1. AWARDS
  2. What's New in AWARDS?
  3. 2021 Release Notes

May 2021

Updated

The following new features, enhancements, and updates will be available in your AWARDS database beginning on May 19th, 2021.  

May 2021 Enhancements (30 min)



 

Calendar - New Custom Saved Views Options

Based on customer feedback, we are thrilled to announce a new Custom Saved Views option is now available in the AWARDS Calendar!  This exciting new feature includes:

  • The ability to save custom views based on Staff/Client/Program/Location criteria selections, the selected Events, the Day/Week/Month viewing period format, and the Calendar/List format.

  • A new Saved Views drop-down menu has been added to the left-hand settings menu pane. A list of your custom saved views are available for selection from this drop-down, as well as options to save a brand new view, or make changes to an existing saved view and either replace (overwrite) it with the same name or save it with a new name.

  • Each user can create and save up to 10 custom views.  These can only be saved for yourself and cannot be shared with other AWARDS users.

  • On the Calendar > Settings page, a new Manage Saved Views section has been added where users are able to see a list of their saved views, view details of each saved view, delete saved views, and set and unset a saved view as the default.  (Note that only one saved view can be set as the default at a time.  The default saved view will display automatically you log into AWARDS and access the Calendar for the first time during that login session.)

In addition, please note that as a part of this feature deployment you may notice the following changes have been made when accessing the Calendar > Settings page.  

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  • The "View Options" portion of the page has been relabeled "Calendar Display Options" and is now a expandable/collapsible section
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  • Both the "Manage Saved Views" and "Calendar Display Options" sections are collapsed by default.
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  • The left-hand Calendar settings menu pane is collapsed. It expands when you return to the main Calendar. 

For detailed information on using this and other Calendar features, click here.

 

Entitlements - New Personal Payments Feature

Recently, we released a new Copay feature within Certified Entitlements. We are happy to announce that there is now a corresponding feature called Personal Payments, which can be accessed via the Entitlements fly-out menu (or through program appointments on the Calendar).  Specific items of note regarding this new feature are as follows: 

  • Users assigned the Copay/Personal Payments data entry/access permission can access the new Personal Payments feature from the Entitlements menu.

  • A Personal Payment icon (credit card) is available on event pop-ups for program appointments in the calendar, within the copay table for appointments today or in the past, and at the top of the pop-up for future appointments.  Clicking this icon on the copay table opens a new personal payments data entry form, with much of the details pre-filled based on the copay information. 

  • The Personal Payments feature allows users to record payments made by the client, the amount, payment date, whether the payment was a copay, and if so, for which insurance type (based on insurance records in effect on the payment date).

  • A read-only Unapplied amount field is included on each record, which will eventually tie into billing.  The index displays a Total Unapplied amount value, which is the sum of unapplied payments for the selected client.

  • A new Personal Payments ReportBuilder is also available on the Personal Payments index page, and in the Reports feature.

Upcoming! A new Personal Payments Posting feature is currently being developed, where users can view billing information related to payments. 

E- Signatures Configurations > Progress Notes - New Setting

A new configuration setting, Message Notifications Suspended, is now available for E-Signatures Configurations > Progress Notes. By default when a record is ready for electronic signing an internal notification message is generated and sent to the anticipated signer via AWARDS Messages.  In some agencies where signatures are applied immediately, these notifications are not necessary.  This setting can be used to turn off notifications in such instances.

EVV - Group Care Update

Our partners at CellTrak are releasing an update to the Group Care feature both in the mobile app and in the Operations Team Portal. Already live in the mobile app are user interface changes that allow users to "add" individuals to group or ratio visits and next quarter there will be an enhancement to how these visits are calculated. Ratio billing is largely excluded from EVV mandates in most states, but if that changes or if your agency would like to track these types of visits CellTrak will be ready.

Password Policies - New Default Settings

In past editions of FootNotes we have detailed for AWARDS administrators the variety of essential security tools available to them for use in helping ensure that your AWARDS database is as secure as possible.  We have also noted that unlike the work Foothold has done behind-the-scenes to keep your data safe, the security tools available to agency staff must actively be taken advantage of and, unfortunately, it has been our experience that not everyone does.  In order to assist agencies in making sure these features are activated we've changed the default settings under System Setup > Business Rules > Password Policy Rules.  While administrators can still adjust these defaults to meet agency-specific policies and procedures, these stricter defaults more closely align with password "hygiene" best practices.  

The specific changes put in place are as follows.  Note that if your agency has not saved password policy rules these defaults will replace all existing defaults.  We strongly encourage AWARDS administrators to review the password policy rules after deployment on May 19th and confirm that the values there meet your organization's needs and requirements, and adjust accordingly if needed.

  • Require password change on first login - Default value changed from "Do Not" to "Do."

  • Require password change following admin password reset - Default value changed from "Do Not" to "Do."

  • Require both upper and lower case letters - Default value changed from "Do Not" to "Do."

  • User must change password at least every ___ days - Default value changed from "0" to "180."  In addition, this option can no longer be set to "0," which would allow for passwords that never expired.

  • Warn user for ___ days before password expires - Default value changed from "0" to "5."

  • User may change password at most ___ times per day - Default value changed from "0" to "3."  In addition, this option can no longer be set to "0," which would allow unlimited password changes each day, and administrative password resets (those completed by an AWARDS administrator or supervisor) will not be counted toward this total.

  • Lockout user after ___ failed attempts for ___ minutes - Administrative password resets (those completed by an AWARDS administrator or supervisor) will now reset the lockout clock.  Previously the user had to wait for the full lockout period even after an administrative reset.

  • New password must be different than previous ___ passwords - Default value changed from "0" to "3."  In addition, this option can no longer be set to "0," which would allow immediate reuse of the previous password.

  • Password length - Minimum password length has changed from "8" characters to "12."  Maximum password length has changed from "12" characters to "64."  This adjusted rule will not impact existing passwords; however, it will impact all new passwords moving forward, as well as any password changes from this point forward.

  • Require Special Character - A new password policy option that defaults to "Do" but can be switched to "Do Not" if appropriate.  Special characters that can be used for this purpose are ! @ # $ % ^ & * ( ) _ + = | < > ? : ;

  • Allow an initial implementation grace period of ___ days before password expires - This option has been removed.

Permissions - ReportBuilder Now Available!

ReportBuilders are powerful reporting tools, located throughout AWARDS, that can be used to generate customized data reports. To add to our current collection of current ReportBuilders, a new ReportBuilder is now available for users with access to the Permissions Maintenance feature.  This new Permissions ReportBuilder can be used to generate customized reports on a user's access and permissions to determine what they have the authority to do in the system. Currently, the Permissions ReportBuilder is limited to running customized reports for individual workers, but stay tuned for additional improvements in coming months!

Plans and Reviews - Distinct Schedules for First and Subsequent Reviews

Up until now, when creating a PlanBuilder schedule, you could set a schedule for your Initial Plan and for your Plan Reviews. Now, you are able to designate a distinct schedule for the first review. You can use this new feature for the Global Schedule or for Custom Schedules. To learn more about using this new feature, click here. 

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