It is now easier to manage accounts with your admin console. You can create custom groups of accounts. For example, You might create a group for custom development accounts. You could create a group of accounts for prospects or for follow ups.

To organize your accounts, go to the account detail page and click the settings link. Click the add/edit button in the account tags section. You can add new tags or select existing tags for the account.

After tagging accounts, you can click the "Account tags/groups" link in the left side menu to view all your tags. You can use the "--- view group/tag ---" drop down to go directly to the list of accounts with a specific tag.

The preview of the new sub administration accounts feature will be available soon.  The sub account administration feature allows you to create sub admin accounts and assign website accounts to the sub admin.  Use the sub admin to setup designers or other customers that have multiple accounts with their own mini admin console.
 
When logging into a sub admin you will see a list of accounts that have been assigned to the sub admin.   You can click links to view/edit each account as well as view account details.  The first time you try to access an account you will be prompted for the password.  Once the password is validated you will not need to re-enter that password again.
 
The sub administration logins will require enhanced security.  When logging into a sub admin console, the user will be prompted for the account login/password.  After entering the login information, a text message will be sent via mobile phone with an authentication code.  The user will enter the authentication code in the next step of the login process.  The user will not be required to enter the authentication code each time they login.  After a browser has been authenticated, the user will not be required to enter the code each time.
 
If you are interested in using the sub admin feature, let us know, and we can add you to the preview.
 
 

System Update

The next system update should be available soon.  We have not set the schedule for this update yet.  Here is a quick list of a few new updates and features.
 
- New designs
- Updated admin pages
- Pinterest social networking support
- Ecommerce - early preview of simplified checkout process (single page)
- Misc fixes/updates

A new Under Construction setting has been added to your partner admin.  This setting allows you to toggle whether a trial account is publicly visible on the internet.  By default all new trials being created are automatically set to be under construction which only allows the person who created the trial to view it.  This was necessary due to trial accounts being created with spam content.  When a trial account is activated, the under construction setting will automatically be removed to allow public view of the site.

If you are a designer and need to allow a customer to view a site or if a customer needs others to view the site before activation, you can remove the under construction setting via your partner admin.  Just go to the Site Info screen for the account and uncheck the Under Construction setting.

Design Explorer (preview)

The design explorer preview is now available. The design explorer preview is built to allow customers to easily try out different design options. Customers can make design changes and then apply the changes once they are ready to make their changes live.

Access the design explorer through the design manager.

Edit current design: Click the Design Explorer link on the design manager page.

Edit a saved design: click the "Edit" link next to a design in the design manager.

IMPORTANT: Design changes must be saved. When customers want to save their current progress, they can click the "Save" button located in the top right of the design explorer window. Customers can save their current progress, or save changes and apply them to their live website.

Please give the design explorer a try and give us your feedback. This is an early access feature so we planning on making updates and enhancements based on your feedback.

Design system speedup

We have made several modifications to the design system that should speed up the process of generating design changes for many of the system layouts.

Ecommerce order processing

Several enhancements have been made to ecommerce order processing. These enhancements are designed to make the order processing features easier to access.

Quick access menu

Each order in the order manager now has a small drop down arrow that provides quick access to common order processing functions. Store owners no longer need to view the order to access functions like email notifications and order printing.

- View order
- Send email to customer
- Order notes/status
- Print invoice
- Print packing slip

Order status icon

From the order notes page, store owners can now set an order status color. The status color is displayed on each line of the order manager. The order status color can be used for any purpose. Ex. a store owner may set an order to "blue" to indicate that they need to follow up with the customer.

When the order status icon is clicked the order notes are displayed. This allows store owners to see order notes directly from the main order list.

Customer email quick messages

Using quick messages, pre defined (stock) emails/messages can be sent to customers. These stock messages make it easy for store owners to send order status updates or other information to customers.

Instead of typing a new message for each email, store owners simply select a message from the list and click send.

To create a new message, go to the email page for an order. Select a message from the drop down list or select the option to create a new one. Each message can be customized with the customer name, address, order number and order date.

All sites have now been updated with the latest release. If you have any questions about this release or receive reports of problems, please let us know.