Welcome to forward news - your update from the world of ePortfolios. After 18 months in operation forward ePortfolio PLUS is already proven to deliver the best in online evidence management. The CfA and Axia Interactive Media have been working hard these last few months and we are delighted to say that forward just got even better!

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forward ePortfolio PLUS is the only ‘access anywhere’ ePortfolio system which allows candidate or assessor led evidence storage and management. The forward system allows you to use many different rich media such as video, digital audio and photos as well as traditional word processed and spreadsheet evidence.

forward ePortfolio PLUS also includes an extensive bank of resources to aid candidates from initial assessment to completion and beyond.

At only £40 per candidate, forward is an incredibly cost effective solution to improve your candidates’ evidence management. The forward system has also been shown to increase candidate completion rates by engaging them more fully into the process as well as improving regular communication between candidate and assessor.

Until the end of March 2007 the CfA can offer a discount of 10% on 100 candidate licences or more and 20% off on orders of 200 licences or more. These licences have no time limit on their use.

If you would like to learn more about forward and how it can be applied practically to assist and streamline your assessment process, the CfA are running free of charge, 1/2 day, demo sessions before the end of the year.

As well as a demonstration of the system the CfA development team will be there to show you how to use technology and ePortfolios in up-to-date assessment techniques.

If you would like to attend one of these events then please email Richard Jane with your name, organisation and which location you would like to attend.

forward ePortfolio PLUS is in the final stages of the OCR ePortfolio endorsement process. Over the summer we have been putting forward through this rigorous process and we are delighted to announce that it is now almost complete.

forward is now undergoing the endorsement process from City & Guilds and we hope to be able to give you an update very soon.

forward now offers more than just Business & Administration. After cutting our teeth on a Business & Administration ePortfolio you can now access Customer Services Standards and Management Standards within the same system.

This means that you can now manage all of your candidates from all of these disciplines within forward. With forward, staff only need to learn how to use one system and are able to produce standard reports across all three qualifications.

We are already developing the Retail Standards to be the next addition to forward. Look out for these soon!

forward uses percentage complete and progress reports to track the progress of our candidates. We have now added to and improved this system to give you the ‘Audit Trail’. The Audit Trail feature is accessible through the ‘My Candidates’ section and gives you an easy-to-view progress report for each and every knowledge element and performance indicator.

Using a traffic light system as a clear visual guide, you can quickly view not only your candidates’ progress but also which elements you have yet to assess. The Audit Trail also allows you to make a comment directly into the report. These comments can be viewed and added to by IVs and EVs.

This innovative system also allows you to access directly the evidence against each element or performance indicator.

We have also given forward a brand new look with improved navigation tools from the homepage. These new features mean that with minimal instruction, candidates will be able to dive straight into their ePortfolio.

Through many of our centres we have heard how much forward ePortfolio PLUS can shorten the time it takes for your candidates to complete. We hope that improved navigation can go some way to help this even further.

To find out more about forward ePortfolio PLUS, demo movies and an order form please visit our pages at www.cfa.uk.com/forward.

If you would like further information or help with forward's new features then please contact Richard Jane on 020 7091 9620.