Releases/Fall 2024
The 17.2 / Fall 2024 release was released on September 23, 2024.
Mobile App Development Toolkit
Delete signature after generating report
If you are using enhanced signature flow to sign reports at run time, you can opt to discard signatures as soon as the report is saved. Such signatures remain in the generated reports, but the signature image is removed from the database. When you generate a new version of the report, signature has to be reacquired. This feature can fulfill legal/security requirements, and it can save storage space.
To enable this feature, edit a report with enhanced signature flow enabled in the Report Designer and check Discard signature after report is saved.
Improved dropdown lists
In the previous release, we introduced the nicer dropdown lists for the iOS version of Resco Mobile CRM. In this release, they are also available for other operating systems.
Global constants
Woodford administrators can now define project-specific constants. These can then be used in the business logic throughout the app project.
To define global constants:
- Edit an app project and select Settings > Configuration from the Project menu.
- Click Global Constants.
- Define constants in the same way as you would define a variable in rules editor.
The following types are allowed:
- Boolean
- Date Time
- Decimal
- Integer
- String
Constants can then be accessed in business logic:
- Woodford rules
- JSBridge
Unlike variables, constants cannot be modified, neither in the Rules editor nor in Resco Mobile CRM.
Support for Aztec codes
Resco Mobile CRM can now read Aztec barcodes. From user perspective, this process is similar to standard barcode scanning.
- On iOS, Resco Mobile CRM uses native iOS API.
- On Android and Windows, Resco Mobile CRM uses https://github.com/micjahn/ZXing.Net/.
Woodford field usage: whitelist and other enhancements
In the previous release, we have introduced the feature that identifies fields actively used in the app (so that you can disable the rest and make sync go faster). In this release, we are adding more features, including a whitelist of fields that you don't want to disable. See Which fields are used? for more information.
Theme editor
The theme editor preview now better matches the actual app. Moreover, when you hover over an element, a tooltip appears (e.g., "home list selected foreground") so that you know you're about to change the right thing.
New push service
Legacy Google Cloud Messaging APIs are being discontinued. Resco has used them for push notifications on the Android platform. To ensure that push notifications continue to work, Resco Mobile CRM now supports Firebase Cloud Messaging instead.
Node.js upgrade
Node.js in Resco products was updated to version 20.x.
Improvements for special sales entities
Resco Mobile CRM has a hardcoded special treatment for specific sales child entities, such as OpportunityProduct. We have now documented the behavior and performed some changes and corrections.
Child list records are now automatically refreshed when the same records are changed outside of the parent form, e.g., via custom javascript, via a rule that loads and saves records, or on another open form. This behavior is consistent with regular associated lists. Prior to version 17.2, changes made outside the child list and detail form were ignored. Note that in case of list records being modified, the external change will discard any unsaved changes.
| Important | It is highly recommended for customers to re-test app projects working with these entities. Especially if there is Javascript or rules that load and save child items. |
Bulk update now supports child entity lists. Changes are performed in-memory, and the child list is automatically refreshed.
Child lists now work correctly when there is more than one child entity defined. While it is possible to have a custom entity with a lookup to the same parent as a child entity to be marked as Parent Pointer, prior to version 17.2, this also caused the child entity list on the parent form to become a regular associated list. This setup led to inconsistent behavior and multiple problems, such as changes not done in-memory, child forms becoming read-only, and other semi-random validation issues. Since 17.2, the behavior has been fixed, so the child lists are always initialized as expected.
More control over MSAL authentication
You now have more control over MSAL configuration:
- MDM admins can set up the MSAL mode in MDM app config (key-value pairs).
- Woodford admins can use Configuration > Security tab > MSAL mode.
- End users can go to their app's Setup > MSAL Mode.
See MSAL authentication for details.
Resco Suite redesign
The home page of the Resco Suite model-driven app has been redesigned to include additional information and resources.
Hidden views and Schedule Board
Schedule Board now correctly supports hidden views.
Create records from questionnaires
The data mapping feature of questionnaires now allows you to create new records from questionnaires.
- In the properties of the lookup used for data mapping, set Allow create new to "Automatic".
- When answering questionnaires, there's a new option at the top of the lookup to create a new record.
Locate mandatory questions
When answering a questionnaire in Resco Mobile CRM, when you save or complete the questionnaire and the validation fails, the focus is automatically moved to the first mandatory question that needs attention. All other questions that need answers are marked with an alert icon in the question header.
Data mapping order
Before this change, the mappings were applied when loading the questionnaire, but as the values of lookups were just references, the chained mappings (fields that have that lookup as a source of its mappings) were not able to fill in the mapped values.
We now detect the order of bindings and apply mappings sequentially, so that even mappings like "Regarding->LookupA->LookupB->TextC" fill all the data properly.
| Warning | Breaking change: The smart defaults are now loaded prior to applying the mappings. When the smart default value is set to the lookup, fields that have this lookup as a source will now have the data from that default value. |
Questionnaire Designer: collapsible side panes
In the Questionnaire Designer, you can hide the left and right panes. This leaves more space to focus on the questionnaire body.
Questionnaire Designer: fields adapt to content
When editing questions in the designer, various fields automatically adapt and grow when you enter longer text.
Questionnaire Designer: shorter question names
When a user creates a new question, its name is automatically derived from the question label. If the label is very long, the name can get long, too. This affects the final size of questionnaire negatively. Questionnaire Designer now takes a maximum of 15 characters from the question label and adds a unique suffix if needed.
Questionnaire Designer: publish in bulk
Managing questionnaires in bulk is now easier. You can now publish questionnaires and perform other management actions in bulk for all selected items.
Questionnaire Designer: template deletion check
When deleting templates, Questionnaire Designer now checks if there are any answered questionnaires that depend on that questionnaire and warns the user.
Power Solutions
openQuestionnaireWithTemplateName
The Questionnaire Player controller on Power Pages now supports a new method, openQuestionnaireWithTemplateName. Use the method if you want to identify the questionnaire by template name. Optionally, include the version number, or use the latest version by default. See the full list of methods for reference.
Simpler Forms+ setup
Getting starting with Resco Forms+ has been simplified. We have created a default fallback Woodford project so that new users of Forms+ don't have to create one (and possibly never touch Woodford again).
Support for regarding lookup
The regarding lookup question is now supported in the Questionnaire Player on the Power Platform. When you start a new questionnaire from a record, the regarding lookup question is now correctly populated with the originating record.