Release date 27/11/2020
Pagination removed from Comments
The majority of messaging tools (think Whatsapp, Messenger etc) have infinite scrolling - just keep scrolling up to view more messages! This concept resonates with us, so we've removed the 'pages' of comments within the Comments tab; simply scroll up to view older comments and hit the 'Load more comments' button if required:
Block and BTR/PRS updates:
Document attachments on building notifications
There are times when you want to be able to notify all residents in a building/estate, which is possible via building or estate notifications. We've further developed this feature to allow you to also attach documents to these - useful for example if wanting to relay updated COVID 19 Health & Safety practices:
Please note, documents are viewed by occupiers/leaseholders by logging in to their profile from the email notification:
SNIP
Release date 11/11/2020
Block and BTR/PRS updates:
Warranty details for unit/property
If a property is still under warranty, it's vital that this information is flagged to you so that monies are not spent incorrectly. We've now built the ability to enter warranty information at a unit/property level on the 'Warranty' tab:
Once in place, warranty details are exposed to the agent on the 'Next steps' of the issue, allowing you to quickly instruct the issue to the relevant contractor, or take another workflow if desired:
Please note: warranty data must currently be entered manually. If you're interested in this free feature, please get in contact with the team to request it to be set up!
Release date 28/10/2020
You can now search using the filter 'Has vulnerable occupiers'
We have now added an additional search filter 'Has vulnerable occupiers', allowing you to easily search for your issues which have or haven't been raised with a vulnerable occupier at the property.
To find this filter please click on 'Issues' > 'Issue search' and then open up the search filters on the right hand side of the 'Search issues'. Towards the bottom of the filters you will be able to find 'Has vulnerable occupier'. You can amend this accordingly and then press 'Search'.
Block and BTR/PRS updates:
Keep your Directors and Leaseholders in the loop within in the 'Comments' tab
Block clients - you can now message all of your Directors and Leaseholders using the 'Comments' tab on an issue. This will help you to centralise all communication under one roof.
Release date 15/10/2020
'Quotes' tab
You may notice a slight change on issues, as there's now a 'Quotes' tab in place once quotes have been requested. As agents, this tab provides you with full visibility of all of the quotes that have been provided on an issue, regardless of the issue status. From here, you are also able to add quotes on behalf of a contractor profile:
On the contractor side, they too now have a quotes tab; this will show them their quote(s) provided on an issue, giving them full visibility throughout the job.
Compliance matrix filter
Taking a look at the compliance matrix, feedback was that you'd only like to see properties that have service events actively set up against them. As such, we've made that change, with the option to amend the filter as necessary to also view properties that have no planned works in place:
Default VAT setting for contractors
Some contractors are VAT registered - others aren't. In order for each contractor to apply relevant VAT to their quotes and invoices, we've added a default VAT rate field within the invoicing section on their profile. This saves them time from entering relevant VAT on a job-by-job basis!
As agents, you have the ability to amend this for your contractors on their profile too if required.
Contractor calendar invites for appointments - notification setting
Contractors are able to email themselves a calendar invite for appointments they set; previously, this was a toggle on each individual. We've amended this to be a notification setting on each contractor profile, thus reducing the number of clicks needed per job:
Once again, as agents you are able to amend contractor notification preferences on their behalf if required.
Block and BTR/PRS updates:
Estate level compliance
As a block manager, it is common to be assigned to multiple blocks within a single estate. To assist in the understanding of estate compliance, we've added an estate-level overview of planned maintenance, covering a percentage of building compliance, the volume of service events overdue (at building level) and a count of building service events due next calendar month:
Searching for service events
To assist with filtering for estate level compliance - and for general usage - we've added some filters when searching and filtering service events. These include 'Estate' and 'Address level':
Release date 17/09/2020
Occupier reminder email
You may have recently seen a pop-up in your system about an automated reminder email you can program for your occupiers to receive (if not, click here!). Well, we've spruced up this email, making it more engaging and useful for the occupier who receives it:
Contractor email invoice feature
Hopefully you've seen how we are working hard on improving the contractor invoicing experience, having recently built a tool that allows them to invoice directly from software they use (e.g. Xero, Quickbooks etc). For more information on this, click here.
We've further developed this feature to ensure invoices that don't automatically match do not get missed! The latest addition to this is a notification within the contractor product to let them know that an invoice they've emailed in needs attaching to an issue:
This complements their daily 'Tasks to do' email, which will also highlight any invoices in this state; neat!
Notification defaults
The Fixflo system can send out various emails during various issue statuses - check our guide on what these are here if you're interested! 'Administrator' users have the ability to amend notification defaults at an agency level within 'Setup'. We've spent a bit of time tidying this up to make it clearer and easier to use - do check it out!
Release date 04/09/2020
Occupier reminder email
You can now send the occupier reminder email on an occupier profile so that it goes just to that
occupier.
To find out more about how to set up the occupier reminder emails to go out on a scheduled basis and how to amend these emails, please click here where you can find a short video on this.
Bulk closing issues
You can now bulk close more than 100 issues at once.
Release date 20/08/2020
Contractors are key users of Fixflo Professional & Essential, so we've released the following pieces on their side of the system:
New Contractor widget
It's important that your contractors receive the support that is relevant to them. We've amended the widget in their system to provide tailored contractor support, also available at contractor-help.fixflo.com:
Contractor invoice inbox
One method that contractors can provide an invoice is to email the invoice to their unique email address, which will attach it to the issue - they can even do this from their accounting package! If however the document doesn't have relevant details, the system won't know which issue to link it to. In these instances, the contractor can use their brand new invoice inbox within their system:
For more information about this, please click here.
For agents, the following pieces have been released:
Archiving occupier profiles
It's important that you keep your data tidy, and archive occupier profiles when they vacate properties. You can do this using the padlock icon in multiple places, as well as an archive button on the profile of the occupier. Once the profile is archived, you also have the ability to delete it for GDPR purposes if requested:
Agent welcome email
We've refreshed the email received when a new agent is added to your Fixflo account! This can't be edited as it comes from us, but we think you'll like the new design and content!
Creating a new Service Event template
The Planned Maintenance feature on Fixflo Professional allows you to stay on top of your cyclic statutory requirements, as well as other events. We've made a tiny tweak as to how you can create your own custom templates - for more information on Planned Maintenance, please click here:
Occupier feedback
If the reporting occupier declines that the issue has been resolved, they are now required to enter more of a written explanation of why. This makes it easier for you to understand the situation and action next steps as necessary:
Release date 07/08/2020
Privacy notice update
The privacy notice has been updated to include a new supplier.
Improved job costs submitted by Contractors
If you have a setting turned on to require costs from your contractors, they now must provide a cost and cannot submit the costs without either adding '£0.00' or adding another cost. This will help to improve your reporting and avoid situations where costs have not been added.
Better communication with Contractors
If a contractor emails their invoice for an issue which is closed, they will now receive an email to let them know that this issue is now closed and that the invoice which they have emailed will not be attached to the closed issue.
Occupier appointment reminder emails
In order to help keep occupiers in the loop about appointments at their properties, all occupiers who have reported private issues will now receive an email at 10am the day before the appointment. This email will look similar to the below:
Release date 22/07/2020
Structural migration
We've been working hard behind-the-scenes to complete a massive data migration, creating a more stable and reliable product. While this won't directly affect you day-to-day, it will of course be of huge benefit moving forwards!
Reminder date - new buttons
The reminder date is an important feature of Fixflo, allowing you to manage works and identify which require your action. When required, you can always amend the reminder date by manually clicking into it; here, you can choose when you'd like to be reminded, either using our suggested buttons or by entering your own preferred time and date:
Historical 'Comments' tab view
For the last 9 months or so, users have had a choice of two different views within the 'Comments' tab. While the freedom to choose is appealing, it requires extra work for our team to ensure both pages operate smoothly. Our time will now be spent ensuring the one view works perfectly - do check out our training video here to learn more about this tab - we hope you love it!
New tabs for Contractor profiles
Contractors are a key user type of Fixflo, no doubt about it! We've been working on making the system more intuitive for these users, particularly around uploading requested certification, and amending settings such as invoicing details, unavailability and email notifications. Previously, to configure these required the contractor to enter 'My profile' - we've moved these settings to the left-hand navigation bar, so contractors can easily see them and edit as desired:
BTR/PRS - Providing the Contractor with Occupier details
It is important that contractors receive occupier details when quoting on jobs at private locations - but only if you want them to see this! To make this even clearer, we've added a new tick-box when requesting quotes, so you can decide whether or not you want the contractor to have access to this information:
Service agreements and assets
For clients who use service agreements within Planned Maintenance (predominantly Block agencies), the team have completed some work improve the user experience when creating planned maintenance events against assets, linking the relevant service agreement to it.
Release date 27/05/2020
Address search options for non-UK locales
It is important that the data within your Fixflo system is tidy, and that occupiers are reporting maintenance issues against the correct address. We have made this process easier for clients in non-UK locales, now providing three address search options:
If you select 'Uploaded properties only', reporting occupiers will only be able to raise issues against property profiles that are already in your system. Click here for a video demonstration of how this looks.
This setting will also apply to logged in users raising issues, such as contractors, landlords and occupiers.
'Enter as you go' and User Role permissions
Fixflo has a variety of User Role permissions you can set, which will prevent or allow certain agents from accessing or amending things within your system; for example, you can deny agents the ability to create or edit property profiles:
In the above scenario, if the permission 'Can edit properties' is unticked, any agents on that user role permission will not be able to edit property details when raising an issue via 'Enter as you go' - or anywhere else in the system! Click below for a video:
This is useful to ensure duplicate properties aren't created by mistake, and that any integrations that may be in place continue to work successfully.
Quote rejected email to contractors
Contractors want to be kept in the loop, both when their quotes are accepted, and also when their quotes are rejected. There is now a new email notification that goes out to a contractor when their quote is not awarded, so they are always kept in the loop:
This will be switched on automatically, but can be amended at an agency level via Setup > Settings > Notifications.
Release date 18/05/2020
Contractor availability
Contractors can now mark when they are unavailable to work, on the system. This should help to protect them if they are feeling unwell during Covid-19, and also if they are taking some time out.
They are able to add their unavailability by logging into their system, clicking on their profile and then clicking on the 'Availability' tab. They can select 'Add unavailability', where they can mark out the dates where they are not available for work:
When you go to instruct a job to a contractor or request quotes from them, their unavailability will come up before you do do:
You can also add a contractor's unavailability on their behalf by clicking into the contractor's profile and the 'Availability' tab:
Release date 29/04/2020
New user role permissions
We have added two new user role permissions via People > User roles; these are titled 'Can edit occupiers' and 'Can edit properties', and can help control who has access to amend the data in your system:
If unticked, the users on this user type will be unable to edit occupier details, or any details at a property level:
Multiple landlords with the same email
There may be occasions where you have multiple landlord profiles with the same email address, but different company names. Previously, Fixflo used the email address as the unique identified for landlord profiles, so this made creating profiles difficult!
We've now amended this to allow for the above. In order for the same email address to be used for multiple landlord profiles, a unique external reference must be entered (click for video):
From the landlord side, they are able to click into their name and flick between their two profiles as desired:
Search service events by reviewer
We've added a new search filter within the Planned Maintenance module to allow you to filter Service Events by the reviewing agent:
If you have our additional Saved Searches feature, you can then add this custom search as a dashboard panel if desired!
New report: 'Contractors - spend by variance'
A new report has been published, to allow you to track a contractor's average cost per job over time. This will help you establish any patterns or increases that may be taking place.
Dashboard tile amendment
You may have noticed that - if you use the issue status grid dashboard tiles - we've made a slight tweak. We have combined a couple of quote review issue statuses into one: 'Awaiting user review':
This not only allows you to better track quotes pending review from external users and landlords, but also allows us the space to build awesome new features for the future! Watch this space :)
Work on the Contractor side
The team have spent some time improving things on the contractor side of the system. This includes the workflow when marking jobs as complete; we have simplified this feature to make it more intuitive and user friendly!
Release date 24/03/2020
New user role permissions
You can now choose whether your users can export information from your Fixflo system under 'People' > 'User roles'. We have added the permission tit'Can export data':
Release date 06/03/2020
New dashboard panel: 'Reported issues to do'
We have added a new panel 'Reported issues to do'. This will show you your reported issues which have a chase date 'today' or in the past.
If you amend the 'Reminder date' to the future on an issue, it will not appear in this panel. You can still view all of your reported issues on the 'Reported issues' panel, regardless of the reminder date.
Please note, you can also put an issue on hold (and track it via your dashboard). If you put an issue on hold but do not change the reminder date to the future, this will remain as a task to do and therefore will be in 'Issues requiring attention'.
A common use case for this would be when asking the occupier for more information on a 'Reported' issue. You can push the reminder date forward, and this issue will reappear in 'Reported issues to do' once the reminder date comes back around.
Contractors can set an appointment date to give a quote
Contractors can now set appointment dates when they are providing a quote on a job. Instead of providing a quote straight away they can set an appointment date to go to the property and then log back into the system to provide a quote.
Feedback from multiple user types
As well as occupier feedback, you now have the ability to request feedback from other user types such as landlords or external users; this is available via Setup > Settings:
The ability to clear email errors
Email errors are now easily cleared. If you see a '!' by an email address, simply click into the profile where you can scroll down and click on 'Reset email error' at the bottom of the screen. This will remove it from your Fixflo system:
'On hold' functionality
We have tidied up the on hold functionality to ensure it is simple to use and monitor. From within an issue, it is now clearer when an issue is on hold:
In addition to the dashboard panel 'Issues on hold', we have also built a search parameter allowing you to easily filter issues by those on hold:
New event template: Electrical Safety Standards
To help you comply with new draft regulations set to come into place from June 2020, we have added a new event template to the Planned Maintenance feature titled 'Electrical Safety Standards (ESS)', and set the repetition for every five years:
Block new feature:
Leaseholder FYI
As a Block manager intent on providing good customer service, you may also want to notify leaseholders that a job has been completed.
When closing an issue down, you now have the ability to send a quick leaseholder FYI email so that they are kept in the loop.
Release Date 06/02/2020
Building documents
Some agencies like to apply information documents to their buildings, such as Estate Information Sheets. This was previously restricted to once document per building, which we've amended for you. Please click below for a short video demonstration on how to do this:
Release Date 24/01/2020
Infrastructure changes
Once again, we sincerely apologise for the stability problems that were experienced by users this week. After we identified the root cause of this problem, we have made a series of infrastructure changes to minimalise the risk of this happening again.
Build to Rent new feature:
Contractors can receive occupier details on planned works
We understand that - for private issues - you may want to provide the contractor with the occupier information so that they can contact them directly to arrange access.
We have now added this option for you. To turn the setting on, please click on 'Setup' - 'Settings' - 'Planned maintenance' where you can choose to provide the contractor with the occupier contact information for planned maintenance issues.
Please note that this information will sit on the 'Detail' tab within the issue on the contractor's Fixflo system.
Please ensure that you are keeping your data up to date on your Fixflo system and locking out occupiers when they move out of a property. To do this, please click on 'People' - 'Occupiers', where you can easily lock them out using the padlock on the right hand side of their name.
Otherwise you may end up with a situation where the wrong occupier details are sent onto the contractor.
Release Date 08/01/2020
Quotes as PDF
We've heard from clients that it would be useful to be able to download a PDF record of the quote(s) submitted by a contractor. We've taken your feedback on board, and have now built the ability to easily view (and save) a quote as a PDF:
Assigned 'Property manager' per property profile
We understand that some portfolio managers are responsible for the relationship with the landlords, but don't manage day-to-day maintenance issues at the property. However, you may want to be able to see the raised issues against your portfolio at a glance, without them being assigned to you.
You can now add a 'Property manager' per property profile, and use dashboard panels to filter by 'My properties':
Bulk unassign properties
There may be times when you want to remove property assignment in your Fixflo system. Previously, you could only bulk reassign properties to a colleague; you can now bulk unassign if desired (click below for a recording):
Contractors can now view their calendar
On a contractor profile, we have a new tab titled 'Calendar', where they can see the upcoming jobs they have booked in (this is the same as an agent can see via a contractor profile and the calendar tab):
Ability to tag all user entities
Previously, Fixflo only allowed you to apply tags on to Property profiles (click here for more info). We've now extended this functionality to allow you to tag user entities as well - e.g. landlord, contractor, occupier etc.
This is really useful if you wish to create Co-pilot rules for certain user types, or be able to search by tags (e.g. internal vs external contractors, student occupiers vacating at the end of the year, landlords on certain packages etc). In future, we will also look to use tags for reporting purposes - watch this space.
Block and Build-to-Rent feature:
Ability to bulk reassign 'buildings'
Being able to bulk reassign building portfolios between agents is useful, if for example a staff member leaves the business. You can now do this via the Options button under 'Properties' (click for video):
