Getting ready for version 4.3

Last post 12-14-2011, 3:57 PM by Chief_Apricot. 32 replies.
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  •  11-11-2011, 12:58 PM 24107

    Getting ready for version 4.3

    Version 4.3 is currently scheduled for December 12th (might still slip a bit based on testing results). This version brings substantial changes to invoicing and payment workflows - as well as other enhancements and changes. We plan to publish a help page with a summary of key changes within the next week and will use this thread to answer questions. 
    Dmitry Buterin, Chief Apricot
  •  11-14-2011, 3:22 PM 24124 in reply to 24107

    Re: Getting ready for version 4.3

    For more details see http://help.wildapricot.com/display/DOC/Getting+ready+for+new+version+4.3 
    Evgeny
    Product Design Team
  •  11-14-2011, 5:09 PM 24129 in reply to 24107

    • pattyj is not online. Last active: 11-30-2011, 6:21 PM pattyj
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    Re: Getting ready for version 4.3

    Looks really exciting!  Events & better Email. Thanks!
    Patty
  •  11-14-2011, 7:41 PM 24137 in reply to 24107

    Re: Getting ready for version 4.3

    I would like to see a list of software and documentation errors that have been fixed in the new version.

    In implimenting WA for my bikeclub between Feburary and July 2011 we encounter several serious bugs and would like to know if these have been fixes.  An example is the destruction of the database when chaning membership levels from one year to two years.  Many, many documentation problems related to the use of the term 'administrator', etc.

  •  11-15-2011, 8:23 AM 24143 in reply to 24137

    Re: Getting ready for version 4.3

    We will publish a list of key changes when the new version goes live. It will likely include a short list of important bugs fixed. (Though any truly critical bugs we fix between releases via so-called 'hotfixes')

    For now we do not publish the full list of all fixed bugs as it is a very long list (hundreds of items) of pretty trivial fixes (e.g. style of some heading in a particular theme) where each  might concern just one or two particular clients (and many are found by internal QA only). What we do instead is interact with each client directly. 

    I am not sure what are you referring to re  "destruction of the database when changing membership levels from one year to two years" - I am not aware of any problems like that. Can you please contact support with details to check this?

    About documentation - right now our focus is updating it for version 4.3. We do fix other issues along the way as we encounter them. Other help updates are typically scheduled between releases to balance out our workload. 


    Dmitry Buterin, Chief Apricot
  •  11-15-2011, 8:53 AM 24144 in reply to 24143

    • skipat is not online. Last active: 05-21-2012, 4:30 AM skipat
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    Re: Getting ready for version 4.3

    Question on transition to the new membership emails:

     

    Do any of our existing email templates survive as one of the new ones?  i.e. will the new Membership Renewal Pending email use our old Manual Renewal Initiated email text?  If so, can you tell us specifically which of the old emails will become the new one so we can make sure it will be good on conversion?   Or what the new ones will be at default?

  •  11-15-2011, 9:01 AM 24145 in reply to 24144

    Re: Getting ready for version 4.3

    Excellent question, here's a summary of data transformation procedure for membership renewal emails, I hope this helps:

    • New email "Renewal pending"
      • for free levels
        • default text is taken from old "Manual renewal initiated" default account template
        • checkboxes are not selected by default
      • for paid levels
        • just old "Manual renewal initiated" template is renamed (text and checkboxes are taken from old template)
    • New email "Renewal confirmed"
      • for free levels
        • text and checkboxes are taken from "Free membership renewal"
      • for paid levels
        • text and checkboxes are taken from old "Member renewal finalized".
        • "Online renewal succeeded" template removed
    • New email "Recurring renewal failed"
      • text and checkboxes are taken from "Online renewal failed" template

    Dmitry Buterin, Chief Apricot
  •  11-15-2011, 9:28 AM 24146 in reply to 24145

    • ChrisG is not online. Last active: 05-08-2012, 11:07 AM ChrisG
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    Re: Getting ready for version 4.3

    Thanks for the great updates.  My question relates to new member activation.  When a potential member applies for membership they will receive a member pending email with their temporary password and a link to view the invoice.  If their choice is to pay with a credit card, is following the link the only way to pay with credit card?  Or will there be a button to pay with credit card during the application process?  This is assuming, of course, that online payments is turned on. 

     Chris

  •  11-15-2011, 9:36 AM 24147 in reply to 24146

    Re: Getting ready for version 4.3

    Chris, link to pay online will be prominently displayed right during the application process (after the invoice generation step)- so link in the invoice is just an alternative/backup way. 
    Dmitry Buterin, Chief Apricot
  •  11-23-2011, 2:21 PM 24215 in reply to 24147

    • JEnglund is not online. Last active: 12-02-2011, 1:13 PM JEnglund
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    Version 4.3

    We don't use online payment through WA and don't plan to in the forseeable future. Our current new member workflow terminates with an invoice e-mail that has payment instructions and a link to our payment processor.

    Is the invoice e-mail template going to change?

    Do I need to copy the text from the invoice e-mail template to the payment instructions? If so, do the payment instructions support links?

    Thanks for the fair warning e-mail. For my organization this upgrade seems ill timed. Between the holidays and annual renewals, we're already plenty busy. 

    All the best,
    John 

     

  •  11-23-2011, 3:28 PM 24216 in reply to 24215

    Re: Version 4.3

    John,

     

    We will automatically update default invoice template with a link to view/pay invoice online. Since you are using a customized template, your invoice template will not be touched during upgrade.

    Our suggested method is to have payment instructions entered via payment settings screen - and then using payment instructions macro in invoices. In this way you will have one place to update it. Payment instructions can include links, just make sure to include http://


    Dmitry Buterin, Chief Apricot
  •  11-29-2011, 7:53 AM 24233 in reply to 24216

    • Gill is not online. Last active: 04-29-2012, 2:27 AM Gill
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    Re: Version 4.3

    Hi

    The update looks great - congratulations.

    Is there any way to see some print screens of what a member would see when signing up for membership/an event e.g. when they click register, what choice are they confronted with and when they confirm, what does the payment option screen look like?

     

    We don't send invoices -  our members receive only the payment confirmation e-mails from Paypal and the Event Specific paid confirmed registration e-mails.  They are accustomed to click on "Online Payment", see Paypal screen and enter details.  It would be helpful for us to know how the new workflow differs from this, especially if they are buying several events at the same time.

    Many thanks

    Gill

    WICE

     

     

  •  11-29-2011, 9:54 AM 24236 in reply to 24233

    Re: Version 4.3

    I'll start with a verbal description for now - and will make a note to add screenshots later on once we have them (we are preparing them as we work on updating the help pages).

    At the end of each transaction (membership application, event registration etc.), user is presented with transaction details (e.g. membership form with all fields) and asked to confirm the transaction. Once 'confirm' button is pressed, system generates an invoice for this transaction and user is transferred to 'Invoices and payments screen. If this the only/first transaction, the screen will have one line with the invoice in question - and payment instructions.

    (Otherwise, old invoices and payments will be listed below as well. Unpaid Invoices are presented at the top and more prominently formatted)

    If online payment is setup, user would click on 'pay online' and proceed to pay (pretty much as before). Otherwise he/she would just read payment instructions and send the payment somehow outside of Wild Apricot.

    Alternatively, user can leave this screen and start another transaction, e.g. event registration. In this case, upon confirming that transaction, user would end up on Invoices and payments screen with two lines - two open invoices. It is then possible to select one or both and pay online.


    Dmitry Buterin, Chief Apricot
  •  12-01-2011, 6:28 PM 24270 in reply to 24145

    • jessica is not online. Last active: 05-20-2012, 12:03 PM jessica
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    Re: Getting ready for version 4.3

    We don't use manual payment at all for membership applications or renewals.  I have therefore never drafted wording for those emails.  Will I have to do anything now?
  •  12-02-2011, 8:07 AM 24271 in reply to 24270

    Re: Getting ready for version 4.3

    Hi Jessica,

    I think you should be fine, just review the generic payment instructions texts (Settings / Payment settings). 


    Dmitry Buterin, Chief Apricot
  •  12-05-2011, 12:15 PM 24286 in reply to 24107

    • Gordon is not online. Last active: 05-21-2012, 7:23 AM Gordon
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    Re: Getting ready for version 4.3

    My question is in regard to paid event registration where there is a limit on the number of registrants.

    I'm planning for an event that has a limit of 2500 paid registrants.  I expect it to sell out in 24 hours or less. 

     

    As I understand it, release 4.3 separates the act of reserving a spot in an event from the act of paying for the event.  I have to assume that some people who reserve will change their mind and not proceed to the payment phase.

    How do I limit reservations so I'll end up with 2500 paid entrants?? 

    I think that what I's saying is that I have to require payment at the time of reservation and cannot allow these two steps to get out of phase.  Will I be able to do this ?

  •  12-05-2011, 12:24 PM 24287 in reply to 24286

    Re: Getting ready for version 4.3

    Gordon - you are correct, for now limits work on 'booked' event registrations vs. paid ones. This is the case with 4.2 as well as 4.3. In 4.2 people can register, tart online payment and fail (or select manual payment if enabled) - and registration limit would still be decreased. In 4.3 they would register and get and invoice and limit would be decreased at that time, independently of payment.
    Dmitry Buterin, Chief Apricot
  •  12-05-2011, 12:50 PM 24288 in reply to 24287

    • Gordon is not online. Last active: 05-21-2012, 7:23 AM Gordon
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    Re: Getting ready for version 4.3

    Dmitry - Thanks for your reply. 

    Under 4.2 the logic proceeds seamlessly from reservation into payment.  Historically, I've lost about 1% of reservations through rejected credit cards and very few because people change their mind when they are in the payment phase.  I hope we'll at least be able to make it appear that it is all a single step so that we don't get a big spike in the number of registrants who decide to quietly abandon the process.

  •  12-05-2011, 1:57 PM 24289 in reply to 24288

    Re: Getting ready for version 4.3

    Gordon, in 4.3 the process will proceed to payment quite seamlessly - so I do not think you would be adversely affected. 
    Dmitry Buterin, Chief Apricot
  •  12-05-2011, 4:47 PM 24291 in reply to 24289

    • skipat is not online. Last active: 05-21-2012, 4:30 AM skipat
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    Re: Getting ready for version 4.3

    I see in the documentation that in the new version, when users log in, they will get a warning if they have an incomplete transaction.  Guess that means we will still have incomplete transactions!

    Will there be any way for administrators to find the list of all incomplete transactions?  There are often times people fail to hit the final confirm button, and erroneously think they have completed registration.  If they don't have any reason to log in again before an event, they won't know they are incomplete.  Will anyone else be able to see these?

    I'm really concerned about these "incomplete" "people showing up for events when we have no idea they were trying to register.  At least when we saw the Probably Abandons, we could contact them to tell them they had a problem.   

    In many on line transactions I do outside WA, you are asked to either Confirm or Cancel --- it won't let you leave the screen with an incomplete.  Then everyone would be clear about their registration status.   

    I'm nervous about this, as it happens often enough now.

  •  12-05-2011, 4:55 PM 24292 in reply to 24291

    Re: Getting ready for version 4.3

    In context of 4.3 incomplete transaction is when someone started event registration but did not finish it/did not submit it. We used to call those 'in progress' in version 4.2

    There will be no way for administrators to see incomplete transactions in 4.3

    However end users will see a message if they leave the transaction page without completing - even if they were not logged in - for the next 72 hours.

    So I think version 4.3 will improve the situation in this regard but we will monitor the feedback and see if we need to implement any further adjustments.



    Dmitry Buterin, Chief Apricot
  •  12-09-2011, 5:23 PM 24315 in reply to 24107

    • ChrisG is not online. Last active: 05-08-2012, 11:07 AM ChrisG
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    Re: Getting ready for version 4.3

    Dmitry,

    With these changes, members can pay for multiple fees in one transaction.  Can a person register multiple people as new members and pay for them in one transaction?  That is desirable for managers of departments to register and pay for their staff all at one time.  Thanks.

     Chris

  •  12-11-2011, 11:44 AM 24317 in reply to 24315

    • skipat is not online. Last active: 05-21-2012, 4:30 AM skipat
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    4.3 question

    In the new version, when credits are generated to an account (due to a canceled registration for ex.), will WA add info to the internal notes as to the source of the credit -- i.e. which event?  

    It would be great if this was visible in the lists of transactions, rather than having to open each transaction, try to figure out where it came from and manually adding the notes so we all know where it came from.  Our event leaders sometimes inadvertently create duplicate payments (instead of "resettling" a payment already made when an invoice is updated to a lower amount) --- these are only found by us monitoring the open balance lists and deleting the duplicates.

  •  12-12-2011, 8:28 AM 24321 in reply to 24317

    Re: 4.3 question

    I do not think we have anything like that - though I do not fully understand the scenario. E.g. to me it looks like even in the current version it is quite clear for each contact whether there is an open balance or not. 

    If you do not mind, can you describe this in more detail - 1) how the credit originates in the first place and 2) at what time/on what screens it should be visible and how it is used down the road. 


    Dmitry Buterin, Chief Apricot
  •  12-12-2011, 8:29 AM 24322 in reply to 24315

    Re: Getting ready for version 4.3

    Chris, sorry, no, buying multiple memberships in one payment is not something we have designed for in 4.3.
    Dmitry Buterin, Chief Apricot
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