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Release 8.5

Release 8.5

Highlights

Empower 8.5 introduces Watermarking, 3D CAD Viewer, new Data Importer modes, and numerous enhancements across the platform. These changes include improvements to BOMs, Affected Items, User Preferences, Reports, Administrator, Training, Empower Server, and new API Endpoints.

Watermarks

Administrators can now create a Watermark for all PDF, DOC, and DOCX files in their workspace. From Empower Administrator > Document Options, Overlays, Headers, and Footers can be added and styled to include the following tags: Part Number, Revision, Revision Effective From Date , Lifecycle, Pending Changes, and Print Date. Talk to your administrator about adding the Watermark License to your workspace.

  • Rules and Permissions: Administrators can set a workspace rule for whether users can download watermarked copies of files from Global Options > Rules / Options > Document Options. Administrators can also create a User Permission to make it so that only certain users can download watermarked files. The workspace rule takes precedence over the User Permission.
  • When clicking ‘watermark documents’, users can select one or multiple documents at a time. When selecting multiple documents, they will be packaged as a ZIP file and can be downloaded from the Downloads tab of the user’s Empower homepage. If one or more of the files could not be watermarked, the file will be labeled as “Partial Fail."
  • Watermarked documents are always generated as PDFs.

For more information, check out our Watermarking Help Article.

3D CAD Viewer

Empower’s new 3D CAD Viewer supports viewing 3D files online in your browser. It currently supports STEP, STP, IGES, IGS, STL, GLTF, and PVZ files. In this viewer, users can view and zoom in on CAD models from all directions and create a Bounding Box to show its dimensions. This feature is available to all Empower objects that support document views.

  • Features: With the 3D CAD viewer, you can view and zoom in on CAD models from all directions. It also includes a Bounding Box action to measure and visualize a model’s overall dimensions. Talk to your administrator about adding the 3D Viewer License to your workspace.
  • Rules: Administrators can set whether to allow the use of the 3D Cad viewer by going to Empower Administrator > Global Options > Rules/Options > Document Options and selecting “Display Open/View action on Documents Page” and “Enable users to open 3D Viewer". When both rules are selected, a viewer icon will appear next to files that can be opened within the 3D CAD viewer.

For more information, check out our CAD Viewer Help Article.

Data Importer

  • New UI: The Data Importer UI has been refreshed.

  • Basic and Advanced Mode: We have made the Data Importer safer to use by creating a Basic and Advanced Mode. The Basic Mode prevents users from using imports to add brand-new values to picklists like Lifecycles, Types, Categories, and picklist Attributes. The Advanced Mode allows new values to be added to picklists. To avoid errors, Advanced Mode requires the user to enter their password to begin importing. For more information, please visit the Data Importer User's Guide.

  • Data Importer License: Advanced Mode required a Data Importer License. Basic Mode does not require a license. Please talk with Empower support to add this license to your workspace.

  • Object Imports: Basic Mode allows users to import and update Items, BOMs, Vendor Items, Vendors, Vendor Contacts, Service Objects, Change Attributes, and Quality Attributes. Advanced Mode also allows users to import and update all Change and Quality data, Change and Quality Affected Items, and Documents associated with Items, Vendors, Vendor Items, Changes, and Quality Objects.

  • Import Permissions: The permission, “Can import data” has been revised to “Can perform advanced data import.” A new rule, “Can perform basic data import” has also been added. When both permissions are selected, the Data Importer will be in Advanced Mode.

  • History: In Advanced Mode, the creation of new objects is recorded in history. In Basic Mode, both the creation and updating of objects is recorded. The recorded details are the same as when making a change through the Desktop UI.

  • New Auto-Update Rule: When importing new revisions of existing items, the data importer page now includes an option to automatically update current revision assemblies with the newly imported revision components, descriptions, lifecycles, and BOM revisions. This Rule applies to both Basic and Advanced Mode.

  • Leading and Trailing Spaces: Leading and trailing spaces in data import column header names and all data will now be automatically removed to avoid errors. This change applies to both Basic and Advanced Mode.

  • Data Validation: To avoid errors, the Basic Mode Data Importer now pre-validates all data before import. This validation checks the data type; data length; whether the data can be updated, and whether it can create new objects. This validation will catch if the imported data does not match the types found on Administrator defined picklists or does not match a legal value for a checkbox (true/false).

  • Bug Fix: Importing Vendor Items will now longer create duplicate vendor item records.

For more information, check out our Data Importer Help Article.

BOM Enhancements

  • BOM Tables: Header Rows are now frozen so that they are always visible when scrolling. This change affects the following pages: BOM Lists; BOM Changes; BOM Importer Preview and Source; OmniBOM; and the BOM Explorer Report.

BOM Alternates Enhancements

  • Alternate Line-Item Display: Alternates are now displayed on separate lines within the BOM, allowing users to specify unique values for quantity, Refdes, find number, note, and any BOM attributes for each substitute.
  • Detailed Alternate Information: Descriptions, revisions, and other relevant details of alternate items are now visible directly within the BOM interface.
  • BOM Export Options: Enhanced alternates are now included in the BOM export options, providing comprehensive data for external analysis.
  • Change Prevention on Removal: Users must clear any changes before removing an Alternate Record to prevent accidental deletions.
  • Edit Lock on Removal Changes: Alternate Records marked for removal cannot be edited. To edit, users must first clear the removal change.
  • Unified BOM and Alternate Changes: BOM alternate changes are now considered part of the BOM change, even if there are no other field changes.
  • Clearing Changes: Clearing a BOM item change will also clear any associated BOM alternate changes.
  • Removal Warning: A warning will now appear when removing a BOM change, indicating that all alternates will be removed upon release.
  • Status Change Impact: Changing a BOM’s status to “Disabled” or “Reference” will result in the removal of all BOM alternates upon release.
  • BOM Change Visibility: All BOM changes are now displayed regardless of user preferences for disabled, reference, or alternate items.
  • Editable Fields in Alternates: BOM alternates will only show fields that are editable, streamlining the maintenance process.
  • BOM Changes Report: The BOM Changes Report remains unchanged; however, ensure the Alt PN field is displayed correctly.
  • IMPORTANT NOTES: The ability to add or update alternates for reference and disabled BOM items is not currently supported. Review both BOM item changes and BOM alternate changes before releasing any modifications.

For more information, check out our section on Alternate Parts.

Item Changes

  • All Affected Item Edits Tree Enhancement: To improve user experience, the Affected Item Edit column will now stay expanded after making a change.
  • Bulk Edits: Users can now bulk-edit multiple fields on Affected Items from Item Changes pages.
    • The following fields can be bulk edited: Item Type, Item Category, Item Description, Item Image Path, Release/ Do Not Release Checkbox, Projects (Add/Remove), Business Units (Add/Remove), Substitute Parts (Add/Remove).
    • General Change Summary: Bulk Edit General info is now located within the General Change Summary, accessible from Change/ECO > Item Changes > General Changes.
    • Object Type-Based Bulk Editing: The Bulk Edit feature is tailored based on the Object Type, ensuring consistency across different item categories.
    • Single Field Update: To maintain data integrity, Bulk Edits now update one field at a time.
    • Multi-Value Field Handling: For multi-value fields such as Business Units, Projects, and Substitute Parts, the system will perform a replace operation to update the values.

For more information, check out our Item Changes article.

User Preferences Enhancements:

  • User Subscriptions: We have added a new “My Subscriptions” page to User Preferences. On this page, users and administrators can search and filter for subscriptions and bulk unsubscribe from objects.
  • User Preferences > Search Fields > Changes/ECOs: The ‘Material Disposition’ field menu is now named “Affected Items”. This menu now includes ‘Number/Name’ and ‘Description’ fields. Selecting these fields will add them as columns when searching for Changes/ECOs.
  • Quick Links: When a user goes to Preferences/Quick Links to add a personal quick link to their Home Page, the default system links will no longer be removed.
  • Change/Reset Passwords: The Change/Reset Password button has been moved from the Login page to the User Profile page. From there, users can update both their login and signoff passwords.

Reports

  • Service Object Reports: Users can now create reports tracking and analyzing their “Service Objects”. Select “Service Object” from the Report Object drop-down menu and include information on the Service Object’s Number, Type, and Notes.
  • Modify Cycle Time Report: Now optionally allows calculating time starting when the Empower Object entered the first stage of a workflow.

Administrator Enhancements

  • Email Alerts: Administrators can now enable and disable all email alerts with one checkbox (and a confirmation dialog box) from the Email Alerts Page at Administrator > Email Alerts/Options > Email Alerts.
  • Training User Email Alert: Users will no longer receive an email notification when they are added to trainings. Instead, they will receive a notification on their training start date.
  • Email Reminders: Users no longer need to configure Windows system tasks to send reminder emails. Reminder emails can now be run automatically using settings in Empower Administrator > Email Alerts/Options > Reminder Emails.
  • User Profile Field Options: On the User Options > Custom Fields page, each custom field now includes a checkbox labeled “show on User Form”. When checked, the custom field and its value is included on the User Profile Desktop Form.
  • Global Attributes: When unchecking a Global Attribute, a confirmation dialog box now appears to prevent unintentional changes.
  • Attribute Group Mappings: Item, Change, Project, Quality, Vendor, Training, Service Object, and Helpdesk Ticket Attribute Groups can now be associated with their Types and Categories. This Attribute Group will appear as the default when a user navigates to an Object’s Attribute page.
  • Config Server Password: The Config Server password can now be reset from Empower Administrator. To reset this password, go to Empower Administrator > Page Search and search for “Password”. Select “Change Password” to be prompted for a new password. But current Password is required when change password. On Empower Web Server Settings / Configuration > Database Settings page, database password now is not showed, and user can select the “Reset Password” checkbox to change Database password.
  • Remove Orphan Files: Orphan Files can now be easily deleted in Empower. From Empower Administrator, go to Global Options and search for “Document Storage Options”. From there, a paint brush icon will appear next to all orphan documents in your system. Click this brush to begin removing these files.
  • Adding Users: When using all your licenses and trying to add users, an error message appears. This message no longer includes a link to request more licenses from Empower.

Quality Roles

  • @QualityRoles can now be used in Quality workflows and Quality tasks/task templates.

Training

  • Empower Administrator > Training Options > Miscellaneous: Automatically set training start and due dates when adding users to trainings, when a revision is changed, and when creating a training using the “new like” operation. Select the number of days after a user is added for their training to begin and be due. Users will be notified in their Empower Inbox when their assigned training begins and will receive an over-due training notification on the training due date.
  • Training and User Groups: When adding users to a training user group, the following rules now apply:
    • Adding a user to a user group will add them to all trainings that the user group is assigned to.
    • Removing a user from a user group will also remove that user from all trainings assigned to that user group. Removed users will no longer be added to recurring trainings assigned to these user groups.
    • In 8.4, users who were indvidually added to a training for one revision would not be added to the training for the next revision. In 8.5, when adding users to a training for a revision, they will be automaticlaly added to future revision trainings as well. As part of this process, these individual users will be added to the user group for the training event.
  • Training Matrix Report (By User Group): From Training > Reports > User/Training Matrix, select the new Group/Training Matrix Report to see a Training Matrix Report broken up by User Group. Users can select which User Groups to include as well as whether to include individual members assigned to trainings. This report includes information on the assigned, completed, and recurring trainings for all selected user group members.

Empower Server

  • The “Current Version Information” section in the Empower Server Home Page and Application Portal have been removed.

Enhanced Error Management Across Empower

We have implemented comprehensive error handling and logging throughout Empower, ensuring immediate visibility of any errors as they arise.

New API Endpoints

  • Add/Delete Projects to/from items and change orders.
  • Add/Delete Business Units to/from items, change orders, quality forms, and projects.
  • Search, create, edit, and delete Help Desk Posts and Help Desk Tickets.
  • Get a user’s GUID based on their login name, full name, or email address.
  • Create vendors and vendor items.

Bug Fixes

  • When a pending release item is added to two changes, checking the “Release Item” box on one change will no longer also check the box in the other change.
  • Importing a BOM to an item and then importing another BOM to replace the original now works as expected with no missing items.
  • Columns in ECO associated Custom Reports will now display correct data instead of only the data in the first disposition column.
  • Users who sign in with their email address can now sign off on trainings as expected.
  • Administrator > Change/ECO Options > Types: The Default Rollup Behavior option can now be updated as expected.
  • When using Single Sign on, the ‘Remember my username or email’ checkbox now works as expected.

8.5.1 Service Pack

This 8.5.1 Service Pack includes a series of important bug fixes to enhance the overall functionality and user experience of our system.

  • Email Log Export: The export of the email log now matches what is shown in the user interface.

  • BOM Export Templates: Deleting Bom export templates is now recorded in System History.

  • OmniBOM: The option to "Import new items" as "Pending Items" will be disabled by default.

  • Changes: Cancelled Changes no longer send email alerts for overdue tasks.

  • User Imports: Importing users with XML and JSON files now works as expected.

  • Item Parts List/ BOM: In the 'Special' Column, Alternate items are now labeled as 'Alternate'. The following rules now apply:

    • Data Migration: For existing Alternates, Qty, UOM, Refdes, and Find will be synchronized from their Parent BOM.
    • Item BOM: When the Alternate dialog is displayed, the default values for Qty, UOM, Refdes, and Find will match those in the Parent BOM. The edit function will display the current values.
    • Add BOM Wizard: Only the Part Number needs to be provided here; consequently, Qty, UOM, Refdes, and Find will be retrieved from their Parent BOM upon addition.
    • BOM Import to BOM/Changes: Import values present in the source file to Item BOM or BOM changes.
    • Change Redline: When adding an alternate item, default values for Qty, UOM, Refdes, and Find will be shown from the original Parent BOM.

  • Stage Start Dates: Approval stage start dates now correspond to the date when the previous stage ended.

  • Item Workflows: If a disabled user is in a current stage but everyone else has completed approvals, the next stage will begin as expected.