Welcome to Squaddle Updates
This is where we post interesting changes that we've made recently. This replaces the old changelog we used to maintain over on our main website.
It doesn't include everything (there is lots of boring work behind the scenes, and some changes aren't worth mentioning) but we intend to post anything of note. In future we will start linking directly to feedback requests as we build momentum in building what the community wants 🥳
We've included some historic updates below so you can get a feel what has changed recently...
Allow users to subscribe/unsubscribe from Product Updates
After lots of hard work behind the scenes, we are now ready to releasing lots of exciting new features in response to the user feedback we receive.
In order to make our users aware of what's changing we plan to start sending out Product Updates via email and WhatsApp.
Although we don't strictly consider this "marketing", we also feel it's fair to give our users the opportunity to unsubscribe from this sort of update. So we've made it possible to unsubscribe (or re-subscribe) to Product Updates via the Account Settings screen.
Make it easier for users to find squad admin details
Users often have queries about outstanding payments or other details of the activities they are attending via Squaddle, which are only known by the squad admin. Most people use Squaddle alongside WhatsApp groups and so it's not usually an issue, but sometimes people may not want to be in a group, not be able to see clearly who the main admins are, or the squad may choose to only use Squaddle and not a group as well.
It's therefore important that users have an easy way to find out who their squad admins are so they can contact them with any questions.
So now when users access an outstanding payment link they see their squad admin/owner contact details, and they can also respond "ADMINS" within WhatsApp to find details for all of the squads they are a member of.
Allow Squaddle to send Service Updates via WhatsApp
The vast majority of Squaddle's users communicate with Squaddle via WhatsApp only and so it's important that we have a way to send important service updates (for example changes to our terms of service).
So we've added a way to contact all users via WhatsApp alerting them to a new Service Update and prompting them to respond "OK" to read it.
Don't allow squad balances to go negative
Before this change it was possible for squad balances to occasionally go negative, if funds were withdrawn and then a future game was subsequently cancelled or players were marked out (both of which triggering a refund). This created an awkward situation where squad owners would owe Squaddle money.
To prevent this, we've introduced the concept of "available balance" and added new checks to ensure that withdrawals can only be made when this is high enough. We've also prevented cancelling games (and triggering refunds) if this would push the balance negative.
Changes to navigation to add Schedule
Users can now find a Schedule via the account menu in the top-right, and from a new home screen that non-admin users land on when logging in.
This means that users who are not an admin/owner of any squad can now log into Squaddle and easily respond to invites without having to go via WhatsApp or email.
Users who are admins can use the Schedule to respond to activities in their own squad (and/or other squads), and to use it as another route into managing their activities.