Analytics release notes

Find out what's new and changed in each version of Analytics. This page lists all the releases in the last year, with the most recent release items at the top.

November 5, 2024 - general news

We're delighted to announce two exciting items...

Upgrades and services form

A new form, available in the side navigation in Phocas, makes it easy for you to request upgrades and services from within your Phocas site. Your email address is automatically inserted into the form, and you can select from a list of common requests. For example, you might need additional user licenses or databases, or service work, such as ERP migration or training. If you don't see the request you need, simply select the Other option. Then give us some brief information and submit the form. We'll get back to you within a few days with a quote, and then we can get started on your upgrade or service!

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New user documentation site

If you're reading this note, you're looking at our old user documentation site. We moved our user documentation to a new platform which has an easy-to-remember URL: docs.phocassoftware.com

The new site has a fresh look with enhanced content display and search functionality. If you’re using Phocas Cloud, please start using the new site and update any bookmarks you have to this (old) site.

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Note for Phocas On-Premise users: The content on this (old) site will continue to be updated until December 2024. The site will be available until June 2026, in line with the end-of-support plan for Phocas On-Premise. Please contact us about upgrading to Phocas Cloud.

October 1, 2024 (Version 24.9.4)

In the side navigation Recents menu, you can now see the 20 most recent items you've opened. Previously, this list only displayed the 10 most recent items.

August 29, 2024 (Version 24.8.1)

We released a new mode called Flexible Variance (Beta). This mode shows variance data and is useful for making comparisons over time, similar to the other variance modes. However, it provides a richer exploration of variances, as you can determine what's driving the variance by selecting two different periods. This mode is still in development, so it looks and behaves differently from the other modes.

June 26, 2024 (Version 24.6.4)

In the side navigation menu, we introduced a sub-menu for Budgets & Forecasts. Previously, when you clicked the Budgets & Forecasts menu item, you went straight to the Budgets & Forecasts homepage. Now, you can view a list of your recently opened budget and forecast workbooks and click one to open it. Alternatively, click the More button to open the Budgets & Forecasts homepage to find the full list of workbooks and other options.

June 11, 2024 (Version 24.5.9.1)

• We updated the font to make the data easier to read.

• We reinstated the ability to switch between the mobile and desktop on mobile devices.

May 21, 2024 (Version 24.5.3)

• We reinstated the ability to delete the favorites, alerts, and dashboards that you own via the homepage.

  While you can’t delete items that were shared with you, you can use the grid filters to remove such items from your view on the homepage. Administrators can delete all dashboards in your organization’s Phocas site.

• We fixed an issue whereby you were unable to sort by custom properties in Custom mode. All custom property columns can now be sorted in ascending or descending order as expected.

April 9, 2024 (Version 24.3.7)

We updated the Phocas homepage. The updated homepage combines the best bits from the two previous homepage options (that you could switch between) and gives you a cleaner layout with enhanced functionality. Take a tour of its key features and read the FAQs.

February 26, 2024 (Version 24.2.1)

• We removed the option to switch back to the old method of navigation.

• We are currently fine-tuning a new homepage design, which will be released soon.

February 7, 2024 (Version 24.1.3)

Phocas AI

We are excited to announce the release of AI functionality within the Analytics module. Phocas AI (beta version) is available in some Phocas sites now, followed by a gradual rollout that incorporates customer feedback. This feature is available for Phocas cloud customers only.

Phocas CRM

We enhanced the CRM user restrictions functionality to give you two models for applying CRM restrictions. Previously, you added individual items, such as a group, team or territory, to a restriction rule, one at a time. Now you can add multiple items to a rule at the same time using the new …(as semicolon separated values)> option which is driven by whatever is in the Group, Team, or Territory settings on the user maintenance form.

Phocas Analytics: upcoming change

The option to switch between the old and new methods of navigation will be removed in late February. If you're still using the old method, we recommend you become familiar with the new side menu navigation (released in September) to get around Phocas more efficiently. Read the FAQs to learn about the differences between the old and new methods.

January 8, 2024 (version 23.12.2)

You can now apply a working day calendar to a Line chart when using a Day period type.

November 20, 2023 (version 23.11.1)

We updated the mobile version of Phocas to support the new navigation changes we released in September. When viewing Phocas on a mobile device, you’ll notice the new, simplified layout. The side menu is initially hidden, and accessible via the button in the top-left corner. We are currently working on a mobile-friendly version of the homepage.

We also resolved several issues and continue to be busy working on exciting new features.

October 23, 2023 (version 23.10.1)

We are busy working on exciting new features but made the following small changes:

• We added the word Account to the title of what was previously called the Settings page, as Account settings is a more descriptive title and matches the label in the user menu.

• We removed the page title and icon that were displayed on product homepages.

• We updated the fonts we use in the new side menu.

• For menu items that have long names that become truncated, tooltips now display the full name.

October 9, 2023 (version 23.9.2)

We are letting the dust settle after the release of the new side menu, so we have nothing new to release this time. We resolved some small issues and have been reading your feedback and planning our next work items.

September 20, 2023 (version 23.9.1) New Version numbering

New and enhanced features

In this release, we’re excited to launch a fresh new side menu to help you get around Phocas more easily and find all your important tools and data in a sleek, collapsible menu. We made some other navigation changes to simplify your screen and bring common actions closer to where you need them.

Here’s a short overview:

Side menu

• Access modules from here - Analytics, Financial Statements, Budgets & Forecasts, Rebates and CRM. If you have permission to use a module it will appear in the list.

• Open recents, favorites and dashboards.

• Access the administration menu directly from the side menu. Manage users and databases, configure your Phocas site, and more.

• Find what you’re after, with the ability to filter per module, or in recents, favorites and dashboards - all from the side menu. This replaces the Navigate to search box.

Quick access to common actions

• From a database, click the blue expand arrow next to a database or favorite name to perform common actions such as saving a favorite, setting a default view and adding content to a dashboard. This replaces the ‘actions/star’ menu that was in the old top bar.

Help

• Access help and learning resources directly in Phocas by launching the Resource Centre near the bottom on the side menu. This contains in-product interactive tours, short videos and links to learning resources.

• We’ve decluttered the workspace by removing old ‘hover’ links to the product documentation, which turned on for some modules but not others. Links to the documentation for all the modules can be accessed from the Resource Center.

For more information and FAQs see Navigation - find your way around Phocas

Resolved issues and other changes

• Change in version numbering. We have changed to a date-based version numbering system that is easier to understand. It's based on ‘Year/Month/Release Number’, which means you can easly see the month (and year) a version was released, and specific version number. For example, the version released on 20 September, 2023 is version 23.9.1.

• We resolved other small issues.

September 6, 2023 (version 8.1.32)

New and enhanced features

We have been busy researching and developing new features, so we have nothing new to release this time.

Resolved issues and small changes

• We made some substantial performance improvements to the nested grid - when you expand all, the data loads much faster than before.

• We made performance improvements to the Summary widgets on dashboards - these widgets load faster than before.

• We made headers more consistent across modes by making them double-height in Period, Variance and Moving Modes.

August 21, 2023 (version 8.1.31)

New and enhanced features

We finished updating our chart library, which now gives you a better mobile experience.

Resolved issues and small changes

• We fixed a formatting issue with empty (zero value) cells that occurred in some Excel exports. These cells are now highlighted blue as expected.

August 7, 2023 (version 8.1.30)

New and enhanced features

• Chart enhancements - We made the following two enhancements:

  • Ability to show, hide and position the legend - The new Legend position setting gives you four options for where to display the legend, relative to the chart. It also gives you the option to hide the legend from view.

  • New colors - We updated the chart color shades to improve contrast and overall legibility and accessibility.

• Month to Date enhancement - We extended the Month To Date option to more modes. This option is now available in the following circumstances:

  • In Summary view: Period and Stream modes.

  • When a dimension is selected: Variance, Stream, Period Stream, Period Variance, and Matrix Variance modes.

Resolved issues and small changes

• We fixed an issue with the Month to Date option whereby the values for the previous period in Stream mode were incorrect.

• We fixed an issue with custom mode whereby the totals were broken for columns using placeholders in the name.

July 17, 2023 (version 8.1.29)

New and enhanced features

We have been busy researching and developing new features, so we have nothing new to release this time.

Resolved issues and small changes

We resolved several issues, including one that occurred when you tried to switch from a chart to the nested grid view. The nested grid now loads as expected.

June 19, 2023 (version 8.1.28)

New features and enhancements in the nested grid

• Ability to resize and reorder columns - You can now change the width and position of the columns in the nested grid. This enhancement allows you to set up the grid to meet your analysis needs - you can view all the important information, in the optimal position.

• Enhancement to exports - We made the following enhancements and fixes to the export functionality in the nested grid:

  • We enabled three additional export file types options: Embed View (HTML), Print and Email.

  • We enhanced the XSLX exports; they now include subtotals and you can expand and collapse the rows.

Resolved issues and small changes

• We resolved an issue whereby HTML subscriptions in the nested grid were failing. These subscriptions now work as expected.

• We retired the survey that displayed when you exported in XSLX format. We got a huge response with very useful feedback that we will incorporate into future product developments. Thanks to all of you who participated.

• We fixed an issued whereby incorrect periods were displaying when Moving Mode was selected in Summary view.

• We fixed an issue that occurred when the Limit Rows option was used in a defined Measure and the corresponding dashboard widget did not load correctly.

• We fixed an issue whereby an error displayed when Custom mode > Total Summaries were used in the nested grid.

May 22, 2023 (version 8.1.27)

Enhanced feature - nested grid

Do you use the nest feature? It’s now even better than before! The nested grid allows you to add up to four levels to the grid, creating a ‘nested’ view of the data. This makes it easier for you to review the contribution of different items within the overall results. It’s also a great starting point for creating reports, as you define the hierarchy of the data. We revamped the nested grid to give it a fresh new look, and introduced the ability to to expand or collapse all rows in the grid.

The new look design includes:

• Different alignment, spacing, indentation and use of bold font, to make it easier for you to view the different levels of data.

• New icons on the Expand and Collapse buttons that are consistent with those in other areas of the product.

• New Expand/Collapse All button in the top left of the grid.

• A lighter blue shading for selected rows.

Resolved issues and small changes

• We fixed an issue with the Quarter and Weeks custom periods, an error message no longer displays when a dimension was selected and the query loads as expected.

• We fixed an issue that occurred when viewing transactions from Custom mode; the Transaction mode page loaded with an incorrect period, or did not load at all and an error message displayed. Transaction mode now loads and displays the data as expected.

April 17, 2023 (version 8.1.26)

Enhanced feature - Exports

We replaced the Export dropdown menu with a new window, in which you select the required export format (Print, XLSX, CSV, email and so on). Depending on the format you select, you might see additional customization options.

To help us improve exports in Analytics, if you select the Excel option, you’ll see a short, optional survey. We are interested to learn why you are exporting into Excel. Is it so that you can complete another task there? Perhaps this is something you can already do in Phocas but you were not aware of it, or perhaps it is a new feature we could add to Phocas, to enable you to carry out all of your work in one place. We look forward to receiving your responses.

Resolved issues and small changes

• In Custom mode:

  • We fixed the sorting issue that occurred when there were duplicate columns. Now when you sort one of these columns you get the expected results.

  • We fixed and issue that occurred with calculated measures that used division and had zero values. Now the query returns a null result rather than an error message.

• We fixed an issue with Count measures that occurred when two ‘Not Equal To’ restrictions were added to the dimensions in the Administration area. The count measure column now displays and populates with data as expected.

• We fixed an issue that was occurred when the Code property column was removed from the grid. The redundant error message no longer displays.

March 20, 2023 (version 8.1.25)

New and enhanced features

We have been busy researching and developing new features, so we have nothing new to release this time.

Resolved issues and small changes

• In the advanced search, we fixed an issue that occurred with the use of parentheses in values in OR conditions. The order of those values caused different results to display in the grid. The results are now consistent.

• In Custom mode, we fixed three issues that occurred:

  • When a pipe symbol (|) was used in a column name - The totals in those columns now display as expected.

  • When a custom period was applied - The queries now load as expected.

  • When a custom property was selected, in which a numeric property did not yield any results - Now the grid displays with the message, 'There are no rows' instead of the previous error message.

• We fixed an issue whereby grouped custom actions were unavailable. These actions are now available to the applicable users.

• In custom periods, we fixed an issue that occurred with the Year to Date and Month to Date period options at the beginning of the period. The expected results now display.

• We fixed an issue whereby the values in XLSX exports on iOS devices contained additional characters (commas). The values now display according to the selected measure format.

• We identified issues that were occurring with Balance Brought Forward (BBF) streams when used alongside the Period Stream and Period Variance modes. We now restrict BBF streams from being available in those contexts, as they are not compatible.

• We fixed an issue with Count measures that was occurring when multiple selections were used alongside advanced searches. The check for whether or not to drop the count is now working correctly.

February 20, 2023 (version 8.1.24)

New and enhanced features

• Improvements to grid sorting behavior - We changed the sorting behavior in the grid. The data in the grid is now sorted according to the name of a column. Previously, the data in the grid was sorted according to the position of a column, not the name of the column. For example, if the first column was used to sort the data, then you added a new column, such as a property or measure, in front of that column, the data is sorted by the new column instead. This sorting behavior was useful for period mode but not for other contexts.

• Reminder: Suspended builds on unused databases - Sometimes databases become redundant, forgotten or simply not used for a long period. We have started ‘suspending’ these databases until they are next accessed. If you access a suspended database you'll see a warning box to let you know, and a new build will kick off immediately. You don't need to do anything, and database - with updated data - will be available to use in around 5 minutes. This change was introduced in the version 8.1.19.

Resolved issues and small changes

• We removed the custom action options (linked to the CRM module) from the Export menu. These options are now available via the new Custom Actions menu next to the Export menu.

• We refined the processing order of group subscription emails, so all emails for a particular favorite will now be sent out at the same time. Previously, users were receiving emails at different times, sometimes hours apart.

• We made some improvements to the nested grid to resolve issues that were arising when dimensions had a hidden code. Now the column alignment is correct and expand/collapse action works as expected.

January 16, 2023 (version 8.1.23)

New and enhanced features

• Nested grid - We made the following two enhancements:

  • You can now see the subtotals of every level that you drill into in the nested grid. This change ensures the crucial datapoints remain visible as you conduct your analysis. Previously, when you added a level to the grid to create a nested view, the subtotal line disappeared when you expanded a level.

  • We improved the look of the nested view, to give you a much more compact grid where you can easily view the most important data with less white space. If you use the Financial Statements module, you will be familiar with the new style.

• Show Net Zero option - You now have the ability to specify how Show Net Zero is applied to the grid in custom mode. From the custom mode window, you can select one particular column to drive the net zero filter or select the All option to apply the functionality to all of the columns in the grid. This setting is only available in custom mode when Options > Show Net Zero is unticked.

  The next phase of this improvement will see this functionality available directly from the Show Net Zero option in the Options menu.

• Reminder: Suspended builds on unused databases - Sometimes databases become redundant, forgotten or simply not used for a long period. We have started ‘suspending’ these databases until they are next accessed. If you access a suspended database you'll see a warning box to let you know, and a new build will kick off immediately. You don't need to do anything, and database - with updated data - will be available to use in around 5 minutes. This change was introduced in the version 8.1.19.

Resolved issues and small changes

We fixed several issues, including one whereby the query page was not loading on some iPads.

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Release notes for other modules

• Financial Statements

• Budgets & Forecasts

• Rebates