Announcing Facil Version 5.0!

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Version 5.0 is a major update to Facil, built on a newer programming platform, and includes major new features, functions, and improvements...

All Facil Tech Support subscribers will receive this new version automatically and at no charge.  Thanks to the many Facil users whose suggestions contributed to the design of this new version.  Very special thanks for testing this new version and providing invaluable feedback goes to 'Olelo Community TV in Honolulu, HI,  and Access Tucson.

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New Features!
New System Platform

Facil 5.0 is based on the Microsoft Access 2003 platform, replacing the Access 97 platform used in older versions.  The new platform improves performance and reliability.

New Internal Email System

A new email engine uses multi-threading to send up to 50 separate emails simultaneously.  Large email batches are sent as fast as your email server will allow.  Speeds can exceed 1000 emails sent per minute.

Problems with bad email addresses causing an email batch to fail are eliminated.  Every recipient is sent a separate email – no Carbon Copy or Blind Carbon Copy.  Every email is sent regardless of issues with the address.  If an address is bad for any reason, your email server will reply with the normal “delivery failure” email specifying the problem.

If there is an error while sending, such as a lost connection to the server, the system will continue to send emails when the error has cleared.  At the end of the process, if any emails were not sent, Facil will save the addresses of the unsent email in a new named mailing list so that you can resend them later.

All email related settings are now in a single “Email Settings” form in the Admin menu.  The new system supports SSL Encrypted (secure) email transmission (required by some servers) and also allows choosing a custom Server Port number (also required by some servers).  Your old email settings are transferred as part of the data conversion and your email should continue to work as before without any changes.

A new “Mass Email Test” feature on the Admin Menu lets you test your settings and your email server with a trial run of up to 1500 emails.  These test emails are sent to an address you choose so you can monitor their arrival.

New Authorized Crew List

Each Project now has a Crew list to track those Persons who are working on the Project. Each Crew member can be authorized (or not) to make reservations on the Project. You can choose how to use the authorization – let anyone make reservations for a Project, only let authorized Crew (and the Producer) make reservations, or ask you if it’s OK when anyone who is not authorized makes a reservation.

New Class Registration Viewer

View your entire history (and future) of class registrations and certifications in one place.  Selection criteria include Cert Code, Date Range, Person, Certified/Not Certified, Certified Date, and Cancelled Date.  An instant mailing list can be created from the results.  Contact everyone who took a chosen class during a selected time period, everyone who registered but wasn’t certified, everyone signed up for any class or for one kind of class during a future period, etc.

New Program Scheduling “Favorites” List

Create a list of your most used Programs for quick selection when building your Schedule.  Keep those current PSAs and promos handy and choose them with just a click.  Each user has their own Favorites list and the list itself is easily revised while using the Program Schedule form.

New Physical Inventory form

Easily update your inventory records room by room with this new form.  The form lists all inventory items in one location at a time.  Just enter the Tag Numbers and the item’s Status and Status Date are automatically updated.  Use your bar code reader and equipment tags to quickly take your physical inventory!

 Enhancements!

New Appointment Book Display Options

Choose to display either Person Name or Project Title for Package Reservations in the Appointment Book.; switch back and forth with one click while viewing the Appointment Book.  A new option for a 5 minute interval gives even more precision for users who end reservations just before the even hour.

Digital Program File Name & Location Automated

If you have Programs stored as digital files, new features make it easy to enter the file location, name, and file type in the Signal Source Details of the Program record.  You can set a default location (server, disk drive, folder name, etc.) and a default type (.mpg, .avi, etc.).  Once defaults are set, Facil can fill in the entire file path with one click.

Bar Coded Equipment Labels

All formats of Equipment Labels printed by Facil now include a bar code of the item’s Tag Number for scanning in checkout

Organization Website

The address of an Organization’s website is now part of the Organization record.  Click one button in Facil to open the website in your browser.

Program Viewer Performance Optimized

Some Facil users with extremely large data sets (78,000+ Programs) experienced slowdowns in opening the Program Viewer with multiple users.  Facil 5.0 improves Program Viewer load speed by up to 10 times.  The Program Viewer window is now resizable.

Person Notices Now Include Past Expiration Date

When you do any transaction with a Person, you’ll be notified if their Expiration Date has passed.

Class Registration Reminder Email Default

Set your default choice for sending an email reminder when you register someone for a class.

Preview Zoom Button

Zoom the preview of any report or Help Topic to a convenient size for easier reading.

Data File Maintenance Reminder

Reminds you to perform the important Data File Maintenance process on a regular basis according to the workload on your system.

Automatic Client File Maintenance

This maintenance process, which was done manually on each workstation to prevent degraded performance, is now done automatically each time Facil is closed, insuring continuous optimal program performance.

360 Systems Playback Schedule Export

An Export Report is available to create a “.lst” file for playback through a 360 Systems server.

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