SmartPLS
Release Notes

Version 4.0.8.3, released 2022-09-21

  • Feature: Simple slope plots are now available in consistent PLS-SEM algorithm.
  • Feature: Necessary condition analysis can now be done with data groups.
  • Feature: Regression analysis can now be done with data groups.
  • Feature: Logistic regression can now be done with data groups.
  • Improved: Upgrade to JavaFX 18.0.2.
  • Improved: Licensing dialogs in certain rare states.
  • Improved: Process model validation. Connections from/to manifest variables may no longer be drawn manually.
  • Improved: Handling of binary data improved. Data not normalized to 0/1 is automatically mapped to 0/1 and a mapping table is displayed in the report.
  • Fixed: Some navigation links were missing in Excel reports.
  • Fixed: Corrected calculation of segment R squares in POS algorithm.

Version 4.0.8.2, released 2022-09-12

  • Improved: New option to show "raw data" for data files.
  • Improved: New option to reclaim a license after a system upgrade.
  • Improved: Generation of data groups.
  • Fixed: Problems generating data groups that were related to locale preference settings.
  • Fixed: Minor problems with importing files from SmartPLS 3.

Version 4.0.8.1, released 2022-09-06

  • Feature: New algorithm: Logistic Regression
  • Improved: Display at smaller screen resolutions.
  • Fixed: Navigating from IPMA / NCA settings to a datafile is possible again.

Version 4.0.8.0, released 2022-09-05

  • Feature: CVPAT for PLSPredict
  • Feature: Additional bottleneck tables for NCA
  • Improved: Single-item and formative constructs do not appear anymore in reliability results and charts
  • Improved: Results presentation in several algorithms (e.g., PLS, Linear Regression, NCA)
  • Improved: User defined number of steps in NCA bottleneck tables
  • Improved: "Create datafile option" added for IPMA algorithm
  • Improved: Visually adjusted the different Bootstrapping dialogs.
  • Improved: Languages in preferences dialog are now ordered alphabetically.
  • Improved: Turned max heap size default settings off.
  • Improved: Graph and chart export dialoges are now easier to understand.
  • Improved: Visual representation of modal dialogues.
  • Improved: Default font size of dependent variables in regression models was to big.
  • Fixed: Repaired some dead links.
  • Fixed: Graph export with with results is possible again.
  • Fixed: Graph export no longer cuts edges.
  • Fixed: Minor problems when transferring data from SmartPLS (missing value marker, data groups).

Version 4.0.7.9, released 2022-09-04

  • Localization: Update to the latest translations.

Version 4.0.7.8, released 2022-08-22 (Whats new?)

  • Improved: Documentation.
  • Improved: Algorithm dialog.
  • Improved: Speed of all algorithms.
  • Improved: Fundamentally renewed and improved results reports.
  • Improved: Charts and figures from model results.
  • Improved: Additional results for descriptive statistics and many algorithms.
  • Improved: Performance of Excel report generation.
  • Improved: Generation of data groups.
  • Improved: Bootstrapping with fixed seed option.
  • Improved: Higher-order models using the two-stage approach, since the first-stage construct scores can now be stored in a data set within SmartPLS.
  • Fixed: License issues.
  • Localization: BENGALI.
  • Localization: CZECH.
  • Localization: HEBREW.
  • Localization: HINDI.
  • Localization: CROATIAN.
  • Localization: KURDISH.
  • Localization: NORWEGIAN.
  • Localization: RUSSIAN.
  • Localization: SWEDISH.
  • Localization: THAI.
  • Localization: TURKISH.
  • Localization: VIETNAMESE.
  • Feature: Fundamentally renewed GUI.
  • Feature: Methods: Multiple moderation (e.g., three-way interactions)
  • Feature: Methods: Gaussian copulas.
  • Feature: Methods: Multiple regression models, including many useful diagnostics and reports to fully perform the analyses.
  • Feature: Methods: PROCESS type analysis, including bootstrapping of conditional direct and indirect effects.
  • Feature: Methods: Necessary condition analysis (NCA) for regression models.
  • Feature: Methods: Accounting for scale type of variables in most algorithms.
  • Feature: Methods: Unstandardized and mean-centered PLS-SEM analysis.
  • Feature: Model editor: fundamentally renewed and improved.
  • Feature: Model editor: improved drag and drop support for faster modeling.
  • Feature: Model editor: tool to support the alienation of model elements.
  • Feature: Model editor: variable positioning of the construct labels.
  • Feature: Model editor: separate styling of model elements.
  • Feature: Model editor: connection line styles can be amended (dotted, dashed, solid).
  • Feature: Model editor: source and target decorations of connections can be amended (arrows, diamonds, rectangles).
  • Feature: Model editor: straight connecting lines can be changed (e.g. in connections with corners).
  • Feature: Model editor: shapes of mode elements are available (circle, rectangle, hexagon).
  • Feature: Model editor: notes can use Markdown syntax and contain images.
  • Feature: Model editor: special markers display scale types of used indicators.
  • Feature: Model editor: displaying moderating effects more intuitive.
  • Feature: Model editor: displaying quadratic effects more intuitive.
  • Feature: Model editor: displaying Gaussian copulas.
  • Feature: Reports: new mode to compare calculation results.
  • Feature: Data files: fundamentally renewed import and setup.
  • Feature: Data files: can be imported from Excel.
  • Feature: Data files: can be imported from SPSS files.
  • Feature: Data files: can be created from calculation results (e.g., latent variable scores for the second stage of estimating higher-order constructs).
  • Feature: Data files: can be created from data groups.
  • Feature: Data files: define scale type of variables (binary, metric, ordinal, categorical).
  • Feature: Data files: change the indicator names by using the new setup option in the data view.
  • Feature: Sample models: Many new sample models are now included.
  • Feature: Reports can be saved.
  • Feature: Reports can be compared side-by-side.
  • Feature: Charts can be customized.

Version 3.3.9, released 2022-03-28

  • Fixed: Issues with trial.

Version 3.3.8, released 2022-03-27

  • Fixed: Minor stability issues.
  • Improved: Upgraded internal libraries.

Version 3.3.7, released 2022-01-23

  • Improved: Updated translation files.
  • Improved: Upgraded internal libraries.

Version 3.3.6, released 2022-01-19

  • Improved: Improved performance of several algorithms.
  • Improved: Upgraded internal libraries.

Version 3.3.5, released 2021-12-20

  • Fixed: Deadlocks occurred on some computers during save operations.

Version 3.3.4, released 2021-12-16

  • Fixed: Log4J Vulnerability fix. Log4J updated to a patched version (2.16.0)
  • Improved: Upgraded internal libraries.

Version 3.3.3, released 2021-01-11

  • Improved: Upgraded internal libraries.
  • Improved: GUI adjustments, for a better display under Windows 10 and MacOSX Big Sur.
  • Improved: Indicators that contain non-numeric values are marked with an exclamation mark + tooltip in the datafile editor.
  • Fixed: Display errors and refresh problems under MacOSX Big Sure.
  • Fixed: Performance issue with PLSC algorithm.
  • Fixed: Installation problem in the Persian language area.

Version 3.3.2, released 2020-04-21

  • Improved: Upgraded internal libraries.

Version 3.3.1, released 2020-04-21

  • Improved: Upgraded internal libraries.

Version 3.3.0, released 2020-04-11

  • Improved: Updated embedded Java version
  • Improved: Mac OS installer includes Java

Version 3.2.9, released 2020-01-08

  • Feature: Descriptive statistics for latent variable scores, residuals, and prediction errors
  • Feature: Preferences option to hide leading zeros in the results output
  • Feature: Implementation of consistent PLS-MGA and permutation
  • Localization: Translation to Urdu
  • Localization: Update of the existing language versions
  • Improved: Added specific indirect effects to the PLS-MGA and permutation results
  • Improved: PLS-MGA two-tailed p-values
  • Improved: Added intercepts for unstandardized coefficients IPMA results
  • Improved: Software speed and performance
  • Improved: Blindfolding missing data treatment (i.e., it does not support pairwise deletion anymore)
  • Improved: Added construct level results (e.g., R²) in the modeling window of bootstrapping
  • Improved: Descriptive statistics for indicator data (e.g., group-specific outcomes)
  • Improved: Excel export of results
  • Fixed: PLSpredict LV predictions
  • Fixed: Changing the sort order in the result tables (e.g., by variable name)
  • Fixed: Pairwise deletion to treat missing values
  • Fixed: Highlighting of p-values for PLS-MGA results

Version 3.2.8, released 2018-11-22

  • Feature: Implementation of predictive model selection criteria for PLS and PLSc
  • Feature: New unique case identifier (i.e., a fixed number for each observation in the dataset, which is useful, for example, when using the casewise deletion option, multigroup or segmentation analyses)
  • Improved: Inclusion of all specific indirect effects for the mediator analysis
  • Improved: Color highlighting of significant p-values in bootstrapping, permutation, and multigroup analysis (MGA)
  • Improved: Results presentation for bootstrapped fit indices
  • Improved: Software activation procedure
  • Localization: Translation to Korean (100%)
  • Localization: Translation to Malay (100%)
  • Localization: Translation to Polish (>20%)
  • Localization: Translation to Rumanian (>50%)
  • Localization: Correction of incompletions and little issues in the different language translations
  • Fixed: Residual correlation instead of covariance for PLSc
  • Fixed: Bootstrapping sometimes stopped when using “complete bootstrapping” with repeated indicators due to problems in the fit calculation for these models
  • Removed: Lohmöller’s initial weighting scheme (complexity reduction)
  • Removed: Bootstrap sign change options (i.e., individual sign changes, construct level sign changes; complexity reduction)
  • Removed: Double bootstrapping (increased bootstrapping performance; complexity reduction)
  • Removed: d_g1 version of the exact fit measures (complexity reduction)

Version 3.2.7, released 2017-09-18

  • Feature: Linear model (LM) prediction results as naïve benchmark for PLS Predict outcomes
  • Feature: Mean value as naïve benchmark for Q² value-based assessment of PLS Predict results
  • Feature: Specific indirect effects added to the results (e.g., useful for mediation analyses)
  • Feature: Group-specific FIMIX-PLS analysis results
  • Feature: Reliability pre-specification of composites
  • Localization: Translation to Arabic (<50%)
  • Localization: Translation to Indonesian (100%)
  • Improved: Additional multigroup analysis (MGA) results (e.g., Rho_A, f², etc.)
  • Improved: Additional permutation test results (e.g., AVE, Cronbach-Alpha, f², etc.)
  • Improved: Specific indirect effects for the importance-performance map analysis (IPMA)
  • Improved: Simple slope plots added to consistent PLS (PLSc) results
  • Improved: Cross-loadings added to consistent PLS (PLSc) results
  • Improved: Rho_A results added to the graphical presentation of the PLS path model
  • Improved: Changed order of VIF results in the report (outer model comes first, now)
  • Improved: Latent variables’ full correlation matrix in reports (instead of lower triangular)
  • Improved: Basic bootstrapping as default option (instead of complete bootstrapping)
  • Fixed: Studentized confidence interval’s bias correction
  • Fixed: p-value computation for the permutation test
  • Fixed: Correlation matrix in the data preview with missing values
  • Fixed: Missing complete bootstrapping results of higher-order constructs (repeated indicators)
  • Fixed: Missing complete bootstrapping results of multigroup analysis (MGA) computations
  • Fixed: Missing results when using the complete option and double bootstrapping routines
  • Fixed: Symbol encoding problem in the PLS algorithm with French translation

Version 3.2.6, released 2016-11-13

  • Improved: : Inclusion of results for Cronbach's alpha

Version 3.2.5, released 2016-11-06

  • Feature: New PLS Predict Algorithm
  • Localization: Translation to Italian (100%)
  • Localization: Translation to Portuguese (100%)
  • Localization: Translation to French (50%)
  • Localization: Translation to Chinese (50%)
  • Localization: Translation to Persian (75%)
  • Improved: : Higher speed of the PLS algorithm
  • Improved: : Higher speed of Bootstrapping and other PLS modules
  • Fixed: The "complete bootstrapping" option
  • Fixed: Permutation test p-value computation
  • Fixed: Estimated empirical correlation matrix computation

Version 3.2.4, released 2016-05-02

  • Localization: Translation to German
  • Localization: Translation to Spanish
  • Localization: Translation to Japanese
  • Feature: Composite reliability roh_A results
  • Feature: Composite reliability roh_A bootstrap results
  • Feature: PLS-POS: Option to use the FIMIX-PLS segmentation result as starting partition
  • Feature: PLS-POS: Weighted average R² as goal criterion and as additional results
  • Feature: Modeling Window: Option to display f² and HTMT results
  • Feature: Modeling Window: Option to show blindfolding Q² in the latent variables
  • Feature: Project Explorer: Option to automatically import sample projects
  • Feature: New model fit measures: RMSE Theta
  • Feature: New model fit measures: NFI
  • Feature: New model fit measures: Model´s Chi² result
  • Feature: New model fit measures: d_ULS and d_G exact tests of model fit
  • Feature: Bootstrap results of new fit measures
  • Feature: Refurbished the HTML results report
  • Improved: Project Explorer offers shortcuts for recently opened workspaces
  • Improved: Construct reliability overview table in the results report
  • Improved: SRMR results for mixed models with composites and common factors
  • Improved: Excel results report (look & feel and memory consumption)
  • Improved: Internal results report (e.g., colors, display of total effects, switch between group-specific results)
  • Improved: IPMA: Additional importance-performance map for standardized total effects
  • Improved: FIMIX-PLS: Settings, outputs and reports
  • Improved: Option to rename variables
  • Improved: Indicator overview view: Variable number included
  • Improved: Shortcuts on certain actions for the Windows OS
  • Improved: Reworked licensing dialog
  • Improved: Software activation process
  • Improved: Bootstrapping Performance
  • Fixed: Rendering problems on high resolution displays with a custom DPI setup greater than 100% on Windows
  • Fixed: MICOM: Results report for single-item constructs
  • Fixed: Undo action for 'Apply Theme'
  • Fixed: Use of alignment and match actions does no longr clear displayed calculation results
  • Fixed: Problems with empirical weights in permutation algorithm
  • Fixed: Documentation could not be displayed on computers with curious browser setups.

Version 3.2.3, released 2015-10-06

  • Improved: Rendering of tables. Increased line height for better readability.
  • Fixed: Improved: backward compatibility for existing workspaces and data.
  • Fixed: A link in the new Excel export dialog.

Version 3.2.2, released 2015-10-01

  • Feature: NEW ALGORITHM: Permutation test for multi-group analysis
  • Feature: MICOM test for measurement invariance (included in the permutation test results)
  • Feature: Median, standard deviation, skewness, kurtosis and correlations for indicators (shown in data and indicator views)
  • Feature: Copy & paste options in the dataview allow for an easy export of descriptive statistics and raw data
  • Feature: Additional operators ("does not equal", "or") for a more flexible definition of data groups
  • Feature: Additional chart for HTMT in the PLS report with threshold visualization
  • Feature: Show p- and t-values in combination with path coefficients or outer weights as results in the path model
  • Feature: Additional option to hide specific results in the path model (e.g., outer model)
  • Feature: Additional results for PLS-POS (Weighted R², total and indirect effects)
  • Feature: Define outer model weighting options (Mode A, Mode B, Equal Weights/Sumscores, Pre-Defined Weights)
  • Improved: Calculation speed (all algorithms 2 times faster now)
  • Improved: FIMIX-PLS: segments are numbered in descending order of the segment size (segment 1 always is the largest)
  • Improved: FIMIX-PLS: reduced list of quality criteria (focus on relevant criteria only)
  • Improved: PLS-MGA reports all results for interaction & quadratic effects, now
  • Improved: Missing value identification: Empty cells are recognized as missing values
  • Improved: Columns with text in the dataset can be used as grouping variable
  • Improved: Excel Export: new options let you customize your Excel output
  • Improved: Excel Export: memory usage
  • Improved: Excel Export: changed file extension to *.xlsx
  • Improved: Tooltips for large column names in the results view
  • Improved: Image-Export: Remove focus when exporting models as image
  • Improved: Error messages and highlighting for invalid path models
  • Improved: "All calculations are finished" message appears when calculation is complete
  • Fixed: SRMR calculation of factor models with interaction and/or quadratic terms
  • Fixed: HTMT bootstrap error in path models with purely formative indicators
  • Fixed: Change of custom color themes does no longer modify the default theme
  • Fixed: Inconsistencies of labels in different algorithms
  • Fixed: Calculation of inner model residuals
  • Fixed: PLS-MGA confidence intervals
  • Fixed: "Check for Updates" option has been enabled
  • Fixed: Image export no longer omits file extensions (png, svg) under Windows 8

Version 3.2.1, released 2015-05-05

  • Feature: Style of path model can now be customized using colors, borders and font sizes (Professional version only).
  • Feature: New toolbar for easier access to modeling and styling options.
  • Feature: New 'Duplicate' action for easier cloning of project files.
  • Feature: New sample model "European Customer Satisfaction Index (ECSI)".
  • Feature: New 'Install Sample Models' action for supplementary re-installation of the sample models.
  • Feature: Algorithm settings are now displayed in all reports.
  • Feature: An alternative label can be maintained for all variables that make use of line breaks.
  • Feature: TAB key can be used to jump between latent variables of a model.
  • Feature: Bootstrapping results of the SRMR criterion.
  • Feature: Residual correlation results.
  • Feature: New PLSc quality criterion Rho_A.
  • Feature: Export a path model to a vector based graphic format (.svg).
  • Improved: Importance-performance map: chart legend entries are sorted.
  • Improved: Removed yellow message box stating that the 'Student Version' is used.
  • Improved: Settings of existing moderating and quadratic effects may be changed (double click the variable).
  • Improved: Introduced tooltip for moderating and quadratic effects that shows all selected settings.
  • Improved: Changed default look and feel of moderating and quadratic effects and simplified the default name of new effects.
  • Improved: Default position of interaction effects is now shifted when multiple effects are create for the same latent variable.
  • Improved: Excel reports now support more than 256 columns.
  • Improved: Improved: startup time of algorithms when many data groups were defined but not used.
  • Improved: Clean-up of menu structures (main menu and context menus) and toolbars.
  • Improved: Complete bootstrapping is now default instead of basic bootstrapping.
  • Improved: Row colors in result tables keep alternating correctly, even if the table is sorted by a certain column.
  • Improved: Connections to the one and only indicator of a single item are rendered without arrow.
  • Improved: Header of confidence interval results.
  • Improved: Importance-performance map analysis (IPMA) results representation.
  • Fixed: Blue links could not be clicked on Mac OSX 10.10.3 (Yosemite).
  • Fixed: Rendering error after import of a CSV file that had an error in the first line (e.g. columns with the same name).
  • Fixed: HTMT results computation and display issues.
  • Fixed: PLSc computation problems (interaction terms and "connect all option".
  • Fixed: Running the double bootstrapping routine on multiple processors
  • Fixed: Duplicate naming issue in case of renaming an object.
  • Fixed: PLSc results output issues (e.g., R^2 values) with "connect all option".
  • Fixed: Problems with less than 10 Bootstrapping resamples.
  • Fixed: Loadings of formative and single item constructs in PLSc.

Version 3.2.0, released 2015-01-20

  • Feature: Graphical representation of bootstrap results (i.e. histograms of paths)
  • Feature: Simple slope interaction plots (moderation)
  • Improved: Speed of bootstrap routine.
  • Improved: Separate installation of JRE no longer necessary on Windows machines.
  • Improved: Calculation for the whole data set may now be skipped, when data groups are analyzed.
  • Improved: Variables available for group generation are sorted alphabetically.
  • Improved: Moving or hiding variables after a calculation does no longer clear the calculation results.
  • Improved: Newly imported data files will be activated by default.
  • Improved: If a model file is copied, the new model will be opened immediately.
  • Improved: Calculation results view does no longer scroll to top if results are switched.
  • Improved: Prefix for generated groups is now optional.
  • Fixed: Unexpected sign changes of indirect and total effects.
  • Fixed: Interaction effect computation problems (moderation).
  • Fixed: Computation of the unstandardized latent variable scores (IPMA).

Version 3.1.9, released 2015-01-20

  • Fixed: Licensing server connection problems.
  • Improved: Minor typo corrections.

Version 3.1.8, released 2015-01-18

  • Improved: Added Java version check to the licensing dialog.

Version 3.1.7, released 2015-01-02

  • Feature: Support for weighting vector.
  • Improved: Introduced student version without registration.
  • Improved: Introduced 30day trial.
  • Improved: Introduced licensing server support.
  • Improved: Change file extension for R export to '.rData'.
  • Fixed: Issues with R² in interaction effect models.
  • Fixed: Some report table rows were hidden on Mac OSX Yosemite.

Version 3.1.6, released 2014-11-01

  • Feature: Automatic Update (still experimental).
  • Feature: Validation errors of data files are now displayed.
  • Improved: Calculation results explorer now adapts better to the available screen size.
  • Improved: Easier copy & paste of files in the project explorer.
  • Fixed: Issues with studentized confidence intervals in bootstrapping procedure.
  • Fixed: Calculation of indirect and total effects.
  • Fixed: Bootstrapping procedure for model consisting of formative models only.
  • Fixed: Bootstrapping procedure for model consisting of single indicator models only.

Version 3.1.5, released 2014-09-03

  • Fixed: The 'Snap to Grid' function runs, now.
  • Fixed: Issues with the HTMT criteria.

Version 3.1.4, released 2014-09-01

  • Improved: Reworked licensing dialog.
  • Improved: Minor label changes in data file editor.
  • Improved: Cells in Excel export are formatted as 'numeric' and may now be used for further calculations without reformatting.
  • Fixed: Problems when sorting tables in reports.
  • Fixed: A bug that occurred on CSV export of a single table which had been sorted by path relations.
  • Fixed: An errors that occurred on shutdown.
  • Fixed: Problems with “Pairwise Deletion” method to treat missing values.
  • Fixed: Issues with the Blindfolding procedure.
  • Fixed: A bug that damaged model files on certain Windows machines.

Version 3.1.3, released 2014-07-26

  • Feature: You can now decide what should happen after a calculation (e.g. open the full report)
  • Feature: Export a full report to R.
  • Feature: Export single matrix to R.
  • Improved: The result navigation now resides in its own view.
  • Fixed: A "widget is disposed" exception occured during shutdown on some computers.
  • Fixed: Contents of the "About" dialog where cropped on some Windows computers.
  • Fixed: About-Dialog now contains a link to the Terms and Conditions.
  • Fixed: The initial licensing dialog is now resizable.
  • Fixed: The amount of RAM allocated to the application on startup was to high for some computers.
  • Fixed: Although not needed, POS algorithm stopped with error when no data groups where defined a priori.
  • Fixed: Sorting indicators by the number of missing values in the indicator view caused an error.
  • Fixed: After setup of a new missing value for the data file, the window was not refreshed properly.
  • Fixed: Improved: caption for calculation runs.