Last updated: 2025-12-03
Release Notes - SmartOffice 2021 Release 3
About This Document
For general information about SmartOffice release notes, visit the Release Notes home page.
Revision History
These release notes may be revised after their initial publication. This section lists the dates of any revisions as well as a list of changes.
November 18, 2021
- Initial publication
January 10, 2022
- Core System: Added "Switch to Browser-Based File Posting and File Opening" enhancement.
January 14, 2022
- Release Overview: Added a link to the Release 3 overview video.
January 17, 2022
- Core System: Corrected the new maximum character length for SmartOffice user names to 256 (PMG-910462).
Release Overview
SmartOffice 2021 Release 3 simplifies document management by enabling file posting and file opening through the web browser instead of the plug-in (this change applies to all retail customers). In addition, Release 3 provides agencies with useful new features to better track illustrations and quotes, speed up automated pending case correspondence and quickly renew group policies. This release also resolves issues identified in SmartOffice 2021 Release 2 and earlier releases.
For a quick overview of this release, see our video.
Enhancement Highlights
This section provides quick links to the featured enhancements in this release.
Core System
Agency Management
System Requirements
There are no changes to system requirements for this release. For current system requirements, see System Requirements.
Note Regarding Text Changes in SmartOffice
This release may contain minor changes to text in dialog boxes and other areas of the SmartOffice user interface. Changes of this type are typically made to correct spelling, grammar, punctuation and other language-related issues. Such changes normally are not listed in this document unless they affect the way the application works.
SmartOffice Pro Changes
Core System
Featured Enhancements
Switch to Browser-Based File Posting and File Opening
To improve the document management experience, Ebix has turned on browser-based file opening and file posting for all SmartOffice users on retail plans. Using the browser instead of the Microsoft Plug-in for SmartOffice for those features is generally faster and more intuitive. Users who relied on the plug-in for file posting and opening previously will notice some differences in these workflows in Release 3. Users who prefer to continue using the plug-in for file opening and/or file posting can easily change their preferences back. For more information, see User Preferences - Correspondence Options.
Other Enhancements
General
- Confirmation for clearing record alerts: To help prevent the accidental clearing of record alerts, SmartOffice now displays a confirmation message when a user selects the Clear button on an alert. (PMG-907067)
- New gender choices: In contact and advisor records, the choices available in the Gender drop-down list have been expanded to include Non Binary and Transgender. (PMG-910189)
- Longer user names: The maximum allowed length of SmartOffice user names was increased to 256 characters. The previous maximum was 20. (PMG-910462)
Resolved Issues
Contact Management
- Two issues with managing calculated columns in the List Layout Customization dialog box were resolved:
- The system was not allowing users to assign attributes such as Average, Total, Subtotal, Maximum and Minimum to the columns.
- In some instances, the table designation for the columns was missing.
(PMG-869096)
- Two issues with exporting contacts to another office were resolved:
- When a carrier with a primary contact was exported along with other contact data, the carrier record in the target office showed the primary contact, but clicking the contact's name was producing a "Your action cannot be completed" error.
- When riders were exported along with other contact data, rider options were not being included.
(PMG-882666)
- An issue with the New (Comprehensive) command for creating a business record was resolved. Users who chose to add an opportunity during this workflow were able to select an opportunity process and marketing campaign, but the drop-down list for selecting the current opportunity stage was not working. (PMG-910340)
Dynamic Reports
- When custom fields were relabeled on the user account Detail content link, the new labels were not appearing when those fields were added to Activity Participants-category Dynamic Reports. This issue was resolved. (PMG-906687)
- An issue with Dynamic Reports containing columns with customized labels was resolved. When these reports were run directly from Microsoft Excel, the columns were displaying their default labels instead of the customized labels. (PMG-913147)
SmartEvents
Resolved Issues
- When an update to an event invitee's status triggered a correspondence workflow, the Correspondence Wizard was not opening. This issue was resolved. (PMG-910763)
Advisors/Agencies
Featured Enhancements
Presale Count Fields
Users can now track the number of quotes and/or illustrations run for a particular advisor and client directly within a single presale activity record. Presale records now have three Presale Type drop-down lists, each with its own Count field.
For example, a user could enter Whole Life with Term Rider as one type and 3 as the count to show that three quotes/illustrations for that line of business have been run for that advisor and client. The choices available in the Presale Type drop-down lists can be defined by users who have the Drop-Down Choice Customization user right (all three drop-down lists display the same choices). Presale Type and Count columns are also available in presale lists and Dynamic Reports. (PMG-907462)
Other Enhancements
General
- More mass-modifiable advisor fields: When mass modifying advisor records, users can now modify the AlphaNum3, AlphaNum4 and AlphaNum5 custom fields from the advisor Add'l Detail content link.
(PMG-905387)
- Activity reports for advisor page layouts: When customizing page layouts for advisor records, users can now add Dynamic Reports displaying advisor calendar activity data. To do so, add a report from the Activities for Advisors report category to the layout. (PMG-907260)
- Improved advisor license creation: On the advisor License/Compliance content link, SmartOffice now allows users to add multiple license records having the Resident option selected and different states specified. The system still warns users when they select a resident state that is different from that specified in another license record, and it still asks whether the user wants to specify a new state. But selecting No to the prompt now allows the user to proceed. Previously, the user could not save the record after selecting No. (PMG-911076)
- Contract templates for agencies: Users can now apply a contract template to an agency record if the House Account option is not selected on the agency Add'l Detail content link. Previously, contract templates could be applied only to advisor records. (PMG-912500)
SmartView for Advisors
- SmartOffice full version banner: Advisors who access SmartOffice using a SmartView Case Status account can now select a banner at the top of the page for information about the full version of SmartOffice. (PMG-909203)
Resolved Issues
General
- When users selected the Menu > Advanced Options > Mass Edit License Records command from the Advisor & Agency List, the License Editable List was not allowing changes to the License Number column. This issue was resolved. (PMG-910206)
- Presale activity Dynamic Reports containing a Created On filter for the current date were not displaying presale records that met that criterion. This issue was resolved. (PMG-910700)
Insurance Products and Carriers
Resolved Issues
- When a user changed the Sub-Type field on the Product Settings content link, the system was not updating the modification date of the product record. This issue was resolved. (PMG-908604)
SmartPolicies
Resolved Issues
- Several issues with calculated columns in policy and pending case Dynamic Reports were resolved. When editing an existing report's list layout, users were unable to select the Total and Subtotal options for these columns. In addition, the column's table designation was not appearing. (PMG-817122)
- After copying an existing policy, users were finding that notes in the new policy were not accessible in some instances. This issue was resolved. (PMG-910719)
- Several issues affecting e-mails with attachments that were linked to policies were resolved:
- Single e-mail attachments were appearing twice on the policy Document List.
- Attachments copied over as part of a policy copy operation could not be opened from the Document List or the Activity/Mail content link of the new policy.
(PMG-911497)
SmartCaseManager
Featured Enhancements
Automated Case Correspondence Enhancements
Two improvements were made to the Auto Send Letter Detail dialog box for configuring automated pending case correspondence in Setup > Policy/Case Setup > Letter Setup > Pending Case by Status:
- Administrators can now specify the sender using the new From drop-down list, which contains choices for all interested party roles as well as a System Admin choice.
- A new Send Automatically option tells the system to send the correspondence without further prompting the user.
(PMG-913201)
Other Enhancements
- New policy/pending case statuses: Several policy and pending case status choices were added to the system (the applicable stage for each is shown in parentheses):
- Advisor Attestation Pending (Proposed)
- Advisor Licensing/Appt Failed (Proposed)
- Awaiting Client Interview (Proposed)
- Awaiting eSignature (Proposed)
- Awaiting Submission to Carrier (Proposed)
- Awaiting Wet Signature (Proposed)
- BGA In Good Order Review (Proposed)
- Compliance Review Complete (Proposed)
- Compliance Review Need Information (Proposed)
- IGO Check Failed (Proposed)
- IGO Check Success (Proposed)
- Pending U/W Risk Completion (Proposed)
- Policy Sent (Issued)
- Supervision Review (Proposed)
- Ticket Pending (Proposed)
- Ticket Submitted (Proposed)
In addition, the Awaiting Funding status in the Issued stage was renamed Awaiting Funds. (PMG-910446, PMG-911730)
Resolved Issues
- After creating a pending case linked to a variable annuity product, users were finding that the Subaccount Value field on the case's Benefits content link was missing. Users had to go to the List content link and then return to the Benefits content link to see the field. This issue was resolved. (PMG-896094)
- The system was allowing users to formalize an informal child pending case without specifying a plan. This issue was resolved. The system now prompts the user to enter a plan name. (PMG-911183)
- Correspondence workflows configured for pending case status changes were not starting automatically in some instances. This issue was resolved. (PMG-913559)
SmartBenefits
Featured Enhancements
Group Policy Renewal Workflow
SmartOffice now makes the process of renewing group policies faster with a new renewal workflow. Select a group policy in a list or open the policy, and then select Menu > Renew Group Policy. The details of the renewed policy appear in the Renew Policy dialog box, where users can make any necessary changes.
The original policy remains visible in SmartOffice with its status updated to Terminated. This new workflow also carries forward advisor and supervisor commission data and re-establishes house commission data in response to any carrier and product changes. (PMG-910463)
SmartCommissions
Resolved Issues
General
- Advisor commission reports were not displaying the current date in some instances. This issue was resolved. (PMG-897379)
- When the PDF commission statement format for the office was configured as Generic Statement #2, office logos were not appearing on the statements in some instances. This issue was resolved. (PMG-903457)
- Cumulative rate-based commission calculations based on a flat amount were not working properly. This issue was resolved. (PMG-908320)
- Users were unable to rebuild the commission hierarchy on existing policies in some instances. In addition, users were encountering an unintelligible error message during policy creation after selecting an advisor contract. These issues were resolved. (PMG-911381)
SmartInvestments
Resolved Issues
SmartView for Clients
- SmartView for Clients users who accessed SmartOffice from the sign-in page at ebixcrm.com were seeing records that they normally do not have access to. This issue was resolved. (PMG-907588)
Integrations and Data Services
Enhancements
Inforce Policy Import
- Improved control over inforce data feeds: Administrators now have better control over which carriers in SmartOffice receive inforce policy data feeds. In Setup > Policy/Case Setup > DataXchange Setup > Inforce Policy Import Setup, administrators can select the new Do not import inforce policy data option to indicate that carriers should not receive inforce data feeds by default.
A similar setting was added to carrier records; from the Carrier List or the carrier Detail content link, select Menu > Inforce Policy Import Setup and select the Do not import inforce policy data option for the selected carrier (note that this carrier-level setting overrides the office-level setting). (PMG-911943)
Pending Case Downloads
- "Required of" data from downloaded case requirements: SmartOffice now inserts "required of" information into pending case requirements added to SmartOffice during Direct Download and Replace processing. (PMG-893402)
- Status search for case download jobs: From the HO Pending Case List, users can now search for pending case download jobs by status. After opening the PCD Job Search dialog box (Menu > HOCase Jobs), users will find a new Download Status drop-down list that they can use to narrow down the search. Selecting nothing from the drop-down displays all jobs. (PMG-907508)
- HO case job speed improvements: When a new HO case job is being added to SmartOffice, the system now looks for an existing job based on policy number, carrier code and case status that is in a waiting or pending status. If a match is found, the existing record is marked as Skipped and the new record is added to SmartOffice as the pending case record. As part of this enhancement, a Case Status column is now available for addition to the HO Case Job List. (PMG-910430)
- Improved case status history updates: The way in which case status history records are added to SmartOffice during Direct Download and Replace processing was enhanced. SmartOffice now looks at the status change date and the as-of date in the downloaded data and uses the later date as the policy status date. (PMG-910938)
- Better handling of missing case data: If Direct Download and Replace processing fails due to missing carrier, product, advisor or status data in the download, the system now takes the next update and overwrites the previous one. (PMG-911792)
SmartIntegrator and SmartXchange
- New API method for retrieving deleted policies: Developers using the SmartIntegrator API now have access to a new method, GetDeletedPolicies, that retrieves the object IDs of policies located in SmartOffice’s Deleted Records area. (PMG-912098)
- Advisor contribution data from API: The policy advisor Contribution % field added to SmartOffice in 2021 Release 2 has been exposed to developers through the SmartIntegrator API. The data in that field is now accessible via the Contribution property of the InterestParty object. (PMG-912557)
- Improved GetContactsForEmail method: For developers using the SmartIntegrator API, the GetContactsForEmail method was enhanced to return all contact e-mail/web addresses. Previously, the method returned only the preferred e-mail address. (PMG-912706)
Resolved Issues
Pending Case Downloads
- For certain carrier records, SmartOffice was returning an error about not finding a matching carrier when processing pending case downloads using Direct Download and Replace. This issue was resolved. (PMG-909360)
SmartOffice Anywhere Changes
There were no SmartOffice Anywhere changes in this release.