Important Changes to US Sales Tax Compliance
In light of changes to state sales tax regulations and business growth in recent years, VitalSource Technologies has been evaluating its sales tax compliance procedures. As a result, changes launched January 1, 2021. VitalSource is registered for sales tax collection and reporting in every US state with a sales tax. We have reached out to all domestic customers to obtain updated exemption and resale certificates.
Who Does This Change Affect?
- Publishers
- Distributors
Pub FF Invoice Backup Files – Correction to Address Columns
Statements now display correct address information in the applicable columns: Postal Code, State/Province, or Country.
Who Does This Change Affect?
- Publishers
Add Lookup to Exclude Companies from Statement of Account Report
Customers will begin receiving a full "Statement of Account" report each month for all outstanding invoices. This release addresses excluding a subset of customers from receiving the automated statement.
Who Does This Change Affect?
- Resellers
- Institutions
- Publishers
Library Search Improvements – iOS
VitalSource has updated the library search interface on Bookshelf version 9.4 to improve the way that you interact with your content.
Details:
- Search author, title, ISBN, or keyword in the Library search bar. Our “typeahead” will begin to display title/author results; either select an item from the list or hit Enter to view all of your search results.
- Toggle between “Content results”, which shows results in your downloaded books, or “book results” which shows all title results.
- Easily navigate to the location in the book by tapping the Results button.
- The search UI improvements are available on Bookshelf version 9.4 running iOS 13+.
- Learn more here: https://support.vitalsource.com/hc/en-us/articles/1500001647122--Improved-Library-Search-Interface-on-Bookshelf-by-VitalSource
Who Does This Change Affect?
- Learners
- Instructors
Markup feature for Apple Pencil – iOS
We’re excited to launch a new beta feature for iPad users: Markup allows iPad users to draw and highlight on PDF books using their Apple Pencil or finger. We look forward to hearing user feedback!
Details:
- Markup is only available on PDF style books using Bookshelf version 9.4 running iOS 13+.
- While in the Markup panel, some reader features, such as the top and bottom reader toolbars and page swipe and zoom gestures, will not be available.
- Marks made on your iPad are saved automatically and will sync and be viewable across all your iOS devices.
- Learn more here: https://support.vitalsource.com/hc/en-us/articles/360060156654--Markup-Comes-to-iPads-on-Bookshelf-by-VitalSource
Who Does This Change Affect?
- Learners
- Instructors
Download Collection Booklist: Publishers
VitalSource and Publisher Admins can now download a collection booklist, or a list of titles, from Explore.
Who Does This Change Affect?
- Publisher Admins
Download Collection Booklist: Institutions
Admins can now download a collection booklist at the Institution level. The booklist will contain the following information:
- Title
- VBID
- Total concurrency limit per title
Details:
- To download the booklist, click “View Content” when viewing an institution adoption. Explore will generate an Excel file.
Who Does This Change Affect?
- Publisher Admins
- Institutional Admins
Duplicate a Collection
VitalSource and Publisher Admins can now duplicate a collection in Explore. With the newly created collection, admins can make new offers to applicable institutions.
Who Does This Change Affect?
- Publisher Admins
First Time Admin Login Checklist
Explore now provides a visual checklist of actions that are available for Institutional Administrators. This checklist will help the administrator familiarize themselves with the application.
Who Does This Change Affect?
- Institutional Admins
Platform Integration Flexibility
VitalSource can now sync specific LMS content, without fetching all data from the LMS, each time.
Who Does This Change Affect?
- LMS Admins
Partner Integration – LTI Advantage 1.3
VitalSource now performs outbound LTI 1.3 launches to a publisher courseware platform. This adds support to Publisher Partner integrations for LTI-Advantage Assignments & Grade Service and Names & Roles Service.
Who Does This Change Affect?
- Publishers
- Learners
- LMS Admins
Multi-Role Support – Coursedash
This update supports functionality for users with multiple roles (for instance, a user who is a student in one course, and an instructor in another).
Who Does This Change Affect?
- Learners
- Instructors
Multi Student Types – Verba Connect
VitalSource now recognizes different types of students and can map this information to the appropriate opt in/opt out experience.
Who Does This Change Affect?
- Learners
License Check for ePOS
If a user has an existing license for a “Compare and Purchase item,” VitalSource confirms that the user has the content in Bookshelf and allows them to access it from Coursedash.
Who Does This Change Affect?
- Learners
- Campus stores
Bookshelf User Search
The Bookshelf User Search feature in Manage has been improved to include an intuitive interface, easier and faster search capabilities, basic and advanced search parameters, as well as a new results Export feature.
Who Does This Change Affect?
- Resellers
- Distributors
- Publishers
Introducing Course Access ISBNs
VitalSource now supports Course Access-specific ISBNs. Publishers can provide Course Access ISBNs to their Success Managers. Once uploaded into the system, users can find Manage assets by searching by those Course Access ISBNs.
Searching by Course Access ISBN is supported in Manage, Booklist Manager, Verba Connect, and in the Netsuite PoS integrations. Course Access ISBNs return in the V4 Product catalog and the Manage Search Export.
Details:
- Coming soon: Course Access ISBNs will show in publisher compensation reporting.
Who Does This Change Affect?
- Publishers
- Campus Stores
Faster Reporting
Great news! We’ve improved our process for reporting, by isolating large catalog changes from user-initiated reports. This means that your reports will come back faster.
Who Does This Change Affect?
- Publishers
Protecting Student Buyers: New Resource Center
We’ve created a “Buy Safe. Buy Smart” resource center focused on protecting student buyers. This page is designed to educate and inform students, and those who help serve students, about the personal risks of buying from illegitimate sellers. Check it out here: https://www.vitalsource.com/buy-safe
Who Does This Change Affect?
- Learners
- Instructors
Accessibility Updates to VitalSource Store
We’ve launched new improvements to our accessibility features (partial list of changes below).
Details:
- Updated the forms on Create Account and Checkout pages to have autocomplete fields.
- Corrected the heading structure markup on PDPs.
- Updated elements on the Checkout page to receive keyboard focus that follows a meaningful and logical sequence.
- Added markup to allow screen readers to announce radio buttons for Pricing Panel Variants and Compare Options Modal Variants.
- Fixed the order in which elements receive focus when users are using the keyboard to tab through the Search Results page.
- Improved the page titles in the Store.
- Fixed mark up for links and buttons to correctly announce a link as a link or a button as a button.
-
Fixed color contrast issues throughout the Store site.
- Color Contrast Ratio now complies with accessibility standards.
Who Does This Change Affect?
- Learners
- Instructors
Failed Search Page Update
The VitalSource store now features customer reviews drawn from Reseller Ratings.
-
The following updates have been made to the Search Not Found page:
- The wording in the top of the page has been updated to encourage users to modify their search terms.
- A search bar to encourage users to search again has been added.
Who Does This Change Affect?
- Learners
- Instructors
Checkout Optimization: Mini Cart
A new Mini Cart that displays the user's cart items in a small modal over the currently viewed page has been added to the Store page. This mini cart allows the user to view their cart items without leaving the shopping experience.
Details:
Who Does This Change Affect?
- Learners
- Instructors
Redeem Code Errors Improvement
The Redeem Code page has been updated to better alert users about the status of their code redemption.
Details:
-
The following updates/additions have been made:
- Visual input displays to notify the user that the code is being processed.
- On a successful redemption, the user is presented with a “Success!” message and a “Bookshelf” button that routes the user to their Bookshelf account. There is also a button to redeem more codes.
- If the entered code is not valid, an error message is displayed stating “Not a valid code.”
- If the entered code has already been redeemed, an error message is displayed stating “Code has already been redeemed.
Who Does This Change Affect?
- Learners
- Instructors
Course Materials Liked Your Post
We’ve created social media images you can use to promote digital textbook adoption. Link your eCommerce site or your white label store to help students shop, no matter where they are. Check them out.
Details:
Who Does This Change Affect?
- Campus stores
Course Access Charging - Multi Student Types
Designate student types associated within your Verba Connect enrollment file, such as athletes or veterans. Decide if you want to include or exclude that student type in charge files or send to a separate file. Contact us to get started.
Who Does This Change Affect?
- Campus Stores
Digital List Price Titles
Increase your digital offerings to students by including opt-in titles at digital list price (DLP) to your current opt-out Course Access programm. Plus, set your own margin on those DLP titles.
Who Does This Change Affect?
- Campus Stores
Track Course Access Savings
Want to know how much your store has saved students? Verba Connect can now help you track Course Access savings inside the dashboard. Take a look at your dashboard to see your impact.
Who Does This Change Affect?
- Campus Stores