By the [run]Book: Episode 14

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El Copeland
February 5, 2026
20 min read
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In Episode 14 of By the [run]Book, Mendy and Robbie wrap up v2.206 and dive into v2.208. Join us while they unpack a dense set of workflow, billing, automation, and self-service portal enhancements. Highlights include conditional workflow steps, improved qualification matching, project–contract alignment, and powerful new portal customization options. This episode is ideal for MSPs who want tighter operational control, cleaner billing, and more flexible automation inside HaloPSA.

The following features stand out as a few of the impactful changes:

On-call Notification Enhancements #422926

Halo introduced various enhancements to notifications to better support on-call workflows, and Mendy called out that this release note quietly included a massive underlying change. The key takeaway was that important platform-impacting updates can be buried in “notification” notes, so MSPs running on-call should review notification behavior closely after updating.

Assign Contract to Projects & Tasks Created from Sales Orders #1027598

Projects and tasks created from sales orders can now automatically inherit the contract created from that sales order, tightening the link between quoting, delivery, and billing. The hosts emphasized this as a practical fix for MSPs who see project time accidentally hitting the wrong agreement (and wrecking profitability reporting), especially when doing fixed-fee or prepaid project work.

Workflow Automations Using Client/Site/User Custom Fields #1022399

Workflow automations can now use client, site, or user custom fields directly as criteria, reducing the need for workaround runbooks that copy those values onto tickets. The hosts positioned this as a meaningful automation upgrade because it makes routing and logic cleaner, easier to maintain, and more scalable for MSPs with account-specific processes.

Watch Now: By the [run]Book: Episode 14
For easier tracking, check out haloreleases.remmy.dev to filter and search HaloPSA updates by ID, version, and keyword.

Full Feature List:


Added the ability to add Azure/Entra distribution groups as followers | v2.206 #770320 | 1:52

  • Allows Entra distribution groups to be added as followers on tickets
  • Reduces manual follower management as staff change
  • Useful for shared service desks or group-based visibility

Added an option in AI settings to generate an AI summary of the article based on the title, description and resolution Added an option in AI settings to use the AI-generated summary of an article to identify and flag potential duplicate articles before submission | v2.206 #767579 | 2:58

  • Automatically generates AI summaries for KB articles
  • Uses AI summaries to detect potential duplicate articles
  • Improves knowledge base quality and search accuracy

When tickets have a Teams chat open, if the ticket is closed, a closure message will be sent to all chats | v2.206 #635732 | 3:29

  • Sends an automated closure message into active Teams chats
  • Helps cleanly close collaboration threads
  • Reduces post-resolution confusion

Various enhancements to notifications to support on-call notifications | v2.206 #422926 | 4:02

  • Improves reliability of on-call notification handling
  • Important for MSPs running scheduled on-call rotations
  • Includes underlying workflow/notification behavior improvements

A setting has been added to Sales Order Configuration so that a specific Status can be set once all Items on the Sales Order are consigned | v2.208 #1034330 | 10:24

  • Automatically updates Sales Order status after consignment
  • Reduces manual order lifecycle management
  • Keeps order views accurate

The setting "Tickets with the default Organisation/Site must be moved before working on the Ticket" can now be overridden at Ticket Type level | v2.208 #1033540 | 12:51

  • Allows specific ticket types to bypass the default org/site restriction
  • Useful during intake and triage workflows
  • Prevents inconsistent admin vs engineer experience

"Do not disturb" mode for Halo notifications | v2.208 #1028655 | 16:04

  • Enables agents to temporarily suppress notifications
  • Requires global setting to allow toggle
  • Useful for focused work sessions

A setting "When creating Projects and Tasks assign the Contract created from the Sales Order" has been added to Configuration > Sales Orders > Processing Sales Order Lines that allocates Projects and Tasks created from Sales Orders to the Contract created from the Sales Order | v2.208 #1027598 | 17:27

  • Ensures project time is tied to the correct contract
  • Prevents agreement profitability distortion
  • Reduces manual reassignment after project creation

An Item property had been added to the Milestone so that the Invoice Item can be edited/set after creation of the Milestone. This Item will be used when creating an Invoice directly for the Milestone only | v2.208 #1027578 | 20:33

  • Allows invoice item changes after milestone creation
  • Improves billing flexibility
  • Applies when invoicing milestones directly

Added Canned Text Shortcuts for Chat | v2.208 #1024945 | 23:07

  • Adds keyboard shortcuts for canned text in chat
  • Speeds up repetitive internal communication
  • Configured at the canned text level

Additional data has been added to the Invoice Line object to store the Origin Sales Order Line that the associated Recurring Invoice was created from and to store the Occurrence Count for Recurring Invoices | v2.208 #1024614 | 28:23

  • Improves recurring invoice traceability
  • Tracks original Sales Order line
  • Stores occurrence count for reporting

Report display improvement when using customised table html | v2.208 #1024326 | 28:55

  • Improves horizontal scroll behavior
  • Reduces layout cutoff issues
  • Enhances report usability

Added Managed Identity via Azure Arc as an authentication option to the Microsoft Entra integration and Office 365 mailboxes | v2.208 #1024317 | 29:36

  • Provides a more secure authentication option
  • Reduces credential storage risk
  • Supports Azure-first environments

It is now possible to set a Tax Exemption reason for a Halo Customer on creation that will be pushed to Quickbooks when the Customer is not taxable | v2.208 #1024297 | 29:44

  • Syncs tax exemption reason to QuickBooks
  • Improves finance consistency
  • Reduces manual adjustments

A setting has been added to allow recurring invoice lines to be hidden by default when viewing the recurring invoice | v2.208 #1024067 | 29:57

  • Keeps recurring invoice views cleaner
  • Allows hidden lines to be revealed when required
  • Reduces confusion from legacy lines

Multiple changes to available $ variables | v2.208 #1023687 | 32:18

  • Expands formatting flexibility
  • Adds additional address/currency options
  • Reduces need for template workarounds

Added the setting 'Automatically create Change Advise Boards from Teams' to Approval Process settings | v2.208 #1023311 | 32:55

  • Syncs CAB boards with Teams membership
  • Reduces manual approval admin
  • Supports structured change management

A setting has been added to the QuickBooks Integrations setup so that a Closed Date can be entered. | v2.208 #1022558 | 33:16

  • Helps protect closed accounting periods
  • Prevents retroactive invoice sync edits

You can now use Client, Site or User Custom Fields for criteria on Workflow Automations | v2.208 #1022399 | 33:41

  • Enables cleaner automation logic
  • Removes need to copy custom field data onto tickets
  • Improves routing flexibility

The variable $ SERVICEID can be used in database lookups to obtain the ID of the Service linked to the Ticket | v2.208 #1021534 | 34:21

  • Enables service-aware database lookups
  • Improves reporting and automation precision

Custom Statistics Tables added | v2.208 #1019726 | 34:32

  • Allows scheduled SQL results to be stored over time
  • Enables trending metrics within Halo
  • Useful for backlog and performance tracking

Decimals are now allowed within the field "Tickets Opened/Closed within the last X days" in AI suggestions | v2.208 #1018082 | 37:42

  • Allows finer tuning of AI suggestion windows
  • Improves duplicate detection precision

Added a new Knowledge Base setting that allows you to hide FAQ tiles that have no results matching the current search in the Portal | v2.208 #1012783 | 37:50

  • Removes empty FAQ tiles during searches
  • Improves portal UX

Added a manufacturer field to the suppliers tab of assets | v2.208 #1009501 | 37:57

  • Improves asset detail and reporting
  • Enhances supplier tracking

Improvements to Qualification matching | v2.208 #1008143 | 38:01

  • Improves load balancing logic
  • Reduces tickets sticking with unqualified agents

Various improvements to the self-service portal | v2.208 #1007918 | 40:49

  • Navigation improvements
  • Quick access to My Tickets / My Approvals / My Assets
  • Cleaner layout

You can now use Client, Site, User and Organisation level $ variables in the Self Service Portal custom HTML Headers and Footer | v2.208 #1007759 | 43:43

  • Enables dynamic, client-specific portal content
  • Useful for escalation paths and account manager info

Enhancement to Client-Ticket Type restrictions | v2.208 #1006158 | 47:49

  • Updates restriction handling behavior
  • Important to review before enabling if already configured

Added a Chat Audit Area Added a new Chat Transcript style | v2.208 #1004851 | 48:34

  • Improves audit visibility
  • Enhances transcript formatting

You can now set feedback and survey links to be single use | v2.208 #1002898 | 48:41

  • Reduces automated survey submissions
  • Improves feedback accuracy

Added an Advanced Setting to alter the Tree menu width | v2.208 #999276 | 51:57

  • Improves navigation readability
  • Useful for long names

You can now make your custom hompage HTML in the End-User portal appear as a sticky banner across all portal pages | v2.208 #996323 | 52:48

  • Ideal for outage banners and announcements
  • Keeps messaging visible across pages

Added option to exclude non-invoiceable time from budget calculations | v2.208 #994004 | 56:01

  • Improves project budget accuracy
  • Separates invoiceable vs non-invoiceable effort

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El Copeland

As Partner and Business Consultant at Rising Tide, I help organizations align culture with efficiency, bridging the gap between strategy and the everyday systems that make it work. I’ve spent my career leading diverse, cross-functional teams and building communities where people actually want to learn and collaborate. With roots in technology, education, user experience & design, and project management, I specialize in turning complex ideas into clear, actionable plans that keep both people and projects thriving.

Outside of work, you’ll usually find me weight-training, gardening, or rewatching Doctor Who with a cat in my lap.

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June 23, 2026
8 min read

By the [run]Book: Episode 24

Episode 24 reviews HaloPSA v2.218, including Connor’s top recommendation: enable the new setting that blocks Default Contracts on Client records to protect billing rules.
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In Episode 24 of By the [run]Book, Connor and Jason review HaloPSA v2.218 with a heavier focus on contracts, billing, QuickBooks, sales order workflows, and portal improvements. The standout update is the new setting to prevent Default Contracts from being used on Client records, which Connor strongly recommends enabling to avoid major billing rule issues. They also cover the new Self-Service Portal PWA option, Quick Time logging changes, Sales Order Communication Ticket improvements, and QuickBooks payment method mapping.

Watch Now: By the [run]Book: Episode 24

Important Mentions

There are limitations affecting haloreleases.remmy.dev caused by changes to the Halo API

Connor and Jason announced a new Halo AMA series starting July 1st at 8:00 AM Eastern / 1:00 PM UK. The sessions will feature Robbie, Bri, and Jason from Rising Tide, with questions pulled from the community, Discord, Reddit, and live attendees.

Full Feature List

Sales Order variables have been added to the Available Variables on Runbooks | v2.218 #1101977 | 3:06

Sales Order variables are now available inside Runbooks, giving automation builders more sales-order-specific data to reference when building workflows.

When importing Devices using the Domotz integration only mapped Agent's Devices will be imported if there are any mapped Agents - otherwise all Devices for all imported Agents will be imported | v2.218 #1100861 | 3:25

This improves how Domotz device imports behave when mapped agents exist. Connor and Jason noted that Domotz can be useful for infrastructure-heavy MSPs, especially where network scanning and switch access are important.

Sales Order Communication Tickets will now display the associated Sales Order | v2.218 #1100760 | 5:01

Sales Order Communication Tickets now show the Sales Order they are tied to, making the relationship clearer for teams managing procurement or post-sale follow-up.

  • Helpful for larger MSPs with separate sales, procurement, and fulfillment roles.
  • Connor noted some MSPs keep everything on the Opportunity instead, so this is most useful where Sales Order tickets are part of the process.
  • This can reduce confusion when multiple tickets are created around the same quote or sales flow.
The Pax8 Product/Item creation function will now match on the Vendor/Supplier SKU (Pax8 SKU) | v2.218 #1100669 | 7:34

The Pax8 Product/Item creation function will now match based on the Vendor/Supplier SKU. Connor and Jason advised caution with this area because automated Pax8 product and invoice item creation can still create duplicates or require cleanup if existing products are not mapped well.

Added a setting to specify the user ID field in SailPoint | v2.218 #1100602 | 9:56

This adds more configuration flexibility for SailPoint integrations by allowing the user ID field to be specified.

A configuration option has been added so that the "Conversation and Internal" Ticket history view will include all emails | v2.218 #1100317 | 10:22

This setting allows the Conversation and Internal ticket history view to include automated/system emails, such as acknowledgement emails.

  • Useful when troubleshooting whether system-generated emails were sent.
  • Connor pointed out that hidden actions can make ticket history harder to follow, so showing more email activity can help admins and agents understand what happened.
Added minor changes to the Pax8 configuration screen to improve the set-up process | v2.218 #1100194 | 12:29

Minor setup improvements were added to the Pax8 configuration screen. Connor and Jason did not identify a major visible change during the review.

Invoice Due Date can now be updated from the Invoice List | v2.218 #1099985 | 13:14

Invoice due dates can now be bulk updated directly from the Invoice List, which may help billing teams adjust multiple invoices without opening each invoice individually.

When using the Quickbooks integration you can assign a Quickbooks Payment Method to a Halo Payment method and this will be used when pushing Payments from Halo to Quickbooks | v2.218 #1099714 | 13:56

Halo payment methods can now be mapped to QuickBooks payment methods when payments are pushed from Halo to QuickBooks.

  • Useful for MSPs recording payments in Halo and syncing them to QuickBooks.
  • Helps keep payment method reporting cleaner in QuickBooks.
  • Connor noted many MSPs may receive payment data into Halo instead of pushing it out, so this mainly matters for teams using Halo as the payment source.
Hosted customers can now install the Self-Service Portal as a Progressive Web App | v2.218 #1099594 | 15:14

Hosted customers can now install the Self-Service Portal as a Progressive Web App. Connor and Jason discussed how this could make portal access feel more app-like for end users.

  • The portal can be installed on a desktop or mobile device.
  • App name, description, and icon can be customized.
  • This may be useful for MSPs that want a branded, easy-access client portal experience.
Stock Quantity can now be shown as a column using Sales Order Line column profiles | v2.218 #1099248 | 17:11

Stock Quantity can now be added to Sales Order Line column profiles, giving teams more control over what inventory information appears on sales order lines.

A column for "published" will now show on the dashboard list | v2.218 #1099130 | 19:58

The dashboard list now includes a Published column, making it easier to see which dashboards are currently published without opening each one.

An option for using mTLS (Mutual TLS) has been added as an authentication option for custom integrations | v2.218 #1098487 | 20:17

Custom integrations now support mTLS as an authentication option. This is most relevant for integrations requiring certificate-based mutual authentication between systems.

A configuration option has been added to allow the Action used for logging time from Timesheets to be overridden | v2.218 #1098475 | 21:03

This setting allows the action used for logging time from Timesheets, specifically Quick Time behavior, to be overridden. Connor and Jason spent time testing and discussing this because the release note was not very clear.

  • Connor generally prefers structured ticket-based time logging over Quick Time.
  • Jason explained that Quick Time still needs an underlying ticket and action to log time.
  • This may allow more customization of how Quick Time logs time, but it is worth testing before relying on it.
Pro-rata options will now show correctly on the Sales Order -> Recurring Invoice pop-up | v2.218 #1095834 | 27:26

Pro-rata options now show correctly when working from Sales Orders to the Recurring Invoice pop-up. Connor and Jason treated this more like a fix than a major new feature.

A setting has been added to Contract configuration to stop the Default Contract property from being used against Client records | v2.218 #1093850 | 28:05

This was Connor and Jason’s clear favorite feature of the episode. The new setting prevents users from setting a Default Contract directly on the Client record, which can override billing rules and cause major billing issues.

  • Connor strongly recommended enabling this setting.
  • The Default Contract field can cause all time to attach to a single contract.
  • This can break carefully configured billing templates and contract rules.
  • Connor noted this is not usually done maliciously; it is just an easy mistake for users to make.
  • Best practice from the episode: turn this on unless you have a very specific reason to send all time to one contract.
An option has been added to the Quickbooks integration to allow the Halo Third Party Customer name to be used instead of the Halo Customer Name | v2.218 #1093788 | 34:51

This QuickBooks option allows Halo to use the Third Party Customer Name instead of the Halo Customer Name when creating or syncing customers to QuickBooks.

A setting has been added to Contract Configuration to filter Contract selection on Tickets to show only Site Contracts if there are any | v2.218 #1092757 | 35:25

This setting filters contract selection on tickets so that site-specific contracts are shown when they exist. Connor and Jason noted that site-level contracts can get complicated and are likely an edge case for most MSPs.

The Google Maps latitude and longitude lookup will now use Country and Region if enabled and populated | v2.218 #1092350 | 39:53

Google Maps latitude and longitude lookup now uses Country and Region when those fields are enabled and populated. Connor showed how this can support map-based customer or prospect views, though he also noted Google API setup can be painful.

Access control query improvements | v2.218 #1091628 | 42:36

This improves access control queries and includes an option around agent department access control. Jason noted that disabling department-based access control may offer a performance benefit if it is not needed.

Added Created By column to Purchase Orders | v2.218 #1091115 | 44:20

Purchase Orders now have a Created By column available, making it easier to identify who created a purchase order.

Added Description, Creation Date and Created By fields to API applications | v2.218 #1081398 | 44:24

API applications now include Description, Creation Date, and Created By fields, improving visibility and auditability for API app management.

Added multiple condition types to asset field and button restrictions | v2.218 #1080355 | 44:35

Additional condition types have been added for asset field and button restrictions. Connor noted the release note did not clarify exactly which condition types were added.

Added "Closed by" field to Ticket Column Profiles | v2.218 #1076139 | 45:13

Ticket Column Profiles can now include the Closed By field, making it easier to report or filter based on who closed a ticket.

Client and Site level Event triggers can now use Custom Field values as Criteria | v2.218 #1072255 | 45:28

Client and Site level Event triggers can now use Custom Field values as criteria. This adds more flexibility when building automations or event-driven workflows based on client or site data.

The Resolution Finder now matches knowledge base articles using tags only for whole-word matches | v2.218 #1066947 | 46:51

Resolution Finder matching now uses tags only for whole-word matches. Connor and Jason discussed the broader challenge of KB usefulness, noting that KBs are strongest when they support real process guidance rather than generic articles.

Added a new variable $-ALLFIELDSCARD to display a styled version of the ALLFIELDS table | v2.218 #1065730 | 49:53

A new $-ALLFIELDSCARD variable displays a styled version of the ALLFIELDS table. Connor and Jason liked the cleaner presentation and showed how it makes field output easier to read.

June 9, 2026
8 min read

By the [run]Book: Episode 23

Episode 23 of By the [run]Book covers HaloPSA v2.216, including AI acknowledgement emails, ticket and project charge rate restrictions, report audit timestamps, Microsoft CSP subscription imports, and Runbook enhancements. The team also discusses recent Halo API changes affecting haloreleases.remmy.dev, Microsoft's upcoming July 1st pricing changes, and Renada's Teams-based Ticket Swarm approach for rapid ticket collaboration.
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In Episode 23 of By the [run]Book, Connor Fagan and Jason Parsons walk through HaloPSA v2.216, covering a mix of quality-of-life improvements, automation enhancements, reporting updates, and billing controls. Highlights include new ticket-level charge rate restrictions, report audit timestamps, Microsoft CSP subscription import improvements, AI-generated acknowledgment emails, and several Runbook enhancements. The discussion also covers important industry updates, including Microsoft’s July 1st pricing changes, limitations introduced to haloreleases.Remmy.dev due to Halo API changes, and Renada’s Teams-based "Ticket Swarm" approach for urgent ticket collaboration.

Watch Now: By the [run]Book: Episode 23

Important Mentions

There are limitations affecting haloreleases.remmy.dev caused by changes to the Halo API

Microsoft’s July 1st pricing Changes

Check out Renada's instructional video - Ticket Swarm into Microsoft Teams

Full Feature List

There is now an option to hide the Task event type when creating an appointment | v2.216 #1004798 | 3:08

This gives administrators the ability to remove the Task event type from appointment creation screens.

The hosts recommended enabling this for most environments because Task event types do not synchronize with Microsoft 365 calendars, while Appointment types do.

Various improvements to maintenance windows and change freeze periods | v2.216 #993209 | 5:01

A collection of enhancements focused on Halo's ITSM change management functionality.

The discussion noted that this will likely be most valuable for organizations using formal maintenance windows and change approval processes rather than traditional MSP service desks.

You can now choose to use Criteria Groups on Ticket Rules | v2.216 #992806 | 6:02

Criteria Groups continue to expand throughout Halo and are now available within Ticket Rules.

This allows administrators to build more advanced AND/OR logic inside a single rule rather than creating multiple rules to achieve the same outcome.

Added a "Restrict field visibility to specific entities" option for CRM note custom fields, enabling admins to control which entities (Client, Site, or User) the field appears on | v2.216 #985216 | 8:11

CRM Note custom fields can now be limited to specific entity types.

This helps keep note forms cleaner by ensuring fields only appear where they are actually relevant.

Added new global Chat setting - "Prevent multiple agents from connecting to a live chat simultaneously" | v2.216 #985181 | 13:10

A new safeguard prevents multiple technicians from accidentally joining the same chat session.

For teams using Halo Chat, this can help reduce duplicate responses and ownership confusion.

Added 'Current Time' and 'Day of Week' as new Chat flow criteria | v2.216 #984329 | 14:32

Chat Flows can now make decisions based on the current time and day of the week.

This opens up more options for business-hours routing and after-hours automation.

Added SLA response/resolution breached criteria for Ticket Lists and Ticket Areas | v2.216 #983753 | 14:39

Administrators can now separately filter against Response SLA breaches and Resolution SLA breaches.

The hosts felt this provides greater reporting flexibility and allows teams to focus on the SLA metrics that matter most to their business.

Fields with an override display field now show the override name in field lists | v2.216 #982790 | 16:03

Field lists now display the override name rather than only the original field name.

A small but useful quality-of-life improvement when working with heavily customized environments.

Tanium user matching improvements | v2.216 #981827 | 16:31

Improves user matching behaviour within the Tanium integration.

The hosts did not spend much time on this feature but noted it should improve synchronization accuracy.

You can now set a custom refresh rate for widgets | v2.216 #979334 | 17:16

Dashboard widgets can now have their own refresh intervals.

Administrators can balance dashboard responsiveness against system performance by selecting refresh periods between 30 seconds and 1 hour.

Added the "include_all_custom_fields" HTTP parameter when listing Assets via the API | v2.216 #972951 | 17:47

A new API parameter allows integrations to retrieve all custom fields when querying assets.

Useful for developers and anyone building integrations around Halo asset data.

Added a setting to give more control over which action fields copy to children when adding actions to parent tickets | v2.216 #967903 | 23:02

Provides additional control over how information flows between parent and child tickets.

The hosts discussed several possible use cases but agreed this will require additional testing to fully understand its impact.

Added in a setting that allows you to define the default Rich Editor Toolbar style | v2.216 #967368 | 27:01

Administrators can now define the default layout used by the rich text editor toolbar.

A simple quality-of-life improvement for organizations that prefer a cleaner editor experience.

You can now use $-APPOINTMENTBOOKING{X} to link an End User to a specific booking type | v2.216 #963310 | 27:50

Appointment booking links can now direct users to specific booking types.

This provides more flexibility when building self-service appointment workflows.

Added AI Acknowledgement Emails at Ticket Type Level | v2.216 #920858 | 29:42

AI-generated acknowledgement emails can now be configured at the Ticket Type level.

The feature allows custom prompts and automated responses tailored to specific ticket categories. The hosts felt this could be useful for gathering additional information from end users before an engineer begins working the ticket, but recommended careful testing before broad adoption.

Added a runbook setting to log a ticket after X failed attempts in a row | v2.216 #896368 | 34:49

One of the most practical automation improvements discussed during the episode.

When a Runbook repeatedly fails, Halo can now automatically create a ticket.

The hosts strongly recommended enabling this for Runbook deployments to improve visibility into automation failures and reduce troubleshooting time.

Added a setting to Etilize to only show items with a Price | v2.216 #804419 | 36:58

Adds an option to filter out catalog items that do not contain pricing information.

A small but useful improvement for teams relying on Etilize product searches.

Creation date and last edited date is now displayed on reports | v2.216 #801011 | 38:06

One of the hosts' favourite additions in this release.

Reports now display who last modified them and when the modification occurred, making report management significantly easier in larger environments.

Popup notes set as modal will now have to be acknowledged before they are closed | v2.216 #793283 | 39:44

Modal popup notes now require acknowledgement before dismissal.

This helps ensure important information is actually seen by technicians.

Added an individual toggle for KB article links per page when enabled | v2.216 #787515 | 41:33

Provides additional control over Knowledge Base article link behaviour.

The feature was only briefly discussed during the episode.

You can now import Subscription products from Microsoft CSP | v2.216 #779249 | 42:28

Improves Microsoft CSP product import functionality.

The hosts highlighted this alongside Microsoft's upcoming pricing changes and discussed how it may simplify subscription management.

Runbook improvements for uploading and downloading of files | v2.216 #749478 | 44:32

Adds additional file handling capabilities to Runbooks.

Useful for workflows involving document processing, attachments, and API-driven automation.

Charge Rate restrictions have been added to Ticket/Project level | v2.216 #650036 | 45:26

This generated one of the longest discussions of the episode.

The feature allows charge rate controls to be configured directly against tickets and projects. While it provides significant flexibility, the hosts cautioned that excessive customization could make billing troubleshooting considerably more difficult.

Options have been added to Resource Booking Types to override the "Minimum minutes" and "Maximum days" for available timeslots | v2.216 #461773 | 51:01

Resource Booking Types can now define their own scheduling limits rather than relying entirely on global settings.

Bills can now be created independently from Purchase Orders | v2.216 #452557 | 51:10

Allows Bills to be created without requiring an associated Purchase Order.

A useful addition for organizations with more flexible purchasing processes.

The current Item Price/Cost will now show on the hint for the Price/Cost on an Invoice | v2.216 #437921 | 51:30

Invoice pricing fields now display the current item price or cost as a reference.

The hosts questioned some of the terminology used but agreed the additional visibility could be helpful.

Sophos Integration is now available | v2.216 #234500 | 53:16

Halo now includes a Sophos integration.

The discussion focused primarily on alert synchronization and early integration improvements since its initial release.

May 26, 2026
8 min read

By the [run]Book: Episode 22

HaloPSA v2.216 delivers several impactful improvements for MSPs, including new SLA-aware database functions, enhanced integrator troubleshooting tools, OAuth token refresh controls, improved sensitive ticket permissions, and expanded invoicing flexibility. Episode 22 continues reviewing features in 2.216 while highlighting the changes that will have the biggest day-to-day operational impact.
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Episode 22 of By the [run]Book dives deep into HaloPSA v2.216, covering a wide range of enhancements across reporting, integrations, invoicing, ticketing, assets, and automation. Connor and Mendy spend extra time unpacking new SLA-aware database functions, improved integrator troubleshooting, OAuth token management, sensitive ticket controls, and several quality-of-life improvements that make Halo easier to administer and automate. This episode is particularly valuable for MSPs looking to improve reporting accuracy, streamline integrations, and gain better visibility into backend processes.

Watch Now: By the [run]Book: Episode 22
For easier tracking, check out haloreleases.remmy.dev to filter and search HaloPSA updates by ID, version, and keyword.

Important Mentions

New database functions have been added to be used to calculate time between dates | v2.216 #1083601 | 2:17

One of the most impactful features discussed in this episode introduces new database functions designed to calculate working time between dates using Halo's own business logic.

  • Enables SLA-aware reporting calculations.
  • Accounts for working hours, holidays, and SLA calendars.
  • Simplifies SQL reporting that previously required complex logic.
  • Particularly useful for custom reports and analytics.

Why it matters: MSPs building advanced reporting can now calculate true business time rather than relying on raw SQL date math.

Added two additional options to the tickets setting 'Sensitive Ticket restrictions' | v2.216 #1056127 | 22:45

Sensitive tickets gain more granular visibility controls.

  • Additional restrictions for end-user visibility.
  • Additional restrictions for agent visibility.
  • Better handling of confidential or executive-level requests.
  • Improves internal governance and privacy controls.

Why it matters: MSPs supporting executive teams or handling confidential projects gain stronger access controls.

Integrator log columns ID and config ID are now filterable | v2.216 #1039846 | 33:06

Connor and Mendy highlighted this as one of the most valuable operational improvements in the release.

  • Makes troubleshooting Halo Integrator jobs significantly easier.
  • Allows administrators to filter logs by specific integration configuration.
  • Simplifies debugging failed syncs.
  • Reduces time spent searching through large log files.

Why it matters: Faster troubleshooting means less downtime and quicker resolution when integrations fail.

Custom integrations that use OAuth 2.0 now have a button to clear the access/refresh tokens, allowing permissions to be refreshed | v2.216 #1029548 | 45:49

This feature received strong praise from both hosts.

  • Allows OAuth tokens to be cleared without recreating integrations.
  • Makes permission testing much easier.
  • Eliminates the need to duplicate integrations during troubleshooting.
  • Simplifies development and integration configuration work.

Why it matters: Anyone building custom integrations or working with APIs will immediately appreciate the time savings.

Full Feature List

New database functions have been added to be used to calculate time between dates | v2.216 #1083601 | 2:17

This feature introduces new database functions that calculate time between dates while respecting Halo's working hours, holidays, and SLA schedules. The hosts highlighted this as one of the most impactful additions in the release for reporting and analytics.

For MSPs building custom reports, this removes much of the complexity previously required to calculate true SLA working time instead of relying on standard SQL date calculations.

When using the new storage data method, Text custom fields will now be extended up to 1000 characters | v2.216 #1083130 | 4:36

Text custom fields created using the newer storage method can now support up to 1000 characters instead of the previous 255-character limitation.

The team discussed real-world examples where long URLs, call recording links, and integration data would previously be truncated. This change reduces the need to switch fields to Memo types simply to accommodate longer values.

Action Group configuration has been added to the menu options at Configuration > Tickets, as well as being added to the Action configuration | v2.216 #1082462 | 6:08

Action Group configuration is now surfaced more prominently throughout the Halo interface.

This doesn't introduce new functionality but makes Action Groups easier to discover and manage by exposing configuration options in more logical locations.

Quotes will no longer be automatically expired if they have a Status that is either used as "Closed" or "Accepted" | v2.216 #1080343 | 7:32

Previously, accepted or closed quotes could still transition to an expired status once their expiry date was reached.

This fix prevents completed quote statuses from being overwritten later, resulting in cleaner sales reporting and a more accurate quote lifecycle.

Added a new Mail Campaign Type: Nurture Campaign - Scheduled | v2.216 #1080219 | 8:29

Scheduled nurture campaigns can now periodically re-evaluate recipient lists rather than only processing the list when the campaign initially launches.

This makes nurture campaigns much more practical for dynamic marketing lists where recipients may qualify after the campaign has already started.

You can now use $ChatTranscript on a Ticket at any time when there is a linked Chat with a User | v2.216 #1079619 | 10:21

The Chat Transcript variable can now be referenced whenever a linked chat exists for a ticket.

This provides more flexibility when building templates, notifications, automations, and workflows that need access to chat history.

Added $_INVOICELONGDESC to the available variables that can be used during pro-rata creation | v2.216 #1079617 | 10:57

A new variable has been added to support invoice long descriptions during pro-rata calculations.

The hosts spent time discussing how this improves consistency between invoice line descriptions and prorated billing entries, helping produce clearer invoices for customers.

Added a setting to only apply date validation upon creation of entities | v2.216 #1075315 | 14:40

Date validation can now be restricted to the creation process only.

This allows administrators to make changes to records later without triggering the same validation requirements that applied when the entity was originally created.

Added the permission "Can Override Device Change Who" | v2.216 #1072389 | 15:23

A new permission allows the recorded user associated with device change tracking records to be overridden.

The hosts noted this introduces additional flexibility but also raises questions around auditing and accountability, so it should be used carefully.

Added the option "Visible - Read Only" to asset type system field settings | v2.216 #1069805 | 17:05

Asset system fields can now be configured as visible while remaining read-only.

This helps expose important information to users without allowing accidental edits.

Added a setting to enable customer specific agreement reference generation | v2.216 #1068707 | 17:22

Agreement reference numbers can now be generated on a customer-specific basis.

Organizations with structured naming conventions may find this useful when managing multiple agreements across different customers.

It is now possible to enforce uniqueness for asset fields per asset type | v2.216 #1067257 | 18:28

Asset custom fields can now be configured to require unique values.

This is particularly useful for:

  • Serial numbers
  • Asset tags
  • External identifiers
  • Device reference numbers

It helps improve data quality and prevents duplicate asset records.

Sage Intacct Entity mapping defaults and manual settings are now available across more entities | v2.216 #1062134 | 19:10

Sage Intacct mapping capabilities have been expanded to additional entities.

This improves flexibility for organizations integrating HaloPSA with Sage Intacct accounting workflows.

You can now map Halo Custom Fields to Sage Intacct fields where mappings are available | v2.216 #1062129 | 20:34

Custom field mapping support has been extended within the Sage Intacct integration.

This allows more business-specific data to flow between HaloPSA and Sage Intacct.

Added a setting to Users Settings > Defaults to determine if a new Users' username should be set to their Email or not if there is already a User at the Site with the same Username | v2.216 #1060115 | 20:46

This setting helps determine how duplicate usernames are handled when new users are created.

The hosts generally felt most organizations would likely continue using traditional username formats rather than switching to email addresses automatically.

Added two additional options to the tickets setting "Sensitive Ticket restrictions" | v2.216 #1056127 | 22:45

This was one of the more significant ticketing enhancements discussed during the episode.

Sensitive tickets now support additional visibility controls for both end users and agents.

This helps organizations handle:

  • Executive requests
  • HR-related tickets
  • Confidential projects
  • Restricted internal discussions
Added settings to group by Agent Status in the Treeview, and to show a grouping of Agents by Status to Ticket Areas | v2.216 #1056112 | 25:43

Treeviews can now group agents by their availability status.

Dispatchers and service coordinators may find this particularly useful when reviewing ticket assignments and resource availability.

Added a setting for Asset Custom Buttons to disable the runbook queued confirmation popup | v2.216 #1054838 | 26:19

Asset custom buttons can now suppress the runbook queue confirmation message.

A small but useful quality-of-life improvement for heavily automated workflows.

Added a Chat flow action which can retrieve data from the User's browser local storage and map to Ticket or Chat Custom Fields | v2.216 #1054416 | 26:40

Chat flows can now retrieve information stored within the user's browser and map that data into Halo records.

The hosts discussed potential use cases while also noting the broader security considerations associated with browser-side data access.

Allowed non-integer IDs for multi-select custom fields | v2.216 #1054352 | 28:54

Multi-select custom fields are no longer restricted to integer-based identifiers.

This improves compatibility with external systems that use GUIDs and other non-numeric identifiers.

Added new $ variables for Client Mention notifications | v2.216 #1045900 | 30:07

Additional variables have been added for Client Mention notifications.

This supports richer notification templates and more contextual messaging.

Added "Mailbox" field to Ticket Types to allow Agents to set the default mailbox when creating new Tickets | v2.216 #1044902 | 32:28

Ticket types can now define a default mailbox during ticket creation.

This provides additional control over ticket routing and mailbox selection.

Integrator log columns ID and config ID are now filterable | v2.216 #1039846 | 33:06

One of the standout features from the episode, this enhancement makes Halo Integrator troubleshooting significantly easier.

Administrators can now filter logs by configuration ID, making it much simpler to locate and investigate integration runs.

For MSPs managing multiple integrations, this can dramatically reduce troubleshooting time.

Variables used in Runbooks can now be JSON escaped using the following format - ##jsonstringify##<<ticket^example_field>>##/jsonstringify## | v2.216 #1037026 | 38:42

Runbook variables can now be JSON-escaped before being passed to external systems.

This helps avoid formatting issues when sending structured data through APIs and automation workflows.

In the config commit list view, agent names will now display the stored name for consistency across instances | v2.216 #1032902 | 39:54

Configuration commit history will now display stored agent names consistently across linked instances.

A small but welcome improvement for organizations managing multiple Halo environments.

Added the v2 invoice merging method to allow more customisable merging options | v2.216 #1032275 | 40:15

A new invoice merging method introduces additional customization options for invoice generation.

The hosts noted that this feature introduces significant complexity and should be thoroughly tested before being adopted in production billing processes.

Service status improvements to the Self Service Portal | v2.216 #1031911 | 42:27

The Self Service Portal now includes improvements for displaying service status information.

Organizations maintaining customer-facing status pages may benefit from improved visibility during outages and service disruptions.

Custom integrations that use OAuth 2.0 now have a button to clear the access/refresh tokens, allowing permissions to be refreshed | v2.216 #1029548 | 45:49

Another major highlight from the episode.

Administrators can now clear stored OAuth tokens without recreating integrations.

Benefits include:

  • Easier permission testing
  • Faster troubleshooting
  • Reduced integration rebuilds
  • Simpler development workflows

For anyone building custom integrations, this feature alone can save a significant amount of time.

You can now use End Users and Site level Custom Fields on Ticket Column Profiles | v2.216 #1029518 | 47:36

Ticket column profiles can now display End User and Site-level custom fields.

This allows additional business data to be surfaced directly within ticket lists and views.

Added runbook ID as a filterable column on the integration runbook list view | v2.216 #1029237 | 48:32

Runbook IDs can now be used as a filterable column within integration runbook views.

A small administrative improvement that makes locating specific runbooks easier.

Add new Ticket Notification triggers for when there have been no Actions on a ticket for X hrs/days | v2.216 #1021268 | 48:48

New notification triggers can alert teams when tickets have been inactive for a specified period.

This may help identify tickets that have fallen through the cracks and improve follow-up processes.

A database table has been added named "InvoiceCreationTrace" that will be used to record what happened during Invoice creation from the Ready For Invoicing lists | v2.216 #1013403 | 49:49

Invoice creation now generates trace records that can be used for troubleshooting and diagnostics.

The hosts highlighted the importance of additional visibility into billing processes and invoice generation logic.

Added an end date column for software licences | v2.216 #1013163 | 51:38

Software licence records can now display an end date column.

A straightforward improvement that provides better visibility into licence lifecycle information.

Added ticket type groups to change tracking | v2.216 #1009333 | 51:47

Ticket type groups can now be leveraged within change tracking functionality.

This complements broader improvements around ticket grouping and permissions management.

You can now set automatic invoice reminders | v2.216 #1008361 | 54:10

Automatic invoice reminders can now be configured directly within Halo.

This helps reduce manual collections work and provides a more consistent accounts receivable process.

Added a setting 'approval delegation when out of office' to user settings | v2.216 #1005500 | 55:47

Approval requests can now be automatically delegated when a user is marked out of office.

While relatively simple today, the hosts discussed how this may become increasingly valuable as Halo continues expanding its out-of-office functionality and approval workflows.