Net Data Design, LLC Blog

I have been asked by a few clients who use vTiger about core features or modules to perform certain tasks that are just not available. While I am a developer, the LAMP stack has never been my preference. Well, vTiger 5.2 is currently in Validation Build 1 stage and they’ve addressed some of these features.

It packs some nice new features such as SMS, ical Import Export and an Assets module. It also appears that some existing third party modules are also being rolled in with tighter integration, those would be the Projects and Mobile modules and API‘s. There are also quite a few bug fixes addressed in this new version, a complete list can be found here.

5.2 Key Features

• SMS Module.
• Mobile API module  (not included in VB1, extension module will be provided in a week’s time).
• Project Management (not included in VB1, extension module will be provided in a week’s time).
• User List view Navigation.
• Calendar ical Import Export.
• Reports Enhancement- Added Line Item Support.
• Assets Module.
• and more – Detailed list can be found in the Release notes,

5.2 Release Plan

Before releasing the final version, we will be releasing a couple of builds of 5.2 to the community to get feedback and fix issues. We plan the following releases before the final version.

• Validation Build1
• Validation Build2 (if necessary – to be determined based on nature of fixes changes made after Validation Build1)
• Release Candidate (RC)
• Final Version

When I start and during testing of this build, I’ll post my findings here. If you are currently testing, please share your comments.

The more you use and read about the capabilities of vTiger, the more I’m convinced you’ll find a solid use for it in your business. It has fast become a great tool in my business and I can see how it would benefit any SMB and all businesses as an intranet. Does it pack the punch off say Salesforce or Microsoft’s CRM? No, but it doesn’t pack the price tag either! And don’t get me wrong, because it may not contain all the bells and whistles of the aforementioned, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t meet or exceed them in a lot areas either.

The ease in which you can customize and configure vTiger to meet your needed, without having a team of developers, is astounding. Just recently we followed a published “how-to” on setting up vTiger as an automated help desk ticketing system. The how-to was straight forward and utilized a number of already built in modules and methods to create a custom [support] ticketing system. This particular system allows for the customer to send an email to a predetermined  email address and if that customer was a “know” contact in vTiger, a ticket was auto-generated and a “canned” response returned to them. In this email response are details that gave them the ability to track the tickets progress through the Customer Portal. Also through the Portal, the customer can comment on a ticket in real time, very handy when troubleshooting.

I’m certain that I will be revisiting the vTiger subject again soon, but I’d really like to hear what you have to say about it.

As I previously stated, I held SugarCRM as the defacto open source CRM software. This has changed, the more I delve into vTiger, the more I find functions that rival some of the high-end, high-dollar solutions. And some of these functions are found in SugarCRM, the difference is in vTiger they work!

The vTiger user interface (UI) is easy to navigate, well laid out and is consistent across the application. The icons are decorative but informative design elements, making it easy to spot and move to different options within a given task. The ability to move from item to sub-items is also very easy. Lets say we’re in an Accounts (company) file. From here, we can easily access every aspect of that account, such as its individual employees (contacts), invoics, services they use, service contracts, trouble tickets, quotes and documents. Just to name a few!

I have also discovered a few must have extensions (add-ons.) Such as Timesheets, Trouble Tickets Updates and the Add to Google Calendar. All are easily installed and share a common layout as the core vTiger. The Timesheet extension does require a patch. If you have vTiger on Windows, then you’ll need to move it to a Linux environment to patch it, then move it back to Windows. Fortunately, I have my installs on Linux.

Some other features I’ll cover in my next installment about vTiger will be the outstanding Customer Portal, the ability to create a PDF on demand, invoice templates, EMail templates and custom field values.

When hosting, customizing and supporting software, the landscape can change pretty quickly. Customer driven needs move you to places you never imagined. You must fill that void or be left outside looking in.

SugarCRM has great potential, however potential doesn’t fill most client needs. Rather, real-world working solutions drive us to new places and fill real-world needs. I have become increasingly aware that SugarCRM has some short-comings in the communications area, particularly email. Email functions are slow at best and don’t function at worst.

So, the quest was to find a CRM software with a low cost start-up and a healthy ROI. In stalks vTiger. It appeared to have similar features as SugarCRM, and as I found out looking over the code, for good reason. vTiger is a fork of SugarCRM and a great deal of the code is adorned by the SugarCRM copyright message.

I first set-up vTiger and the installation was quick and simple. I will write more about this in the future, but what amazed me was the speed of the application and it intuitive layout. Not to mention, features like email actually worked, and quickly. An test email campaign was set-up using one of the included email templates…and it worked too. Email campaigns have been an issue with a number of my clients, so this was a relief.

I’ll be blogging  more about my experiences with vTiger in the very near future, but I’d really like to hear your experiences.