Topic: What CRM/Groupware do you use?

[christiaan]

Hi

I am trying to find reviews for groupware for SOHO with windows, mac and linux clients.

I have looked at:
open-xchange
egroupware
opengroupware
kolab
citadel
hula

Could the forum share what CRM/groupware app they use and why?

[mudra]

moregroupware

Install easy and seems to work well.

Does all I need it to.

Mudra

[brianr]

I use Twiggi ,and also Twig with a couple of customers for shared calendars, and they seem happy with it, however I feel that the "contacts" side is not very user friendly when i looked a few weeks ago.  I do not have any alternatives (as I haven't had the need).

I intend to try Open-exchange when I get the chance, as most of my customers still use Outlook.

[Smitro]

I am an Outlook user, but only because I have a Pocket PC. I'm interested in trying out OpenXchange, because I think I heard some where that Pocket PC's can sync with it. (I could be wrong)

Is there any how to guides or simple rpms for SME?

I'm interested also in what others are using. I use the basics of Horde, but the pocket pc sync tool for it is still being built.

[BoZz]

My needs are a bit sales related so I use VTiger http://www.vtiger.com It has a great Thunderbird and Outlook plugin also.

CYA,

Brett

[dmac]

I have installed and am using the Open Xchange on SME 6.0.1.  Works great, like the fact I can use from anywhere.  I have yet to test the connector for outlook, but that will come.

Darin

[edb]

I agree with BoZz

VTiger is the way to go and if you do not need all the features then just use what you do need. Seems to be a pretty feature-packed CRM especially if sales is the main component of your company.
SugarCRM and VTiger are virtually the same except that you do not get with SugarCRM all that is offered with VTigerCRM. SugarCRM holds back the Quotes module for example to paying customers.

Ed

[SoundSailor]

I have installed and am using the Open Xchange on SME 6.0.1.  Works great, like the fact I can use from anywhere.  I have yet to test the connector for outlook, but that will come.

Darin

Could you share your installation experience? I'm sure many SME users would be interested.

[duncan]

I have installed and am using the Open Xchange on SME 6.0.1.  Works great, like the fact I can use from anywhere.  I have yet to test the connector for outlook, but that will come.

Darin

Could you share your installation experience? I'm sure many SME users would be interested.

There is a good howto on this site. OpenXchange is an excellent groupware package. Fairly heavy install though.

I am playing with Conflux at the moment. Pretty easy install and well featured as well as being fast.

[christiaan]

Has anyone installed kolab on SME yet?

[dmac]

I have installed and am using the Open Xchange on SME 6.0.1.  Works great, like the fact I can use from anywhere.  I have yet to test the connector for outlook, but that will come.

Darin

Could you share your installation experience? I'm sure many SME users would be interested.

Use the RPM's and instructions found here
http://no.longer.valid/phpwiki/index.php/Howto%20install%20Open-Xchange%20for%20SME%206.01-01

The installation went well, just need to make sure you edit the two files indicated or you language setting will be incorrect.  Also make sure you initialize the database before trying to access openxchange.  You will need to have the correct setting in the directory for the company information.

Interested in Openxchange for the connector the Outlook.  Have customers that are interested in collabortive calendering but are concerned about the cost and vulnerability with Exchange.

Darin

[christiaan]

I found this on the oxtensions page of the open-xchange wiki

4.4 Open-Xchange and Samba could work perfectly together to replace a very big piece of cake of existing MS solutions. Therefore it would be fantastic if some people with Samba knowledge would take a look on this point. The integration level could be moved as deep as possible. This means not only to share user information, also a admin integration should be targeted. Maybe it is possible that Windows users can change their passwords via existing tools via a very natural way. This OXtension should be driven by imagination what is possible and what is useful to replace existing MS environments.

and wondered if SME developers/community have considered the possibilities of some sort of joint effort /roadmap?

[jester]

Just for your information.....

[GPL] Open-Xchange / Outlook connector in development:
http://www.syn-3.nl/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=98&Itemid=84&lang=en

[Opensource] open standard / Outlook  connector in development:
http://www.openconnector.org/


Regards,
  Jester.

[dave_d]

If you want something that's really easy to install ... AND WORKS!!! ... try ACollab from ATutor.  The ACollab  bit can be run as an add-on to ATutor OR as a stand alone package.
It's not particularly feature rich, but what it does it does without falling over.
I've also used (with varying degrees of success)
  OpenGroupWare
  PHProjekt
  Hipergate
  MoreGroupWare
  Lucane
  PHPGroupWare
  SimpleGroupWare

I've even posted about how to install some of them!  Unfortunately, all of them seem to have some weak point or another - but then they're all 'work in progress' and so that's to be expected.

[MSmith]

On that page ... AChat is very easy to install and might be a good collaboration tool for small LANs.  I just installed it for a client whose two offices are half a continent apart, connected via VPN; might save them a phonecall or two.

[edform]

If you want something that's really easy to install ... AND WORKS!!! ... try ACollab from ATutor.  The ACollab  bit can be run as an add-on to ATutor OR as a stand alone package.
It's not particularly feature rich, but what it does it does without falling over.

Hi Dave,

How did you get past the uploads directory setting in the installation routine?

No matter what I do, it goes on telling me that the upload directory I've chosen does not exist.

Ed Form

[albatroz]

http://www.group-office.com

Free,PHP, GPL, pretty, powerful and easy to use...
and for $250 you may get the pro version with
a plugin for synching with Outlook...

[dave_d]

Hello Edform,

I don't recall having that problem!  If it's of any help to you, here's the template fragment I put into /etc/e-smith/templates-custom/etc/httpd/conf/httpd.conf

I called it 90acollab

==================================

Alias /ac /home/e-smith/files/ibays/ac/html/
<Directory /home/e-smith/files/ibays/ac/html/>
AddType application/x-httpd-php .php .php3 .phtml
Options Indexes +Includes FollowSymLinks
php_flag magic_quotes_gpc off
php_flag display_errors off
php_flag file_uploads on

php_flag log_errors on
php_value error_log /var/log/acollab.log
php_value error_reporting 'E_ALL ~ E_NOTICE'

php_flag register_globals off
php_value max_execution_time 90
php_value memory_limit 20M
php_value upload_max_filesize 5M
php_value mbstring.func_overload 7

order deny,allow
deny from all
allow from all
</Directory>

==================================

If you're still having problems, post again with a little more detail and I'll see what I can do!

Regards,

Dave

[jonash]

You probably know about this site already...

Have a look at http://www.opensourcecms.com
These groupwares are described:

• ACollab
• dotProject
• eGroupWare
• MoreGroupware
• NetOffice
• phpCollab
• phpGroupWare
• PHProjekt
• PMtool
• WebCollab

and a couple of other CMS....

Jonas

[riffai]

Hello all,

Can anyone share their trials and/or success with open source (free) software that can provide shared calendars & tasks to users via MS Outlook.

I am long time user of SME, currently running 6.5RC1. As a complete linux newb who loves SME for its out-of-the-box functionality and usability, I am looking for an easy to install solution if it exists. I tried the Open Xchange HowTo on these forums on my server with no luck.

Your feedback is much appreciated.

All the best,
Riff

[p-jones]

I have read this thread with great interest. There are some interesting names and comments. Good Groupware/CRM software and integration with the 'main stream' corp apps (eg Outlook/Groupwise/Notes) plus the wide range of available PDA's/Tablets  is something which is becoming more and more in demand.

What is however lacking in this thread and information I would want first is  'which platforms will it operate on ?' V6, V6.5 and/or  V7

I have been looking more closely at both VTiger and Sugar lately and am quite dissatisfied with both. Although each has a meritable list of features and benefits , neither product really seems ready to be deployed in a production enviroment. There seems to be a long bug list and many key features with none or only minimal (inadequate) documentation. Checkout the forums an you will see what I am getting at.
Rgds
Peter