Release News
Upgrade Information
Version 4.1 — Current Version
Features:
1. There are major upgrades to the Stock Register. (Initially the Stock Register was not a major part of the software but owners have suggested revisions that have given the software an important new element that can replace expensive outsourced services for maintaining a company’s stock register.)
2. A new user interface giving the software a more MS Windows appearance.
Version 4.4 — Coming Soon
Notice: This version will have a different price structure and the number of companies that can be added in the Company Profile form will be fewer per license than in prior versions. After this version there will no longer be free upgrades and add-ons will be extra. Those who purchase prior to version 5.0 will continue to have access to free upgrades and add-ons for all future upgrades.
New Features:
1. An extensive security system has been added. It includes 1.) password access to the application, 2.) user privileges based on user ID and password, 3.) a usage log that tracks all important changes to data and who made them, 4.) an edit lock that helps to prevent accidental changes, 5.) a vaidation test for the Usage Log and the Stock Register to determine whether anyone has tampered with data from outside the appliction.
2. Links to tutorial movies on the Web are accessible from the Help menu. The first time they are downloaded may take several minutes for each movie but they will play immediately once downloaded.
3. Companies can be entered as owners of the companies that are being tracked without purchasing a license for additional companies.
4. International addresses as well as US and Canadian addresses can be entered for personnel and companies that are shareholders or members of tracked companies.
5. Multiple owners (sellers) of company ownership (shares/units) can be accommodated in the Stock Register with one or more recipients (buyers). For example, two parents owning the same stock can trade ownership with one or more of their children.
6. Data can be imported from MS Excel and other spread sheets into the Company, Personnel, and Company Shareholder forms.
7. Blanket changes can be made to personnel records. For example, if data for 500 people has been imported into the Personnel table and all of them are associated with one of the companies on the Company Profile form or they are all doctors, those change can be made without opening and manually changing each of the 500 records. (The DOB for everyone in the database can be changed to a blank while previously a data was required.)
8. Personnel can be sorted on last name, first name, or order of entry.
9. The number of decimals for shares and price on the Stock Register form can be changed from zero to five decimal places.
10. In the Stock Register form, double clicking a stock transaction on the Stock Transfer Ledger page moves to the details for that transaction on the Enter Transactions page.
11. Stock Certificates can be changed after they have been surrendered.
12. The error message displayed when clicking on a company tab from meeting notes within the Shareholder or Director Meeting forms has been corrected.
Plans for Version 5.0 due in 2007
Notice: Starting with this version there will be an additional fee for upgrades and add-ons. Owners of versions prior to 5.0 will receive upgrades and add-ons at no additional cost.
1. User defined stock types will be added. Stock Options will no longer be in the Stock Register. You will be able to enter three user defined stock types with such titles as Preferred Stock -Type A or Restricted Common Stock B. This is a major upgrade to the Stock Register.
2. The system will adjust based on the company type selected on the Company Profile form. For example different documents will appear for a C or S-corp than for an LLC. Officers and directors will be on the Officer’s and Director’s form for C and S corporations while managers and members will appear for LLCs. The names and related data for officers, directors, etc. will be automatically inserted into documents related to C and S corporations while the names and related data for managers and members will be inserted into documents related to LLCs. The Stock Register will automatically change for LLCs and other forms of business. This is a major upgrade to the entire application.
3. There will be a Meeting Agenda and Minutes feature in addition to the the current meeting minutes and related documents in the Create Documents form. This feature will be added to both the Shareholder and Director Meeting forms. Data will be automatically inserted into these documents just as they are in the current documents in the Create Documents form. Documentation for meetings will be far more extensive yet quiker and easier to create. (This is an add-on.)
4. The To-do List and Calendar will be linked to many features within the application and data will also be shared with MS Outlook. Warnings of due dates and the to-do list will be sent to MS Outlook. (The link to MS Outlook is an add-on.)
5. Stock options and owners can be tracked with this new, advanced feature. (This is an add-on.)
6. Alpha numeric certificate numbers are accomidated.
7. Stock transactions can be imported into the Stock Register.
8. The Owner Meetings (previously Shareholder Meetings) form and Director/Manager Meeting form will be directly connected to meeting documents on the Create Documents form.
9. Additional mailing and email addresses can be entered for each person and the priority address for each can be entered for each person so that mailing labels can be printed with the priority address and email messages automatically generated by the application are sent to the priority email address
10. Changes to Stock Certificates offers more options including importing scanned backgrounds and the flexiblility of changing and moving text on the certificate.
11. Company letterhead, company seal, and the notary seal are more easily accessible from the Import options under the File menu of the Create Documents Form.
If you have suggestions for features that you believe should be included in this or future upgrades, send them to mike@instructionalsoftware.us. Priority is given to features that we believe will benefit the most companies.
