BackOffice Updates are Coming: Learn What We Changed and Why
Get excited about the changes, then test drive the shiny new BackOffice today!
Over the past week or so you may have noticed a new banner at the top of your BackOffice. That banner is there because after extensive design work and testing, our new version of the BackOffice is ready for a test drive and some feedback!
We know that your BackOffice is the hub of your business. You spend a lot of time in there, so we took care to preserve what you love about BackOffice and ensure a smooth transition. With that in mind, we want to talk through why we made these changes and how the test drive and subsequent full transition will look for you.
Your BackOffice has a bright future, so get ready for an exciting ride!
Why are we updating the BackOffice?
The number one reason why we are updating the BackOffice is to provide you, our merchants, with more and better functionality for reporting, inventory, and many other things.
The first step to achieving those goals was an organizational overhaul. BackOffice has evolved and added many new features over the past few years, so we took a step back to ensure that everything is logically organized and easy to find. We were happy to discover that relatively few things were out of place, so you’ll find many of the features you use in the same places they were before. We also revised the names of some items to make them clearer or more consistent with other features. You can read more about the specific organizational changes here.
Next, we set about making the appearance of BackOffice as clean, simple, and beautiful as our iPad app. We’re happy with the results, and judging by some of the feedback we’ve received so far, we’re confident you will be too. Additionally, along the way we’ve adopted several new tools that will enable us to create more compelling experiences more quickly and at a higher quality, ultimately resulting in a better product for you.
What’s important to note here with all this is that while things may look pretty different, the functionality in this initial rollout is the same. It’s mostly the re-organization of a few menus, along with a few naming changes thrown in for clarity.
However, there is one big change that many of you will notice right away, which is that several of the most heavily used BackOffice pages now offer mobile-optimized layouts. Now when you visit the BackOffice on your Android, iOS, or Windows device, the new Bird’s Eye View page, Analytics Dashboard (formerly Summary Report), and many of your other pages give you the info you need at any size. You can even quickly add or edit inventory from your smartphone!
Check out the difference:
What’s the deal with the “test drive”?
What we’re calling a test drive is your opportunity to try out the new BackOffice and give us your feedback to help us out with the switchover process.
As part of the test drive, we encourage you to fully explore your new BackOffice and let us know what you think about everything you see. In particular, we want to make sure the full transition goes as smoothly as possible, so any feedback about the reports you check or actions you perform most commonly will be especially valuable in helping both you and your fellow merchants.
You can access the test drive anytime by clicking the banner at the top of your BackOffice and then provide feedback by finding the green “Send Feedback” link in the top right of the screen where you manage your account information. Many of you have already taken a moment to send us your feedback. In fact, thanks to your feedback, we’ve already fixed a problem with the Register info on the Bird’s Eye View, and have a fix coming soon that will reduce clutter on printed reports!
When will the “new BackOffice” just be “BackOffice”?
Since starting work on the new BackOffice, we’ve tested prototypes extensively with ShopKeep merchants and fielded plenty of feedback throughout that time and during the test drive period so far. Based on what we’ve heard and how merchants have responded to the changes, we are confident that the new BackOffice is ready for prime time.
Starting Monday, July 20, we will begin switching accounts over to the new BackOffice full time. We encourage you to review our detailed support article as soon as possible and share it with anyone else in your business who uses BackOffice. If there’s anything you see that’s not working for you, let us know by going to the menu in the top right corner and choosing the “Send Feedback” option. We’ll continue to review your feedback and prioritize fixes for any critical issues that crop up.
We know that change is can be scary, but we’re confident that these changes will be great for your business. Stay tuned: in the coming weeks we will share the next updates you’ll come to know and love!
Update (7/29/15):
As of today, all ShopKeep customers are now on the “new BackOffice”, or rather “BackOffice”! We’re happy to report that the transition went very smoothly and we appreciate all the valuable feedback that you have been sharing throughout the changeover. Keep it coming and look out for more updates!
Want to try ShopKeep for yourself?
Just answer a few easy questions.
Need help finding the right point of sale?
Just complete the form. We’ll call you right back to explain how ShopKeep can work for you.
Hit the ground running.Sprinting, in fact!
Read our free, comprehensive guide, Small Business 101, to learn all you need to know about starting a thriving business.