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News - June 2, 2023

 


AWS  and Release 3 Transition Schedule Notices Sending June 5/6
 
Update: Due to some scheduling revisions, the notices will be sent out June 7-8-9.

The AWS transition schedule has been prepared and posted. On June 5th and 6th we will be posting support tickets to announce what transition group your organization is scheduled for. The schedule lists a date range for each group. As we get closer to those dates, we will confirm your actual date.

The notices being posted on June 5th and 6th will be sent to the system administrator that usually receives invoices and renewal information. They should in turn notify all the users for your organization. If the notice is sent to a contact that is not the system administrator, we ask that the person receiving the notice inform us right away of the correct contact person.

You can read the details here as well as download a copy of the Transition Readiness Checklist.

 


Release 3 Updates Scheduled Weekly for 
June and July
 
Typically, we deploy Release 3 updates twice a month. However, with the first moves to AWS only one month away, June and July we will most likely deploy updates every Sunday. This allows us to quickly rectify and resolve any bug issues before, during, and immediately after transitions to AWS.

With the move to AWS, we actually have the improved ability to deploy updates faster and easier. This means we could, if needed, do a midweek release update at any point and deploy any badly needed fixes faster. 


 


Client SSN Format 
Options Expand
 
In the May 7 Release 3 update, changes were made to expand the format ability to the Client SSN field. Not all customers record SSN values. But of those that do, the variation of formats has grown larger than the 4, 5, and 9 length options we offered.

In essence, the Client SSN field should now allow about any length up to nine characters. from a data point of view, this is much easier to handle. With reporting also an issue for many, this change also makes reporting easier.

If you have any questions about the SSN field or its encryption, please submit a support ticket with your inquiry. With security and privacy a very large issue related to SSN values, we refrain from providing details in this public article. 

 


Top 6 InSight 
Design Issues
 
InSight Pro Users have been building some amazing reports. To date, across all sites, over 5,000 user-built reports have been created. That is impressive! Along the way, some Pro users have probably experienced some growing and learning pains. Here are the top six problems we often see when building reports.
  • Conflicting Joins: This is when several datasources are in the report but one join is set as Left and another as Right. This may not always be an issue, but is likely going to result in some data not being included in the output  .
  • Cascade Filters: By themselves, cascade filters serve a purpose of helping reducing the data in filters as you enter values going right. The problem often exists that when you clear one filter, they often all clear. That creates frustration on the part of users.
  • Double Joins: If datasources are listed in the relationships grid twice together and each version is joined differently, the output will be unpredictable. Keep the number of times one table displays in the relationship grid to the minimum needed.
  • Too Many Datasources: The more datasources added, the longer it will take the report to complete. It is possible to create so many relationships that the report cannot ever complete. Don't try to meet all your needs in one report. It usually will not result in an efficient outcome.
  • Inner vs Left/Right Joins: Remember that Inner Joins only output data where there is related data in both datasources. Left and Right start to open the report output to data in one datasource displays regardless if the other datasource has related records.
  • One to Many Relationships: Knowing the relationships between datasources is crucial, especially when trying to control output. many datasources in XenDirect are 1:Many meaning for every "one" client there are "many" assignments. Once you include datasources with 1:Many relationships, some data will display more than once unless you control the output using grouping.
Build on!!! 

 


Training OnDemand Has Moved to Support
 
The move of the Training OnDemand courses from the prior LMS to the Support Center is almost complete. The XenDirect courses are available now. The InSight Pro courses should be accessible by June 7 or earlier.

There is no cost, and you do not have to preregister to take the lessons. You do need an active account on the Support Center. Once you log into the Support Center, you will see the XenDirect Online Courses and InSight Pro Online Courses under the Support category.

Learning never ends!

 


2023 Holiday
Office Closures

 
Xenegrade will be closed on the following days during 2023 so that employees can observe the holiday with their families. 

Memorial Day May 29 - reopen May 30
Independence Day July 3-4 - reopen July 5
Labor Day Sep. 4 - reopen Sep. 5
Thanksgiving Nov. 23-24 - reopen Nov. 27
Christmas Dec. 25-26 - reopen Dec. 27
New Years Day Jan. 1 - reopen Jan. 2

If there is an emergency where accessing XenDirect is unavailable during a time when the office is closed, submit a support ticket via the support center using the predefined emergency process.

 


HELPFUL REMINDERS
 
  • News Email List: Join those who want to receive a notice whenever we post a news article. Be the first to know! You can subscribe here  . Once you opt-in, you are on the news email list until you decide to opt-out.
  • Status Website: If you have not seen or subscribed to the Service Status website , it is more important than ever to consider doing so. This website displays up-to-date server issues or scheduled maintenance that affect user access to XenDirect modules. One of the key features of the status site is your ability to subscribe to the automated email list. Every time an update is made to the status site, all subscribers will receive an automated email related to the status update.
  • Application Updates: Don't forget to check the Updates section of the Support Center. Whenever updates are made to any XenDirect services, a post describing the change, addition, or fix is made. Release 3 deploys updates about every two weeks. Other services are about once per month or as needed.

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