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Version: 3.1

Previous Releases

2.7​

TL;DR​

  • Major Ivanti Neurons Archive enhancements, including a new Home/Browse/Search experience and improved performance.
  • Installer now supports automated upgrades and includes a new Uninstall option.
  • New Cortex System Manager utility replaces manual appsettings.json edits with a GUI configuration tool.
  • Improved Jira Data Center support.
  • Added new health check utilities for monitoring system and archive performance.
  • Significant improvements to forms, search grids, relationship handling, and rendering.
  • Expanded Data Source, Export, and Migration capabilities.
  • General system, security, and performance improvements.

The Full Story​

Ivanti Neurons Archive Enhancements​

  • New Home / Browse / Search experience for faster workspace navigation and saved search execution
  • Improved form rendering, attachment handling, and support for role-based workspace security
  • Displays related record counts and supports opening related records directly from grids
  • Significant backend performance improvements

Installer & Deployment Improvements​

Automated Upgrade Support​

The Cortex Installer now includes an Upgrade option that automates stopping IIS, replacing installation files without re-prompting configuration settings, and restarting services after completion. Custom installation paths and app pools are detected and honored.

Additional improvements:

  • Added Uninstall option
  • Improved rendering, Hi-DPI scaling, and navigation flow
  • Added validation for Full Text Search installation
  • Improved certificate path and server configuration handling
  • Resolved authentication-related auto-redirect issues

See: Installer Documentation

New: Cortex System Manager​

A new GUI-based configuration utility replaces manual appsettings.json edits for most post-installation settings, simplifying server configuration and troubleshooting.

System Health & Performance​

  • Added memory usage reporting (App Server + SQL Server) to Cortex Health Check
  • Added Archive Health Check utility with performance timing across connected systems
  • Reduced database query load for navigation visibility and dashboard widgets
  • Improved performance when querying external systems

Jira Data Source Support​

Jira now has improved support as an Archive Data Source:

  • New Browse page for Jira tables with search and field-based filtering
  • Improved form rendering, relationship loading and rendering
  • Improved searching logic
  • Support for customizing the file path that Cortex uses for loading stored attachments from disk

Cherwell & Forms Enhancements​

  • Added Date Time Math support
  • Improved search grids with better sorting, filtering, paging, and loading indicators
  • Added support for filtering group business objects by group members
  • Improved form rendering, label alignment
  • Enhanced relationship handling, related record lookups, and group-based form loading
  • Added Find Relationship by ID tool to Cherwell Database Inspector
  • Improved stored value recognition when viewing Onesteps

Data Source & Migration Enhancements​

  • Export Data utility now works across all external data sources
  • Export Data Table selection is filterable and searchable
  • Added support for custom forms, grids, and saved searches for non-Cherwell data sources
  • Improved permissions messaging and validation when creating or editing data sources
  • Added Delete All option in Edit Data Sources
  • Improved stability when switching external data sources during export

Email Monitoring & Cortex Automate Improvements​

  • Forwarded emails can now be processed as the original author
  • Added Notification Banner to alert user when Email Monitoring background workers are not running
  • Added ability to log Cortex Action messages to the Windows system event log
  • UI improvements and minor bug fixes when Creating a Record via Cortex Actions
  • Added "Days Until Specified Date" modifier

General Improvements & Fixes​

  • Added support for building missing Full Text Search catalogs in Cherwell databases
  • Improved license validation and expiration messaging
  • Improved startup error messaging for database connection issues
  • Cleaned up navigation visibility logic and menu presentation
  • Fixed intermittent Log Out issue
  • Added Windows authentication login tracking
  • Added MariaDB/MySQL support for system database calls
  • General security improvements

Download Cortex 2.7 from: https://releases.synapsesoftware.com/Cortex/v2.7.0

2.6​

TL;DR​

  • Introduced a new Cortex installer to simplify deployment and configuration.
  • Added native support for Jira Data Center archival.
  • Enhanced Cherwell Saved Searches Page with additional scope folders, nested folder support.
  • Expanded form and expression evaluation support, including new operators and modifiers.
  • Improved form rendering behavior and added new settings for form visibility.
  • Fixed datetime expression evaluation issues and updated the platform to .NET Framework 10 with refreshed libraries.

The Full Story​

This release focuses on simplifying setup, expanding integrations, and improving usability and reliability across Cortex.

New & Enhanced Capabilities​

Cortex Installer (New)​
  • Added a new installer that automates Windows Server and IIS configuration.
  • Provides a guided, visual setup experience for Cortex settings that were previously configured manually.
  • Provides additional visibility of possible configuration options
  • Configuration values continue to be stored in appsettings.json.
Jira Service Management Support (New)​
  • Added native support for Jira Service Management.
  • Enables integration with JSM projects and service workflows, extending Cortex Archive into Jira-based ITSM environments.
Cherwell Saved Searches Improvements​
  • Expanded the Saved Searches page to include additional scope folders.
  • Added support for nested folders.
  • Updated the UI to use the same display component as OneSteps.
Cherwell Form, Expression, & UI Updates​
  • Added support for evaluating Form Arrangement tab�specific data filters.
  • Added support for like and not like operators in expressions.
  • Added support for the Substring modifier.
  • Improved rendering of single-line text boxes and resolved issues with horizontal scrollbars sometimes overlapping text.
  • Added a system setting to control whether Form Controls appear when placed outside the form area (hidden by default).

Fixes & Platform Updates​

  • Fixed an issue with evaluating expressions that compare datetime values to literal or specified dates.
  • Fixed an issue where aggregate expressions could fail to evaluate correctly when referencing a group leader business object alongside fields that are defined only on group member business objects.
  • Updated to .NET Framework 10.
  • Updated supporting libraries.

2.5​

Cortex Archive For Cherwell​

  • Added support for Aggregate expressions to now evaluate additional filter criteria
  • Added support for the "Like" filter operator in Cherwell searches
  • Added full text search options to match "Any keyword" (previous functionality), "All Keywords" (any record that contains all search keywords, in any order), or "Exact Phrase" (any record that contains the full search phrase in the exact order it was specified)
  • Added support to evaluate Roles that a user's Cherwell security group has access to, and restrict the visibility of the business objects they can see on the 'Browse' page to only business objects that at least one of their roles should have access to. This can be configured in the Cortex Security Group settings > Application section, "Limit browse page to role-visible business objects?"
  • Added support for various Cherwell system functions: HasBusObRight(), IsInBrowserPortal(), AssociatedFieldIsReadOnly(), AssociatedFieldIsRequired(), CurrentUserDefaultTeamName(), CurrentUserDefaultTeamID()
  • Added display of attachment count on the drop down Attachments menu when viewing a record, to make it more clear when there aren't any attachments for the current record.
  • Added attachments data to the Health Check page
  • Added a 'Database Inspector' utility under the Structure page with various tools for viewing Cherwell definitions as a GUI or XML (Business object defs, Forms, Grids) and troubleshooting the evaluation of Cherwell data (previously an internal developer screen)
  • Added a 'Table Sizes' section to the 'Database Inspector' utility showing a list of Cherwell database table sizes, for troubleshooting database size issues
  • Added Cortex Security Group permissions for editing saved searches - This may need to be configured for existing customers upgrading from versions earlier than 2.5.0
  • Fixed: Default business object selections for OneSteps and Saved Searches when the "Incident" business object was renamed
  • Fixed: Image rendering issues with some built-in images

Cortex Automate​

  • Email Monitor
    • Updated visual workflow editor for Email Monitor rules and actions
    • Added support for uploading attachments when creating or updating records via Email Monitor
    • Updated: All dates are now stored in UTC format to prevent any timezone-related issues
  • Data Sources
    • Added a new data source integration for EasyVista ITSM
    • Improved support for archiving Ivanti Neurons databases
    • Added the ability for Cortex to consume MCP (Model Context Protocol) documentation similar to Swagger docs for API integrations
    • Enhanced Halo integration with improved search functionality
  • Cortex Actions & Automation
    • Added the ability to run Cortex Actions as background jobs
    • Added the ability to import and export Cortex Actions from a file
    • Added the ability to copy/clone existing Cortex Actions
    • Added the ability to import selected Cortex Action steps from one Cortex Action to another
    • Added a Prompt Action type for Cortex Actions
    • Added a Copy to Clipboard action type
    • Added support for uploading static file attachments when creating records via Create A Record actions
    • Added a modifier for "Get HTML Value Of Field" to extract HTML content from fields
    • Fixed: Update a Record action's record ID selector no longer resets on edits
    • Fixed: Cortex Actions updating stored values repetitively (once per each record of a dataset) causing values to be cached between references
    • Fixed: "Run A Cortex Action" actions that support inbound parameters will no longer reset specified parameter values in the editor each time they're loaded
    • Fixed: Closing the warning dialog that an action will run against many records no longer results in an exception
  • Miscellaneous
    • Added Button, Search Result, and Link widget types for Cortex dashboards
    • Added internal support for connecting to and managing PostgreSQL databases
    • Added a form submission tool for webforms driven from Cherwell Specifics (licensed separately for Platform and Cherwell Archive)
    • Fixed: Cortex Dashboards no longer generate an exception when a data source fails to connect to the server

Common User Interface & Experience Improvements​

  • Added User/Password authentication option (Internal authentication) with support for manually entering and changing user passwords
  • Added the ability to track user logins
  • Added a field to force password reset on next login for user accounts when using internal authentication
  • Added appsettings.json flag for auto-redirect configuration for authentication (previously only available in system settings UI in the app)
  • Improved performance of the View Logs page and added paging navigation
  • Added CSV export option for View Logs page
  • Enhanced SAML authentication page design
  • Updated authentication settings area in System Settings to be hidden when configured in appsettings.json
  • Fixed: Issue where log messages for configuration issues during app startup caused the app to freeze / crash without any logged error message
  • Fixed: "Export Cherwell Data" utility exception when remembered data source no longer exists
  • Fixed: More descriptive error message when "SAML" section is missing from appsettings.json
  • General Security Enhancements
  • General Stability and Performance Improvements

2.4​

Cortex Archive For Cherwell​

  • Added the ability to save & edit searches that contain full-text search terms
  • Added the ability to rename and delete Cortex saved searches
  • Added admin-only button for displaying the database query used for any Cherwell results grid, to aid in troubleshooting query issues
  • Added a new page under the Structure menu for viewing Cherwell Security Group configurations (Also contains a UI for visualizing additional security group filters for various business objects)
  • Adds a configurable setting for whether SAML authentication redirect should occur automatically
  • Added the ability to (optionally) configure License details directly within the Cortex UI. License keys can be imported as a file via the settings UI as well.
  • Added the ability to (optionally) configure Authentication details within Cortex
  • Added a warning to the home screen when full-text search is not installed in the database & now prevents the user from attempting to run a full-text search while it�s not installed
  • Fixed: Editing a search doesn�t set the business object selector to the right business object for the search
  • Fixed: Users unable to load �Unassociated� OneSteps
  • Fixed: Error when sending email via IMAP for mailboxes with usernames in domain\username format
  • Fixed: Error when a user tries following a direct link to a ticket that they don�t have permissions to view

Cortex Automate​

  • Data Sources
    • Added support for MySQL and MariaDb databases
    • Added a new integration with InvGate ITSM
    • Updated custom API data source option with ability to map custom API endpoints as tables that can be acted on in Cortex
    • Updated Halo integration with support for Users and CIs/Asset tables, improved field ID mapping for running Cortex Actions
    • Added ability to Export & Import Data Source configurations from a file
    • Added ability to run Export Data / Migration actions in the background
    • Added Ivanti Neurons Data Source / Integration
  • Cortex Actions & Automation
    • Added Query LLM Action type for integrating Large Language Models into Cortex Actions
    • Added new Cortex API methods for calling Cortex Actions via the API
    • Added Expression operators for Contains, Empty, Not Empty, and Doesn�t Contain operators for condition expressions
    • Added Data Source-specific Actions, a new capability for data sources to provide built-in, pre-built actions and integrations that can be called with parameters
    • Added support for storing and referencing Stored Values, persistent values stored in the database, across Cortex Actions and mail monitoring actions
    • Added ability to select various special system functions for Current Login ID, Current Date Time, Current Date, Current Time, Current Record As JSON
    • Added Modifier for �JSON Node�, which gets the value of a specified key from a JSON object
    • Added Modifier for �JSON Array Ops�, which expects a JSON array as input and provides sub-operators for selecting an item in the array. Current options are �First�, �Last�, �Where Key Has Value� (Select the item that contains a property with a specific value), �GetItemFromDictionary� (Select an item as a value from a dictionary where the item has a matching key)
    • Added a new �Stop Processing� action type that will stop all processing on a group of records, or trigger the �On Failure� action if run from an email monitor.
  • Miscellaneous
    • Added the ability to create and edit multiple Cortex dashboards

Common User Interface & Experience Improvements​

  • Enhanced visibility and display of various system settings checkboxes, making them easier to see on low-contrast and high resolution displays
  • Updated logging functionality to allow enabling/disabling the option to store Cortex Log messages in the database, without requiring an app restart
  • Added a �Health Check� page under the Utilities menu that can measure database latency for the Cherwell, Cortex, and externally connected databases
  • Added a new Security Group / permissioning system for Cortex-specific features

2.3​

Cortex Archive for Cherwell​

  • Created an embed UI for showing historical Cortex data in GLPI, Halo, and ServiceNow (licensed separately)
  • (Experimental) Support for rendering basic Cherwell dashboards used for navigation (not all widget types currently supported)
  • Fixed: Banners and text didn't support left/right text alignments
  • Fixed: Ownership clauses within Cherwell security group business object rights filters caused certain searches to display an error.

Cortex Automate/Integrate (including Email Monitor)​

  • Email Monitor
    • Trust SSL Certificate option for IMAP connections
    • Various backend improvements to email matching logic
    • Added support for uploading Attachments when creating tickets in Halo and GLPI via the Cortex Email Monitor
    • Added HTML email body to the View Mail Message screen (in addition to the plain text body)
    • Fixed: HTML content was not always being recognized in incoming emails, resulting in only plaintext content being sent for the created ticket in external systems
  • Data Sources
    • Created a Data Source connector for GLPI
    • Added the ability for end-users to browse the data within various tables of connected Data Sources
    • Added support for viewing attachments on a Halo or GLPI record when viewing them via the Quick View screen when browsing data sources
    • Added the ability to define and execute a custom search with filters against a connected data source (i.e Halo, GLPI, etc)
    • Added a read-only LDAP data source connector (Experimental)
    • Added support for Users and Assets in the Halo Data Source connector
  • Actions
    • Added a new Cortex Action type for manually refreshing a Data Source's auth token
    • Added 'Remove' (matching text) modifier when entering data in Cortex Actions, anywhere where Modifiers are supported
    • "Create a Record" Cortex Actions now save the created record's ID as a variable for use in subsequent steps
    • Fixed: "Log Output" actions would not always evaluate variables
  • Miscellaneous
    • Initial implementation to support Dashboard Widgets that query for data from a Data Source using a search and display a count or bar chart (full feature coming soon!)
    • Fixed: Cortex would not start properly on blank or Platform-only SQLite databases

Common​

  • Fixed: Some older licenses did not work with certain versions of Cortex
  • General Security Enhancements
  • General Stability and Performance Improvements

2.2​

Cortex for Cherwell​

  • Ability to select Related Items' Fields from search filters (e.g. Specifics when searching Incidents)
  • Include related items marked as enabled for search when doing full text search
  • Update language around "Include Supporting Business Objects" when choosing object to search
  • Implement missing System Functions: �CurrentLoginID� and �ServerDateTime�
  • Additional troubleshooting tools for Relationships and Form Arrangements (Cherwell)
  • Organize One-Step Viewer similar to Cherwell "Manager" UI
  • Fixed: Attachments menu doesn't populate when browsing to record by PublicID
  • Fixed: When using Windows Auth, user to security group mapping does not pull email from UserInfo
  • Fixed: References to fields on group members not on group leader can't be found
  • Fixed: Completely New Users Unable To Open Export Data Dialog

Cortex Mail Monitor / Integration Platform​

  • Mail Processing
    • Email message (conversation) threading
  • Data Sources
    • Import CSV into a table
    • Use Halo API's paging parameters to get all data
    • Update Platform data source wrapper to convert HTML values to plaintext if no plaintext value sent
    • MS SQL Server Data Source
    • Ability To Treat Mailboxes As Data Sources
    • Quick View for Datasource records
  • Cortex Actions
    • Add Cortex Action for Call a Web Service
    • Run a Cortex Action for the current record
    • Option to re-run a cortex action multiple times
    • Support "pre" and "post" steps that run once before and after all records are processed by a Cortex Action
    • Cortex Actions: Output Results To Log
    • Cortex Actions: General UI/UX Improvements (2.2)
    • Fixed: URL Parameters for API Data Source / web service actions do not appear to get honored
    • Fixed: Variables with blank values do not get replaced in Actions
    • Fixed: Certain variables are not correctly replaced in Cortex Actions
  • Platform Business Objects
    • �New" link at top of Platform Business Object Form To Create New Record
    • Create a new platform table with the schema from another data source
    • Show a multiline text control for long text fields on Platform Business Objects
    • Automatically generate a Grid or Form for Platform Business Objects (when needed) if none is defined.
    • Cortex Grid > Order By field selection
    • Allow a field to use a simple dropdown of values

General​

  • Custom Unhandled Exception Error Popup
  • Fixed: Some links in Nav Menu don't work when hosted in IIS

2.1​

Cortex for Cherwell​

  • Added a viewer for Email and Event Monitor configurations
  • Added a "Rich Text Zoom" button next to rich text fields (like Cherwell had)
  • Added a utility that will export all attachments from a Cherwell database
  • Added support for the �AssociatedFieldValue� function
  • Added a popup for Related Item Pickers to show the related record
  • Added support for many user-related system functions
  • Changed forma arrangement grids to show related items in a popup rather than navigating
  • Fixed issue where related items with security group filters would fail to load
  • Fixed issue where SAML authentication wasn�t redirecting properly
  • Fixed issue where certain plain text fields wouldn�t show line breaks

Integration Platform / Mail Monitor​

  • Added Modifier: Line Containing x
  • Added support for saving data locally
  • Added HTML support for certain data sources and fields
  • Added support for running mail monitor actions against data source records
  • Added support for updating existing records (e.g. Halo tickets) from actions
  • Added support for matching ticket by one of several keywords
  • Translate full-html emails into plaintext for keyword checks
  • Improved home page when run in Mail Monitor mode

Common​

  • Added support for Windows Authentication under IIS
  • Fixed issue where navigation menu items couldn�t be collapsed

2.0​

1.7​

1.6​