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Achieving Visual Merchandising Excellence with Botree Software

Achieving Visual Merchandising Excellence with Botree Software Share: Share on

September 26, 2025 No Comments

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Smarter Security, Flexible Workflows: What’s New in SFA 7.18

September 9, 2025
christina ebinezer

As field operations get more complex and sales teams lean harder on tech, the need for systems that are not just secure but also easy to use and adaptable is more important than ever. That’s where Sales Force Automation (SFA) continues to play a key role. But even small hiccups—if left alone—can quietly slow things down in a big way.

With our latest update, SFA 7.18, we’ve focused on fixing a few pain points that have been popping up out in the field. Things like duplicate mobile numbers, patchy training resources, weak login security, and rigid forms have all been addressed. Every new feature in this release was built to solve a real problem—making SFA smarter, safer, and more flexible for the people using it day to day, whether that’s delivery reps, merchandisers, or managers.

If you’re someone who oversees field operations, ensures compliance, or makes decisions based on frontline data, SFA 7.18 brings updates that should make a real difference.

Here’s what’s new:

Mobile Number Validation
Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
Training & Feedback Module
Custom Form Builder
Multi-Submit Activity Tracker

Let’s explore these updates in detail.

No More Duplicates: Mobile Number Validation for Customer Creation

Creating a new outlet used to be easy. Maybe a little too easy. There were no real checks in place to stop field sales team from using the same mobile number across multiple outlets. Since mobile numbers are often used as unique IDs—especially in systems that rely on OTPs for login and communication—even one duplication could throw things off. Visits would get mixed up. Customer support tickets would hit dead ends. And sometimes, deliveries went to the wrong place entirely.

With this latest update, there’s now a strict validation step before OTPs are even sent out. Whenever someone enters a mobile number—whether they’re creating a new outlet or editing a sub-stockist—the system checks to see if that number is already tied to an active account. If it is, the user gets an instant popup showing where that number is already in use, and the process stops right there. No OTP is sent. No duplicate is created. Problem avoided.

How It Works:

When “Verify OTP” is clicked, the system checks the number in real-time
If it’s already in use, a popup shows the details of existing outlet and distributor linked to the entered mobile number.
OTP verification is blocked for that number
A timer lets users resend or cancel the request if needed
OTP must be verified to move forward

What This Looks Like in the Field:

One of your salesperson is registering a new outlet. They plug in a number and get an alert: that number’s already linked elsewhere. One tap saved them from hours of cleanup later.

Why It Matters for the Business:

Cleaner, more reliable data
Better user-to-outlet mapping
A clear, built-in check that stops mistakes before they happen

Training and Feedback Module

Let’s consider a typical situation. A business introduces a new product with enormous potential and high profit margins. The product team creates a PDF and may post a video to WhatsApp. While some salespeople look at it, others do not. Some are briefed over the phone. However, there is hesitancy when it comes time to sell. The representatives are unclear of the specifics, and the messaging is erratic.

The Solution: We built a training module directly into SFA—so content delivery, learning, and feedback all live in one place. Admins can assign training to the right users, track completion, and even validate understanding through quizzes.

How it Works:

Companies upload documents, videos, or links into the DMS Survey Module
Training is assigned to specific roles—Salesmen, Supervisors, etc.
Users access the content in the SFA app and mark it as complete
A quiz or feedback form appears right after, tied to the same module
All responses and completion data are fed into RNA dashboards for easy tracking

How This Update Works in Real Life

A new SKU goes live. Alongside the launch, a quick training video explains features and ideal shelf placement. Field reps watch it during their day, answer a few follow-up questions, and managers instantly see who’s on track and who needs support. No chasing, no blind spots. Just clarity.

Why It Matters for the Business:

Consistent learning experience
Assessments linked to performance
Greater understanding of product and sales knowledge

Forms That Fit Your Business: Custom Form Builder

Not every process fits neatly into a template. Whether it’s collecting KYC details, doing an in-store audit, or gathering documents for compliance checks—teams often end up improvising. Google Forms. Paper logs. Even verbal updates. It works but it’s messy. It slows things down, creates reporting gaps, and makes it hard to track what’s happening on the ground.

The solution: With the new Custom Form Builder, you can now create detailed, purpose-built forms directly inside the DMS—fully integrated with SFA. Admins get the tools to design exactly what’s needed, from required fields and conditional rules to submission logic that fits real-world scenarios.

How it Works:

Form Placement
Attach forms to specific screens (like Outlet Visit or Customer Creation) or show them independently in the SFA app.
Flexible Fields
Use text, dropdowns (Route, Distributor, etc.), file uploads, and reorder fields easily with drag-and-drop.
Smart Visibility
Show forms only to relevant users based on role, customer code, retailer group, channel, or class.
Mandatory Logic
Make forms required before closing a visit or creating a customer—no skipping, no gaps.
Seamless Data Flow
Submissions sync to DMS and RNA with location, timestamp, and real-time reporting.
Easy Admin Controls
Create and manage forms directly in DMS—no code, full control.

How This Update Works in Real Life

A salesperson walks into a new outlet that’s flagged as “Pharma.” Instantly, the system pulls up a KYC form asking for a PAN number and a Drug License upload. The rep submits it on the spot. The documents are stored in DMS, flagged for review in RNA, and available instantly for compliance audits.

Why It Matters for the Business:

Custom workflows ready for field use
Higher quality data collection
Integrated compliance and reporting

Track Better: Activity Tracker Now Supports Multiple Submissions

There’s always that moment—after a field visit—when someone realizes they missed something. Maybe it’s a wrong entry, maybe a SKU was forgotten, or maybe a last-minute update didn’t get captured. But with the old activity trackers, there was no going back. Once submitted, the form was locked. No edits, no do-overs. It created unnecessary friction, and worse, left gaps in data and visibility.

The Solution: The tracker system has been upgraded to support multiple submissions for the same activity. Each submission is logged separately and clearly marked with a sequence number. That means updates are allowed—but the original data still stays intact, so there’s a full record of what changed and when.

How it Works:

Admins enable “Allow Re-Submission” in SFA Web settings
Users can submit new versions of the same tracker for updates
Each entry is logged with a new submission number (1, 2, 3, etc.)
RNA cubes now include additional fields like start/end time, questions, answers, and timestamps
Reports indicate blank entries for non-responders to track pending submissions

How This Update Works in Real Life

A merchandiser finishes their daily tracker but forgets to log one SKU. Later, they realize the error, open the tracker again, and submit an updated version. Both the original and the corrected entries are stored—complete with timestamps—giving managers a clean, transparent view of the change.

Why It Matters for the Business:

Complete visibility into changes and updates
Better accountability and compliance
Reduced need for manual corrections by admins

Conclusion

SFA 7.18 is more than just an update; it’s a response to real user feedback turned into practical improvements. By focusing on security, usability, flexibility, and readiness for the field, we’ve worked to remove unnecessary complexity and help your teams perform better and faster.

From validating mobile numbers to improving training workflows, each feature represents a step toward a more modern and resilient field operations system. These are not just enhancements; they are enablers.

And this is just the start. As field demands change, so will we. We will continually strive to help you stay ahead of operational and technological challenges.

About the Author

Meet Christina Evangelin Ebinezer, our dynamic marketing associate at Botree Software. With a background in HR and marketing, and prior experience as a content writer, Christina brings a sharp eye for storytelling and a knack for crafting engaging blogs and marketing content. She’s passionate about turning ideas into words that drive impact. Outside of work, Christina finds joy behind the piano keys or the wheel—whether she’s playing a soulful tune or cruising down open roads.

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Smarter Security, Flexible Workflows: What’s New in SFA 7.18

Share:

No More Duplicates: Mobile Number Validation for Customer Creation

How It Works:

What This Looks Like in the Field:

Why It Matters for the Business:

Training and Feedback Module

How it Works:

How This Update Works in Real Life

Why It Matters for the Business:

Forms That Fit Your Business: Custom Form Builder

How it Works:

How This Update Works in Real Life

Why It Matters for the Business:

Track Better: Activity Tracker Now Supports Multiple Submissions

How it Works:

How This Update Works in Real Life

Why It Matters for the Business:

Conclusion

About the Author

Christina Evangelin Ebinezer

Marketing Associate

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