December 2021

What’s new in Unit4 Financials Continuous Release?

New functions rolled out under recent Unit4 Financials quarterly releases have significantly enhanced the user experience, further enabling your finance team to streamline business processes, reduce operational risk and free up resources for value-added work.

Here’s a summary of what has been added since October 2020, along with a closer look at some of the most noteworthy enhancements…

At a glance: release date summary

CR 2021 Q4              (7th December 2021)
CR 2021 Q3              (14th September 2021)
CR 2021 Q2              (9th June 2021)
CR 2021 Q1              (9th March 2021)
CR 2020 Q4              (8th December 2020)
CR 2020 Q3              (14th October 2020)
V14 R16                    (27th July 2021)
V14 R17                    (end November 2021)
  • Hotfix to protect Unit4 Financials in the Log4j Java library
  • Table Link Transfer Client
  • Billing: Use Structured Output on Final Issue
  • Billing: Copy Attachments on Posting
  • Invoice matching: Set number of background matching threads
  • Structured Output – UBL 2.1 Transformation: XML can be validated against the UBL 2.1 Invoice schema
  • Attachments can now be managed from within the Billing Browse screen
  • It is now possible to attach the PDF Invoice or Credit Note to the Billing document on final issue
  • Scheduling a task of type Print Invoices now permits you to generate structured output for invoices (for example, XML in UBL 2.1 Transformation)
  • Purchase orders approval can now be viewed across company in read-only mode

When you save masters, trailing spaces are now automatically removed. Print invoicing functionality is also improved, including support for XML formatting, as well as for invoices in pdf format.

  • Documents outputs can now be written to an SFTP location
  • Leading and trailing spaces are automatically removed when updating master names and short names
  • The ‘Print Invoices’ function now allows an XML invoice. Transformation to be generated and sent. A pdf from a print format can be attached to the Finance document as its primary attachment
  • The ‘Remove’ checkbox for additional lines in input is now positioned on the right-hand side by default
  • Structured Output – UBL 2.1 Transformation: the generated XML file is now validated against the UBL Invoice schema
  • Structured Output – UBL 2.1 Transformation: new vocabulary available including IBAN, attachment ID

This release included a number of enhancements that actually go a long way in improving the user experience. Examples include the new option to sort a paylist in descending order. There is also a new ‘element authorisation status’ for the financials selector master, which means that an element that isn’t authorised for changes can be excluded automatically without having to send a reminder or statement.

  • Download XL for Unit4 Financials
  • Document master setting to prevent the user who originally posted a document to the intray from posting the document to the books
  • Pay/Collect summary now displays the pay proposal list by Pay Date in descending order
  • Element authorisation status added to financials selector master
  • New Punchout parameter added, user email
  • Review Punchout items screen has new ‘select all’ and ‘deselect all’ buttons
  • Punchout website now appears in a new tab in the browser
  • Structured Output has a new transformation available, called ‘FEC’ Transformation (Fichier des ecritures compatables)
  • Structured Output now allows zip file compression
  • Structured Output can now generate .csv files without quotes

The new Tablelink for Cloud feature helps to simplify cloud migrations, removing the need to rewrite interfaces using web services and APIs. The release also included SFTP support, along with the ability to create comma-separated files that can be transported. e-Invoicing capabilities were also enhanced.

  • Structured Output – CSV Transformation
  • Structured Output – Output to SFTP
  • Structured Output – Output to HTTP POST
  • Tablelink for Cloud – Helper and API
  • Improvements to upgrade Scripts
  • e-Invoicing enhancements (Dutch XML invoice load)
  • Unit4 Financials Idealization Process

Version 14 of Unit4 Financials saw the introduction of a new billing module. Among other enhancements, the 2020 Q3 continuous release saw an extension of these billing features.

  • System users with OpenID Connect
  • Billing – Quantities copied to Finance
  • Billing – Print Preview
  • Structured Output – Message Hub Output
  • Unit4 Extension Kit – Samples
  • Structured Output – GDPdU (local German product)

Having introduced a wide range of new features in the previous quarter, the 2020 Q2 release was focused mostly on routine product maintenance. However, there were a couple of new functions added. These were a scheduled task for reconciliation, along with changes to the Avalara export to accommodate HMRC’s ‘Making Tax Digital’ initiative.

  • Scheduled task for Reconciliation
  • Structured output changes – Avalara XMI export

This was the first release under Unit4’s new quarterly roll-out model (‘Continuous Release’). It introduced a wide range of new features.

  • Schedule Task for hierarchy updates. You can now schedule new tasks for hierarchy updates and asset depreciation
  • Submit orders on auto convert from requisitions
  • Browse Transactions: Raise Corrective Journal
  • Browse Transactions: Copy Document
  • Deep link ‘balance’ drill to browse transactions
  • Schedule Asset Depreciation
  • Element template customisations copied via copy company. Element template customisations are now copied via the ‘copy company’ functionality
  • Billing Copy Document
  • Reconciliation Date & User. The introduction of this feature allows users to do retrospective reconciliation reports. In addition, the same level of functionality available in ‘browse details’ has also been extended to ‘browse transactions’
  • Browse Transactions: Drill to Account Summary
  • Browse Transactions: Edit Comment via related information panel
  • Browse Transactions: Workflow Actions
  • Provisional and Undo Year-End. Learn more about these features here
  • Migrate customisations from test to live
  • Allow change to balances on company master
  • LRN Housekeeping without posting
  • Reference Attachment Hyperlink as Direct Link
  • GDPR for Element history
  • Make use of address categories in Procurement Ordering
  • Add Element Flexi-Fields data to Copy Company
  • Change Pay Period. This is the ability to be able to change the period during a pay proposal
  • Interco control to contain customer/supplier elements

Should you upgrade your Unit4 Financials software in 2022?

Support for Unit4 Financials V13 has already been withdrawn. Support for V14 will expire at the end of 2022. Failure to upgrade before then increases the likelihood of incurring extended support charges from Unit4.

Upgrading enables you to:

  • Access the latest functionality
  • Reduce operational risk and processing costs
  • Continue to access Unit4’s “in support” software maintenance and support package
  • Ensure you are up to date with Unit4’s latest software security package

As an Elite Unit4 Partner, Millennium Consulting specialises in delivering a seamless upgrade, while also ensuring your upgraded solution is fully aligned with organisational requirements.

To explore your options in Unit4 Financials, contact us today