((OTRS)) Community Edition version 6.0.40 is now out.
The new release comes with an improved Shell Installer, which can now be launched in update mode (using a command-line option) to perform an update of an existing installation of OTRS CE.
Please note that similarly to the already available automated update feature of the OTRS CE console, updating with the Shell Installer is still considered an experimental method and should be used with caution.
Moreover, with this release the Shell Installer is supported on a wider range of Linux distributions:
We have released ((OTRS)) Community Edition version 6.0.39 today.
This release includes a fix for a low severity security issue described in security advisory OTRSCE-SA-2023-01, which made it possible for an agent to open a draft created for a ticket that the agent is not permitted to access.
Apart from that fix, this version brings several improvements and fixes in the new customer user interface that was introduced in the previous release. The refreshed UI, both the customer and agent side, is currently our main focus and we're working on gradually improving the user experience.
As usual, go to the Downloads section to get the newly released version.
We are pleased to announce that we have released ((OTRS)) Community Edition version 6.0.38 today. This version introduces the modernized customer user interface that we teased last week.
Enabling the Modern Customer User Interface
Each customer user can turn on the new interface by going to "Preferences" and checking the option "Use modern variant":
The system administrator can also turn on the new version by default, using the system configuration setting "Loader::Customer::DefaultSkin::UseModern".
Note: Please be advised that at this time the new customer user interface is not yet complete and might not work correctly in some system configurations. If you use the system in a time-critical business environment, or with additional packages such as OTRS::ITSM, we suggest you keep using the standard version until the new one becomes mature.
The upcoming version 6.0.38 of ((OTRS)) Community Edition, which is scheduled to be released before the end of the year, features the introduction of the refreshed customer user interface. This is part of our ongoing effort to make the UI of the system more user-friendly and appealing, for both agents and customer users.
We are pleased to show a few pictures of the new interface and the changes that it brings.
New Look of the Ticket Screen
The most significant improvements have been made to the part of the interface where customer users probably spend the most time — the expanded ticket screen. In the new version, it is displayed in a way that's similar to the conversation layout often used in web-based email services.
The message form now makes use of modernized input controls, such as a new text editor box and ticket priority selection list with colors.
Refreshed New Ticket Form
The "New Ticket" form has been redesigned as well to use the enhanced input controls. The picture below also shows an example of how field validation messages look in the new style.
Video Announcement
We have made a short video that demonstrates the new customer user interface in use — you can watch it below or on YouTube.
Coming Soon
The new version is in the final stage of getting ready to be released and will be available for download before the end of the year.
The latest release of ((OTRS)) Community Edition comes with support for OAuth2 authentication for email accounts used to receive email tickets and send messages. There are built-in configuration templates for two most popular email service providers: Gmail and Microsoft 365.
This feature might be especially important if you are using OTRS CE with a Microsoft 365 email account, because Microsoft is disabling basic (password-based) authentication in January 2023. If your email accounts are still configured to make use of passwords, you should switch to OAuth2 soon.
The new documentation for OTRS CE that we started working on now includes step-by-step instructions on OAuth2 configuration for Microsoft 365 and Gmail users. Today we have also published an instructional video that shows the configuration process for Microsoft 365 accounts — see it below or on YouTube.
((OTRS)) Community Edition version 6.0.37 has been released today.
One of our primary goals for the development of OTRS CE is making the system more friendly and easier to use, for both end users and for administrators. We have already simplified the installation with the introduction of the Shell Installer, and the next objective was to make the system just as easy to update when a new version is available.
Version 6.0.37 is a major step towards that, because it brings a new method of performing system updates that utilizes the OTRS CE Console program. All you need to do to update your system is download the new version and run a single command which then takes care of everything.
The animation below shows a sample run from our tests:
As with many of the new features that we're working on, please keep in mind that the new update mechanism is under active development and at this moment its use is limited to basic configurations of the system. You should not use it yet if your system has additional packages or custom modifications. Nonetheless, we keep working on it and plan to add support for systems with extra packages in the next release.
The long-term goal with respect to system updates is to implement automatic checks for new releases, and to allow initiating updates from the browser, in the administrator interface.
We have just released ((OTRS)) Community Edition version 6.0.36.
This release brings much more than the small increase in version number might suggest. Most importantly, it includes the refreshed agent interface that we have been working on for some time, and which is the first step towards making OTRS CE more modern, flexible, and user-friendly.
How to Enable the Modern Agent Interface
The new interface can be enabled on a per-user basis using agent preferences. Upon logging in, click the user's avatar in the top left corner, and go to "Personal preferences". Choose "Miscellaneous", make sure the "Default" skin is selected, and check the "Use modern variant" option:
Save the setting, reload the page, and enjoy the new look!
If you want to use the refreshed interface by default, without enabling it for specific agents, you can go to the administration screen and set the system configuration option "Loader::Agent::DefaultSkin::UseModern".
Note: Please keep in mind that at this moment the new agent interface is still considered experimental and some of its parts aren't complete. If you use the system in a time-critical business environment, or with additional packages such as OTRS::ITSM, we suggest you keep using the standard version until the new one becomes mature.
Other Changes in Version 6.0.36
Apart from the refreshed interface, one new feature of the new version is the ability to change the default ticket priority colors:
Other changes that have been introducted in this version aren't as significant from the user's perspective, but there have been numerous fixes in the system update process, as well as improvements with respect to compatibility with other versions of help desk software based on the original ((OTRS)) Community Edition.
RPM Packages Now Available
Up until this version, the recommended way to install ((OTRS)) Community Edition was to use the shell installer. This version is the first one that is also available as RPM packages for Red Hat-based Linux systems.
The list of supported distributions includes:
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.9, 8.6, and 9.0
CentOS 7
CentOS Stream 8 and 9
Rocky Linux 8.4, 8.5, 8.6, and 9.0
Fedora 35 and 36
More distributions, as well as DEB packages for Debian-based systems, are coming soon.
Video Announcement
We have created a short promotional video for the new version of the system — you can watch it below or on YouTube.
Try It Out!
The new version of ((OTRS)) Community Edition is available in the Downloads section.
The latest release of ((OTRS)) Community Edition 6.0.35 is now out.
This version introduces many minor changes and bug fixes that have recently been made in the Znuny LTS fork of ((OTRS)) Community Edition. With these changes, the version maintained and developed by us becomes fully compatible with Znuny LTS and can be therefore be used as a migration path for both users of the legacy ((OTRS)) Community Edition and of the Znuny LTS system.
This release also brings a few updates to the Shell Installer utility, including added support for the most recent version of Rocky Linux (8.6).
You can get the new version by going to the Downloads section, and selecting the Shell Installer package, or one of the compressed source archive files.
Web applications that store and transmit any kind of sensitive or personal data should only allow secure, encrypted traffic. Yet, the traditional method of installing ((OTRS)) Community Edition didn't really cover this part, leaving it as an exercise for the administrator. And while configuring SSL on a server isn't too difficult, it does require additional work and might take quite a bit of time if things don't go smoothly right away.
We strive to make ((OTRS)) Community Edition more secure and easier to use, not only for end users, but administrators as well, so we thought it's time to address this matter. The new version of our automated Shell Installer utility allows you to easily install a free SSL certificate provided by the non-profit Let's Encrypt project. All you need is to have a domain name pointing to the server on which the system is being installed, and to provide an e-mail address for administrative notifications.
This is how the configuration looks during installation:
The installed certificate will be automatically renewed, as it is usually the case with Let's Encrypt certificates. The system will also be configured to enforce encrypted connections if a browser tries to connect using plain HTTP.
The updated shell installation tool is now available in the Downloads section and we welcome you to try it out. It is still considered experimental, but will soon be ready for prime time.
