Mizen (rhymes with vision), is code name for a new module we are building. In fact, I wanted to build something like it three years ago. We even built a few prototypes in 2010, 2011 and 2012, but nothing came out to public.

This time, we’re removing all the complex “features” and keeping it to the most useful essentials.

Watch the video preview below, and let us know your comments…

Mizen will essentially:

• Automatically pick up assignment filters and show you results in a cleaner, simpler, faster interface
• Quickly complete, comment on or add time to your tasks
• Be available globally – from a link in left most, main menu in activeCollab
• Integrate well with activeCollab, yet offer something that greatly increases productivity

That’s the vision we are building Mizen with!

What would you like it to do? Should it be a new module, or should we bundle it in Planning module? Or Tasks Plus? Anything else you feel we should include in it? Remove from it?

Let us know! Thanks!

Let’s now talk about a new feature we added recently to Tasks Plus module for activeCollab 4.

We are using Tasks Plus module as our own support system. When we were working on a support ticket, many times we found it necessary to review previous tickets from the same customer – and their status. Scratching our own itch, we added a list with quick access to all support tickets of this client.

This comes in very handy! We get a full interaction history with this client, and can even answer multiple pending support tickets easily.

Here’s a screenshot of how this looks:

Other support tickets from this customer

Want this for your activeCollab? Download the latest version of Tasks Plus now!

We added small improvements to many of our activeCollab modules this month.

Let’s talk first about four level grouping in Assignments filters that come in Planning module.

As a Project Manger, you need various “views” into tasks team members are working on. Sometimes you need a view grouped by projects, sometimes by people, sometimes by status, sometimes by due dates. And sometimes – by all of them.

Assignments Plus filters in Planning module give you superb filtering and grouping ability. But Nathan Sudds from activeLabs suggested that we add another level of grouping – so instead of three levels, make it four levels.

This was a small but useful addition!

For example, you can apply different filters on assignments and group filtered assignments by Project, Assignee, Due Date and Label. You now have a comprehensive view of what’s due on what date and what’s the status. You can quickly follow up with team members or help them get those tasks completed.

Single Level of Grouping in default Assignment filters

Up to four Levels of  grouping in Assignments Plus filters

An assignment list grouped by Project, Assignee, Due Date & Label

We hope you find this useful. Do let us know your feedback by posting a comment or sending us an email.

In the next post, we will talk about another small but useful feature we added to Tasks Plus. Stay tuned!

Social Media -Facebook,Twitter,Linkedin

As we grow, we want to be accessible to our customers easily. Not just helpdesk or email. We figured social media was the way to go.

So we hired Andrea Juliao to connect with and assist our customer community. She will be taking care of you via social media as well.

You will be glad to know that social media won’t just be an added means to reach out to our support; but also a gateway to future announcements and progress at Apps Magnet.

Click on the images below and connect with us.

Facebook Link -Apps Magnet

Twitter Link -Apps Magnet

Linkedin Link – Apps Magnet

We released updates to Search Plus, Tasks Plus, Comments Plus and Planning module today.

Change log of all four modules below.

Planning module for activeCollab 4.1.1 (activeCollab 4 version)

Enhancements:
+ Added filter option Due on "in next number of days" filter.
+ Compatible with aC 4.0.13
+ Fix typo.

Comments Plus module for activeCollab 4.0.1 (activeCollab 4 version)

Enhancement:
+ Visibility of comments remains same after creating a projects from Quote or Project Request.
+ Message added to understand the visibility of Private comments.

Fixes:
- CSS changes for UI fixes
- Fatal Error: Call to a member function "getProject()" on a non-object
- Subscribers list was creating confusion while making private comments
- Module was restoring the comments of uninstalled module from backup on re-install. (i.e. Notebook)

Tasks Plus module for activeCollab 4.1.2 (activeCollab 4 version)

Fix:
- Due date were not set for support ticket with email filters.
- Fixed Localisation issue
- Removed "There are no labels defined" message when workflow labels are already defined.

Search Plus module for activeCollab 4.0.2 (activeCollab 4 version)

 Enhancements:
+ activeCollab v4.0.12 compatible version
+ Compatible version with Comments Plus Module
Fix:
- "Fatal error: Call to a member function canView() on a non-object" for NotebookPage comments
- Comments of uninstalled modules were creating an error

From now on, you can get a lot more done with comments in activeCollab.

Introducing Comments Plus module for activeCollab 4!

• Discuss confidential matters – billing, credentials etc – with client without involving team members
• Carry out internal conversations that clients can’t see
• Involve only selected people in a task / discussion
• Keep useful information handy in a task / discussion / page

We released a new version of our four modules. Which includes 4.0.10 compatibility, bug fixes and enhancements.

Now, all our modules are compatible with aC 4.0.10. You can always check the compatibility tatus of our products from here.

Changelog..

Planning module for activeCollab 4.1 (activeCollab 4 version)

Enhancements:
+ Added 4th level of grouping
+ Added option to show/hide paper background in Assignments Plus view
+ Now can group by "Project Leader"
+ UI Improvements. 

Fix:
+ When Subtask converted to task through planning module, visibility set to private automatically.

Chronograph 4.0.1 (activeCollab 4 version)

+ activeCollab 4.0.10 compatibility release.
+ Clear summary of a previous tracked time.

Confidential Items 4.0.3 (activeCollab 4 version)

- activeCollab 4.0.10 compatible version.

Notifications Plus 4.0.1 (activeCollab 4 version)

Fixed:

- Subtasks reminder for due dates was not working.

New version of acGarage Plus, Apps Magnet Auto Updater and Search Plus module are now available for download.

Highlights:

• We have decoupled an auto update modules feature from activeCollab 3 version of an acGarage Plus module also. Use Apps Magnet Auto Updater module to update all our modules. It’s free!
• We have enhanced the Apps Magnet Auto Updater module for an activeCollab 4. Now, you can select only those modules which you want to update.

Select Modules to Update

Search Plus 4.0.1 (activeCollab 4 version)

Fix:
- Fixed "Fatal error: Cannot instantiate abstract class Comment"
- Searched in the comments of notebooks even if notebooks module is uninstalled.

Apps Magnet Auto Updater 4.0 (activeCollab 4 version)

- Initial activeCollab 4 compatible version

acGarage Plus 3.4.9 (activeCollab 3 version)

- Removed auto update feature. It will be a part of Apps Magnet Auto Updater module.

PS: We recommend you to use Apps Magnet Auto Updater module to do automatic update of our all modules.

We have moved our own help desk systems to activeCollab + Tasks Plus module for a few weeks now. And eating your own dog food is improving the product!!

Eating your own dog food, also called dogfooding, is a slang term used to reference a scenario in which a company (usually, a computer software company) uses its own product to demonstrate the quality and capabilities of the product.
Wikipedia

Yesterday we released an update to Tasks Plus that addresses two important usability issues.

1. Tasks Plus now allows you to add your own “signature”. This signature will be added to outgoing mails on all comments you post on support tasks (and not on normal tasks).
2. Tasks Plus can automatically change workflow label of a support ticket when client responds to it. This lets you easily see items that need your attention.

Adding your own signature for support tickets

• Go to your user profile
• Click on Options. Select Add Signature.
  
• Add whatever you like to be appended to your comments on support tickets.
  

Automatically changing task label when client replies

• Go to activeCollab admin – Tasks Plus Settings
• Locate the option to “Auto change workflow label”. Set it to any label you want.
  

Changelog for Tasks Plus 4.1.1 (activeCollab 4 version)

Fix:
- Error (ConfigOptionDnxError) on task view page.

Tasks Plus 4.1

Enhancement
+ Change the workflow label of a support ticket when client comment on a task.
+ Added user signature when replying to support ticket

Fix:
- Code Snippets were not added while commenting in aC4.
- System notification was not generated properly when support ticket is created through incoming email.
- Fixed error when change the label of a subtask.

Changelog for Tasks Plus 3.4.8 (activeCollab 3 version)

Enhancement
+ Auto change label of support ticket after client's comment.

Fix:
- Code snippets were not added while making Comment

We hope you like these changes! If you have started using Tasks Plus / activeCollab for your helpdesk, do let us know your stories!

We released activeCollab 4 compatible versions of all our products last Saturday, and had tested them with activeCollab 4.0.6.

Yesterday late night (our time) activeCollab 4.0.7 was released. And today morning we were greeted with emails from customers about problems with 4.0.7! There were some core changes in 4.0.7 that caused compatibility issues.

We are happy to announce that Planning, Tasks Plus, Confidential Items, Reports Plus and Quick Add Plus modules are now compatible with 4.0.7 as well. This basically means all our modules are compatible with aC 4.0.7.

So, here’s the quick update…

Planning module 4.0.1

Fix;
- Fix "Invalid plan outline: error.

Reports Plus module 4.0.1

Fix:
- Fix "Internal server error" while installation

Tasks Plus module 4.0.1

Fix:
- Invalid param error

Confidential Items module 4.0.1

aC 4.0.7 compatible version

Quick Add Plus 4.0.1

aC 4.0.7 compatible version

Don’t forget to use our Apps Magnet Auto Updater module to automatically update all our modules.