Last updated: 2026-09-22
Release Notes - SmartOffice 2026 Release 2
What's New
Watch the 2026 Release 2 Overview
- New Contact Summary widget that combines Activities and Notes into a single tabbed view on the Contact Detail page
- Office 365 email now supports Modern Authentication (OAuth) using the Microsoft Graph API
- Global Search enhancements with improved exact-match prioritization and more accurate multi-word searches
- Advisor Dashboard and Dynamic Reports enhancements, including improved chart customization, KPI card configuration, and dashboard tab management
- New graphical case and policy status indicators for correspondence and email templates
Consolidated Contact Summary Portlet (OA7736-81)
The new Contact Summary portlet combines Activities and Notes into a single tabbed view on the Contact Detail page, making it easier to review customer interactions, manage activities, and access contact information from one place. The portlet can be added through Page Layout Configuration.
Activity
- Upcoming and completed activities can now be viewed in a single, filterable list. (SMART-2796, 2800, 2801, 2795, 2802, 4585)
- Activities can now be completed or created directly from the widget. (SMART-2797, 2798)
- Completed activities can be included in the activity list using the Show Completed option. (SMART-2913)
- Columns and row layouts can now be customized, including a compact display option. (SMART-2799, 4864, 4859)
Notes
- Notes can now be viewed, created, edited, and deleted directly from the widget. (SMART-2803, 2807, 2808)
- Notes can be filtered by date range, category, and manually entered notes. (SMART-2804, 3438, 2809)
- Filter notes by category, and access note options from a hamburger menu. (SMART-3571, 3445)
- Only notes associated with the selected contact are displayed in the Contact Summary, eliminating the need to choose a contact when viewing household records. (SMART-4990, 4857, 2811)
Additional Usability Improvements
Additional usability improvements include updated tab styling, contextual help, a more compact layout, improved filtering, and faster in-place refresh of the Contact Summary portlet.
- Introduced the Contact Summary portlet with a help text icon, updated tab styling, and an enhanced visual design, including background colors that highlight the active tab. (SMART-4884, 4900, 4854, 4855)
- Manually entered filter switched from a toggle to a checkbox, and the tab label now appears next to the date range field. (SMART-4856, 4963)
- Reduced Activity/Task and Notes tab height for a more compact footprint. (SMART-4862)
Office 365 Email: Microsoft Graph API (SMART-3561)
Office 365 email now supports Microsoft Modern Authentication (OAuth) using the Microsoft Graph API, enabling secure email delivery and helping organizations prepare for Microsoft's retirement of Exchange Web Services (EWS).
- Office 365 email can now be configured using Microsoft Modern Authentication (OAuth). (SMART-4515)
- Email Queue Service updated to send messages through the Graph API. (SMART-4416)
- Email service configurations can now be validated using a new Save & Test option before activation. (SMART-4461)
- Authentication configurations can now be updated or deactivated with improved setup and validation. (SMART-4609)
- Show/hide toggle for the Client Secret field, and detection of duplicate active service type configurations. (SMART-4672, 4688)
- Global BCC email and Secure Delivery subject prefixing updated to work with the new Graph API service. (SMART-4989, 4450)
- For new offices, the Outlook/Lotus Notes choice is hidden on the Send Options section of Office Detail. (SMART-3900)
- Removed an unnecessary Contact-Calendar Synchronization user-rights dependency from service authentication settings. (SMART-4840)
- Improvisation to the Server Sync Options list view renamed to "External Service Authentication" for authentication on email sync setup. (SMART-3656)
- Alignment of plug-in email correspondence method not supported under the Office 365 email service. (SMART-5130)
Dynamic Reports and Dashboards (SMART-3245, 3357, 257, 3140)
Dynamic Reports and Dashboards have been enhanced with additional chart customization options, KPI card configuration, and dashboard personalization.
- Show Top limit control added for Pie and Bar charts, so users can cap the number of items displayed and keep charts readable; the setting persists when switching chart types. (SMART-3245)
- Updated Column Attributes UI in Dynamic Report Setup for configuring KPI Card columns — format, decimal places, and label. (SMART-3357)
- Dashboard tabs can now be reordered via drag-and-drop, and the custom order persists across refresh and re-login. (SMART-257, 3140)
Global Search Refinements (OA7736-4)
Global Search has been enhanced to return more accurate and relevant search results by prioritizing exact matches and improving multi-word searches while preserving familiar search behavior.
- Exact contact, advisor, and pending case name matches now surface at the top of the dropdown. (SMART-4424, 4442)
- Multi-word searches now combine name tokens with AND logic instead of OR, returning tighter, more relevant results. (SMART-4427)
- Legacy "LastName, First" search behavior is preserved while still searching across the expanded set of name fields. (SMART-4748)
| Search Input | System Interpretation | Example Result |
|---|---|---|
| Elizabeth Johnson | Searches First Name, Last Name, Middle Name, Maiden Name, and Greetings. Each word must start with the entered value (AND logic). | ✓ Elizabeth Johnson ✓ Elizabeth A. Johnson ✓ Johnson, Elizabeth ✗ Mary Elizabethson |
| Smith, John | Interpreted as Last Name = Smith, First Name = John. | ✓ John Smith ✓ John Smithers ✗ David Smith |
| Van Der Berg, Maria | Interpreted as Last Name = Van Der Berg, First Name = Maria. | ✓ Maria Van Der Berg |
| Johnson Jr, Robert | Interpreted as Last Name = Johnson Jr, First Name = Robert. | ✓ Robert Johnson Jr |
| Smith, | Searches for records where Last Name starts with "Smith". | ✓ John Smith ✓ David Smithson |
| ,John | Searches for records where First Name starts with "John". | ✓ John Smith ✓ John Williams |
| John Smith | Word-based search across all supported name fields using Starts With and AND logic. | ✓ John Smith ✓ John A. Smith ✓ Smith, John |
| Smith, John, Michael | Multiple commas are not interpreted as LastName, FirstName. Each value is treated as a search token using the standard Step II search logic. | ✓ John Michael Smith ✓ Michael John Smith ✓ Smith John Michael |
Correspondence & Mail Merge
Correspondence and Mail Merge have been enhanced with new options for displaying policy and case information and improving HTML email compatibility.
> Note: This feature is available only for web-based integrations and is not supported for SODI integrations.
- The new PCMStatusGraphic mail merge field displays a graphical case or policy status bar in generated correspondence and email templates. (SMART-1080, 259)
Graphical Case Status Progress
| SmartOffice Pending Case Stage | Graph Status Displayed | Progress Shown |
|---|---|---|
| Proposed (Case Status = Application Submitted) | Application Submitted | Application Submitted |
| Proposed (Case Status ≠ Application Submitted) | No status displayed | No progress shown |
| Underwriting | Underwriting | Application Submitted |
| Approved | Carrier Decision | Application Submitted → Underwriting |
| Issued | Issued | Application Submitted → Underwriting → Carrier Decision |
| Active | Final | Application Submitted → Underwriting → Carrier Decision → Issued |
| Inactive | Final | Application Submitted → Underwriting → Carrier Decision → Issued |
> Note: The progress bar displays the current milestone while visually indicating previously completed stages.
- HTML email templates now support inline images for improved compatibility across major email clients. (SMART-1079)
Workflow
Workflow usability has been enhanced with clearer navigation and improved validation during workflow configuration.
- Navigation between linked Opportunities and Workflows has been made clearer with updated menu labels. (SMART-4005)
- Improved validation helps prevent incomplete Workflow email configurations. (SMART-2345)
- The Export List option is now available from the Opportunities tab in the Advisor, Contact, Agency, Household, and Business modules. (SMART-4349)
Quick Notes (OA7736-15)
Quick Notes has been updated to simplify note creation and improve everyday usability.
- Quick Notes can now be created more efficiently with simplified labels, fewer confirmation prompts, and keyboard shortcuts. (SMART-1320)
Integrations & Annuity Sales
Integration enhancements improve access to connected applications and streamline the creation of Pending Cases for AnnuitySimplified submissions.
- Added an Integrations option to the SmartView for Advisor (SmartOffice Format) Side Menu, allowing users to launch connected applications via Single Sign-On (SSO). This feature is available in the SmartOffice format only. (SMART-4204)
Additional Enhancements
The following usability and interface enhancements improve consistency and make common tasks easier to perform throughout SmartOffice.
- Set Validation has been enhanced with clearer membership options, contextual guidance, optional automatic nightly validation, and inline help to simplify managing dynamic contact sets. (SMART-4032, 4033, 4034, 4035, 4036)
- Updated icons for Workflow Templates, Activity Templates, and numbering controls in SmartPad Notes/Remarks and Notes Templates for improved visual consistency. (SMART-2064, 2063, 1474, 3903)
- Enhanced visibility of the search field in the SmartOffice header. (SMART-2944)
- Updated Dynamic Report Search dialog for improved usability. (SMART-3107)