What's New in Framework 8?

Framework Elements

The components that make up the Framework are segmented into four unique categories that both make their purpose clearer and allow for the implementation of the most flexible construction management solution there is. Framework users can choose which components to combine and implement for a tailor-made solution, just for them:

Open

The best news is that more of the traditional Framework modules will be available to more builders and more team members at either no cost or a heavily reduced cost when compared to the old licensing model. Our website has all the information you need to understand what’s now available from Framework: www.frameworkecm.com.au/solutions

Upgrade Your Subscription

Eligible Perpetual Subscription licensees of Framework can upgrade to an Ongoing Subscription. This replaces the perpetual licence and presents a discount on traditional Annual Software Maintenance (ASM), unlocking more functionality, and more concurrent uses-per-module/component for your team.

It doesn’t matter if you’ve been out of maintenance for some time, or have just renewed, we’d love to help you get as much out of Framework as you can, in the most cost-effective way possible.

Entitlement Management & The Sentinel Security Key

With Framework 8 eligible licensees can upgrade the way licensing is managed in Framework to a new cloud-based software solution. This eliminates the need for the Sentinel Hardware Security Key, making it easier to deploy Framework to data centre and cloud infrastructure.

Framework Cloud Elements

The development of significant updates to Framework Cloud Elements continues with the release of Framework 8. These new components represent a significant and exciting expansion of the Framework suite.

The Framework Cloud Elements offering includes:

• Framework Cloud Elements - Platform
  Framework Cloud Platform connects you to your suppliers, staff, and customers to achieve more than ever before. The Platform underpins all elements of a Framework implementation, including Classic, Cloud, Integration, and Analytics components. The Platform provides the seamless link between your on-premise systems and the cloud, and is the sturdy foundation that your Framework environment is built on.
  https://www.frameworkecm.com.au/framework-cloud-elements/#platform-section
  
  

• Framework Cloud Elements - Inbox
  By linking Framework 8 to your Microsoft 365 infrastructure, Framework will automatically capture and record a copy of all job-related email. Gone is the need to rely on everyone to copy and paste important correspondence to the job. It’s done for you, in real time. Most importantly, you’re not forced to use Framework to send the emails. Any software, system, mail app, or device can be used just as it is today. By using sender/recipient matching to customers, and/or a job number in an email subject, Inbox will do the hard work to capture a complete record of all project correspondence.
  https://www.frameworkecm.com.au/framework-cloud-elements/#inbox-section
  
  

• Framework Cloud Elements - Document Management System (DMS)
  DMS is your key to spending less time on managing your documents, and more time on impressing your customers. With hundreds of important documents behind every one of your projects, there’s a lot to keep under control. DMS makes it a breeze. DMS allows your team, suppliers, and customers to upload documents, automatically saving them to the correct location, with a meaningful name, based on the document’s type and purpose. Documents are safe and secure so that only the people with permission can get to them, from anywhere in the world.
  Easy-to-use sharing tools also allow you to share your documents with any recipient, and track whether they’ve opened or read it, and whether they have the latest version. DMS can be used both for construction related documents, or any other documents used in the running of your business. It is the ultimate tool for builders to manage any type of document.
  https://www.frameworkecm.com.au/framework-cloud-elements/#document-management-section
  
  

• Framework Cloud Elements - Customer Portal
  Customer Portal delivers a comprehensive customer service experience as a modern, responsive, and completely cloud hosted solution. Customer Portal can be integrated with both Framework and non-Framework data and solutions to deliver your specific customer service requirements and help you craft the industry’s most engaging customer journey and experience.
  This solution will help you to generate more referrals by keeping your customers in the loop, and satisfied that their new home is coming to life.  The best part is, Customer Portal is a turnkey solution, requiring no additional infrastructure to be purchased or provisioned. It can also be branded/skinned to match a builder’s corporate colours, logos, and existing online presence.
  https://www.frameworkecm.com.au/framework-cloud-elements/#customer-portal-section
  
  

• Framework Cloud Elements - Supplier Portal
  Supplier Portal is the key to keeping your suppliers informed, and your jobs running smoothly. It’s a stand-alone (purchase-order product agnostic) solution that underpins all vendor interaction, supply-side data hosting, and the distribution of important files for all participants in the supply chain.
  This solution will give your suppliers seamless access to purchase orders, job documents, and important resources, making you their favourite client to work with. The best part is, Supplier Portal is a turnkey solution, requiring no additional infrastructure to be purchased or provisioned.
  https://www.frameworkecm.com.au/framework-cloud-elements/#supplier-portal-section
  
  

• Framework Cloud Elements - Onsite Safety
  Onsite safety is the easiest way to manage all aspects of health and safety for your team of staff, suppliers, and tradies. Included are tools to manage inductions, compliance, incidents, tasks, SWMS, and more, ensuring that everyone gets home safely.
  https://www.frameworkecm.com.au/framework-cloud-elements/#onsite-safety-section
  
  

• Framework Cloud Elements - Onsite Eye
  Onsite Eye is a cutting edge tool that incorporates cloud-based software for your office team and a free mobile app for all site visitors to record attendance, capture photos, and advise of all onsite activity. They can also access purchase orders, documents, interact with tasks and activities, and ensure their safety profile and status is understood, updated and accurate.
  Through our innovative Onsite Eye QR Code site signs and use of GPS you can keep on top of every job, and know exactly what’s happening, where, and as soon as it occurs. Onsite Eye is the industry’s most advanced mobile solution for transparency into onsite activity.
  https://www.frameworkecm.com.au/framework-cloud-elements/#onsite-eye-section
  
  

• Framework Cloud Elements - Onsite Inspect
  Onsite inspect is an industry leading tool for capturing, allocating, and managing all types of inspections throughout construction and maintenance. Through a cutting-edge mobile app designed to simplify the recording, review, approval, and resolution of inspection items at all stages of the construction workflow.
  With support for initial site inspections, quality assurance inspections, workplace health and safety inspections, customer service and final inspections, maintenance inspections, and any other unstructured inspection at any stage, Onsite Inspect is your one stop shop where all inspection items are reviewed, approved, tracked, and signed off.
  Onsite inspect isn’t just for your team either, clients can be provided the app to perform their own maintenance inspections on their completed home, ensuring that they’ll be in love with it for years to come.
  https://www.frameworkecm.com.au/framework-cloud-elements/#onsite-inspect-section
  
  
  

Improved Performance

We’ve made several important improvements with Framework 8 to deliver the best possible experience when using Framework, ensuring that it remains the best tool for the job.

Communication - Email

We’ve continued to further develop integrated communication management.

• The new Framework Cloud Elements - Inbox solution will automatically capture all job-related email to Framework

• Email is seamlessly displayed within the normal CRM Comments list for the job

• This now includes support for attachments and more advanced “related job” management for emails

• Unlimited email and SMS messaging from within Framework is included with your subscription, controlled via permissions.

• Full image support is now included in emails and signatures

Communication - SMS

• Unlimited SMS messaging from within Framework is included with your subscription, controlled via permissions.

• SMS now supports Sender ID so that your SMS messages come from a trusted and registered name. eg “INSULA”

Communication - Mail Merge

• Communication templates have been further enhanced, covering mail merge, email, SMS, surveys, and communication rules.

• Mail Merge templates now support lockable security features to ensure documents are not changed once merged

Communication - eSign Update

Framework 8 and the Cloud Document Management System (DMS) include a comprehensive eSignature workflow powered by DropboxSign. Send any document for electronic signing with a legally binding eSign process to eliminate the inherent delays with traditional mail. At a fraction of the price of other stand-alone eSign solutions, you get a more cost-effective eSignature workflow that’s fully integrated into your Framework job management and document storage solution.

Report Scheduler

A new report scheduling solution is now included with Framework, enabling Framework reports to produced and emailed on desired schedules.

Supporting Administration & Pre-Site Teams

Work Flow Management improvements continue in Framework 8:

• Licensees working with Diary Tasks will see improvements in the display and colour-coding of tasks in the Month view to aid in workflow capacity planning and work allocation.

Supporting The Sales & Estimation Teams

Several features have been enhanced to support the Sales and Sales Estimation teams:

• VPB Item Management now includes full attributes support, allowing detailed profiling of VPB Items.

• Improvements in the automated creation of Variations from Colour Selections

Supporting the Construction Team

Our construction solutions continue to be improved with several new and important features now available:

• Logistics Tablet now includes a significant improvement in synchronisation times

• Logistics Activities can be colour-coded in the call forward to aid in defining roles, responsibilities, milestones, or and much more

• Additional “Bulk Update” actions for a single job/call-forward programme for rapid job management of multiple activities simultaneously.

• Construction Programme Gantt charts can now span 120 weeks

• Entity Resources (ie. teams, gangs, etc.) for a supplier can be assigned to Logistics activities, allowing more granular control of who work is allocated to. Note: Requires Framework Cloud.

Supporting the Maintenance Team

Comprehensive management of your maintenance commitments remains as important as ever. Enhancements in Framework 8 aim to assist here:

• New inspection integration options and behaviour from Onsite Inspect

• Improved inspection-to-item assignment wizard when using Onsite Inspect

• Improved image display and work order reporting

• Enhancements to the Maintenance Workflow Tool

Supporting the IT Team

Framework 8’s biggest changes are under the hood, and include important improvements for IT teams:

• Support for Windows 11

• Support for MS-SQL Database Compatibility Level 150 (SQL Server 2019 (15.x))

• On-premise Framework applications can be configured for users to log in via Active Directory (AD).

• Cloud applications can be configured for users to log in via Single Sign On (SSO) via Microsoft ID

• Framework 8 no longer requires the USB Sentinel Hardware Key for licensing (as described above)

As always, any proposed change in environment must be thoroughly tested by licensees in advance of the change, to account for any environment-specific issues, customisations, integrations, etc.

Construction Logistics & Legacy Technology

With Framework 8 two important changes have been made to remove Construction Logistics Tablet reliance on legacy technology and on-premise systems, namely:

• MAPI email (ie. MS-Outlook) - is no longer used by Framework Logistics Tablet, either to send email or coordinate SupplierConnect scheduling activities

• SupplierConnect (on-premise) - has been replaced with SupplierConnect Cloud

These changes do not affect Construction Logistics' ability to operate in a disconnected mode when connectivity is unavailable. Email and SupplierConnect Scheduling is queued and sent via the cloud when connectivity returns.

Customisation

Framework 8 includes a significant increase in the number of User Defined Fields (UDFs) that can be created to further customise your Framework experience and content under management.

Systems Integration

We continue to update compatibility for all major/common third-party systems and platforms including Databuild, Xero, SAGE 300 CRE (Timberline), MiTek-BuilderMT WMS, MYOB, and more. We’re committed to keeping all of your operational systems working together as seamlessly as possible.

Several new integration solutions have been developed and successfully delivered since the release of Framework 7.2, linking our solutions with other industry products and many bespoke solutions. This includes new APIs, Data Hub and Data Warehouse solutions, and custom software development. These provide further options to support our users with any emerging integration needs. If there’s a system or process you’d like us to integrate with, please ask.

Ready to go, or need to know more?

If you’d like to discuss, enable, or implement anything mentioned in this information please get in touch.

Email your enquiry to: support@frameworkecm.com.au

Need a feature? We’d love to hear from you!

We know that no one knows Framework like the people who use it every day, and that’s why we need your help.

Please use our ideas portal to share your ideas and suggestions for Framework. If there’s a feature you want to see made available, something you’d like to see changed, or a radical new way of working, we want you to let us know about it so that we can make it happen.
Framework depends on this kind of feedback to continually improve our products. To access our ideas portal, please visit:

insula-framework.ideas.aha.io