- Tabinator Pro

We tried out Tabinator Pro for ourselves and here's what we like about this module:

• The ability to customize your Dashboard by adding new Dashboard tabs;
• Possibility to choose which tab will be active by default on your dashboard. At the moment it's the Recent Activities tab and this setup can't be changed. With Tabinator Pro you can choose the tab you want to see first when you login to your activeCollab;
• Exposing your favorite assignment filters to the Dashboard. Your tasks will be available immediately, with no need to go to the Assignments area;
• This Week and Next Week tabs that you can use and configure in any way you want. If you select these tabs you will always know what needs to be done this and next week. This can be really useful if you're a project manager;
• My URL tab gives access to your favorite website from within your activeCollab dashboard;
• Simple configuration of the Tabinator Pro module.

Since activeCollab's default theme limits the number of tabs that you can use, you will only be able to have up to 5 tabs. If you wish to use more tabs you'll need a theme that supports the wider interface. The guys from ActiveLabs had that in mind too, so they modified the original theme to create the Wider Theme for activeCollab.

Tabinator Pro can help you have more control in your activeCollab. It can be especially useful if you are assigned to lots of different projects -it helps keep track of the assignments and due dates from the moment you login to your activeCollab.

- Quickify

Quickify is a fresh module that's come out of the labs, at ActiveLabs. This is a tool that will help you work on your Tickets and Tasks inside your tickets, right from the Dashboard, Project Overview page and many other areas. 

When you hover over the Ticket or Task a pop-up will appear where you can change all details related to that Ticket or Task with no need to go to the Ticket page. Here you can:

• Edit your Ticket
• Move and copy it to another Project
• Post a new comment or reply
• Add Time records, attach a file or add new Tasks
• Manage Assignees and Subscribers
• Reschedule items
• and Complete or Reopen the Ticket or Task

If you like to manage all your tasks quickly and from one page, then Quickify is the right tool for you. It is handy, self-explanatory and user friendly. Bare in mind that this is just version 1.0 and I'm sure we can expect a lot more improvements and surprises from ActiveLabs with this module.

After developing a Beanstalk integration module, Andreas Schempp, devoted activeCollab user, has created another module that will integrate Harvest, time tracking and invoicing service, with activeCollab.

Harvest Integration Module will enable you to transfer all your activeCollab Time records to Harvest and will adjust them to specific structure and features available in Harvest. Here how it works:

Now you can use both, Harvest and activeCollab, with no need to give up from one of your favorite tools. Thank you for your efforts Andreas!

This Video was made by guys from HarvestHQ. Thanks guys :)

Here are the other three USWebStyle Modules in action:

1. Recurring Tasks

This module helps you to set up a task that you need to work on repeatedly. Additional tab in your projects enables you to choose one of the existing Tickets and to create a recurring task out of it. All you have to do is to define how often you wish to have this task repeating, and it will be there, reminding you of a job you need to do. 

For example, you can create task that you need to do every day and define the period while it has to be done, or set up a weekly task such as: “Publishing a blog post”. After the task is created it can be modified and edited. 

Price: $75

2. Chat

After you install Chat module, a new icon will appear on your activeCollab toolbar - the Chat icon. A pop up window, that shows up when you wish to chat, will display who, of all the people in your system that has permission to use this module, is on line. You can chose to have a public conversation, or project related one, where only members of that particular project will be included. Additionally, you can send a private message to one of the users by tagging them.   

Chat History button leads you to the archive where each conversation is saved and available for the future references. Private messages will be visible only to the tagged users in the history section. 

Price: $95

3. HR Manager

Find out how many workdays and days off each of your employees has, and manage salaries, bonuses and withdraws, within your activeCollab. HR Manager module becomes an addition to the People section by adding up a few tabs to this area, after it’s installed. Related to the Calendar module it enables you to have a global overview of working performance of each of the employees. If your company has fixed rates, you can use this tool to calculate the salary, with bonuses and withdrawn included, for each person. 

You can even note a person’s birthday and employment date, and use the HR Manager to remind you about this events. 

Price: $90

Today we're presenting first three modules developed by USWebStyle:

1. Quick Access

The small icon that appears on top of the logo in the header of your activeCollab is link to Quick Access tool. Placed here, it’s always available from any page of your system. By clicking on it, a form that will list all your Projects on the right side and available project objects on the other appears. Choose a proper project and object type, you’ll get to that page in no time. 

Basically Quick Access is much like Quick Add tool that is a part of activeCollab and you can use it as a shortcut to your favorite project tab and start working. Big helper if your connections is slow. 

Price: $9.99

2. Auto Join

If you wish to point your client directly to the project you’re working for them, without them seeing the Dashboard, this module will enable you to do so. It will lead people straight to the desired project right after they log in to activeCollab. 

Set it up on users profile page, in the options many, and determine the exact project where user will land. You can even set the period for how long that person will be redirected here. Also, you can set it up to be a permanent destination for that user, if you wish. 

Price: $25.00

3. Shadow Viewer

This module will empower you to log in as any other user and see if you have set the Role and Permissions for that user in the right manner. You can check what User will be able to see and make sure you haven’t give them access to anything that shouldn’t be visible. 

You’ll find Shadow Viewer option on the User’s page under the Company profile and by clicking on this button, you’ll be in a different environment. 

Price: $45.00

All of these Modules are designed to follow activeCollab graphical identity completely. Quite handy and easy to use, each of the mentioned tools will make your work in activeCollab even more pleasant and enjoyable.

Yes, that was just a joke! Did you really think that we would ever develop an application such as activeCollab slaveMaster edition? Features that we made up to be a part of this imaginary tool, such as “I’m in front of the computer” button, Brake Prevention Bullwhip noises, Smart Meetings Module, Strict Workflow and Task Dependency, are exactly the opposite of what we wish to integrate into activeCollab and all products that we may develop in the future. 

We strongly believe that the best results are accomplished when people have freedom of choice and creativity. Software tools should be designed to support teams and the way they work, not to limit their creativity and enforce rigid workflows. 

Having that as our credo, we continue to develope activeCollab keeping the following guidelines in mind:

• User friendly, intuitive and not intimidating
• While certain level of control is important, clear communication comes first
• Welcoming instead of overly formal
• Open and flexible, instead of rigid and closed
• Smart defaults instead of a million configuration options
• Built with extensibility in mind
• Use open standards whenever possible, but don’t get ideological about it so that it bogs down development

These are some of the reasons why activeCollab will never be a tool such as activeSlave Master! And shame on you if you thought it was :)

Planning Module is another additional module for activeCollab developed by guys from AppsMagnet company. Most of the users who have tried Reports Module are using Planning as well, because it’s a good mix to use them both in activeCollab. 

This module brings a different perspective into the project organization - you can schedule and arrange everything you wish to be done inside the project, from one place. A bird-eye view will enable you to create, edit, replace and remove all project items and put them exactly where you want. 

After the installation (that is quite simple, just follow the instructions given in the package you get after the purchase), Planning Module will be available as an additional tab in all of your Projects.

Three preview types that are offered will emphasize different aspects of your project:

1. Outline

Outline view gives a clear perspective of the project structure. You can see all your Milestones with included Tickets and Tasks here, as well as Checklists and Pages you have created. Tree like form will make it easier for you to see and organize all items in a way you wish. Colored labels of each item makes simple to track and spot them visually. 

You can even create, edit, reorder and delete project items directly from the Outline form. After clicking the Save button everything will be saved and all new and changed items will be posted in activeCollab. 

2. Cards  

Cards are bringing the project items under the spotlight. They remind of a big post-it notes where you can write everything down and make all necessary adjustments (such as set a visibility level, category, priority, define assignees, manage subscribers, choose the start and due date, make a time estimate...).

Another handy thing you can set up here is the Ticket Status. Planning Module brings new Status labels for Tickets in activeCollab - New, Reopened, Acknowledged, Assigned, Resolved and Close. 

3. Timeline   

Here you can see the Gantt Chart of your project. All Milestones, Tickets, Checklists and Tasks are displayed with their start and due dates. 

You can even have more than one project included in this preview, and have all related projects available on one sheet of paper. 

Planning Module has a clear goal - to help you organize and arrange your projects. It’s not always easy to know where are you headed with some ideas, and Planning Module may make things easier for you.