Commence RM 8.0 Release Notes
Commence RM 8.0 Feature Summary
Commence RM 8.0 delivers new functionality, enhanced functionality and compatibility with the latest Microsoft Office and Windows products.
Commence Email Dropbox
One of the core enhancements in RM 8.0 provides better integration with Microsoft Office 365 and Google Mail for logging of e-mails. A new Email Dropbox feature allows users to log emails by simply forwarding them to a configured email address, such as crm@mycompany.com. Commence can be configured to check this inbox and automatically download and log any emails that are received.
- This feature enables email logging with Microsoft Office 365, Google mail, and other web based email services from any email client, including email apps on mobile phones
- Simpler to implement and use since it does not require installing and using the Outlook desktop app or plugin
- Ensure all of your customer communcations are logged in the CRM system
Report writer Improvements for Adobe PDF
You can use the built-in Commence Report writer to create interactive forms in PDF format. Use the full power of the report designer to publish pre-configured and ready to fill AcroForms.
- Create the report layout with interactive fields, such as textboxes and checkboxes
- Export to Adobe PDF format with form fill-in fields and pre-populated fields
Customize Database confirms Updates and Deletes
This improvement notifies the Commence administrator when making changes or deletions of the Application design, including views, agents, fields, and more. For example, when removing a field from the application, Commence shows an alert and documents any dependencies such as views or agents that use this field. This makes it safer and easier to update and modernize your application without causing unintended changes.
Image fields support more image formats
The Commence application database provides the Image field and allows for the application to store images with each record, such as a contact’s profile picture or a picture of a real estate listing. This image field has been enhanced to support most common image formats such as JPEG, GIF and more.
Agent Send Email action supports multiple recipients
Sending emails is a common feature that is automated using the Commence Agent feature. This is used to automate sending emails based on changes to your application, such as sending out a welcome email when adding a new customer or contact. This feature has been enhanced so multiple recipients can be included, rather than just a single contact email address.
Agent documentation in System info
Provides an improved System Info screen including an Agents listing that can be exported to a file for review or printing.
Microsoft Windows and Office 365
Changes are continually being made to the Microsoft Windows Operating system that can impact software programs like Commence RM. Enhancements have been made in RM 8.0 to insure that it the product is in full compliance with the current releases of Microsoft Windows and Office 365.
Additional Features from prior Commence RM Versions
Commence Social Search
A new Social Search feature enables you to search for contact information on popular social search sites like Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. You can add these social links directly into Commence and navigate to a social user’s profile..
- Presents a modern task pane window
- Easy to use and easy to launch a social search. The search text is pulled from the selected contact record and only requires the user to click on the social network icon to search for that contact’s information.
- Social search results are based on the social network selection, in this example using Twitter
Additional details about the Social feature are listed in the PDF file Commence Social Search
Commence Workgroup Expert
Enhancements have been made to the Workgroup Expert Feature which is designed to manage and report on the synchronization of data between all users in a workgroup. This feature has been enhanced to support Microsoft Office 365 and reports can now be sent via e-mail securely using SSL or STARTTLS.
- The workgroup expert feature has been enhanced to configure a port number and type of connection.
- This allows the Workgroup Expert to now send emails securely using SSL or STARTTLS.
- You can now configure Office365, Gmail, etc. with a specified port number and send email securely.
- This also allows you to send emails through servers that support SSL/TLS connections.
Commence Mobile Link
Synchronize Data From Your PC to Smart Phone- Quick, Easy and Fast
Want to synchronize your calendar and contacts from Commence to your Smartphone? Well now you can. Commence RM includes our Mobile Link software, a plugin software component that synchronizes data with MS Outlook and Google. Away from the office and need contact and calendar detail – you’ve got it with Commence RM.
Connect Email Marketing Enhanced for Office 365
“Commence Connect” the bulk e-mail capability in Commence RM has been enhanced to support Office 365 and now takes advantage of security using SSL or STARTTLS. Now you can create e-mail programs with Office 365, Gmail and other mail servers using the latest data security protocols.
Refresh the look and feel of Commence with Office Styles
Building on our already popular preference settings for Office Styles, we have added more; the new Office 2016 style options. Give your Commence desktop an instant refresh with the use of styles. Commence RM introduces new Office 2016 styles, “Colorful” and “Black” themes for a modern look and feel.
Create Dazzling reports with Charts, tables and mapping features
Business professionals need the ability to quickly and efficiently produce both ad hoc and graphical reports to manage their business. Commence RM enhances the current reporting capability with new charts, tables, calendars and mapping features.
Generate Advanced Report Layouts – Using RDL Technology
RDL reports are like a continuous roll of paper. You can use multiple report components in one page (traditionally impossible without sub-reports) and multiple data sources in one report. The continuous page is useful when you don’t know how much data there will be. It runs through the data rows until it’s finished. This is a great option for long tabular reports such as general ledgers.
Page Reports – Layout Driven Reports
In page reports, pages act as containers. Each page can be a copy of the first or a clean page. Data that overflows your tables or other data regions can span pages, but you control the layout of each page and specify where the overflow data goes with a placeholder. This report type is great for billing statements, mail merge, catalogs, forms, and other reports with layout constrictions.
