Several exciting improvements are included in Associate App v1.48.0:
Reducing clicks for associates with a Quick Add to Cart button
Default receipt printer setup to increase transaction speed and support for Epson POS Printers
A guided method to handle a situation when shoppers change their minds mid-transaction
Improved default sort behavior on the product page
Improvements to error messages around login
New features 🎉
Quick Add to Cart button on the product listing page
To reduce the number of clicks needed for the associate to add a product to the cart when the item has no variants,
we have introduced a Quick add to cart button on the product listing page, when this is applicable.
Setting a default printer in the printer management settings significantly speeds up the
transaction process for printing a receipt. This feature ensures that receipts are automatically
printed from the pre-selected default printer, eliminating the need for associates to choose
a printer manually for each transaction.
Epson POS printer support
Epson is one of the biggest POS manufacturers in the US and is used worldwide.
We have extended our framework to include their
POS printers, giving retailers more options.
Split payment error reduction enhancements
Store associates sometimes encounter situations where shoppers change their minds mid-transaction.
If the payment has already been processed, going back within the Associate App does not reverse the payments,
which can result in payments being made without orders. With this new release, associates will receive in-app guidance
on how to continue and complete the transaction. They will also be guided on how to process returns and refunds to reverse payments.
Accurate active sort on product listing page
When accessing the sorting options on the product listing page, the interface suggested that
a sorting method was already applied. This was purely a visual indication and did not reflect
the actual sorting state. With the new update, the sorting screen will now correctly display
the active sorting state when you open it, ensuring a more intuitive navigation experience.
Improved login error messages
Error messages related to user login have been improved. They now give clearer instructions about
what the problem is and actionable steps to solve the issue.
Enhanced flow for assigning customers to a cart
We have streamlined the process of assigning existing customers to a cart, which optimizes workflow
efficiency. Associates can now seamlessly search and assign existing customers to a cart without additional navigation steps.
When creating a new profile in the cart screen, navigate to the customer screen and
tap New Customer > Enter details > Save > Assign to Cart
to assign the customer to the cart. When a customer is assigned, the associate is automatically
redirected to the cart and can continue the checkout process.
This removes the need for extra navigation steps for the associate.
End of life notice
Deprecation of Adyen classic library terminal integration
In alignment with Ayden's end-of-life announcement for their Classic Library terminal integration (March 31, 2024),
NewStore will no longer offer or support this integration method. All retailers must now use Adyen Terminal API
when connecting payment terminals with the NewStore POS application.
Bug fixes 🐞
Adjusting stock on an iPad no longer allows negative quantities to be entered.
Fixed OMS configuration allowing associates to access order details when scanning or searching for order IDs.
On the customer activity order details screen, product attributes like size, color, and images are now accurately displayed.
The app now displays accurate timestamps for order placement.
The app no longer freezes while scanning products on iPad.
Several exciting features and enhancements are included in Associate App v1.47.0:
Easily share images to enhance communication with customers in the US and Canada
Reason codes for mispicks and mispacks
Intuitive navigation for exiting a remote cart
As well as fixing bugs to reduce crashes, and minor optimizations to iPad landscape mode.
New features 🎉
Elevate your chats with image sharing
Now, associates in US and Canadian stores can send and receive images and GIFs from their photo galleries.
This capability fosters more engaging and effective communication between associates and customers. Associates can now:
By receiving images, associates gain real-time insights into customer preferences, enabling them to offer more tailored recommendations.
This feature promises to enrich conversations by offering personalized product images and outfit recommendations.
Important
To allow associates to send and receive images, ensure that you have whitelisted the domain newstore-conversation-images-*.s3.amazonaws.com.
See Domain names .
Reason codes for mispicks & mispacks
Early Access
If you are interested in early access to this feature, ask your point of contact at NewStore or contact your Omnichannel Success Manager to enable this feature for you.
Associates can now indicate why an item could not be fulfilled using a list of reason codes as part of the fulfillment process.
HQ staff can report on it in Omnichannel Manager to understand why mispicks & mispacks happen.
This allows for continuous optimization of store fulfillment operations.
This feature will initially be tested with a few retailers to gather feedback and refine it.
If you are interested in being an early adopter, please contact your Omnichannel Success Manager.
Improvements 💪
Exiting remote carts is easier
Exiting a remote cart is now more intuitive. Simply select Exit, and rest assured
your items will be securely saved until midnight unless checked out by the customer.
This eliminates the previous confusion between Save and Save Cart.
WebView printing capability
Users can now print the content displayed within WebView extensions accessed from the Associate App.
This new feature enhances the app's functionality, allowing for seamless printing of various web-based documents and forms.
Cash rounding for Belgium and Ireland
We have enabled cash rounding for Ireland and Belgium so that totals for cash payments will now be rounded to the nearest 0.05€ when this feature is enabled.
If you are interested in early access to this feature, ask your point of contact at NewStore or contact your Omnichannel Success Manager to enable this feature for you.
We are testing support for Epson receipt printers with one of our partners
and expect this to be available in the next release.
If you are considering using Epson printers, or are interested in early access to this feature,
please contact your Omnichannel Success Manager.
Bug fixes 🐞
Checkout
Return fees are no longer charged twice if line-level appeasements are configured.
iPad Landscape
Fulfillment selection modal is now displayed properly when the iPad starts in portrait mode and is then switched to landscape.
Stability
The app no longer crashes when locking the phone during an item return.
The app no longer crashes when an image preview is selected and the user logs out.
Associate App version 1.46.0 marks a leap forward in enhancing
the user experience and operational efficiency.
We're introducing the highly anticipated iPad landscape mode,
offering unparalleled flexibility in device utilization for sales support
and as stationary tills in retail settings. This version also brings
features and improvements geared towards streamlining operations and enhancing communication.
New features 🎉
iPad landscape support
The iPad has become an important part of our product offering,
with more than 30% of users currently running the Associate App on iPad.
It is commonly used as a fixed station or to enhance customer interaction with rich product displays.
With growing adoption, we decided to improve the iPad user experience,
beginning with the introduction of iPad landscape.
This allows the associate to use the iPad in both orientations,
taking advantage of the additional screen real estate.
Select and fulfill specific orders
Associates can now pinpoint and fulfill specific orders, using the order ID,
prioritizing customer-escalated or VIP orders needing swift attention,
enhancing store fulfillment efficiency and flexibility.
Improvements 💪
Two-way communication between runner and associate
Runners and associates can now exchange updates on product availability
or response times, facilitating efficient communication.
Previously, associates could leave instructions for runners but now the conversation can go both ways.
With just a tap on the notes field, the runner or associate can type a message and hit send
and the app will notify the other. All notes are neatly organized on the notes page, separated for clarity.
Dictation can be used instead of typing, so the users can save time.
Additionally, we've introduced a 'new note added' notification feature that is turned on by default.
Once activated in settings, runners and sales associates will be promptly notified
of the new note, to ensure swift and effective communication.
New cash operation flows
The updated cash sale, refund, and non-sale transaction flows are now available to all users.
After validating with early adopters, we are confident this improves the reliability
and overall experience while processing and managing cash and interacting with integrated cash drawers.
This is now enabled automatically but can be disabled via configurations if you choose to do so.
This new flow is enabled by default for all retailers who have not explicitly set the cash management release toggle to false.
Tap to pay on iPhone - faster transactions
Leveraging the latest Adyen SDK, this new version provides performance improvements on backend communications,
resulting in faster overall payment processing speeds.
This also enables further support for more geographies once those become available.
Enhanced checkout error messages
We now provide associates with more descriptive and helpful error messages
when encountering problems during the checkout process.
Users now receive better guidance when encountering issues
such as coupon redemption, applying promotions, fiscalization, and processing returns.
With increased clarity, associates are now guided on what actions to take to address the issue.
App customizations - configurable identity provider name
Building on our support for calling multiple tokens for external integrations,
partners and integrators can configure the identity provider name for WebViews
for extra flexibility and security. See Retrieving external authentication information for details.
Bug fixes 🐞
Login
The login process is now enhanced for speed and ease.
Navigation
The application no longer crashes when re-logging into a modal dialog after a screen lock.
The side menu no longer appears after several consecutive logins.
Order management
The Order details and Return screens now show Final Sale badge.
Cash management
You can now set up a store with integrated cash drawers without having to add a non-integrated drawer beforehand.
Upcoming features 🔜
Clienteling - Send images
Early Access
If you are interested in early access to this feature, ask your point of contact at NewStore or contact your Omnichannel Success Manager to enable this feature for you.
Elevate your chats with image sharing! Associates will be able to send images directly
from their photo gallery, creating more engaging and effective communication
between associates and customers. This feature promises to enrich conversations
by offering personalized product images and outfit recommendations.
Plus, we're offering early adoption through TestFlight for those eager to pilot this feature.
Associate App version 1.45.0 introduces exciting improvements for an enhanced user experience.
This release allows further customization of the app, opening up opportunities for retailers
to extend the app to meet their unique needs. Additionally, it offers the option to hide product
images, a detailed breakdown of taxes and an accelerated product scanning process with barcode
scanners during checkout, ensuring a seamless and efficient transaction. Last but not least,
this update includes several bug fixes to maintain the app’s optimal quality.
Improvements
App Customization Enhancements
Date picker widget
Associate App customization widgets can now include a Date Picker component. This enhancement
allows retailers to expand the customer profile, enabling associates to capture significant
dates like birthdays, anniversaries, or other important events in various formats. The feature
accommodates both full and partial date inputs, making it possible to collect just the month
and day (for birthdays) or the year and month (for subscription start dates), among others.
These settings can be adjusted in the Omnichannel Manager by navigating to
Settings > Associate App > Customizations to start exploring it!
In order to make Widgets and Webviews more powerful, every slot will now receive additional
properties to make the current store, associate and cart available when creating customizations.
The associate ID, store ID and the cart ID if available can be utilized to provide greater
context to the app extension. See Using data in a webview component .
Multiple tokens for external integrations
Customizations for Associate App are now supporting more than one PostLoginCallbackUrl,
which is needed for authentication against third-party services. Partners and integrators are
now able to build multiple integrations using WebViews. See Retrieving external authentication information .
Additional Enhancements
Inventory management user permissions
3 new user permissions have been introduced to give retailers more control over the inventory management functions available to store associates:
View Inventory Management
Perform Counts
Adjust Inventory
These permissions have been added to all existing roles with Associate App access so that current
users can continue to perform these actions. The roles can be easily updated as desired in
Omnichannel Manager and will take effect upon the next user login with email and password.
Important
Review the roles available in your business for Associate App to ensure that all users have appropriate access, before you upgrade to v1.45.0.
Faster Scanning with Barcode Scanners
Scanning products using a barcode scanner from the cart view (Quick Scan) is now faster and
less error prone. Previously, there was an intentional delay in Quick Scan to prevent the same
item from being scanned more than once. Based upon user feedback, there is no longer a delay
when scanning products using the barcode scanner, improving the overall experience.
Tax Breakdown Generally Available
Tax breakdown is now available to all users and is no longer controlled by the tax exemption feature toggle,
enabling associates to assist shoppers more effectively when there are inquiries about the
taxes being charged.
Show/Hide images on the PLP
Based on feedback we’ve learned there’s two paths to approaching a Product Listing Page.
In some cases, an overview with plenty of importation and images is needed. At other times,
or with a different products scope, getting as much products as possible displayed on the PLP
is preferred. With that, the Show images toggle was born!
Important
The Show images button can be enabled by an associate at any time in the app. The default behavior is to display images for products.
Offline prices enabled by default
Offline prices are now enabled by default as part of the offline catalog backup configuration.
This ensures that retailers do not need to worry about different configurations and have it
enabled as soon as offline catalog data is configured.
End of Life Notice
Legacy Sales Dashboards
All legacy sales dashboards have been removed from the Associate App in line with our overall
deprecation of legacy reporting outlined in our Deprecation notice .
The new sales dashboard can be enabled as outlined in this guide .
Bug fixes
Login
Users are now automatically required to enter their credentials in case refreshing the user session fails during user selection.
Information fetched during login is now cached to improve the overall login behavior.
Drawer Navigation
Sidebar is no longer cut off when navigating through the application.
The arrow icon for showing additional store information on the drawer menu is now properly aligned.
Inventory
ASN list is no longer restricted to display only 100 records.
Once tapped, the Complete button on Cycle Counts will be disabled until the cycle count request is completed.
Cycle count will not transition to the scanner view but remain on the list with the buttons Scan Item and Review Discrepancies.
Clienteling
Notification bubbles for new messages no longer disappear on the new Clienteling chat window.
Associate App v1.44.0 focuses on boosting efficiency, transparency, and ease-of-use for store associates:
The cart now displays discounted amounts in conjunction with original prices.
Reliable and improved performance for gift cards cashouts.
Runner shows a new attribute that makes finding products easier and faster for stockroom associates.
In addition, there are some key bug fixes to improve quality in multiple areas, resulting in a
more reliable experience.
Improvements
Enhanced cart pricing transparency
The Cart view has been enhanced to display original prices with strikethrough alongside the
discounted amount from promotions and coupons, enabling associates to clearly highlight savings
and the final pricing to customers during checkout.
This applies to all discounts: automatic promotions, coupons, and discretionary discounts,
and is available to all users without any action required.
Stockroom attribute on Runner
Runner product cards now show an attribute that helps the stockroom associates find products
quickly and effortlessly. The Sales Associate can see it before submitting the task and this
eliminates the manual input in the notes field, making the process more efficient.
The attribute name is Stockroom Prefix and the data introduced to the catalog with this
attribute will be visible on the Runner product card.
Reliable and faster Gift Card Cashout
In continuation of the integrated cash drawer performance and reliability improvements
introduced in v1.43.0, we are pleased to release the final phase of our Cash Management
improvements in the area of Gift Card Cashouts. When performing gift card cashouts, associates
will see speed and reliability gains in their interactions with the integrated cash drawer.
Tapping a previous user and logging in as a different user no longer prevents login. The app
now logs you in with the credentials used.
User permissions are now refreshed when logging with user credentials. Login PIN will
continue to use the permissions stored in the cache for performance purposes.
Scanning: Scanning no longer appears stuck when navigating through different screens.
Catalog: Images on the catalog list view are now properly scaled
Customers: Adding a customer to the cart from the customer profile view will no longer slow down the app
Cart:
Cart view is now displayed properly when there are more than 40 items in the cart
Applying an invalid coupon code will no longer create a performance impact
Offline Mode: Item price for tax-inclusive items is now displayed correctly when creating offline carts
Orders: Order search performance optimization for retailers using external OMS
Associate App v1.43.0 introduces several exciting enhancements. We focused on boosting
efficiency, transparency, and ease-of-use for store associates across offline mode,
fulfillment, checkout, and cash management functions. Key highlights include:
Automatic price population for offline mode
A smoother fulfillment flow with clearer feedback for users
Breakdown of taxes at checkout
Simplified refund options when using external OMS
Faster & more reliable communication with integrated cash drawers
Bug fixes to improve quality in multiple areas including checkout, inventory and store fulfillment.
Improvements
Offline Mode pricing
We are excited to announce a significant step forward in enhancing the Offline Mode workflow:
the long-awaited improvement of offline prices is now available!
This streamlined workflow ensures that the tedious task of manual price input and the need for
prior product viewing is replaced with automatic price populating, enhancing efficiency and
accuracy. Store associates no longer need to manually enter prices when scanning barcodes
or entering the UPC. This enhancement will provide a more user-friendly and time-saving experience
when transacting in Offline Mode. They will continue
to see the product name and the flexibility to modify prices as required, ensuring that the
final pricing remains accurate.
Prerequisites
Sandbox and Staging environments: Automatically available for all tenants.
Production environment:
Enable this feature via the Config App API.
Set config capabilities > offline_mode_prices_backup to true. This feature configuration toggle will be set to true by default in a future release.
Important
For the app to download the offline price data, retailers must whitelist data.catalog.c.p.newstore.net on the firewall.
For more information, read the guide or reach out to your point of contact at NewStore.
Tax breakdown
Countries, states, counties and cities can have different taxes and it can be a challenge
for the sales associate to explain when shoppers inquire by during checkout,
since the cart only shows the total tax amount.
Sales associates are now equipped with the tax breakdown, enabling them to assist shoppers
more effectively when inquired about the taxes being charged. As the associate taps on the
Taxes summary line on the cart, the tax breakdown will be visible. It is now
possible to see the state, city and special taxes with the percentages and amounts, along with the
net and gross amounts of the order. Below the order tax breakdown, associates can see the
tax breakdown per item.
In our latest update, we've improved the way associates multi-task and navigate within Store
Fulfillment. Switching between tasks like finding orders and fulfillment is seamless and efficient,
eliminating the hassle of repetitive backtracking. With the introduction of intuitive tab navigation,
similar to the experience in the Selling section of the Associate App, associates can move through tasks
with ease and familiarity. This update simplifies their workflow and lays the groundwork for
exciting future enhancements like contextual insights and gamification.
Brighten up the fulfillment flow 2.0
We've upgraded our store fulfillment process to enhance efficiency and user experience.
Product caching in Search Order, Picking, and Packing screens streamlines operations.
For situations where pending information, like customer details, previously lacked clear feedback,
we've implemented improvements to provide a smoother and more informative loading experience.
We've also simplified the mispicking process with intuitively arranged Confirm and Cancel buttons.
The Handover Details button has been repositioned in the Carrier Pickup section for better accessibility.
For single-item orders, the Print button consistently stays at the bottom of the screen for easier access.
Similarly, the Confirm Handover button is now more conveniently accessible.
Improved transparency on transfer document generation errors
Occasionally, the generation of transfer documents may encounter errors because of missing
configuration, the carrier site not being responsive, or other reasons. Associates will now
see the reason the transfer documents cannot be generated so they are able to resolve. In
future releases, the error messages will be enhanced to improve the user experience even further.
Specific refund options for external order management
NewStore has a number of retailers using an external OMS to handle their orders and fulfillment
requests. For most of them, the external OMS manages and processes refund requests with the payment provider.
With this release, retailers can now display refund options in the app
that are specific to external OMS configurations. This new capability simplifies the refund
process for associates by removing refund options that do not apply to specific transactions.
We have also enhanced the blind return functionality for external OMS orders to offer
retailers more flexibility when issuing refunds. Associates can now refund to credit cards
as well as issue new gift cards when performing a blind return.
Improved integrated cash drawer performance and reliability
This release includes performance and reliability enhancements in Cash Management as well as
some new transactional flows for non-sale transactions. This includes new
scanning capabilities and flows that enhance communication with integrated
cash drawers, reducing user interactions within the app. This in turn provides faster and
more reliable scanning of the integrated cash drawer and improved navigation.
In the new non-sale cash management flow:
The scanner screen overlays on the existing screen, improving user experience.
The new scanner framework now is used for both sales and non-sales transactions, making communication with the
drawer super fast!
"Pairing" is now replaced with just a single act of scanning the drawer,
which immediately opens the drawer.
Non-sale transactions are now included in a dropdown overlay on the existing screen,
allowing associates to quickly select non-sale transactions and reason codes.
Enable this feature via the Config App API. Set new_cash_management to true.
Bug fixes
Erase local databug fixed: No longer causes users to get stuck on the confirmation screen.
Multi-store: Logging in now correctly assigns users to their designated store.
Last Checkout: The last checkout button now correctly sources order data from external OMS.
Order Summary: The Done button is now consistently visible.
Scanner: Scanner will no longer freeze after logging back into the app.
Catalog: Browsing the product listing no longer results in a white screen if production information cannot be fetched.
Inventory Updates:
Adjustments now result in a single transaction, preventing duplicates.
Submitting Receiving transactions will no longer create multiple transactions.
Scanning products is now quicker with improved confirmation speed.
Fulfillment Fixes:
The ... menu on the packing screen is now always accessible for the last item in the packing list.
Products with special characters in serial numbers are now scannable.
App is no longer crashing when Service Level information for an order does not exist.
Associate App v1.42.1 is a patch release that solves issues when searching the catalog or
browsing categories in the app.
An issue with displaying a banner to notify associates that the device is offline has also been
addressed and is currently being reworked to provide a better experience for associates.
Bug fixes
Browsing the categories in the catalog now works as intended
Searching for products with large variations does not block the search function anymore
The offline banner is not displayed when the device is online
Associate App v1.42.0 marks a significant stride in user experience and efficiency.
In this release, we have focused on optimizing performance, and introducing the new
login flow for all retailers. Users can expect a more intuitive experience, with improvements
in accessibility and overall system stability.
Improvements 💪
New login flow for all retailers
The new login flow that was initially introduced in v1.37.0 for early adopters will
now be enabled for all retailers starting with v1.42.0. All users will experience the
improved speed and reliability of the new login flow, which not only reduces the time to
log into the app, but also allows the login PIN to be used for 7 days. With email and password
now only required once a week, this should exponentially cut back the time spent logging into
each device at the start of the day.
Connectivity loss notification on Login screen
As part of improving the overall app experience, associates will now be
informed when the app detects no internet connectivity on login. This will
increase user awareness and allow alternate options such as offline mode for completing
transactions rather than seeing an endless loading spinner when attempting to log in.
Future enhancements will keep users informed across the app beyond this first step.
Enhancing app performance
As part of our continuous efforts, we have implemented various enhancements to boost app
performance, aiming to improve the overall user experience during navigation and utilization.
These improvements are particularly noticeable when adding products to the cart, significantly
reducing the time it takes to place an order, particularly on older devices.
Powered by NewStore - Refreshed App Icon and Splash Screen
We introduced an elegant new app icon and splash screen, designed to enhance the experience for
users with a touch of freshness and sophistication. The new icon and splash screen are designed
to instantly resonate with our users, embedding the NewStore brand identity in their daily
interactions with the app. It's a small change that makes a big statement about who we are and
the quality that our users can expect from NewStore.
Brighten up the Fulfillment flow
We streamlined the order fulfillment process and provided a smoother experience, to make the sales
associate's work more efficient and user-friendly. Enjoy clearer readability when selecting orders,
a more focused interface during the picking process, and improved spacing for the Print button.
Express orders now stand out in bold for quick identification. We've also fixed issues like selecting
zero priority orders and text overflow in the In Progress and Search Orders screens. The Picking
section now indicates that not all items are required to be picked, with a cleaner layout.
Adding metrics to grasp app insights
As knowledge is key, we have added additional measurements to the application to get further
insights into the process of:
Placing orders
Scanning barcodes, and
Adding products to the cart.
This will help us to find, identify and remove bottlenecks to further improve the app.
Using a deep link to open a product card
We added the possibility to open a card referencing a product from within a customization webview.
This can be used to link back from custom web applications to the Associate App and enables use cases
like product recommendations, wishlists and others.
This patch release is aimed at retailers who are using tokens for PII data.
Retailers not using tokens or PII data do not need to upgrade to this patch release.
Bug fixes
For retailers using PII data, the customer profile is now properly assigned to a placed order when
a gift card is used for payments.
Associate App v1.41.0 contains exciting new features like push notifications and resending email
receipts, as well as enhancements like improved sales performance dashboards, which have
been redesigned for clearer data visualization and faster load times. There are also several bug
fixes to improve the quality of the app and make the overall associate experience more reliable.
This release focuses on improving the overall associate experience through faster performance,
better UI, and expanded capabilities.
As a reminder, this is the final release before BFCM, so we highly recommend all retailers
update to take advantage of the latest features and experience improvements. Updating ensures
associates can leverage the new capabilities to provide excellent customer service during the busy shopping season.
New features 🎉
Push notifications
We're excited to announce that the Associate App is now able to receive push notifications. This will improve the store teams' experience and increase their responsiveness.
We've started with covering the cases in the runner experience. It's now possible to receive push notifications for a specific task. For example, the runner in the stockroom and the sales associate on the sales floor can set their notifications and be notified when there are updates.
The functionality works similarly to standard iOS notifications. Runner notifications within the Associate App mirror the user's settings configured in iPhone Settings. Users will receive these notifications both within and outside the Associate App. They can simply tap on the notifications to access the runner request.
Users can set their notification preferences via Settings - Notification Settings.
The available NewStore Associate App runner notifications are:
New Task Submitted: sent to all users who turned this notification setting on
Task Accepted: sent to the sales associate who created the request
Task Completed: sent to the sales associate who created the request
Product Exception: sent to the sales associate who created the request
You can turn on the push notification feature for a retailer via the push_notifications property of the Associate App Configuration API.
Resending email receipts
Associates are now able to re-email sales receipts to customers on previous orders. Store associates can access this feature by navigating to a customer's order history and selecting a specific order to then send the sales receipt to the customer's email address. This new feature uses the email address that was used for the original order and will automatically send the sales receipt to that address.
note
Regardless of the order status, the sales or exchange receipt can only be emailed. Additional receipt types such as return receipts and gift receipts are currently not supported.
Improvements
Associate App Sales Dashboards
User interface: we have greatly improved the UI of the Associate App Sales Dashboards to improve the associate experience.
Highlights include:
Adopting the NewStore Mobile Design System.
Condensing the the size of the data cards to allow for more information to be visible on the users screen without scrolling.
Removing the subtitles and changing font weights and sizes to ensure that there is more focus on the actual data and less distractions.
Speed ⚡️: with our new method of fetching the data from Insights, we have greatly improved the screen load time.
Line-level attribution 🙋🏼: when using the recently released associate attribution feature, store associates can be assigned to specific line items on an order. This attribution is now reflected in the the Associate App Sales Dashboard, giving them insight into how they are performing throughout the day.
Quick scan - serial number support
The quick scan feature now supports serialized products. When a serialized product is scanned, the associate is prompted to scan the serial number barcode. The product is then immediately added to the cart, improving the efficiency of the process.
Gift receipts for gift cards
With Associate App v1.41.0, the gift card number is now available to be included on the gift receipt template. So when a customer is purchasing a gift card, it can be matched to what is displayed on the receipt.
Bug fixes
When using the quick scan in the cart screen, the performance has been improved and no longer results in an app crash.
Flashlight of the iPhone now properly turns off if the app is moved to background or the iPhone is locked.
Customer assignment on the cart is now preserved when paying with gift card.
Managers can now perform self-approvals when processing cash refunds.
Cash Returns - The original order number rather than the cart ID is now reflected in the NOM Cash Summary screens.
Submitting receiving transactions will no longer create multiple transactions in certain scenarios.
The app no longer navigates twice to the Selling section after login.
Using the new login flow will no longer show the "Selling" menu option if the configuration is set to hide it.
New login: associates cannot login anymore with an expired token after 7 days.
Printing on AirPrint on devices using iOS17 will now always print the document as expected.
Shipping labels printed on A6 sized paper are no longer cut off on the edges.
The Order Details screen now displays the fulfillment type properly.
After an order handover, the application brings associates back from the detailed view to the carrier pickup view.
Associates can not click the Complete Packing button more than once anymore.
Improved error messages in several different situations.
The Fulfillment option does not disappear from the drawer menu anymore.
Get ready for the unveiling of Associate App Version 1.40.0! This latest release of the Associate App
includes a number of improvements and a handful of bug fixes. This release is a testament to our
ongoing effort to refine your app experience, making it a valuable and commendable update.
iOS Support
We're excited to announce that Associate App v1.40.0 now supports iOS 17, Apple's newest mobile operating system.
To ensure optimal performance and compatibility, support for iOS 15 will be discontinued with this release.
We encourage all retailers to ensure iOS is updated on all devices to a supported version, iOS 16 or 17.
As always, we remain committed to supporting the latest iOS versions with timely app updates.
The existing bulk printing functionality has been improved with the introduction of the Printing Queue feature.
This enhancement ensures every triggered printing job is executed without oversight, making it particularly valuable
for store fulfillment with its high document volume and corresponding printing workload.
Streamlined banners
In response to user feedback, the notification banners have been reworked to enhance usability.
Key usability improvements have been added to shorten the display time and reduce the width,
resulting in faster interactions with the top navigation. This improvement strikes a balance between
keeping users informed and ensuring a smooth user experience without hindering workflow.
Quick scan with Bluetooth scanners
As a result of incorporating user feedback into our scanner capability, the quick scan functionality
has been improved with Bluetooth scanner support. Users can now enable the Bluetooth scanner in Settings
and connect the scanner on a particular device. This was a frequently requested enhancement and enables
a broader range of customers to benefit from the convenience of quick scanning. We value your feedback
and encourage you to share your thoughts with us so that we can continue to make it better.
Additional usability enhancements have also been added to the product list.
The enhancements for product list optimizes the view to handle more items,
resulting in better page performance when displaying long lists of ASN content.
Price adjustments (increases) for blind returns
Associates can now make price adjustments using a higher price when processing blind returns
within the Associate App. Prior to this update, price adjustments on blind returns only allowed
for a lower price entry. Now Associate App allows store associates to change the price on a blind return
to a higher price. This change addresses use cases where the original purchase price for an item being returned
may be higher than the current price reflected in the price book/catalog. This improvement will be available for all users.
Continuous improvement with new metrics
Metrics play a key role in optimizing the NewStore experience. As such, this release of the Associate App introduces
new metrics, encompassing user engagement, conversions, performance, and more! These added metrics signify our relentless pursuit
of app excellence. While not visible to retailers, these metrics are the backbone of our ongoing mission to empower continuous improvements
and deliver an exceptional app experience.
Improved messaging when fulfillment is disabled
As part of our efforts to continually improve usability, we have enhanced the messaging within
the fulfillment area. Previously when a store had no pending fulfillment tasks and fulfillment
was disabled, associates received a potentially confusing Fulfillment not configured message.
We have updated the message to clarify that there are no active fulfillment tasks, ensuring
associates understand it's not an error.
Bug fixes
Opening the last checkout will now properly show the last placed order again.
Switching between different users will now correctly restore the last visited screen for every user.
The associate listed last in the item attribution selection can now also be accessed.
Clienteling "My inbox" no longer shows messages from the previous logged-in user.
Manual logout will now work properly when using new login flow.
Associate will now see an error banner when quick scanning a product that can not be added to the cart.
Extended attributes are now passed when adding gift cards to the cart.
This patch release is aimed at retailers who are piloting the new login flow framework implementation.
Retailers not using the new login flow enabled do not need this patch.
Bug fixes
Associates can now use cash management operations such as Daily Open and Daily Close again.
To have accurate data for comissions, store associates can now assign (provide sales credit for)
a specific associate to each item in an order during the checkout process.
To assign a sale to a store associate, associates can select the item within the cart and select Assign Associate.
A list of active store associates for that specific store is displayed.
If there are multiple items in the cart, each item can be attributed to a different associate,
after which the cart displays the assigned associate for each item in the order.
note
Retailers using the previous Associate App extension for assigning commissions to associates must update
their backend integrations prior to enabling this feature via an app configuration.
To speed up the checkout process and better visibility of products in the cart,
associates now have the possibility to scan the products directly from the cart screen.
Associates can tap on the newly added Scan button on the cart screen navigation bar, and scan
the product barcode using the native iOS camera. The scanned product is added to the cart immediately.
The app does not require a confirmation to speed up the process.
Improvements
Tap to Pay on iPhone in the Netherlands
Retailers in the Netherlands can now use Tap to Pay on iPhone in their stores.
Associate App v1.39.0 adds the latest Adyen SDK for Tap to Pay on iPhone, which provides future support for iOS 17.
To reduce the frequency of logins for associates, Associate App introduces an extended 7-day token lifetime instead of the previous 12-hour timeframe.
Associates now only need to log in with their full credentials once every 7 days, and can use their PIN
to log in afterwards within this 7-day timeframe.
note
The new login framework must be enabled for this extended login timeframe, which NewStore will
gradually roll out shortly after this release.
Dismissable loading dialog for addresses
Loading dialogs for deleting or updating an address are now dismissible in case loading takes too long.
This allows associates to perform other tasks and unblocks them.
Runner improvements
To focus on the relevant requests, Sales associates and Runners can now filter the request list
by status to see only new or in-progress requests. They can now also access completed requests,
to verify any details if needed.
Early adoption feature
Scanning without a confirmation dialog
Early Access
If you are interested in early access to this feature, ask your point of contact at NewStore or contact your Omnichannel Success Manager to enable this feature for you.
To speed up the inventory process, now you can configure the app
to scan inventory without confirming the product or quantity.
If this feature is enabled, upon scanning a product the app displays the product information card
and a green success or orange no success message at the top.
During any inventory operations the product is added without any confirmation step and the associate can proceed with the next scan.
To disable confirmations, use the Configuration API
and set the require_confirmation_on_scanning and allow_receiving_manual_quantity_editing properties to false.
We'd like to collect feedback from teams in the stores to improve the experience for retailers
who are dealing with a high volume of products, and would like to move faster when performing cycle counts or receiving inventory.
We are currently looking for early adopters to validate the solution and provide feedback.
Upcoming features
Customization widget for date selection
In a few weeks, NewStore will introduce a new feature for customizing widgets, enabling associates to select dates in the app.
This selection can encompass a complete date or a partial date in multiple combinations,
such as a birthdate 12/31, or birth month 01/1984. The format in which NewStore saves the data will be
configurable in NOM.
Bug fixes
Drawer navigation now works correctly after cancelling a refund transaction.
Printing labels with a Zebra printer now correctly prints the label, formatted according to the paper size.
Address suggestions can be edited, unit numbers are populated in the address line, address name populates correctly in new customer screens' address fields.
Locking the phone and coming back to fiscal reports no longer displays a blank white screen.
The store contact number can now be called via the app even if it contains blank spaces.
Printing hang tags now works correctly when the new printing framework is disabled.
The app now automatically navigates to the last visited screen after logging in using your PIN.
The Selling area is now hidden correctly from view when configured to be unavailable to associates.
If there is a failure in retrieving a conversation, the chat button no longer becomes unresponsive.
For inventory transactions, the Confirm button is no longer disabled in certain cases.
When adding a product to a runner request, no unintended products from previous requests are added.
Store-level tax exemption class definitions can now be successfully retrieved.
For retailers where the new login experience has been enabled, the associate is no longer
required to create a new PIN if a PIN has been previously set.
Store Fulfillment order documents available for reprint in app
Associates can now view the details and documents of orders that have been marked as Handed Over,
with the option to reprint the necessary documents. This helps fix and reprint order documents
such as shipping labels when the barcode is illegible, even after the order has already been marked as handed over
for shipping.
Associates can now view a list of all recent orders in the past 7 days that have been marked as
Handed Over, search for orders by Order ID in this list, reprint associated documents, and
also view more details for the order such as customer name, product prices, and items included in
the package.
Improvements
Tax exemptions
Associates can now add the Tax exemption number and the Tax exemption class to process the order as a
tax exempt order. This helps ensure that tax exempt orders are captured in a compliant manner,
without the need for app customizations.
Supported from
This feature is supported from v1.38.0.
Inventory improvements
Completed adjustments are now visible in the app so associates can review them or view notes for the transactions.
Associates can now quickly select the destination location from a list based on what they type,
when creating store-initiated transfers of inventory.
Runner improvements
The name of the associate acting as the Runner is now visible on the request so the sales
associate knows who to contact for more information.
Associates and the runner can now filter requests that were created or the ones they are working
on so the most relevant or priority requests can be focused on.
The usability of the Runner has been improved, as the list of requests is automatically
refreshed when a Runner request has been completed or the status has changed. The list no longer
needs to be manually refreshed.
Additonal improvements
Address suggestion improvements: The experience for searching addresses in customer profiles
and when selecting the delivery address for endless aisle
orders has also been improved. When entering addresses,
the app waits until the full entry is complete before suggesting options. This improves
the accuracy of suggestions and overall usability.
Additionally, the order of house or unit numbers and street names are now retained to improve
address support for countries like Australia and the UK that have different address formats.
Dismissible printing dialog boxes for improved app control: Sometimes the app takes longer than
expected to communicate with the printer. Previously, this rendered the app in an
unusable state, requiring a force close and restart.
As a first iteration, loading screens indicating an ongoing printing process can now be dismissed,
giving associates control if the process takes longer than expected. This prevents app
lockouts and provides flexibility in case of errors, enabling increased app continuity for a smoother experience.
Upcoming features
Quickly add products to the cart
To speed up the checkout process and better visibility of products in the cart,
associates now have the possibility to scan the products directly from the cart screen.
Associates can tap on the newly added Scan button on the cart screen navigation bar, and scan
the product barcode using the native iOS camera. The scanned product is added to cart immediately.
The app does not ask for a confirmation to speed up the process.
note
Enable the new scanning framework to use this Quick scan feature.
Bug fixes
Locking the phone when on Inventory or Store Fulfillment screens no longer causes the app to freeze.
Multi-store users: The store ID configured in the app is now correctly recognized, resulting
in associates being assigned to the correct store.
Offline orders are now assigned to the associate who uploaded the order.
Bug fixes for new customer screens:
Email_opt_in customization/configuration is now supported in the new screens.
Address lookup in new customer screens now show street name and house number in the correct order.
Blind returns are now correctly associated with the assigned customer for the return.
Adding a blind return to the cart now dismisses the return dialog box.
Product attributes are now correctly shown on the Order Detail screen.
Using the app in a store that does not have business hours configured no longer slows down the app.
The Settings menu in side navigation drawer is no longer hidden on devices that have smaller screens.
For inventory transactions, receiving cartons no longer leaves a draft transaction when cancelled before it is submitted.
The app extension for hang tag printing is no longer displayed when new hang tags from the Templates Editor are enabled.
Customer screens in the app have been redesigned to make it easier for associates to find, create,
and assign customers to a profile. These changes can now be enabled in the app:
Directly access customer profiles from the cart or when trying to create a customer that already exists.
Create a new profile directly from the Search screen with auto-population of fields,
so you don't have to ask for the information and enter it again.
The screen for customer addresses provides a simplified overview, allowing associates to
easily create, update, or delete addresses.
The app scanner can now identify whether the scanned code, such as a QR code or barcode,
contains customer information that can be utilized during the customer profile search process.
From the customer search, quickly assign a customer to a cart without having to navigate to the profile overview first.
The app validates the phone number format (E.164) on the customer profile to avoid errors.
A single name field supports adding longer names with multiple or singular parts, especially for countries where
the categorization of a first and last name is not practiced. Event stream, however, keeps the separation of first and last names.
For more information on enabling these changes for your business, see:
Enabling this feature will disrupt any active custom app extensions that you have configured for
customer profile screens in the app.
Improvements
A revamped login process
The login experience in the app has been revamped to stabilize the process and remove issues
when logging in. NewStore will also gather data on the new login flow and its usage, to evaluate
and further improve the login experience for associates in the future.
To use the new login process, all devices must be updated to v1.37.0 or later. Any devices on which the app
has not been updated to v1.37.0 or later will not display the new login flow for users even if the
feature has been enabled for your business.
Performance improvements
Order activity - The Order Activity screen in the customer profile screen has a fresh new look
and offers a smoother navigation for associates, and is more responsive in general.
Order details - The Order Details view has also been optimized to improve both the
transition speed and the retrieval of order details. Associates will now experience faster
loading times and smoother transitions when moving between the Order List and Order Details screens
and initiating returns.
Return process - The return flow has been optimized to offer associates a more responsive experience
when they select products, return reasons, and condition of the item.
Filtering stock on hand
After introducing sorting for ATP and stock on hand ,
associates can now also filter stock on hand for items in the app. Associates can use this
feature to find products that are still in-stock for customers to buy in the store.
Important
This feature is only available to retailers who use NewStore as inventory master for stores in their business.
See NewStore as inventory master .
Default sorting behavior has also been changed for retailers who do not
offer Endless Aisle .
Instead of ATP, the default sort now uses stock on hand, to bring items with the most available
stock to the top of the page, ensuring that associates find saleable items quickly.
The sorting option for ATP is not displayed in the app anymore in such cases.
Inventory improvements
Associates can now access completed ASNs to view the latest activity on them and see if the items
have been received correctly.
Associates can now see the number of products (SKUs) and the units of the ASNs on the list
so they can plan to receive them now or later, depending on the size of the shipment.
Associates can now remove or decrease the quantity of scanned products when the manual quantity picker
is disabled, so the quantity can be updated if the last product was accidentally scanned.
The input in the manual quantity picker is overwritten by default when an associate enters the
quantity of the item to avoid accidentally entering a wrong quantity.
Stock associates can now mark products as unavailable if they cannot find them. This allows the sales
associate to see the availability of the product in the request.
The stock associate can mark the product as available again if they find it in the store.
Users that can log into multiple stores in the app can now also switch between Test Mode of the
app and the live version in production. Manual store assignment when switching to Test Mode for
such users is no longer required.
Improved messaging for restricted coupons
For coupons or promotions that have restrictions applied to them, the app now displays improved
messaging in the UI on why these coupons could not be applied to a specific order.
Based on the situation, associates are notified if the coupon was not applied because the
coupon code does not exist, the coupon was already redeemed, the coupon is limited to a
specific customer ID, or if it is only applicable in specific stores.
Bug fixes
Associates with an expired PIN will no longer receive a Session Expired alert.
For multi-store users, the app no longer crashes intermittently when the associate is already assigned to the store.
For a remote cart, scanning a product that is not found in the catalog no longer endlessly loads in the app.
When multiple printers are configured, the app now displays the printer selection dialog box when printing hangtags.
Printing receipts using the AirPrint only mode no longer causes the app to crash.
Discounted prices now show up correctly in the Order Detail page.
With the first iteration of the Runner functionality, associates can now request products to be brought to them on the sales floor without having to leave the customer to get the product from the stock room themselves. This increases potential for completing a sale, enhancing Units Per Transaction (UPT) and the order value, improving overall revenue.
NewStore has introduced a priority orders feature to enable store associates to manage the priority orders. Retailers can now define a list of service levels to be considered as priority. Associates can now see if there are priority orders waiting to be fulfilled and create fulfillment waves containing only priority orders.
Associate App has now been enhanced to facilitate deeper customization. A key feature is the introduction of extension points in the More menu, which enables the integration of webviews based on the store and/or associate context. For example, this feature can be utilized to provide a centralized, at-a-glance view of all upcoming customer appointments, streamlining operations and boosting associate productivity.
Further upgrades include a new customization feature that allows users to choose a single attribute from a predefined list and expanded capabilities for customer profile extensions leverage customer profile IDs, previously limited to extended attributes.
Retailers may have multiple barcodes on products where only one of them is a product identifier
valid at NewStore. When scanning these barcodes, the app now quickly validates the barcodes and
displays a message on the top of the screen with haptic feedback. A dialog box asking for confirmation
from the associate no longer appears, speeding up the scanning process.
Tap to Pay on iPhone - international cards
NewStore has included an enhancement for Tap to Pay on iPhone which enables the US stores to now accept international credit cards. Prior to this enhancement, store associates would be presented with an error message when attempting to process a payment request using Tap to Pay on iPhone when the shopper was using an international credit card.
With this release, retailers and store associates can now offer convenience to shoppers, who will be presented with a prompt within Associate App for the shopper to enter the PIN associated with their international credit card. This new enhancement will also help to address payment error and failure rates when Tap to Pay on iPhone is associated with international credit cards.
It represents the first step in the Tap to Pay on iPhone expansion to support international shoppers.
note
All devices currently using Tap to Pay on iPhone must be updated to a minimum version of iOS v16.4 and Associate App v1.36.0.
Catalog sorting by stock on hand
The product listing page continues to be improved.
After introducing the option to sort products by shipping availability for endless aisle, associates can now sort the product listing page on stock available in the current store. This allows associates to quickly find products for customers that come in and want something to take with them immediately.
note
This capability requires that retailers use NewStore as the system of record for store inventory management.
Transfer Packing List
As the Transfer Packing List is a new document type, associates must configure the printer for this
document type (from Associate App v1.36.0 and later), before they print any transfer packing lists
as documents. Previously, it used the same packing list for both orders and transfers.
Important
For retailers that have the new printer framework turned on, associates must configure Printer Settings and assign the Transfer Packing List document type to the relevant printer.
Performance improvements
Rendering optimization during app navigation
We've optimized app navigation by eliminating unnecessary background operations. This addresses user feedback regarding sluggish response times and app instability, especially when adding items to the cart. With these optimizations, users can expect a smoother, faster, and more reliable app experience.
Adding multiple products to cart
We've significantly improved the speed of adding multiple products to the cart in response to user feedback about sluggishness and occasional unresponsiveness. This enhancement streamlines the process, providing a smooth, efficient, and more satisfying user experience when building carts in the app.
Bug fixes
Repeated product tap: Tapping the same product in a cart multiple times will now only open the action sheet once.
Multi-store login: Multi-store users can now login to the app even if a non-existing storeId was provided during application bootstrap.
Post-login product additions: The app no longer freezes when a product is added to the cart right after login.
Printing dialog timeout: The printing dialog now disappears after 5 seconds when the connection to the Zebra printer cannot be established.
Sidebar menu display: The sidebar menu now properly shows all menu items, even on small devices.
Bluetooth scanning: The Bluetooth scanner now recognizes all scanned UPC codes.
External order scanning: Scanning an external order code now correctly opens order details.
Order summary confirmation: The Order Summary screen will now inform the associate that a receipt was printed when using the AirPrint only printing mode.
Automatic logout: The automatic logout feature after phone lock will work again when leaving the Coupon screen without scanning or entering a coupon.
Multi-barcode scanning: The scanner no longer shows an infinite loading spinner if multiple barcodes are scanned at once.
Inventory date formats: Date formats now reflect the device locale during inventory flows.
Upcoming features
Revamped customer profiles
The customer screens in Associate App have been redesigned to make it easier and faster for associates to search for, create, and assign customers. With improved app stability and general UX enhancements, associates will enjoy a more seamless and efficient process to engage with customers in the store. NewStore will send out a separate communication, detailing capabilities and how retailers can receive the update.
To print in-store hang tags with custom prices, a new template called, hangtag has been introducted in the Templates Editor in Omnichannel Manager. Retailers can customize this template to provide an additional pricebook to a store and associates can print hang tags with custom prices.
Transfer Packing list now available as a new document type
Stores can now print a packing list for transfers as a separate document type when processing transfers.
This can now be configured to be printed separately from the Store Fulfillment Packing List document.
UPC-A and Code39 values available on the product cards
Associates can now view the UPC-A and Code39 values on the product card when performing inventory
operations. This helps assocuates to easily identify the product by matching the codes on the hang tags
with the codes in the app.
Access completed Transfer Orders
Associates can now access completed transfer orders in the app, so they can check the status
of the transfer and can also reprint transfer documents such as shipping labels for the transfer.
Bug fixes
App no longer crashes if products are loaded without relevant currency information.
During clienteling operations, customer chat screen fetches incoming messages automatically.
Printing multi-page documents no longer mirrors every second page.
Printing documents using Airprint-only mode now shows in-app feedback to the associate.
Scanning multiple codes at once no longer slows down the app.
Associates are now logged out automatically when the phone is locked.
Bluetooth scanner now works with every available scanner view.
Adding different extended attributes to an order no longer fails when updating the cart slows down in the app.
A new menu option has been introduced on the Settings screen that allows users to erase the local data stored in the app and reset the app when unexpected behavior occurs.
This action avoids having to re-install the app completely and allows users in the store to resolve related problems without relying on the retailer's IT team to resolve them via MDM.
note
This action will result in deleting the user history list, user PINs, active carts, saved carts, and default printer selection so this feature should only be used when necessary to avoid additional effort for associates.
Improvements
Inventory management improvements
Packing list for transfers without a shipment
Stores can now print a packing list when initiating a transfer to another location even when there is no shipment with a carrier. This allows for easy identification of the box (sent from where to where) and the list of products that are included.
Improved scanning flow for transfers
When performing a store transfer, the scanning flow has been optimized to allow associates to continue to add & scan products without having to return back to the list of products in the transfer. This improved navigation will speed up the process for associates.
Manual quantity entry in inventory management
Associates can now enter the quantity for the item using the numeric keyboard throughout Inventory Management in addition to using the + / - buttons to increment and decrement the quantity. Associates will see efficiency with products in large quantities.
Visibility to ASN shipment date and Order ID
In order to further improve the experience of inventory management, associates are now able to also see the shipment date and Order ID of the ASN, which helps them to prioritize tasks easily and effectively.
Return form added as a new document type
A Return form is now available as a new document type that can be configured when using the new printer management. This allows return forms to be printed and included in shipments fulfilled from the stores.
Optimized data fetching in the app
As part of an ongoing initiative to improve the stability and experience of the app, the data fetching behavior of the application was improved. This should reduce issues during the login as well as speed up communication between the app and platform.
Shipping availability on the PDP
Shipping availability is now displayed on the Product Details page. This makes it quick and easy for associates to identify if a product can be sold under endless aisle for delivery to the customer, without having to look up inventory or attempt to add it to the cart.
note
This option will only be visible for retailers and/or stores that are configured for the endless aisle orders.
Currently, this option reflects global availability of the product and does not consider the location (DC or store) where the product is available or the destination address for delivery. This option will be evaluated for improvement in the future.
Improved gift card overview
The enhanced gift card overview that was first released in v1.29.0 along with gift card cashouts is now available for all retailers without requiring a configuration to enable it.
Bug fixes
App does not navigate to the Customer tab if the Selling section is disabled.
Quantity modal in inventory management is no longer covered by the keyboard, preventing the user from viewing the quantity.
Inventory transactions can no longer be duplicated when the user accidently taps the button in the app multiple times.
When using cash rounding, the correct rounded total amount is now displayed during the payment process as well as on the Order Summary screen.
Associates can now clear the local app data in More > Settings. This allows associates to
avoid reinstalling the app in order to clear the locally stored data in the app.
Extended information in the app
Debugging potential issues is now easier with extended information added to the About section in the app.
Bug fixes
After completing payments during checkout, the app does not move back to the cart screen.
Issues with incomplete logout processes or incorrect PIN login processes have now been fixed.
Logs for potential issues have been enhanced with local app data.
To enable a unified and intuitive experience when using Associate App, a new sidebar navigation
menu has been introduced to allow associates to access specific tasks:
Selling to customers
Fulfilling orders
Managing inventory
Setting up hardware in the store
This approach simplifies the experience for associates when navigating the app for day-to-day
operations.
Important
The sidebar navigation menu is automatically enabled as soon as you update the app to v1.33.0 or later.
Using AirPrint enabled printers
To support retailers asking for custom printing options such as double-sided printing, the app
now allows you to disbale the printer management framework and use an AirPrint only mode.
In this mode, the app allows printing via AirPrint enabled printers in the store. See the documentation .
Important
Using the AirPrint only mode stops the app from being able to print via other printer models to print specialized documents,
such as fiscal receipts or hangtags.
Bluetooth barcode scanner
The app now supports Bluetooth barcode scanners, to improve the scanning experience with iPads in the store.
Cash rounding
Associate App now supports cash rounding as a feature in countries where cash rounding is a requirement
or is supported, such as in Australia or Canada. Associates no longer need to manually calculate change or reconcile deficit balances
in the cash drawer because smaller denominations are not supported in their stores.
The app offers clear messages when rounding off cash (up or down) for payment transactions.
Cash rounding data is also available in the receipt templates, to allow you to add this to
customer receipts. Omnichannel Manager also displays the actual cash amount captured after rounding
off against respective cash drawers.
Event Stream also consumes the rounded cash amount for events that are emitted for cash sales transactions,
in countries where cash rounding is applicable.
Improvements
Navigating back to the entry screen
Tap on tab bar icon of the active section now lets the associate navigate back to the entry screen.
This is a generic behavior in iOS apps.
Use offline catalog for faster product ID verification when scanning
To speed up the scanning experience, the app now uses the offline catalog data to validate product
IDs.
Pressing the confirmation button repeatedly during checkout in the app no longer causes cash payments
to be accepted and processed multiple times for the same order.
It was challenging for retailers to manually handle the situations in which associates have
to work in multiple stores or cover shifts in nearby stores.
We have now made this process easier by removing the need to change the associates' store
assignment in NewStore Omnichannel Manager.
It is now possible to configure the store while installing the Associate App on the iPhone using
a Mobile Device Management (MDM) solution. When the associate logs into the app, it
automatically changes their store assignment, so retailers don't have to do it manually anymore.
Inventory operations
Receiving inventory: Store associates can now receive shipments arriving from the warehouse
against the Advance Shipment Notice (ASN). If enabled for the retailer, the shipments coming
from the vendors can also be received without an ASN in the Associate App.
Counting inventory: Cycle count tasks that are created by the head office or created through
mispicks during store fulfillment
(if configured) can now be performed in the Associate App.
Adjusting inventory: Store associates can now adjust the inventory in the Associate App.
With the objective to improve the iPad experience, scanning has been identified as one of the
biggest pain points for associates. We are experimenting with Bluetooth barcode scanners to
evaluate scanning accuracy & speed as well as the user experience.
Improvements
Enhanced payment transaction processing with Tap to Pay on iPhone
A new performance enhancement has been introduced in payment processing for Tap to Pay on iPhone,
aimed at improving the speed processing payment transactions. This enhancement optimizes the
communication between the iPhone and the Adyen backend, resulting in faster transaction times
and an improved payment experience for associates and customers.
Alphanumeric PIN support for gift cards
A new alphanumeric keyboard for gift cards has been introduced to support gift card providers
that have alphabetical characters in the gift card PIN. The keyboard will default to the alpha
mode but can easily be toggled to numeric mode, providing increased flexibility in gift card
PIN entry.
Star Micronics printer discovery
When configuring the Star printers in the new printer management, discovery will no longer show
printers that are already configured for the store, simplifying and avoiding confusion during
the setup process.
Test page for AirPrint and Star Micronics printers
Test print will help to configure printers with regards to paper size and templates. As this was
implemented for Zebra printer, printing a sample document is now also available for AirPrint
and Star printers.
Scanner screen visualizes the scan region
This helps the associates to focus the barcode and scan easily by reducing the area of scanning.
Note that it is initially be only available in inventory management, but expansion to other
areas is under consideration.
App performance improvements
Certain app screens were optimized in an effort to improve app performance. Associates can
notice the slightly improved performance with the drawer menu and also some other screens.
Improved handling of MQTT connection failures
In hardware fiscal countries (Italy & Poland), the MQTT connection flow is improved, and MQTT
connection failures will now show an error message that will let associates try placing the
order again.
Associates will also notice reduced fiscal printer connection errors during order placement
in cases of bad network conditions.
Improved error visibility when generating shipping documents
When a shipment booking fails and the documents cannot be generated during order fulfillment,
the error details are now provided in the Associate App. Also, associates can now retry printing
each document that could not be generated with a newly added button.
Bug fixes
Orders requiring manager approval are now properly assigned to the associate and not the manager.
Printing with legacy printer management doesn't display the timeout banner.
Shipping documents are no longer rotated when printing with Star or Zebra printers.
After a gift card is scanned successfully, the scanner now stops scanning as required.
Business hours of the store are now displayed correctly in the Associate App.
Associates can now add customized gift messages for all items in a cart for a customer. See Configuring gift messages .
Improved gift receipts
Gift receipts now include the address of the store where the order was placed instead of the store
where the gift receipt is being printed. See Printing gift receipts .
App selects the default printer for fiscal documents
Associates now do not have to manually select a fiscal printer while completing checkout for an order.
The app now automatically selects a default fiscal printer to print fiscal documents related to
an order in countries where hardware fiscal regulations apply.
Automatic store assignment for associates
When logging in, associates are automatically assigned to the store which has been appointed for
the device via the MDM. Retailers do not need to manually assign associates to stores via Omnichannel Manager.
This improvement helps reduce the time and overhead when assigning associates to the right stores
when they switch frequently between stores.
Bug fixes
Login experience for associates is now quicker than before.
Associates are not redirected to the Selling section when they return after locking the phone.
The Drawer menu is not accessible anymore before an associate has logged in using a PIN.
Processing blind returns do not slow down the app.
Tapping on a product image no longer causes the app to crash.
When a printer is removed from the store, the updated list of available printers is now displayed for
all associates in the store.
Associates can now scroll down the list of available printers to select a printer.
The dialog box notifying associates of unsaved changes is no longer displayed if the associated printer has been deleted.
The app scanner now automatically dismisses the keyboard, and more design improvements have been made
so that different screen sizes are supported.
Additionally, a banner with an error message appears if a scanned coupon code has already been applied to the cart.
Mark sales receipt as a copy for additional prints
As a legal requirement, it is not allowed in certain fiscal countries like Sweden or France to
reprint the same sales receipt without marking it as a copy.
To support upcoming store launches, the receipts will now be fetched and re-rendered as a copy, if necessary.
Bug fixes
Order history can now be properly accessed again.
Associates can access the customer profile by using the scanner or manually entering the customer details.
Zero amount orders can be placed properly in the app again.
Retailers who use gift cards along with NewStore cash management can now check gift card balances.
Associates can cashout the gift card balance amount to the customer.
The first version of a brand new look and feel of Associate App is now available with this release.
All retailers will use one unified color scheme and a more widespread use of our new UI toolkit.
More design improvements are on the way.
Improvements
Book shipments for store transfers
Associates can now book a shipment for a store-initiated transfer in Associate App by selecting the
required shipping option. Associates would still need to switch to Fulfillment App to print the
transfer documents.
Disable printing gift receipts for returns
No gift receipts are generated in the app for returns, so the option to print them will not be
available in the order summary screen in the app.
Miscellaneous retailer-specific app extensions
Bug fixes
Stage Switch when Testing app features now gracefully shuts down the app and is more self-explanatory.
The app notifies the associate when autocomplete cannot find a specified address.
Product title and prices in offline carts are properly aligned in the UI.
Gift receipt printing is more resilient now.
Searching for customer profiles in the app is more reliable now.
App no longer crashes during the manager approval process.
Printing order documents with PII data works properly now.
