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Cardwell Officially Releases Award-Winning Connections Online Software 4.1

Cardwell’s new Connections Online 4.1 includes iPad compatibility, Windows 7 interface look and feel, multiple-browser capability, and one-click functionality.

Cleveland, OHIO — January 7, 2013 — To make Cardwell’s award-winning* Connections Online (COL) work management tool even more efficient and easier to use, the software developer and leadership consultancy has officially released COL 4.1, which was offered in beta in early 2012. Currently, 10 credit unions have upgraded to the new version. More than 6,000 users use COL today.

Connections Online is a work management tool that helps credit unions and other performance-based organizations enhance their productivity, streamline communication channels, decrease operation costs, complete more projects under budget and on time, prioritize tasks, etc.  Some of the work processes COL touches includes: transparent communication of strategic focus, scorecard results, project work, company culture, meetings, and team and individual performance.

Listed below are the primary enhancements to COL 4.1:

Saves time using familiar technology:

  • iPad compatible for mobile users
  • Windows 7 look and feel for a more sophisticated and familiar user interface
  • COL 4.1 can be used on multiple browsers whether users use Apple products or Windows – functionality is the same
  • Outlook and MS Project Connectors provide data updating using familiar programs

Improves productivity:

  • One click and task shows as completed on iPad or laptop
  • Excel templates for projects, metrics, etc. provide quicker data input
  • Personal scorecards for measuring goals connected to every user (One metric data entry by an individual can be linked and re-displayed in multiple places in the application. When the original metric is updated, it is automatically updated where data is linked.  Only one person is updating data, but the system can re-use the same information in multiple places.)

Enhances communication

  • Projects originate on one list but can be linked/shown on other lists.  This “save” feature works with metrics, which enhances communication and transparency and eliminates re-entering the same data multiple times.
  • Robust security so credit unions and other businesses are confident that only the “right” people can view the information

Better service for members/consumer

  • Tracking metric results on enterprise, department, project, and individuals is a proven driver for improving service for the member.

“After spending a good part of this year in beta – and receiving some quality feedback from those beta users, we are now very pleased with the official release of COL 4.1,” states Cardwell CEO, Jim Cardwell. “The software’s new interface takes user efficiency to an entirely new standard. We believe our clients will really enjoy the mobile, Windows 7, and multi-browser features immensely. Now we look forward to seeing the results our clients will receive once they start using the official version 4.1 on a daily basis. Should be exciting.”

* COL assisted four different credit unions to win four Credit Union Journal’s Best Practices Awards in 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012.

About Cardwell and Connections Online
Based in Cleveland, Ohio, Cardwell is a software development and management-consulting firm that helps clients succeed by improving organization-wide alignment and cross-functional collaboration through its Connections Online strategy execution tool. Jim Cardwell and Karla Norwood, the firm’s current CEO and President, founded Cardwell in 1983 as a leadership development and management process consulting firm.

For more information about Connections Online, call (800) 395-1410 or visit our new web site at www.connectionsonline.net.

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