Last Friday (3rd June) saw the successful deployment of the latest Workbooks release. The Spring 2011 release includes some fantastic new functionality, including the ability to bulk update records using the import tool as well as ‘right-click’ functionality to support copy, paste and spell-checking. As always, the release also included a number of enhancements made to existing functionality and the resolution of several bugs.
Some key areas of new functionality include:
Update through Import
You can now use Workbooks Import functionality to update fields on existing records. For example, data that has been taken out of Workbooks for cleansing can be imported and the amended data used to update the existing information. Using the update mode you can choose between simply updating existing records or updating existing ones AND, if a record doesn’t already exist, creating a new one. Click here for more information.
Full Database Export
In response to customer requests it’s now possible for users with the appropriate capability to download their entire database. The data will be exported as a TGZ archive file, which is a compressed file, containing multiple CSV files which holds all the data about your different record types. Of course, we’ll continue to backup your data and keep it secure but now you have the added benefits of being able to choose to export your data too. You’ll find information on how to do this here.
Export to Excel and CSV
Previously there was a limit on the number of rows that can be exported to Excel or to CSV (1,000 rows). Again, in response to customer requests, this limit has been removed so you can export data from grids much more easily.
Quick Start Guide
To make the initial set up of Workbooks easier, we’ve added a Quick Start Wizard to guide you through setting up your Own Organisation, including your Tax Regime, Home Currency, Foreign Currencies, Company Registration Number and Accounting Periods. If you’ve already set up your database you won’t see this Wizard, although it will be available if you create a new database.
Spell-Checking functionality
One of the most popular enhancement requests we receive is to include a spell checker. We’ve added access to the browsers right-click functionality, which allows you to copy and paste (rather than using Ctrl+C, Ctrl+V) and gives you access to the browsers spelling checker (NOTE: Availability of spell checking is browser specific. A spell checker is included in Chrome, Firefox and Safari, whereas for Internet Explorer you need to install a third party plug-in). To access this functionality on standard fields, use right click however when using the rich text editor you need to hold down the Control key (or Command key on a Mac) and right click the mouse.
Internet Explorer 9 support
Workbooks can be used with any of the main browsers: Firefox, Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Safari or Opera and up until now, for reasons of speed of performance, we’ve recommended using either Chrome or Safari. This release adds support for the recently introduced Internet Explorer 9. Significant Performance improvements within Internet Explorer 9 allow us to now recommend it for use with Workbooks.
Email Roll-Up
On an Organisation record, we have extended the email tab so it now shows all emails sent to or from Employees of that Organisation. This allows you easily to see email correspondence between your staff and your customer in one place.
Other Enhancements
In addition to the aforementioned enhancements, many parts of the service have seen incremental improvement, often as a result of customer feedback. Where we have addressed specific customer requests our customer support team will be in touch to inform you that these changes have been implemented.
As ever, please continue to help drive our roadmap by contributing your suggestions on our Community site.