Paragon 4, now with "Big Buttons"

Can’t seem to find this release on the Byzantine maze of FNRES’ various websites, so I pulled it from our friends at RISMedia.

Fidelity Releases Redesigned and Enhanced ParagonMLS v4 and
Paragon Desktop MLS v4

RISMEDIA, Nov. 9, 2007-Fidelity National Real Estate Solutions (FNRES) has announced the release of its fully upgraded online and desktop versions of ParagonTM MLS v4, an MLS platform used by more than half of America’s Multiple Listing Services.

“FNRES has taken a leadership role in the real estate industry by responding to the needs of its users,” said Beverly Faull, SVP and general manager of Fidelity National MLS Systems and Solutions. “This ongoing dialogue with our customers has helped make Paragon MLS v4 and Paragon Desktop MLS v4 the best platform available to power the listings data at the heart of the real estate industry.”

ParagonTM MLS v4 (online)

According to the company, Paragon 4 has been designed to take “usability” to the highest level. The new user interface (UI) and workflow changes allow users to take advantage of the latest hardware and software updates, including minimum screen resolution to 1024X768, as well as Microsoft Vista and Internet Explorer 7.

The most significant improvements are to the Paragon 4 main Home Page, where a “Big Button” theme will greet users immediately upon login. A redesigned, more intuitive navigation puts users within one or two clicks of the most commonly used features and functions in the MLS.

Three features have been added to the main Home Page, turning it into a communication center for the real estate professional. “Quick Search” allows users to access property information directly from the Home Page, view the data in a variety of formats, and print or e-mail with ease. The “Message and Alerts” section provides valuable information on technical updates and important MLS news on a variety of topics. And “Quick Action Links” enable users to access their most frequently used features with a single click.

The existing “Market Monitor” has been enlarged to include additional filter options. Among the enhancements is the ability to display Team Inventory if the user is on a team.

“The alert function is invaluable when MLS staff need to target messages to a specific user or groups of users and know they will receive it,” said Fidelity National MLS Systems and Solutions Product Manager Rudyard Henry.

Paragon Desktop MLS v4

Fidelity says that the release of the Paragon MLS Desktop 4, which also benefits from direct customer feedback, includes several key enhancements, the most important of which is the replacement of the Microsoft Database Engine (MSDE) with Microsoft Access 2000.

In addition, Desktop 4 is compatible with Microsoft Vista and Internet Explorer 7.0, and has an improved workflow thanks to a redesigned user interface, Home Page and navigation.

The Paragon Desktop 4 workflow now incorporates tab menus to allow users to multi-task, moving quickly from one module to another module through simple navigation that keeps both modules operating and accessible simultaneously.

“This is exclusive to Paragon Desktop 4,” said Fidelity National MLS Systems and Solutions Vice President of Product Development Marty Reed. “We have chosen to integrate the tab approach and multi-tasking capability in Desktop, but not online, where Web standards are limited. This is actually a turning point for Fidelity MLS and, with this release, we have positioned Desktop to follow its own path so we can take advantage of the features that a desktop application affords.”

Additional improvements include: increased speed and performance, Smart Updater, integration with SAFEMLS, and an enhanced listing maintenance feature. The improved installation process includes a simplified transition to the new version with easy transfer of existing pictures and contacts from older versions.

“We have listened to our customers and appreciate all they have told us about the product and how to make it work even better for them,” said Faull. “In response, we have given them two powerful new tools that not only keep them in the game, but make them more competitive than ever before. We feel that Fidelity has hit a home run with Paragon 4, and it’s a whole new game.”

For more information, visit [1] www.fnf.com.