February 17, 2025 Release
As part of our ongoing enhancements, we've made several important updates to improve performance, security, and user experience:
Upgraded Servers: Ability to scale instantaneously with increased user loads.
Increased Security: Support for single sign-on (SSO) for organizations that utilize it. *This will be made available shortly after launch.
Upgraded Password Encryption & Data Protection: Enhanced security measures for your data.
Modernized Look & Feel: New HydroApps colors and logo, providing a refreshed user interface.
Day/Night Mode: New toggle for a customizable user experience based on preference.
Additional User Roles: Ability to update and add new user roles with assistance from HydroApps.
These updates ensure a more seamless, secure, and flexible experience for your team.
Feature Changes in this Version:
Updated Menu System Features
The latest update to HydroApps introduces significant improvements to the menu system, enhancing navigation and administrative efficiency.
Sidebar Navigation
A redesigned sidebar menu provides a more intuitive structure for accessing key features.
The layout streamlines administrative tasks by grouping related functions together.
Menu Changes:
"Client Management" has been renamed to "Users"
"Facility Management" has been renamed to "Facilities"
"Checklist Management" has been renamed to "Checklists"
"Form Management" has been renamed to "Forms"
"Pool Management" has been renamed to "Pools"
"Asset Management" has been renamed to "Assets"
"Public Dashboard" has been renamed to "Public Display"
"Bulk Storage Management" has been renamed to "Files", and the management menu included in the Admin menu making it clearer and more accessible
New Dashboard System Features
The redesigned HydroApps introduces a more intuitive and data-driven dashboard system, improving user experience and accessibility.
Redesigned Interface & Dashboard System
New Sidebar Menu: Provides streamlined navigation to essential tools and features.
Dashboard Options
Actions Dashboard: Displays key operational tasks and updates.
Insights Dashboard: Provides facility data and analytics for administrators and managers.
Manage Card Feature: Allows users to select which dashboard elements are displayed based on the modules available in their system.
Data Visualization & Insights
Dashboards provide real-time insights into facility operations.
While currently non-customizable, future updates will allow for additional personalization and feature enhancements.
Data export functionality is available for deeper analysis outside the platform in the report section of HydroApps
Day & Night Mode
Users can toggle between Day Mode and Night Mode for improved visibility and usability in different lighting conditions.
Role-Based Access & Customization
Admin & Manager Roles: Have access to the Insights Dashboard for in-depth data analysis.
Staff Users: See the Actions Dashboard, which includes tasks and assigned forms.
Key Functional Sections on the Actions Dashboard: The Actions Dashboard is designed to quick access to the ways your team inputs data into HydroApps. It responds based on the modules your system uses and the permissions you’ve given your staff members.
Messaging Section: Centralized location for team communication.
Pool Test Results: Displays the most recent water quality tests.
Forms: Lists forms assigned to the logged-in user.
Quick Access Buttons: Enables easy navigation to schedule management and other key tools.
Staff Audit Card: Shows the most recently completed staff audit forms for the logged-in user.
Schedule Manager Card: Provides links for users to view their schedule, availability, and any shift requests.
New Facility Abbreviation Feature: Cleaner, More Efficient Reports
We’re always working to make your workflow more efficient, and our latest update is designed to do just that. You may have noticed abbreviations appearing in your HydroApps dashboard—this new feature helps streamline facility names, making reports and dashboards clearer and easier to navigate. These abbreviations are optional – you can do some, none, or all!
What's New?
The facility abbreviation feature allows you to:
Save space on reports and dashboards
Display facility names in a cleaner, more readable format
Improve clarity when selecting facility positions
How to Set It Up
To add an abbreviation to a facility, follow these steps:
1. Go to Admin > Facilities
2. Select the facility you want to edit
3. Enter an abbreviation
Once added, the abbreviation will appear alongside the facility name in reports, dashboards, and facility positions, creating a more concise and organized view.
Why Use Abbreviations?
Although this feature is optional, using abbreviations can help simplify your reports, especially if you oversee multiple facilities. A cleaner layout means quicker decision-making and easier navigation.
Tags
A new organization tool to help categorize, filter, and organize employees based on specific attributes.
Understanding Tags vs. Permissions
As an admin who oversees forms and permissions in HydroApps, you may have wondered about the difference between tags and permissions—and when to use one over the other. Here’s a breakdown to help clarify their roles and benefits.
How Are Tags Different from Permissions?
While tags function similarly to permissions, they are designed for easier assignments and greater flexibility. Unlike permissions, tags offer:
Faster form assignments
Future Integration with checklists
Future enhanced reporting capabilities
Improved visibility of linked forms
When Should You Use Tags Instead of Permissions?
Tags are especially useful when you need to assign forms quickly across different roles or staff members. Instead of manually assigning forms to individuals, you can:
1. Assign a form to a user role
2. Use tags to filter by role or staff member
3. Assign forms in bulk, saving time and effort
Do Tags Override Permissions?
Yes. If a form is tagged, only users with the matching tag can see it. Even if a staff member has access through permissions, they won’t be able to view the form unless they also have the required tag.
Why Does This Matter?
Using tags strategically improves control over form visibility while simplifying the assignment process. This ensures that the right people have access without unnecessary manual steps.
New Form Updates: Real-Time Customization & Enhanced Reporting
We’re excited to introduce new enhancements to form customization in HydroApps, giving you greater control over how you create and manage forms. These updates make the process smoother and more efficient.
Real-Time Form Customization
One of the biggest improvements is the ability to add questions and sections in real time, allowing you to instantly see how they will appear. Whether you’re building a new form or updating an existing one, you can:
Add new questions on the fly
Adjust section layouts
Preview form logic as you build it
With these real-time updates, you no longer have to guess how your form will look—it’s now visible as you make changes.
Improved Logic Controls
Ensuring that form questions follow the correct flow is now easier than ever. When setting up conditional logic, you can:
Define which answers trigger specific follow-up questions
Visually confirm that the logic functions as expected
Streamline the user experience for staff completing forms
New Answer Types: Location-Based Data
We’ve expanded location-based response options beyond incident reports and pool closure forms. Now, you can:
Track data by facility location or zone
Pull location details directly from your facility management settings
Apply this feature to any custom form where location tracking is valuable
Enhanced Reporting Options
Including form data in reports is now simpler. By checking the “Include in Reports” box when setting up a question, that data will be:
Available for export
Included in reports for analysis
Seamlessly integrated into your existing form management workflow
These updates provide more flexibility, better tracking, and improved reporting—helping you manage your aquatic operations with greater efficiency
Schedule Manager Updates: Enhanced Usability & Terminology
We’ve made several improvements to Schedule Manager to create a more intuitive and efficient scheduling experience. These updates refine shift management, enhance the staff view, and introduce clearer terminology to ensure consistency across the module.
Standardized Terminology for Clarity
To improve ease of use, we’ve refined several terms within Schedule Manager:
"Schedule Templates" are now simply "Templates" to streamline navigation.
Leave Requests are now Time Off Requests and Sub Requests are now Shift Request, ensuring consistency with familiar language
You’ll also noticed that we’ve replaced the word rostered with scheduled in the shift assignment areas.
Improved Navigation & Staff View
Refined Staff View: Staff members can quickly see their assigned shifts, open shifts available for pickup, and shifts posted for trade. The updated layout makes it easier to manage scheduling needs in real time.
Shift Trade & Pickup Enhancements: Users can now post shifts for trade or claim open shifts directly within the system. Approval thresholds are built in to prevent over-scheduling and ensure a fair process.
Streamlined Scheduling Interface: A cleaner, more organized layout allows staff to manage their schedules, view approved shifts, and track pending requests from a centralized dashboard.
These updates make shift and schedule management more streamlined for both front-line staff and admins, reducing confusion while maintaining clear approval processes.
Enhanced Internal Messaging System
Our enhancement messaging system (formerly “announcements”) introduces back-and-forth style comments for improving communication and collaboration within your team while still offering features that allow for more targeted, efficient, and organized exchanges.
What’s New:
Comment Threads for Conversations: To enhance communication, staff can now add comments under a main message, creating a conversation thread. This allows team members to respond, ask questions, or clarify details directly within the message, improving collaboration and engagement. Admins are able to disable this feature in each message as well.
Additional Admin Monitoring & Oversight: Administrators can view all messages within the system, ensuring transparency and maintaining professional communication. While private messages are kept between the intended recipients, admins have complete visibility to monitor communications across teams.
A New Look:
Familiar message features that have gotten an enhancement include:
Facility-Based & Position-Specific Messaging Messages can be sent to all users assigned to a specific facility or multiple facilities. If your staff works across various locations, selecting a facility ensures that messages reach the right recipients. Additionally, messages can be filtered by position group (e.g., lifeguards at a specific pool) for more precise targeting.
Direct & Group Messaging: Staff members can send messages to individuals, position groups, or specific team members to coordinate shift coverage, ask questions, or communicate efficiently. This system works similarly to direct messages, ensuring staff can easily connect.
Scheduled Messages: Messages can be scheduled to display at a designated start date and duration. This feature allows you to send reminders, updates, or daily greetings, ensuring timely and consistent communication
Administrative Menu Updates: Streamlined Navigation & New Terminology
In this update, several significant changes have been made to the administrative menu to improve navigation and organization.
User Management Update
The “Client Management” section has been renamed to “User Management,” but the functionality remains the same. You’ll still be able to manage users as usual, just with updated terminology for clarity.
Facility & Checklist Management
The management of facilities, checklists, forms, and other related tasks has been consolidated under the “Facilities” section. This new organization makes it easier to find and manage everything related to facility operations.
Public Display Updates
If you have public-facing displays showing chemical tests or announcements, that information can now be found in the updated menu. This ensures that all public-facing data is centralized for easier management.
File Management System Renamed
The “Bulk Storage” section has been renamed to “Files,” and it now resides under the admin menu. This change simplifies file organization and allows for easier file viewing, uploading, and assigning to users directly through the admin screen.
These updates improve the overall organization of the administrative menu, making it more intuitive and easier to manage your system's various components
Lifeguard Manager Module Changed To Staff Manager
What’s New:
Renamed Module: The Lifeguard Manager module has been updated and renamed to the Staff Manager module because we know that your teams are made up of more than just your lifeguards. We want to pave the way for you to be able to audit and evaluate them as well.
Positioned for Future Standards: Recent updates submitted to the Model Aquatic Health Code will include specific qualifications for water safety instructors. To stay ahead of these changes, the Staff Manager module has been revamped to incorporate new audit tools that align with these standards. This allows you to easily track compliance with evolving regulations.
New Ability To Add Customizable Forms
One of the key future enhancements will allow users to add their own custom audit forms to the system, just as you can currently create custom forms through the Facility Manager. This will make it easier to tailor the system to meet your unique needs, with the flexibility to design and include audit forms as necessary. The upgraded form editing process now includes the ability to set location-based questions, designate questions as required or not, and add custom staff evaluation and audit forms (with HydroApps assistance).
Improved Interface & Functionality
While the module has a new name and design for improved clarity, the core functionality remains unchanged. Users will still be able to create, manage, and edit forms with the same straightforward process. The new buttons and layout are designed for a more intuitive experience, but all standard forms and features are still intact.
Comentarios