What's New in SmartSuite: March 2023 Edition

This past month SmartSuite has released a number of product enhancements that were requested by customers. Our team is dedicated to quickly addressing customer needs and enhancement requests, and strives to continue improving both the customization options and user experience.

Document Designer

Our new multi-paged Document Designer streamlines your document creation process, allowing you to create a document template that combines visual elements like lines, boxes, and static text with fields from your SmartSuite records. You can use your templates to create PDFs that include values from specific records in your App.

Document Designer is currently in ALPHA release. We suggest that you use it with test data only and not as part of a business-critical workflow at this time. We're working hard to further refine it and will keep the community updated on its progress.

What Can I Use Document Designer For?

Document Designer can be used to create, manage, and track sales and marketing proposals, contracts, quotes, and other important documents. You can use it to streamline your document workflow and eliminate manual processes, such as manual data entry, document approval, and PDF generation. With its drag-and-drop editor, you can easily create documents in minutes. You can integrate Document Designer into your CRM, accounting, and other business workflows to automate your sales and document management processes.

Here are a few ideas to put all this power to work:

• Create sales proposals from opportunity records
• Generate an invoice from order data
• Produce a project status report automatically from project status information
• Create contract templates that insert client information directly into the document

Learn more

Send and Receive Emails Within a Record

SmartSuite’s Comment section has been enhanced and rebranded as Communication Center. In addition to traditional comments, this new feature allows users to send and receive emails and create, manage, and apply email templates directly from the edit record interface.

‍Enabling Email Communication:

Open the Settings panel in Communication Center and toggle the Emails option on to enable email messaging. With email enabled users can easily see all of their comments and emails in one place, or choose to sort them separately. Users can send new email messages, and can use pre-created templates and content from the record to enhance their message. All replies are automatically brought back into the Communication Center and are displayed in the record the original email was sent from.

Sending an Email:

SmartSuite's Communication Center not only enables users to send and receive emails, but also streamlines the communication process with pre-created templates. These templates can be fully customized with text, formatting, fields of information, and even attachments to enhance the message being sent. Once the template is created, users can select it from the list and the information will automatically populate the email. Users then have the option to make modifications before sending the email.

Managing Templates

Users have the ability to turn any email they're creating into a template or create/manage templates from the template management UI. This allows for efficient and consistent communication processes, especially for teams with a high volume of similar messages.

SmartSuite's Communication Center now offers an all-in-one solution for record-related communication with the ability to send and receive emails, manage templates, and streamline the communication process. We are excited to see how this new feature will improve collaboration and productivity for our users.

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Data Schema Solution Map

We're excited to announce the release of the Data Schema Widget, a new feature in SmartSuite that allows you to visualize your Solutions and Apps, displaying the relationships between Solutions, Apps, and their fields.

Here's a brief overview of what you can expect from this feature:

Visualize Active Relationships:

The Data Schema Widget automatically detects relationships between Solutions, Apps, and their fields and displays them in your dashboard widget. This way, you can easily see how all the different elements of your Workspace are connected.

Customize Your Widget:

Creating a Data Schema Widget is easy. Simply follow the steps outlined in our guide to add it to your dashboard. Once you've installed the widget, you can customize it to display only the Solutions and relationships you're interested in.

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Display Formats:

You have the ability to choose how the relationships between Solutions and fields are displayed. Whether you want links to other Solutions to be displayed or prefer to display all fields under each App of the Solution, the Data Schema Widget is flexible to suit your needs.

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Working with the Data Schema:

You can drag Solutions and Apps around to customize their arrangement, which makes it easy to design your database in SmartSuite. You can add or modify relations while visualizing the whole Workspace Solutions and Apps with their relations, and all modifications will reflect in the actual solution.

With the Data Schema Widget, you can gain deeper insights into the relationships between Solutions, Apps, and their fields in SmartSuite. Start using this feature today to optimize your Workspace and improve your productivity.

Learn more

Shared Solution Enhancements

In addition to being able to duplicate existing Solutions, you can now share the entire solution with external viewers - and even allow the recipient to make a copy of the Solution in their own SmartSuite workspace.

Here are the key features of this new functionality:

Copy Solution Button

If you have allowed users to copy the solution, you will see a Copy Solution button in the top right corner of the solution's header. Clicking on this button will bring up a menu prompting you to select a workspace where you have permission to create a new solution.

Copied Solution Detail

While the Copy Solution function maintains the majority of the solution's structure, there are several differences to keep in mind when copying solutions. For example, all assignees in Assigned To fields, Checklist items, and comments are changed to the installing user. Additionally, Linked Records fields referencing Apps external to the shared solution will be created but not linked. They will display an error icon as their value until the Solution Manager or Administrator selects a target App.

Error Notification

If the user clicking the Copy Solution button does not have permission to create new solutions in any of their SmartSuite workspaces, an error will be displayed to inform the user that the copy action is not possible.

We believe that this new feature will make it easier for SmartSuite users to create new solutions based on existing ones, saving valuable time and effort. Try it out today and let us know what you think!

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Learn more

Shared View Updates

Our latest release brings several new enhancements to the Shared Grid View. Solution Managers now have the option to select which controls they want to display when sharing a view, enabling greater customization and control over the shared content.

Users can now choose whether to display the report toolbar, offer an embed code snippet, enable passcode protection, and allow or disable records to be opened like our native Grid View. Additionally, we've added a URL parameter header=false, which disables the display of the header.

Managing Shared Views

Sharing views is now simpler than ever with the new Share View dialog. Users can easily see which views are currently being shared through the blue icon over the view icon. Within each shared Saved view, a message will display indicating the shared state. And if you no longer wish to share a Grid View, it's easy to disable sharing with the toggle switch in the upper right corner of the Share View dialog. Disabling deactivates the current shared link but doesn't invalidate it, so you can re-enable it in the future if you desire.

Display Controls

Solution Managers now have greater control over the shared content with Display Controls for Shared Grid Views. Share all fields or only allow users to view fields included in the view, restrict them from seeing all available fields in this App, and allow data to be exported. Users can also choose whether to allow viewers to open individual records or display the toolbar with view controls. And for added security, passcode protection can be enabled, requiring users to enter a password before accessing the shared view.

These enhancements provide a more customized and secure experience for sharing Grid Views, making it easier than ever to manage and control shared content.

Learn more

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New Integrations‍

We've enhanced the automations system through the addition of new automation actions, including integrations with Google Drive, HubSpot, Jira, and Microsoft Teams.

Here's a brief description of each integration and what you can do with them.

Google Drive

With this integration, you can now upload files from your records directly to your Google Drive folder. You can either upload a file directly or pick from the available fields in the record. Once the trigger fires, the file selected or field specified will upload to the indicated folder in your Google Drive account. To connect the integration, you need to add your Google Drive credentials and select the upload option from the integration section.

HubSpot

The HubSpot integration allows you to create new entities such as Contacts, Companies, or Deals. Once the trigger fires, the HubSpot Create Record action will create a new entity. You need to select the Entity Type you want to create, and then add the details for the entity that you're creating. You can select a field from the trigger to populate the value, or you can provide a static value for the field. To connect the integration, you need to add your HubSpot credentials and select the Create Record option from the integration section.
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Jira Cloud

The Jira Cloud integration allows you to create or update issues in Jira. You can select the option to create an issue or update an existing one. To connect the integration, you need to add your Jira Cloud Account credentials and select the appropriate option from the integration section.

Microsoft Teams

The Microsoft Teams integration allows you to send a chat message or a message in a channel. To connect the integration, you need to add your Microsoft account credentials and select the appropriate option from the integration section.

We are continuously adding more integrations to our platform, so stay tuned for more exciting updates. With these new integrations, you can now automate your workflow and improve your productivity. Try them out today and let us know how they work for you!

Learn more

New Bulk Action in Grid View

We’re excited to announce the latest addition to our product - Bulk Actions in Cells. With this new feature, you can now select multiple cells with your mouse and copy their contents to the clipboard using the shortcut Cmd/Control+C. This feature is designed to help you save time and improve your productivity by allowing you to work with data in bulk.

Bulk Pasting in Title Field

In addition to bulk copying, you can also bulk paste data when the Title field is in edit mode. To do this, highlight the Grid cells you want to paste into, and then press Cmd/Control+V to paste the values. This feature is especially useful when you need to update multiple records with similar values.

Selecting Multiple Cells

Another enhancement to Grid View’s bulk action capabilities is the ability to select multiple cells using your [Shift] + [Arrow Keys]. This makes it easier to select and copy a range of cells at once, further improving your efficiency when working with large amounts of data.

We hope that these new Bulk Actions in Cells will help you work more efficiently and effectively with your data in Grid View.

Learn more

Automation History Logs

Automations have been enhanced with the addition of a History Log that allows you to see the status of each automation run.

This new feature allows you to easily view the execution history of your automations, including their start time, status, duration, and number of actions performed.

Accessing the Automation Run Logs is easy - simply click the History button in the Automation header. Once there, you will see a list of all executions for the automation, along with relevant details such as when the execution started and ended, and how many actions were performed.

This new feature makes it easier to track the performance of your automations, and quickly identify any issues that may have occurred during the execution. With Automation Run Logs, you can now have greater visibility into the workings of your automations, allowing you to optimize their performance and make more informed decisions.

Learn more
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Member Directory Control

The latest addition to our Member Directory is a new display option called "None, except select profiles." This feature is designed to give you more control over the profiles that are displayed in your member directory.

With this new display option, you can choose to show only specific profiles in your directory. When this option is selected, only the members you have selected in the "Always displayed profiles" section will be shown in the directory. This means you can have more control over the privacy of your member directory and only show the profiles you want to display.

To use this feature, simply go to your Member Directory settings and select the "None, except select profiles" option. Then, choose the profiles that you want to display by selecting them in the "Always displayed profiles" section. You can select as many profiles as you want, and they will be the only ones displayed in your directory.

This new display option is just one of the many ways we are working to make our platform more customizable and user-friendly. We hope you find this feature helpful in managing your member directory and improving the privacy and security of your community.

Learn more

Other Notable Enhancements

SmartDoc Toolbar

• The SmartDoc toolbar is now pinned to the top of the window in the expanded mode of the record modal.

Export / Print to PDF

• PDF exports containing Sub-Items fields now print the entire content of the Sub-Items field.

Forms

• Added support for an optional parameter of header=false to remove the logo and reduce padding.
  
• Adjusted and reduced the size on the “Powered by SmartSuite” footer.
• Form View now supports setting the maximum attachment size for Files & Images fields. The default is 10MB, but users can select values from 1MB to 1024MB (1 GB).‍

‍Grid View

• You can now right click on a field name in Grid View to open the context menu. Record creation can now be canceled by clicking out of an empty title field even when it is required

Bulk Field Creation via API

• Logic updates were made to improve this feature.

Card & Kanban View

• Card and Kanban Views now display the entire record title as a tooltip on hover. This allows you to see all of the title’s text for very long values.

Text Field

• You can now convert Text fields to Date Types, Linked Record, Email, Percent Complete, Number Slider, and Phone field types.

Link Field:

• A new display format ‘Icon Only’ was added. When in icon-only mode, links will display as clickable buttons that contain the site’s favicon.

Edit Record Interface

• Member avatars are now scaled properly and download to your browser as smaller images.

Shared Grid

• Assignee records now load correctly in checklists included in shared Grid Views.
  
• You are now able to export data from Shared Grid Views. The export option can be toggled on or off in Share View configuration.
• The SmartSuite Logo is no longer displayed while embedded Shared Views load.
• In Shared Grid View configuration, you are now presented with the entire embed code, and have the option to show or hide the report toolbar, show or hide the “Generated by” label, and see the embed in a full-screen preview. You can toggle between desktop, tablet, and mobile display for the preview.

Grid Widget

• Groups are now displayed properly in Grid Widgets when Groupings are applied.
  
• The zebra effect has been removed, rows are now always displayed with a white background
• The row hover effect is now consistent and does not change color to match the Solution’s color
• Padding between grid rows has been removed

Files and Images

• Modified to make the most recent attachments display first.

Calendar View

• The record title is prioritized inside the pill in Calendar View.
• The entire record title is now displayed in the tooltip that pops up when you hover a record in the calendar.
• You now have the ability to turn the display of weekends on and off in Calendar View.

Formula Field

• Formula errors have an updated display format.

Sub-Items Field

• The entire contents of Sub-Item records is now included when printing or exporting to PDF.

Time Tracking Log

• Added a list of all prior time entries and a link to the record in the Time Tracking Log field’s floating pill.

Mobile Support

• Shared View: Scrollbar functionality has been improved on tablet and mobile devices.
• Shared Form: Dropdowns have been improved on mobile devices, prevent elements from being hidden.

Make.com Connector

• SmartSuite’s Make.com connector now supports the Files & Images field type. Attached files are referenced by URL, and you can provide a name for the file during configuration.

Export Record

• Checklist field details are now included when exporting the record to PDF.

Metadata API

• The metadata API was enhanced by the addition of a new endpoint that supports bulk field creation.

Account Administration

• You can no longer go below 1 Account Administrator when modifying user permissions.

Enhancements we are actively working on...

• Conditional Logic & Default Value Support in Forms
• Conditional Display of Record Sections
• Webhook Triggers & Actions for Automations
• Home Page Solution Grouping
• New Formula Functions
• Use Document Designer Templates in Automation Actions and Directly from a Record
• Create New Solution from Airtable Base
• Gantt View
• Multi-user Collaborative Edit for SmartDoc
• Support Multiple Complete Status Values in Status Field
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‍View our product roadmap to see all exciting enhancements planned and in progress or to make a feature request of your own!