April 2025 Release Updates[Latest Release]

Lead Activity Dashboard: Track Weekly and Monthly Progress Toward Growth Targets

The Lead Activity Dashboard now includes Week-over-Week and Month-over-Month views to help development teams measure how effectively their lead pipeline is driving toward unit growth goals.

• Track Location Goals in Real Time: See how many projected openings are being added week by week or month by month.

• Stay Ahead of Pipeline Gaps: Spot slowdowns early by comparing current lead activity against the prior period.

• Focus on What Converts: Understand how many leads are qualified, how many locations they represent, and how close they are to closing.

To Get Started:

1. Go to Analytics > Lead Activity Dashboard.

2. Use the Week-over-Week and Month-over-Month toggles to compare current performance to prior periods.

3. View projected openings added by leads and track progress against your team’s growth targets.

4. Drill into the Qualified Leads Table to see key details: forecasted closure dates, projected units, and current status.

5. Analyze lead status movement to understand where prospects are getting stuck—or accelerating.

Smarter Unit Opening Insights: Track Milestone Progress and Time-to-Open Trends

The updated Unit Opening Dashboard gives development and operations teams a clearer view of where each location stands in the opening process—and how long it takes to move from agreement to grand opening.

• Spot Delays Early: Instantly see how many units are in development, have executed leases, or are fully opened.

• Track Time Between Key Milestones: Measure how long it takes to get from Franchise Agreement to Lease, Lease to Permit, and Permit to Opening.

• Improve Planning & Forecasting: Identify bottlenecks in the process and uncover gaps in milestone tracking that could delay openings.

To Get Started:

1. Go to Analytics > Unit Opening Dashboard.

2. Access your pipeline under milestone progress view

3. Use filters to view data by month, quarter, or year.

4. Drill into week-by-week timing between key milestones—like FA to Lease, Lease to Permit, Permit to Open, etc.

5. Explore the Unit Details by Week Difference table for a location-by-location view of delays or fast movers.

6. Save filtered views or subscribe to receive them via email.

Site Visit Dashboard Enhancements: Analyze Visit Performance by Region, Tab, and Score Rank

The Site Visit Dashboard now gives field operations teams more flexibility to slice and analyze visit data—making it easier to identify where locations are excelling or falling short.

• Regional Insights: Filter visits by region to compare performance across territories.

• Targeted Analysis: Narrow your view to specific audit tabs (e.g., Kitchen, Front Desk, Cleanliness) to isolate issues.

• Score and Rank Visibility: Add score percentage and ranking metrics to quickly spot underperforming or top-ranked locations.

• Custom Aggregation: Group results by attributes such as unit ID, visit number, or time period for deeper insights.

To Get Started:

1. Go to Analytics > Site Visit Dashboard>Self-Service

2. Use the Region filter to focus your view on a specific territory.

3. Toggle metrics to display Score %, Rank, or both.

4. Filter by Visit Tab to analyze specific areas of the audit.

5. Use custom groupings (e.g., by Unit, Visit Number) to compare visit outcomes across dimensions that matter to your team.

6. Save your filtered views or subscribe via email to receive updates regularly.

Flexible Frequency for Sales, Royalty, and Fee Invoicing: Greater Control for Finance Teams

You can now manage sales reporting, royalty, and other fees—such as marketing and technology—with different calculation and invoicing frequencies. This gives your finance team more flexibility to align processes with how your franchise actually operates. For example, franchisees may report sales weekly, while royalty invoices are sent monthly and ad fund fees quarterly.

• Flexible Configuration: Set different frequencies for sales entry, royalty fee calculation, and invoicing.

• Separate Invoices by Fee Type: Generate and send individual invoices based on each fee’s defined frequency.

• Streamlined EFT Collection: Configure different EFT payment frequencies for royalties, ad funds, and other fees.

To Get Started:

1. Please contact your CSM or FranConnect support at helpdesk@franconnect.com 

New Scoring Options for Brand Consistency(Field Ops) Visits: Reflect Audit Outcomes with Greater Accuracy

When conducting a visit, it may be necessary to deduct points for critical issues or even fail the visit entirely based on specific responses. This update introduces new scoring options that allow more flexible audit outcomes and better reflect field performance.

Key Updates Include:

• Additive and Deductive Scoring:
  Choose how scores accumulate — build up from zero (Additive) or start at the maximum score and subtract points (Deductive).

• Negative Point Assignment:
  Assign negative values (e.g., “-5”) to specific responses to deduct points. This allows for reduced section, tab, or overall scores — including the possibility of a negative total score.

• Force Fail:
  Mark specific responses as “Force Fail” to automatically mark the audit as Failed, regardless of total score. FBCs are notified during the audit if such a response is selected.

• Failed Audit Status:
  Audits that fall below the threshold or include a Force Fail response are marked with a Failed status, visible in the Visits dashboard.

To Get Started:

1. Go to Admin > Visit Forms and check the “Allow Negative Score” option in Additional Settings.

2. Add negative scores by placing a minus (“-”) sign in front of the value (e.g., -3.00) in response setup.

3. Use the Force Fail checkbox for Single Select, Dropdown, or Multi-Select response types to automatically fail an audit based on that response.

4. In Additional Settings, select either Additive or Deductive under Score Progression Configuration.

Note: This feature is currently available only on the web app. Forms and associated visits will not be displayed on the mobile app until the May 2025 release.

Automatically Synchronize Locations from FranConnect to RizePoint: A Single Source of Truth for Location Data

If you use FranConnect to manage location data and RizePoint for audits, you can now enable automatic synchronization between the two systems. With FranConnect as your single source of truth, location records will stay consistent and up to date without requiring duplicate entry.

Key Updates Include:

• Real-Time Sync:
  Locations created or updated in FranConnect will automatically sync to RizePoint.

• Centralized Location Management:
  Location creation and editing will now occur exclusively in FranConnect. RizePoint will no longer allow direct location creation or edits.

• Preserve RizePoint Custom Fields:
  Custom fields in RizePoint remain editable and will not be overwritten by sync.

• Hierarchy Support:
  Area and Division assignments will sync from FranConnect, but hierarchy and management structures will still be editable in RizePoint.

To Get Started:

Please contact your Customer Success Manager to discuss your setup and define the best rollout plan for your organization.

Limited Access Release:
This feature is currently in Limited Access. To enable it, reach out to your Customer Success Manager.

Smarter Lead Entry with Broker-Driven Auto-Fill

The Broker dropdown now appears before the Lead Source when entering a new lead. Once a broker is selected, the system will automatically populate the Lead Source and Lead Source Details, saving time and improving consistency.

• Faster Data Entry: No need to manually fill in lead source details.

• Consistent Data: Ensures standardized reporting for broker-generated leads.

• Better Accuracy: Reduces the risk of errors and duplicate entries.

To Get Started:

1. Go to Sales > Add Lead.

2. Select a Broker from the dropdown.

3. The Lead Source and Lead Source Details will fill in automatically.

More Flexible CC Options in Sales Workflows: Keep Everyone in the Loop Automatically

Franchise sales teams can now include additional dynamic recipients in the CC field when configuring emails in workflows. Whether it’s the Lead, Lead Owner, Broker, or a contact from a custom field, this makes it easier to keep all relevant stakeholders informed.

• Fewer Missed Updates: Automatically CC key contacts in sales communications.

• Less Manual Work: No need to search for or manually enter email addresses.

• Improved Collaboration: Everyone stays aligned at every step of the sales process.

To Get Started:

1. Navigate to Sales > Workflows.

2. Create or edit a workflow with a Send Email action.

3. Use the CC field to add dynamic recipients.

Remove Completed or Not Applicable Checklists from the Location View

Franchise development managers can now remove checklists marked as Complete or Not Applicable directly from a specific location—without needing to contact support or file a ticket. This update gives operations and field teams more control and keeps the checklist view clean and relevant.

1. Keep It Clean – Remove checklists that no longer apply so teams only see what needs action.
2. No More Waiting on Support – Fix checklist issues on your own—right when you need to.
3. Simplify Store Management – Avoid clutter and confusion when reviewing active checklists at the location level.

To Get Started:

1. Go to a specific Store Summary or Checklist Admin view.
2. Locate a checklist with Complete or Not Applicable status.
3. Use the Delete option to remove it from the location.

Note: This update applies only to checklists in Complete or Not Applicable status.

New Logic for Associating Checklists with Locations

Previously, when a franchise development manager or operations team member created a new checklist, it was not associated with any current locations unless a task was added. Now, checklist management has more flexibility, making it easier to attach checklists to locations.

1. Checklist Availability – Newly created checklists will now appear in the checklist menu for all current locations, even if they are not actively selected.
2. Flexible Activation – If a franchise development manager or operations team member selects “No” when prompted to associate the checklist, it will still be available but inactive, allowing manual activation later.
3. Automatic Task Visibility – Once a checklist is associated with a location, tasks that match the store type will automatically appear within it.
4. Streamlined Process – Selecting “Yes” during the prompt will actively associate the checklist with all locations based on store type, while remaining inactive for others.

To Get Started:

1. Create a new checklist in the Checklist Admin view.
2. Add a new task within the checklist.
3. If prompted, select “Yes” to associate it with all current locations immediately, or select “No” to make it available in the location’s checklist menu for manual activation later.
4. To activate an inactive checklist, modify the location settings and mark the checklist as active. 

New Expiration Date in Custom Views: Better Planning and Tracking

A new New Expiration Date field is now available in Custom Reports under the Center Info tab. This provides better visibility into key contract or location timelines, with flexible filtering and export options.

• Track Key Dates: Easily spot upcoming expirations and take action.

• Custom Views & Filters: Filter by expiration dates and save your setup.

• Export-Friendly: Share reports in Excel or CSV for review or reporting.

To Get Started:

1. Navigate to Reports > Custom Reports > Center Info.

2. Add New Expiration Date as a column.

3. Apply filters, save the view, or export the data as needed.

Note: If this field is already configured in Lifecycle views, it will be auto-copied into new custom views. Visibility depends on user roles and privileges.

Transition to New Store Summary for Simplified Location Management

Franchise administration teams can now access a centralized Store Summary that consolidates In Development, Terminated, Franchisees, and Corporate Locations into a single, structured view for streamlined navigation and reporting.

• Gain a unified view – Easily access all franchise locations in one structured interface.
• Track lifecycle stages efficiently – Monitor locations as they move through different stages.
• Improve reporting accuracy – Simplify operational insights with better-organized location data.

To Get Started:

1. Navigate to Information Manager > Store Summary.
2. View franchise locations categorized by lifecycle stages.

Important Update:

• Transition to the new Store Summary by October 2025 to ensure uninterrupted service.

Copy and Paste Support in FranBuzz Mobile: Share Updates Faster Across Locations

Users can now copy and paste text into posts in FranBuzz Mobile, making it easier to share updates, best practices, and announcements across a franchise or multi-location network.

• Quick Sharing: Easily reuse content from notes, messages, or docs.

• Better Collaboration: Share knowledge and updates with your entire network.

• Improved Usability: A more intuitive experience for users on the go.

To Get Started:

1. Open the FranConnect Mobile App.

2. Go to FranBuzz > Create Post.

3. Paste copied text into your post.

Faster User Search with Login ID Filter and Improved Filter Placement

Managing users is now easier with a new Login ID search filter and a more intuitive placement for the Name filter. These updates help user admins across all levels — Corporate, Franchise, Regional, Divisional, and Master Franchise — quickly find accounts without unnecessary clicks or delays.

• Find Users Faster: Search directly by Login ID instead of scrolling or relying on exact name matches.

• Less Frustration: The Name filter is now placed at the beginning of the filter section for easier access.

• Improved Productivity: Spend less time locating user accounts and more time supporting your teams.

To Get Started:

1. Go to Admin > Manage Users.

2. Use the new Login ID field to search for specific users.

3. The Name filter is now conveniently positioned at the top of the filters section.

Status-Based Activity Unlocking in Candidate Portal

To improve workflow efficiency, a new Sequential Activity Unlock feature has been introduced. With this update, activities will unlock automatically based on the completion of the previous activity, ensuring a structured and controlled progression.

• More Personalization: Candidates see activities getting unlocked in real time
• Less Manual Management: The next activity becomes available only after the current activity is completed
• Better Engagement: Keeps candidates progressing with timely access to the next steps

To Get Started:
Please contact your CSM or FranConnect support at helpdesk@franconnect.com

Note: Once this feature is activated, the existing "Start Timer From" setting will no longer apply. Activities will automatically unlock upon completion of the previous one, without the need for manual triggers.

Reminder Emails for Reassigned Sales Tasks

Whenever a task is reassigned to a new user in the Sales module, the system now sends a reminder email to the new assignee, ensuring nothing gets overlooked.

• Clear Ownership: New assignees get notified right away.

• Better Follow-Through: Tasks are more likely to be completed on time.

• Simplified Handoffs: Keep momentum when responsibilities shift.

To Get Started:

1. Go to Sales > Tasks.

2. Reassign a task to a different user.

3. The new assignee will automatically receive an email notification.