Additional Enhancements and Changes

Previously, you could unintentionally end a review without confirmation, especially when editing comments near the Approve Review button. But an approved review can not be reopened. This update addresses that issue. When you click Approve Review as an owner, a confirmation dialog appears. This new dialog:

• Informs you that approving will close the entire review

• Requires confirmation before closing the review

• Prevents unintended review closures

Until now, such a security prompt only existed for the Cancel Review button.

The upgrade to version 8.0 introduces a new feature to extend review access permissions for selected administrator roles. The new Access All Reviews permission allows users to view all reviews in the system and open them in read-only mode, even if they are not invited as a participant. Previously, access was limited to only those reviews in which the user was an active participant. If an administrator also has the Manage Participants permission in their role, they can add other users or themselves to reviews with the Access All Reviews permission, allowing them to comment or vote. This enhancement provides the following benefits for administrators and support staff:

• Easier testing of new features directly existing reviews

• Faster troubleshooting of issues in reviews you're not involved in

• Support customers in reviews, even if you are not invited to that particular review

This also simplifies support and troubleshooting.

This release completely replaces the discontinued and removed SOAP API with a modern REST API. This simplifies backend development and improves performance and maintainability. The software can only be accessed via REST. There are no functional limitations compared to SOAP. Moving to this common standard for APIs also simplifies integration with web applications. Customers benefit from shorter release cycles and less support. The documentation of the interface is publicly available: https://developers.brandmaker.com/api/ReviewManager/

The speed of switching between the Annotations and General tabs of a review has been improved. Previously, the data had to be reloaded when changing tabs, which led to longer loading times. As of version 8.0, the data is no longer reloaded when changing tabs. This significantly improves the user experience, as switching between tabs is much faster. The content of the review is retained and does not need to be reloaded.

We've updated the language in all areas of the Review Manager to make it more consistent and intuitive. These changes affect the Review Manager module, email notifications, and the connection to Job Manager. Here's what you need to know:

• Clearer Role Distinctions

  • Owners: You remain the only ones who can approve a review, closing it.

  • Reviewers: You now accept a version instead of approve it. This clarifies that you're casting a vote, not closing the review.

• Consistent Terminology

  • We've standardized terms and phrases across all areas where reviews appear.

  • You'll see updated wording in buttons, notifications, and settings.

• Unchanged Functionality

  • While the wording has changed, the core functionality for owners and reviewers remain the same.

These updates make the review process more transparent and align the language across the system. You should find it easier to understand your role and actions within the review process.

We've made an important change to how @mentions work in the review process, ensuring that roles and permissions remain as intended throughout your workflow.

• Key Improvement:

  • @mentioning uploaders or owners no longer automatically adds them as reviewers

• Why This Matters:

  • Role Clarity

  • Prevents unintended changes to participant roles

  • Maintains the distinction between uploaders, owners, and reviewers

  • Streamlined Review Process

  • Avoids confusion caused by unexpected voting rights

  • Ensures the review structure stays as you designed it

  • Improved Workflow

  • You can @mention uploaders and owners for questions or comments

  • No need to worry about accidentally altering review permissions

• How It Works:

  • When you @mention an uploader or owner in a comment, they'll be notified as usual

  • However, their role in the review will remain unchanged

  • They won't be added to the reviewer list or gain additional permissions anymore