Next Release Candidates - Case 7.296

The next release is primarily focused on longer term projects and back-end continuous improvements, to include: 

• longer term projects -- bi-directional mobile communications, estimate/operations table enhancements, improved OEM data integration, Senior Technician permissions, dealer business system integrations, and support for serial number-based assets (e.g., reefers, APUs, generators, etc.).
• back-end maintenance -- platform upgrades and security hardening.

In addition, we are planning the following enhancement:

• Fleet portal - Estimate Approvals:  We are making enhancements to the Estimate Approval page to improve the flow and the visibility of the "Submit" button.  We have observed that some users will mark estimate lines as approved, deferred or declined, then leave the page before hitting the "Submit" button.  We have made the button more noticeable and also are providing a warning message if the user has approved, deferred or declined any line items and is leaving the page before hitting the "Submit" button.

Beginning of Year Release Schedule

Our release schedule has temporarily changed from the usual bi-weekly pattern as follows:

• The December 4-15 sprint (Case 7.296) is planned for release January 4th
• The December 18-29 sprint (Case 7.297) will likely be released January 9th or 10th
• The January 1-12 sprint (Case 7.298) will likely be released the third week of January

The regular bi-weekly release schedule resumes thereafter.

Bi-Directional Mobile Communications Launching to All Locations in early 2024!

We have concluded the pilot period that we announced back in June of our new features to support bi-directional mobile communications.  We have worked with our OEM partners and dealers they have selected to pilot these new features and get the kinks out, and are now ready to release broadly to their entire dealer networks.  These features include:

• better ways to manage customer contacts, including mobile phone only contacts 
• the ability for dealers and customers to reply to case notifications and notes via SMS text or a mobile user interface, as well as to send notes to a case
• the ability for dealers and customers to be able to see the current list of cases in the mobile user interface
• the ability for customers to approve estimates at the line item level via the mobile user interface

The documentation for these features is now posted in the Help Center.  See the Overview article for a rundown of all the documentation, including a video demo of the new features in action.