This FAQ introduces the SmartSimple Idea Lab, a collaborative space where users can submit, vote on, and discuss enhancement ideas for SmartSimple Cloud. It outlines how to access the Idea Lab, who can participate, how ideas are handled, and what each status means, helping you get the most out of the new system.
1. What is the Idea Lab?
The Idea Lab is a collaborative platform designed for the SmartSimple community. It empowers users to submit enhancement ideas, vote on existing suggestions, and participate in discussions that help shape the product’s evolution. Whether you’re proposing an idea, supporting others, or joining the conversation, your feedback helps us prioritize the improvements that matter most.
2. When will the SmartSimple Idea Lab be available?
The Idea Lab was officially launched as part of the SmartSimple June 2025 release.
3. Does it replace the Suggestion Manager?
Yes. The Idea Lab replaces the former Suggestion Manager with a more dynamic and transparent system. Unlike Suggestion Manager, Idea Lab enables collaborative input through voting, commenting, and visibility into which ideas are gaining traction.
4. What happens to requests in Suggestion Manager?
Existing requests will remain in the Suggestion Manager. Some higher priority requests have migrated to the Idea Lab, but not all. If there are important requests you don’t see in the Idea Lab, we encourage you to resubmit them in the Idea Lab so others can vote and discuss them.
5. Can I vote on ideas posted by others?
Yes. Simply select ‘Vote’ under each idea you strongly agree with. This will add your vote to the idea.
6. What makes a strong idea?
A strong idea clearly outlines:
- The problem or need – What issue are you trying to solve?
- The use case – Who is affected and how?
- A potential solution – (If known) What might help?
The more detail you provide, the more easily the Product Team and community can understand and evaluate your idea. Broad impact and high value to many users also increase the likelihood of prioritization.
7. How do I access the Idea Lab?
System Administrators can access the Idea Lab through SmartSimple:
System Administration > Idea Lab
You’ll be asked to register the first time you log in. Use your work email for registration so we can link your input to your organization.
8. Who has access to the Idea Lab?
Currently, System Administrators have direct access. However, they can share the link with coworkers, enabling broader participation within the organization.
9. Will I be notified when my idea is updated?
You can opt-in to receive notifications in your Idea Lab Settings. Notifications are available for:
- Status changes to ideas you've submitted
- Comments or updates on ideas you've voted for or marked as “Important” or “Critical”
10. What are the response statuses and what do they mean?
|
Status |
Meaning |
|
Proposed |
When the Product team receives an idea, it is moved to this initial status where users can comment and vote for it. |
|
Monitoring Interest |
An idea is in this status when it has been identified as both valid, but not a high priority for consideration in the next few releases. The Product Team will monitor the idea and revisit it on a periodic basis to determine if the priority has changed/increased. |
|
Under Consideration |
An idea is moved to this status if it is being considered or reviewed by the product team for future enhancement. Ideas in this stage are moved to planned status about 50% of the time. If the idea is not moved forward, it will be moved back to proposed or not planned statuses where they may be moved back into Under Consideration status at a later date. |
|
Feedback Needed |
An idea in this status requires additional feedback and information from product users. Members of the product team will reach out for feedback through an email or post in Idea Lab. |
|
Planned |
An idea in this status has been selected by our product team as an enhancement that will be released in the next one to two major releases. Ideas in this status are implemented about 90% of the time. |
|
Implemented |
An idea in this status has been released as an enhancement to the product. Implemented ideas may differ from the original submission based on user feedback and engineering requirements. |
|
Archived |
Ideas more than six months old with a low number of user votes may be moved into this status. Users will be notified if their idea is moved to Archived. |
|
Not Planned |
Ideas are moved to this status if the product team has reviewed the idea and determined implementation is not a priority within the next 2 years but will continuously monitor to see if additional interest will increase the priority. |
|
Escalated |
Ideas are moved to Escalated status if the idea represents an issue resulting from an error or workflow not operating as designed. The idea/issue will be transferred to SmartSimple’s Support Team and marked as closed. |
|
Product Education |
Ideas are moved to the Product Education status when the idea can be addressed by education/content. |
11. How will SmartSimple use this information?
The Idea Lab enables the SmartSimple team to gather and monitor customer-submitted ideas, helping us better understand your evolving needs and priorities. By analyzing trends, upvotes, and community feedback, we can identify the most requested features and enhancements. This insight directly informs our product roadmap, allowing us to prioritize development efforts that deliver the most value to our user community.
12. Can I see the SmartSimple roadmap on Idea Lab?
Later this year, we will be including a high-level roadmap for customers to view key enhancements targeted for future releases.