless integrations ensure a smooth end-to-end workflow, from data collection to report delivery.
How Appraisal Management Software Platforms Typically Work
Appraisal management platforms typically operate in the cloud, allowing users to log in from anywhere to manage appraisal orders, track progress, and ensure compliance. Here’s how ACI Sky Workbench supports appraisers:
- Order Initiation: Appraisers create assignments directly within the platform.
- Data Collection: Seamlessly integrate MLS and public records data to gather property details and comparables.
- Workflow Management: Use dynamic workflows to complete assignments efficiently, with tools that adapt to the property type and task.
- Compliance Checks: Built-in tools validate reports in real-time, reducing errors and revision requests.
- Report Delivery: Final reports are securely downloaded with audit trails logged for transparency.
Choosing the Right Appraisal Management Software
When selecting appraisal management software, appraisers should consider the following:
- Scalability: ACI Sky Workbench is built to grow with an appraiser’s business, handling increasing workloads and evolving industry standards.
- Customization: Dynamic workflows adapt to each appraiser’s specific process, allowing appraisers to work the way they prefer.
- User Experience: Workbench’s intuitive interface is designed by appraisers, for appraisers, ensuring it meets real-world needs.
- Security: The platform uses encryption and secure cloud storage to protect sensitive data.
- Customer Support: ACI offers live support, onboarding training, and technical assistance to help appraisers’ success.
Get In on ACI Sky Workbench Beta: The Future of Appraisal Management Software
Appraisal management software is no longer a luxury, it’s a necessity in today’s fast-moving real estate environment. ACI Sky Workbench takes appraisal management to the next level by empowering appraisers with tools that streamline workflows, enhance compliance, and integrate seamlessly with industry standards like UAD 3.6.
Whether you’re looking to reduce turnaround time, improve accuracy, or adapt to the evolving demands of the industry, ACI Sky Workbench is designed to help you succeed. By joining the beta program, you’ll gain early access to this innovative platform, provide valuable feedback, and be part of shaping the future of appraisal technology.
Ready to see how ACI Sky Workbench can transform your appraisal process? Sign up for the beta program today and experience the difference firsthand!
by Romanita | Jul 2, 2025 | Blog, UAD
Navigating the Future of Appraisals
Executive Summary
The residential appraisal industry is at a pivotal moment, driven by regulatory modernization, rapid technological advancements, and increasing market demands for speed, accuracy and transparency. At the forefront of these changes is the Uniform Appraisal Dataset (UAD) and Uniform Residential Appraisal Report (URAR) redesign: an initiative led by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac that will reshape how appraisals are structured, validated and delivered. For appraisers and Appraisal Management Companies (AMCs), adapting to these changes is not just necessary – it’s essential.
Historically, the URAR—rigid and form-based—required multiple templates for different property types, limiting data integration and slowing workflows. The new modular, dynamic report structure will support a wide range of property types and lending scenarios—all within a single, intelligent framework. The first phase of this rollout begins September 8, 2025, signaling a new era in appraisal reporting.
However, the UAD redesign is just one piece of a broader transformation. Appraisers face mounting challenges, including an aging workforce, tighter turnaround times, and heightened scrutiny on appraisal quality and potential bias. Lenders and AMCs are demanding greater accuracy, consistency, and transparency to mitigate risks like mortgage putbacks.
ACI, a leader in real estate valuation technology, is at the forefront of this transition. With a fully integrated ecosystem of tools—ranging from intelligent form-fill software to advanced analytics and automated quality control—ACI empowers appraisers to not only meet new standards but exceed them. Solutions like ACI Sky™ Workbench are purpose-built for UAD 3.6 and next-generation reporting, enabling appraisers to work smarter, faster and more accurately in a high-stakes environment.
This white paper explores how ACI equips appraisers and AMCs to navigate evolving expectations, improve productivity, and deliver compliant, high-quality reports—ensuring long-term success in an increasingly data-driven and regulated appraisal landscape.
Evolving Standards: UAD Redesign and Modernization
Introduced in 2011, the UAD brought much-needed standardization to residential appraisal reports, enabling automated systems to analyze data at scale. Now, over a decade later, the
UAD and Forms Redesign initiative represents the most significant overhaul to appraisal reporting yet.
The redesigned URAR eliminates the static, one-size-fits-all approach, replacing it with a modular, dynamic structure that accommodates diverse property types and transaction scenarios. Key enhancements include:
- Expanded Data Granularity: More precise property and market data.
- Redefined Indicators: Updated condition and quality metrics.
- Improved Contextualization: Greater ability to reflect property attributes and market conditions.
This modernization creates a more accurate, analyzable, and interoperable dataset, meeting the needs of modern underwriting systems, regulatory bodies, and investors. For appraisers, this shift demands updated workflows and enhanced quality control but also unlocks opportunities for greater efficiency and transparency.
Modern Challenges Facing Appraisers and AMCs
Appraisers and AMCs are under pressure to deliver faster, more accurate reports while navigating tighter margins and heightened regulatory oversight. Key challenges include:
- Compressed Turnaround Times: Faster delivery expectations despite data complexity.
- Aging Workforce: A shrinking talent pipeline makes productivity gains critical.
- Heightened Scrutiny: Lenders demand greater transparency and consistency to meet compliance and investor expectations.
Appraisers need tools that improve productivity, automate research, reduce the need for working in different platforms and systems, and catch defects earlier in the origination process. The goal: streamline the front-end and review process for every valuation, ensuring that every report is audit-ready—without sacrificing quality or independence.
The redesigned URAR introduces structured data input and stricter data integrity requirements. While this adds complexity, it also open the door to faster report creation, reduced revision rates, and improved transparency. ACI is fully aligned with this transition. Tools like ACI Report, Sky Delivery, and the newly released ACI Sky Workbench are engineered to support these changes, enabling appraisers to adopt UAD 3.6 standards without compromising efficiency. From pre-fill automation to intelligent compliance checks, ACI ensures appraisers are ready—not just to comply, but to thrive.
A Legacy of Innovation and Industry Leadership
Founded in 1979, ACI has been a cornerstone of the valuation technology landscape for more than four decades. From its early days as a desktop solution for form-filling and compliance, ACI
has grown into one of the most widely adopted platforms in the appraisal industry. Today, ACI’s software solutions are used by thousands of individual appraisers, as well as hundreds of Appraisal Management Companies (AMCs) and lenders across the country.
Its flagship platform, ACI Sky, has reviewed more than 6 million appraisals nationwide, earning a reputation for reliability, compliance readiness, and user-centric innovation. Its deep market penetration and legacy of innovation uniquely position ACI to guide professionals through the UAD 3.6 transition and beyond to meet the future of valuation with confidence.
ACI’s Integrated Solution Ecosystem
The ACI Sky™ Suite is a comprehensive set of cloud-native tools purpose-built for today’s appraisal environment. These solutions support secure collaboration, real-time quality control, and dynamic report management.
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- ACI Sky™ Delivery: Automates appraisal delivery with real-time rules validation, error-checking, and computer vision and data matching AI, ensuring reports meet compliance standards before submission.
- ACI Sky™ Review: Streamlines the review process with automated checklists, issue flagging, public record search, revision tracking, and advanced image recognition—empowering reviewers to approve files quickly and confidently.
- ACI Sky™ Report: A scalable, cloud-based BPO forms solution that integrates with leading data providers and supports customizable form development, real-time quality assurance and seamless white-label deployment for AMCs and technology platforms.
- ACI Sky™ Workbench: Purpose-built for the future of appraisal and the upcoming UAD changes, Workbench delivers advanced cloud-based authoring, editing and reviewing capabilities that align with UAD 3.6. With intuitive drag-and-drop editing, field-level validation and contextual guidance, Workbench gives appraisers everything they need to produce high-quality reports efficiently and confidently in the new URAR format. Key features of Workbench include:
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- Dynamic Workflow: Workbench allows appraisers to start tasks at any point in the appraisal lifecycle, tailoring processes to their needs. This flexibility enhances productivity by focusing efforts on the most critical tasks, streamlining the appraisal process.
- Seamless Integration: The platform integrates effortlessly with essential third-party tools and data sources, such as MLS systems and public records databases, which streamlines access to comprehensive and up-to-date information, accelerating the appraisal process and reducing manual data entry.
- Advanced Data Analytics: Workbench provides powerful analytics capabilities that allow appraisers to conduct in-depth data analysis and generate more informed and precise appraisal reports that enhance compliance with both regulatory and client standards.
- Compliance-Ready Tools: Built to align with the latest GSE-mandated UAD standards, Workbench includes automated compliance checks within the appraisal process, helping appraisers maintain high-quality outcomes while adhering to industry regulations.
Conclusion
The appraisal industry is undergoing a generational shift—one defined by data-driven decisions, digital-first processes and heightened compliance expectations. As the UAD 3.6 and URAR modernization initiatives reshape the landscape, professionals across the valuation lifecycle must embrace innovation to stay competitive.
ACI is not only prepared for this future—it is actively building it. With decades of experience, a full suite of integrated solutions, and a deep understanding of regulatory requirements and appraiser workflows, ACI provides the tools necessary to lead with confidence.
Whether you’re an individual appraiser navigating new data standards or an AMC managing thousands of reports, ACI offers the speed, intelligence and reliability required to thrive in a rapidly evolving landscape. The future of appraisal is here—and ACI is your trusted partner every step of the way.
by Romanita | Jun 5, 2025 | Blog
ACI Sky™ Workbench: A Modern Solution for Appraisal Efficiency and Compliance
Key Takeaways
- Workbench Modernizes Appraisals – ACI’s cloud-based ACI Sky™ Workbench streamlines appraisal workflows, integrating tools and data sources to enhance efficiency and compliance.
- Seamless Compliance with UAD 3.6 – The platform is designed to align with upcoming UAD and URAR updates, ensuring appraisers stay ahead of evolving industry standards.
- Enhanced Efficiency Through Automation – Features like automated compliance checks, data population, and dynamic workflows reduce manual tasks and revisions.
- Built for Appraisers, by Appraisers – Developed with industry input, Workbench offers a user-friendly, future-ready solution tailored to real-world appraisal needs.
The real estate appraisal industry is undergoing a major transformation, driven by evolving standards and rapid technological advancements. Change isn’t just about adapting—it’s about innovating. When approached with the right mindset and tools, change becomes an opportunity to work smarter, improve efficiencies and improve the quality and transparency of valuations.
ACI is leading this shift with Workbench, a cloud-based solution designed to revolutionize the appraisal process. By leveraging cutting-edge technology, Workbench enables appraisers to work more effectively, reducing administrative burdens and enhancing data accuracy. Built to meet the latest industry requirements—including the updated Uniform Appraisal Dataset (UAD) and Uniform Residential Appraisal Report (URAR)—this platform streamlines workflows, integrates essential tools and empowers appraisers to focus on what they do best: delivering accurate, insightful property valuations.
Today, appraisals are completed on standardized forms, such as the Fannie Mae Form 1004 and Freddie Mac Form 70. The UAD and Form Redesign initiative, led by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, aims to enhance appraisal data quality and consistency by replacing multiple appraisal forms with a single, dynamic Uniform Residential Appraisal Report (URAR) and aligning with industry-standard data formats (UAD 3.6). This initiative focuses on improving data accuracy, simplifying reporting, and increasing efficiency through automation. The dynamic URAR is designed to be flexible and adaptable to various property types and loan scenarios, aligning with current mortgage industry data standards. The rollout of UAD 3.6, including the redesigned URAR, will begin with a limited production phase in September of this year, expand in January 2026, and become mandatory on November 2, 2026.
Addressing Industry Challenges with Tech-Enabled Solutions
With these new requirements coming down the pike, as well as the shift toward a more tech-forward appraisal industry, the need for an integrated and seamless workflow has never been greater. The new Workbench is specifically designed to address these challenges by offering a unified, cloud-based environment that consolidates essential appraisal tools and data sources in one place. The intuitive platform allows appraisers to deliver faster, more accurate reports that require fewer revisions. Importantly, the automation of key compliance checks reduces manual data entry, allowing appraisers to focus more on property value analysis rather than administrative tasks that can eat up time. Key features of Workbench include:
- Dynamic Workflow Flexibility:
Unlike traditional appraisal software that requires users to follow a rigid sequence, Workbench offers a fully dynamic workflow. Appraisers can begin their tasks at any stage of the URAR lifecycle—whether it’s starting with a property’s floor plan, inputting property details or reviewing comps. The system also adapts to different property types, automatically displaying the correct fields for single-family homes, condos or other classifications.
- Compliance API Integration:
Workbench is designed to streamline the appraisal process by incorporating Compliance API checks directly into the platform. These checks align with the field-level requirements set by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, allowing appraisers to verify compliance as they work. This integration ensures that reports meet the necessary compliance standards from the outset, reducing the need for manual data entry and minimizing errors. By embedding these compliance checks within the workflow, Workbench enhances data accuracy and readiness, ultimately improving the efficiency and reliability of the appraisal process.
- Access to Multiple Data Sources:
Workbench integrates MLS listing data, public records and other critical data sources directly within the platform. By consolidating these resources, appraisers no longer need to rely on multiple providers or pay for additional subscriptions, significantly reducing time spent gathering information while ensuring reports are comprehensive and accurate.
- Centralized Tools and Image Viewer:
Appraisers frequently manage multiple property images, maps and documentation. Workbench includes a built-in image viewer that integrates with mapping tools, allowing for seamless access and review of property images, floor plans and neighborhood insights—all in one place.
Looking Ahead: A Future-Ready Appraisal Solution
ACI’s approach to developing Workbench is rooted in feedback from customers and industry professionals. The solution was built from the ground up with extensive input on workflows and preferences from ACI’s Appraiser Innovation Council. This ensures that the platform aligns with real-world appraisal workflows, making it not just a compliance and efficiency tool, but a transformative solution for valuation professionals. With an emphasis on streamlining processes, enhancing compliance and improving efficiency, Workbench is set to redefine the way appraisers approach their work, making it an essential tool for the future of real estate valuation.
Email workbench@aciweb.com today to get started
