One of the greatest new functions in this version is a new search that also covers the content of all documents stored in Fronter. Further is the possibility to send SMS directly from Fronter, a new information central on the today page and virus scan by the upload of files popular additions to our learning platform. We have also focused on the interaction between Fronter and other systems. To be mentioned is support for more Management Information Systems (MIS), integration with Microsofts intranet solution, Sharepoint and the possibility to present content from Fronter in other systems via RSS.

 

The calendar and the absence modules are frequently used. Development and integration of these modules have been a priority in this version. At the same time the feedback has been quite clear on the fact that stability and performance is more important than ever as Fronter is considered a business critical application for a growing number of our users. Because of this we are upgrading our programming language to the version PHP5 which represents a faster and more updated technology.

 

The first upgrades will take place in the beginning of July. The administrators will receive an e-mail with more information regarding the upgrade of their building.

In Fronter 72 you will get the first version of our improved search. This search will be considerably faster than before because we have included the powerful search engine from IntelliSearch. By utilizing the functionality of IntelliSearch, all documents uploaded in Fronter will be indexed, so that you also can search for the content, not only the title of a document. Our users are storing an ever increasing amount of data in Fronter. Therefore the need for such a search is also increasing. The search box can be added on the Today page in Fronter.

It is now possible to send text messages directly from Fronter. Has the seminar been moved? Is the school trip cancelled? This is a quick way to reach out to people on the go. The possibility to send text messages from Fronter is restricted, so that the school can keep the costs under control. The school can buy a “prepaid card” with a certain number of text messages for a reasonable price.

For this release we have worked hard to improve the way Fronters interacts with other systems. This will make the job easier for local administrators who will not have to enter data and create connections manually. In Fronter 72 there will be support for even more types of Management Information Systems.

The information that is available in the Fronter portal - the Today page - can now be accessed through other channels via RRS. The availability of RRS makes it possible to read the information from Fronter at your personal news portal through an RRS reader. On the today page in Fronter it is already possible to include information from other information providers via RRS .

Fronter is now fully integrated with the Microsoft Sharepoint Portal. Users of the Sharepoint Portal will with this integration be able to see all the elements that he or she usually sees in at the Today page in Fronter, inside the Sharepoint portal.

 

Customers who have invested in Microsoft techology will now ne able to utilize this to full extent and still get the advantage of Fronters unique technology for learning and collaboration.

One scenario could be that an organisation use Fronter in all parts of their education, but e.g. uses Microsoft Sharepoint as their intranet. In this scenario there are many users that use both Fronter and Sharepoint and there is a desire to make their life easier by integrating the two portals.

If the user finds something interesting, the information is just one click away. Clicking on e.g. a news item will send the user directly to the Fronter installation where he or she can read the entire text.

Setting up Single Sign On (SSO) is often the first natural step to integrating Sharepoint and Fronter.

 

Blog, the possibility to create a personal diary or commentary or news on a particular subject online, is now activated for most clients. When the Fronter users util ze the blog function, they make it possible for persons who are not able to log into Fronter to keep track of i.e. what happens on a school trip or in a project meeting.You can edit most types of blogs via a blog client in Fronter.

The Open Edit Save function (OES) makes it possible to edit i.e. a Word document directly in Fronter without downloading it to your computer first. In Fronter 72 this function is made available as a plug-in for the browser Firefox for Windows. The function is already available for Internet Explorer.

Another change is the new colours of the appointments and week view in the mini calendar. Furthermore we have made a connection to the new absence module, so that lessons that are entered here will show up in the calendar. These changes of the calendar are the first part of a larger project and more improvements will appear in the versions to come.

The information central is a new element that can be added to your today page, This gives you a quick overview of how many new elements you have on the Today page , including a todo list.

Certified Fronter administrators now have to identify themselves by a password when they contact our support desk. The reason for this is new international requirements for security and quality systems. The advantage for the customers will be that we have better historic data connected to your account and therefore can offer you a better service.

 

For more information, see our home page, fronter.com.