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New Version out now, v4.4.7

Posted by admin on September 14, 2010 in Announcements Leave a comment

Ok so in the background we’ve started dev on some fairly major advances in the Copper world (See http://bit.ly/azxfaU), some of which have been YEARS in their creation. However, in the mean time we continue to bring you new minor features and updates.

Hosted customers will already see this build as current, and self-hosted license customers will receive notification when this build is ready to download. New this version!!

- Redesign of Budgets/Quotes to allow for better Quoting/Invoicing
- Removed Status column for invoices (this will be reintroduced later)
- Fix for Task Ordering issue (was still sorting New Tasks to top after refresh. Fixed)
- Addition of Spanish Language Pack
- Improvements under the hood to improve load times
- Refinements to Alerts System

If you’re a customer and would like to be a beta tester for new features as they first become available, please let us know via info@copperproject.com

Coming Soon – People! (Lets merge Clients, Users, Groups, Contacts)

Posted by admin on September 5, 2010 in Announcements 8 Comments

***UPDATED 15th Sept***

We’re underway with the next version update for Copper, and we’re working on something that we really want some feedback on, for the first time in about seven years we’re going to overhaul the permissions model. We think its really going to simplify things, and allow us to bring you a host of new resource management tools that will blow your socks off.

Why are we doing this? To make things simpler for everyone, easier to learn, easier to support. One of the consistent pieces of feedback we get is that the Copper permissions model is too confusing, and I agree with this entirely. So, we’re going to take the lead from operating system permissions models.

In essence, a good project management software tool should allow you to manage two hemispheres:
1. A bunch of stuff that needs to get done
2. A bunch of people that can get it done.

It should be simple enough to create and maintain a series of projects/tasks, review the progress of same, and it should also be simple enough to create and maintain a series of people/organizations, and review the workload of same. In this way you know where a PROJECT is at, but also where a PERSON is at.

The current access model in Copper allows you to give a user or a group read/write/deny access to a Module (i.e. what a user sees), a Client (with this they see all projects), a Project (with this they see all tasks), and also allows you to allocate users to a Task (they see this task in To Do). If a user is in a group they adopt the groups permissions. For the most part this works, but then there are Client/Project/Task owners, an Admin user (who has access to everything). Also, there are a whole bunch of ‘People’ or ‘Group’ objects in Copper that further complicate matters, including User, Contact, Group, Client, Account manager, Project Owner, Project Participant, Task Owner, and Task Allocatee. Woah! There should just be: People and Organizations.

With that in mind, here is how we simplify this. In essence this is how Copper v5.0 will work:

We’re going to remove the Clients module, the Contacts module, remove Users and Groups from Admin, remove Project and Task owner fields and replace them with a ‘People’ module. Then, we’re going to simplify how permissions work.

New People Module
The ‘People’ module will contain People and Organizations. A Person is anyone you come into contact with when you undertake a project. A copper user will just be a person who is given log in Access). An Organization is any grouping of People, for instance a client, an internal department, a vendor or subcontractor, or a special project team.

New Permissions
In the new permissions model, you simply add People to Organizations, Projects, and Tasks
When a person is on an Organization, you can set them to have access to All Projects. Or you can add them to specific projects if you want to limit their access.
When a person is on a Project, they see all tasks in that project, and can se the Organization details, but not edit them.
When a person is on a Task, they see it in their To Do and can add commentary to it.

We’ll also allow you to set a flagbearer person in Organizations, Projects, and Tasks. This just means they are the current go to person on this thing, and they can pass the flag as needed.
Anyone can create an Organization or a Project, and you can add anyone that is in an Organization you’re already in.
Anyone can create a Person, but only Admin can give that Person log in access.

More to come, but this is simplifying…. Getting there…

Ben.

a person can delete an org iff
* If you have write on that org.
a person can create an org iff
* Anyone can.
a person can add other people to an org iff
* If you have write on that org. (you can only add people you can read)
# Projects
A person can read a project iff
* They have write on that project OR
* They have write on any org
A person can edit,delete a project iff
* They have write on that project OR
* They have write on any org
A person can create a project iff
* Anyone. They are automatically given the write token to it.
A person can add other people/orgs to a project iff
* The have edit on the project (you can only add people / orgs you can read)
# Tasks
A person can read a task iff
* They have write on that task OR
* They have write on that project OR
* They have write on any org
A person can edit,delete a task iff
* They have write on that task OR
* They have write on that project OR
* They have write on any org
A person can create a task iff
* They have write on the project OR
* The have write on any org on that project
A person can add other people/orgs to a task iff
* They have write on the project (you can only add people / orgs you can read)
# People
a person can read another person iff
* They are that person OR
* They have write on an org they are in.
a person can edit another person iff
* They are that person OR
* They have write on an org they are in.
a person can delete another person iff
* They are a coord
a person can create another person iff
* Anyone with write to > 0 orgs. They must put the person in an org they have write

New Version out Now, 4.4.4

Posted by admin on August 19, 2010 in Announcements Leave a comment

Ok so development is now underway on some key new features, however this version provides a series of minor fixes to some of the more obscure bugs. If you’d like to get involved in helping us develop new features, please get in touch.

Hosted customers will already see this build as current, and self-hosted license customers will receive notification when this build is ready to download.

New this version:

- Fix to To Do iCal Sync Button
- Fix for Task Ordering issue
- Fix Project Report saving
- Fix for custom Quote/Invoice template uploads
- Fix for foreign characters in Timeline
- Improvements to Self-Hosted Upgrades
- Visual fix to New Project Footer

If you’re a customer and would like to be a beta tester for new features as they first become available, please let us know via info@copperproject.com

New Version Out Now, v4.4!

Posted by admin on July 22, 2010 in Announcements 2 Comments
We’ve just dropped v4.3.3, which includes a of new tweaks and a new features. In fact, since our last email, here are the things which have been added to Copper in a few short months, and more is on the way!
- Great new Budgets tab in Projects, with handy chart showing project budget progress, and timeline of invoicing. Plus! CSV export for import into Quickbooks/MYOB
- Billing is now ready for integration with Xero and Freshbooks.
- Great new task drag and drop in project breakdown view makes it super easy to reorder, and create subtasks.
- Refinements to Time and Comment Entries (via 3 ways, in stopwatch timer, in task view, and in the To Do view)
- Improved embedded URLs across Copper allowing easy linking to external assets and other web apps.
- Improvements to special character rendering for multiple languages (Copper is now available in 5 languages, and is ready for easy translation).
- Added ability to turn off Relative Dates,
- Fixed bugs that annoyed Ben and the rest of the Copper Family.
- Added our fantastic new Copper Logo and Favourite Icon.
- Added Help Links to the menu, and debug code for better diagnosis and Support
Want to see more? Great! Provide your feedback here in the community.
If you’re a customer and would like to be a beta tester for new features, please let us know via info@copperproject.com

We’ve just dropped v4.4 which contains a number of key changes under the hood, and some handy new features and fixes. Hosted customers will already see this build as current, and self-hosted license customers will receive notification when this build is ready to download.

So, we’re almost at the point where we have Copper ready for some key changes to make everyone’s lives easier! On the slate is an overhaul of Resourcing, the Gantt Timeline, File uploads, Rates management, and integration with Xero and Freshbooks. Its a great time to get on board and help our bank balance achieve these things!

Please keep your comments and kind words coming via the Community and we’ll keep bringing the goodness! New this version:

- New Alerts system, allowing use to keep you informed of new features and upcoming events.
- New Auto db update system, now we can roll db updates that Copper recognizes and executes automatically.
- New Recent Items in Clients, Reports, ToDos, makes it easier to go back to something you were working on in that area.
- Improvements to MS Project Import, now imports dependencies!
- Improvements to Reports layout and saving.
- Improvements to Budgets tab, to allow for addition of Purchase Items you can add to your invoices/quotes
- Centralized uploaded logo, header, home, invoice, quote assets.
- Improvements to Work Analysis (Timesheets) and Project Analysis reports
- Improvements to file/folder drag and drop (beta, keep us posted on this one)
- Improvements to MYOB export in Reports
- Bug fixes for reports, IE users, Mini Calendar Selector

If you’re a customer and would like to be a beta tester for new features as they first become available, please let us know via info@copperproject.com

A customers view: 5pm, Basecamp.. Hold the Phone! What’s this Copper Project all about!?

Posted by Dan Hunter on July 14, 2010 in Project Management Software, Testimonials Leave a comment

Thanks for the Praise Mike:

“I considered using 5pm and Basecamp when I started looking into project management software because I had already been using both on various projects. Damn, am i glad I chose Copper – having used the alternatives, I can say I absolutely LOVE Copper and it keeps getting better and better. To top things off, the Copper team is always quick to respond and always helpful when I have questions or issues with anything.
The user interface rocks, unlimited clients and projects makes me sing, and the functionality is solid. Great work, guys!”

Enough said!

The Team at Copper Project

Feedback from a new Copper Customer

Posted by Dan Hunter on July 12, 2010 in Testimonials Leave a comment

We’re always pleased to hear from our customers, new and old and having recently launched the new Copper Project website http://www.copperproject.com, it is great to hear our efforts are paying off!

“I just went through the new tour and it’s a job very well done. We’ve been using Copper for about 4 months now and although I’ve had some issues getting people to actually using, it’s personally my favorite so far. The help section is going to be very useful indeed.

Thanks a lot for making our projects manageable!”

Fouad Sadler – Fuji Communications.

Thanks to Fouad and the team over at Fuji Communications, we welcome all feedback!

The Team at Copper Project.

New version out now, 4.3.3!

Posted by admin on July 7, 2010 in Announcements, Project Management Software 1 Comment
We’ve just dropped v4.3.3, which includes a of new tweaks and a new features. In fact, since our last email, here are the things which have been added to Copper in a few short months, and more is on the way!
- Great new Budgets tab in Projects, with handy chart showing project budget progress, and timeline of invoicing. Plus! CSV export for import into Quickbooks/MYOB
- Billing is now ready for integration with Xero and Freshbooks.
- Great new task drag and drop in project breakdown view makes it super easy to reorder, and create subtasks.
- Refinements to Time and Comment Entries (via 3 ways, in stopwatch timer, in task view, and in the To Do view)
- Improved embedded URLs across Copper allowing easy linking to external assets and other web apps.
- Improvements to special character rendering for multiple languages (Copper is now available in 5 languages, and is ready for easy translation).
- Added ability to turn off Relative Dates,
- Fixed bugs that annoyed Ben and the rest of the Copper Family.
- Added our fantastic new Copper Logo and Favourite Icon.
- Added Help Links to the menu, and debug code for better diagnosis and Support
Want to see more? Great! Provide your feedback here in the community.
If you’re a customer and would like to be a beta tester for new features, please let us know via info@copperproject.com

We’ve just dropped v4.3.3, which includes a of new tweaks and a new features. In fact, since our last email, here are the things which have been added to Copper in a few short months, and more is on the way!

- Great new Budgets tab in Projects, with handy chart showing project budget progress, and timeline of invoicing. Plus! CSV export for import into Quickbooks/MYOB
- Billing is now ready for integration with Xero and Freshbooks.
- Great new task drag and drop in project breakdown view makes it super easy to reorder, and create subtasks.
- Refinements to Time and Comment Entries (via 3 ways, in stopwatch timer, in task view, and in the To Do view)
- Improved embedded URLs across Copper allowing easy linking to external assets and other web apps.
- Improvements to special character rendering for multiple languages (Copper is now available in 5 languages, and is ready for easy translation).
- Added ability to turn off Relative Dates,
- Fixed bugs that annoyed Ben and the rest of the Copper Family.
- Added our fantastic new Copper Logo and Favourite Icon.
- Added Help Links to the menu, and debug code for better diagnosis and Support

Want to see more? Great! Provide your feedback here in the community.

If you’re a customer and would like to be a beta tester for new features, please let us know via info@copperproject.com

New Copper Project Site. At last!

Posted by admin on June 8, 2010 in News 3 Comments

So, here you have it, the new Copper website. You don’t need to know much about it, other than it was created with much love, care, and tenderness, and took about six months longer than it should have! And if I’m being honest, will be subjected to another six months of tweaking, to make sure that prospective copper-ites can find information on what Copper is about, and existing copper-ites can get tooled up on using Copper to its full potential.

So whats’s new? Well firstly we’ve finally created a series of tour videos that give a great rundown of what Copper can do for you, so make sure you watch all of those. We’ve also separated out the more detailed tutorials into a new Help section that will definitely be refined and shaped as we find out how people are using it and what they’re missing. We’ve tweaked our Free Trial and Buy pages, and everything else has had a clean up.

Noticed the new logo? As simple as it looks weagonizedfor weeks, and I’m sure the very talented Lee Wong could give you her detailed notes on how the new Copper logo represents the very best web-based Project Management Tool if you asked her.

Wow it doesn’t really feel like we did that much at all, but behind the scenes theres quite a bit happening to ensure that our customer information is tracked and managed more efficiently, so whether you’re just wanting to kick a few tyres, or you’re a died-in-the-wool Copper champion, we’re ready to help you as best we can.

But please, go forth, use the site, break it, romanticize about little changes, tell us about said changes, explore, grow, regale your friends with merriment. Because if we’re not growing, we’re dying.Deep, exponential ponderings, yes. But true all the same.

Love, Team Copper.

A message from a long-term customer

Posted by admin on June 5, 2010 in Project Management Software, Testimonials Leave a comment

This is why we love building and refining Copper. What other job would offer the honour of being privvy to hundreds of different business models across the globe, all with a single purpose, to better manage their businesses and add value to their customers in turn.

This is from W. Ross Wells, from ZenFilm in Texas.

We started our company in September of 2005 in the living room of our house… after years of operating much larger production facilities… the paradigm for production was changing and we saw that smaller, lower overhead, aggressive little shops might have the staying power in the changing media climate.

4 years later… we have 9 employees and we have experienced exponential client and revenue growth.. Copper has been with us ever since we added our first employee… it has grown with us and honestly it is part of the family.

You made an extremely high end management system available to us when we had no cash to spend… and now that things are better… we have a really high performance platform to run our company with.
It means a lot that you are doing well… sometimes we dont stop to think how far we’ve come… we have come a long way and you have helped us do it.

Sincere thanks and best wishes for many more years of partnership.

Thanks Ross, as discussed we’ll beer it up next time I’m State-side.

Copper Project Management Software and PRINCE2

Posted by admin on June 5, 2010 in Project Management Software Leave a comment

Fresh from our Community, a question about Copper and Prince2. We’re much obliged to answer!