Thoughts

Refresh your Resume

By  
El Copeland
January 4, 2025
•
20 min read
Professional Development
Fundamental Skills
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When is the last time you updated your Resume/CV?  
There was a little bit of chatter in the MSPGeek Discord last month about what actually needs to go on a resume.  (MSPGeek Website | MSPGeek Discord)

It got me curious: how many of my friends in the MSP space have an up-to-date resume, and one that they’re proud of?  

Uh-oh, have you not dusted yours off in a few years?

Let’s talk about why you might want to change that even if you’re happy where you are and some practical advice for updating yours into something you’re proud to showcase.  

What is a Resume and how is it different from a CV?  

Let’s start with the basics.  

A resume is a generally a concise document highlighting your professional experience, skills, and accomplishments. When I’m coaching others, I use the analogy that a good resume is just a firm handshake. It's what gets your foot in the door for hopefully further conversations. You’ll want your resume to be tailored to your current interests and objectives, whittled down to reflect your story and expertise.  

On the other hand, a CV, or curriculum vitae, comes from Latin words curriculum, which came from the original word currere which translates to run, as in a race; and vitae, meaning life. Curriculum has since been adapted as an educational term for what you’d be learning in a class or program, but it originally just meant “what race are you running?”  

With that in mind, a CV literally translates to course of life, and as such it’s a beefier document than a resume, reflecting a detailed account of one’s professional journey, path, and achievements, showcasing a full history of your education, research, and work. I coach my people to keep both on hand, considering the CV as the “source of truth” for everything you’ve ever done with complete timelines and full descriptions, and creating multiple child resumes depending on your specific job application or use case.  

In general, in the MSP (Managed Service Provider) space and in the employment arena, these words are often used interchangeably but I encourage you to default to providing a simpler resume, and as such we’ll be focusing on that term in this article. However, there are places and times that it makes sense to provide a full CV and we’ll address that as we go.  

The Value of Keeping a Resume on Hand

Having an up-to-date resume is a good practice to keep even if you’re not actively looking for jobs.  Some companies that bid for work include team member resumes and CVs as evidence of that company’s competence and fit to win a particular Request for Proposal (RFP).  

It’s also helpful because you never know when the random person you meet at a conference, church, or bar, likes the cut of your jib and wants your resume to see if you’re a good fit for their company!

If you’re in Sales or Marketing, knowing what your technical teams’ Resumes and CVs look like can be a wealth of data for building proposals or providing accomplishments to prospective clients. It’s worth seeing if your team has up-to-date resumes so you know the high points of their skills and accomplishments and can brag about them accordingly.  

So enough about the why of a good Resume. Let’s talk about the how.  

Building a "Good” Resume

As someone who has applied for many jobs, read a good number of applications for my own businesses, and coached others in cleaning up their own, let’s talk about what makes a resume or CV successful to me and how I applied those ideals in my own resume. As you’ve surely noticed, the word good is in quotation marks – every bit of advice in here is built on years of learning and experience, but is by no means dictatorial or the final word on the resume that will get you the job of your dreams.  

My goal is to give you inspiration on revamping and practical advice further editing your own! If you follow these ideas, hopefully, you'll take your resume from "meh" to "good" and as you build your idea of what good looks like, you can make it "great."

Here is my current resume, for reference:  

What are your first thoughts? It’s ok if you hate it, it won’t hurt my feelings. The fact that you’re thinking about what could be a resume is the exciting part for me. We’ll use my resume to tear apart some of these rules so you have practical ideas for what to do, or not!

Rules I kept in mind:  

  1. You’re the Hero.  
  1. Lead with action.
  1. Context, context, context.  
  1. Show your Work

You’re the Hero.  

For the uninitiated, Doctor Who is a BBC Family Show about a millennia-old time-traveling alien who consistently finds himself saving the human race while meeting historic people and events from the past, present, and future.  In the 2024 Christmas special, Ncuti Gatwa as the Doctor finds himself trapped in a crappy hotel room by himself, for a year. “The long way ‘round” rings in the viewers’ ears as we are then escorted through the next year of the Doctor, watching his character development as he performs menial labor and often comical tasks. It’s heartwarming and tearjerking, and....

Don’t do that.  

Yeah, you heard me. Your resume is not the place for your growth or development. It’s not the place to give the ins and outs of your day-to-day. Your resume needs to be the high points. This is just the book cover, the summary, the short review enticing someone to pick you up and actually flip through the pages.  

Ways that you can do that include:  

  • Use a “Summary” and/or “Objective”.
    What is your overall story? Are you a phenomenal Tier 2 Technician looking for her next role leading a team as a Tier 3? Are you hoping to transition to leadership with your people skills? Are you wanting to contribute to a team with your depth of knowledge of security infrastructures? What should the reader of your Resume see first, and how should they read your story?  
  • Keep to the point.
    A rule of thumb often used is 10 years of work experience to one page of resume. IF you have more experience that requires more words, try to shorten it first. Or, include an appendix fully describing a project or situation.  
  • Maybe a picture.
    Honestly, I hate having a photo on a resume, but I was applying for a job outside of my local area and industry I wanted something that showed my character. I left it on the styling because I’m lazy. Be careful with photos, they can seem unprofessional.  

We want to know that you can speak Judoon, have commandeered a TARDIS, and are adept with both psychic paper and a Sonic Screwdriver. We do not need to know that you carjacked said TARDIS, brought someone a cheese toastie and pumpkin latte, or snogged Queen Elizabeth.  If the devil is in the details, well, leave the details and the devil out of your resume, dude.

This example is a little silly, but the point remains that YOU are the hero and YOU write your own story. Make sure the readers of your resume know what that is. And regardless of what story you write, your resume should always lead with Action.  

Lead with Action

What have you done that you have control over? Your resume should show that you’re an asset to the teams that you’re on and that the work you’ve done has shown your strength.  

Instead of framing things as being a part of a project or that something was imposed on you, stretch yourself to consider the decisions you made and how they were impactful.  

Check your resume in a grammar checker for  “passive voice” and eliminate it from your resume as much as possible. Passive voice makes it seem like you are just that: a passive bystander to things that you created. This isn’t the place for modesty, it’s a place for groundedness and intentionality! Don’t be scared to show them what you’ve got! Here are some good rules of thumb for your resume:  

  1. Start with action verbs: Use strong verbs such as developed, managed, increased, led, implemented, and optimized.
  1. Ask 'who did what?': When reviewing your bullet points, ask yourself who is performing the action, and make that the subject of the sentence.
  1. Quantify results: Adding metrics helps make the statement more assertive and shows the impact of your actions.

Here are some practical examples for how you can update passive voice with active voice.  

  • Ticket System Implementation
    • ‍Passive: “A new ticketing system was implemented to streamline support requests.” ‍
    • Active: “Implemented a new ticketing system that streamlined support requests, reducing response times by 20%.”
  • Customer Care ‍
    • Passive: “Client issues were resolved in a timely manner.”
    • ‍Active: “Resolved client issues within 24 hours, improving customer satisfaction ratings by 15%.”
  • Report Preparation ‍
    • Passive: “Quarterly reports were prepared and presented by me for leadership review.” ‍
    • Active: “Prepared and presented quarterly reports to leadership, providing data-driven insights that influenced key decisions.”
  • Training Employees ‍
    • Passive: “Training programs were created for new hires.” ‍
    • Active: “Created and led training programs for new hires, resulting in a 30% reduction in onboarding time.”
  • Security Updates ‍
    • Passive: “System upgrades were performed to improve security.” ‍
    • Active: “Performed system upgrades to improve security, reducing vulnerability incidents by 40% compared to previous year.”

Of note, it is highly possible that you don’t feel like you have the numbers or the confidence to do this, today.  There is a certain amount of intentionality and care that is required to start gathering these types of Key Performance Metrics or goals. It’s possible that your management is tracking some of these things already and you can talk to your manager about their goals for your department and roll those into your own successes.  

Context, Context, Context

Know your audience and keep it relevant in all the ways possible, I’d specifically encourage you to consider context of content and context of delivery.  

Content

We allude to this in the section on being the Hero, but keep multiple versions of your resume on hand depending on the role and company you are applying for! Review the business’s website and job listing for key words, phrases, or values to show you are a good fit. Remove work experience that isn’t applicable to the role. Don’t keep things in if they dilute what you are actually seeking to present yourself as. Customize your bullet points: Swap in key accomplishments that fit the job description. If the role focuses on leadership, highlight examples of mentoring or leading a team. If it’s technical, detail relevant certifications, tools, and projects.

Formatting

Use consistent headers, bullet points, and spacing to make your resume easy to scan. Avoid excessive detail that clutters the page. Stick to clean, professional fonts and clear section breaks.  

Keep it simple, but don’t be afraid of a little personality: A pop of color, a different font, or slightly unique formatting can be memorable—but don’t overdo it. Use section dividers, subtle lines, or an (one!) accent color to guide the eye. Include icons for contact info if appropriate, but ensure they don’t distract (choose SIMPLE icons with only one color and make sure all icons are from the same family pack).  

Keep font choices professional yet modern, such as using sans-serif fonts like Calibri or Lato. In general, I recommend not using more than one typeface, and limit the times you change it. Regular, bold, italic should get you far, and try to keep font sizes to three variations: title (36pt), header (18pt), body (12pt). Keep things consistent like you would be if you were marking up a webpage or application. And please, whatever you do, don’t express yourself through clever or cartoony fonts, this is for business, not your personal art gallery.

Delivery

How are you submitting your application? In person, by email, through a digital system?  

Will the person be reading this on a mobile device or printing it out?  

If in person, don’t be afraid to print off a color copy on nice, weighted cardstock for an in-person interview, and bring copies for other people who may be in the room as well, for a peer interview.  

For digital submissions Check the format based on delivery method: Ensure your resume reads well in multiple formats—digital (PDFs), ATS-scannable text, and print. Run tests to see how it looks in each form.  Do screenreaders or convert to plain text to see (or hear) what a computer-read version of your document turns out to say. Does it make sense? If not, rework it.  

Show your Work

As mentioned multiple times in this article, your resume is a tool for opening doors, so don’t let it be a dead end for the reader. Where do you keep your portfolio or where should they go to find more information about you if this resume piqued their interest? Don’t keep them guessing, give them access! Some things you may want to include on a modern resume:  

  • Links  
    • Github
    • LinkedIn Profile  
    • Blog or Portfolio
  • Personal Projects or Achievements section
    • Speaking engagements
    • Community Volunteerism
    • Open Source Projects you contribute to
  • References or Testimonials
    • While your references should be separate from your resume, don’t be afraid to list quotes from people about your work or link to reviews

Now, it’s your turn!  

What do you think? If you look at your resume, does it follow my suggestions of making yourself the Hero. leading with action, considering appropriate context, and showing your Work?  Where did I deviate from the rules, do you think it works for me, or not?  

On the flip side, what rules do you think I am missing?

I hope I’ve inspired you to update your resume and/or CV this month and to encourage your friends and colleagues to do the same! If you need help cleaning up your resume, you can find me on any of the social channels listed on my resume, or through Rising Tide if you want to pay me to just do it for you.  

‍

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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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By the [run]Book
February 18, 2026
8 min read

By the [run]Book: Episode 15

Episode 15 of By the [run]Book covers Halo v2.208 and the start of v2.210, highlighting improvements to SLA response targeting, shift clock-in/clock-out tracking, bi-monthly billing schedules, and expanded team leader permissions. Mendy and Robbie break down what these changes mean for MSPs refining service delivery, billing workflows, and internal access control.
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Episode 15 of By the [run]Book covers Halo v2.208 and starts into v2.210, with Mendy and Robbie walking through SLA refinements, shifts/time tracking updates, billing cadence improvements, and tighter access controls across portals and reporting. Key moments include new SLA response targeting options, a clock-in/clock-out widget for shifts, a bi-monthly schedule period, and expanded team leader controls. This is a useful episode for MSPs looking to tighten operational workflow, reporting governance, and self-service experience improvements.

Watch Now: By the [run]Book: Episode 15
For easier tracking, check out haloreleases.remmy.dev to filter and search HaloPSA updates by ID, version, and keyword.

Added an option to Service Level Agreements to enable a different First Response Target to Subsequent Responses | v2.208 #988897 | 2:04

Adds an SLA option so your first response target can differ from subsequent response targets.

  • Better reflects triage vs ongoing comms
  • Cleaner SLA reporting for service teams

Added the FAQ List Ticket field as an available option for workflow automation criteria | v2.208 #987268 | 6:13

Adds the FAQ List Ticket field as a workflow criteria option.

  • Enables knowledge-base-driven workflow logic
  • Helps route/handle KB-related ticket workflows more precisely

Added a Chat Profile setting to allow the update of the End User of Tickets linked to an Anonymous Chat if the haloChat_inboundEvent_upgradeAnonChat is successfully called | v2.208 #984332 | 7:31

Allows ticket end-user updates when an anonymous chat is successfully upgraded.

  • Improves attribution of chat-created tickets
  • Reduces manual cleanup after anonymous-to-known identity transitions

Added a "Clock in, Clock out" widget for Shifts | v2.208 #984138 | 8:00

Adds a clock in/clock out widget for Shifts.

  • Helps formalize on-duty time tracking
  • Useful for after-hours / on-call patterns

Added a 2 monthly schedule period option | v2.208 #979982 | 10:45

Adds a 2-month schedule period option.

  • Supports bi-monthly billing cadences
  • Reduces schedule workarounds

Added multiple improvements to Knowledge Base latest article links | v2.208 #979751 | 10:59

Improves Knowledge Base latest article links.

  • More consistent KB navigation as articles change/version
  • Helps avoid “stale link” confusion

Added the option 'Visible - Read Only' to Agent Asset details screen visibility | v2.208 #979737 | 11:49

Adds “Visible - Read Only” for Agent Asset details visibility.

  • Lets agents view key fields without editing
  • Supports tighter asset governance

You can now configure a ticket to load balance upon reopening if the assigned agent does not meet the mandatory qualification matching criteria | v2.208 #979563 | 12:53

Adds load-balance on reopen if assigned agent doesn’t meet qualification rules.

  • Keeps qualification matching consistent over the ticket lifecycle
  • Helps avoid “reopen back to wrong resource” situations

Added a module for an integration with Opinyin | v2.208 #978437 | 13:06

Introduces a module for an Opinyin integration.

  • Relevant if Opinyin is part of your customer feedback stack
  • Worth evaluating for review/feedback workflow alignment

You can now send test emails for individual Mail Campaign email messages | v2.208 #977085 | 13:42

Adds test email sending for individual mail campaign messages.

  • Helps validate content before sending live
  • Reduces campaign mistakes

Added multiple new Halo API Actions in runbooks | v2.208 #974932 | 13:50

Adds new Halo API actions in runbooks.

  • Expands no-code/low-code automation options
  • Reduces dependency on custom calls in some workflows

Added a new setting to split Knowledge Base view counts. When enabled, the End-User portal shows only User views | v2.208 #971344 | 14:52

Splits KB view counts so end users see only user views (when enabled).

  • Cleaner end-user analytics
  • Separates agent/internal browsing from customer consumption

Added item group restrictions and a running cost total when adding items to new tickets on the self-service portal. | v2.208 #971032 | 15:27

Adds item group restrictions + running cost total on portal ticket item selection.

  • Better guardrails for what customers can request
  • More transparent cost expectations while building a request

Added a Ticket Reference field that can be searched and included in column profiles | v2.208 #968004 | 17:39

Adds a Ticket Reference field that’s searchable and usable in column profiles.

  • Helpful for ITSM-style reference formats
  • Improves filtering and reporting in list views

Service subscribers are now grouped | v2.208 #963508 | 18:56

Groups service subscribers.

  • Improves clarity around AND/OR logic in subscriber conditions
  • Makes complex subscriber setups easier to maintain

Added dollar variables ($) CONTRACTSLA, CONTRACTSUBTYPE & CONTRACTSTATUS | v2.208 #935851 | 19:55

Adds $ variables for CONTRACTSLA, CONTRACTSUBTYPE, CONTRACTSTATUS.

  • Improves template and workflow flexibility
  • Useful for notifications, templates, and automations

Improvements to Agent Resource Booking | v2.208 #935781 | 20:00

Adds improvements to Agent Resource Booking.

  • Enhances appointment booking workflows
  • Helpful if you’re trying to reduce reliance on external schedulers

Added options to encrypt variables and responses in Custom integration methods & Runbooks | v2.208 #882510 | 21:41

Adds encryption options for variables/responses in integrations/runbooks.

  • Better security for sensitive values used in automations
  • Especially relevant for API keys and secrets

You can now set an expiry date for software against an asset | v2.208 #880465 | 22:33

Adds software expiry date tracking on assets.

  • Supports proactive renewals
  • Enables automation around expiring software

Added a ticket type level setting that can allow you to show/hide approval actions for end-users. | v2.208 #859228 | 22:54

Adds ticket-type control for end-user approval action visibility.

  • Keeps the portal cleaner where approvals aren’t relevant
  • Useful for differentiating internal vs customer-facing ticket types

Added functionality for team leaders to modify their agents’ preferences | v2.208 #855276 | 23:07

Allows team leaders to modify agents’ preferences.

  • Supports delegation without full admin access
  • Helpful in scaled team structures

Added the ability to bulk add assets to a ticket via the asset search modal screen | v2.208 #835383 | 27:26

Adds bulk add assets via the asset search modal.

  • Speeds up multi-asset incident/service request logging
  • Reduces repetitive clicking

Added the ability to set a chat profile override at user role level | v2.208 #834258 | 28:11

Adds chat profile overrides at the user role level.

  • Standardizes chat behavior by role
  • Helps maintain consistency across teams

FAQ lists can now be included in Knowledge Base links and will auto-expand on open | v2.208 #833936 | 30:24

Allows KB links to include FAQ lists and auto-expand on open.

  • Faster navigation into the exact FAQ content you want
  • Helpful for portal/self-serve KB UX

You can now specify HTML when setting a pop up note on a ticket rule | v2.208 #825950 | 30:38

Allows HTML formatting in popup notes triggered by ticket rules.

  • Create more readable/structured internal guidance
  • Useful for critical warnings, prompts, and process reminders

Credit notes are now displayed along side invoices on the self service portal | v2.208 #806488 | 33:34

Shows credit notes alongside invoices in the portal.

  • Improves billing clarity for customers
  • Reduces confusion during reconciliation

Added a new setting to limit agents and users to one active session | v2.208 #761279 | 33:52

Adds a setting to limit users/agents to one active session.

  • Helpful for security and account-sharing prevention
  • Supports tighter access governance

Added TD Synnex Quote Line Imports | v2.208 #698431 | 34:03

Adds TD Synnex Quote Line Imports.

  • Speeds quote building for MSPs using TD Synnex
  • Reduces manual entry errors

Added the ability to set specific colours for counters widgets when using dark mode | v2.208 #681842 | 34:07

Adds dark mode counter widget color options.

  • Improves readability for dark mode users
  • Helps dashboard clarity

It is now possible to create downpayment invoices from Sales Orders for both fixed price hardware/projects and time and materials projects | v2.208 #596243 | 34:26

Adds downpayment invoice creation from sales orders (fixed price + T&M).

  • Useful for upfront deposits on projects/hardware
  • Supports cashflow management

Added multiple settings in Self Service Portal settings to limit options to the Web Access Level list | v2.208 #436892 | 35:29

Adds settings to limit portal options to Web Access Level list values.

  • Reduces risk of accidental “too broad” portal access
  • Makes permissioning more controllable

Added the ability to use access control for reports | v2.208 #262984 | 37:46

Adds access control for reports.

  • Lock down sensitive financial/ops reporting
  • Useful for larger MSPs with more role separation

End of 2.208 Q/A and Cats! On to 2.210 | 41:59

When using the Addigy integration a button will show on devices imported to open the device in Addigy | v2.210 #1054688 | 46:52

Adds a deep link button on imported Addigy devices.

  • Faster navigation between Halo and Addigy
  • Reduces context switching for techs

Multiple changes made to the Expenses list | v2.210 #1053141 | 47:06

Multiple changes made to the Expenses list.

  • Improves list usability and admin workflows
  • Helpful if you use Halo expenses operationally

Halo Portal and Agent application (including dashboards) iframes can now be embedded in SharePoint pages | v2.210 #1051449 | 47:32

Allows embedding Halo portal/agent UI (including dashboards) in SharePoint via iframe.

  • Useful for intranet-style “single pane” access
  • Supports internal operational dashboards

A setting has been added to Recurring Invoice configuration so that Recurring Invoices appear in the Ready for Invoice list and are auto-created (if enabled) if the next creation date falls in the current/selected month | v2.210 #1051296 | 47:58

Changes how recurring invoices appear/create based on month selection.

  • Impacts finance workflows—review before enabling
  • Useful for month-based invoice planning

A setting has been added to Contract/Agreement configuration that will ensure when adding a Billing Plan Combination using a Billing Template a record will be added for each matching Contract/Agreement | v2.210 #1050626 | 48:32

Ensures billing template application creates a billing plan record per matching contract/agreement.

  • Helps when contracts renew/change and you still need accurate billing mapping
  • Reduces edge cases in contract-driven billing

Additional import fields have been added to the NinjaOne Device import - Last Contacted and Created Date | v2.210 #1050486 | 51:33

Adds Last Contacted + Created Date fields to NinjaOne device import.

  • Enables stale-device reporting (offline 30/60/90 days)
  • Supports cleanup and license optimization workflows

A setting has been added to Ticket/Opportunity Types so that the "Send" button can be removed from the Quote screen, so that the Quote can only be sent from the Ticket/Opportunity | v2.210 #1049474 | 54:04

Removes quote “Send” button so sending happens only via ticket/opportunity.

  • Enforces process consistency
  • Reduces accidental sends from the quote screen

A setting has been added to the Asset Field properties so that Change History records are not created for the Asset Field | v2.210 #1048570 | 54:35

Disables change history tracking for selected asset fields.

  • Prevents noisy logs on frequently updated fields
  • Helps keep asset records cleaner long-term

A permission has been introduced for Users and User Roles so that Invoice access can be restricted to No Access/Site/Client | v2.210 #1048548 | 55:32

Adds invoice access restriction levels (No Access/Site/Client).

  • Tightens financial visibility controls
  • Useful for role-based access separation

If an overriding Contract/Agreement is set against a Ticket but not configured to show in the Field List then it will still show but only administrators will be able to edit/update the field | v2.210 #1046935 | 56:13

Shows the overriding contract field even if it isn’t on the field list (admin-editable only).

  • Makes hidden billing context visible for troubleshooting
  • Reduces “why isn’t billing applying?” mysteries

Database Lookup functionality can now be used when entering an action using the self-service portal | v2.210 #1046459 | 56:58

Enables database lookup while entering an action in the self-service portal.

  • Makes portal actions more dynamic and guided
  • Useful for structured self-service inputs

Updated Account Integrator released that is compatible with Sage UK v32 (2026) | v2.210 #1046181 | 57:14

Updates the Account Integrator for Sage UK v32 (2026).

  • Relevant for Sage UK accounting users
  • Helps keep finance integrations current

A setting has been added to allow the Ticket entities to be added to a separate group when creating invoices in the "Ready for Invoicing" area | v2.210 #1044974 | 57:32

Adds a setting to group ticket entities separately during invoice creation.

  • May improve invoice grouping/organization depending on your billing setup
  • Worth testing in “Ready for Invoicing” workflow

‍

By the [run]Book
February 5, 2026
8 min read

By the [run]Book: Episode 14

In Episode 14 of By the [run]Book, Mendy and Robbie wrap up v2.206 and break down v2.208, covering key workflow, billing, automation, and portal enhancements. From smarter qualification matching to better project–contract alignment and deeper portal customization, this episode helps MSPs tighten operations and improve control inside HaloPSA.
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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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Book Club
February 2, 2026
8 min read

Rising Tide Book Club: Think Naked - Week 2

In Chapter 2 of Think Naked, Marco Marsan argues that adults don’t lose creativity: they’re conditioned out of it. This Rising Tide book club discussion explores fear, conformity, unexamined rules, and why real learning requires play, safety, and curiosity in modern organizations.
Read post

About this Series

This discussion guide is part of Rising Tide’s Winter 2026 book club, where we’re reading Think Naked by Marco Marsan.

If you’re just joining us, here are a few pages you’ll likely benefit from:

Chapter Summary

“If you want to be more creative, stay in part a child, with the creativity and invention that characterizes children before they are deformed by adult society” - Jean Piaget

In Chapter 2, You Lost Your Marbles, Marco Marsan explores how people don’t simply “grow out” of creativity — they are systematically conditioned out of it. The chapter argues that over time, fear, rigid rules, institutional norms, and social conformity slowly strip away curiosity, playfulness, and experimentation.

Marsan frames this loss through several forces:

  • Fear: mistakes become costly as adults (financially, socially, professionally)
  • Senseless rules: norms persist long after their original context or usefulness
  • Institutionalized regurgitation: being rewarded for having the “right answer” rather than learning how to think
  • Tough-it-out culture: endurance replaces reflection
  • Numbness: accumulated stress and responsibility dull engagement

The chapter opens with a consulting story where a leader dismisses Marsan outright, using it as a framing device to explore how organizations often reject discomfort, challenge, and unconventional thinking — even when they claim to want innovation.

Discussion Questions

Use these open-ended prompts to guide reflection and conversation. Remember, there are no right answers!

  • What does “losing your marbles” mean to you — and what might you have lost that still matters?
    • 'Lose Your Marbles' Saying - Meaning & Context
    • Rather than meaning “you’ve gone crazy,” the group explored the older meaning: marbles as something valuable children possessed — and something adults may have lost, not gained, over time.
  • Where have fear or consequences made curiosity feel unsafe? How do power and authority shape how you show up creatively?
  • How often do you ask why a rule exists, rather than whether you’re allowed to challenge it?
  • Where have institutions (school, work, industry norms) rewarded compliance over thinking?
  • What would play look like in your work if you weren’t worried about being wrong?

Rising Tide Input for your Consideration

About Rising Tide and our Book Club

Rising Tide helps MSPs and service-focused teams build better systems: the kind that align people with purpose.

Every Friday at 9:30 AM ET, we host Rising Tide Fridays as an open conversation for MSP owners, consultants, and service professionals who want to grow both professionally, technically, and emotionally. In Winter/Spring 2026, we’re walking through Think Naked.

If that sounds like your kind of crowd, reach out to partners@risingtidegroup.net for the Teams link. Bring your coffee and curiosity…no prep required.

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