BrandMaker 8.0
Our BrandMaker 8.0 release in October 2024 is for all customers upgrading from BrandMaker 7.4 and earlier. We introduce the following features:
Global Functions
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New Login Page: We've introduced an updated authentication page to provide a streamlined way for accessing the platform.
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New Navigation: The new navigation features a collapsible sidebar with icons. Expand it to view page names and submenus. The header provides access to user profile options and customizable help resources.
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Database Upgraded: MySQL 8.0 now powers all our Work Management modules. This delivers enhanced performance, improved query optimization, stronger security and advanced JSON support.
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Performance Improvements for Custom Structures & Custom Objects: We have implemented various technical optimizations to improve the performance of Custom Structures and Custom Objects (CS/CO). As a result, you can now expect to see shorter load times for CS/CO data, as well as a generally smoother and more responsive user experience whenever you're working with CS/CO data. This update is also available for 7.4 customers.
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Global Discontinuations: Some features were part of our product offering up to Version 7.4. As we've evolved our platform, we have replaced some of these features with improved capabilities while others have been phased out.
Administration
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User Management: Discover our revamped user management system. Administrators gain a unified interface for streamlined control, while users enjoy enhanced self-service options.
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Single Sign-On (SSO) Integration: Experience simplified, secure access with our new SSO integration. Users enjoy a streamlined login process while administrators benefit from enhanced security and centralized authentication management.
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Automated User Creation via SAML for SSO Integration: Automated user creation via SAML enhances our SSO integration. This limited beta release streamlines onboarding by syncing accounts between platforms and applying permission templates automatically.
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Log In As Feature: Verified users possessing Manage User permissions can temporarily experience the platform through another user's perspective by accessing their view and functionality. The impersonation feature is available for Early Access. It facilitates streamlined support while maintaining security through controlled access.
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User Type Field in Admin User Profile: The restored Type attribute field in administrator profiles enhances Single Sign-On flexibility while enabling manual account management and specialized handling requirements. Direct integration with backend structures ensures seamless support for various authentication workflows.
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Logout Redirect: Many organizations require routing users to specific locations post-logout for continuity or security purposes. Administrators can now set a custom destination for users after logging out. Previously, all users were directed to the login page by default.
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Teams Dropdown Now Alphabetically: Improved team assignment functionality in the user account, Membership modal. Teams now appear alphabetically, streamlining selection for administrators managing numerous groups.
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Discontinuations Administration and Attributes: Discontinued features and legacy BrandMaker modules.
Job Manager
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Dynamic Group Assignment in Workflows: User tasks in BPMN workflows now allow groups to be assigned and modified throughout process execution via the dedicated User Group variable field. Group members access assignments via picklist filter, enabling collaborative work management with configurable defaults and mandatory routing options.
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Former Assignees Automatically Added as Participants: Former task assignees automatically retain visibility and access to jobs they previously managed through seamless participant status addition. The enhancement ensures continuous workflow tracking while maintaining appropriate security controls across all process types, eliminating confusing error messages when attempting to revisit past assignments.
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Navigating Between Activities and Jobs: We introduce seamless navigation between Activities and Jobs modules while maintaining synchronized data across linked items. Users can now effortlessly switch contexts, modify relevant fields, and maintain data consistency through intuitive two-way synchronization features.
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Visibility and Permissions Settings: Data sheets now have consolidated visibility controls with previews and permission distinctions, managed through a central panel. Default tabs are marked by house icons while visibility options are set via eye icons, with real-time preview capabilities.
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Set Job Tabs to Be Visible to Creators Only: When configuring job types, you can now use the new CREATOR_ONLY setting to control the visibility of any tab so that it can only be seen by job creators, and is hidden from job assignees.
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Context Menu for Quick Access: Save time managing jobs with a simple right-click to edit, cancel, delete or export directly from the job overview page. Open and compare multiple jobs in separate browser tabs while keeping your search filters and results exactly where you left them.
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Flexible Creation of Sub-Jobs in BPMN Workflows: We've improved the process for creating sub-jobs to make it more convenient and intuitive. You can now create sub-jobs with a single click from a job's Details view, enabling you to quickly create multiple sub-jobs without having to re-open the Details view each time. We have also added options to the job type configuration to allow sub-job creation for BPMN workflows, similar to how it works for classic job types.
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Deeplink Access to Jobs: The new functionality allows for easier sharing of job links with team members. We have also improved navigation efficiency, making it easier to work with multiple jobs across browser tabs. Links now appear in the address bar and are no longer hidden under a menu item.
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Substring Search: Select variables in job datasheets gain powerful substring matching, enabling users to search any part of display names rather than just the beginning. This enhancement simplifies option discovery within single and multi-select fields, including advanced grid implementations, by displaying matches containing search terms regardless of their position.
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Type Configuration UX Improvements: A redesigned Properties interface streamlines job type configuration through logically grouped settings, enhanced layouts, and clearer labels across General Settings, Appearance, Access control, and Synchronization sections. You can efficiently manage display name, technical name, descriptions, categories, JS injection, plus sub-job behaviors while publishing changes or viewing logs on the same page.
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Individual Column Width within Comfort Grid: Comfort Grid variables can now be customized through six predefined size options, ranging from 50px to 600px, enabling optimal data displays. Administrators can configure these dimensions in the datasheet layout, which remain consistent as users interact with layouts.
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Picklist: Job Manager introduces a default Picklist filter that automatically displays tasks assigned to each user or their group for processing. This streamlined approach eliminates manual filter creation, saving valuable time while providing administrators and team members a simpler overview of selectable assignments. Also available for 7.4.
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Improved Display of Status: Job Details now displays Changes requested instead of Approved with changes when decision preferences are enabled, creating clearer status communication. This terminology alignment between Job Manager and Review Manager modules helps users better understand when modifications are needed.
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Job Manager Performance Improvements: We have completely overhauled Job Manager to improve its performance and reliability. The system now effortlessly processes millions of jobs while guaranteeing stable, uninterrupted operations. This is also available for 7.4 customers.
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WYSIWYG Text Editor Update: This update adds new features to the rich text editor. You can now format text fields and job discussions more easily with new tools.
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Move Workflow Instance Forward Via API: Previous workflow transition functionality
v1/job-or-processin the API is deprecated and has been upgraded to a new V2 version. The new endpoint is designed to provide a better way to programmatically advance workflow steps by offering greater reliability, better error handling, and improved response times. All workflow transitions now use the new versioned endpoint. Click to Discover Job Manager API. -
Manage Job Participants Via API: External API endpoints now enable automated participant management, empowering developers to programmatically control job access and collaboration. The feature introduces comprehensive REST operations for listing, adding, updating, and removing participants, streamlining workflow administration.
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JavaScript Extension Management: Empowering administrators with enhanced JavaScript control, you can now inject custom code through both data sheet-specific and global implementations, offering improved stability and simplified maintenance.
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Substring Search in Select Variables: Introducing substring search in select variables: Quickly find options by typing any part of a name for faster, flexible selection.
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Improved Data Sheet Input Field Visibility: Streamlined navigation and enhanced visibility define our latest data sheet interface, where refined field styling, prominent borders, and improved contrast ratios work together to reduce eye strain while accelerating form completion.
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Terminology Alignment: The system standardizes terminology by replacing the term iteration with version across all areas, aligning job revisions with Review Manager's established naming convention. This unified language ensures consistency and prevents potential misunderstandings for users navigating different modules.
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Job Manager Discontinuations: Major module updates include streamlined permissions consolidated into Manage Jobs and Manage Products, while removing legacy features like Task Manager, Resources sub-module, SOAP interface and custom Rich Text Editor configurations.
Marketing Planner
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New Sorting and Filtering: The filter functionality now combines fast search with flexible ways to organize data to support both casual and power users demanding advanced multi-criteria sort and filter with Boolean operators. The modern interface offers expanded matching options and handles existing filter settings automatically.
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Budget Rollover Calculation: Budget rollover calculations now offer flexibility to include or exclude subelement budgets, allowing organizations to choose between rolling over parent-level budgets alone or the combined total across all nested activities. Using a simple selection in Settings, this enhancement applies to all future rollovers while preserving existing calculations.
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Parallel Export in Marketing Planner: Export operations of the entire tree structure now run in parallel, allowing you to continue working while large tree structures are being processed in the background. Simply select your export settings, provide details, close the panel and carry on with your tasks while the system handles the heavy lifting.
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Custom Menu Read Permissions: Menu extensions are now accessible to users with read permissions, expanding functionality while maintaining robust security through granular permission checks. Administrators retain control through custom configurations, enabling them to restrict specific menu items to write-permission users if needed.
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Custom Menu User Cookie: A new cookie-based menu system personalizes options according to your role and organizational status. This ensures a streamlined interface by displaying only the authorized features keeping your workspace relevant and distraction-free. The secure authentication process happens automatically at menu access.
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Copy & Paste Element Sequence: Copy and paste operations of a multi-selection now preserve the original sequence and structure of your elements. This fix ensures hierarchies remain intact and eliminates the need for manual reordering.
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Bulk Data Processing APIs: New APIs supercharge bulk operations with powerful batch processing and deep data retrieval capabilities, enabling efficient handling of large data sets and hierarchical structures. The expanded functionality includes selective dimension updates, customizable copying rules, and comprehensive task management across multiple levels.
Media Pool (DAM)
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Import Feature Overhaul: We introduce a comprehensive overhaul of the import functionality, delivering enhanced flexibility and control.
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Asset Editing Limit Removed: The 200-asset editing limit per session has been removed. You can now edit an unlimited number of assets simultaneously, though larger batches may require additional processing time.
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Better Upload Performance for Large Video Files: Media Pool now handles gigabyte-sized video files with enhanced efficiency through optimized virus scanning protocols and refined upload mechanisms. The UI provides clear feedback during transfers, and processing times are significantly faster.
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User Based Edit Template: User role-based asset type management enables centralized control over attribute visibility and editability through user roles instead of per-asset settings. This simplifies permission administration while providing more granular control over what users can view and modify in your asset management system.
Switch to CLDR Language Codes: The Media Pool 8.0 uses CLDR (Common Locale Data Repository) language codes instead of 2-letter language codes, implementing modern Unicode standards for improved multilingual support. During the upgrade, existing 2-letter codes are automatically mapped to their CLDR equivalents.
Miscellaneous Changes: Version 8.0 improves asset handling with clearer removal warnings and introduces better display of complex search queries in search fields. This release also completes the transition to REST API by retiring SOAP support.
Home (Dashboard)
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Review Manager Widget: Reviews are now managed via flexible Home widgets.
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Reworked Grid Behavior: Grid behavior for widgets has been refined. Dragging now features delayed movement, smoother transitions, automatic vertical alignment, and position previews, enhancing overall layout control and customization ease.
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Fusion UX Logic Widget: Introducing the Fusion UX Logic widget for advanced application management. The new widget enables users with proper permissions to directly edit and customize Fusion UX components from their dashboard, enhancing control and efficiency.
Review Manager
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Flexible Home Widgets Replace Start Page: A major overhaul of the interface, replacing the old static overview page with a new, customizable Home module featuring flexible widgets. Key enhancements include customizable widgets tailored for different user roles.
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Owner-Centric Interface Updates: We introduced significant updates to the interface, focusing on improving clarity of roles, responsibilities, and review status. Key enhancements include an owner-focused header.
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Invite Multiple Users to a Review in One Step: This release introduces a long awaited enhancement, allowing owners to invite multiple contributors to a review simultaneously. This feature simplifies the review setup process.
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Enhanced File Attachment Capabilities: We significantly expanded file attachment options in Review Manager, streamlining information exchange and improving review efficiency.
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Enhanced @Mention and Direct Comment Access: This version improves the @mention feature in Review Manager, enhancing collaboration and efficiency. Quickly understand why you've been mentioned in the notification email without opening the review, new Show Annotation button for immediate access.
Full-Screen Mode: Version 8.0 introduces Full-Screen Mode in Review Manager, enhancing focus and maximizing screen space during review processes.
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New Design of Review Status Bar: This update introduces a redesigned review status bar, offering a new votes overview, a streamlined interface for owners, and a hover effect showing more details. Review Overview Widget for Administrators
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Review Overview Widget for Administrators: Administrators with Access All Reviews permission can now view all system reviews, regardless of participation status. New Admin persona option.
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Filter Configuration Improvements: The improved filter configuration process for Review Manager widgets provides greater clarity and accuracy. Administrators now choose a user role (Owner, Reviewer, Guest, Uploader, or Admin) before configuring filters.
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Additional Enhancements and Changes: This upgrade introduces a multitude of small improvements. Key changes include a new confirmation dialog for review approvals, refined administrator permissions, API modernization, performance optimizations, terminology updates, and tweaks to the @mention system.
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Review Manager Discontinuations: The ability to initiate standalone reviews and send mass participant emails has been retired, while administrator permissions have shifted to provide more precise access control through a read-only model.
Analytics
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Review Manager Insights: The Analytics module now offers a standard dashboard for the Review Manager. The dashboard provides a visual representation of a range of metrics related to your organization's usage of Review Manager. This allows for a comprehensive overview of your review processes at a glance, enabling you to swiftly identify trends and potential areas for improvement.
API
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Our APIs have been updated: For details on the improvements and changes, please refer to the module descriptions.