Bulk Edit / Update Settings
Dealer Admins can now manage commonly used team and VoiceHub settings from a centralized Company Defaults section in the Admin page. Company Defaults give Dealer Admins a faster way to standardize settings across teams. Instead of updating each team one at a time, admins can define shared defaults and decide whether those settings apply to new teams only or to all teams.
What Dealers Can Do
- Set team defaults for work order field visibility, auto archive, auto close, and ticket closure criteria
- Set VoiceHub defaults for call routing, missed-call ticket creation, notifications, call silencing, transferred-call assignment, ring time, and dial tone options
- Use a familiar setup experience that matches the controls already available on team pages
- Choose whether defaults apply only to newly created teams or are rolled out to existing teams as well
Setup
Go to Admin → Team Defaults, adjust your settings, then choose whether to:
- Apply to new teams only, or
- Apply to existing teams (select specific teams or all)
A confirmation setup will appear before changes are saved so admins can review the scope of impact before applying updates.
Why It Matters
Company Defaults help reduce repeated administrative work and keep common settings consistent across the dealership organization.
Dealers can still review and adjust team-specific settings when certain locations, advisor groups, or workflows need a different setup.
Ring Schedule Templates
Admins can now create reusable ring schedule templates and apply them to selected ExpertConnect teams from the Admin page. Ring Schedule Templates make it easier to plan and reuse temporary or shared call routing schedules across multiple teams, such as holidays, closures, shutdowns, or other special coverage needs.
The initial release introduces core functionality, with additional enhancements planned for future updates.
What Dealers Can Do
- Create reusable templates for holidays, closures, shutdowns, or other temporary schedule changes
- Search for and select individual teams, or apply the template to all teams
- Select advisors from the organization’s advisor list
- Apply schedules to team calendars with a distinct color for easier identification
- Allow each team to edit its own copy without changing the original template or impacting other teams
- View and manage saved templates from the Ring Schedule Templates list
Setup
Go to Admin → Ring Schedule Templates, build the schedule, select advisors from your organization’s advisor list, choose a greeting or voicemail, then search for and select individual teams or apply to all teams.
How Advisor Selection Works
When a template is applied, advisors are only added to teams they already belong to.
For example, if a template includes two advisors and is applied to multiple teams:
- Each advisor is added only to the teams they belong to
- Advisors are excluded from teams where they are not a member
- Each team receives only the advisors who are already members of that team, ensuring schedules remain aligned with team assignments
Additional Details
- Each team receives its own editable copy, so local updates do not affect the original template or other teams
- Templates can be applied to team calendars in a distinct color for easier identification
- Users can delete a templated schedule. Before removal, ExpertConnect will display a confirmation message explaining that deleting the template will remove it from all teams where it currently exists
Why It Matters
Ring Schedule Templates reduce repeated setup by letting admins create a schedule once and apply it across multiple teams.
Each team receives its own copy, so local updates can be made without changing the original template or affecting other teams.
WhatsApp Onboarding and Management Improvements in ExpertConnect™
ExpertConnect's partnership with Meta (WhatsApp) has evolved significantly. ExpertConnect is now a verified participant in the WhatsApp Tech Provider Program, recognized by Meta for the WhatsApp capabilities and support provided to John Deere dealers through ExpertConnect.
Previously, WhatsApp activations and onboarding were handled primarily through our communications supplier. With Meta's updated requirements, ExpertConnect now plays a direct role in helping dealers onboard and activate WhatsApp.
What does this mean for dealers?
- A simpler and more streamlined experience:ExpertConnect now has greater direct integration with WhatsApp, allowing us to manage messaging, templates, and communications more efficiently on behalf of dealers.
- Faster self-service onboarding:Dealers can begin onboarding and activating WhatsApp numbers through a self-service process, reducing reliance on manual setup. This capability is being rolled out gradually and will be available to more dealers over time.
- More flexibility when activating WhatsApp:Dealers can use either a VoiceHub number or their own business phone number for WhatsApp messaging, with little to no assistance required from the ExpertConnect Dealer Success team.
- Self-service profile management:Dealers will be able to update and manage their WhatsApp business profile information directly through the ExpertConnect portal, giving them more control and reducing support requests.
Rollout Plan
Since the launch of this new integration, these capabilities have been available for new dealers and new WhatsApp activations. As our integration with Meta and WhatsApp continues to mature, we will begin rolling out these enhancements to existing WhatsApp-enabled dealers so that all ExpertConnect customers can benefit from the same improved experience.
Mobile Payments Transition to John Deere Financial Payment Solutions (JDFPS)
Regional Availability Note: While most ExpertConnect enhancements are released globally, the JDFPS transition will initially focus on U.S. and Canadian dealers.
Starting July 20, 2026, U.S. dealers currently using ExpertConnect Mobile Payments will begin transitioning to John Deere Financial Payment Solution (JDFPS). Canadian dealer migrations will begin in September 2026. New dealers can begin onboarding to JDFPS starting in October 2026. All dealers currently using Mobile Payments are expected to complete their transition by the end of the fiscal year.
What Dealers Can Expect
- Lower payment processing costs
- Additional payment options, including Apple Pay and American Express
- Simplified reporting and reconciliation
- Dedicated John Deere Financial Payments support
What Dealers Need to Do
- Watch for a transition invitation from the ExpertConnect team starting on July 15th
- Participate in a 30-minute onboarding call
- Have banking, tax, ownership and authorized signatory information available
Why It Matters
JDFPS provides a more scalable and integrated payments platform for ExpertConnect while laying the foundation for future payment enhancements. This migration is required for all U.S. and Canadian dealers currently using ExpertConnect Mobile Payments. Once existing dealers have completed the transition, new dealer payment onboarding will be available exclusively through JDFPS.
UI Updates
We've introduced a couple of small but impactful user interface improvements to make key actions more visible and reduce the risk of accidental changes.
What's New
- Team Origin in Calls Tab: Users will now see a green phone icon next to the team name in the Calls tab. When hovering over the icon, users can view the original team the call came from, providing additional context for transferred or routed calls.
- Updated Delete Button Placement and Confirmation: The Delete button in the user profile (under Email Signature) has been moved from the bottom right of the screen to the left side for improved visibility and consistency. A confirmed pop-up has also been added to warn users before an account is deleted, helping prevent accidental deletions.
