Product Advisory Community

The Product Advisory Community (PAC) is the premier place to share new ideas and provide input on existing ideas that may influence the direction of Applied’s product development.

The PAC provides a modern, intuitive user experience designed to create more focused collaboration on specific product areas where your feedback will have the most significant impact.

How It Works:

• Static annual themes contain theme-based topics that change quarterly, accepting idea submissions one month per quarter or longer, depending on topic.
• Theme-based topics align to planned development areas to gather ideas for evaluation before work begins.
• The Other Product Ideas theme contains generic topics that remain continually open for idea submission but are segmented by quarter for data-management purposes.

Watch a brief introductory video outlining the PAC structure, how we use your input in our planned development, and a quick tour of the PAC.

Frequently Asked Questions

We are continually improving our Product Advisory Community to provide the best possible user experience by allowing you to share ideas for enhancing existing products, such as introducing new features and functionality.

If you have questions, we have answers! Here are some frequently asked questions about the new PAC Platform.

What changed, when, and why?

• The vendor Applied uses to host our Product Advisory Community (PAC) changed as of 2.28.23. The new platform provides a more intuitive user experience, increased collaboration between Applied and our customers, and more transparency on idea incorporation into development via responses and statuses from Applied personnel.

How do I access the PAC?

• You can access the PAC via the Applied Community. Simply click the Product Advisory Community option from the Applied Community home page. Please update any of your existing bookmarks to ensure they point to the current PAC.

What happened to my ideas from before February 28, 2023?

• We have been saving all ideas entered over the last several years and they will continuously be reviewed by the Product Management team. Depending on the theme for the quarter, we will review and incorporate as many of the existing ideas as possible.

What is the new methodology used by the PAC?

• We have implemented a Theme > Topic > Idea model. Themes contain topics, and topics are used to submit ideas. Themes remain static for the year, but the core theme-based topics change every quarter and are open for idea submission during one month of that quarter or longer, depending on the topic. Theme-based topics align with our future development roadmap at least two quarters (six months) into the future. The goal is to gather ideas before we begin working and implement your input directly, showing results more quickly.

Should I wait for theme-based topics to be open for idea submission?

• Theme-based topics are open for submissions for one month every quarter or longer depending on the topic. However, there is also a permanent theme titled "Other Product Ideas". This particular theme is open for submissions throughout the entire year, continuously accepting ideas. This means you can submit your ideas whenever they arise. However, ideas submitted through theme-based topics are more likely to be incorporated into our planned development roadmap.

What exactly happens when I submit an idea?

• Each idea submission is automatically assigned a Submitted status and the submitter receives an email confirmation. Depending on the topic used or the selections made on the submission form, the corresponding Applied personnel is notified. Then, the idea is evaluated, and a response is entered. The status assigned indicates the likelihood of an idea’s incorporation into our development roadmap. All ideas are saved and never need to be resubmitted. Other users can always view, comment, and vote on any ideas entered, regardless of whether the original topic is still accepting new ideas.

How is the new methodology better and what exactly are the benefits?

• The previous PAC model was product-based, meaning that the product was selected for idea submission. While entering ideas was simple enough, there was no consideration for our development planning and ideas could take a long time to be implemented. The new model directly correlates to our planned efforts, so ideas can be incorporated and brought to fruition in shorter time frames. The new statuses help identify when an idea may be realized.

Historically, the ideas I submitted to the PAC did not seem to be taken seriously. Will this improve with the updated PAC?

• The previous PAC model made organizing and managing ideas difficult, resulting in challenges in prioritizing for future releases. The improved functionality of the current PAC provides more transparent collaboration, research, and “scoring” of submitted ideas, allowing for consolidation and pursuit of these ideas. By providing a more structured approach to submitting feedback, Applied will be better positioned to evaluate and consider your suggestions and let you know where they stand.

I saw reference to the updated PAC involving “themes.” What does this mean?

• The PAC allows you to submit ideas relative to Applied’s major roadmap themes for the year. So, as Applied identifies how products will evolve, the PAC is your space to provide input on that evolution. As new theme-based topics are determined, they will be announced via email in advance. This approach gives you a better view of our product roadmap and helps you to have a more direct impact with your suggestions.

Is the PAC the only option to share ideas?

• While the PAC is an excellent opportunity to share ideas, it is just one of many sources. Ideas and feedback are also gathered through channels like the Applied Client Network (ACN) and your account teams.

Is there a User Guide for the PAC?

• The English-language PAC User Guide is available directly from the More Info dropdown menu in the top navigation of the PAC. However, the French-Canadian version of the PAC User Guide is only available through the Applied Community. To access it, simply click Product Information option in the top navigation, followed by Applied Community > Help File > User Guide. Then, click on the Applied Product Advisory Community User Guide link to open the PDF.