Blue Monday suddenly feels much better with the new HostBill release and a long list of major improvements introduced to File sharing (Downloads section), DNS Management, product components, product price changes and much more!

DNS

DNS section in HostBill provides a user-friendly environment for managing various settings related to DNS. Today’s release comes with a few new additions and settings for DNS management.

DNS templates

DNS Templates section allows to create custom, re-usable DNS records that your clients can use with DNS packages. DNS Templates can now be assigned to clients and products. It can be done via new Manage Assignments button placed next to the template name. The number next to the button lists current assignments (items assigned to the template). DNS template assigned to a client is available for the client to use in their client panel. 

Another new option is the ability to make the DNS template Private – when this box is checked, DNS Template will not be visible in client area unless it is assigned to the DNS product that the client is using or simply is assigned to the client. When this option is unchecked, the template is visible in client area for everyone.

DNS: free subdomain A-record autocreate

In HostBill DNS Settings -> Service DNS Automation you can now not only add Zone creation rules but also define Subdomain creation rules, to auto-add A/AAAA records to allowed DNS zones. Subdomain creation rules will be applied if customer uses free subdomain in hosting package with matching rule zone found or if the customer creates VM with with rule-matching subdomain name. To define a new subdomain creation rule you need to add a rule name, choose DNS service package (the package will be used to determine related DNS app connection where domains from Domain list will be located), domain list (a list of domains where A/AAAA records can be created for clients; zones should already be present in related DNS server) and blocked domains.

Admin panel

Further improvements in HostBill admin panel concern Product components: Domain, applying product price changes to all accounts, generating 0 total invoices and more.

Free domain renewal

One of the very useful HostBill features when it comes to product configuration is the ability to offer various components to products/services. A popular option is offering domains and subdomains along with the hosting products. In Product Configuration -> Components -> Domains you can choose if you want the domains to be free or paid addons. Previously, the free domain included only free registration. New option enables to additionally offer free domain renewal, until the service is terminated. Another option allows to match free domain period with hosting cycle –  in this case, if changing from annually to biennally will also change domain period to 2 years (when possible).

Apply pricing of the product to all accounts

When updating a price of a product or adding new pricing options you can apply the new pricing to all existing accounts without the need of bulk update. HostBill will recalculate the price the recurring price of all account using this product and its components, but you will have the opportunity to provide the list of account IDs that should not be updated and should keep the previous price. HostBill will then search and list all found and updated accounts.

Billing: Send $0 total invoices

In some cases the automatically generated invoices can total to 0. Now you can decide whether or not to generate the invoice and send it to client. The new option is available in Settings -> Billing.

Improvements in Downloads section

Downloads section allows you to add files that can be downloaded by your customers through their Client area. Downloads may include: some additional files that can be used with a certain product/service, applications which by default are paid, utility software etc. The whole admin-area downloads management UI has now been largely improved.

Downloads are divided into categories, and now there is a possibility to create multi-level categories (add subcategories etc). Files can be assigned to selected clients and/or client groups, so that certain files could be visible only to certain clients and client contacts. There’s a number of options for file assignments, from all registered & unregistered, through only registered clients, selected clients/groups, clients who own specified service to admin only & admin only but assigned to clients. When uploading a new file you can send an email notification to chosen clients with the download link. Additionally, files already uploaded to client profile can now be edited. In the client area, customers can browse and sort files assigned to them on a separate page. We’ve also improved the indication of whether file is admin-only in client profile.

The list of new features added this week goes on, so be sure to check the Changelog for all the details!