It’s going to be new. It’s going to be different and we want you to be ready. Starting mid-to-late July, you’ll be able to test drive CREA’s new version of WEBForms®. It’s the same product that you know and love, but it will look and feel completely different because it’s powered by a new platform.
Why a new platform?
CREA announced to members late last year that it would be moving to a new service provider for its flagship tool WEBForms® in order to offer members an even better product. The provider is Lone Wolf Technologies, and the application that WEBForms® will run on is TransactionDesk®, a more comprehensive and feature-rich transaction management platform.
Because this is a significant change for members, CREA has planned an extended transition period. It’s rolling out the new version province by province and is running both the old (the one that you’re using now) and new platforms concurrently until December 2019 to provide members with enough time to be trained and transition to the new system.
CREA is identifying the current system as CREA WEBForms® Legacy, the new system is called CREA WEBForms® 2019 during this parallel period and starting next year, when there’s only one system, the name reverts to CREA WEBForms®.
Saskatchewan was the first province to get parallel access in March, Ontario followed in April and in the queue right now are Alberta and NWT/Yukon. CREA has scheduled BC for July.
How will the roll-out work here? And what about ADT?
Starting around mid-to-late July, all REALTORS® in BC will have access to CREA WEBForms® 2019. This is a soft launch, meaning you’ll be able to play with the new system and test it out, but you’ll still be doing your real day-to-day work on the current legacy system, we anticipate for a number of weeks.
One key reason for this, is that the new TransactionDESK® platform won’t yet be integrated with our REALTOR® Load (ADT.) As you know, our automated data transfer system that feeds your listing data to Paragon is unique to our board and is one of the most comprehensive, detailed data transfer programs in Canada. We’re already working closely with the developers of TransactionDESK® to ensure that your new WEBForms® experience resembles as closely as possible the capability of REALTOR® Load (ADT).
We’re aiming that by August you’ll be able to use REALTOR® load with CREA WEBForms® 2019.
How different will the new WEBForms® be?
Lone Wolf’s TransactionDesk® is a cloud-based system. The interface is different, the workflow is different. There will be a learning curve for members, however many of you are already familiar with TransactionDesk® and its sister product, AuthentiSign e-signature system.
CREA has already produced and uploaded numerous CREA WEBForms® 2019 resources on REALTOR Link® including an FAQ document and a link to CREA’s education hub chock-full of training videos, webinars and guides. You’ll find them on the CREA WEBForms® page.
To go there, log into REALTOR Link® as a Fraser Valley member, select CREA National Association in the top right search bar. Once you’re on their page, under the Products & Services tab you’ll find CREA WEBForms®.
Here on the home front, we’re already planning member information sessions, lab courses and so on. The goal is to have everyone trained and comfortable on the new system long before December 31st.
Questions? Feedback? Talk to us at communications@fvreb.bc.ca.