Y2K and Microsoft Libraries
Making sure that our programs would survive the millennium has occupied major programming resources over the past year. In the past few months, Microsoft has released numerous new DLLs to assure Y2K compatibility.  Microsoft DLLs installed with this version are  the most recently released DLLs as of this date, October 11, 1999. In addition, there has been extensive testing to assure Y2K compliance in the OverDrive code.

Take Reports, Match Confirms and Cancel & Replace Added
An outstanding productivity boost for our users this year was the addition of tools in OverDrive to automate Take Reports, Match Confirms and Cancel & Replace orders into BOOKS. These features eliminate the manual entering of execution reports and confirm matching formerly required.

On Screen Manual
The OverDrive installation program now installs a copy of the manual on your hard drive and places an icon on your desktop for convenient referral. The manual is displayed in your Internet Browser, and you can use hyperlinks in it as if you were on the Web, even when not connected. The manual uses ordinary language, not technobabble, has an index with hyperlinks to the topics, and has been kept short.

Individual Representative Commission Reports
In addition to branch commission reports, this version includes the ability for individual representatives to download their own commission reports from the back office.

New Features in the Beta Version
Beta versions contain features, while tested and believed to be working properly, have not been field tested for a sufficient period to warrant official release.  If you have a need for one of these features, or are computer savvy, you can use the Beta version with the understanding that there may be problems. 

Please send an e-mail to dbrown@advisortools.com if you are going to use the beta version, so that you can receive updates and corrections and personal attention if there is a problem.  Each CD that we mail to users has the most recent Beta version on it.  In addition, you can download the latest Beta version from our web site.  The address of the current beta version will be e-mailed to you once you have contacted us. 

We welcome your comments on beta features and also your wish lists of features you would like to see in our future versions.  Send e-mails to wishlist@advisortools.com.

Shield Against Interference from Other Programs
Certain other programs, such as Reuters Plus,  commonly used by our users, have a tendency to interfere with other programs. This version includes a shield to prevent this interference, including an overlap in hot key assignment. No user action is required for this feature.

Internet Browser Interface with Digest Sites, Advisors Resource
This beta version includes a simplified version of Microsoft's Internet Browser that includes one-click access to favorite sites on the Digest and to Accounts Inquiry. For more information, click here.