Release Notes

What's new in version 2023.2

December 2023

Welcome to the Winter 2023 release of Alloy Navigator Enterprise. There are many new features and enhancements designed to elevate your experience.

New experience in data grids: Full launch

We are proud to announce the full launch of the new experience in data grids, introduced earlier this summer. During the preview period, we implemented massive enhancements, primarily driven by your feedback. We have addressed all reported issues, significantly improved performance, and added the finishing touches to enhance the overall functionality. The new data views have reached a level of maturity that positions them as an effective replacement for the older counterparts.

Conditional formatting

Conditional formatting is a powerful tool designed to transform your data views into dynamic, visually compelling reports tailored to meet the specific demands of IT professionals. Going beyond mere aesthetics, conditional formatting delivers tangible benefits by enabling you to rapidly identify important information, trends, and anomalies within your IT workflows.

By using color-coding and distinct formatting rules for data cells and even entire rows, you can quickly identify records that meet specific criteria. This can help you make more informed decisions and identify areas where you need to focus your attention.

INFO: For details, see Help: Conditional formatting (new experience).

Group access to shared views

With this update, technicians can easily share their data views with team members, promoting focused collaboration. In addition to the existing option to share views with everyone, this feature introduces the capability to share views specifically with designated groups.

The new concept of "view owner" ensures that creators of views maintain uninterrupted access to their data views, regardless of their group membership.

Discover this enhanced functionality on the newly introduced Sharing tab, integrated into the Customize View pane.

Administrators with the Shared View Management permission have comprehensive access to all shared views within the system, enabling them to exercise control over the audiences and owners of the views.
Display density options

We have added the ability to customize the data cell spacing to match your preferences, giving you greater control over displayed information. This update introduces three distinct density options designed to cater to your specific needs across all data views.

  • Comfort: This classic mode is designed for those who prefer a more spacious layout with increased spacing. In this mode, you'll see more information in each row, with text wrapped and images displayed. Comfort mode is especially suitable for touch-enabled devices.

  • Compact: Finding the sweet spot between comfort and the amount of displayed data, this setting offers moderate spacing. It enables you to view more records compared to comfort mode. In Compact mode, images remain visible, but text is no longer wrapped. Instead, it is truncated with an ellipsis for a concise presentation.

  • Condensed: Designed for users aiming to maximize the number of visible records on the screen. In this mode, the images are concealed, and there is no text wrapping, ensuring you can view as many records at once as possible.
Options menu for personalized experience

The all-new Options menu is where you can now tailor your general experience with all data views on your screen.

  • Group by box: We've relocated the 'Group by box' setting to the Options menu for a more consistent experience. This setting no longer applies to individual data views but governs the visibility of the group box across all views on your screen. Users who rely on record grouping can easily organize data by dragging and dropping columns into the box. For those who don't require this feature, the group box stays discreet, yet can be easily activated from the new Options menu.

  • Preview: The Preview command has also found a new home in the Options menu. Conveniently toggle the Preview Pane at the bottom of the view on or off, optimizing your data viewing experience.

  • Density: The new Density options are integrated into the Options menu, offering you three different display styles, as shown above.
 
 
Context menu

We are excited to introduce the Context menu, providing instant access to essential actions, tailored to the data view element where you right-click.

  • Filtering by value: Reconnect with old favorites from the classic experience! Simply right-click within a cell to access the Filter by Selected Field/ Filter by Excluding Selected Field commands, making filtering by value a breeze.

  • Quick grouping and sorting: Even when the group box is not visible, you can easily group data by a specific column. In addition, you have the flexibility to apply or modify the order of displayed data records.

  • Streamlined group management: When working with grouped data records, the context menus offer options such as Expand All/Collapse All and Ungroup. Additionally, you have the capability to sort groups either by the grouping value or by the number of group elements.
Tree data views

The hierarchical trees of Organizations and Locations now work in the new experience mode. Additionally, the views for Work Orders and Project Tasks have been revamped to provide clarity on the origin of child records, revealing from which parents they were created.

The tree data views offer the added flexibility of effortlessly toggling between different view modes. Located in the upper left corner, the Tree/List mode switch control gives you the option to choose the level of view details. Explore the flat list in List mode or delve into the structure in Tree mode.

Notably, in cases where parent records don't align with the data view filtering conditions, Tree mode presents them in a subdued, grayed-out fashion.

Revamped data views on detail forms

We have extended the reach of the new experience views data views to object detail forms. Now the majority of data views embedded into various tabs of object detail forms work in the new experience mode.

Building upon this improvement, we have streamlined the Work Orders and Tasks tabs, reducing the views from three to two: Children Only and All, combining the functionalities of All Descendants and Hierarchy Tree. Users can now access the hierarchy tree by switching the grid to Tree mode within the All view.

For now, only a few exceptions remain, such as Activity and Discovered Installations. These will receive an update next year. Stay tuned for future enhancements.
Streamlined transition to new experience views

Following a series of extensive enhancements, we introduce a straightforward transition process for converting your classic data views to the new experience views. Convert your classic views at your own pace, one at a time, with the added convenience of reviewing the results.

Rest assured that all your classic views will remain unchanged, as the conversion process reproduces the original view settings within the new interface. This guarantees a smooth transition without affecting your ongoing tasks.

IMPORTANT: Please be aware that shared views will be accessible to everyone after conversion, so it's important to review them and fine-tune their sharing settings to align with your specific requirements and collaboration preferences.

TIP: While there is no rush, we want to inform you that the classic experience is being deprecated, as we are preparing to phase it out next year. Therefore, we recommend taking the necessary conversion steps gradually to ensure a well-prepared and smooth transition to new experience views. For instructions, see Help: Converting classic data views to the new experience.

Responsive detail forms with tailored layouts

Another notable feature in this release is the introduction of completely redesigned detail forms for Alloy Navigator objects. Although these forms may appear similar to their predecessors at first glance, they represent a significant enhancement, providing a more responsive, interactive, and uniform user experience. Engineered to promptly respond to user input and easily adapt to various window sizes, these new forms ensure a highly satisfying user interaction.

What truly sets these forms apart is the power of customization. Administrators now have the ability to tailor Alloy Navigator’s object detail forms to align with your unique business processes. Take charge of your interface by strategically positioning user-defined fields in prominent locations, introducing new tabs and sections, and eliminating any unused UI elements. The arrangement of tabs, sections, and fields is entirely in your hands, allowing you to craft a user interface that perfectly suits your specific operational needs.

For instructions, see Admin Center help: Customizing detail form layouts.

Search enhancements

The search feature in this release has undergone multiple enhancements to elevate your search experience.

Global search everywhere

Now you can easily search across all object classes by choosing to search Everywhere. Two standard search scopes, All Tickets and All CIs, serve a similar yet more focused purpose in a respective area.
Search in frequently used fields

By default, the search is now focused on frequently used fields where relevant information is typically stored, helping you quickly find what you need.

In line with previous versions, you can refine your search by targeting specific fields. This way you can fine-tune your search queries for specific scenarios.
 
Customizable starting point

But there's more! Now you can customize the default starting point of your searches.

Head to your personal settings to choose your preference.

Streamlined license management

This update introduces several enhancements to the product’s license management functionality.

Access user license allocations

Effortlessly view and manage software licenses allocated to users with the new Allocated licenses tab in Person records.

This feature is particularly handy during employee offboarding. Open the Person record to instantly identify all licenses allocated to the departing employee, streamlining the deactivation process.

Device statuses in discovered installations

Now, you can easily access and view device statuses directly from the list of discovered installations, such as on the Discovered Installations tab of a Tracked Software record.

This addition serves as a valuable tool for license management, allowing users to verify whether a device should be excluded from license reconciliation, which results in a more accurate and streamlined license management process.

Aesthetic and UI improvements

Explore a series of updates designed to elevate the visual appeal and usability of the user interface.

Revamped sign-in screen

We've given the login screen a stylish upgrade with new background graphics and an improved layout.
Donut charts in dashboards

We have modernized the appearance of dashboard charts with a comprehensive revamp in aesthetics. The most significant change is the shift from pie charts to donut charts, introducing a sense of spaciousness and elegance.

The dashboard look is now lighter, creating a weightless, visually appealing experience.

Clear history log in the Self-Service Portal

Explore the enhanced History Log in the Self-Service portal, featuring a sleek new design inspired by the proven layout of the Activity Log in the Web App for technicians.

Each entry is now presented in a dedicated card, containing the author's name and avatar, for a personalized touch. Users can easily navigate through records by collapsing lengthy entries and quickly identify posts with attachments thanks to the new attachment indicator.
Code snippets in view mode

Building upon the Summer 2023 release, where we introduced the capability to include code snippets while editing HTML fields, such as Knowledge Base article contents, now we’ve extended this feature to view mode.

Now, code snippets in the Web App or Self-Service Portal will be highlighted according to the specified coding language. This enhancement not only enhances the code readability but also helps users to effortlessly copy the entire snippet for reuse.

Rich HTML format in contracts

Elevate your contract documentation to new heights by incorporating images, links, lists, and other HTML formatting options when detailing specifics.

The Description field for contracts has undergone a significant enhancement, now supporting rich HTML formatting. This improvement provides greater flexibility and visual appeal when maintaining contract records.

Automated database maintenance

This update introduces a new scheduled task: "Integrity Check, and Index and Statistics Maintenance," designed to help you elevate the performance and reliability of your system. Periodically running this task ensures faster query performance and enhanced reliability.

The new task is immediately available after the upgrade, initially disabled. Customize its schedule to adhere to your maintenance windows, and then enable the task to achieve improved database performance.

Optimization of workflow scheduled tasks

Recognizing that workflow scheduled tasks are among the most resource-intensive operations, we've implemented a significant optimization in this release. Instead of executing a workflow scheduled task as a single database transaction, Alloy Navigator now runs them in a series of small sequential transactions, and this has been set as the default mode of operation. This adjustment aims to free up resources and mitigate potential blocking issues, especially in high-concurrency scenarios.

Additionally, we've streamlined the UI for configuring scheduled tasks in the Settings App. All operations are now conveniently grouped within a dedicated Programming tab, in line with the layout of other workflow components.

Updated audit tools

The Alloy Audit Tools component has been updated to version 2023.2. The latest version adds support to macOS 14, also known as Sonoma, and delivers other improvements and bug fixes. For a complete list of changes, see Audit Tools Update Release Notes.

SQL Server 2008 and 2008 R2 support ending soon

We are planning to discontinue support for Microsoft SQL Server 2008 and 2008 R2 in upcoming releases, initiating the depreciation process in this version. If your organization currently relies on Microsoft SQL Server 2008 or 2008 R2, we strongly recommend considering a migration to a more recent version of Microsoft SQL Server or exploring the benefits of Azure SQL.

INFO: For details, see Planned end of support for Microsoft SQL Server 2008 and 2008 R2.

Other enhancements and resolved issues

New experience views

  • The quick filter for columns with Date and Date/Time values now provides convenient, easy to apply conditions for common date ranges, such as "yesterday," "last month so far," or "next year." This enhancement streamlines the filtering process, offering users intuitive and time-saving options for date-based queries.

  • Working with grouped records has become even more convenient, especially when dealing with larger groups. Now, you can effortlessly expand and collapse groups using the Expand All and Collapse All commands, available in the upper right corner and via the context menu. For improved navigation within extensive groups that span multiple pages, we've introduced a (continued...) indicator next to group names. This not only enhances clarity but also contributes to an overall usability improvement.

  • Now, when you refresh a web page using the F5 key or the browser's Reload button, the data in the grids on the page will be forcefully reloaded—just like clicking the Reload data button at the bottom of the grid. This improvement provides a smooth and expected experience.

    TIP: However, for forceful data updates in auto-refreshing data grids, we continue to recommend using the dedicated Reload data button at the bottom of the grid.

  • The view customization screen has been enhanced for a better user experience.

    • Now, if you hover the mouse pointer over an unavailable command, a helpful tooltip will appear, offering an explanation for the unavailability. All drop-down lists are now searchable, streamlining the selection process and saving valuable time.

    • For improved readability, Date and Date/Time conditions have been logically grouped, simplifying navigation and making it easier for users to navigate and choose their desired options.

  • Data export from tree data grids is no longer limited to the number of rows on the page. Now, you can export all rows in your tree data views.

  • Fixed issues with diacritical letters and some characters in HTML fields appearing as gibberish when exported.

  • The caching mechanism has been improved to ensure that new data grids always show the latest information. This resolves the issue of outdated information that could be displayed after sorting the data view by different columns.

  • Resolved an issue in My Tickets data views where some users experienced problems when using filters with OR statements.

  • Addressed the absence of the New Experience switch control for users navigating from dashboards.

Web App

  • The Recent list, found under My Work > Recent, now includes records you've recently created, in addition to those you've recently opened or modified.

  • We've enhanced the management of Recurrent Tickets to offer you greater control and flexibility. Now, you can access a comprehensive list of job sessions associated with the creation of recurrent tickets, enabling you to easily view and delete individual session records, or swiftly purge the entire list of completed sessions.

  • Strengthened Web App security in response to a customer's proactive security scan, identifying potential vulnerabilities in outdated dependencies. Demonstrating our commitment, we promptly reviewed and updated these dependencies to their latest versions

  • Enhanced the performance of the Catalog Service, specifically addressing issues encountered when loading icons for service catalog items. The process has been optimized, and the problems have been successfully resolved.

  • Fixed a navigation issue in the search results. Previously, the Back button could lead users to the wrong page. Now, it correctly returns users to their previous location.

  • Implemented a safeguard to prevent searches with empty search text, addressing scenarios that could previously return all database records and hinder Web App performance.

  • Resolved Batch Update issues for large datasets. Parameters are now sent via HTTP request body, eliminating URL length limitations. Users can smoothly perform operations on thousands of records without any problems.

  • Previously, when performing a Merge With operation on Person records, the removed record was not deleted until a manual view refresh was performed. This could lead to doubts about whether the merge was successfully completed. Now, the removed record is automatically deleted immediately after the merge is completed, ensuring a more seamless and clear merging process.

  • Addressed an issue with browsing large nested groups in classic data views. Previously, expanding a nested group would cause this and other groups spanned across multiple pages to collapse. Now, large nested groups remain expanded when you navigate through data view's pages.

  • Enhanced the Web App user experience by ensuring consistency in search results with other data grids. Previously, double-clicking to open records was inconsistent, except in search results. We've addressed this inconsistency, and now you can open search result records by double-clicking, just like any other records.

Web App: Forms

  • Resolved a critical issue faced by some users when repeatedly editing the Notes field in ticket detail forms. The problem caused the Actual Response Date and Start Date values to disappear unexpectedly, impacting the accuracy and reliability of data. We've identified and addressed the root cause, ensuring the Notes field no longer affects other values.

  • We've enhanced performance on wizard-style action forms. Previously, users could encounter issues editing HTML fields. Now, we've capped the number of requests, ensuring a smoother experience.

  • Fixed a bug with the Attachment Browser's title sometimes getting hidden beyond the web browser content area, making it difficult to add attachments to workflow action forms.

  • Resolved an issue with the conditional display of Create actions' wizard pages in some cases. The issue occurred when the condition used the ID of the object that was still being created. Now, we have ensured that the ID is properly assigned, and the conditional display works correctly in the Web App and other modules.

Workflow

  • Resolved an issue with the one-click workflow feature, allowing users to perform workflow actions by clicking on product-generated links. Previously, these links were broken within workflow service actions (e.g., Mail Connector). Now, service-generated links are valid, enabling users to leverage the one-click workflow feature without encountering any problems or errors

  • Fixed a bug that displayed misleading messages for users performing workflow actions on multiple records. The issue falsely indicated that some objects were affected and others were skipped, causing confusion. The bug has been resolved to ensure accurate feedback on the number of affected and non-affected records.

  • Edits to the Number value of Purchase Orders no longer break their association with the corresponding Asset records.

Administrative tasks

  • The new update enhances the security of Client Secrets in SSO settings in the web-based Admin Center and in desktop Settings App. The Client Secret field now behaves similarly to other encrypted fields, such as password fields, ensuring that client secrets are stored using industry-standard encryption. This security measure prevents secrets from being unloaded when importing configuration settings or workflow packs.

  • Added the ability to configure synchronization with AlloyScan, our soon to be released cloud-based product for automated network discovery and audit.

  • For a more intuitive and user-friendly experience, we've relocated all security permissions pertaining to data views to a dedicated View Management section, accessible under Management and Administration. Additionally, we've improved the names and descriptions for several permissions to better reflect their intended purpose.

  • We have introduced a new %[ATT AreaName.*]% placeholder, empowering administrators to leverage attachment areas within the workflow.

Database management

  • This update enhances the creation of the Database Access Key. In the previous version, users creating a new SQL Server account might experience confusion as they couldn’t view the auto-generated password. To alleviate this, we’ve added an explanatory message, informing users that the password, automatically generated for secure database access by the products’ components, doesn’t need to be memorized—it is for internal use only and is securely stored. If users need to know the password, they also have the option to manually set it.

Import
  • Fixed an issue with importing data for user-defined lookup fields. The Import tool now handles data import seamlessly, even when lookup values are missing in the database.
Email integration

  • Implemented proper support for integration with Exchange Online for users whose domains are registered in Microsoft Cloud for US Government.

  • Resolved a bug with the Mail Connector that sometimes ignored certain ITAM license restrictions, potentially causing issues, such as sending notifications about changes to unsupported object classes.

  • Previously, any changes to the security settings of the linked Exchange Online mail account would cause the Automation Server to stop sending notifications. Now, the mail flow is not interrupted.

Self-Service Portal

  • Using CRLF symbols (line breaks) in the DisplayText of lookup fields no longer disrupts the lookup field in the Self-Service Portal.

Reports

  • Addressed an issue impacting users during product edition migration. Previously, reports specific to the source edition were left behind, adding no value to the resulting product. We've enhanced the migration process by automatically removing these leftover reports.

  • Fixed a reporting issue where using the Use single transaction when processing the queries option led to unexpected results.

  • Resolved an issue with reports where parameter labels were not processed, and values were used instead.

Alloy Discovery

  • Resolved slow upload times for audit snapshots containing SNMP data with non-unique MAC addresses.

  • Improved clarity for users who may have found it confusing when adding domain credentials for non-trusted Windows domains. Previously, the test always failed due to its design limited to trusted Windows domains. We've now added an informative message to explain this scenario, providing users with a clearer understanding and confidence when adding and testing domain credentials.

Documentation

  • The Service Desk Tickets page in online help has been updated to include information about Service Requests, one of five ticket classes supported in Alloy Navigator.

  • Resolved a documentation error on Microsoft Azure AD integration that referred to the removed Status configuration parameter, causing confusion for users. The reference to the missing Status field has been removed.