What's New in TimeControl Version 8.3?
Here is more detail on some of what’s new and enhanced in this update:
TimeRequest Wizard Update
We’ve done a major overhaul of the TimeRequest Wizard that will overcome a challenge some administrators have had in the past. In previous versions, having new hires be onboarded would not automatically add TimeRequest Wizard holidays to appear. The result was a more cumbersome manual process for anyone new to make sure that their civic holidays were entered. Now the TimeRequest Wizard will be able to do this automatically.
SAML SP-Initiated authentication
TimeControl has had support for SAML authentication for some time. In previous versions however, we have asked that the identify provider (the client or service used by the client for SAML) do the authentication. In this version we have provided SP-Initiated SAML support which means that TimeControl as the Service Provider can initiate the SAML authentication request.
Visual Reader support
We have added support for Visual Readers for the Visually impaired into this version of TimeControl. Following products listed in the American Foundation for the Blind (afb.org) we picked the open source application NVDA as our test bed. Now users of TimeControl can log-in, access the menu, their personal preferences and enter and submit their timesheets or TimeRequests with greater ease. We have focused on support for individual profiles in this version rather than all tables and other administrative functions.
TimeControl Industrial Extended Rates Options
In previous versions, TimeControl Industrial included options for how Extended Rates would be defined and these options were used by both Timesheets and Crew Timesheets to determine costs. We have now separated the options to allow different Extended Rates for Labor to be associated to Crews, Crews and Timesheets or just Timesheets. This can allow combinations of Extended Rates being used for Crew timesheets and the regular Labor Rate table being used for individual timesheets.
Default Table Templates
TimeControl now has a new function that we think will be well thought of by Administrators. Now an Administrator can create a template for table entries and use that default for new entries. This can save a bunch of time when new table entries often have the same data in certain fields. Default templates will pre-enter the data for those fields automatically when a new entry is made or can apply the template on an existing record.
Brute Force Password protection
TimeControl now allows an administrator to determine the maximum number of failed login attempts before TimeControl will disable the user’s account and lock that user from the system. An Administrator can unlock the user directly or if emails are enabled, the user can get TimeControl to reset their password via email.
Automatic Password Recovery
On the TimeControl Login screen, a new option for recovering your account is listed at the bottom of the screen. This will send for a user’s TimeControl Username, an email with a link allowing them to reset their password. This will be useful if a user has inadvertently forgotten their password or has inadvertently been locked out of the system with too many failed log in attempts.
Crew Onboarding
We’ve enhanced the TimeControl Onboarding functionality located in Import Tables to support Crew Onboarding in much the same way we did for new users. In this case, Crew records, Crew members, Crew Approval Paths and all the ancillary information you’d usually add when adding crews can be imported or scheduled for import automatically.
Enhancements to TimeControl / InEight Estimate Integration
We’ve done extensive enhancements to the InEight Estimate integration, (sometimes referred to as HardDollar). In this version we’ve added a new integration type for InEight to link to the HDWarehouse for users who are not using the direct HardDollar SQL database storage option. We’ve also added distinct support for importing and updating Machine data separately from our existing support for Labor and Materials.
Enhanced Logging and Event Viewer Changes
We’ve enhanced the way logging works in TimeControl so administrators have more control over what gets logged and how they can see those logs from right inside TimeControl. The logs will automatically truncate if they get too large so this is a great way for administrators to keep an eye on their TimeControl and troubleshoot anything they need to.
TimeControl Project Copy Tasks to Charge Codes and vice versa
In TimeControl Project we’ve created new functionality to copy Charge record based Views and their associated records to Task Views and records and the same in reverse. So, if you have a number of charge codes in a project in TimeControl that you wish to do what-if analysis on, then copying those records to task-based records out of the auditable control process is very simple. The same goes for Task-based projects, views and records. If you have been developing a project offline in TimeControl Project on a task-record basis and now want to elevate that project and associate View and records to Charge-based records so those charges can now become part of timesheets and be auditably tracked, you’re ready to go.
And...
There's so much more. Improvements in security and threat detection, improved performance, improved capacity and, improvements in the way many interface elements work.
How to upgrade
If you have a current service agreement for TimeControl you can download the new version on the support/updates page. For more information on the latest TimeControl features or our upgrade services, please fill in a contact request at email info@hms.ca or call +1 514 695-8122.
TimeControl Online users will be updated automatically in the coming weeks.