New Features in CMD 2017.1 FMX
In addition to the continual refinement of the FMX version to prepare it for use in both PC and Mac platforms from the same code, we’ve continued to add new features. In addition to many small ones that you will only notice as you use it, we have added the following things that are very helpful additions:
1.You can now personalize text messages. A new option lets you add a salutation and the Goes By field, or a salutation that uses the Title and Last Name. For example, you can tell the text message to read, “Hi John, …” Or “Dear John, …” or just “John, …”. You can also send the text without any salutation and Goes By if you wish.
If you want to use the Salutation and Last Name, it would be “Hi Mr. Smith, …” and so forth. It makes the text much more personal, and may be more likely to be read.
Click here for more information.
2.The Internal E-Mail Client is back! We’ve put back in the internal e-mail client that makes it a snap to send e-mail messages to any group in your CMD data file without having to leave CMD to go to an outside e-mail program. This is very handy, and I think will get a lot of use in its new form.
3.You can now personalize the E-Mail Messages, too! As with the text messages, you can personalize your e-mail messages in the same way as noted above. This also makes the e-mail messages much more personal! It’s easily, simply open a drop-down box and select the type of personalization you want and send the message.
4.You will be able to add attachments to your e-mail as well, which is also new.
5.Quick Name Entry (a feature from Classic) has been added to many dialogs such as Attendance Entry that allows you to enter a new name on the fly without having to leave that function.
6.The printing of name tags has been added to Attendance Entry. Use most any Dymo LabelWriter to print the name tags.
7.There is a new set of speed buttons you can click on CMD's main screen (FMX only) that provides easy access to the most common functions in CMD. All other functions are still available from the menus as before, but these buttons in the center of the main screen make it easier and faster to get to the most common functions. If you don't wish to see these buttons on your screen, you can hide them by selecting Hide Speed Buttons on the Preferences menu. Here's what's available:
What's Left?
During the rest of the model year, we’ll finish these things up in the FMX version:
•Places Scheduling
•Macros in Print Names
•Format B with Pictures (Church Directory)
•Half-page Directory Format
•Customized Directory Format
Once these things are finished, CMD FMX will be fully functional alongside CMD Classic. There are already numerous things in FMX now that Classic does not have, but before the end of this model comes about, FMX will have everything that Classic does. If you’ve not yet explored FMX, this will be the best time to get started with it! Remember, it uses the same data as the Classic version, and you can go back and forth between the versions as necessary.
Mac Version News
I know many of you are waiting for the Mac version of CMD. We received word from our data engine supplier in December that the finishing of their data engine for the Mac OS platform is their highest priority for the first part of this year.
Once their data engine has been ported to the MAC OS platform, we will work as fast as we can to get the FMX version working in the Mac version. I’m sure it will take us a few weeks to accomplish this once we get the data engine update, but from the word from our data engine provider, it appears that we will finally have it finished in 2019!
How will the Mac update/licensing work?
Current CMD 2017 users will receive the Mac version update free of charge during 2017 right along with any Windows versions updates we come out with during the 2017 model year.
Starting in 2019, you can update to either Mac or PC versions for the one update price. If you need both versions in your system, there will be a modest additional charge to maintain licenses for both platforms. While we have not yet set the final price for the two-platform licenses, in according with our past practice it will be reasonable.
Like you, I’m disappointed it’s taken our data engine provider so long to complete their port of the data engine to Mac. I’ve stuck with them because their engine is rock solid, works very efficiently, and their products make it cost effective enough that I can offer CMD for a much lower price than I’d have to charge otherwise were I to use another data engine.
So thanks for your patience! I’m confident it will all feel worth the wait once we have the Mac version in our hands.