Tuesday, July 1, 2008

What's ahead: The Allbase Suite roadmap

One of the things that separates the Allbase Suite from its ERP brethren is that it's constantly improving software.  Week after week, improvements are automatically rolled out at no cost to our clients.  We never settle, and you shouldn't either.

Architecting such an intricate system as the Allbase Suite takes a great deal of planning and dedication.  Occassionally, there are bug fixes and minor tweaks, but most of the changes are gradual and deliberate.

In all aspects of production, we at Allbase aim to be transparent.  On that note, I'd like to introduce the first public roadmap for the Allbase Suite.  Some of these changes may take weeks, some may take a year, and some may take longer.  Nonetheless, they all represent the direction our development team is working towards:

• Improved data integration with vendors.  The Allbase Suite currently communicates with some of the world's most popular vendors, but we aim to improve both our selection and functionality.  Streamlined purchase orders, fulfillment tracking, and payment are all on the horizon.
• An even more powerful scripting and reporting system.  The Allbase Suite already supports fully interactive reports and customizable scripts, but we hope to improve the experience through further documentation, better troubleshooting, and expanded functionality.
• A flexible web-based storefront system.  Currently, Allbase Suite users have access to a client portal and vendor portal for useful tasks (such as accounting, scheduling, and inventory management), but the system lacks a true public store.  We're hard at work on creating an extensible store designed to work for any business and integrate with our existing suite.
• Further help documentation and training materials.  We're currently at work on task-specific tutorials, FAQs, and training videos.  We will continue to make the system as intuitive as possible, but supplement the experience with plentiful self-help material.
• Tools for improving our entire customer experience.  We are working to streamline everything from sign-up to training to support.  The process is becoming even easier while maintaining our high customer experience standards.  Along those lines, a major initiative at Allbase is to make the system as inviting as possible for resellers, affiliates, and marketplaces.
• Enhanced synchronization with third-party applications.  The Allbase Suite already supports full data mirroring with some of the world's most powerful applications, but we strive to expand the selection and quality of our synchronization tools.  Our engineers are also improving our current APIs (such as the SOAP interface) to make integrating custom applications even easier.
• Even faster performance throughout all systems.  Code is constantly being optimized for performance and usability.  As we bring more servers online and the Allbase Suite code matures, the already fast system will speed up even further.
• Expanded marketing and CRM functionality.  The Allbase Suite is already a top tool for tracking all aspects of client relationships, but we're dedicated to offering the best system possible.  Improvements will include full marketing campaign management and tools for better analyzing trends and demographics.
• Better searches.  The Allbase Suite already supports full data searching in all modules.  Absolutely every field is indexed and queryable, but we're looking to make searching even more powerful.  The first steps will involve the ability to add multiple filters to a search (as in, adding multiple criteria on the same field).  The next step will be the ability to save and track searches quickly and easily.  Beyond that, interface tweaks are planned to make the experience even more intuitive.
• Specific version of the Allbase Suite tailored to different industries.  The system already meets the needs of most businesses, but we plan to make available tools designed for various verticals.  The first special "flavor" of the Suite will be for IT companies and call centers, and other industries will soon follow.

We are always open to feedback on the Allbase Suite.  If you have a suggestion or a question, please don't hesitate to contact us.

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