Connections 2.0 Packages, Guided Entry & Distributed Caching

Connections 2.0 takes a big leap forward with full package and product support, role-based page flows, and guided field entry for families. Under the hood, we moved to a SQL Server distributed token cache for better reliability and added per-field help text tooltips.

Connections 2.0: Packages & Products

Families can now browse and select packages and products directly through the Connections experience. This is a major milestone in bringing the full arrangement workflow to the family-facing side.

What's new:

• Package Browsing - Families can view available packages with pricing and included items
• Product Selection - Browse and select individual products within the Connections flow
• Role-Based Page Flows - Different page sequences for different family roles and arrangement types
• Need-Type Filtering - Pages automatically filtered by At-Need, Pre-Need, or Lead type
• Version Toggle for Connections - Switch between Connections flow versions

Guided Field Entry

A new guided entry system walks families through form fields with contextual callouts and tooltips. This makes the arrangement process more approachable for families who may be unfamiliar with the terminology or required information.

• Entry Callouts - Contextual help bubbles appear alongside form fields
• Per-Field Help Text - Configurable tooltip text for biography and other data entry fields
• Compassionate Language - Guide-aware compassionate language system adjusts terminology for families
• Personalized Greetings - Dynamic greeting with fallback for a warm, personal touch

Family Experience Enhancements

• Email Confirmation - Families receive email confirmation upon submission
• NextSteps Guidance - Post-submission guidance telling families what to expect next
• Better Access Code Validation - Improved error messages and expiration handling
• Improved Product Selection - Cleaner product browsing with better filtering

SQL Server Distributed Token Cache

We replaced the in-memory token cache with a SQL Server distributed cache. This is a significant infrastructure improvement that enhances reliability across load-balanced environments and eliminates token loss during application restarts.

Developer Tools

• DbUp Migration Manager - New tool for managing and running database migrations
• Custom App Icons - WPF developer tools now have distinct icons for easy identification
• Enhanced CSS Sanitization - Improved CSS sanitization for user-generated content
• Serilog Improvements - Better structured logging for development environments

Bug Fixes

• Fixed product selection bugs when switching between packages
• Fixed engraving dialog handling for products without engraving options
• Fixed state-specific forms not filtering by case location state
• Fixed person requirements validation for nested address fields
• Fixed Ask SC locking up on API errors
• Fixed date field formatting to auto-add slashes
• Excluded internal users from SCV1 vs SCV2 statistics

What's Next?

We're continuing to push Connections 2.0 toward full feature completeness, with AI-powered features and advanced product configuration on the horizon. Stay tuned for more updates as we build out the next generation of Solution Center.

As always, if you run into issues or have feature requests, let us know.

— The Solution Center Dev Team