SMS text messaging has been added to Spectra 2012! You can now use Spectra to send individual texts to clients, send bulk texts to a large group of clients, or send triggered texts based on status updates. Create SMS text messages from form letters you have created or on the fly. Client replies are received directly into Spectra and attached to the client's record. SMS text messaging fees apply.

+ Information about the StudioPlus SMS Text Messaging plans
+ More about the SMS text messaging features in Spectra

Spectra 2012 contains many new email features, including the ability for Spectra to receive incoming email. Emails you receive through Spectra will automatically be attached to the correct client, when possible.

Email signature abilities have also been added to allow you to add personalized email signatures to your outgoing emails. Email signatures can be set up at the studio level, as well as at the user level. Any user signatures will take precedence over the studio signature.

+ More about email signatures

A new Messages hub has been created which can act as your studio's new email and SMS text messaging inbox. View options include inbox, sent items, and unlinked items, as well as the option to narrow the list by a specific criteria, such as a user. The standard hub customization features, such as the column chooser, data filter, and group by box are also available on the Messages hub.

+ More about the Messages hub

The StudioPlus To-Do tracking abilities have been renamed as Tasks and have been significantly enhanced. You can now attach tasks to individual records, like clients, sessions, invoices, etc.. You can assign tasks to individual users or the newly created department classification, as well as track your tasks using task types and statuses. You can link communication records (such as emails, texts, and phone calls) to a task. Tasks can be automatically generated by using Triggers. A new Tasks hub has been added, giving greater management controls to your studio.

+ More about tasks

You can now create departments in Spectra. Use departments to group your studio users by their role, as opposed to their security level. You can then assign emails and tasks to a department and/or an individual. Users may belong to one department.

+ More about departments

With the new Communication Wizard you can send bulk emails or SMS text messages, create phone call records, or print letters – all based on your client groups, client statuses, marketing plans, or filters. This wizard replaces the Email Wizard and Create a Group of Call Records on the Tools menu, as well as the Merge option in Form Letters.

+ More about the Communication Wizard

A new credit card processing routine has been introduced that your studio can use to process credit cards with Merchant Warehouse without Spectra ever touching or storing the credit card number. This allows Spectra to be removed from the PCI compliance scope. Utilizing this new feature makes it much simpler for your studio to attain PCI compliance. This credit card routine uses token processing through Merchant Warehouse and works on single purchases as well as automatic payment plans. Enable this feature on the Credit Cards tab in Studio Preferences. Use the Purge utility on the same tab to clear out any credit card numbers previously stored in your Spectra database.

+ More about credit card processing

You can now play an Animoto® video instead of the standard slideshow during the sales presentation. Name the video file "slideshow.mp4" and save it in thesession's previews folder.

+ Read more

Many new features have been added to Spectra to accommodate the new version of InSpiredByYou.com (formerly called MyStudioPlus.com). You can now:

» Create and upload wedding/event contracts for e-signatures.

» Upload albums for online proofing.

» Share Animoto® videos online.

» Upload prepaid orders for online image selection.

» Download image favorites from InSpired to Spectra.

+ Read "What's New in InspiredByYou" for more information

Digital Workflow is now called the Workflow hub, and has incorporated a drop-down list for the workflow stages.

+ More about the Workflow hub

Along with a vibrant new color scheme, the Browse menu on the Home page has been relocated from the left portion of the screen to the top right and has been renamed as the Hub menu.

+ More about the Spectra Home page

The Spectra Control Center is now being run as a Windows service, giving greater control and flexibility over that application.

+ More about the Control Center

The MyStudioPlus Order Downloader job in the Control Center is now called InSpiredByYou Data Sync. It now performs the following functions:

Uploads:
» Prepaid orders
» Client albums
» Contracts
» Animoto® videos

Downloads:
» Favorite images
» Client albums
» Contracts
» Orders
» Yearbook selections

+ More about the InSpiredByYou Data Sync

We have added an option at the top of the payment form to easily set if this transaction is a payment or a refund.

In addition, we've changed the way a refund is issued when using Merchant Warehouse with the new PCI setting turned on. When you select a refund, you will need to choose one of the client's previous payments that you want to issue a refund for. You are not required to refund the full amount, but you cannot exceed the amount of the original charge.

+ More about payments and refunds