SugarCRM Enterprise 14.0 Version: April 2024 Release Highlights

Sugar has introduced exciting features in the latest upgrade for all on-site customers. Let’s deep dive into this blog to explore the new features in Sugar 14.0. Every customer should consider upgrading their system whenever there is a new release to enjoy the benefits of new features and also to keep their system secure with security updates.

New Features in Sugar 14.0 Enterprise Edition / On Premise SugarCRM 14.0 Updates

1. New and Improved Tile View
2. UI / UX Improvements
3. Dashboards and Dashlet Improvements
4. Advanced Users Module (moved from BWC to Sidecar with advanced look and feel)
5. Report Updates in Sugar 14
6. Guided Selling / Smart Guide New Updates.
7. Improved Administration Features for Enhanced Usability

New and Improved Tile view

In Sugar Enterprise 14, Tile view has a vibrant new look and is now available for all modules, including custom ones. This update makes sorting and navigating records simpler and more intuitive. 

Sugar Tiles View is available by default for Cases, Opportunities, Tasks and Leads modules. But this can also be configured for any stock / custom module by an admin user very easily as depicted in the below screenshot.

You can scroll up and down within a tile view column while keeping the column headers and other columns fixed. Each column now shows the number of tiles and a total value for selected fields, like account revenue, making data summaries easier.

Focus drawers are accessible within the tile view, letting you check record details without leaving the view. The view also stays “sticky,” so when you return to a module’s tile view, you don’t need to click the Tile View button again. Additionally, you can sort tiles by different fields to control how data is presented.

These new features make it easier for users to manage and understand their data better.

UI / UX Improvements

In Sugar 14 a couple of user interface and user experience improvements are done as mentioned below.

1. The Comment Log field is now available in the native Quotes module. With this update, you can also add this field to the preview layout.

2. More filter operators for date / date time fields are added which makes users to easily filter the Data based on these fields in various modules.
3. New Default list filters are available in modules like Leads, Opportunities, Cases, Tasks module.
   1. By default Escalated cases filter is available which makes support team life easier to easily view the escalated cases.
   2. By default some additional filters like Tasks created by Me are added in the Tasks module which allows users to easily filter tasks created by them without applying filters every time.
   3. 4 new filters are added to Leads List view filters which makes Salesperson’s life much easier while using leads module in SugarCRM as mentioned below.
      • My Marketing Qualified Leads: Shows leads assigned to you that are either “New” or “Assigned.”
      • My Sales Qualified Leads: Displays leads assigned to you that are marked as “In Progress.”
      • New Marketing Qualified Leads: Lists leads created in the last 30 days with a “New” status.
      • Today’s New Leads: Shows all leads created today with a “New” status.
   4. Three new filters have been added to the Opportunities list view, allowing salespeople to quickly view opportunities based on specific criteria. These filters help save time by making it easier to access the data they need without repeatedly applying filters.
      • My Open Existing Business Opportunities: Opportunities assigned to you that are “Existing Business” and not yet “Closed Won” or “Closed Lost.”
      • My Open Opportunities: Opportunities assigned to you that are still open (not “Closed Won” or “Closed Lost”).
      • This Quarter’s Opportunities: Opportunities expected to close in the current quarter.
4. List View / Record View automatically gets refreshed when the data is updated through the Focus drawer in any module.
5. The most important and coolest feature introduced in importing is the ability to easily check for duplicates based on multiple fields using AND and OR operators. For example, when importing contacts, you can check for duplicates based on First Name, Last Name, and Email Address using the AND operator. This helps users avoid duplicate records based on different criteria.

6. The most important new feature in Sugar 14’s Documents module is the ability to easily drag and drop files for uploading when creating a document record. This simplifies the process for users, saving them time and effort when uploading documents.

Dashboard and Dashlet Improvements

Dashboard Improvements

Dashlet Improvements

As part of Sugar 14.0 release, Timeline Dashlet, Comment Log Dashlet, Forecast Dashlet, Cases Record View Dashlet have been improved a lot. 

You can also display data from any module that has a many-to-one or many-to-many relationship with the target module. Admins can use Studio to select up to ten module relationships, including custom ones, for each target module. The dashlet now tracks changes to more fields within each module, so users are better informed about key updates. A search bar has also been added, allowing users to quickly find relevant activities across all modules displayed in the timeline, making it easier to locate specific information.

Advanced Users Module

In Sugar 14, the Users module has been upgraded from BWC to the Sidecar interface, giving it a fresh, modern look like other standard modules. The users module interface is now more intuitive, making it easier for users to manage their profiles. New list view actions menu / record view actions menu options have been added, offering quick access to features like viewing historical summaries and document merging. Additionally, the module navigation bar has been redesigned for easy customization, allowing users to drag and drop modules as needed.

Reports Updates in Sugar 14

In Sugar 14, users can now dive deeper into reports without leaving the current page. Clicking on a chart in the Report result view opens a focus drawer, letting users view detailed information without losing their place. As they dig further, new tabs open, so they can easily navigate between different reports. Additionally, extra legend details in report charts are now neatly organized in a menu, giving users more room to see their data clearly.

Guided Selling / Smart Guide New Updates

The latest Smart Guides / Customer journey update in Sugar introduces several useful enhancements. Users can now trigger actions between smart guides and parent records, link existing activities, and start calls directly from Smart Guides. The interface has been improved with a redesigned options bar, visible assignee info, and an archived badge. Admins can hide stage numbers, and new state options have been added to the list view for better organization.

Improved Administration Features for Enhanced Usability

Sugar 14 introduces several improvements to make your work easier and more efficient. SugarBPM now supports conditionally required fields and checks for inactive users, enhancing process reliability. New Sugar Logic functions help you create dynamic formulas based on user and record status.

Doc Merge settings are now more flexible, and email-to-case configurations can be adjusted to fit your organization’s needs.

Connectors and mobile layouts have also been updated, with support for single-tenant Microsoft connectors, the Google People API for contact imports, and improved mobile layouts for Notes. These changes aim to simplify workflows, improve data handling, and enhance overall user experience.

Conclusion

As we all know, every software undergoes periodic upgrades. Similarly, SugarCRM also releases new features for Cloud customers every quarter and annually for all Sugar On-Prem customers. These releases include bug fixes from previous versions, security updates, and new features. While all Cloud customers enjoy updates every quarter, on-site customers need to wait a year. 

SugarCRM 14 brought exciting updates that enhanced user’s usability and efficiency. With new features like improved tile views, smarter reporting, and better admin tools, managing and analyzing your data is now easier than ever. 

Bhea has successfully implemented SugarCRM for numerous clients, improving functionality and user experience across various industries. Whether you need to upgrade to SugarCRM 14, refresh your current CRM, or start with a new CRM solution, we’re here to help. Our team ensures a smooth transition and helps you leverage the latest features to advance your business. Contact us today to get started!