Well, in my opinion, they’ve definitely saved the best until last this year! The software development team at Aspire Technologies – the authors of QuoteWerks sales quotation software – has really treated us users (and resellers!) this Christmas.
This is my list of my 5 ‘killer’ feature additions to the QuoteWerks package newly available in QuoteWerks version 4.5 build 1.
In collating the overall list, I am coming at this from a QuoteWerks Solutions Partner reseller / technical QuoteWerks Development partner angle and the list of features is in the order which I feel are important benefits to QuoteWerks users. Some readers will no doubt feel that the new QuoteWerks version 4.5 features that I have listed should be in a different order (the ’schemes/skins’ has certainly been a tough one to place when discussed around the office and with clients!) but we’d be interested in your thoughts on the build and where you feel the QuoteWerks development team should go from here.
So… here we go, 1-5:
1) New ‘List’ tab to link external files to a QuoteWerks document
For me, and clearly in the #1 slot, this is THE feature in v4.5. I am really enthused by the possibilities of this enhancement in a live customer ‘production’ environment. As we review the feature with existing clients and new prospects, we’ll no doubt find some very useful applications and business benefits for this. Here are some notes on the feature and just a couple of immediate thoughts for now…
The new ‘List’ tab feature allows the QuoteWerks user to link external files to the quote document. Whether it’s a project specification file, PhotoShop design file, CAD drawing, Excel spreadsheet, MS Office file, Visio diagram or ‘any’ other file (even website URLs are supported!) you can relate them to the particular QuoteWerks document. The user simply selects the file(s) to add them to this Links tab or drag/drop the file(s) into the Links tab from Windows Explorer. With all the external files related to the QuoteWerks document displayed on the Links tab, finding and opening them to edit or print is so much easier now because you can just open the QuoteWerks document and navigate from there.
In the past, we have worked with clients to organise documents into a particular server folder which is accessed centrally or by linking documents within their contact manager solution. The link through direct from QuoteWerks now saves such manual and ‘clunky’ low-tech workarounds. So for any company that works with a ‘job bag’, on a ‘project’ basis or has miscellaneous documentation that relates to a particular order (rather than an overall company) this feature will bring such benefits.
Also, as a VERY nice touch, the Links tab lists allows the QuoteWerks user to give the file or URL link a short, more descriptive ‘friendly’ name. So: instead of seeing just a list of paths and files there’s a list of more descriptive resources which are relevant to the particular project. For example instead of seeing ‘Z:\Shared Files\Customer ABC Ltd\Project X\Design file Z v2.3.ext’, the QuoteWerks user can Edit the link name to call it a more informative name like ‘Website Home Page design’.
Finally, double-clicking any of the links opens the file or launches the website page from the QuoteWerks interface. This makes QuoteWerks much more of a central ‘hub’ for the user, allowing easier navigation from the user’s perspective as they update and maintain information in their day-to-day activities. There will be much less movement in and out of applications (at least in terms of user experience).
As I said – clearly the #1 ‘killer’ feature. Not that the others listed aren’t great, but putting my ‘reseller hat’ on for a moment, this feature alone has both secured us tenders AND encouraged lapsed UMP renewal customers to renew in just the first week of QuoteWerks v4.5 release!!!
2) Arranging the groups and sequence in which documents within a QuoteWerks proposal are printed
A perhaps ’small’, yet oh-so powerful addition to QuoteWerks functionality. The feature allows the QuoteWerks user to 1) choose which files to include in the printed output, and 2) select which order the documents are sequenced in.
Previously, the sequence was fixed – cover note, document followed by spec sheets. This new feature will provide the QuoteWerks user with many more options in presenting information to their clients. The settings can also be set differently depending on the document type; would be nice to have the flexibility by document status too, but maybe in a future build… (hint, hint, any Aspire development team members reading this!!!)
For companies that would like to distribute additional documentation alongside their QuoteWerks document, this can be an incredibly powerful feature and allow them to keep the actual QuoteWerks document proposal itself quite simple (KISS!) with the peripheral additional documentation also attached.
In combination with the List tab feature, this new QuoteWerks feature not only gives the QuoteWerks user a lot of flexibility in how they present their sales proposal information to their prospect, client AND/or supplier, but also ensures that any external documents which are updated are automatically updated within the QuoteWerks proposal document.
3) Storing URLs against products in the QuoteWerks Product database
We like this, we like this a lot! We are a company that has most of our product and service information online and also do ’some’ online sales. Again, in the past we have used workarounds to facilitate what is now an inherent piece of QuoteWerks functionality (and so much better implemented than our workarounds!).
I envisage that for a company which has a lot of product information online and/or has more functionality to facilitate for online sales through their e-commerce website that this feature will not only simplify their QuoteWerks sales quotation proposals, but also keep the end user better informed with the most up-to-date information, drive more traffic to their website and lower their cost of sales by stimulating sales through the online e-commerce website shop portal.
4) Yet more QuoteWerks integration options
Cunningly slipping two new features into one (or not so cunningly as the case may be!) we’ve got support for ACT! for Web contact management solution, plus more search and price check options with various online merchants.
QuoteWerks support for ACT! for Web contact management solution
Web-based application delivery of business back office applications is becoming much more prevalent in our day-to-day work. Possibly partly due to its historically poor reputation, ACT! for Web contact management solution is (probably) an under-adopted solution option which is underutilised in business.
The integration includes: a) ACT! for Web can be searched to find Contacts to pull into the quote. b) QuoteWerks will create/update an attachment to the quote under the Documents tab in ACT! for Web. c) QuoteWerks will create/update a follow up call in ACT! for Web. d) QuoteWerks will create/update a Sales Opportunity in ACT! for Web. e) The QuoteWerks DataLink feature can be used with ACT! for Web enabling you to retrieve information like Terms and shipping method from the ACT! for Web Contact into the quote. f) When printing, QuoteWerks can retrieve Contact data from ACT! for Web and include it in the printed output. g) ACT! for Web Contact data can be retrieved using the F2 Lookup macro of ~ACTForWeb_Macro(). h) There is a “Display contact in contact manager” button on the SoldTo / ShipTo tab that will open the ACT! for Web Contact in ACT! for Web for the SoldTo, ShipTo, or BillTo linked contact. i) On the select Email Address window, you can see all the ACT! for Web email addreses associated with the contact record linked to the Sold To, Bill To, and Ship To fields. j) On the select Email Address window, there is now an option to “Search ACT! for Web” for an email address. You can search your entire ACT! for Web database for an email address, searching by Company, Contact, Last Name, or Phone.
If that wasn’t enough, in testing, the QuoteWerks / ACT! for Web integration is over 50% faster than the standard ACT! integration!
From a QuoteWerks solution partner’s point of view, the way that the ACT! for Web integration works technically also allows for quite creative potential integration options. I haven’t got a specific project where the option could be applied yet, but the technical application possibilities go beyond anything that might be applicable from the previous ACT! integration solution.
(Note that this new integration between QuoteWerks and ACT! for Web is only available in the Corporate Edition of QuoteWerks.)
QuoteWerks integration with online merchants
Some of the specifics of the ‘out the box’ integration options with TechData, Ingram Micro, et al may be more or less relevant to those inside the US than out. What I am really excited about here is how flexible the QuoteWerks real-time pricing and availability module is becoming. Speaking with the QuoteWerks development team, I feel that they are being (understandably) conservative in the potential application of this module. If someone was so inclined to do so, there may be some interesting integration solutions possible. Again, as a QuoteWerks Solutions Partner, the potential we view in this module in delivering seamless, integrated solutions which meet our clients’ (and prospective clients’) business requirements opens up so many more possibilities.
5) The little things in QuoteWerks that are so BIG to users
Again, I have (none too) sneakily put two items in this last one around the usability features within the new QuoteWerks v4.5. Firstly the new schemes/skin options and secondly the various applications of drag-and-drop features.
The QuoteWerks ’scheme’ / ’skin’ options
Openly and honestly, when I heard that this was going in as part of the QuoteWerks release, I thought this would feel rather non-eventful. HOWEVER, I have to admit that having installed QuoteWerks build 4.5 and the powder-blue of the ‘splash’ screen appear, logging in and seeing the new interface, I DID get a warm feeling inside! 
So: what a difference a face-lift makes!!! We’ve even several stereotypically anti-Windows application Mac users liking QuoteWerks’ new interface!!!
QuoteWerks drag-and-drop functionality
The techie in me says “this should have been there before”, but the user and salesman says “awesome, this is going to be so useful”. Having not had the feature before, now getting used to using it does still feel a little foreign, but for new users it will be simply be a much easier way of modifying quotes, maintaining the ‘Lists’ and just generally navigating around the QuoteWerks application.
So: in case you haven’t guessed – QuoteWerks version 4.5 gets my vote! (Thanks Aspire!) For full details on the release, please see the notes on the quotewerks.com website.
But what do you think? Do these features do it for you?
Where do you see the practical implementation possibilities? And where would you like to see QuoteWerks going next?
Please blog or get in touch on +44(0)1782 564252 or 0844 357 7360 – we’d love to get your thoughts.
Steve and the Hilltops IT team.
