It is for a long time now that I am trying to evaluate groupware packages that can help to streamline some processes in our two man consulting engineering business. (In my part of the word, many professional practises have offices of not more than 5 personnel).
Believe me, I have done some serious digging to come across AC and for the first time ever I feel that I finally got a package that at least does what it does well and reliable. A lot of packages are packed with much more features but none of it is fully developed, or really applicable. AC is also very reasonably priced for a small business. I often get the idea that collab software in general is ripping off big time since it is so much of a need today.
IMO, the basic process of AC works well and smooth although there is still plenty of room for improvement to make the GUI a more intuitive. But everything I have tested, at least works reliably.
The things that needs most definite improvement from a project management point of view, are the following:
1. The Calender needs to be expanded significantly to function as most of the calenders of collab software do. First of all, the integration with the PM module should stay so that milestones and tasks with dates connected be shown. It should be possible to reduce it activities applicable to that user.
Secondly, a public holiday function is important for work.
Thirdly, it should be possible to enter events on a time basis - like meetings and those evens should either be general/global or connected to a specific project with the normal email notifications. Recurring events is a must. I reckon it would be best to handle these events as some sort of a ticket or a new type of subcategory for a ticket?
I like the webfeed link to be used by calender applications. For me, it works nice and clean. However, many clients today insist on that ical type e-mail notifications for each event entered, changed or deleted. (I find it terribly irritating especially if someone is doing heavy admin to a calender). But maybe adding the option would be nice.
2. Even with the Project Management extension that gives Gannt capabilities, the most serious omissions are the fact that there can be no relationships between tasks and that resources cannot be levelled.
An application, although JAVA based that does it simple and right, is the following one: http://www.rationalplan.com/
Would it be possible to integrate a JAVA application with AC? I could not yeat find a PHP package with the same kick as Rationalplan - and it can also import all types if MS project files.
IMO, the data basis of AC gives all the potential to integrate with something like Rationalplan.
3. I find it problematic that tasks assigned to a specific person, can be ticked off by someone else. I have no problem if a asignee to a ticket mark of the ticket - with the implication that the task are then done, but on task level it is a no.
The same goes for checklists. If for example a checklist is generated for a contractor, only he should be able to tick it off.
4. The discussion pages need something extra. It feels to me like there is visually not a strong enough separation between two posts and it makes it difficult to read or look for follow up comments. I would make the background of consecutive posts different colours like when a file is attached.
5. I would have liked some sort of control about the emails sent out because for every little action a small email is sent. IMO, RSS feeds takes much better care of handling these single item notifications.
6. Reports. AC is lacks a good reporting function.
7. Invoices. Participating companies should most definitely be able to separate their billable hours from each other and do an invoice for each. This is unless the Billing module can take care of that.
In summary:
The major improvements should be:
1. A full function Calender
2. A proper Project Management module. Nothing fancy, but the core basics - like Rationalplan.
3. Reports
4. Separate invoicing if billing does not take care of it.
Another thing that I would love to have, is a module that takes care of following up on tasks. As the time get closer for a deadline, the thing can in that case start pesting the assigned person to finish the task.
With this, I don't think there would be many packages to touch AC. I went through how many demos and none of them clinched it for me.
Now for some serious custom mods that I would like.
As a consulting engineer in the construction business, I need to do all the typical things like specifications, bills of materials, payment recommendations, site instructions, RFQ's, variation orders etc. The finances in particular takes up a huge amount of my time and need automation in my office.
Naturally, the above is project specific.
For those who did some apps for AC, does it sound like the above can be incorporated? It would need quite some expansion of database to handle all those things. Would it be possible to add that kind of functionality to AC?
I am not a programmer, but I did some database programming many years back which help a lot when speaking to the programmer guys.
Believe me, I have done some serious digging to come across AC and for the first time ever I feel that I finally got a package that at least does what it does well and reliable. A lot of packages are packed with much more features but none of it is fully developed, or really applicable. AC is also very reasonably priced for a small business. I often get the idea that collab software in general is ripping off big time since it is so much of a need today.
IMO, the basic process of AC works well and smooth although there is still plenty of room for improvement to make the GUI a more intuitive. But everything I have tested, at least works reliably.
The things that needs most definite improvement from a project management point of view, are the following:
1. The Calender needs to be expanded significantly to function as most of the calenders of collab software do. First of all, the integration with the PM module should stay so that milestones and tasks with dates connected be shown. It should be possible to reduce it activities applicable to that user.
Secondly, a public holiday function is important for work.
Thirdly, it should be possible to enter events on a time basis - like meetings and those evens should either be general/global or connected to a specific project with the normal email notifications. Recurring events is a must. I reckon it would be best to handle these events as some sort of a ticket or a new type of subcategory for a ticket?
I like the webfeed link to be used by calender applications. For me, it works nice and clean. However, many clients today insist on that ical type e-mail notifications for each event entered, changed or deleted. (I find it terribly irritating especially if someone is doing heavy admin to a calender). But maybe adding the option would be nice.
2. Even with the Project Management extension that gives Gannt capabilities, the most serious omissions are the fact that there can be no relationships between tasks and that resources cannot be levelled.
An application, although JAVA based that does it simple and right, is the following one: http://www.rationalplan.com/
Would it be possible to integrate a JAVA application with AC? I could not yeat find a PHP package with the same kick as Rationalplan - and it can also import all types if MS project files.
IMO, the data basis of AC gives all the potential to integrate with something like Rationalplan.
3. I find it problematic that tasks assigned to a specific person, can be ticked off by someone else. I have no problem if a asignee to a ticket mark of the ticket - with the implication that the task are then done, but on task level it is a no.
The same goes for checklists. If for example a checklist is generated for a contractor, only he should be able to tick it off.
4. The discussion pages need something extra. It feels to me like there is visually not a strong enough separation between two posts and it makes it difficult to read or look for follow up comments. I would make the background of consecutive posts different colours like when a file is attached.
5. I would have liked some sort of control about the emails sent out because for every little action a small email is sent. IMO, RSS feeds takes much better care of handling these single item notifications.
6. Reports. AC is lacks a good reporting function.
7. Invoices. Participating companies should most definitely be able to separate their billable hours from each other and do an invoice for each. This is unless the Billing module can take care of that.
In summary:
The major improvements should be:
1. A full function Calender
2. A proper Project Management module. Nothing fancy, but the core basics - like Rationalplan.
3. Reports
4. Separate invoicing if billing does not take care of it.
Another thing that I would love to have, is a module that takes care of following up on tasks. As the time get closer for a deadline, the thing can in that case start pesting the assigned person to finish the task.
With this, I don't think there would be many packages to touch AC. I went through how many demos and none of them clinched it for me.
Now for some serious custom mods that I would like.
As a consulting engineer in the construction business, I need to do all the typical things like specifications, bills of materials, payment recommendations, site instructions, RFQ's, variation orders etc. The finances in particular takes up a huge amount of my time and need automation in my office.
Naturally, the above is project specific.
For those who did some apps for AC, does it sound like the above can be incorporated? It would need quite some expansion of database to handle all those things. Would it be possible to add that kind of functionality to AC?
I am not a programmer, but I did some database programming many years back which help a lot when speaking to the programmer guys.
BTW: I am running on Linux boxes.