Release Notes

Changelog

What's New in 3.6

• Search for vehicles by the last 6 - 8 characters of a VIN
• More, sizable improvements to the data and photo synchronization from the client to the cloud
• Improvements and code optimizations in numerous areas
• Improvements to user authentication
• Improvements to window label generation and printing

What's New in 3.5

New Functionality and Features include:

• Improvements to VIN Decode in the Add Vehicle process to automatically check vehicle equipment (aka Options) and Packages on the VDP screen.
• Improvement to the Add Vehicle UI that adds the count of selected vehicle Equipment/Options after VIN Decode. A number like "55" will be visible on the Add UI to confirm for the user that 55 Options were automatically selected by VIN Decode
• Adds a Video URL field to the VDP. Tapping the URL plays the video
• High Resolution vehicle photos stored in the cloud are now visible in the app (when they are present for a vehicle) on the VDP (in the photo stream), in the Photo Grid view, and via the Photo Detail UI
• Adds an icon to a vehicle on the VLP to identify when the Photo Capture Timer is running for the vehicle (from user feedback). If you bounce to the VLP while capturing photos for a discrete vehicle, it's helpful to know immediately on which vehicle the timer is running
• Improvement to window label printing to ensure that vehicle data edited/changed/added in the app by the user during the active session is immediately inserted into a window label
• Further improvements related to error handling to improve UX

What's New in 3.4

New Functionality and Features include:

• Additional photo synchronization functionality to manually associate photos on an external camera with a vehicle you choose in a case where all the photos on your camera could not automatically sync with vehicles in VIN Studio. This is a new convenience feature for the batch photo import (for multiple vehicles at once) that prevents the need to first import the "unmatched" photos into the Andriod Photo Gallery app before then importing them into VIN Studio. Now you can import unmatched photos directly into VIN Studio during the batch photo import workflow.
• Redesigned the Edit Details UI in response to user feedback dramatically improving the ease of use to locate fields on the screen. New "field groups" (section headers) have been added, and fields have been intuitively organized into groups with the most important data at the top of the screen. #BecauseYouWereRight
• Further improved the display of vehicle photos on the VDP to avoid cases where the thumbnail images (in the swipe-able photo stream) appeared slightly out of focus (pixelated)
• An improvement (from user feedback) to navigating back and forth from the VLP to VDPs: when you tap a vehicle in the VLP, you then view the VDP. Now, when you return to the VLP using the back button, the VLP will not always return to the top of the vehicles list, and instead it will "focus" on the vehicle row you originally tapped. For example, if a vehicle you select is in row 80 (of say 200 rows), when you return to the VLP from the VDP, row 80 will remain in focus (as opposed to being back at row 1 and having to remember where in the list that vehicle was). #NoMemoryNeeded
• Added support for movement of photos from an external device via Mini-SD card for those Android tablets that have an on-board Mini-SD card port. Photos can be imported to VIN Studio via the Android Photo Gallery. If you prefer, you can elect to move photos from your external camera to the tablet by a) inserting your Mini-SD card into the tablet's Mini-SD port, b) copying the photos to the Android Photo Gallery, and c) then using the VIN Studio "Import Photos" option in the hamburger menu to import the photos from the Android Photo Gallery.
• The vehicle Make, Model, Series, Exterior Color and Interior Color fields are now pick-lists with pre-set values for users to select from. The text-entry fields on the VDP, Edit Details UI and the Add Vehicle UI have been replaced with Pick-list fields hydrated with accurate vehicle data. #Upgrades
• Further improvements to vehicle data synchronization between the app and the cloud:
• For a user with access to multiple dealership accounts, the VLP will now load vehicles more effectively to avoid rare cases where after authentication, a user with access to hundreds of dealers might temporarily see an empty list on the initial VLP load
• For a user with access to multiple dealership accounts, Tenants that have not entered their dealership address in the primary web app will now be able to access the account (without the physical address) in VIN Studio
• For a user with access to multiple dealership accounts, when the user authenticates to VIN Studio, the dealership account he/she used at the end of his/her last session will now be the default account selected for the next user session. Of course, you can always select another dealership account to use after logging in!
• Added support to this native app so that activity (adds, edits, deletes, price changes, etc.) performed in VIN Studio for Android Tablets can be visible in the primary vehicle audit log in the cloud (aka the Audit Trail)
• A minor improvement, based on user feedback, to the Add Vehicle UI so all the required fields are visible without the need to swipe down on most Android 7" - 10" tablets.

What's New in 3.3

New Functionality and Features include:

• VIN Decode functionality will return only one series-specific, matching vehicle thanks to the use of OEM Build Data (note: currently available for 17 OEMs, but more OEM Build Data will become available in 2017 - 2018)
• Users may now sync vehicle photos on a DSLR or point-and-shoot camera to VIN Studio without having to use the Android Photo Gallery as a "middle man"
• Users may sync photos from external cameras for a single vehicle or multiple vehicles at once
• "Location" field added to the VLP, VDP and Search UIs
• Replaced text data entry fields with pick-lists containing pre-set data values for Fuel System, Fuel Type, Body Style, Engine Type, Transmission and Drivetrain on the VDP
• CPO In Service Date and CPO Warranty Expiration Date are now editable fields on the VDP (instead of being read only)
• Added the "YouTube Video URL" field to the VDP
• Improved the placement of some Save buttons to avoid a user having to scroll/swipe to "find" the Save button
• Improved support for user time zones
• User sessions now stored in real-time using a cloud-based, data layer (as opposed to a physical server or VM)
• Other minor improvements from user feedback

What's New in 3.2.2

New Functionality and Features include:

• Design improvements to photo uploads from the app to the cloud
• Design improvements to data synchronization from the cloud to the app

What's New in 3.2

New Functionality and Features include:

• Photos taken outside of VIN Studio using the Android camera app can be associated with vehicles in VIN Studio;
• A new user notification will display when a bulk upload event completes to improve UX;
• Added a "Last Updated From Cloud" date/time stamp to the VDP to help users visualize when a vehicle's data and photos were last sync'd to the app from the cloud;
• Added a "Last Updated From Cloud" date/time stamp to the VLP to help users visualize when all vehicle data was last sync'd to the app from the cloud;
• Added a "Syncing Data" animation to help users visualize when vehicle data is in the process of synching from the cloud;
• Improved the UX of the CPO (Certified Pre-owned) fields on the VDP so that all fields are hidden until the user checks the "CPO?" box;
• Added new validation to the Stock Number field to prevent users from entering bad data in the field;
• Improved the organization and order of Options categories and their child Options values to improve ease of use;
• Replaced old-school save icons with self explanatory buttons;
• Improved photo re-order workflow to improve photo numbering and ease of use;
• Other minor improvements from user feedback;
• The "Balance of Factory Warranty" and "Balance of Powertrain Warranty" verbiage inserted into the body of the Buyer's Guides has been improved to insert OEM specific time and mileage durations;
• Performance and error handling enhancements for window label generation;
• Addition of 30 new vehicle options including many RV options;

What's New in 3.1

New Functionality and Features include:

• Authentication UI improved to allow users to delete their username and/or password with a single touch;
• Improvement to the Start view after authentication to avoid zero counts while data downloads from the cloud;
• "Stock Type" column added to the VLP UI;
• VLP column selection improved to limit the number of columns visible on the list to 10 and to require a minimum number of columns to improve UX;
• Add Vehicle UI and UX improved to optimize workflow and ease of use;
• VIN Decode feature of the Add Vehicle UI upgraded to improve one-to-one, series-specific vehicle matches (to avoid a list of possible matching vehicles requiring user input to complete);
• Adds the "Selected Options Count" attribute to the VDP, Options tab to see the count of selected options per vehicle;
• Engine Size attribute text entry field replaced with pick-list values to improve UX;
• Vehicle Options alphabetized to improve ease of use;
• Adds "CPO?" as a search field to view a list of vehicles that are Certified Pre-owned vehicles only;
• Improvements to data and photo synchronization from the app to the cloud;
• Minor improvements to improve interface design and UX;
• Improved UX when decoding an invalid VIN;
• More minor UI improvements to improve UX;
• Improved authentication UX when no internet connection is present;

What's New in 3.0

New Functionality and Features include:

• Print Window Labels for vehicles, including FTC compliant Buyers Guides and custom Window Stickers;
• Secure Storage and HTTPS Transmission of any user and tenant data;
• Improvements to data and photo synchronization to reduce wait times, improve background synchronization, and more;
• Adds vehicle Age to the VLP and VDP;
• Adds "My Vehicles" option to the main app menu so you can quickly bounce to your vehicle list from any screen;
• New Certified Pre-owned Program field values added for new retailer and OEM programs;
• Print Jaguar Land Rover OEM, CPO window labels;
• Improvements to the individual, vehicle photo stream to accommodate large numbers of photos (i.e. 100+);
• Minor improvements to the look-and-feel to optimize the touch interface;
• Privacy Statement added to the About VIN Studio screen per Google requirements;

About VIN Studio

VIN Studio is a free, companion, Android app to AutoUpLink Tech’s popular Inventory Management software designed for fast, easy and brilliant photos, sterling vehicle data, and window label printing on the go for retailers who are serious about creating vehicle merchandizing content that gets noticed.

Automotive retailers use VIN Studio to:

• Print Window Stickers and Buyers Guides for vehicles without having to power up a laptop or desktop computer. Get used vehicles compliant and front-line ready faster than ever before;
• Quickly and effortlessly capture photos which are associated with individual vehicles and saved in the cloud. Photos are then syndicated online with inventory data and pricing to merchandize and advertise vehicles;
• Edit vehicle data and re-order photos on the fly in real-time to sync changes to the cloud like a boss;
• Scan a vehicle’s barcode and decode a VIN to conveniently add new vehicles. Super handy in those real-life situations where a vehicle wasn’t stocked into inventory and you need to advertise it pronto;
• Make the bad things go away. Delete vehicles, data, photo bombs… you name it! Having inaccurate or erroneous info online for shoppers is where problems are born. Can we get an amen?!;
• Needles. Haystacks. Whatever! Quickly view all vehicles without photos, or search through inventory to quickly locate that one special vehicle to work with;

Tips & Tricks

Before Upgrading VIN Studio to the latest version on Your Tablet

Always synchronize any un-synced data updates present in VIN Studio on your tablet before upgrading and installing the latest version. This will avoid potential risk of data loss that was enqueued for upload to the cloud prior to the upgrade, in the event your tablet does not gracefully install the latest version.

Next, if you are still running version 1.0 or version 2.0, we recommend the removal of the previous version of VIN Studio that you have installed on your tablet prior to installing the latest version of VIN Studio. There were some major structural changes to the app between each major version (1.0, 2.0, 3.0), and while the Android OS should gracefully upgrade any pre-existing, installed version we have observed cases where combinations of certain tablet manufacturers and Android OS builds fail to upgrade the app properly. Uninstalling VIN Studio before installation of the latest version will avoid such issues caused by the tablet itself.

Final tip: if you have not already installed a third party barcode scanner app on your Android tablet, remember that you will need one in order for the VIN Scan feature to work in VIN Studio. We recommend a very popular barcode scanner from ZXing which we support.

Logging In Once Installed

You will need your VIN Studio, IIM, DPC or AutoUpLink credentials in order to authenticate after installing the app.

Known Issues Not Supported

Own an Epson Printer? We have one in our office. Getting an Android tablet to print to an Epson printer is like eating a waffle in one bite. Some folks can pull it off, but the rest of us struggle. Our development team proved and verified that Epson's printing app as of March 2017 has known issues that Epson is working to address in a future release of their printing app. Just expect that label printing from VIN Studio to an Epson printer will be imperfect until your printer manufacturer (Epson) steps up and releases a new version of their printer software.

Unsupported Android Tablets

Our testing revealed that inexpensive tablets priced below $249 tend to have hardware components that do not perform admirably or don’t have other hardware components (i.e. camera, a video chip / card, etc.) that improve the user’s experience. Therefore, we strongly recommend users avoid such "low-end" or "entry level" tablet hardware from any manufacturer priced below $249. AutoUpLink Tech will not officially support low end tablets because issues were observed with app performance on such tablets that could not be corrected. Standard tablet hardware priced above $250 generally performs much better and users will not experience such issues.

Avoid Amazon tablets because while the OS is a derivative of Android, VIN Studio will not be available in the Amazon app store, which is separate from the GooglePlay store.