What’s New in Anthology Reach – April 2025
Empower Students and Staff with Smarter Data, Streamlined Workflows, and a Seamlessly Connected Experience.
We’re excited to announce the Anthology® Reach 2025.1 release, packed with innovative updates designed to help higher education institutions optimize operations, boost data accuracy, and create personalized experiences that span the entire student lifecycle. Whether you're in admissions, student success, enrollment management, or IT, this latest release equips your team with powerful tools to work smarter, not harder.
In this post, we’ll walk you through the most impactful new features and updates, highlight what they mean for your team’s success, and provide you with key resources to get started, including our most recent roadmap webinar on demand and access to the new Reach Community Group.
These are some of the key enhancements introduced with this release:
1. Improved Phone Number Formatting: Better Outreach Starts with Better Data
Incorrect or inconsistently formatted phone numbers are a common frustration for admissions teams, academic advisors, and IT staff alike. Anthology Reach 2025.1 introduces enhanced phone number formatting that makes capturing and storing accurate numbers easier than ever.
What’s new
- A new phone number display control in the CRM ensures all numbers follow a consistent international format
- Country code selectors have been added to the CRM and Portal Pages to make data entry more intuitive
Who benefits
- Admission staff and academic advisors: Fewer failed outreach attempts thanks to better data entry
- CRM admins: More consistent records improve SMS deliverability and data hygiene
Why it matters
Accurate contact information is foundational to successful student engagement. These updates reduce errors and improve the reliability of your outreach efforts.
Pro tip: Review your current phone number records. Existing entries may need to be updated to include the “+” and country code prefix.
Conversational marketing and AI-powered journeys with Copilot in Anthology Reach
Conversational marketing and AI-powered journeys are shaping the future of student engagement
Explore our on-demand webinar in the Anthology Reach Community to get everything you need for a smooth transition to Real-Time Journeys—from technical setup to strategic best practices.
2. Smarter Student Integrations: Real-Time Data for Real-Time Decisions
Managing student data between systems can be time-consuming. With the 2025.1 release, we’ve made the integration between Anthology Reach and Anthology® Student faster and more reliable.
What’s new
- Group membership updates now run every 15 minutes (previously daily), enabling more timely engagement
- Duplicate student record prevention logic has been improved for cleaner enrollment data
Who benefits
- Enrollment and student success leaders: More accurate, up-to-date data to support real-time decisions
- Academic advisors: Confidence in the integrity of student records for proactive outreach
Why it matters
Timely updates and cleaner data ensure your outreach, reporting, and support workflows are based on the most current and complete information.
3. Portal Usability Enhancements: A Simpler, Cleaner Experience
We know the student and staff portal experience is a key touchpoint. In this release, we've made it easier to manage lookup fields in Portal Registration Forms.
What’s new
- Inactive records are now hidden by default in lookup fields
- A new toggle allows CRM admins to display inactive records when needed
Who benefits
- Admission teams: Less visual clutter makes it easier to find and select the right data
- CRM admins: Greater flexibility and cleaner user experiences
Why it matters
Clean interfaces reduce friction for users and improve the overall user experience across the portal.
4. Accessibility Enhancements: Inclusive CRM Experience
Anthology remains committed to accessibility, and the 2025.1 release reflects continued investment in inclusive design.
What’s new
- Enhanced screen reader compatibility
- Improved keyboard navigation
- Better visual contrast for readability
Who benefits
- All users: A more intuitive experience, especially for those relying on assistive technology
Why it matters
Creating an inclusive CRM environment ensures all users have equal access to the tools and information they need to succeed.
5. Address Geocoding Updates: More Control, Better Performance
With a new feature flag, institutions can now turn off automatic geocode updates for addresses—giving you more control over how and when location data is processed.
What’s new
- A "Turn Off Geo Code Update" option lets CRM admins opt out of background geolocation processes
Who benefits
- CRM admins: Greater control over system performance and resource usage
Why it matters
Reducing unnecessary processing can lead to faster system performance and lower overhead.
Ranked a Commander in the Tambellini StarChart™: 2025 Enterprise CRM
Anthology Reach has been ranked a Commander in the Tambellini StarChart™: 2025 Enterprise CRM. This recognition highlights our momentum and impact in higher education CRM, helping institutions lead with smarter strategies and stronger student engagement at every step of the student lifecycle.
Anthology Reach ranked a Commander in the Tambellini StarChart™: 2025 Enterprise CRM
Stay Connected: Roadmap Webinar Resources, Office Hours, and the Community
Catch up on what’s next for Anthology Reach in our on-demand Vision & Roadmap Webinar—your inside look at upcoming features and long-term strategy—or attend our upcoming Reach office hours with the product team on transitioning to Real-Time Journeys to keep the conversation going.
We’re thrilled to introduce the Anthology Reach Community Group, your go-to space to network with peers, access expert insights, and be the first to know about product updates.
Here’s what you can do in the Community:
- Introduce yourself and connect with fellow CRM professionals to expand your network
- Engage in discussions by asking questions and sharing valuable tips
- Access exclusive on-demand content, including specialized training on Real-Time Journeys
- Stay ahead of the curve with notifications on upcoming office hours and learning labs
Join today and unlock the full potential of your Anthology Reach experience!
Where to Find Release Notes
You can access the official release notes for each Anthology Reach update in two places:
- Anthology Community: View Release Notes in the Reach Community
Perfect for staying connected with other users and exploring related resources - Anthology support site: Access Release Notes via Support
Great for bookmarking and referencing when working with your IT or admin teams
Stay informed and make the most of each release by checking both locations regularly.
Anthology Reach 2025.1 is designed to empower the people who make higher education thrive with smarter tools, cleaner data, and greater control. This release brings powerful integrations and user-centric enhancements that streamline your processes, enabling you to achieve more with less effort.
Explore these updates and more in the full Reach 2025.1 release notes.
Connect with Anthology today to learn more about how our solutions can help your institution improve the student experience and achieve operational excellence.