Running a Virtual Business (Full Version)

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Nancy Nelson -> Running a Virtual Business (8/12/2003 17:38:11)

Any recommendations if I'm planning to partner with others but not be sharing office space. Specifically I'm looking for inexpensive (a.k.a. free?) solutions that won't require a lot of custom development from me for ...

- sales contacts
- project management
- tracking billables



Charles W Davis -> RE: Running a Virtual Business (8/13/2003 21:52:02)

Nancy,


  • Sales Contacts — Microsoft Outlook-maybe
  • Project Management — Microsoft Business Manager - maybe
  • Tracking Billables — QuickBooks Pro - a necessity.


Unfortunately, none are free!

A question for you. Did your Business Plan call for this kind of support to be free? If not, I would suggest that you review the plan. If yes, I suggest that you review the plan. 90% of business failures are the direct result of not having a valid business plan.



abbeyvet -> RE: Running a Virtual Business (8/14/2003 5:36:57)

I am assuming that since you are going to be working remotely you are really looking for solutions that can be deployed on the Internet, rather than the ones Charles suggested?

You are looking for Groupware.

There are a number of PHP groupware tools here, many free and apparantly very sophisticated. I haven't used any so no recommendations I am afraid. I am sure there are ASP ones too at Hotscripts

http://www.hotscripts.com/PHP/Scripts_and_Programs/Groupware_Tools/index.html



gorilla -> RE: Running a Virtual Business (8/14/2003 10:31:39)

For project management (and assuming you're going down the Microsoft route) rather than Charles' suggestion of Microsoft Business Manager I suggest you go for Microsoft Project. This is a stunningly good piece of software for those who are managing or coordinating projects. It is quite expensive however.

AFAIK it can be integrated with sharepoint but as for security reasons I point blank refuse to have anything to do with sharepoint I can't guarantee that that is accurate.

http://www.microsoft.com/office/project/default.asp


Another alternative is PHProjekt it's opensource has masses of plugins and a lot of features. Price is unbeatable [:)]

http://www.phprojekt.com/index.php

The gorilla group are doing extensive testing of this at the moment and are sufficiently impressed that we'll probably adopt it as our standard.


August 14th 2003



Gil -> RE: Running a Virtual Business (8/14/2003 10:48:21)

I have to agree w/ gorrila about MS Project, about the best Redmon has had to offer. We used it exstensively at the last project I worked an and were pleased.

gorrila, looked at phprojekt some time ago and liked what I saw, but at the time it did not seem to be LDAP compliant - do you know if they are now...



gorilla -> RE: Running a Virtual Business (8/14/2003 19:29:08)

Hi Gil,

Nice to "talk" with you again.


quote:

ORIGINAL: Gil

gorrila, looked at phprojekt some time ago and liked what I saw, but at the time it did not seem to be LDAP compliant - do you know if they are now...



It is nice isn't it [:)] ? There's been enhanced LDAP support since Version 3.2, - 'round about December 2002 if my memory serves me correctly.

Link location here:

http://www.phprojekt.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=Downloads&file=index&req=getit&lid=36

AFAIK it builds on the fixes for LDAP compatability released May last year for ver 3.2. Link here:

http://www.phprojekt.com/files/3.2/ldap_update-3.2.zip


They're up to v4.0 now, no problems so far :-) If its been a while since you had a look have a decko at these addins:

http://www.phprojekt.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=Downloads&file=index&req=MostPopular

http://www.phprojekt.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=Downloads&file=index&req=MostPopular

Lots of good stuff there no?

Hope this helps, and am glad to learn that I'm not the only Microsoft Project enthusiast in the webbed world [;)]

Got to go or the nurse will start throwings things at me !

Kind regards,

Mhaircaish.
August 15th
August



gorilla -> RE: Running a Virtual Business (8/14/2003 19:40:57)

Nancy,

One thing further - scroll down a bit on that page and there's a link to an online "test run" of project.

Also if you do get it. For goodness sake spend the time to run through the project management course that comes as part of the help system. It's superb. You'll learn the concepts and the package simultaneously and it'll be the best time you ever spent.

M



Gil -> RE: Running a Virtual Business (8/14/2003 20:15:32)

Great to 'talk' from this end also...

quote:


gorilla:
Got to go or the nurse will start throwings things at me !


Must be a new kind of therapy...

We used a combination of MS Project and Merant's PVCS Tracker to keep up w/ a 27 programmer development team, 16 on site project managers, 6 travelling technical implentation consultants (my team) and a 6 person Quality assurance (testers) team. It really did a good job and the client was happy with the reports and charts/graphs - you know all the "eye candy" that goes with a 100 million dollar project [:D]

I did go look at phprojekt and I am impressed - I'm thinking of an upcoming project that may be a perfect test bed....

Thanks for the heads up...



Nancy Nelson -> RE: Running a Virtual Business (8/14/2003 21:09:52)

Thanks for much [:)] for all your replies. I have used MS Project before, but not since version '98. Is it possible to take the plunge with the phprojekt without having had hands on PHP experience before?

Also what's LDAP?



Gil -> RE: Running a Virtual Business (8/14/2003 22:45:10)

quote:

Also what's LDAP?


Lightweight Directory Access Protocol, is an Internet protocol that email programs use to look up contact information from a server



gorilla -> RE: Running a Virtual Business (8/15/2003 3:29:11)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Nancy Nelson

Thanks for much [:)] for all your replies. I have used MS Project before, but not since version '98. Is it possible to take the plunge with the phprojekt without having had hands on PHP experience before?



You're welcome. I've actually been thinking a fair bit what I'd do were I in your shoes. I'd go for phpprojekt first I think. It's free. Easy to install. Has heaps of plugins. A vibrant backup community. It is also well documented.

Here's a link to a tutorial you might like to read about installation:

http://www.phprojekt.com/documentation/PHProjektWAMPInstallGuide/

Yes you will have to do a bit of studying, but, while it's been a more than a year since I personally have done much posting here, my recollection of you is that you're a quick learner.

Here's the link to the documentation in general.

http://www.phprojekt.com/documentation.php


Moving on .......


Checkout this page:

http://www.hotscripts.com/PHP/Software_and_Servers/Installation_Kits/index.html

for a collection of good easy install packages for testing/learning if you think you might get serious about php (hint it's a good idea and can really really boost the "value added" to your sites big and growing market for people who can develop as well as design sites.)


Link to server pacakges:

http://www.hotscripts.com/PHP/Software_and_Servers/Web_Servers/index.html

Link to tutorials:

http://www.hotscripts.com/PHP/Tips_and_Tutorials/Introduction_to_PHP/index.html


Moving on to MS Project ......

If you're familiar with p98 the move up is worth it .... believe me it's worth it .... ooooh I was thrilled at the improvements to an already very good program. Much better reporting and problem avoidance. While retainig the same overall look and feel. Check out if there's an MPUG near you. Again the MS Project home page gives good links. Microsoft have dropped the project dedicated newsletter and integrated it with the general "office" one BOO! SHAME! YAH BOO!

if you decide to go down the MSoft route and have to get others up to speed or just refresh yourself go here. Great package and unbeatable price :

http://www.projectlearning.net/project_companion.htm#Download


quote:

ORIGINAL: Nancy Nelson
Also what's LDAP?


gil beat me to it ... pesky timezones .... [:D]

August 15th 2003



Nancy Nelson -> RE: Running a Virtual Business (8/15/2003 10:56:02)

You guys are my heroes! [:)]

I'm going to give this a crack and will keep you posted.



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