Consulting: Task & Time Tracking

[JP]

Greetings All:

I'm getting ready to start up another company (seperate from AO) to do consulting in the local area. I'll hire a few people, put one of them in charge, do some advertising, and BAM, should be well on our way with very little work on my part (not really any competition in the area).

At any rate, I'm curious as to what software people out there that work for consulting firms (or that consult independantly) are using for task & time tracking?

I REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY don't want to write, or have someone else write, a home grown solution.

Web based solutions, especially PHP, are a plus, but not manditory.

Thanks.

[Guus]

Are you looking for an ITIL-based system much like those used in call-centers / helpdesks, or something more advanced?

[Common_Exploit]

Yeah, Im looking to go into my own buisness, not sure exactly the type of buisness, but yeah. If you need help with finding good Consultant's/Employee's, PM me and I have a few people I know that might be of help/service when it comes to Consulting.

[allenb1963]

This might not be exactly what you want, but at least it will give you something to look at. M$ has a product called Appointment Manager (http://www.bcentral.com/products/am/default.asp) that conveniently has a 30 day free trial. It's pretty cool as it lets you assign services to each employee, allot specific blocks of time for specific tasks, assign dollar values to specific services...it even lets your clients log on and schedule appointments on their own. When they rolled this out as a part of >NET my services, I jokingly told them that this could revolutionize the 'paid escort' business...but seriously it does have the potential to be a good tool. If this is too simplistic, I think that there may be a more intense offering thru M$'s Great Plains division. I'm using Quikbooks myself (works in a pinch), but I don't really need the online functionality that you are looking for. Hope this helped!

[JP]

Greetings:

Definately want something that's hosted on-site, and not a hosted app solution, especially one through the ultra-secure Microsoft Corp.

[allenb1963]

Now JP...we all know that M$ makes the most secure products in the world.....NOT!! But you gotta concede one point...it would work great for hookers! LOL

[RiOtEr]

http://sourceforge.net/projects/tutos/
dont know if thats the kinda thing your looking for....
but i am curious why dont u want someone to write it for you
rioter

[Matty_Cross]

Because he'd have to pay them to do it.....

JP's cheap... :P

[phishphreek]

I use Track-IT (http://www.blueocean.com/default.asp) where I work.

I love it. It lets you assign tasks to specific people and it has tons of cool features.

It includes workstation auditing that I have included with my login script to run once a week. It has a library section so you can include all of your books and track who has them.
It has a purchasing section to manage your venders and what you have ordered/recieved.
It has an awesome reports/graphs section that will let you display practically anything you want.

//From website
{Manage the endless flow of work orders.

Inventory, track, and manage your hardware and software assets, who has equipment on loan, how much you've purchased from vendors, how much training end-users have had, and so on.

Track warranties, service contract expirations, software upgrades, etc. }

I don't know if this is what you are talking about. It is more help desk software and it might be overkill, but at any rate... it works great for us!

There is a free demo version available for download.

[THEJRC]

he he

well I'm a sadist so I use pen, paper, and a calculator myself... as far as invoicing and such goes I've been working with Accware... a database app from icode.inc (http://www.icode.com)

the newer everest product from them is obviously a little more robust as it is sql based but accware does tend to my needs.

as far as a ticket system, I've had okay luck with a product called footprints by unipress
http://********footprints.com/ it has a pretty good asset management system, and the interface isnt as rocky as some I've seen.... but eh... for now I'll stick with pen, paper, and the good ole noggin.

[micael]

There are no really 100% good cheap solutions what I know about but OPT may be a good solution licensed under GNU General Public License (GPL).

source: http://sourceforge.net/projects/outreach
OPT is a PHP web-based generic project development virtual common place offering easy access to project information such as tasks, requests, e-mail, trouble tickets, documents plus a couple of other features. Uses LAMP (plus experimental Windows support)

Another (not free) solution which can be of interest is Genesys meeting center.

Source: www.genesys.com
Meet and work, online
Genesys Meeting Center puts you in control of your virtual meetings, online. You visualize and manage your meetings from your PC. One simple interface integrating audio, web and video conferencing, makes conferencing online as easy as “point” and “click”. Your meeting room is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

A fully interactive virtual conference room
With Genesys Meeting Center, your virtual meetings are instantly more visual and dynamic. You can present PowerPoint® slides, share applications and even be seen by your participants with multi-point desktop video.

Collaborate in real-time
Now you and your participants can approve, edit or amend any type of business documents. Correct or modify legal documents, sales proposals, architectural drafts, CAD drawings, and virtually any other application that you can run on your computer.

Easy to start. Easy to join.
Schedule your meeting online, from your Microsoft Outlook® interface. Or quick start a presentation right away from the Genesys Meeting Center home page, or via your MSN® Messenger. Participants may log-in to your meeting through www.genesys.com or through a direct link sent out via e-mail. Those without Internet access may still access and follow the audio call via telephone.


There are ofcourse many other solutions like the above another possible solution could be sametime (http://www.lotus.com/products/lotussametime.nsf/wdocs/homepage) but this is ofcourse all depending in what the demands are and how much work you want to do yourself and the price ofcourse :).

~micael

[mmelby]

I use Timeslips. It is great for consultant billing. You can have multiple rates by Client or by user. You can bill time or product. You can customize the bill format... A LOT more. The site is www.timeslips.com

[Wizeman]

I actually do consulting for a company that uses TimeSlips, they do Environmental consulting services, and have different rates for different services and people, so I think it is useful, though I don't know how web integrated it is, as the company I work with has an older version of the software.

Another piece of software that I think might have some promise is Deltek's Advantage TimeKeeper. I believe it has comparable functionality to TimeSlips, if not more. Plus it is web integrated . (http://www.deltek.com/deltekweb.asp?id=65) They also have some interesting Client Relations Management software, and Proposal software.

Regards,
Wizeman

[krycek051]

Hey JP

It ain't free but I use Peachtree + Time & Billing. It has time and expense tracking, multiple billing rates, an on-screen timer, creates invoices from time & expenses and creates payroll from time tracked. Runs right out of the box, simple set-up. Good Luck with your new venture!