ChannelOnline 8.1.0 Release Notes

Release 8.1 focuses on fine tuning core application functions, overall performance, database and java updates for operational improvement.  Includes some supplier updates/ enhancements, XML API improvements, SSO support and other minor fixes.  Find out more about the latest features, changes, and fixes in ChannelOnline.

• Administration
• Supplier Updates
• XML/Import/Export
• Additional Improvements
• Bug Fixes

ADMINISTRATION

Enhancements have been made to help manage items, bundles and control user password resets.

• • Items Admin has undergone a few adjustments to make navigation and usability easier. All custom items, whether a product, service, bundle, or labor item, has been moved into the same navigation bar under the Custom Items section in Items Admin.
    • Updated the search function to start narrowing selections as you choose from either supported or custom. Made it function the same across products, bundles and configurations.

• Bundles have had some minor UI and backend updates to the Bundles Items page for building/editing bundles.
• UNSPSC management was moved from the left control panel into Items Admin as its own sub-tab. The administration page was updated with an active link to see assigned customers, sortable columns for description, default code and last modified. Added the Modified By column to the list. Add new profile now uses a light box window to begin the profile creation.
• Reset Password functionality for all Personnel is now in place for users logging in to ChannelOnline (Admins and SalesReps). To enable this function, go to Company Settings > Settings then scroll down to the Personnel Reset Password section. . All passwords must contain 8-20 characters, have at least 1 upper-case, 1 lower-case, 1 numeric and 1 special character. Passwords cannot be reused and will expire after a set number of days.
• Support Desk Ticketing has been reintroduced to the Support section in Admin. This replaces the previous ticket integration and allows you to see the details and statuses for all your submitted inquiries. Please continue to use the help center form for making submissions.

SUPPLIER UPDATES

Enhancements have been made to help manage contract or bid pricing at the account level (not the supplier level) and apply that pricing to a specific quote.

• Accortec (NEW) – flat file catalog and pricing support

Accortec Incorporated was founded to provide the highest level of service, products and knowledge to Value Added Resellers, enterprise customers and government agencies. Our Memory, Networking, & Storage solutions have a “lockdown” build of materials (BOM) not commonly found in the commercial sector; not even among the largest manufacturers. A lockdown BOM is critical for the High Performance Computing (HPC) found in most modern data centers. Learn more at accortec.com.
Already doing business with Accortec? Activate them in ChannelOnline by going to Admin > Suppliers and editing the Accortec settings page with your account number and assigned file name (provided by Accortec).

• D&H manual POs have been enhanced to now have automatic updates.  ChannelOnline will check D&H’s system for status updates on all manual POs placed within the system with a corresponding matching #.  Now also updating shipping and handling fees when available.

• SYNNEX PO managing modifications:
  • Improved the manual PO automatic update processing for better accuracy and frequency.
  • Overall better reseller specific custom item handling.
  • To increase coverage on the recipient of tracking information on POs, the system will ignore the document Locked flag for autofulfilled POs and continue to look for updates.
  • Retrieving HP Big Deal and Special Pricing through the real-time price and availability check on quotes and orders will create a contract line and place the contract number on that line.
  • Removed special or invalid XML characters on POs that would cause the PO to not be sent electronically; resulting in a submission error.

XML/IMPORT/EXPORT

Updated XML schema is available after release and can be reached at: https://xml.channelonline.com/schema/8.1/schema.zip

(During beta the new schema can be reached at: https://ccs.usmb.channelonline.com/schema/8.1/schema.zip)

• Added the ability to see marked for export flag (markedForExport) and locked attributes on SO or PO documents via XML.
• To reduce the frequency of seeing invalid enum values in the Invoice XML response, invoices have been separated into their own export_documents_request.
• The value of a checkbox custom field can now be passed using XML.
• Included the capability to change a sales orders to “Sales Order (Complete)” via XML. Allowing for example, the change from Sales Order (Submitted) to Sales Order (Complete).
• Standardized on the use of “msrp” for all document export requests.
• Expanded Update Entity functions to include: add/delete shipping method on an account, plus add manual line item on a quote/order.
• XML validation was repaired when handling the required fields for ‘expMonth’ and ‘expYear’.
• When a Sales Order is created using import_documents_request and no doc number is declared, the system will now to include the prefix for Sales Orders (when enabled) and not be blank or use the prefix for quotes.

Import/Export

• For customers using the Custom Supplier Integration automation service we now include; custom, service and labor items. This service is used to pick up a non-supported supplier file hosted from a designated FTP location automatically and download it to your full catalog.
• Generic Config Import has been modified to accept the inclusion of both service and labor items. This also includes those items when they are part of a bundle.
• Improved error handling for long custom item descriptions in import. Warnings are set for when:
  • service item the limit is exceeded: description one: 255, description two: 100
  • custom product limit is exceeded: description one:60, description two: 100

• Ability to add checkbox custom field for e-sign without having to specify value, link and link text.
• Global custom field set default value.
• Added a new icon for use with manual items created on quotes.  These are different from custom items because they are not part of the catalog.  See update legend in the footer.
• Updated the bundle item quantity from 999 to handle up to 999,999 when making bundles.
• Created a store site setting that will disable the autofill for email addresses on email form, therefore it will not show every single user for that customer and only show the logged in user.  This new setting can be found in StoreSite Admin > Settings > General section.

BUG FIXES

• Resolved an issue where the products tab was not filtering based on the supplier for the selected PO document.
• Importing custom items with UPC codes will now show the UPC number on the item after import.
• Making a copy of an address no longer forces a change to save and exit from the copy.
• Updated Canadian shipping weight calculation to reflect what is being sent by each supplier (metric versus US Standard/Imperial) to provide better calculated estimation results.
• Corrected the root cause for occurrences where the Tech Data virtual warehouse code and ID where not displayed after the PO update from Tech Data.
• Identified and fix instances where drilling into the products(items) associated with a tag, under Manage Tags in Items Admin, was trying to use the correct document settings.  Now the link will ignore those selections and provide a complete list of items.
• On proposals, the line item default display options would remain unchecked after saving. Is has been rectified and will display the selected preferences.
• Email Merge Field will ignore spaces between emails and send as expected. Users will no longer have to manually remove those spaces for the form to accept the entries and send.
• Resolved an issue where some .jpg files could not be uploaded because of an unrecognized file signature.
• Corrected a situation where an item is added to “Spotlite Products” did not correctly update the in-stock qty.
• Improved ampersand encoding with document template display.
• Repaired a condition where a document template component’s colored background would not show in PDF rendering but would show in HTML.
• Disabling My Favorites from store navigation will now properly hide the link from navigation on all supported themes.
• Removing legend from the store will keep the Help Icon present and no longer remove it with the legend.
• Adjusted the the PDF generation so that both margins remain equal on creation and delivery.
• Revised the backend process for saving certain document reports and retrieving them on the dashboard. Saved reports were related to Proposal, Purchase Orders, and RMA documents, these will appear was expected in the dashboard.
• Updated the top bread crumbs to include 3 level categories when the customer has migrated to the three tier categorization system. This activation can be found in Items Admin under the general settings.
• Fixed occurrences where the from email address was getting overwritten every time a CPAS email template is switched to Edit mode.
• Patched a situation where users could enable CPAS for a parent account if the number of Child accounts exceeded the number of CPAS licenses left. The system will no longer allow this operation to occur.
• Creating Bundles in a Quote would result in only the first item getting added to the bundle. This issue has been resolved, all bundle items are added. 
• Fixed CPAS pending order hierarchy condition where documents would not showing up in pending orders list due to parent child relationship. Now the parent and subsidiary relationship is upheld when the approver switches from parent to child for CPAS approvals.
• Found and corrected a condition and ignored the 10-key keyboard when doing dropdown list entries on Storesites.
• Generic shipping was displayed on the document header but was switching to the actual payment methods when going to the payment/delivery method edit window. Now the system will consistently display the generic methods when enabled.
• When adding or editing bundles, there were instances where the bundle image was not saved properly.
• Resolved an invoice creation problem when the sales order had headers and line formatting like horizontal lines. The system will now be able to preserve the original order of items on the Create Invoice window.
• Corrected a condition that caused the Agree button in store checkout not to display when using PayPal as the payment method.