We've got a big new feature for you this month, and we're not even making you wait until Christmas to open it! We're proud to announce that the "Include Users" option when creating a project from a template is back—and it's better than ever. Learn more about what you can do with it below, and keep reading to see the other bug fix stocking stuffers we've wrapped up this month.
new features
The ability to carry over users when templating and cloning a project is a powerful tool that can save a lot of time when you're spinning up a new project. But the original implementation of this feature was all-or-nothing while your use cases called for something more deliberate or selective.
Because of the overly wide net it cast, using Include Users usually resulted in more confusion and clean-up work than it was worth once the project was cloned. Therefore, we took it back to the drawing board, and with some incredibly useful feedback from our users, we're proud to bring the "Include Users" feature back with some major improvements.
You can now access "Template Users" from the Project Template Settings menu, under the "Template Users" heading. This replaces (and includes the functionality of) the "Initial Team Membership" section. Adding "Include Users" to the project template process, instead of an ad-hoc decision you have to remember to make every time you clone a project, ensures you'll only need to set these options once to get the same results with each new project you clone from a template.
If you’re a project coordinator who maintains your templates and/or hands-off projects to PMs who request them, this also reduces the amount of follow-up needed to get your template ready for hand-off.
Additionally, the new Template Users section lets you get more granular by giving the option to select a specific team type (and individual teams for applicable Centercode editions).
Finally, to support this new feature, we've added some additional items to the Template Notes infobox that appears when you're configuring a new project during the cloning process. It now lists the specific number of users in each team type that will be included in the cloned project.
Using this powerful new function of the project template tool will make getting new projects up and running smoother than ever! Simply add your admin and support staff to the right teams and update your template to ensure the right people will be automatically included on every project using this template going forward.
improvements
In addition to the big gift you've all been looking forward to, we've added a few ease-of-use updates to make your Centercode experience that much more comfy (like a nice warm pair of Centercode socks). We've started adding more context to our checkboxes to give you a better idea of what each one does. It's part of our ongoing effort to help you make the most of everything the Centercode Platform has to offer. And like a fruitcake that never seems to disappear….You'll see more of these holly jolly improvements into 2023.
fixes
This month, we’ve got a veritable banquet of new features and improvements prepared for you! From new in-line image list view CDE items, to a quality-of-life improvement for project archiving, there’s something tasty for everyone. And as usual, we've continually deployed several bug fixes throughout the month that we've listed below.
announcements
There's still time to enter October's Visual Theme Costume Contest. We're accepting screenshots until November 11th! Whether your site's theme is colorful or monochromatic, edgy or classy, this is a great opportunity to get your name out there in the world and score a little prize on the side! Check out the Announcement below for information on how to participate.
new features
First on the menu is a dish many of you have asked for: inline images and image thumbnails in your user management and feedback management list views. These new data points for the Centercode Data Engine have been a popular request, and we're excited to finally share it with you!
When creating a user or feedback view, you’ll notice three different view items related to file attachment form elements. These new items make it much simpler to get an in-platform view of images and files uploaded by users for specific forms.
“File Attachment Has Attachment” gives you a binary yes/no response if the user attached any files at all.
“File Attachment” shows a scaled version of the image inline:
“File Attachment Thumbnail” shows thumbnail versions of attached images:
improvements
For our second course we’ve added the ability to archive a project from within the project itself. You’ll no longer need to navigate to Programs and Projects and find the specific project on the list (though that method is still available!). This option is located in the Project Configuration section of the Management menu when you're in a project.
And last, but not least, is a feature designed to help you when your plate's piled a bit too high with automatically refreshing and distributed reports. We’ve implemented a new system that will automatically disable any reports that no one has viewed or interacted with in an extended period of time. This keeps your data fresh and your inbox uncluttered by old report emails you haven’t gotten around to turning off yet! (Note: This only applies to reports set to daily or weekly refreshes/distribution. Monthly reports will never automatically disable themselves.)
You’ll be notified of this two different ways:
A new set of icons on the Report Management screen will show the status of reports that are set to auto-refresh. Green circle arrows indicate that a report is set to auto-refresh and has been viewed recently. Red circle arrows indicate that a report has not been viewed recently and will automatically deactivate soon. A red warning sign indicates that a report was set to auto-refresh, but it reached the time limit without being viewed, so it's been disabled.
When a report goes unviewed for an extended period of time, the people on its distribution list see an expiration warning at the top of their email with a link to refresh the report. To refresh it, they don't have to login—it just takes one user to follow the link and confirm that they'd like to keep receiving updates. This resets the report's expiration date and keeps it auto-refreshing and sending updates. No muss, no fuss!
fixes
This month we’re bringing you our spoookiest update yet! October’s release is primarily focused on under-the-hood updates, lurking in the shadows just out of sight (See, spooky!). Our recent releases have introduced quite a few new UI elements which take cues from your visual theme. We thought this would be a seasonally appropriate time to help you dress up your testing community by bringing you some new and improved Visual Theme-focused content!
announcements
We’re holding a Visual Theme contest to spotlight your hard work and celebrate those who take the extra step! If you’ve got a good looking site, this is a great opportunity to get your name out there in the world and maybe get a little something on the side! Alternatively, if you’re not happy with your theme, we can help (but you’ll be DQd from the contest)! Check out the Announcement below for information on how to participate.
Our first piece of content focuses on explaining the value of a good Visual Theme, and the influence it can have on tester enthusiasm and participation. To help get those creative juices flowing we also provide a number of example templates, a few helpful tips and tricks, and a curated collection of background images.
Next up we have a brief (but informative!) article with step-by-step instructions on how to access the Visual Theme tools, and how to apply your themes throughout your site once they’ve been created.
And last, but not least, we’ve created a detailed guide explaining how each of the Custom Images and Custom Color will affect your site, each with accompanying images of some of the more prominent places you’ll see those changes.
We've added the ability for customers to utilize OAuth to authenticate their email accounts used in email reply integrations (a.k.a. “POP Integrations”). Once it’s enabled on the back-end, you can access this function via a button on the community level Email Template and Logs page. If you have an existing email reply integration that either uses or needs to be updated to use OAuth, let us know so we can make the necessary adjustments.
fixes
Like a haunted house covered in sheet-ghosts and fake cobwebs (or toilet paper), the appearance of your testing site significantly impacts your testers’ perception of your program.
A well-presented site can elevate tester enthusiasm, brand confidence, and even professionalism. To help maximize your candy (feedback) haul this season, we’re holding a customer contest for the best-dressed site and giving out prizes for the best-in-show! You may or may not see some of our favorites showcased in the future… 🧙🔮
We can only accept one submission per customer site, and only one prize per company. If we get more than one submission for a site, we'll use the first one—and that submitter will receive any contest results or prizes.
Submissions must be received throughout October through November 11, 2022. Winners will be announced in the November Newsletter.
Themes will be evaluated based on specific criteria including accessibility, use of brand colors, cohesiveness, creativity, and some spooky mystery categories.
This contest is only open to customers who have implemented their own themes. While we're always willing to help you design your site's look, themes created by Centercode employees (via Services or otherwise) don’t qualify for this contest.
Full-sized candy bars only; no apples.
Submit two screenshots of your site on or before November 11th: one of the login page, and one of the User Management page, as shown in the examples below. Send your submissions via email to contests@centercode.com with the subject line: “Visual Theme Contest”. Include your screenshots and any details you’d like to call attention to such as the name of your theme, special notes about it, etc.
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https://<YOUR IMPLEMENTATION URL>/welcome/
https://<YOUR IMPLEMENTATION URL>/community/users/default.html
First, take a screenshot of your site (Windows: [Windows]+[Shift]+S, Mac: [Shift]+[Command]+3). Then simply paste (Windows: [Control]+V, Mac: [Command]+V) in your email to add the screenshot. Repeat for each screenshot you want to take. Finally, just send it our way and you're all set!
