Template:November2018Upgrade
General Details
Upgrade Dates
Public Cloud Production release date: November 15th 2018
Public Cloud Backup release date: October 30th 2018
Private Cloud Production (Managed Upgrades) release date: November 29th 2018
Private Cloud Backup (Managed Upgrades) release date: November 15th 2018
Overview
Watch this video to get a general overview of the new features in this release.
To watch this video in full screen, please click on the full screen button on the bottom right.
Global System Upgrades
The new features listed below are enhancements to the SmartSimple system and will be immediately available to SmartSimple users upon the application of the upgrade to their server:
Major Updates
New Notifications Area
New notifications icon in the header menu that can be used. Administrators can now setup notifications to display for all users or specific user roles, and designate the time frame in which to display these notifications.
Changes to GuideStar Integration
With GuideStar retiring their currently used API in the spring of 2019, we have updated our integration to utilize their new API. If you are currently using a GuideStar integration point, you may be affected by changes in this upgrade.
This upgrade will automatically convert your GuideStar Search integration to instead begin using the new API. Functionally, there will be no change, however the connection will be updated from using a client owned account and license instead to using a SmartSimple built-in API license.
Your GuideStar For Grant Applications integration won't be automatically changed. However, you will need to update your integration version before spring of 2019 when GuideStar retires the current API. To do this, you simply need to navigate to your Global Settings -> Integrations -> GuideStar Search -> GuideStar For Grant Applications -> Use New GuideStar API. Functionally, the only change will be the end of support for the GuideStar ID data column which would previously return a GuideStar identifier in the search screen. This connection will also be updated from using a client owned account and license instead to using a SmartSimple built-in API license.
Please contact your account manager for further information regarding the billable nature of this feature and the cost.
Updated the way that Dashboards are shared with other users. In the initial release, Dashboards were shared via links in a SmartCard. We've changed this instead to have shared Dashboards available right in the same Dashboard screen.
Changes to User Interface
Minor changes have been made to the user interface in a couple of areas. For end users, the portal selectors for switching user role or company association has been updated slightly. Where the selector previously read 'Portals', it will not instead display the role name of the portal that you're currently viewing. Where the selector previously read 'Switch Account', it will now instead display the company name that you're currently acting within. The menu will now behave as an easy to use drop-down menu. The other interface changes involve administrative configuration pages. You may notice some buttons have shifted location from the very top action bar, down into the list action bar in some settings pages for greater consistency and clarity.
Minor Updates
Deprecation of Ecuadorian Spanish Language Option
Removed the language option for specifically Ecuadorian Spanish. You'll now only have the language selection option for Spanish.
Added Select All Option for File Upload Fields
New option to select all files from a file upload field in order to easily download all.
Enhanced Playback of Media with Fixed Position
Enhanced the playback of Media Library custom fields to fix the media player on your screen as you scroll up and down and navigate through the rest of the record. This allows you to review uploaded media while filling out the rest of the form. You may also drag the media player to anywhere you wish on the screen and fix it there.
Enhanced Annotation Entry Screen to Show Previous Comments
Enhanced the annotations feature to display previous comments as you edit a comment. This is for an improved user experience as you add annotations to be able to review past ones at the same time.
Updated Rich Text Field Hyperlink to Target New Window
Updated the default behaviour of creating hyper links in rich text custom fields to instead target a new window instead of the current working window.
On-Demand System Upgrades
The following features are available immediately with the application of the upgrade, but must first be enabled or configured by a System Administrator:
Major Updates
New Excel Parser
New ability to import Excel formatted files into SmartSimple. New option introduced within the Upload File custom field types to Enable Excel Parsing. This will then produce a Field Mappings box at the top of the configuration screen allowing you to map the imported Excel data into a variety of fields.
You may import the data into Text Box fields, in which case you may import just a single cell, or into Basic Data Table fields, in which case you may import entire tables.
The following syntax may be used in the Field Mapping, and multiple fields may be specified after a semi-colon delimiter.
| Format | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| [DataTableFieldName]=areaname | References a Named area within Excel, and stores this to a Basic Data Table custom field. | [My_Table_Custom_Field]=My_Excel_Area_Name |
| [DataTableFieldName]=sheetname!cellrange | References a cell range within Excel, and stores this to a Basic Data Table custom field. | [My_Table_Custom_Field]=Sheet1!$A$1:$D$20 |
| [TextBoxFieldName]=areaname | References a Named area within Excel, e.g. a single cell in this case, and stores this to a Text Box custom field. | [My_Textbox_Custom_Field]=My_Excel_Cell_Name |
| [TextBoxFieldName]=sheetname!cell | References a Named area within Excel, e.g. a single cell in this case, and stores this to a Text Box custom field. | [My_Textbox_Custom_Field]=Sheet1!$A$1 |
Enhanced Email Broadcast with Built-in Unsubscribe Functionality
New option within Email Broadcast for recipient to unsubscribe. Previously it took some configuration to create a separate subscribe/unsubscribe page and link that into an Email Broadcast. However, now it's an easy option to include an unsubscribe link that adds and removes user roles from any users that click it.
Added Support for Granular Permission Options for User and Company Associations
New option to configure restrictions and granular permissions around role assignments of user and company associations. You can now define which users are allowed to edit specific user associations, as well as who can add or delete these associations. E.g. define which users may edit which user roles associated to companies, and if they can only add and not delete. This is limited to just user/company associations to user and company records and will not apply to UTA records, although we plan on introducing this for UTA records in the future.
Minor Updates
New Tile View for List Views
New option for list views to be able to display their records in a tiled view rather than the current text rows. This allows for a different visual experience for your users, and an easier mobile experience.
New Compact Header Mode
New compact header mode can be enabled in order to reduce the header menu to a single row. This will increase your usable screen real estate for all your users. This is an easy to enable setting, and can be found in Global Settings -> Branding -> Enable Compact Header.
Added Support for Standard Field Batch Update Permissions
Added support for batch update permissions on standard fields now.
Enhanced Web Page View with Ability to Exclude Fields from Print
New ability to configure a Web Page View custom field to allow the end user to select which fields they wish to populate the Web Page View and form export. This lets them exclude fields from printing if they wish.
Added Support for Track Changes for Record Association Changes
Updated association standard fields with the ability to track changes. You can now configure fields such as the UTA Level 1 contacts field with track changes to keep the change history of users associated to the Level 1.
Added Option for Minimum Character and Word Count on Text Fields
New option for text fields to have validation for minimum character and word count.
Enhanced Invitations Feature with Ability to Bulk Cancel and Resend
Enhanced the invitations feature with some new functionality. Introduced a new Workflow task type that allows you to cancel all pending invitations on a record. You will now be able to cancel pending invitations in bulk and specify which user roles to do this for. Also introduced an option within this Workflow task type that allows you to re-send the invitation to all pending invitations on a record.
Added Recordset for Archived Session Log within Report Builder
New record set available in the report builder that allows you to report on the user Session Log (Archived). SmartSimple clears user login sessions older than 1 year, so now you can access those archived logs with this new record set.
Notes for Admins
Deprecated Duplicate Integer and Decimal Options for Custom Fields
Deprecated the custom field option for the Number Formats of Integer and Decimal. But don't worry, these validations can be achieved with the already existing option for Number Precision instead. This change is intended to simplify the configuration of number rounding. This won't affect already existing fields with the Number Formats set, but you will no longer be able to set the Integer or Decimal option for any other fields going forward.
Enhanced Data Table Custom Field with Column Specific Edit Conditions
New option to configure an edit condition along with view condition for columns within the Advanced Data Table custom field. We previously introduced a way to show and hide columns with view conditions, but now you can also specify when and who can edit columns within a Data Table.
Added Support for Moving Sections within Portal Builder
Added the ability to easily copy and move sections within the portal builder now.
Added Support for UTA Consumer Provider restrictions
New option to specify which provider UTAs are available for a consumer UTA. As your systems are becoming more interconnected, you now have more control over the connectivity between provider and consumer UTAs and which ones are available to which.
Added Option to Restrict IRS Verification to Only US-based Organizations
New option to restrict IRS verification on Organization sign up pages to just US-based organizations. The IRS database of organizations contains organizations from around the world, but you can now restrict the lookup on a sign up page to only return US-based organizations.
Added Support for UTA Only User Roles to be Included in UTA Security Matrix
Added the ability to include UTA Only user roles in the security matrix of a UTA. This will allow you to configure the permissions within a UTA with respect to contacts associated to records in those roles.
Added Support for Restriction of Organization and User Submit Buttons Based on Role
New option to restrict Organization and User submit buttons based on the category or user roles that they possess.
Added more SmartConnect API Functionality to Retrieve Instance Metadata
Added SmartConnect API functions to get metadata for various record types. Added support for get metadata of UTA Level 2 and 3, users, and organizations.
Added Option on Organization Sign Up to Enforce Organization Assignment
New option on Organization sign up pages to enforce the Organization assignment for all matching users. By default, when registering Organizations and Users through sign up pages existing users will not have their organization updated. Enable this option if you wish to always move matching users under the newly registered or matched organization.