v19 Release Notes

Release Date: March 19, 2020

Expanded compatibility with usage-based products

You can now add more products that require complex usage reporting techniques. This is an improvement to an existing feature to support different types of usage models, which was initially measured only in quantity. 

• Enables you to expand your portfolio and onboard and list more complex consumption-based products
• Better accommodates various rating models across multiple tiers

Zapier-Connect plugin

You can easily communicate with, automate multiple actions or processes, and respond to triggers from different systems. Zapier, a web-based, no-code process automation platform, acts as a middleware that enables your instance of CloudBlue Connect to smoothly interact with 2,000+ commercial applications.

It unlocks a wide range of possibilities for you. For example, you can trigger an automatic notification email from Gmail when a new order request is received or issue Connect chat communications with chat platforms between Providers/Vendors for different requests.

• Unlocks unlimited opportunities to new types of integrations
• Seamlessly extends your compatibility with different systems without the investment of developing additional software applications or integrations
• Saves you time and effort as Zapier can comprehend a large number of triggers and automate different responses and actions

To view the CloudBlue Connect Zapier App, please visit https://zapier.com/apps/cloudblue-connect/integrations

Streamlined listing wizard

You were previously able to submit listing requests from multiple modules within CloudBlue Connect. Now, listing requests are streamlined and combined in a step-by-step listing wizard.

• Helps you easily complete new listing requests through a more user-friendly interface

Shopping cart validation and reservation

You can automatically validate the availability of a product quantity and reservations, as in phone number or domain name, while your service provider is checking out an order. CloudBlue Connect will automatically carry out that process and make sure the order is valid before sending it to your team before the order is placed.

• Reduces the amount of faulty orders received from service providers
• Streamlines order processing 
• Cuts down on time spent manually validating orders throughout the fulfillment process

New Subscriptions module

You can now see a new module on CloudBlue Connect dedicated to recurring subscriptions. This module allows you to view your recurring subscriptions from a consolidated pane. Additionally, CloudBlue Connect can now trigger automated billing requests for recurring services at renewal times, in case your commerce system or that of your service provider is not capable of initiating those requests.

• Easily initiates automated recurring billing requests to your service providers
• Cuts down on time invested in manually tracking billing requests back and forth from/to service providers
• View and track active recurring subscriptions

Unified product definition

Previously, product-related information lived across different modules. Now, you can more specifically define products from one unified, user-friendly interface. This grouping includes pricing structure, consumption as well as delivery models.

• Simplifies the process of defining your products
• Enables service providers to easily understand the product sales and consumption models

Extended SKU definition

You can now define and add more business rules to each of your SKUs, allowing you to create a detailed SKU hierarchy instead of having a long list of disconnected SKUs.

• Saves time on educating your service providers on your SKU structure
• Creates bundling, upsell and cross-sell paths for service providers, so they can better sell your products

Primary reconciliation ID tag

You can now automatically reconcile order numbers generated from different service providers’ commerce systems and map them with order numbers generated from your provisioning systems in one single consolidated fulfillment parameter.

• Cuts down on manually mapping order numbers 
• Allows you to seamlessly track orders with a unified ID

CloudBlue Catalog improvements

Previously, you were only able to view configuration parameters set on products by vendors. Now, you have control to set and modify your own configuration parameters with any of the products you are selling in any marketplace. In addition, Sourcing Agreements are now renamed to Referrals and Syndication (previously Direct and Indirect, respectively).

• Helps you easily define a set of specific actions that are triggered once a specific product is purchased from a certain marketplace
• Allows you to take necessary actions as you sell specified products in certain markets

The CloudBlue Catalog can be found here: https://catalog.cloudblue.com/

Public CloudBlue Connect Knowledge Base

Our CloudBlue Connect Knowledge Base is now public! All documentation, including API documentation, FAQ, release notes, and Connect Status can be found here: https://connect.cloudblue.com/documentation/

CloudBlue Connect GitHub Channel

We’re live on GitHub! Our CloudBlue Connect GitHub Channel is now available to the public to view our various SDKs and frameworks to help you build out your Connect applications.

Our CloudBlue Connect GitHub can be ofund here: https://github.com/cloudblue

CloudBlue Connect JavaScript SDK

The CloudBlue Connect JavaScript SDK is now available! You now have an option between our Python SDK, PHP SDK, or JavaScript SDK to use and help develop your Connect applications.

The CloudBlue Connect JavaScript SDK can be found here: https://github.com/cloudblue/connect-javascript-sdk

Other stability and functionality improvements

• New Connect APP with UX1 support to handle reseller’s configurations
• Account details change notification support for Vendors
• Vendor digital walkthrough and checklists for certain domains (will be available for all domains in the coming months)
• and much more!