2014.2 Release Notes
We are excited to announce our latest software update, which includes new and amazing modules for managing controlled file and training records. Combining these additions with the existing CAPA, Audit and Supplier Management components means we have delivered on our continuing promise to offer a compelling and affordable eQMS platform to regulated companies anywhere in the world. This milestone comes with a significant change to our Brand—we believe "ZenQMS" is more closely aligned to our long-term vision for the company.
The new Documents and Training modules are compelling precisely because they are integrated and available to all your employees at no additional cost (remember that we don't charge per user fees!). Any of your departments can now log files of any type, including videos, that need to be part of a controlled document lifecycle supported by part 11 compliant e-signatures. A user's training dossier appears right on their dashboard, and training is literally a click off the home page. Managers have full visibility to training status of any employee in the company. The feedback so far has been amazing.
The new release also includes other updates/improvements across the application. A notable mention is the integration of Documents to every site's Qsheet, which makes all uploaded files keyword searchable within a Qsheet or (more amazingly) across ALL your Qsheet files.
Please keep all the great ideas coming!
-ZenQMS team (formerly The QAB team)
Dashboard
Dashboard is the most important page in our application, and keeping it simple/actionable with the new modules meant we had to update it lest users get lost in too many links/numbers. The new simplified view will feel familiar almost immediately—the idea is that your dashboard doesn't show any new activity unless something of yours is due, coming due or had some activity. So it's personal and actionable all at once. And we don't think you will believe how easy the training tile is to use. As a bonus: users that receive a daily summary when something new has happened will see this new tile format in their email going forward. Here is what you need to know about the updated Dashboard:
- Clicking on the Training Status icon opens your personal Training Dossier. You can launch training for any assigned files directly from within the Dossier.
- Clicking on the numbers in the Issue/CAPA or Audit tiles will open up a new window with links to new assignments or updated items. There is also a new blue button that links users to the old summary of your personal Issues/CAPAs or Audits by state—these used to appear right on the dashboard.
- The Documents tile is linked to your documents.
- The Inbox and Subscriptions tiles remain unchanged.
Documents & Training
The ZenQMS approach to Document Management and Training focuses on ease of use and integration—allowing companies to truly get paperless and compliant all at once.
Highlights from the Documents:
- Documents follow a traditional lifecycle, from Draft to Archive.
- Document Authors will be notified of due dates for reviews.
- Categories provide group edit control over different types of documents (e.g. Quality vs. HR); they also provide a simple way to enforce workflow approval and archive rules.
- Keyword search indexes both the meta data attached to the document AND the document it self
- Training status indicates real-time view of trainee assignments and status.
- Documents can be of most any type with no real size restrictions, including videos!
- Permission based access means complete control over who can create/edit documents and what a user sees in their view.
- Designate uncontrolled files with a watermark.
Highlights from the Training:
- Any approved Controlled File can be instantly assigned to ANY user or group for training. Assignments are immediately reflected in user dossiers and trigger notifications.
- Authors can add unlimited test questions to any document that must be answered for certification.
- Multiple documents can be aggregated into a single course, which can then be assigned to individuals or groups.
- Document updates can electively trigger retraining for all affected users
- Managers can instantly view training compliance of their direct reports, company groups or the whole company.
- Training events (on or offsite, group or individuals) can be logged, including upload of event related files (e.g. Syllabus, Videos, Tests, etc.). Completed events are available for reference to assignees.
Qsheets/Documents
Supplier Qualification and Management of external partners in ZenQMS begins in a site's Qsheet, which includes all the information you have on a particular supplier. For example, audit reports or questionnaires, shared issue investigations/CAPAs, profile information and custom fields.
Managing documents related to a specific vendor is critical—think MSAs or Quality Agreements. And based on user demand, we have significantly expanded the functionality of what was formerly the Qsheet Attachments tab into its own tab called Qsheet/Documents. Highlights include:
- The page allows authorized individuals to create new folders and upload/download/delete files.
- A full audit trail keeps track of all activity.
- Folder structures are specific to each site.
- The entire folder structure and all contents are strictly private to a member's account.
- Users will be able to keyword search the content of ALL uploaded files within a Qsheet.
- This feature is integrated with the new Document Management capability. So navigating to Home > Document > Qsheet Files allows users to access all folders/files organized by Site. And once again, all files across all sites can be easily keyword searched.
Qsheet Formatting Changes / Managing Duplicate Sites
We got a good deal of feedback about how the Qsheet header was confusing. And also that managing duplicates could be easier. The new qsheet header solves both cases...there is now a link for reporting duplicates right in the header. And it is much easier to read/understand.
Simplified Subscriptions are Here.
As mentioned with the release of 2014.1, we have implemented a simplified subscription management scheme that starts at $250/month and increments based on the number of items in your account (e.g. Audits, Issues, Documents, etc,). 100 items = incremental $100 monthly cost up to a cap of $1,500. And you are NOT charged for items that are merely shared with you by another member.
Custom Fields Everywhere…Including the Audit and Sites Pages
Members love the simplicity of configuring private meta fields using ZenQMS custom fields. New fields can be added to Issues, Documents, Audits and Qsheets in a just a couple minutes. We have made the following changes to custom fields:
- Users can add Site or Audit Custom fields to the Home>Audit>Reports table, meaning you can filter table data using these data points and export them to excel with a single click.
- Qsheet>Overview>Snapshot shows a simplified treatment of Custom fields.
- Audit custom fields are now part of the Details page.
Other minor updates/bug fixes
- Observations Export PDF format: we updated the format to exclude the "Suggested CAPA" section, only show notices about attachments if they actually exist and reorganized for better presentation. This revamp will continue over the winter as part of an update to the Audit process.
- Geocoding/Mapping: we introduced a new approach to geocoding throughout the application. It's faster and smarter, so finding a particular city should be no problem. The app will automatically extract the city/state/country and GPS coordinates, down to the street level if possible. We also addressed a minor bug that cause problems mapping sites in Australia/New Zealand correctly.
- Home > Audit > Reports now includes new fields designating an audit as recurring or ad hoc and a field showing the Auditor Member Name.
- Site Registration: we have continued to stream line this process. If auditors see a site that is not registered (red exclamation point in Qsheet header) then there is a button that allows them to send an email message to the site directly. This is explicit-- so it doesn't happen without the user's express consent.
- Speed increases: You won't see all of this until it finally hits the fast production servers, but there have been significant improvements in speed/access across the application.
- Rebranded from The QAB to ZenQMS
- Started rolling out new buttons that are friendlier in mobile browsers
- Corrected a calculation error in Dashboard
- Addressed a bug that prevented PDF download from some mobile browsers.
- Addressed a bug that caused faster than expected auto log out
- Addressed an issue that affected Watchlist users who selected "All Audits" from the filter
- We eliminated 'child audits'—so auditees will be linked to the actual audit file sent to them (read only of course).
- Eliminated the workflow section from Administration > mySettings which was confusing users.
- Administration>MySettings page: old user information is displayed after clicking Save
- Addressed two minor errors in the password recovery routine
- Eliminated some legacy architecture components related to 'public scorecards'
- Allow users to select their supervisor from all active IDs.
- Addressed a bug in CAPA Management window in the comments section
- Addressed a UI issues in the Manage Groups modal window
- Altered the approach member-defined dropdowns where a dropdown option has been deleted by the member.
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