Overview 

Cobalt 4.1 merges the innovation of 3.11 with the enterprise-ready architecture of 4.0. All customers now benefit from one consolidated version — with simpler upgrades, reduced overhead, and a future-proof foundation. 

Beyond unification, this release introduces new capabilities across Certification, Exams, Financials, Portal/UX, Security, and Document Management — all designed to deliver more value for your members, candidates, and staff. 

At a Glance 

  • Unified version (no more choosing between 3.11 vs 4.0) 
  • Certification enhancements (progress tracking, reinstatement, work experience validation) 
  • Smarter exam management (sections, retakes, application wizard, accommodations, info hub) 
  • Modern portal UX (chatbot, vouchers, name change requests) 
  • Finance tools (multi-entity accounting, test application/exam revenue recognition) 
  • Document management with external file storage 
  • Stronger security with modern standards 

Certification 

Progress Visualization 

  • Why it matters: Helps candidates stay oriented and reduces “Where am I?” support tickets. 
  • What’s new: Certification progress tile on the portal homepage. 
  • How it works: Displays steps, % complete, and pending actions in real time once a candidate applies. 

Certification Reinstatement 

  • Why it matters: Retains certificants instead of losing them after lapse. 
  • What’s new: Support for reinstating expired certifications. 
  • How it works: Staff define reinstatement rules/fees; candidates complete the reinstatement process via the portal. 

Work Experience Validation 

  • Why it matters: Ensures credibility by requiring validated professional experience. 
  • What’s new: Staff can now capture and validate work experience. 
  • How it works: Candidates log experience after applying; staff verify before final certification is awarded. 

Exams 

Section-Based Exams & Retakes 

  • Why it matters: Creates a fairer experience, reducing unnecessary full retakes. 
  • What’s new: Exams can be split into graded sections with configurable retake policies. 
  • How it works: Staff define exam sections/rules; candidates see section results and retake only what’s needed. 

Test Application Wizard 

  • Why it matters: Simplifies registration, reducing abandonment and staff intervention. 
  • What’s new: Guided wizard for selecting exams, fees, and forms. 
  • How it works: Candidates step through the wizard in the portal, like an online checkout. 

Special Accommodations 

  • Why it matters: Ensures inclusivity for candidates with special needs. 
  • What’s new: Candidates can request accommodations during certification or exam application. 
  • How it works: Requests are submitted via the portal, then reviewed and approved by staff. 

Exam Information Hub 

  • Why it matters: Provides candidates a clear record of exams, reducing support tickets. 
  • What’s new: New portal page for upcoming/past exams, scores, and accommodations. 
  • How it works: Accessible via the Exams tile on the portal homepage. 

Portal & User Experience 

Copilot Chatbot 

  • Why it matters: Reduces support load and provides instant answers. 
  • What’s new: AI-powered chatbot available in the portal. 
  • How it works: Users type a question; Copilot responds from configured knowledge bases (documents, articles, websites). 

Voucher Management 

  • Why it matters: Simplifies prepaid transactions for members. 
  • What’s new: Administrators can purchase, assign, and track vouchers. 
  • How it works: Vouchers function like prepaid coupons — purchased in bulk, assigned to members, redeemed at checkout. 

Name Change Requests 

  • Why it matters: Streamlines profile updates for candidates and staff. 
  • What’s new: Formal name change requests can be submitted via the portal. 
  • How it works: Staff review and approve before updates are applied in the system. 

Financial Enhancements 

Multi-Entity Accounting 

  • Why it matters: Simplifies reconciliation for associations with multiple entities. 
  • What’s new: Transactions now support “due to / due from” logic. 
  • How it works: Payments covering multiple products/entities automatically tag line items to the correct entity. 

Revenue Recognition 

  • Why it matters: Ensures compliance and reduces manual adjustments. 
  • What’s new: New fields allow revenue recognition scheduling for dues, memberships, classes, subscriptions, and tests. 
  • How it works: When invoices are paid, recognition records are generated automatically per configured rules. 

Document Management 

External Storage for Files 

  • Why it matters: Keeps databases lean and reduces costs. 
  • What’s new: Files (documents, images, notes) stored in external storage instead of the database. 
  • How it works: Dynamics stores a reference link; files remain in secure storage but are fully accessible to staff. 

Security & Platform 

Stronger Security 

  • Why it matters: Protects sensitive customer data. 
  • What’s new: AES encryption upgrades, sanitization to prevent injection/XSS, improved SSO setup with PKCE, updated libraries. 
  • How it works: All updates happen behind the scenes with no user action required. 

Why Upgrade to 4.1?

  • One version going forward → simpler upgrades, full feature access 
  • Better candidate experience → progress tracking, reinstatements, accommodations 
  • Smarter exams → sections, retakes, guided application wizard 
  • Empowered members → chatbot support, vouchers, portal self-service requests 
  • Easier finance → multi-entity support and automated revenue recognition 
  • Peace of mind → stronger security, scalable architecture 

Supported Environments 

  • Dynamics 365 Online: fully supported (tested on latest 9.2.x build) 
  • Dynamics 365 On-Premises: version 9.1 supported (9.0 no longer supported — please upgrade) 

Bug Fixes 

  • This release includes fixes to improve stability and user experience in both CRM and the Cobalt Portal. 
  • General improvements ensure smoother workflows and reduced errors for candidates, members, and staff. 

Next Steps 

  • Review the detailed setup guides in the Knowledge Base 
  • Contact your Customer Success Manager to plan your upgrade 
  • Enable the features that matter most to your organization and start delivering value immediately