ServiceDesk 4.5.19 Update 05/08/11

If you do not know, this is our utility (abbreviated as "EDR") for automating reception of dispatches that are received by email.  This morning we release Ver. 4.5.0 of that utility, featuring these major improvements:

1.    Integration with the Rossware Direct-Mail Agent:

If you've been reading here, you know that, since introducing our new, direct-mail option, we've gradually increased the scope of Rossware office applications that offer it.  Just a month or so ago, we filled-in the roster to include all such applications that send mail.  This left out our EDR, for its use of emails is not sending; it's receiving, and that's a very different function.   

Regardless, we have now added the direct-mail option there.  We think, in fact, it will be particularly useful there, because integration with the standard Windows Mail Client, for receiving purposes, has become increasingly problematic in recent years.  Our direct-mail agent promises, in contrast, to be completely problem- and hassle-free. 

If you're an EDR user, we strongly urge you to update, and switch to use of the direct-mail agent.  There are some particular things you need to know about the transition.  They are covered in a newly-added section of the Rossware Email-Users Handbook.  Look for Section F in Chapter 3, beginning at the bottom of Page 12. 

2.    Warrantech Added to Roster of Companies Whose Dispatches May be Parsed:

The heading speaks pretty much for itself.  FYI, the roster of dispatch formats the EDR is prepared to parse now include: Custom Answering Service format, American Home Shield, National Electronic Warranty, Fidelity National Home Warranty, Old Republic, PC Richard and (with this release) Warrantech.  The latter is also offered (with this release of ServiceDesk) in the QuickEntryTemplate's list of company Types (something you'll need for perfect integration with Warrantech dispatches via the EDR). 

One of the improvements announced in the last-prior release concerned a new underlying log the system maintains.  Its a log that typically you'd have no interaction with.  But if, after the fact, you wanted to do some investigation seeking to determine who looked up (or changed) part numbers as involved in special-order parts, it's there for you.  In announcing that feature, I volunteered that, having built the machinery for that log, it would be relatively easy for us to add logs into other processes, and I invited requests. 

The first request came fast.  

We have now added a second underlying log.  This one will have entries indicating changes as made in the SalesJournal, FundsJournal and A/R records.  As with the log prior announced, there is one file where entries as made during the course of a day get entered, and then a long-term file.  For this new log, the files are called SlsAndFndsEdits.txt and SlsAndFndsEdits_Archv.txt, respectively. 

Since it appears we're going to end up with a whole set of such log files, we also deemed it best to make, and start placing them into, their own folder.  Thus, instead of using the common \sd\netdata folder; henceforth, these files will be placed (and used within) a new subfolder called \sd\LogFiles.  Please look for them there.