Hi Everyone

Here are some of the features that are going to be included in the new release of CreativePro.  If we haven't said so before, CreativePro Office is working on a new version that will remedy the bugs of the existing version AND include these killer new features:

In the Client area:

• A new client widget on the dashboard that shows the client list and projects by client. User will be able to click a client name and the view will switch to show projects for that client.

• Clients will be able to have multiple contacts instead of the 1 contact currently allowed. This will be accomplished by a site-wide contact management module which will provide the contact functionality for clients, projects, and expenses (vendors).

• Users will be able to import client list in CSV format or a single client vCard.

• Client dashboard will have total hours displayed for a project (optionally set by account owner) and project status indicator.

• Client dashboard will have messaging capability for projects, invoices and files that are posted by the account owner (similar to Facebook).

• Client timezone will be a setting that can be permanently set by the account owner.

In the Tasks area:

• Tasks can be shared among multiple team members. Team members will receive email notifications of task assignments.
• Files can be attached to task entries.  Tasks can be reordered within milestones by drag and drop.
• Version 2.0 will have a much improved Gantt charting system with ability to print Gantt charts.
• Recurring tasks.
• Email integration: tasks can be created by sending an email to a CPO email address much like Remember the Milk.
• Sorting tasks by title, date, assigned to, status will be included.
• Users will be able to create quick To-Do lists using the task manager - instead of creating a client, then a project, then tasks.
• The task management system will, over the next year, become more SCRUM focussed so that teams can monitor their time estimates and deliverable dates across many project and come up with more acurate predictions.
• Tasks will have customizable categories that are color coded for quicker viewing.

In the Calendars area:

• Shared calendars between project owners, team members and clients.

• Synch calendar with Google Calendar, allow synch to Outlook through iCal format.

• Allow multiple calendars with color coding. Allow other customization features like changing the first day of the week and date formats.
  

• Upload/Download of calendar entries in iCal format.

• Show events spanning multiple days.

• RSS calendar feed specific to each calendar and team member.

In the Projects area:

• Project auto-archive feature - allow user to set a time span for auto-archive of projects e.g. 3 weeks after project create, or project start.

• Allow per-project, per-client hourly rates to be set.

• Show time spent on a project in project detail view.

• Make project file uploads simpler by using an app-wide file upload system that interfaces with Amazon S3.  Allow for multiple files uploads also.

• Provide project/task view in a Gantt chart. 

In the Expenses area:

• Expense and vendor reports.

• Tie expense items and invoicing together better.  For example, if I guy stock photos for a client it would be nice to list these under expenses but also be available to me when it's time to invoice the client.

• Hours logged from time sheets can be defined with an hourly rate then automatically set up as an expense and charged to the defined project.  I'm imagining contractor expenses here.  I pay a contractor (vendor) for 12 hours of graphic design - that's technically an expense that then needs to be invoiced. 

• A recurring option for expenses like web hosting, rent or anything with a fixed and repeating cost.

• A vendor list that would allow the same contact information and notes seen in clients, but then be tied to a specific project. 

In the Timesheets area:

• Better time-sheet reports: view by project, client, team member, date range or combination of all variables.

• Integrated job timer, timesheets and invoices together so you could select a project, start the clock, stop the clock and click a button to have an invoice generated.

• Export timesheets as PDF, Excel, CSV.

• Allow embedding the job timer in user websites so that you can have employees log time without giving them CPO user accounts.

• Allow for multiple timers to be running at once.

• Individual invoice items can be taxable/non-taxable.
  
• Partial payments can be entered for an invoice and CPO will keep track of amount remaining.
• Invoice payments can be made through PayPal.
• Recurring invoices for things like hosting accounts that need to be invoiced monthly,weekly,yearly.

This is a limited list of changes that will be going into version 2.0.  These features are in direct response to what users have asked for over the past 2 years that CPO has been active.  It isn't an exhaustive list, but it is definitely an exhausting list.  For those who wonder what the silence is about, this would explain it.

We look forward to our new release and hope you all are enjoying your summer!