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HIFIS 4.0.61.1 Release Notes

As the Government of Canada advances the National Housing Strategy and Reaching Home: Canada’s Homelessness Strategy, the importance of data collection, management, and sharing has never been more pronounced. These elements are critical for advancing our collective understanding of homelessness and facilitating informed decision-making. Reaching Home underscores the significance of a data-driven, client-centred approach in addressing the needs of individuals and families experiencing homelessness or at risk.

In this context, the Government of Canada remains dedicated to continually enhancing the Homeless Individuals and Families Information System (HIFIS). Our commitment is to ensure HIFIS is not only secure but also fully supportive of communities in their efforts to collect data, prevent homelessness, and drive meaningful reduction strategies.

If you have feedback on HIFIS you would like to share with us, please contact the HIFIS Client Support Center at 1-866-324-2375 or support@HIFIS.ca.

Important Notice:

Warning:

Before implementing this release, a backup of your database is necessary. Taking a snapshot of your application tier before implementing this update is also important in the event that a roll back of the changes should be required.

Key Recommendations:

  • Create a copy of your production environment and deploy it to your sandbox or testing site.
  • Perform the update on the sandbox/testing environment first to evaluate the impact of the recalculation and the overall duration of the process.
  • Verify that all key functionalities and client data behave as expected after the update in the sandbox environment before proceeding with the production update.

If you have any questions or require assistance, please contact the HIFIS Client Support Center.

Google Maps API Key Requirement:

Communities that wish to use Google Maps in HIFIS must obtain and configure their own Google Maps application programming interface (API) key. The key can be entered and managed in Application Settings; however, HICC does not provide a shared or default API key.

To ensure Google Maps functions correctly in HIFIS, communities must confirm the following configuration in Google Cloud, where the API key was created:

  • Billing is enabled on the Google Cloud project with a valid payment method (Note: Google Maps usage remains free up to 10,000 map loads per month.)
  • Maps JavaScript API is enabled
  • The API key has no restrictions, or restrictions are configured correctly

Under “APIs that can be accessed using this key”, one of the following must be selected:

  • No APIs selected, or

All of the following APIs:

  • Maps JavaScript API: Displays an interactive Google Map in a web browser
  • Geocoding API: Converts addresses to latitude/longitude and vice versa
  • Places API: Provides place search, address autocomplete, and place details

If any APIs are selected in this list, all three must be enabled for Google Maps to function as expected in HIFIS.

SQL Server 2016 Minimum Requirement:

Please note that Microsoft has ended its support of SQL Server 2014 effective July 9th, 2024. As a result, the lowest version of SQL Server supported by HIFIS will be SQL Server 2016.

We strongly recommend upgrading to SQL Server 2016. Moving forward versions and releases of HIFIS require SQL Server 2016, and Microsoft will not be able to assist with any server related problems experienced using SQL Server 2014. For more information on SQL Server 2014 support, you can visit the Microsoft website.

Note:

If your community has not yet implemented releases 4.0.58.1 or above, note that updating to release 4.0.61.1 may have an impact on your custom reports. This is due to changes to your database's underlying structure that were introduced in release 4.0.58.1 of HIFIS. Check release notes 4.0.58.1. For additional information on the affected tables. Consult your report service provider if you have any issues.

On this page

Download HIFIS version 4.0.61.1

Release highlights

  • Transition from Bing Maps to Google Maps, offering improved mapping accuracy and usability across the application.
  • A new Enumeration Module to support annual Point-in-Time Count activities.
  • A new Last Known City field to enhance tracking of client movement across large geographic areas, including updates to the Geographic Region Mapping feature.
  • 54 other minor changes and enhancements and 47 bug fixes to further improve system performance and user experience.

Database Changes

The HIFIS Schema is available here and has been updated for 61.1.

Reports

Renamed the HIFIS_CityTypes.TypeIDcolumn to HIFIS_CityTypes.ID to conform with naming convention of lookup tables. Any references to HIFIS_CityTypes.TypeID must be updated to reference HIFIS_CityTypes.ID to ensure continued functionality.

New features & Major changes

New features or major changes introduced as part of this release:

Code Optimization of Stored Procedures

As part of our ongoing effort to improve overall system performance, HICC continues to review and optimize key stored procedures within HIFIS. This work focuses on enhancing efficiency, reducing processing time, and ensuring smoother execution of automated system tasks. These improvements are part of a broader commitment to strengthening application performance and stability across future releases.

Also, HIFIS now processes certain background tasks more efficiently by running them asynchronously. This improves system responsiveness by allowing the application to continue running other tasks without waiting for calculations to finish, resulting in smoother performance during client updates.

System

  • Applied asynchronous execution to stored procedure sp_UpdateClientChronicityStatus. This improves system responsiveness by allowing the application to continue running other tasks without waiting for the chronicity calculation to finish, resulting in smoother performance during client updates.
  • Applied asynchronous execution to stored procedure sp_UpdateClientHousingStatus.

Geographic Region and Last Known City Field

New updates support more reliable community‑level reporting by introducing the “Last Known City” field and improving how geographic information is captured, stored, and displayed across modules.

The “Last Known City” field is automatically populated based on the client’s most recent housing or shelter history. HIFIS will first use the city from the most recent active housing or shelter record. If no active record contains a city, it will use the city from the most recent past record. If no city can be found in any housing or shelter history, HIFIS will use the city from the service provider who created the client.

Application Setting

Updated Geographic Region Mapping in Application Settings to allow cities to belong to multiple geographic regions.

Note: To access the Geographic Region Mapping tab in the Application Setting, please make sure that the “Enable GeoRegion Filter” option is set to “Yes”.

Client Details

  • Stopped tracking changes to the Geographic Region field in the Client Vitals change history. The change history log will not track changes to the “Last Known City” field.
  • The Geographic Region field in Client Details auto-populates based on the last known city of the client.
  • Added a “Last Known City” field to Client Details.

Coordinated Access

  • The Geographic Region field in Client Details auto-populates based on the last known city of the client.
  • Added “Last Known City” as a filter option in the Coordinated Access module.
  • Removed the “Geographic Region” filter in the Coordinated Access module.

Field Dictionary

Added “Last Known City” as field in the HIFIS Field Dictionary.

Housing History

The Geographic Region field in the Housing History form is now read-only and is auto-populated based on the city selected in the record.

Service Providers

The Geographic Region field in Service Provider Details is now read-only and is auto-populated based on the city where the Service Provider is located.

Google Maps

With the retirement of Bing Maps, HIFIS now uses Google Maps as its mapping service across the entire application. This change preserves all existing mapping capabilities, and users should not experience any differences in functionality or behaviour. All features previously powered by Bing Maps continue to operate as expected using Google’s mapping platform.

Application Settings

Updated configuration to use a Google Maps API key instead of a Bing Maps key.

Directory of Services, Encampment, Outreach

Replaced Bing Maps with Google Maps across HIFIS.

New Enumeration Module

HIFIS now includes a dedicated Enumeration module to collect, manage, and export Point‑in‑Time (PiT) enumeration data. This includes the Enumeration form, the ability to add local question, questions from the PiT Count survey (via the Marketplace) and an Enumeration report.

PiT Count > Enumeration

  • Added shelter stay information to the Enumeration export. The shelter stay data is based on the admissions recorded the day of the enumeration event. Not the day that the data is exported.
  • Added an “Observed Homelessness” option to Enumeration events.
  • Added an Enumeration List View.
  • Added an Enumeration form.
  • Added Enumeration modules under the PiT Count menu.
  • Added a Systems Homelessness setting to the Enumeration configuration options.
    • When this setting is toggled to “Yes”, question C1 appears in the Enumeration form only when one of the following values is selected in Question C:
      • Hospital
      • Treatment Centre
      • Jail, Prison, Remand Centre

Reports

Created a new report for Enumeration events.

Rights

Added new user rights for the Enumeration module.

Minor changes

Minor changes included in this release:

Application Settings

Users can now view the list of cities in geographic region without using the edit view.

Assessments

Updated tooltips for VI-SPDAT and SPDAT assessments to be clearer.

Calls and Visits

Implemented pagination for Calls and Visits list.

Case Management

  • Made the “End Date” field in the case management form mandatory.
  • Users are now redirected to the Display Case Management page after saving or ending a Case Management record.

Client Details

  • Updated the icon for client with an active diversion attempt in the Client Details.
  • Added “City of Birth” field to the Client Details form.
  • Added “Unable to Ask” to Racial Identity field in Client Details.
  • The Client Vitals Change History log now tracks Racial Identity changes.

Client Merge

Enforced single‑record rules for Custom Tables during client merge; when both clients have entries in a single‑record table, HIFIS now keeps only the most recent record and discards older ones to maintain data consistency.

Coordinated Access

  • Separated the Coordinated Access List into tabs.
    • Client Details
    • Homelessness
    • Client Interactions
    • Assessments
  • Added new columns to the Coordinated Access List.
    • Open Case Management
    • Open Housing Placement
    • Open Housing Loss Prevention
  • Users can now see the assessment type in the Coordinated Access List (Assessments tab).

Custom Tables

  • Users can now assign an Owner to Custom Tables.
  • Custom Tables can now be added to the Group Activities module.
  • Added “Enable ‘Other’ option” for multi‑select Custom Table fields. This will add “Other” as a value in dropdowns. When selected, an open text field will appear.
  • Users can now filter for the status and ownership of custom tables.
  • Added a “Owner” column in Custom Table list.
  • The custom table list now dynamically displays tables in language set in the application.

Data Export

Implemented pagination on the Data Export page.

Directory of Services

Added filter items field to Directory of Services.

Diversion

  • Added the Geographic Region field in the Diversion “Add Housing History” form.
  • The “Save Diversion” button has been changed to “End Diversion” for Diversion Workflow.

Diversion Workflow Steps

  • Service providers can now have Diversion workflow descriptions unique to their service provider.
  • Service providers can copy the diversion workflow description from other service providers.

Documents

Updated confidential document permissions so the Delete action is shown only when a user has rights to view, edit, and delete the record.

Education

Added a “Contact” field in the Education module.

Encampment

  • Added Time field when enumerating an encampment.
  • Added radio buttons to toggle between active and inactive encampment records in the Encampment List.
  • Users can now delete Encampment records.
  • Added a filter items bar to Encampments List.

Goods and Services

Added pagination to Goods & Services List.

Group Activities

  • Implemented pagination for Group Activities list.
  • Updated the view on the Display Group Activities view to be separated into tabs as opposed to a single long form.

HIFIS Footer

Updated HIFIS footer link to Homelessness Learning Hub.

Housing History

Added validation for start date in Housing History to prevent housing records that start before a client was born.

Housing Maintenance

Added “Display” view for Housing Maintenance records.

Housing Placement

Client state will update when a housing placement attempt is created and “Final Attempt” is set to Yes.

Housing Placement, Housing Loss Prevention

Renamed the “Rent” field and the field now displays the actual rent paid based off the associated Housing Placement or Housing Loss Prevention record.

  • English: Actual Rent
  • French: Loyer effectif

Housing Units

  • Added “Active” column and radio buttons to filter the Housing Unit List.
  • Updated the “Features” field label in the Housing Unit module.
    • English: Housing Features
    • French: Particularités du logement

Look-up Table

  • Added new default value to the People Role lookup table.
    • English: School Faculty
    • French: Faculté de l'école.
  • The “Module Used In” column now displays the modules in French.
  • Service Providers can now unsubscribe from custom City values.
  • Renamed “Desired Outcome” table to “Case Goals” so it matches the label in the Case Management module.
  • Updated “Module Used In” lookup table field to display all the modules correctly.
  • Removed the following look-up tables as they have no behavior.
    • Custom Tables
    • Layout lookups.

People

Updated label for Address History in People module.

  • English: People – Address History
  • French: Personnes – Historique d’adresses

Questionnaires

  • Added radio buttons to filter between questionnaire owners and statuses.
  • Updated questionnaire editing behaviour so users can open the Edit Questionnaire form for questionnaires owned by another Service Provider when they have edit rights.

Rights

  • Updated “View Confidential Identifications” right label.
    • English: View Confidential Identification Records
    • French: Afficher les dossiers d'identification confidentiels
  • Added user right to delete Encampment records.

Service Providers

  • Users can now set a French title for the custom tables tab.
  • Added option to make Identification Number optional in the Identification module.
  • Added option to make the “Owner” field mandatory in Goods & Services - Express Template and Questionnaire form.

System

Alphabetized menus throughout HIFIS.

Users

The user welcome email is now sent once an account is activated. Previously, it was sent once the account was created.

Waiting List

The user welcome email is now sent once an account is activated. Previously, it was sent once the account was created.

Welcome Page

The Welcome Page now displays a list of recent clients the user interacted with.

Bug fixes

Bug fixes included in this release:

Admissions

  • Fixed cluster filtering in the Bed Availability tab; the full list of Service Providers in the cluster now appear as expected. (Issue ID: 771009).
  • Fixed issue where the client field is disabled when attempting to book-in a family. Users can now remove individual clients in a family before completing an admission. (Issue ID: 771030).

Application Settings

Fixed the alignment of the “Manage Geographic Region” fields in French. (Issue ID: 771432).

Case Management

  • Restored display of Session Details when attempting to view all sessions details in Case Management. (Issue ID: 770438).
  • Fixed an issue where hidden clients were appearing in the Excel version of the Case Management list. (Issue ID: 770976).
  • Fixed issue where case sessions with a description with more than 420 characters would take a long time to save. (Issue ID: 771012).

Case Management, Diversion, Housing Placement

Fixed Case Worker filtering so users with the Case Worker role in the current Service Provider are displayed even if they belong to different clusters. (Issue ID: 771070).

Client Details

  • Fixed graphical issue in the client summary box when the client state is set to “Archived”. (Issue ID: 770991).
  • Removed the toast message when Date of Birth is blank in Client Details. It will now appear as a confirmation message. (Issue ID: 771429).

Client Service Delete

The Client Service Delete module now filters service types and records to enforce Service Provider rights when deleting client services. (Issue ID: 771246).

Client Vitals

Fixed an issue where future‑dated Housing History records did not automatically update a client’s housing status. (Issue ID: 770830).

Consent

Updated consent logic so that adding a new consent automatically ends the previous active consent on the new start date. Added validation to prevent entering a start date earlier than the most recent ended consent when no active consent exists. (Issue ID: 770888).

Coordinated Access

  • Improved the accuracy of chronicity reporting by standardizing the 3-year rule calculation to 546 days. Previously, some views used a 540-day threshold, leading to inconsistent client status displays. (Issue ID: 771093).
  • Fixed untranslated content in Coordinated Access List. (Issue ID: 771360).
  • Fixed duplicate client entries in the Coordinated Access List when they have multiple open consent records. (Issue ID: 771361).

Data Export

  • Translated buttons on the Data Export preview screen. (Issue ID: 771401).
  • Fixed the EXPORT_ tables not refreshing prior to the automated export process. (Issue ID: 771415).

Directory of Services

Fixed the filter feature in Directory of Services. (Issue ID: 770822).

Diversion

  • Fixed punctuations not displaying properly when generating a notification message in French after saving a diversion form. (Issue ID: 770823).
  • Fixed issue preventing users from creating a new diversion record and after deleting a diversion workflow record. (Issue ID: 770824).
  • Fixed the “Financial Assistance Provided” toggle not saving properly when it is set to “Yes”. (Issue ID: 771132).

Good and Services

Programs now appear as expected when using the Display and Manage views. (Issue ID: 771460).

Group Activities

  • Corrected ProgramID mapping in Group Activities. (Issue ID: 771142).
  • Fixed incorrect end date appearing when replicating a group activity. (Issue ID: 771162).

Help Centre

Fixed content on the “How to Book Out a Client” help page appearing in the wrong language. (Issue ID: 771090).

Housing History

  • Editing the Housing Placement move in date now edits the start date in the corresponding Housing History record. (Issue ID: 767444).
  • Disabled the Extension field in the Housing History form when the “Telephone1” field is disabled. (Issue ID: 770800).
  • Fixed tooltip language in Housing History not updating when switching languages. (Issue ID: 770832).

Housing Units

Removed old code from Housing Units List view that was performing unnecessary loading. (Issue ID: 771346).

Medication Dispensing

Disabled the “Maximum Number of Doses per Day” in medication modules when it’s set to disabled in the Service Provider Mandatories. (Issue ID: 770798).

People

Resolved JSON error appearing when sorting columns in the People list. (Issue ID: 770848).

Registration

Fixed grammatical mistakes when viewing the Registration module in French. (Issue ID: 770816).

Reports

Fixed missing database version validation for new reports downloaded from the Reports Marketplace. This allowed users on older versions of HIFIS to see reports requiring newer versions. (Issue ID: 771351).

Rights

  • Reviewed and resolved inconsistencies in Waiting List user rights. (Issue ID: 771027).
  • Fixed missing rights check on the Custom Tables tab in the Client Details module, users with the appropriate rights can now see the Custom Tables. (Issue ID: 771029).

Service Providers

  • Fixed a filter issue preventing the full list of service providers from appearing in the Service Provider List. (Issue ID: 770908).
  • Service provider mandatories are now properly enforced in the Housing Unit module. (Issue ID: 771188).

System

  • Fixed an issue where RecentActivityModuleTypeID and RecentActivityDateTime in the Client table were not updating correctly to reflect a client’s most recent activity. (Issue ID: 770950).
  • Fixed an issue where the stored procedure stopped processing client records when encountering large gaps in Client IDs. (Issue ID: 770979).
  • Fixed background error being generated and logged when 2FA is enabled. (Issue ID: 771130).
  • Resolved a bug that prevented new user accounts from being created when strict password requirements were enabled. The system now ensures auto-generated passwords always meet your security criteria. (Issue ID: 771135).
  • Removed triggers on all tables that were automatically modifying the LastUpdatedDate field. (Issue ID: 771468).
  • Fixed spacing and punctuations across the application when using HIFIS in French. (Issue ID: 770375).

Users

  • Removed access to Clone action for users without Add User rights. (Issue ID: 771375).
  • Fixed the “This user account is currently inactive” alert not clearing when activating a client. (Issue ID: 771444).

Known Issues

Known issues discovered during testing of this build. These issues will be addressed in a future release of HIFIS:

Directory of Services

Map markers in the Directory of Services may appear off their correct locations due to address data not being accurately geocoded. (Issue ID: 771520).

Client Details

Long consent labels may be cut off when viewing or editing vitals. (Issue ID: 771523).

Rights Templates

Editing a rights template owned by a different Service Provider may result in display errors and issues saving changes. (Issue ID: 771524).

Turn Aways

When displaying a turn away record, the Program field is not properly aligned with the other field. (Issue ID: 771555).

Health Information

Non‑shareable health issues may still appear in the dropdown when creating a medication record, even though they should be hidden. (Issue ID: 771557).

Client Details

After editing a client’s physical appearance, the record saves but the user is not redirected back to the display view. (Issue ID: 771564).

Goods and Services

Entering invalid characters in the “Number of Individuals” field causes an error and removes the values in the Program field. This prevents users from saving the form if the field is mandatory. (Issue ID: 771585).

PiT Count

  • Users are not able to add family members to a PiT survey when using the scrolling version. (Issue ID: 771620).
  • When an Enumeration event is active at the same time as a PiT event, the “Add PiT Volunteers” option no longer appears. (Issue ID: 771621).

SPDAT

No results appear under the VI-SPDAT tab when the “ALL” filter is selected in the SPDAT Intake List. (Issue ID: 771622).

Contact us

HIFIS Client Support Center


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