Suntell Perspective Quarterly Newsletter Fall 2026
IN THIS ISSUE A Message f rom the CEO What’s New in Version 26.1 Business Development: New to Version 26.1 Meet Ivy: A New Way to Work with Square 1 Scout: Know What Needs attention - and Why Regional Training in San Antonio TRAINING
NEW CUSTOMERS Novus Capital
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First National Bank of Le Center
KNOWLEDGE BASE
ANNIVERSARIES First State Bank of West Salem, 25 Years!
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Cornerstone Bank, 20 Years! Cottonwood Community Federal Credit Union, 15 Years!
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Midwest Bank, 15 Years!
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Lake Michigan Credit Union, 10 Years! Educators Credit Union, 10 Years! Bank Forward, 10 Years! Lookout Credit Union, 5 Years! First Federal Savings and Loan of Van Wert, 5 Years! Bank & Trust Company, 5 Years!
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DOCUMENTATION Access helpful documentation on Suntell products and services!
A Message from the CEO
“
Fall has always felt like a season of change. The pace picks up, year-end starts coming into view, and before we know it, we are already thinking about what the next year will bring. There is a lot changing at Suntell too, and I
After 30 years, Suntell has seen plenty of change. The technology certainly looks different today than it did when we started, and I suspect the pace of change ahead will be even faster.
am particularly excited about what that means for our customers. Version 26.1 is one of the most robust releases we have delivered in quite some time. It builds on the breadth of Square 1 Credit Suite while introducing new tools designed around a very simple goal: make your job easier. That has really been Suntell's job from the beginning. Commercial lending is complicated. There is information to gather, documents to
SpreadIQ is expanding beyond tax returns to help with business financial statements, reducing the amount of information that has to be manually rekeyed before the real analysis can begin. Credit Bureau Import takes a credit report you already have and helps bring the trade information into the individual debt schedule, again eliminating work that historically had to be done by hand.
track, financials to spread, loans to analyze,
Ask Ivy gives users a new way to get to the
approvals to manage, portfolios to monitor,
information they need. Instead of figuring out
exceptions to follow up on, and reports to
exactly how to construct a selection, you can
produce.
simply tell Ivy what you are looking for in everyday language and let her help build it.
Square 1 has grown over the years because our customers have trusted us with more and more of that work. With 26.1, we are finding new ways to take some of the manual effort out of it.
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And Ivy's Scout skill takes a different approach altogether. Rather than requiring you to search through the system to figure out what needs attention, Scout helps bring the relevant exception work to you and prioritizes it so you can focus on what matters most. These are different features solving different problems, but there is a common thread running through all of them: less time spent doing work the software can help with, and more time spent doing the work that actually requires your experience and judgment.
AI is also helping us move good ideas into Square 1 faster, which means you should begin seeing meaningful product enhancements arrive at a quicker pace. Ultimately, that is the part that matters. Better tools, useful improvements, and fewer
That is also how we are approaching AI.
unnecessary steps between you and the work
There is certainly no shortage of
trying to accomplish has not changed very
conversation about artificial intelligence right now. At Suntell, we are less interested in AI for the sake of AI and much more interested in what it can actually do for you. Can it eliminate repetitive data entry? Can it make information easier to find? Can it help organize a day's work? Can it take something that used to require several steps and make it simpler?
you are trying to accomplish. But what we are much at all. Your job is to understand your borrowers, make good credit decisions, manage risk, and serve your institution. Our job is to make all of that a little easier. I think version 26.1 moves us meaningfully in that direction, and I am excited for you to see it.
RONNIE WOOTEN, CEO If the answer is yes, that is where we want to use it.
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What’s New in Version 26.1 Version 26.1 brings together a strong mix of performance improvements, workflow enhancements, and new tools designed to
Business Development gives teams a
help users work more efficiently inside
centralized place to manage prospects,
Square 1 Credit Suite.
customer relationships, opportunities, activities, and follow-ups. For institutions
One of the first things users may notice is a faster login experience. Users can begin working in LMS sooner while Dashboards, Scout, and other supporting data continue loading in the background. The
tracking commercial opportunities in spreadsheets, outside CRM tools, meeting notes, or individual memory, Business Development creates a more connected way to manage the pipeline inside the same system where the credit process already happens.
Customers Not In Import area has also been updated with a new Date of Last Import
Ivy continues to expand her role inside
filter, making it easier to find customers
Square 1. In Version 26.1, Ivy includes an in-
based on their most recent import activity.
product support skill that provides step-by-
Version 26.1 also introduces several new tools designed to keep more work inside Square 1. Credit Analysis users will also see meaningful enhancements. Credit Bureau Import can read credit bureau PDFs and help populate
step answers to questions about using Square 1 Credit Suite, based on Suntellapproved product knowledge. Ivy is also beginning to appear in other areas of the system as part of our broader effort to make Square 1 easier to navigate and use.
the individual debt schedule with external
Scout gives users a more focused way to
debt, reducing manual data entry while still
manage Doc Tracking exceptions. Instead of
allowing users to review and confirm the
searching through multiple areas to
information.
determine what needs attention, Scout
Global Cash Flow has also been updated so flows can be managed from a single screen,
helps prioritize exception work by urgency, shows users why items are being prioritized, and allows them to act from one screen.
making it easier to select which flows should be included in the Loan Presentation.
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SpreadIQ also continues to evolve. The
Larger presentations can now use the
updated interface includes improved
Large Query Timeout setting, giving
safeguards for selecting tax pages,
reports additional time to complete.
automatic tax-return year identification, and a new Financial Statement Reader that can
Page-break management has also been
read company-prepared GMM balance
redesigned for easier previewing,
sheets and income statements and populate
navigation, and editing.
the financial spread. In Doc Tracking, the updated third-party Version 26.1 also includes practical
entry screen allows users to quickly search
improvements to Presentation Reports and
for an existing third party or add a new
Doc Tracking.
contact simply by typing.
Together, these updates reflect the continued evolution of Square 1: better performance, fewer disconnected steps, more assistance where users need it, and more tools designed to keep daily work moving.
Performance & Workflow
Ivy
Faster login, background loading, and a new Date of Last Import filter make it easier to get started and find import activity.
In-product support now provides step-by-step answers based on Suntell-approved product knowledge.
Prioritize Doc Tracking exceptions by urgency, see why items matter, and take action from one screen.
Credit Bureau Import reduces manual entry from PDF credit reports, while Spread IQ adds taxpage safeguards, year identifications, and a Financial Statement Reader.
Business Development
Reports & Doc Tracking
Manage prospects, relationships, opportunities, activities, and follow-ups in one centralized place in Square 1.
Presentation Reports gain better timeout and page-break controls, while Doc Tracking makes thirdparty entrty faster and easier.
Scout
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Credit Analysis & SpreadIQ
Business Development: Giving the Pipeline a Place to Live Most commercial teams know exactly what
Users can track opportunity count, total value,
number they are expected to hit.
weighted value by stage, activity by officer, and progress against annual goals. Teams can see
The annual growth goal is in the budget. It
what is moving, what is stalled, where follow-
goes to the board. Someone reports against
up is needed, and whether current activity
it every quarter. And when the year ends,
supports the growth target.
the final results are measured down to the penny. But the pipeline expected to produce
As opportunities move forward, Business
that number is often much harder to see.
Development can also help carry the work into underwriting by converting opportunities into
For many institutions, opportunity tracking
proposed notes. That means the information
still lives in a mix of spreadsheets, officer
does not have to be re-created when an
notes, outside CRM tools, individual
opportunity becomes a credit request.
memory, and whatever was discussed in the last pipeline meeting. That is not a criticism.
Business Development is included at no
It is simply where the information has
additional cost at this time, and we encourage
traditionally lived because there has not
customers to start using it. For institutions
always been a better place to put it.
relying on spreadsheets or paying for a separate CRM primarily to manage commercial
With Business Development, available in
loan opportunities, this may be a chance to
Version 26.1 of Square 1 Credit Suite, that
simplify the process, reduce duplicate entry,
opportunity pipeline has a home inside
and potentially eliminate unnecessary system
Square 1. Business Development gives teams
costs.
a place to track opportunities, log officer activity, manage follow-up, and monitor
The result is a more visible, measurable
pipeline movement without leaving the
pipeline that helps teams connect daily
system where the credit process already
business development activity to the growth
happens.
goals they are working toward. Business Development is another step in the evolution
That matters because the pipeline is not just
of Square 1: helping institutions manage not
a list. It is the work that produces the
only the credit process, but also the
number.
opportunity pipeline that feeds it.
Version 26.1
Turning activity into measurable growth.
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Meet Ivy: A New Way to Work with Square 1 What if getting information from Square 1 could be as simple as asking a question? That is where Ivy comes in. Ivy is Suntell's AI-powered assistant being developed to help users interact with Square 1 in a more natural way. Instead of always needing to know which report to run, which criteria to select, or where to find a particular piece of information, users will be able to ask Ivy for help using everyday language. We introduced Ivy's first role in Loans By
Rather than adding AI simply because the technology is available, we are focused on identifying practical places where it can save time and make the software easier to use.
Selection, where users can describe the information they are looking for, such as loans maturing within a certain timeframe or loans above a particular balance, and Ivy can help build the appropriate selection criteria. But that is only the beginning of what we envision for Ivy. As Ivy continues to develop, our goal is to give users another way to access information, understand the software, and complete everyday tasks within Square 1.
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And just like our other AI-assisted features, Ivy is designed to support the user, not replace them. Users remain in control of their work and the decisions they make with the information provided. Think of Ivy as another member of the Square 1 team, one who is always ready for a question
Scout: Know What Needs Attention — and Why One of the biggest challenges in managing
Scout is a new daily work experience
documentation exceptions isn't knowing that
within Square 1 Credit Suite designed to
work exists. It's knowing what needs attention
help users start their day with a clear,
first.
prioritized view of outstanding documentation.
That's where Scout comes in. Instead of searching through reports, borrowers, loans, and exception lists, Scout brings the work that matters directly to the user. Items are organized into three easy-tounderstand sections: Act Today, This Week, and On Your Radar, based on when they are due.
The idea behind Scout is simple:
Within those sections, Scout uses an urgency score to help prioritize the work, considering factors such as how overdue an item is, the loan exposure associated with it, whether the exception is considered critical, and the importance of the exception type.
less time figuring out what to work on and more time getting it done.
And Scout does not just show what needs attention. With help from Ivy, it can also tell you why an item is being prioritized, highlighting the primary factor driving its urgency.
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Work Directly From the Scout List Users can work directly from the Scout list. Selecting an item opens the corresponding Documentation Tracking record alongside it, allowing the user to review the exception, document follow-up, and move directly to the next item without leaving the workflow. Scout also tracks progress throughout the day, distinguishing between items that have been worked and those that have been resolved.
Built for Teams with Visibility Scout isn't just for individual users. Institutions can route documentation exceptions to the people or teams responsible for collecting them, regardless of who owns the loan. Managers also have a Team Overview that provides visibility into open and overdue exceptions, shared work, activity being worked, and items cleared during the day.
A Focused Starting Point Rather than another report to run or dashboard to check, Scout provides a focused starting point for the day — bringing together the work, its priority, the reason it matters, and the tools needed to take action.
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REGIONAL TRAINING in San Antonio We recently had the opportunity to bring together more than 40 customers in San Antonio, Texas, for Regional Training. Regional Training gives customers time to step away from their day-to-day responsibilities, connect with other Square 1 users, and spend focused time learning how to get more out of the system.
A key part of this session was an early look at
These conversations are valuable because they
Version 26.1. Our team demonstrated new
give customers insight into our product
tools and enhancements designed to improve
direction while giving our team a better
efficiency, streamline workflows, and provide
understanding of what users are experiencing
additional support throughout the credit
every day.One of the most important parts of
process. Customers had the opportunity to see
Regional Training is the conversation that
upcoming features in action and ask
happens in the room. Customers bring different
questions about how those changes may help
perspectives, workflows, and challenges, and
their teams. We heard a lot of enthusiasm for
those discussions often create opportunities to
the credit bureau integration, which was
share ideas, compare approaches, and learn
discussed at last year’s Regional Training and
from one another.
is included in our fall release. Our team appreciated the opportunity to meet It was exciting to revisit that conversation and
face-to-face, hear what is working well, and
show customers how it has moved forward.
better understand where customers still
SpreadIQ’s ability to read business financial
experience friction in their daily processes. That
statements and map the information to a
feedback helps to improve how we continue to
GMM also drew interest, giving customers
develop and enhance Square 1.
another way to bring financial information into their credit analysis.
Thank you to everyone who joined us in San Antonio and helped make the event a success.
We also spent time looking ahead to 2027 and
We enjoyed spending time with you, sharing
sharing more about where Square 1 is headed.
what is new, and looking together toward what comes next.
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CONTACT US @square1credit
www.suntell.com
785-273-5578